Since relocating trom the Willamette Valley in 2005, Jenny enjoys Bend with all its charm, particularly First Friday Gallery Walks Downtown. She has been with Roundabout Books since it's beginning and is fortunate to have two teenage daughters who are avid readers. She has enjoyed titles in the Middle Fiction and Young Adult genres over the years and loves a snarky adult family story chalked-full with heaps of dysfunction as well as dark, atmospheric dramas. Jenny is always up for a great mystery as well and looks forward to the many different selections from the Mystery Book Club at Roundabout Books.
Escapism at its finest! With searing descriptions of the Riviera and sun-drenched Provincial France, no less. Grifters and swindlers masquerade as well-off vacationers in this engulfing thriller. Along the way, readers encounter intriguing insight to the psychology of the ruse, what we presume from appearance and behavior, and who to trust. Despicable, yet fascinating characters throughout. A sizzling plot with blistering, twists and turns. Simply stunning audio narration by Sofia Zervudachi - I recommend listening on route to a sun-filled vacation or by the pool.
A haunting and beautiful book in verse about a girl with clinical depression and her journey, from the National Book Award Finalist author of Me (Moth). Whimsy, a conjurer, and Faerry, a Fae, find themselves in a forest of trauma and with the help of some familiar fairytale women, must learn to work through their pain. While this book deals with some heavy themes, the beauty and metaphor of McBride's writing make the reading experience entirely captivating! Compared to They Both Die at the End and The Bell Jar.
I could not put this one down and read it in one day. Truths and untruths abound in this twisty tale told by an unusual and determined character. Strangers that happen to be "Birthday Twins" end up intrigued by each other's lives and document Josie's upcoming changes in her life in the form of a podcast hosted by Alix. You know something is fishy, and we can anticipate the unreliable narrator due to the title, but I was so curious to find out what the real story was, and just how far this troubled woman would go. Told with snippets of a documentary shedding light on characters and events, until the pieces fell into place as the story evolves and more secrets are exposed.
Heartwarming and hilarious! This fun and endearing coming-of-age story tells of five college friends entering their 50s. You’ll grow attached to these characters and want to reach out to your friends. Touching on family, friendship and love and navigating issues in a witty, and smart way. An update of The Big Chill with a streak of Gen-X independence… I loved everything about it
Absolutely delightful! A fabulous who-dun-it which the narrator pokes fun at the genre while delighting us with humor, intrigue, some real characters, and plenty of murder. Clever and diabolical.
Simply riveting! Backstories are carefully doled out as readers find themselves rooting for these flawed characters no matter what their past indiscretions or crimes. Masterfully plotted, deliciously entertaining and brimming with clever twists you won't see coming. A fantastic psychological thriller
This compulsive novel is about four women who are connected by the fact they are neighbors. Their lives coil around each other and envelope the reader with insight to their private and personal views of motherhood, marriage, career and friendship. It feels like I’ve been let in on all of their secrets, each characters vulnerabilities exposed. Edgy, juicy and harrowing, this psychological drama will stay with you long after it's starling last page.
A homage to Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Children on Hill is both a frightening page-turner and a compelling story about the monsters amongst us, both legendary and genuine, and two sisters' determination to protect the most vulnerable among us. It incorporates modern insights to a storied classic of horror literature, involving dark family secrets, emotional illness, and the deep, dark, unbreakable bond between sisters. I was both drawn to it and chilled by it!
A delightful and curious collection of short stories by a skillful writer. Lily King manges to encompass the reader in intriguing scenarios, from the opening scene, with enthralling and distinctive stories and characters.
Razorblade Tears is a fast moving, down-home thriller with thoughtful tones of family and acceptance. Plenty of gritty action and clever banter resemblant of Pulp Fiction with eccentric characters that draw you in to their stories.
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Curious about what we inherit? Insomnia is an edge-of-your-seat tale involving the fear and threat of acquiring the same deranged traits of a parent pronounced mentally unfit. An episode from childhood, that resulted in near tragedy and has long-lasting ramifications, threatens the well-being and sanity of Emma Averell. A few sleepless nights are just the beginning. Precisely the right amount of questionable information, self doubt and the concern of who to trust.
Hollow Kingdom is a delightful, humRrous, creepy and extremely creative tale on the zombie apocalypse as told from the animals left behind. Set in Seattle with plenty of pop culture references, the story is told with cynicism, yet a touch of heart, about its inhabitants, and the relationships between animals and the natural world in a way that one can only imagine. I completely enjoyed the writing and the hilarious adventure!
Between his absences, a father teaches his son and daughter to forage, hunt and feel safe in the home he built for them in the woods. Until greedy men provoke the father, who does anything to defend what is his, for the sake of the children. Atmospheric and unsettling Elmet is a lyrical commentary on contemporary society and one family's precarious place in it, as well as an exploration of how deep the bond between father and child can go.
An absorbing family saga set in Chicago, about a couple and their courting, marriage, and lives with four daughters. A family that competes, at times resents and throughout it all, loves each other fiercely. Author Claire Lombardo relates the anxieties and joys we face as children, parents and families. Love this book!
A one-of-a-kind ‘tragedy of manners,’ family dysfuntion at it's finest! This story is the height of entertainment as an audio title through Libro.fm with the aged, tart, Upper East Side widow, Frances, her entitled grown son. Malcom, and their cat, Small Frank, who Frances believes is embodying the spirit of her dead husband. Quirky and hilarious!
“A sparkling dark comedy.... DeWitt’s tone is breezy, droll, and blithely transgressive.... These are people you may not want to invite to dinner, but they sure make for fun reading.”
— NPR
A wonderful colleciton of essays and short stories, left behind by 22 year-old Yale graduate, Marina Keegan, capture the hope, uncertainty, and possibility of her generation.
"Her wry, wise, lyrical voice is unforgettable, and her vital, exuberant spirit reminds us powerfully to seize the day. " -- J.R. Moehringer, Pulitzer Prize winner
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When a bookshop patron commits suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this fiendishly clever novel. What did Joey know? Amd what does it have to do with Lydia? As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one tragic night begin to circle back.
A mystery that starts as a sad homecoming quickly turns into a can't-put-down thriller about family, friends and forensic accounting. Long-buried secrets surface under the blistering sun of Australia. Soooo good!
Both delicate and menacing, this story summons up childhood magic and adventure while connecting the reader through the realism of our experiences.
“The Ocean at the End of the Lane is fun to read, filled with his trademarked blend of sinister whimsy. Gaiman’s writing is like dangerous candy—you’re certain there’s ground glass somewhere, but it just tastes so good!”
Nineteenth Century Paris, the Great French Masters and a meditation on Blue. "A Comedy d'Art," it's part mystery, part history (sort of), part love story and wholly hilarious as it follows a young baker-painter who joins Henri Toulouse-Lautrec on a quest to unravel the mystery behind the supposed suidice of Vincent van Gogh.
An intriguing and mysterious story told in a stream of conciousness manner. Incredible details about the setting, relationships and human behavior. A chilling study of nature vs. nurture...
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Funny, tender with just enough edge to it, this clever how-I-survived-high-school novel tells of Steve Yorks triumphant and traumatic junior year. From forming a club for fellow outsiders, to fumbling through first love, to finding his place with his rigid father, Steve grows past his rebellion in this entertaining YA novel.
Set in the 1930's jazz scene of Manhattan, this story involves how random chance can determine the rest of our lives. From secretarial pools and jazz dives to Gatsby-esque parties and suites at The Plaza, a look at NYC in a most intriguing era with engaging and enchanting characters.
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Set in the jazz era of the 1920s, the story of Ermest Hemingway and his wife as they discover their passion for each other, for his writing and a drive to find a place for themselves among other socialites of the generation. A test of love and loyalty between emotionaly complex characters in the delightful setting of Paris.
It's hard to believe SE Hinton was only 16 when she wrote this coming-of-age story told in first person narrative of ponyboy Curtis. It tells of the differences, and brings to light the connections between the greasers and the socs. Even with rumbles and run-ins with the law, there there is a strong message of staying young, accepting chane and the importance of friendship. "Stay Gold Ponyboy".