I mean, the most stressful thing in my life is when I can’t find the coffee flavoring I like…..
It seems, however, that today’s authors use a lot, I mean a lot of girl in distress plots…keep reading!
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The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan
This book begins with the disappearance of seven-year-old Ben. While walking in a wooded area with his mom Ben runs ahead of her to reach their destination first. Then she cannot find him. From here the book begins to delve into the lives of all Ben’s relatives trying to piece together who may be involved in his disappearance. It is quickly learned that he didn’t just get lost and was actually taken– but by whom? His mom, Rachel, lives alone, but dad, John, and his new wife are very much part of Ben’s life. What do they know? Then there’s Rachel’s sister, Nicky, who has her own secrets. In the meantime, two of the police detectives on the case are intimately involved so are they doing their best and what secrets do they have, especially the female, Emma? See where this is going…..the title of the book lets you know that SHE knew something- but which she?
The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
Finally, a book that is not a chick book! This is a suspenseful novel about being lost in the wilderness and trying to survive. Wilfred, called Wolf, is going to hike on a local mountain. On the tram ride to the top, he sees Nola, an elderly woman, another woman, Bridget, a frail middle-aged woman, and Vonn, a teenager. After starting the hike Wolf encounters Nola and then the other two and discovers they are related. Nola is the mom of Bridget who is the mom of Vonn. Unfortunately, as they begin to hike together, they get lost and then spend five days on the mountain trying to survive. Nola is injured immediately and spends time in extreme pain with a badly broken arm. Bridget is a flighty, easily excited silly woman (my opinion) and creates drama. Vonn is the one Wolf likes a lot!
Lots of problems occur as they have to find shelter and water and a way off the mountain. The back story of this all belongs to Wolf as he tells the women about his life without a mother and a neglectful father. He also tells them about a friend named Byrd that suffered a tragic accident on the same mountain. You know from the very beginning of the book that three of them will survive the mountain ordeal, but the journey and the ending are still quite compelling.
I liked this book a lot- even though it had some improbable things occur. I would give it 4 stars! Try it! (Side note: This one would make a fabulous movie because you would be able to see the cliffs and crevices and the mountain terrain!)
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
This is a beautifully written book set in the 1850’s. The story follows Thomas McNulty and his friend John Cole as they travel across the USA. Thomas left Ireland as a young boy and made his way alone to the USA where he meets John. Together they make it to Daggsville where they take a job dressing as girls and dancing with miners. This lasts for two years- until they grow too tall to pull it off anymore. Next, they join the US Army and get involved in specific Indian wars- most of which are described as massacres of Indian villages. The book is somewhat graphic in these accounts. At the last battle, a group of Indian children is taken captive. One of these eventually goes away with Thomas and John – as a servant. The two travel with Winona until they learn of the Civil War, so they leave Winona with someone and go to fight. Eventually, they return to her and travel to Tennessee to live. This, however, is not their happily ever after, as a soldier arrives to tell them the chief wants Winona back. There’s a lot more that comes with the event, but I will leave that to you to read. The book also delves into the relationship of the two men. They are lovers, but this is never related in great detail.
“We begin to see a country whose beauty penetrates our bones. In the far distance we see a land begin to be suggested as if maybe a man was out there painting it with a huge brush. He is choosing a blue as bright as falling water for the hills and there is a green for the forests so green you think it might be used for to make ten million gems. Rivers burn through it with a enameled blue.”
I would give this book 5 stars. It’s quite amazing!
The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle
It opens with Iris and her husband, Will, talking about having a baby soon and then he leaves on a business trip. When Iris arrives at her job that day people are talking about a plane crash. She discovers very quickly that the plane was not her husband’s….until it turns out that it was. He had told her was traveling to Orlando, but was on a flight to Seattle- that crashed. And so, of course, she begins to delve into exactly why he might have been on that flight. Soon, she is being helped by Corban, a man that shows up and tells her he knew Will from the gym, and it turns out he knew him quite well. This is odd because Iris has never heard of Corban. Then Iris is told by Will’s boss that a very large amount of money is missing from the company accounts and they suspect Will of taking it. Eventually, Iris is also helped by a lawyer whose wife and baby were on the fatal flight. This book is a wild ride and I loved it. I will admit the ending was quite abrupt, but after thinking about it, it might have been the perfect ending. I would give this one 5 stars!
