Monday Book Love is a catch-all for all of those events where you share your latest acquisitions, events like:
What are You Reading?
Stacking the Shelves and Sunday Post both with Reading Reality
Mailbox Monday (now defunct)
Books that I've gotten recently:
The God of the Woods by Liz MooreWhen a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris WhitakerFrom the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes a soaring thriller and an epic love story that spans decades.
1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.
When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.
Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.
A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession, and the blinding light of hope.
The Days I Loved You Most by Amy NeffUnforgettable and utterly romantic, The Days I Loved You Most is a heart-wrenching, life-affirming novel that asks, How much would you sacrifice for the one you love?
In the summer of 1941, on the New England shores where they were raised, Evelyn and Joseph fell in love. Now, more than sixty years later, with a lifetime between them, they have gathered their three grown children to share the staggering news: she has received a tragic diagnosis, and he cannot live without her. So in one year’s time, they will end their lives on their own terms.
As the couple comes to grips with their fate, they retrace their past—the joys and regrets, the laughter and the sorrow—that brought them to this moment. They embark on a journey to live out their greatest dreams and to comfort and connect with each of their children before they're gone. But as their final days draw closer, they must confront the stark reality of what they are about to do, and make peace with the legacy they will leave behind for their family.
Spanning the twentieth century from World War II to 9/11 and beyond, The Days I Loved You Most is a timeless tale of unwavering devotion -- a moving tribute to the enduring power of love and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope and beauty to be found.
James by Percival Everett
A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.
When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.
While many narrative set pieces of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.
Devil is Fine by John Vercher
Still reeling from a sudden tragedy, our biracial narrator receives a letter from an attorney: he has just inherited a plot of land from his estranged white grandfather. He travels to a beach town several hours south of his home with the intention of selling the land immediately and moving on. But upon inspection, what lies beneath the dirt is far more complicated than he ever imagined. In a shocking irony, he is now the Black owner of a former plantation passed down by the men on his white mother’s side of the family.
Vercher deftly blurs the lines between real and imagined, past and present, tragedy and humor, and fathers and sons in this story of discovering and reclaiming a painful past. With the wit and rawness of Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, Devil Is Fine is a gripping, surreal, and brilliantly crafted dissection of the legacies we leave behind and those we inherit.
The Whisper Man by Alex North
After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.
But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.
Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.
And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window...
Eat & Flourish by Mary Beth Albright
A lively and evidence-based argument that a whole food diet is essential for good mental health. Food has power to nourish your mind, supporting emotional wellness through both nutrients and pleasure. In this groundbreaking book, journalist Mary Beth Albright draws on cutting-edge research to explain the food/mood connection. She redefines “emotional eating” based on the science, revealing how eating triggers biological responses that affect humans’ emotional states both immediately and long-term. Albright’s accessible voice and ability to interpret complex studies from the new field of nutritional psychology, combined with straightforward suggestions for what to eat and how to eat it, make this an indispensable guide. Readers will come away knowing how certain foods help reduce the inflammation that can harm mental health, the critical relationship between the microbiome and the brain, which vitamins help restore the body during intensely emotional times, and how to develop a healthful eating pattern for life―with 30-day kickoff plan included. Eat and Flourish is the entertaining, inspiring book for today’s world.
Imagine More by Stephanie Nelson
Discouraged that you will never fulfill your dreams? Stephanie Nelson, creator of the wildly successful Coupon Mom movement, shares an inspiring, motivating roadmap for achieving dreams, saving money, and giving generously with big faith. If you feel stuck in life and unable to make progress toward your deepest hopes and dreams, let Stephanie Nelson share a practical path to reaching your full potential. The creator of the Coupon Mom and jump-starter of the coupon craze that started in 2008 with the recession, Stephanie can relate to holding on to dreams that seem bigger than abilities. She started the Coupon Mom website with a thirty-five dollar investment and never borrowed or spent more than the project earned. With no extra money or experience in technology, Stephanie grew a tiny website into a multimillion-dollar business that has helped millions of people save money and donate groceries to charities, all while using the free Coupon Mom program. Sharing her story to unpack life lessons, Stephanie shares a path to It's never too late to imagine more, chase your dreams, and impact the world through your unique gifts and talents; Stephanie shows readers how to exchange their ordinary for God's extraordinary. Imagine More will encourage anyone who wants to use their passions and skills to benefit others and fulfill their most cherished dreams. Bonus The 35-page bonus ebook, Imagine More Digital Hacks ,is included via QR code in the book and ebook.
The Moonflowers by Abiggail Rose-Marie
In a powerful and poignant novel, an artist unravels her mysterious family history and its generations of women who depended on each other to survive.
Tig Costello has arrived in Darren, Kentucky, commissioned to paint a portrait honoring her grandfather Benjamin. His contributions to the rural Appalachian town and his unimpeachable war service have made him a local hero. But to Tig, he’s a relative stranger. To find out more about him, Tig wants to talk to the person who knew her grandfather, Eloise Price, the woman who murdered him fifty years ago.
Still confined to a state institution, Eloise has a lifetime of stories to tell. She agrees to share them all—about herself, about Tig’s enigmatic grandmother, and about the other brave and desperate women who passed through Benjamin’s orbit. Most revealing of all is the truth about Whitmore Halls, the mansion on the hill that was home to triage, rescue, death, and one inevitable day that changed Eloise’s life forever.
As Tig begins to piece together the puzzle of her mysterious family tree, it sends her spiraling toward a confrontation with her own painful past—and a reconciliation with all its heartrending secrets.
Mass Infliction by Dan Grylles
The people of Virginia Beach were stunned at the sound and sight of the Boeing 737 airplane as it plummeted.
Shielding their eyes to follow its contrails, to their horror, within seconds it plunged to the earth, taking over one hundred souls with it.
Detective Remy Ferguson of the Miami Police Department is eventually contacted by an NTSB investigator who uncovers a mysterious clue. Remy comes to the horrific realization that his nemesis has resurfaced. Downing a major airliner may be just the beginning for this psychopathic serial killer, indifferent to any and all innocent lives who may be in the way. Who are the real targets, and what is the unifying objective for seemingly unconnected murders?
No matter how much he tries to put the past behind him, Detective Remy Ferguson finds himself once again facing his arch rival, L’Inconnu. With the evidence pointing to a single individual, Remy and his team work against the clock, handling one homicide after another, to reveal the insidious plan. With massive implications uncovered, will Remy risk his career, his team, and his very life to stop it in time?
We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston
An epic novel of star-crossed lovers set in a doomsday cult on the Texas prairie that asks: what would you sacrifice for the person you love?
Waco, Texas 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb’s gospel—signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They’ve come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye’s mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb’s methods—and his motives.
Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff; a 14 year old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trouble who falls for Jaye without knowing of her mother’s attachment to the man who is currently making his father’s life hell. The two teenagers are drawn to each other immediately and completely, but their love may have dire consequences for their families. The Lamb has plans for them all—especially Jaye—and as his preaching and scheming move them closer and closer to unthinkable violence, Roy risks everything to save Jaye.
Based on the true events that unfolded thirty years ago during the siege of the Branch Davidian compound, Bret Anthony Johnston’s We Burn Daylight is an unforgettable love story, a heart-pounding literary page turner, and a profound exploration of faith, family, and what it means to truly be saved.
The Stalin Affair: The Impossible Alliance That Won the War by Giles Milton
From internationally bestselling historian Giles Milton comes the remarkable true story of the motley group of Allied men and women who worked to manage Stalin’s mercurial, explosive approach to diplomacy during four turbulent years of World War II.
In the summer of 1941, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, shattering what Stalin had considered an ironclad partnership. There were real fears that Stalin’s forces would be defeated or that the Soviet leader would once again strike a deal with Hitler. Either eventuality would spell catastrophe for both Britain and the United States.
Enter Averell Harriman: a railroad magnate and, at the start of the war, the fourth-richest man in America. At Roosevelt’s behest he traveled to Britain to serve as a liaison between the president and Churchill and to spearhead what became known as the Harriman Mission. Together with his fashionable young daughter Kathy, an unforgettable cast of British diplomats, and Churchill himself, he would eventually manage to wrangle Stalin into the partnership the Allies needed to defeat Hitler.
Based on unpublished diaries, letters, and secret reports, The Stalin Affair reveals troves of new material about the path to Allied victory, full of vivid scenes between celebrated and infamous World War II figures.
Includes eight-page, color photograph insert.
What I'm Reading:
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