Outside, I did not like Rooster Bar...kept waiting for it to get better and it just did not. I am usually a fan of his books but this one was not really worth reading the whole way through.

ETA: just finished Little Fires Everywhere and loved it so go with that one!

Thanks jmck! I appreciate that.

Outside, I've read all of Kreuger's Cork O'Connor suspense series books and they are very good. The protagonist is part Native American and there is a strong theme of spirituality woven through the action/adventure plotlines. Definitely recommend them. And for this series read them in order. There are some major plot lines that weave through the books and if you start later in the series or read out of order I think you'll miss a lot of nuance about the character as he has been developed.

As for book clubs, I am very happy to be part of mine because the cliche is definitely true for me: it gently forces me to explore work that I'd never choose on my own. This month's book is a perfect example, Trevor Noah's Born a Crime was such a great, thought provoking read! My only complaint is that although the members are all smart, accomplished women some prefer very light reading and I like to be challenged. So some months (cough*TeaGirlofHummingbirdLane*cough) I simply can't handle the fluff and I do skip those ;).

February's book club choice is The Art of Hearing Heartbeats which has been on my vague radar as a should-read for awhile but which I probably wouldn't have tackled. And March is Lincoln in the Bardo which I'd rejected after reading reviews. However I am glad I'll be reading it just to see what the fuss and awards are all about.

Justerrilynn, the cover certainly gives that impression!

I learned my lesson long ago. When DD was a child, I could not wait for her to finish Gone with the Wind so we could discuss my favorite novel of all time. One day my eagerness got the better of me and I asked her, "Where are you now? Did you get to the part where Gerald dies?" Nope, she had NOT and she still has not forgiven me.

4kids, I just started The Wildling Sisters.

Just finished reading Sister of My Heart. What a wonderful book. Highly recommend...will suggest it for our book discussion group.

Next up is a community read : The Yellow Envelope. Looks to be pretty good.

I just finished the newest Kelly Corrigan book and loved it. These essays cover everything from life with two teenage girls to the premature death of a dear, young mom friend. I always Corrigan's writing to be both absolutely laugh-out-loud hilarious, and keenly observant and poignant. It's a quick read, maybe a two-hour book, and a very nice way to spend a few hours -like having coffee with a great old friend. She writes so open and honestly about family life, which can be so refreshing these days. Just love her.

I finished The Wilding Sisters last night. It's a fast page-turner. It goes back and forth between two families, one in 1959, the other present day, who are intertwined by living in the same house. I preferred the 1959 part. It's not one of the best books I've read of late, but I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars. It's funny, I so couldn't put it down last night that I totally forgot the Warriors were on and missed the entire game.

I finished All The Ugly And Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood last night.

This is one excellent creepy , disturbing thought provoking book. Highly recommend even though at one point I was wondering if I wanted to continue once the something bad was about to happen. Oddly with all the meth problems in this country I haven't spent enough time wondering what happens to the children of these people. Children that have never been children but are not completely adult either. Kidaults maybe. I just made that up.

I'm not going to give anything away but will say that I loved the ending. I'm only telling this much to get one through the disturbing parts. This is a book that sticks to you even after a few other reads.

Linelle, I saw you post that you were starting The Wildling Sisters not long after I finished. I thought it was average but didn't want to say anything lest I influence your opinion. I thought it moved a bit slowly at times and was anticlimactic. Actually, it wasn't that it took me a long time to read - I read it fairly quickly - I think it just seemed like not much seemed to be happening. Like I was waiting for this big moment of the "mystery" being solved but the actual mystery part of it wasn't really that exciting. That said, I don't regret reading it, but it's not one I would go out of my way to recommend to my friends.

I finished The Good Father by Noah Hawley who also wrote Before the Fall. It was pretty thought-provoking for me. it's about a man whose college age son allegedly assassinates a presidential candidate and his journey to find the truth as it was totally out of character for his son. It too was a bit slow in the middle but I found the ending to be compelling.

I'm currently listening to The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexandrovna. It's an oral history of the history of women in WW2 in Europe and Russia. It was recommended to me as an audiobook rather than a book to read. It will take me a while to get through it as it's 14 hours long but I have to drive my son's carpool at least 2x per week (45 min drive each way) so I've been trying to listen as much as I can in my car. Listening to each woman's account of her role in the war as snipers, partisans, etc can be hard to listen or even imagine but it's rather fascinating to me so far.

I'm also about to start reading The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. It's about a boy (man? unclear his age as I have started) born out of wedlock to a teenage mom in rural Ireland starting in the 1940s. He's adopted by a wealthy Dublin couple. Just published a few months ago but gets great reviews so far from various sources.

4kids, I completely agree with everything you said about The Wildling Sisters. I think I'll downgrade it to 3-1/2 stars. I enjoyed reading it, but it didn't deliver as I was hoping it would. I don't think I'd recommend it, too many others much better.

I'm about 1/3 way through Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and am enjoying it immensely. I love that I don't know where it's going.

running, I loved Born a Crime and linelle, LIttle Fires is such a compelling read. Ng's first book Everything I Never Told You is just as compelling.

Would you want to know the date on which you will die and would it affect how you live?? That question is explored in a new novel I am reading, The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. It is about 4 siblings who are told in 1969 New York by a fortune teller the dates on which they each will die. Each person's story is then told separately, ending in their death. I am on the 3rd sibling.

Because of all the recommendations I read Ordinary Grace, which was beautiful. I was about to read The Big Short when Harry Potter #5 became available, so I had to switch to that. (I’m not a multiple book kind of reader.) Now that that’s done, 1491 has caught my eye, so I’m going to try that next. (I’ll probably get to The Big Short sometime, I just have to be in the mood.)

I just finished The Yellow Envelope. It was good...about a couple who saves their money, sells everything and then travels the world. Kind of an Eat Pray Love thing...a journey of self discovery as well as a physical journey.

Next up, I'm not sure...maybe the final Sue Grafton Y is for Yesterday, or I got Oliver Sacks The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat or The Bright Hour. I think it will be the Sacks...

I just finished The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison. This is not the usual post apocalyptic novel. Strong female main character. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I liked it so much I just started the 2nd book in the series The Book of Etta.

So, I just have to share this story. My DD, who was seemingly born with her nose in a book, is travelling in SE Asia and has just met up with a couple of guys that she will be travelling with. She sent me a text today saying it was really helpful that one of these guys had a traveller's guide. I texted back asking where her traveller's guide was since I knew she had bought one before she left. She texted back: "Well, I could only carry so many books, so I opted for fiction and left the guide at home".

I also just finished Kelly Corrigan’s book of essays. Really good. I kinda just want to hang out with her.

Just started The Immortalists. I like it so far, but I’ve barely started.

Funkyart - Did you read On the Move? I am somewhat ashamed to say that I set it aside with about 100 pages to go. I still have it on loan from the library so might finish it.

I'm reading Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig. I really like his sense of humor.

Added The Book of the Unnamed Midwife to my TBR list. Thanks, justerilynn.

I just started Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. We loved the series and I am kinda wishing that I read the book first. As I'm reading, I'm also having a ticker-tape dialogue about the casting and the nuances that I missed as a viewer.

Rosestink, I am not ashamed to say that I read three pages and didn't get the same feeling that I have from his books -- or more importantly Insomniac City written by his partner Bill Hayes. I want to carry on the image of the brilliant and charmingly quirky Oliver so I moved on to Manhattan Beach instead!

I may return to it but not now. If you are an Oliver Sacks fan, I do very much recommend Insomniac City.

Little Fires Everywhere was such a page-turner! I could not put it down. However, now that it's over, I'm not sure how much I really liked it. I'm very conflicted over it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. As I was reading it, I thought, I love this book! I love books when I don't know where they're going, so I figured everything would come together and the pieces would all fit. They didn't for me. I felt a little cheated, loose ends, suspending some disbelief.

I don't regret reading it (buying it, actually) but I don't think I will recommend it to anyone.

Linelle, I felt the same way about that book. I think I gave a little review here when I read it last month (my sister lives in Shaker Heights and that is my niece and nephew’s h.s.). Quick read for sure and certainly not boring, but just didn’t live up to its hype for me.

4kids, thanks for weighing in. I ended up not really liking anyone very much.

Uh oh. Maybe I missed something. Linelle and 4 kids, what didn’t you like?

Book club just finished The Break by Katherena Vermette

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29220494-the-break

A very well written, pretty heartbreaking novel about generational trauma and the urban indigenous experience in Western Canada. Would highly recommend but not light reading.

Nannygoat, for the Richardson family, everything was so easy. Maybe not for Izzy, but we don't get to follow that thread and find out. Will they find her, will she come home?

Recently I had a great run of novels. Different people and stories but moments of redemption. Suddenly the book was over and I didn't feel anyone really had to atone for anything and/or reconcile. Maybe they will, but that's off-stage for now.

I read a one-star review at Goodreads. They raised a great point. The VW Rabbit was old (it had been Mia's brother's car). Mia lived basically hand to mouth and drove all over the country as the mood took her. How did she manage to maintain that car in good running condition without a penny to spare? It never occurred to me when I was reading it, but it kind of reinforced what was wrong. Other than the parents of Mirabelle, there weren't lasting consequences, and even they were going to work something else out.

Llinelle, for me a truly great book must have all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed. Your critique made me realize that it did fall short in certain areas and there was a certain hollowness to the end. It did register that Mia”s “poverty” never really affected her ability to do whatever she wanted and the Izzy situation was unresolved. Initially I didn’t like her first book, however it got so many good reviews that I put a hold on it again (which is a first for me!). Thanks for sharing your perspective!

Nannygoat, I think you hit it with "hollowness." Were there ever any real emotions shown (other than Mirabelle's biological mother)? Shaker Heights felt shiny and fake. I ended up not liking Mia very much. She did exactly as she pleased and to hell with anyone else. How far will Izzy get? At least Mrs. Richardson was resourceful and knew how to follow clues. Actually, I didn't like any of the characters very much and that's probably why I feel this way about the book now. Not a shred of redemption anywhere.

Yes, I hadn’t realized that is a critical component to a deeply satisfying read. In hindsight, I was only superficially engaged with the characters and Mia was especially irksome. Cancelled my hold on Book #1.

Well it took me forever but I finally started Ordinary Grace and finished it today so I feel like I can join the club here. It was a very good book with so many twists and turns and about 85% of the time I had a lump in my throat or was on the edge or crying.........( I feel like there were one or two inconsistencies in the story but overall a very good book as every one else has commented).

My next book is Snow Child which is for my book club next week.

I didn't much like any of the characters in Little Fires Everywhere either. Mrs Richarson had a very sheltered life with lots of frosting and an unfulfilled career. Mia was mostly running from a bad decision and a badly stifled earlier life. Neither knew what the heck was going on with their children (not uncommon with teens). Both were in limbo with a false sense of purpose through most of the story. I enjoyed the book but felt let down on the ending.

JTL, same here. Funny how an unsatisfying ending can negate an otherwise enjoyable read.

When DD was younger, she was thoroughly enjoying a YA book by Lois Duncan. She was reading slower and slower to make it last until she got to the what-the-heck ending. Since then, we've referred to this type of book as a Lois Duncan, enjoyable until it isn't. LFE regrettably falls in that category.

Re: Little Fires - I guess I enjoy books where I have feelings about the characters (either liking them or not liking them.) But I would rather have that than no investment in them whatsoever. I will stop reading if I don't give a ##$!@ what happens to the people.

There were certainly flawed people in Little Fires. We are all flawed. I used to like when books got wrapped up into a neat tidy bow and the end, but now I just accept that they prob won't be. (It is a nice surprise when a book reaches a satisfying ending (which is not always a "good" or "happy" ending)_.

Although expectations are resentments under construction, I do expect a satisfying ending and am disappointed when it actually raises more questions than answers. Izzy, the fire starter, played such a prominent role in the story and it is frustrating that she’s MIA in the end.

I agree that was frustrating, Nanny.

Tackykat, I'm generally in agreement with you and believe we are all flawed in some ways and have our own demons to contend with. But if I really don't like any of the characters, I won't stay with the book. Not liking means I don't care about them enough to devote my time to reading the book.

I liked the writing in Little Fires and honestly loved the experience of reading the book, not yet knowing how it would end or be wrapped up. Leaving loose ends is fine if it means something, if I learn something. I just felt cheated and hollow. The beginning of the book was also the end of the book. We found some stuff out, mostly about Mia, but what are we to do with it?

I think because I was so invested in the characters while reading the book, I'm more pissed off with the ending. I've experienced better endings with Louise Penny books.

Similar thoughts for me wrt Little Fires. I was mildly annoyed as the novel progressed with some of the behavior of the mother of the four kids (sorry, can't remember name). Like who would go to all that bother to track down someone's parents who live a couple of hours away, drive there, then make up some story, merely to investigate the other mom? And for no real reason other than being nosy? I found the story to be superficially entertaining and while I don't need a story to be wrapped up nicely in the end, this one just seemed to end abruptly as if she didn't know how to end it. And the characters were never really developed - we never really understand that youngest daughter and what would really prompt her to be so misunderstood by her family or why she would just do what she did at the end and leave.

I just read another book that did not have loose ends tied up at the end, but I found the ending to be a very satisfying for the story as it was (it was not a happy ending and left some things unanswered) .

4kids, I agree that the author just gave up. The ending was the equivalent of the Sopranos. All that investment and no payoff.

I think we cant remember the mom's (of 4 kids) name because she was almost always referred to as Mrs. Richardson. (I know her first name was mentioned, but not often). I thought that was an interesting device -- did the author do it to make her seem in a different class than the other mom? More worthy of respect?

Unfortunately, a poor ending (I agree this was not the best) can ruin an otherwise interesting read.

Interesting point, tackykat. I was surprised to find that the title of Mrs, pronounced “mistress”, was for centuries applied to all adult women of higher social status, whether married or not.

I was the one who recommended Little Fires Everywhere. I enjoyed the book while reading it and didn't mind the ending. I think the characters changed by the end of the book. Did they change into perfect beings? No.. but I don't mind that.

Mrs. Richardson is so superficial at the beginning. Don't you think she softens and really starts paying attention to her family and those around her by the end? She moves into the rental house. She makes realizations that her family is not perfect.

Mia changes. She tells Pearl about her father. She realizes that running from her parents isn't good for any of them.

I'm trying to remember other details but I can't. I do remember thinking after finishing that there was a lot of cause and effect between all the characters. Just like in real life. When the daughter who has the abortion uses Pearl's name, it sets in motion a cascade of events and changes for the characters.

Sometimes I finish a book and don't really give it much thought afterwards. This book made me think about relationships after finishing it.

Mrs. Richardson's first name was Elena. While some characters would call her Elena, the author always referred to her as Mrs. Richardson.

I believe Mrs. R took the time to look into Mia's past because she was a bit of an enigma who held some of her children in thrall and who she suspects might have some connection to Mirabelle's biological mother being told who has her child. She suspects there's something to be found out that could be very useful to know. She's a reporter for a small town rag, but she has investigative skills and the time to explore some leads. I did like her resourcefulness in that respect.

4kids, I do agree that we never quite understand why Izzy is so at odds with her family. The ending suggests she's gone, maybe for a long time, if not for good, and yet why hasn't the family utilized its considerable resources to finding her, instead of trooping into the two-bedroom rental like, oh well.

My impression was that Izzy was just born at the wrong time and was not a good match with her mother. It’s a dysfunctional dynamic that unfortunately, resonates in real life.

czarinalex, I don't remember where I first heard about Little Fires. It might have been here or Goodreads. If I hear about a book, I look into it a bit and if it sounds promising, I put it on my list. I don't regret reading it. I think I'm somewhat spoiled because during the summer and fall I had a great run of books I absolutely loved, I'm just more critical than I might have been.

I confess I'm not crazy about books set in the current day with family dysfunction, esp. the Izzy storyline. Been there, don't want to go back.

If I had read it after Ordinary Grace, I would have been more critical. That really set a high bar.

Nanny, well, there it is. Ordinary Grace did set a really high bar. Right before I read OG I read A Gentleman in Moscow which is one of my favorite books ever. Everything since has been held up in comparison. Without having read some wonderful books just before, I doubt I'd be so harsh with Little Fires.

I am going to read "Born a Crime".

Just finished The Little French BIstro, by Nina George. Great story set in Brittany France. German housewife tries to commit suicide to get away from controlling husband. Someone saves her and she eventually finds her way to Brittany and a new group of colorful friends. Cute story. Like a vacation.

Reading now, Two if by Sea by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Deep End of the Ocean). NYC policeman saves a mute child in a foreign country and begins a new life. Child has a secret, and there is mystery and suspense thru Europe. I can't put this down!

I started listening to Born a Crime...long story, but I never got a chance to finish it. What I heard though, I really enjoyed. Some of it laugh out loud funny. Trevor Noah narrates it himself so I think I will finish it as audio rather than read it...he adds so much to it, and I'd never get the pronunciation right of all those S. African terms he uses.