We All Want Impossible Things

 

We All Want Impossible Things: A Novel  by Catherine Newman. New York: 2022, 209 pages. ****

Edi and Ash have been friends for over forty-two years through everything that life has thrown at them. This is their biggest hurdle; Edi is dying of ovarian cancer and is in hospice care near where Ash lives. Edi has chosen to die near Ash rather than close to her husband and seven-year-old son. She doesn't want to take Dash out of school and away from his friends, not knowing what this next stage will bring.   Ash and Edi have always been there for each other --weddings, childbirth, heartbreak, concerts, and the sharing of their secrets. Ash cannot envision life without Edi, "Edi's memory is like the back up hard drive for mine, and have that same crashing, crushing feeling you have when the beach ball on your computer starts spinning. “Ash’s response to Edi's dying is to search for meaning in her own life and to have sex with anyone willing to help her feel alive. The touching story of their friendship is told with humor, sorrow, and compassion. 

The reviews are mixed for Newman's first adult novel. A friend died a year ago, so I felt a connection with Edi and Ash.  There is always some humor in sorrow and those moments seem insignificant yet are so poignant in a person's story. While some may question the validity of Edi moving closer to Ash, it makes sense when hospice beds are in short supply and Edi doesn't want her son to experience her death. "Sicilian lemon polenta pound cake is Edi's holy grail." Ash makes it her mission to find a recipe for that same cake to be included in a recipe book for Dash. 

I was captivated by this story of love and friendship. At the age I am now, my life seems to be one of friend's illnesses and funerals. Saying goodbye is never easy, however, Newman shows us that it can be beautiful. 

From Amazon

Catherine Newman is the author of the kids' how-to books How to Be a Person and What Can I Say?, the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, and the grown-up novels We All Want Impossible Things (Harper 2022) and Sandwich (Harper 2024). She edits the non-profit kids' cooking magazine ChopChop and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family.

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After Annie

 

After Annie: A Novel  by Anna Quindlen. New York:Random House, 2024. 304 pages. Publication Date March 12, 2024. *****

Annie Brown dies suddenly from a brain aneurysm, leaving her husband, her four young children and her closest friend left to struggle without her. Bill Brown finds himself overwhelmed with advice from his mother, support from an old girlfriend and the needs of the children. Bill didn't realize how much Annie did in their lives and how much her planning made each day run smoothly. Annie’s best friend Annemarie is lost without Annie’s support to keep her from her addiction. It falls to Annie's daughter, Ali, to take on her mother's duties and to seek help for her and her brothers while struggling to understand what is happening to her best friend. 

I received a copy from Netgalley to review. 

Anna Quindlen has written a poignant story about love, grief, acceptance, and family. Annie as a person is developed through the eyes of those who loved and knew her. Far from perfect, her message and beliefs are strong and filled with love. At times I wanted to know Annie and at others to be Annie. There are so many discussion points that I highly recommend this book for a Book Club book. Quindlen reminds us of the unpredictability of our lives and the importance of female friendships. 

From Amazon:

Anna Quindlen is the author of the bestselling novels Blessings and Rise and Shine, amongst others, and of the non-fiction titles Living Out Loud, Thinking Out Loud and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her New York Times column 'Public and Private' won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. She is currently a columnist for Newsweek and lives with her husband and children in New York.

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Exiles

Exiles by Jane Harper.(book 3 of 3: Aaron Falk)  New York: Flatiron Books, 2022. 354 pages. ****

Federal Investigator Aaron Falk is honored to be asked to be the Godfather for the Baptism of his old friend's baby.  Staying with friends in a Southern Australian vineyard proves not to be the relaxing vacation that he expects it to be. This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of Kim Gillespie's disappearance. At a busy town festival, Kim safely tucks her sleeping baby into her stroller, then vanishes into the crowd. Kim's teenage daughter, Zara, hands out flyers with the hope that someone will remember her mother and recall when they last saw her. Aaron gets drawn into the mystery and decides to investigate Kim and her friend's actions on that fateful night. Who abandons her baby instead of asking a friend to watch her? Did they even know Kim, was she suffering from postpartum depression?

The third book in the series, can be read as a stand-alone. I found the beginning of the book confusing, however, once I settled in, I couldn't wait to find Kim. Several scenarios presented themselves and Harper creates an evil web meant to deceive. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, add Exiles to your TBR list. 

From Amazon,

Jane Harper is the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry, Force of Nature, and The Lost Man. Jane previously worked as a print journalist in Australia and the UK and lives in Melbourne with her husband, daughter, and son. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

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The Guest

 

The Guest by B.A. Paris. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2024. 305 pages. ****

Iris and Gabriel are shocked to discover their friend Laure has left her husband Pierre and is in their house. They were on vacation and Laure walked out on Pierre and walked into their lives. With no departure date in sight Laure inveigles herself into their lives by rearranging the kitchen, wearing Iris' clothes, and critiquing Iris design decisions. Her reasons for leaving sound outlandish and Pierre won't answer the phone to defend or explain himself. Gabriel is going through his own crisis of conscience when he lies about a dying man's last words. Taking a leave of absence as a GP only gives him more time to brood about his situation and Pierre. 

I won a paperback copy from Goodreads to review.

Paris never disappoints. She is a master at building a story and developing her characters and wham! when you least expect it - there it is! You get hints along the way that not everything is at it seems and all the characters are likable until they're not. No one can be trusted, and they are all lying, which one is the murderer? Is there more than one? 

From Amazon:

B.A. PARIS is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, Bring Me Back, The Dilemma, and The Therapist. Having lived in France for many years, she and her husband now live in the UK. She has worked both in finance and as a teacher, and she has five daughters.

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The One

The One by John Marrs. Ontario: Hanover Square Press, 2017. 412 pages. ***

What if you could submit your DNA and be matched with "the One." Your one true love, your perfect partner-- the one you are genetically made for? Match DNA suggests that it is possible but does not guarantee a "happily ever after" Millions of people have submitted their DNA with the hope of discovering their "one" and five different people have been notified that they have a match. Do you believe in love at first sight? Some of the matches do and feel the electric charge the minute that they see their perfect mate. Others aren't too sure and what happens if the person is married with kids or of the same sex? 

Somewhat of a status symbol, people brag about how happy they are or lie about even getting tested. Match DNA causes all other dating sites to be irrelevant, why leave it to chance?  The five people who are matched relate how they are impacted, and their lives are changed by their results. 

My niece was engrossed in this book at the beach, so I borrowed it from the library as soon as I got home. I was hooked from the beginning on the premise of "what if?"  The match could be someone older, younger, of the same sex, is this even possible?  The matches begin to get complicated when a serial killer is thrown into the mix and not everyone is who they are as presented. The story started strong and I was sucked in, however, at some point, I started losing interest and it seemed too rushed towards the end. Still a good beach and a conversation with friends read.

 From Amazon:

John Marrs is the author of The Good Samaritan, When You Disappeared, and Welcome to Wherever You Are. A freelance journalist based in London, England, he has spent the past 20 years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines. He has written for publications including the Guardian’s Guide and Guardian Online, Total Film, Huffington Post, Empire, Q, GT, the Independent, S Magazine and Company.

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The Bird Hotel

 

The Bird Hotel, A Novel  by Joyce Maynard. New York: Arcade Publishing, 2023. 404 pages. *****

We can't let anyone find out who we are," Granny said. "You can't be Joan anymore." No one must know who her mother is and how she died. After a childhood filled with loss, loneliness, and grief, Joan grows up as Irene. Keeping her promise, Irene doesn't even tell her beloved husband who she  really is. Irene seeks a place where she can be herself, develop as an artist and find peace. Arriving at LaLonda, Irene finds her paradise and acceptance. 

There are many stories of love, acceptance, and survival within this one book. Maynard's gift is telling other's story within a story staying true to Irene. The lushness of the island is vividly portrayed while overshadowed by natural threatening elements. I was carried along by the colorful descriptions and the kindness of man forgetting the darker side in every situation. Maynard reminds the reader that not everything is as it seems. This journey of self-awareness and survival while maintaining integrity and choosing forgiveness will provide many discussion points for a Book Club. I recommend The Bird Hotel as a thought-provoking read and have added it to my suggested summer recommended reading list. 

From her website - "Joyce Maynard is the author of eighteen books, including the New York Times bestselling novel, Labor Day and To Die For (both adapted for film), Under the Influence and the memoirs, At Home in the World  and The Best of Us.  Her latest novel, Count the Ways —the story of a marriage and a divorce, and the children who survived it— was published by William Morrow in July, 2021, and The Bird Hotel (Arcade Publishing) was published May 2, 2023." She is currently at work on a sequel to Count the Ways, tentatively scheduled for publication in 2024.

Follow Joyce Maynard at https://www.joycemaynard.com.

Count The Ways review.

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Suggested Summer Reading List 2023

 Suggested Summer Reading List 2023

The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick

Just a Regular Boy by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Gramus

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

The Woods by Harlan Coben