The Summary

Today: Two years after seeing her world fall apart at the altar, Manhattan art dealer Sera James' heart is still brittle. Her need for diversion rekindles her interest for a mystifying image of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes that she originally saw when she was a young kid.

The Summary

As different as sisters can be, Meredith and Nina Whitson are. One pursued a dream and toured the world to become a well-known photojournalist, while the other stayed at home to raise her children and look after the family's apple orchard. Meredith and Nina are reunited with their frigid, condescending mother, Anya, who still does not provide solace to her children when their adored father becomes ill. The Russian fairy story Anya occasionally shared with the girls at night was the only thing they had in common as kids.

Their father makes a promise to the women in his life on his deathbed: the fairy tale would be read one final time, and all the way through. Thus begins an unexpected trip into the reality of Anya's existence in Leningrad, which was devastated by war, more than 50 years ago. Meredith and Nina will finally hear their mother's unique, horrifying narrative, which alternates between the past and the present. What they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will upend the entire structure of their family and alter their perception of who they are.

My Review

I'll start by admitting that I occasionally fell asleep while reading this book.

There are some genuinely fascinating portions to this story of two sisters and their Russian immigrant mother. Even though I was aware of the historical aspect, there were times when I had to put it on hold since I couldn't stand to read too many tales set in 1940s Leningrad at once.

As I read on, I found myself unable to put the book down and compelled to finish it. At first, I wasn't sure of it. I only read the book grudgingly because I wanted to learn what had made the mother have to live as an ice princess for so long.

This novel does occasionally feel like two different stories because of the divergent time periods in the two narratives, one taking place in the early 2000s and the other in the 1920s–1940s. The transitions from past to present became easier as the book progressed, but occasionally they did cause me to lose focus on the story I was now reading.

Even though I had concerns with it, I did like how this book told a story that clearly established the characters and their objectives. I didn't understand how well the explanation had built the reality of these people until the second part of the book, even though it did mean that the plot suffered a little.

Overall, I didn't find the book to be very useful. The characters all felt lifeless since none of them had any psychological depth or nuance. I had really high hopes for this book, thus I was very disappointed.

A well-written story that exposed a terrible time in history that I was unaware even existed, I ultimately found this book to be somewhat entertaining.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

The Summary

Sometimes the most significant things are the ones we never say.

The Summary

Grace Quinn enjoys her work at Cohen's Convenient Storage Company, where she occasionally discovers hidden wealth in customers' abandoned storage containers. When a priceless art collection and a collection of letters and diaries from the 1930s are discovered, her curiosity is aroused.

By digging deeper, Grace learns the tale of Connie Levine, a young Englishwoman who, at the close of World War II, followed her heart to Italy. The information also gives Grace, who is struggling with a shattered heart and taking care of her domineering mother, hope for a fresh start.

Grace sets out on her own journey of discovery, leading her to a powder pink villa perched high above the Italian Riviera. Will Grace be able to uncover the family secrets and betrayals that Connie worked so hard to overcome and find love for herself?

My Review

The ideal trip, A postcard from Italy displays the country's splendors.

This book depicts the Second World War's hardships, contemporary London, love, loss, and incredible journeys.

The variety of characters and their difficulties, the stunning settings, and the intriguing plot lines all flowed together so well thanks to the outstanding pacing. It never felt like I was reading two separate stories that alternated between the present and the past.

Grace was a special person who had been expertly constructed. She was a person trying to escape the mold that some others had given her due to their own failure to step up to the plate when called upon. Through her discoveries, she might be able to venture outside of her comfort zone and take that first tentative step. She only required a little assistance, inspiration, and fortitude.

I found it fascinating how the story evolved, and I believed the journal entries were a great way to give Connie a voice and connect the past to the present.

As it was mentioned in the title, Italy occurs in the book, though more so in the second half. Italy wasn't a huge plot aspect, which pleased me, but more that it appeared in the novel just when the past's puzzle pieces began to come together.

What a wonderful, comprehensive, and beautiful book this is. It's the perfect thing to cozy up with in the dead of winter when traveling to Italy's pleasant, warm climate. It offers a unique plot, likeable characters, and a ton of depth and insight. I can promise you that the story will rapidly draw you in.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

The Summary

Grace will soon reach 90 years old. She doesn't want celebrations, gifts, or fuss. She only wants to put an end to the family conflict that has broken her heart for years.

The Summary

Elsie Martin may lead a peaceful existence, but she finds happiness in her work at her beloved neighborhood library. After all, she has always used books as protection from the outside world. Elsie understands that the library must be saved when it is in danger of being closed so that a new housing complex can be built, and that despite being excruciatingly timid, she must spearhead the effort to do so.

Jacob Yardley believes that by creating a new affordable housing development, he is acting morally. Why shouldn't locals be permitted to own a home in the neighborhood where they were raised? It crushed his heart to have to leave his own small community. In addition, who truly uses libraries these days?

Sparks start to fly as Elsie and Jacob argue about the future of the library. Could Jacob be rekindling his love for reading and libraries while also falling for her? Will Elsie be able to save the library, which holds such special meaning for her?

My Review

This one was just perfect for me! This was a really enjoyable book, and I adore the cover.

Despite being a delightful romance, it is set in a beautiful neighborhood and naturally has a library. It covers a range of current concerns relating to small communities surviving as their populations grow older.

All the personalities, some of them were funny, made me grin. Elsie is such a fantastic character and a completely developed lead. I encouraged her every step of the way and commended her for having the guts to leave her serene comfort zone.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is how Elsie and Jacob gradually turned from enemies to lovers. I always enjoy the will they or won't they, rivals-to-lovers dynamic between Jacob and Elsie. Additionally, there is a tiny love triangle.

The supporting characters in the book are all fantastic, especially the people who use Elsie's library. They are extremely related and resemble a small, recently discovered family.

This book exemplifies the importance of libraries to communities. This story's premise caught me off guard, which was a wonderful change. I was kept on my toes the entire time by Ginger, which made me even happier.

A wonderful tale that is easy to read on its own and is full of love, commitment, and compassion. The novel will be a hit with readers who enjoy warm, comfy women's fiction.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

The Summary

1976. Undergraduate Alice Kenzie runs across PhD candidate Tristan Somers as she exits the university library. An intense romance starts, Alice becomes pregnant, and she gives birth to a baby girl. Then a car accident claims the life of Tristan. Unable to handle it, Alice takes the child to Summer House, the Suffolk house of Tristan's family, abandons her there, and then vanishes.

2018. It has long been said that Olivia Somers' mother and father were both killed in the same tragedy. But everything she ever thought she knew about her mother is put to the test when she discovers a stack of outdated letters in Summer House. Will she be able to locate her and, more importantly, forgive her?

My Review

A novel of historical fiction that alternates between two timelines. The story is told from the viewpoints of two women, Olivia in 2018 and Alice in 1976, and it addresses issues including parenting, second chances, friendship, mental health, and living up to your parents' expectations.

Both the individuals in the story and the way it all fit together were great. The assured observational and descriptive storytelling, coupled with some superb conversational banter, also help to authentically convey the setting and time, which only serves to increase the intrigue and mystery.

It was difficult to relate to them on many levels because they were all very emotional and complex individuals who frequently gave the sense that they were unreliable and very weak.

But I think the plot fell short of satisfying me completely. Although some of Alice's behaviors are still beyond my comprehension, I just believe that they are the actions of genuine people whose motivations we will never entirely grasp.

Although I do expect some tasty surprises, they were simply there. The conclusion came on a bit hastily, and the idea revealed far too much. Consequently, you can probably predict it.

This big book's repetition of similar emotions and worry led me to believe that it needed more thorough editing. Secondly, I wished there had been more character growth and separate writing for the summer cottage.

Overall, this book will pique your interest right away and make you eager to discover the truth, but I only suggest it to readers who like family dramas with a hint of mystery thrown in.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.