Do You Remember? by Freida McFadden

Do You Remember? by Freida McFadden, 334 pages
 

From Caroline S on Goodreads: "The first half was really really good. I couldn’t put it down and I was thinking about it so much I couldn’t sleep. The second half was a dissapointment[sic]. The conclusion was really weak and stupid and it didn’t make a lot of sense? This book could be SOOO good, but no. It was a fast read though"

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, 384 pages

From Ricardo Fernando Mora Rodriguez: "Buscaba un libro para pasar el rato y leer una historia romántica para pasar el rato y fue exactamente lo que obtuve"
 

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes, 400 pages    
 

From a Kindle customer: "Oh my gosh! An entertaining, lol, hopeful book with a real plot, complex characters that doesn't veer away from the harsh circumstances of poverty (financial and emotional) but that also doesn't beat you over the head with it and doesn't crusade with it. I want to be Jess when I grow up someday and I'm 53 what a great book."

Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes, 448 pages

 From Good Housekeeping: “Freaky Friday is all grown up in this heartfelt and heartwarming tale of two women in very different circumstances....From the storyteller behind Me Before You comes a story of reinvention that just might inspire you to make a change yourself—just buy your own shoes.”

Night Music by Jojo Moyes

Night Music by Jojo Moyes, 384 pages

From Marisa Sauco on Goodreads: "Al principio me sentí un poco perdida, porque no lograba relacionar la sinopsis con lo que estaba leyendo. Pero cuando comprendí de qué se trataba todo fui incapaz de soltar el libro. 

Una historia preciosa, que sorprende por sus giros, con una MARAVILLOSA construcción de personajes (Isabel, mi favorita) y con un final original e inesperado. 

Un placer leer a Jojo Moyes."

Never Saw Me Coming by Tanya Smith

Never Saw Me Coming by Tanya Smith, 432 pages

Shelby from Goodreads: "I was super nervous because it isn’t my normal genre but something about the slight smirk on the cover drew me in. I cried, laughed, had my jaw on the floor, and bit my nails to oblivion."

 

Bicycling With Butterflies by Sara Dykman

Bicycling With Butterflies by Sara Dykman, 280 pages

From the book: “We are told that manicured lawns are beautiful, that we must control nature in order to live with it, but that is a lie. Beauty is the give and take between plants and animals. Beauty is milkweed ripe with exploding purple blooms, feeding the shaggy maned tussock moths and bees and monarchs. How can we possibly judge so much life as unworthy?”

Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields, 240 pages

From Cindy Huskey's GoodReads review: "let’s address the obvious: Brooke Shields is aging like a bottle of top-shelf wine sealed in a vault somewhere (and probably blessed by skincare wizards), so her insights on the struggles of midlife feel a bit, well, aspirational for the rest of us mere mortals."

 

Gentleness by Esther Jameson

Gentleness by Esther Jameson, 106 minutes (~53 pages)

From the overview provided by BN.com: "The concept of gentleness invites us to slow down, listen carefully, and respond to life's challenges with grace. It is a deliberate practice of choosing calm over chaos, empathy over judgment, and understanding over reaction. In a world that often values speed, assertiveness, and dominance, gentleness offers an alternative path-a path that emphasizes mindfulness, care, and the beauty of subtle influence."

Doberman Dog Training Audio Book by Brian Mahoney

 Doberman Dog Training Audio Book by Brian Mahoney, 85 mins (~43 pages)

From Libro.fm: "This comprehensive book provides expert advice, practical techniques, and step-by-step instructions to ensure successful training in four key areas: crate training, obedience training, food & nutrition, and potty training."

Dog Lessons by Hersch Wilson

Dog Lessons by Hersch Wilson, 288 pages

 “Dog lover and master storyteller Hersch Wilson shows how our canine companions can teach us many valuable life lessons.”

— Marc Bekoff, author of Dogs Demystified

“A truly beautiful book and a must-have for any dog lover’s library.”
— Laura T. Coffey, bestselling author of My Old Dog

“Each chapter feels like an engaging walk in the woods.”
— Kathy Callahan, author of 101 Rescue Puppies

“Part meditation and part memoir, Dog Lessons takes readers off-leash to discover how our canine companions can unleash wildness, serenity, and joy.”
— Gary Kowalski, author of Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet

Sam and the Open Road by Michael John Pole

Sam and the Open Road by Michael John Pole, 202 pages

Life's journey is challenging with many pathways and obstacles. One hurdle is overcome only for another to appear with further burdens already flourishing on the horizon. Thoughts, experiences, and reflections are shared in depth by Michael on his unusual 7000km odyssey as he spends time with Jesus and his earthly four-footed companion Sam.

Unbound by Tarana Burke

 Unbound by Tarana Burke, 258 pages  *challenge book

From the founder and activist behind one of the largest movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the "me too" movement, Tarana Burke debuts a powerful memoir about her own journey to saying those two simple yet infinitely powerful words-me too-and how she brought empathy back to an entire generation in one of the largest cultural events in American history. Tarana didn't always have the courage to say "me too." As a child, she reeled from her sexual assault, believing she was responsible. Unable to confess what she thought of as her own sins for fear of shattering her family, her soul split in two. One side was the bright, intellectually curious third generation Bronxite steeped in Black literature and power, and the other was the bad, shame ridden girl who thought of herself as a vile rule breaker, not of a victim. She tucked one away, hidden behind a wall of pain and anger, which seemed to work...until it didn't. Tarana fought to reunite her fractured soul, through organizing, pursuing justice, and finding community. In her debut memoir she shares her extensive work supporting and empowering Black and brown girls, and the devastating realization that to truly help these girls she needed to help that scared, ashamed child still in her soul. She needed to stop running and confront what had happened to her, for Heaven and Diamond and the countless other young Black women for whom she cared. They gave her the courage to embrace her power. A power which in turn she shared with the entire world. Through these young Black and brown women, Tarana found that we can only offer empathy to others if we first offer it to ourselves. Unbound is the story of an inimitable woman's inner strength and perseverance, all in pursuit of bringing healing to her community and the world around her, but it is also a story of possibility, of empathy, of power, and of the leader we all have inside ourselves. In sharing her path toward healing and saying "me too," Tarana reaches out a hand to help us all on our own journeys.

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

 

Jackal by Erin E. Adams, 328 pages      *challenge book

A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she's not the first-and she may not be the last. . . . It's watching. Liz Rocher is coming home ...reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn't exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride's daughter, Caroline, goes missing-and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood. It's taking. As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She's seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can't be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town's history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls. It's your turn. With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, 342 pages    *challenge book

Ray McMillian loves playing the violin more than anything, and nothing will stop him from pursuing his dream of becoming a professional musician. Not his mother, who thinks he should get a real job, not the fact that he can't afford a high-caliber violin, not the racism inherent in the classical music world. And when he makes the startling discovery that his great-grandfather's fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, his star begins to rise. Then with the international Tchaikovsky Competition-the Olympics of classical music-fast approaching, his prized family heirloom is stolen. Ray is determined to get it back. But now his family and the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray's great-grandfather are each claiming that the violin belongs to them. With the odds stacked against him and the pressure mounting, will Ray ever see his beloved violin again?"

 

My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

 My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, 226 pages   *challenge book

Satire meets slasher in this short, darkly funny hand grenade of a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends. "Femi makes three, you know. Three and they label you a serial killer." Korede is bitter. How could she not be? Her sister, Ayoola, is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola's third boyfriend in a row is dead. Korede's practicality is the sisters' saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood, the trunk of her car is big enough for a body, and she keeps Ayoola from posting pictures of her dinner to Instagram when she should be mourning her "missing" boyfriend. Not that she gets any credit. A kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where Korede works is the bright spot in her life. She dreams of the day when he will realize they're perfect for each other. But one day Ayoola shows up to the hospital uninvited and he takes notice. When he asks Korede for Ayoola's phone number, she must reckon with what her sister has become and what she will do about it. Sharp as nails and full of deadpan wit, Oyinkan Braithwaite has written a deliciously deadly debut that's as fun as it is frightening.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

The Crash by Freida McFadden, 376 pages

Tegan is eight months pregnant and her world is crashing down around her. The father of her baby wants nothing to do with her and has promised to make her life hell. She's lost her job at the convenience store. And she has no idea what she's going to do to take care of the little one. In a last ditch effort to find help and get away from the threats of her ex, Tegan heads out in a storm to drive to her brother's. But she never arrives. Tegan wakes in a ditch, having skidded off the road. Stranded and terrified, she's taken in by a couple living in a remote farmhouse. But they may have ulterior motives and Tegan soon realizes she's stuck in the middle of nowhere at the mercy of strangers. The nightmare she's running from is nothing compared to where she's headed

 

The One by John Marrs

The One by John Marrs, 438 pages

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you'll be matched with your perfect partner-the one you're genetically made for. That's the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soulmate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love. Now five very different people have received the notification that they've been "Matched." They're each about to meet their one true love. But "happily ever after" isn't guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others.......

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes

 

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes, 320 pages 

Dara Willcox, in New York for a weekend, meets Austin Clarke at an art gallery. If love at first sight can happen, it happens to them. These two vivid, ambitious people are on different courses -- he's British, working temporarily in New York. She's from North Carolina, set on law school. They don't care. They will make their lives together happen. At their April engagement dinner at Dara's family home, her mother, Lee, sets a beautiful table, and the family and close friends gather to celebrate. Rich, Dara's father, raises a toast. Suddenly, Lee spills the wine, a brilliant red stain splashing onto the tablecloth and onto Austin. Days later, Austin hears unsettling news from London that wrecks their plans. Dara abruptly cancels the wedding. She refuses to reveal the reason, not even to her best friends or her parents or grandmother, disrupting their family tradition of openness. As everyone knows, Lee and Rich have a great marriage, and Charlotte, her grandmother, had a colossal one, to the late Senator Mann. Charlotte literally wrote the book on the subject: She's the author of international bestsellers on what makes a good or possibly a great marriage. While Dara escapes to California and Indigo Island, South Carolina, Austin, back in London, faces a major tragedy, the consequences of which are life-altering. But it's Lee, Dara's mother, whose impulsive visit to London alters their fate.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by  Neil deGrasse Tyson, 222 pages   *challenge book

What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? Today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day. While you wait for your morning coffee to brew, for the bus, the train, or a plane to arrive, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry will reveal just what you need to be fluent and ready for the next cosmic headlines: from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics, and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe.