Showing posts with label sisters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sisters. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Claudia and Mean Janine by Raina Telgemeier, Ann M. Martin

Claudia and Mean Janine by Raina Telgemeier, Ann M. Martin
The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels #4, 174 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Claudia and her sister, Janine, may as well be from two different planets. Claudia, who pays more attention to her art than her grades, feels she can't compete with her perfect sister. Janine studies nonstop, makes straight As, and even takes college-level courses. The girls are nothing alike, and they can't agree on anything. While Janine devotes all her time to working on her Web site, The Baby-sitters Club is busy with their new summer play group. But when something terrible happens to their grandmother, Mimi, the two sisters discover they're more alike than they originally thought.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
Smile #2, 199 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Raina can’t wait to be a big sister. But once Amara is born, things aren’t quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she’s also a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn’t improve much over the years, but when a baby brother enters the picture and later, when something doesn’t seem right between their parents, they realize they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters, after all.

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

The Christmas Doll by Elvira Woodruff

The Christmas Doll by Elvira Woodruff, 151 pages

From the MARC: "As Christmas approaches, Lucy, a ten-year-old orphan living on the streets of London, is overjoyed to be given the job of sewing hearts for the dolls in ThimbleBee's Doll Shop."


 

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Three Words For Goodbye : A Novel by Hazel Gaynor


Three Words For Goodbye : A Novel by Hazel Gaynor-340 pages

New York, 1937: When estranged sisters Clara and Madeleine learn their grandmother Violet is dying, they agree to fulfill her last wish: to travel across Europe—together. They are to deliver three letters, in which Violet will say goodbye to those she hasn’t seen since traveling to Europe forty years earlier.


The eldest sister Clara sees the trip as an inconvenient detour before her wedding to millionaire Charles Hancock, but it’s also a chance to embrace her love of art. Younger sister Madeleine looks forward to the opportunity to develop her ambitions to report on the growing threat of the Nazi party and Mussolini’s control in Italy.

Constantly at odds with each other, through the sights of Paris and Venice, Clara and Madeleine wonder if they can fulfil Violet’s wish, until a shocking truth about their family brings them closer together. But as they reach Vienna to deliver the final letter, old grudges resurface and the sisters are at odds.  
Their final mode of transportation may be their last!  Lots of twists and turns.  I LOVED it.  Hazel Gaynor is now on the top of my list for historical authors. 

 

Monday, November 27, 2023

Tom Lake : A novel by Ann Patchett

 





Tom Lake : A novel by Ann Patchett-309 pages

It's spring and Lara's three grown daughters have returned to the family orchard. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the one story they've always longed to hear – of the film star with whom she shared a stage, and a romance, years before.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. 
    A good read, though it seemed to lag a bit in parts.

Saturday, November 25, 2023

Darkest Night by Kyla Stone

 


Darkest Night by Kyla Stone-333 pages

Nuclear Dawn Series-Book 5

Logan, Dakota and the rest of their allies must prepare for the fight of their lives in order to defeat an enemy more powerful than they've ever faced. The lives of everyone they love are on the line. Who will live..who will die??  Kyla Stone wraps up everything beautifully in the final installment of the Nuclear Dawn Series.


Into the Fire by Kyla Stone

 


Into the Fire by Kyla Stone-329 pages

Nuclear Dawn Series-Book 4                                                                                                                  

After fleeing the radioactive ruins of Miami, Dakota and Logan finally reach their destination--a cabin deep in the Everglades, surrounded by a million acres of sawgrass rivers, cypress forests, and gator-infested swampland.

It was supposed to be safe. It's not. Now, Dakota and Logan must fight to save the place that was supposed to save them. It's not only their home, it's their future.

But something much larger and more insidious lurks, waiting and watching, preparing to destroy America for good...and here is a hint...it's NOT alligators!  LOVE this series.


From the Ashes by Kyla Stone

 


From the Ashes by Kyla Stone-287 pages

Nuclear Dawn Series-Book 3

In an instant, Miami was devastated by a nuclear bomb. Millions fled the destruction as the lethal fallout descended.  With all electronics taken out, the survivors wonder what is going on with the rest of the nation.

The entire city is a hot zone. Hundreds of thousands of citizens are homeless, hungry, and growing more desperate with every passing hour.

While the government scrambles to respond to the worst humanitarian crisis the U.S. has ever seen, Dakota and Logan flee the hot zone. But the insidious radiation can't be escaped; it's already inside them.

Their only chance to survive is to reach the nearest emergency hospital, but deadly enemies are determined to stop them. And in the background, unnoticed, a formidable enemy rears its head.
Great continuation.....


Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Miss Kopp Investigates by Amy Stewart

 Miss Kopp Investigates by Amy Stewart, 291 pages

7th in the Kopp Sisters series.  We finally see the youngest of the sisters (or is she?) trying to escape from under her sisters scrutiny.  Fleurette is taking on an investigation of her own.  And throughout this book we see what a good heart she has, and that beyond all else family sticks together.

Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart

 Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart, 347 pages

5th in the Kopp Sisters series.  The first World War is beginning in Europe, and the Kopp sisters want to do their part.  Again, they find themselves pushing the limits of what women are "allowed" to do.

Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit by Amy Stewart

 Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit by Amy Stewart, 309 pages

4th in the Kopp Sisters Series.  The oldest sister Constance, as the first female sheriff in Hackensack is a force to reckon with.  I love her spirit!

Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart

 Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart, 365 pages

3rd in the Kopp Sisters series.  I enjoy seeing how the author is developing the characters according to the times. 

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

 Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart, 310 pages

2nd in the Kopp Sisters series.  I failed to mention that these stories are based on real people.  Which of course makes it even more fun to read.

Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart

 Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart, 410 pages

First in the Kopp Sisters series.  Three sisters (or are they?)Hackensack, New Jersey.  Turn of the 20th century.  The series follows them through the first world war and all of the different paths that the three of them have chosen.  And how they buck the preconceived roles that women are supposed to aspire to. I enjoy the series very much and am looking forward to the 8th installment.

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

 

Hook, Line and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters #2) by Tessa Bailey, 385 p.

"King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he's a guaranteed good time--in bed and out--and that's exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She's immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his... personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah's in town for work, crashing in Fox's spare bedroom. She knows he's a notorious ladies' man, but they're definitely just friends. In fact, she's nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport's resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker's eye... yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can't deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she's walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and... and... man overboard! He's fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he's all in, she'll choose him instead?"--Goodreads blurb

This was a fun, easy read. Even though I hadn't read the first in this series, it was easy to pick up the characters and the usual romance tropes played out in an entertaining way. It was a fun escape, which is what these contemporary romances seem to be. 



Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

 Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter - 394 pages



Twenty years ago Claire Scott's eldest sister, Julia, went missing. No one knew where she went - no note, no body. It was a mystery that was never solved and it tore her family apart.

Now another girl has disappeared, with chilling echoes of the past. And it seems that she might not be the only one.

Claire is convinced Julia's disappearance is linked.

But when she begins to learn the truth about her sister, she is confronted with a shocking discovery, and nothing will ever be the same

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Mercy by David Baldacci

Mercy (Atlee Pine #4) by David Baldacci, 432 p.

"For her entire life, FBI agent Atlee Pine has been searching for her twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Mercy’s disappearance left behind a damaged family that later shattered beyond repair when Atlee’s parents inexplicably abandoned her.

Now, after a perilous investigation that nearly proved fatal, Atlee has finally discovered not only the reason behind her parents’ abandonment and Mercy’s kidnapping, but also the most promising breakthrough yet: proof that Mercy survived her abduction and then escaped her captors many years ago.

Though Atlee is tantalizingly close to her family at last, the final leg of her long road to Mercy will be the most treacherous yet. Mercy left at least one dead body behind before fleeing her captors years before. Atlee has no idea if her sister is still alive, and if so, how she has been surviving all this time. When the truth is finally revealed, Atlee Pine will face the greatest danger yet, and it may well cost her everything." --Goodreads blurb

The Atlee Pine series has been a favorite of mine from Baldacci, but I have to honestly say I was a bit disappointed in its conclusion. Atlee is a great character, but the new character introduced in this conclusion isn't as likeable. While that in and of itself isn't necessarily bad, the build-up to this conclusion had too much riding on it to fall even a bit flat. However, the story and messes they get themselves out of in this last story were great. It was worth the read.
 

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

The Beginning by Beverly Lewis

 The Beginning by Beverly Lewis - 344 pages



Susie Mast's Amish life in Lancaster County has been shaped by events beyond her control, with the tragic deaths of her Dat and close-in-age brother casting long shadows. Now twenty-two, Susie remains unmarried despite her longtime affection for friend Obie Yoder. 

Unfortunately, her concerns are soon multiplied due to her mother's worsening health and her younger sister's urgent desire for answers about her adoption. Once again, Susie faces the possibility of loss. Will long-held family secrets and missed opportunities dim Susie's hopes for the future? Or is what seems like the end only the beginning?

Once again, Beverly Lewis has come through with a thoughtful, yet realistic book about life. Her ability to speak to her readers about life, and keeping their faith, that God has a plan and if we follow His lead, he will be faithful to us, astounds me everytime I open one of her books.    

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

On A Wild Night and On a Wicked Dawn - Stephaine Laurnes

 On A Wild Night and On A Wicked Dawn by Stephanie Laurens - 663 pages


On A Wild Night

Where are all the exciting men in London?

After spending years in the glittering ballrooms of the ton, Amanda Cynster is utterly bored by the current crop of colorless suitors. Determined to take matters into her own hands, one night she shockingly goes where no respectable lady ever should, but where many an intriguing gentleman might be found.

But titillating excitement quickly turns to panic when Amanda discovers she′s quite out of her depth. She looks around for help -- and is unexpectedly rescued by the Earl of Dexter. Lean, sensuous, and mysterious, he has delayed re-entering society, preferring instead a more interesting existence on its fringes.

He′s the epitome of the boldly passionate gentleman Amanda has been searching for, but although his very touch makes it clear he′s willing to educate her in the art of love, Amanda has to wonder if such a masterful, lionized rake can be sufficiently tamed into the ways of marriage.


On A Wicked Dawn

Amelia Cynster hears these words from handsome, enigmatic Lucien Ashford, 6th Viscount Calverton, and is stunned. It's near dawn and she's risked scandal by lying in wait for him just outside his London house. But he agrees to her outrageous marriage proposal - just prior to falling unconscious at her feet. Amelia is torn between astounded relief and indignant affront, then decides she doesn't care. She has always loved him - no other man will do for her - and she's tired of waiting.

Sometimes a young lady needs to take matters into her own hands.

But matters of the heart are never that simple. The first hitch in Amelia's plans comes when Luc refuses to agree to a hasty wedding, but insists on properly wooing her...in public and in private. Soon she longs for those moments away from the watchful gaze of the ton in which she can learn all about seduction from a master. But unknown to Amelia, Luc has a very good reason for wooing her.

Every wicked gentleman has his price.



 













Tuesday, June 29, 2021

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, 464 p.

"Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a Chippewa Council member who is trying to understand the consequences of a new “emancipation” bill on its way to the floor of the United States Congress. It is 1953 and he and the other council members know the bill isn’t about freedom; Congress is fed up with Indians. The bill is a “termination” that threatens the rights of Native Americans to their land and their very identity. How can the government abandon treaties made in good faith with Native Americans “for as long as the grasses shall grow, and the rivers run”?

Since graduating high school, Pixie Paranteau has insisted that everyone call her Patrice. Unlike most of the girls on the reservation, Patrice, the class valedictorian, has no desire to wear herself down with a husband and kids. She makes jewel bearings at the plant, a job that barely pays her enough to support her mother and brother. Patrice’s shameful alcoholic father returns home sporadically to terrorize his wife and children and bully her for money. But Patrice needs every penny to follow her beloved older sister, Vera, who moved to the big city of Minneapolis. Vera may have disappeared; she hasn’t been in touch in months, and is rumored to have had a baby. Determined to find Vera and her child, Patrice makes a fateful trip to Minnesota that introduces her to unexpected forms of exploitation and violence, and endangers her life.

Thomas and Patrice live in this impoverished reservation community along with young Chippewa boxer Wood Mountain and his mother Juggie Blue, her niece and Patrice’s best friend Valentine, and Stack Barnes, the white high school math teacher and boxing coach who is hopelessly in love with Patrice."--Goodreads blurb

When this won the Pulitzer earlier this month, I thought I'd give it a try. Wonderful writing, storytelling, and character voices. A unique story about family, community, and culture. Worth the read on many levels.