Long Island Compromise
THIS WAS A WILD RIDE!!! I was completely unprepared! This was recommended to me on Audible so I dove right in and within the first 2 minutes my eyes were pretty much bugging out of my head. While I felt like the author could have toned it down a bit I can also see where without them you really wouldn't have gotten the full picture. I found myself feeling sad for and repulsed by characters throughout the book and sometimes at the same time. Overall, I'm STILL thinking about this book and LOVED the ending.
"In 1980, a wealthy businessman named Carl Fletcher is kidnapped from his driveway, brutalized, and held for ransom. He is returned to his wife and kids less than a week later, only slightly the worse, and the family moves on with their lives, resuming their prized places in the saga of the American dream, comforted in the realization that though their money may have been what endangered them, it is also what assured them their safety.
But now, nearly forty years later, it’s clear that perhaps nobody ever got over anything, after all. Carl has spent the ensuing years secretly seeking closure to the matter of his kidnapping, while his wife, Ruth, has spent her potential protecting her husband’s emotional health. Their three grown children aren’t doing much better: Nathan’s chronic fear won’t allow him to advance at his law firm; Beamer, a Hollywood screenwriter, will consume anything—substance, foodstuff, women—in order to numb his own perpetual terror; and Jenny has spent her life so bent on proving that she’s not a product of her family’s pathology that she has come to define it. As they hover at the delicate precipice of a different kind of survival, they learn that the family fortune has dwindled to just about nothing, and they must face desperate questions about how much their wealth has played a part in both their lives’ successes and failures.
Long Island Compromise spans the entirety of one family’s history, winding through decades and generations, all the way to the outrageous present, and confronting the mainstays of American Jewish life: tradition, the pursuit of success, the terror of history, fear of the future, old wives’ tales, evil eyes, ambition, achievement, boredom, dybbuks, inheritance, pyramid schemes, right-wing capitalists, beta-blockers, psychics, and the mostly unspoken love and shared experience that unite a family forever."
It's One Of Us
It's One Of Us was FULL of twists and turns and surprises that I didn't see coming. I was completely absorbed in the story and read it super quick since I found it so entertaining. I felt like the depiction of infertility was very raw and I fond myself rooting for Olivia throughout.
"Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park.
DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired.
As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?"
Invisible Girl
I LOVE Lisa Jewell and while I didn't enjoy this quite as much as I've enjoyed other books of hers I'd rate it a solid 3.5/5 and it was a fun, suspenseful, creepy kind of read. It was quick and entertaining and the ending did come as a surprise which I liked.
"Young Saffyre Maddox spent three years under the care of renowned child psychologist Roan Fours. When Dr. Fours decides their sessions should end, Saffyre feels abandoned. She begins looking for ways to connect with him, from waiting outside his office to walking through his neighborhood late at night. She soon learns more than she ever wanted to about Roan and his deceptively perfect family life. On a chilly Valentine’s night, Saffyre will disappear, taking any secrets she has learned with her.
Owen Pick’s life is falling apart. In his thirties and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct—accusations he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel forums, where he meets a charismatic and mysterious figure.
Owen lives across the street from the Fours family. The Fours have a bad feeling about their neighbor; Owen is a bit creepy and suspect and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night. Could Owen be responsible? What happened to the beautiful missing Saffyre, and does her disappearance truly connect them all?"
The Wild Robot
With all three kids in the car a couple of weekends ago on the way to College Station I wanted to listen to something that was engaging and appropriate for everyone and I wasn't prepared for how GREAT this book was going to be. I bought it for my kids back in 2020 but I'm not sure anyone actually read it and that's a real shame because it was endearing, unique and SUCH A FUN READ! If you're looking for a read-aloud or something to listen to on a road trip this is it!
"When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is--but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants.
As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home--until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her."
The Wild Robot Escapes
So we loved The Wild Robot so much that we immediately listened to The Wild Robot Escapes (the second book) on our way home. It's rare that a second book in a series surpasses the first book but I really think this one did. It was the perfect continuation of Roz's adventures and we can't wait to listen to the third book.
"Shipwrecked on a remote, wild island, Robot Roz learned from the unwelcoming animal inhabitants and adapted to her surroundings--but can she survive the challenges of the civilized world and find her way home to Brightbill and the island?"
Five Total Strangers
I was looking for an audible listen that would keep me entertained on the way to and from Arkansas last weekend but would still be okay if G decided to turn off her movie selection and tune in ;) I opted for a young adult thriller and while it was "pretty much" okay for younger ears there was way more bad language than I anticipated. The plot was okay - although it was a pretty long listen for not a lot happening and if you have any sort of "driving in winter weather anxiety" I'd avoid this one ;) There was a TON of in-fighting and arguing which got a bit tired, the ending felt super abrupt and there were a few "loose ends" that I felt weren't tied up but there were also a few twists and turns and some things I didn't see coming and it kept me entertained so not a total loss.
"Mira needs to get home for the holidays. Badly. But when an incoming blizzard results in a canceled connecting flight, it looks like she might get stuck at the airport indefinitely.
And then Harper, Mira's glamorous seatmate from her initial flight, offers her a ride. Harper and her three friends can drop Mira off on their way home. But as they set off, Mira realizes fellow travelers are all total strangers. And every one of them is hiding something.
Soon, roads go from slippery to terrifying. People's belongings are mysteriously disappearing. Someone in the car is clearly lying, and may even be sabotaging the trip―but why? And can Mira make it home alive, or will this nightmare drive turn fatal?"
HAPPY Reading, friends!!!
Oh we used to listen to audiobooks as a family on long car rides too; that Wild Robot series sounds great!
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