I've read a lot of excellent books so far this year. The "big" summer releases haven't been released yet, but I've read a lot of wonderful releases that have come out so far this year. These are all adult titles. If you're looking for something wonderful to read, then here's a list of possibilities! I've read all of these books, and they have appealed to me. I hope you can find something that appeals to you!
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
After returning home from Vietnam, Ernt Allbright finds himself unable to keep a job or control his temper. Finding himself the recipient of a gift of land in the remote Alaskan Wilderness, Ernt takes his family: his wife Cora, and his daughter Liv to this property, sight unseen. At first, Ernt seems to have shed the demons that have been haunting him since his return. Liv finally finds a place where she belongs in this beautiful wilderness. But, as winter sets in, the demons that Ernt has kept at bay for so long come roaring back, and his family is in the direct line of fire when he can no longer control them. In the harsh Alaskan winter, how will the family survive when there is nobody that you can call for help?
Educated: A Memoir
Tara Westover
Tara grew up in a large Mormon family in Idaho. She grew up working in the family business and helping her parents prepare for The End of the World As We Know It. Because of this, her home school education was mostly ignored. The children in the family learned what they wanted in their free time. As Tara grew older, one of her brothers broke away from the family business and went to college. Tara found herself intrigued by the thought of college and found a way to break away from an abusive family situation. This tale of perseverance and determination will enthrall you.
The Woman in the Window
A.J. Finn
Anna Fox is a recluse - suffering from Agoraphobia - since her husband and daughter left. To deal with the pain of the loss, she takes the meds her doctor has prescribed her and self medicates with copious quantities of alcohol. To pass the time, she watches the comings and goings of her neighbors from an upstairs window through a pair of binoculars and a high powered camera lens.
Her world in unexpectedly turned upside down when a neighbor unexpectedly reaches out to help her - and enters Anna's strange world. Filled with life and laughter, Anna immediately warms to this young woman who just moved in across the street.
And then, watching through her binoculars one night, Anna sees this neighbor murdered right before her eyes. She sees a knife and blood. So much blood. Anna calls the police and attempts to go outside for the first time in almost a year. The resulting panic attack leaves Anna hospitalized and questioning herself. The neighbors claim that the woman Anna saw murdered doesn't exist. She wasn't the mother of the family, and nobody else claims to have seen her. Anna is certain of what she saw, but nobody else believes her - and she begins to question her own sanity.
Reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's Movie, Rear Window, this thriller will keep you on the edge of your street until the shocking conclusion.
The Alice Network
This one. Right here. It's my favorite. If there's one book you feel the need to read this summer, make this the one. This is historic fiction, based upon real people and real events. The main character, Marguerite, is based upon a sliver of information in the historic record. Personally, I think the horrors of the second world war overshadow the horrors of the first war, and we have forgotten stories that need to be remembered.
In World War I, there was a network of female spies working for Great Britain. They are a legendary network of spies that posed in everyday roles - and got information that changed the direction of the war. Led by a young woman code named Lily whose fearless determination kept her crossing the border and taking risks to get the information passed through when others would have given up and gone home.
Marguerite is a young English Woman with flawless French and German who has been recruited to work for the Alice network. She is to find a job working in a French Cafe for a French Man who is a collaborator with the Germans. Deep behind enemy lines, Marguerite's existence is dependent upon her ability to listen, and lie without a second thought when occasion demands.
Interwoven with Marguerite's tale is the story of Charlie St. Clair - set in 1947. Charlie is searching for her cousin who disappeared in France during the second world war. She has the name of one person who might be able to help her find her cousin - Eve Gardener. Eve- who operated under the code name Marguerite during the first war.
These intertwining tale of suspense as Charlie searches for her cousin and uncovers the deep well of secrets that Eve has kept hidden for years will leave you breathless.
The Weight of Ink
Rachel Kadish
This tale is told between two times and with two different narrators. In the early 21st century, a pile of manuscripts is found buried in a house in London. Helen Watt, a historian of Jewish History, is called in to assess the historic value of the manuscripts. As Helen begins to read the manuscripts, she is drawn back into the 1600's - a time when the Jews from Spain were able to flee the Inquisition and were settling into London. The manuscripts hint at previously unknown theological divisions within the community.
As Helen digs deeper into the manuscripts, she discovers that there is a deeper, more important discovery within the pages. A woman wrote the manuscripts. Not only the pages dictated by the Rabbi, but also many pages of her own - deep thoughts that she herself had about theology and the the nature of God. As Helen races to find the name of the mysterious woman, her own health begins to fail. Will she be able to find the identity of the unknown writer?
Esther Velazquez is an immigrant to England. She is a scribe for the blind rabbi. Determined to learn as much as she can, Esther reads everything she can get her hands on in her spare time. She knows that she is something very dangerous. A woman should not be able to read, much less think, for herself. But Esther has deep questions that needs answers. Answers that can get you killed for heresy. Unable to express herself freely, Esther writes her thoughts and questions.
This is a tale told between two time frames - Helen's story as she attempts to find the mysterious scribe, and Esther's desperate tale of a woman who longs to be educated. The stories are connected by sections of Esther's manuscripts.
