Welcome to the September 2022 edition of the Book Review Club. I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods. But, here, in Southern California we are melting in a heat wave. Thank goodness for books! We have reviews and recommendations for both kids and adults. Perfect timing for fall (and, hopefully, cooler) reading. Under my post are links to terrific reviews by terrific reviewers. Enjoy.
NO WAY HOME (YA, thriller)By Jody Feldman
For me, it's been a summer of reading adult and middle-grade books. I wasn't actively avoiding YA. It was more about what I'd put on hold at the library vs what actually came in and who loaned me what and which book migrated to the top of TBR pile. Anyway, I knew Jody's (one of our intrepid reviewers! and a terrific middle-grade writer!) YA debut was coming out in August, and I'd preordered it. Always fun to have a book you're looking forward to! Thank you, Jody!
In NO WAY HOME, teen protagonist Tess Alessandro travels to Rome as part of a summer exchange program. Her host family's daughter, Sofia, stays with Tess's family in Washington, DC. Tess is particularly excited about the program because her family has roots in Italy. And, quite frankly, what teen wouldn't be excited about a summer in Italy. Well, unless they experience what Tess went through. :)
So, I start reading. And I'm motoring along, enjoying all the snippets of Italian and the sightseeing and the food descriptions. It's bringing back memories of my summer in St. Pierre (French island near Newfoundland). I'm commiserating with Tess whose Italian isn't all that great. Then there's the stress of staying in someone else's home. Not to mention having to make new friends at school.
Suddenly... BAM! I hit chapter 8 (which happened to be 16% into the book. I noticed because I read NO WAY HOME on my Kindle). EVERYTHING changes. Tess's host parents (Angelica and Francesco Rossis) wake her up for a video call with their daughter. Who drugged Tess's parents! Who's brandishing a knife while Tess's parents sleep in the background! The Rossis confiscate Tess's passport, credit cards and cell phone. They threaten to murder her parents unless she commits a series of crimes. Wow! Tess teams up with a fellow student to solve the mystery and keep Tess's parents alive. There's a little romance. A lot of betrayal. Family secrets. Twists and turns galore.
NO WAY HOME is perfect for readers who enjoyed WITH MALICE by Eileen Cook. (Here's
my review.) If you're looking for a YA thriller, this NO WAY HOME is for you.
(Dear FCC: bought. Yes, I know Jody. But I just review what I like.)
And now....onto the rest of our reviews. Please click through. You won't want to miss a single one!
MIDDLE GRADE FICTION BOOK REVIEWS
Jenn Jilks: STEALING FROM WIZARDS by Ryan Consell (MG, fantasy)
ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS
Jody Feldman: THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB SERIES by Richard Osman (mystery/thriller)
Ray Potthoff: LONE WOLF by Jodi Picoult (contemporary)
Sarah Laurence: SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan (contemporary)
NONFICTION BOOK REVIEWS
Lucy Sartain: BRAT: AN 80s STORY by Andrew McCarthy (memoir)
Margy Lutz: THE LAND OF LITTLE RAIN by Mary Hunter Austin (nature, memoir)
Patti Abbott: TASTE: MY LIFE THROUGH FOOD by Stanley Tucci (memoir)
Note to Reviewers: Any errors (broken link, missed review, etc), just shoot me an email or leave a comment. Thank you so much for your reviews!
Posts
Oh wow! Definitely got my attention at the 16% point of the book! I want to know what happened so will have to get the book! (And I love Eileen Cook's book and read With Malice as well!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reviewing (and as always, hosting!) :)
(Just realized I used a LOT of exclamation points in my response. :) )
Wow, what an amazing set up! It does remind me of Eileen Cook's With Malice, which I couldn't put down. This is an excellent teaser of a review, especially since the author is Jody. I will have to check it out! If you were wondering about the mystery of my absence, I've been offline: enjoying the last bang of summer weather in Maine. Also I've been unpacking the house after floor refinishing, and my office is still filled with boxes. Time to catch up with overdue blog visits!
ReplyDeleteThat is funny, 16 %! It's been quite a summer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting!