Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

                                                               

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah-496 pages

I thought I had read everything by Kristin Hannah.  But then I heard about the upcoming Netflix series titled "Firefly Lane".   The story starts in the 1970's when they are 14 years old.  Two girls coming from two different worlds find each other and become lifelong friends.  Tully and Kate, inseparable and each others lifelines and sounding boards.  One, super ambitious, the other content with family.  The sequel is "Fly Away".  Should be an awesome series on Netflix...of course nothing is ever as good as the book! 

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick - 481 pages

Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people - though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes, it feels like she's invisible. 

All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend - her grandmother Zelda - who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda's past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever. 

A little wordy but good.

The Night Before by Wendy Walker

The Night Before
by  Wendy Walker
310 pages

Laura has never been lucky in love. She falls too hard and too fast, always choosing the wrong men. Devastated by the end of her last relationship, she fled her Wall Street job and New York City apartment for her sister’s home in the Connecticut suburb where they both grew up. Though still haunted by the tragedy that’s defined her entire life, Laura is determined to take one more chance on love with a man she’s met on an Internet dating site.

When Laura does not return home the following morning, Rosie fears the worst. She’s not responding to calls or texts, and she’s left no information about the man she planned to meet. As Rosie begins a desperate search to find her sister, she is not just worried about what this man might have done to Laura. She’s worried about what Laura may have done to him…

The Language of Hoofbeats by Catherine Ryan Hyde

The Language of Hoofbeats by Catherine Ryan Hyde - 423 pages

This was an interesting story and I enjoyed the way the writer kept it moving along at such a good pace.  A lesbian couple who fostered children moved.  Since one was a vet, I liked the animal side of this book.  It involved neighbors, foster children's problems and learning how to re-make one's life.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart-240 pages

I was sparked to read this book because it was a choice for the Teen Librarianship class I took last summer in the last semester of my Master's coursework. I chose to read something else then. It was an interesting read and I did not expect the ending at all, although after finishing it I realized that some of the clues were there. I liked the "fairy tales" that Cadence (the protagonist) told in the story and it was interesting how the family always tried to act "normal" no matter the circumstances. Overall, it was a pretty good, although sad, read.

Love Life by Rob Lowe

Love Life by Rob Lowe, 259 pages

Love Life is Rob Lowe's second book.  When I read the title, I was not sure if this book would be about his love life or if he was writing a book about loving life.  I realized it was about the latter. Love Life is a good book, but for some reason,  it took me a while to get into.  I am not a big Rob Lowe fan and that could be why. Though, who can resist his gorgeous face on the cover.  I was also a little disappointed that there were no color photos included, just black and white shots. Love Life is mainly about his recent years and not much so about past love affairs. He does write about some of his recent acting jobs and a previous trip to the Playboy Mansion.  There is also a funny story about spending the night at Sea World on one of son's field trip.  He also writes with love for his wife and sons and the experience of sending his first son off to college.  If you are a Rob Lowe fan, you will love this book.  The message I took away from this book is to love your life!!

Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber

Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber - 384 pages

In this novel, Mary Werner is a shy, small-town Louisana librarian who answers a personals ad from Travis Thompson, a rancher in Montana.  Travis is looking for a wife after taking in his two orphaned nephews and orphaned niece.  Mary is looking for a change in the wake of her last living  family member's death.  Both decide to help each other out, so Mary leaves for Montana.  Once she arrives and they marry, readers learn about their budding relationship that goes beyond the help-wife Travis intended and how they manage their newly formed family.  Also a key story line is that of Travis looking for the person responsible for his brother and sister-in-law's tragic car crash.

This novel was okay.  The story line was essentially a modern day rehash of Jeanette Oke's Love Comes Softly (thus the title of this novel; morning just happen to be when many important things happen).  And Macomber used all the stereotypical librarian descriptions, which all of us at JCL should know are not always true!

Confessions of a Wild Child by Jackie Collins

Confessions of a Wild Child  by Jackie Collins  294 pages

This story takes you on a trip and navigates the teenage years of Lucky Santangelo. In "Confessions of a Wild Child" we follow Lucky on her trip to discover boys, love and how she fought her father to forge her own individual and strong road to success. "Chances" is the first of eight books in the Lucky Santangelo series.