Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors. Although I prefer some of his other books over this one, I still rank this one as 5 stars. This book focuses on Ted and his relationships at 14 to 15 years old and at 39 years old. One of his friends is a famous artist, who became famous because his 14 year old friends forced him to enter a painting into a competition. As an adult, the artist meets an 18 year old who he sees as a kindred spirit, and introduces her to Ted. Their initially contentious relationship changes as the book progresses. As with all of Backman's books, much of the book focuses on relationships and the psychology of the various characters.

Insight into war and what Post Traumtic Stress can do and how it is handled

CLAIRE DARLING by Callie Kazumi is the story of a young woman in love. The setting is London, England; the style is a mixture of personal narrative and introspection; the time frame is a back and forth between the here and now and Claire's childhood. Not giving anything away - the first sentence on the fly leaf says "this is a story of obsession, love and murder..." - the reader is taken on a wild journey with many twists and turn. An enjoyable read, if somewhat predictable...

I really enjoyed this light summer read and love story like its title.

The author’s style is difficult to read. The storyline is interesting.

Normally not my type of reading interest and the intimate scene was a little too explicit.

This was an enjoyable and funny mystery that kept me guessing. Dana, our heroine, is a 29 year old unemployed actress who gets a gig hosting a program for the Shopping Network. On her first day, another star host is found dead. Lots of false leads and romance with two men. A very entertaining novel!

Keru and Nate meet in college. Keru, an only child, immigrated from China with her parents. Nate and his brother grew up in a white, rural working class community with their parents. Despite their cultural differences Keru and Nate marry. In this short novel, set in two vacation spots (a rental house in Cape Cod and a rental house in the Catskills) we get a glimpse of how this DINK couple learn to navigate relationships with their in-laws, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances, and each other. Weike Wang is a Boston University alumni!

I found this novel truly heartbreaking as Claire in her husband experience so many losses. But Claire is resilient and a devoted mother and grandmother; she carries on with her life and makes a real difference to the children she fosters. The ending is cathartic.

Another chapter in the Michael Bennett character series, this book does not disappoint. Blending the usual police thriller with Bennet's unique family situation, Patterson once again delivers a page-turner that is difficult to put down. A rash of retired police officer suicides may not be what they seem and the investigation intersects with another examining a string of deaths of drug dealers from various gangs. There are numerous twists and turns as Patterson and co-author James Born deliver another strong piece of the series.