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"This book was on the Oprah’s book club several years ago. This story was an eye-opener for me about a woman named Alice. One summer, Alice, who lives on a struggling farm with her husband and two daughters, takes an unexpected turn when she was babysitting for her best friend’s children. One 4 year old snuck out of house and decided to go swimming in their pond. By the time Alice found her the child had drowned! From there everything spins out of control for Alice." - T. Gustafson

2/4 stars. 

"A perfect Cozy Mystery. I had never read this author before, but did so on another recommendation here. It had your typical clichés (4 women hiding from their pasts come together to build an unbreakable friendship, hunky paramedic and amateur sleuthing) but a few surprises at the end." - C. D'Orazio

4/4 stars.

"Premise is 'Same Time, Next Year.' Enjoyable beach read with a little bit of a tough ending." - A. Barrone

4/4 stars.

"I'd been a fan of Jodi Picoult in the late 1990's, but I hadn't read anything she's written in recent years because her writing became too formulaic and less appealing. I'm surprised I bothered finishing her new novel, The Book of Two Ways. I gave one star because she did fairly well addressing the topic of death. But the story included boring bits of information about Egyptian burials and quantum physics, had sections which were entirely unrealistic, and the inconclusive ending was unsatisfying. Overall, it was not worth my time." - D.

"Book was about the Great Depression for farmers in the Texas Dust Bowl, the 1930's, and the struggle of so many people. It spoke to family values, and sticking together as a family. It was very sad and well written. It mainly spoke about one family that fled to California for a better life, but it was just as difficult in California at the time." - L. Caran

4/4 stars.

"These pages offer the hardscrabble immigrant experience as seen through the eyes of Kimberly Chang, a teenager settling into a new life in Brooklyn with her mother, as new arrive from Hong Kong. This could easily be a YA book offering easy readability and a quick-moving narrative on some at-times painful subjects: immigrant labor abuse in Chinatown's factories, family conflicts and, of course, the pangs of first love.

"The Personal Librarian is historical fiction. In her 20’s Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J.P. Morgan to curate his vast collection of art and manuscripts. She does an amazing job all the while hiding a secret. This is a must read book." - N. McGill

4/4 stars.

"This is the second book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The memorable characters of Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni feature prominently in this story, as they navigate their developing relationship as well as their work and family experiences. Mma Ramotswe's cases are just as engaging as in the first novel, and her kindness and morality shine through." - D. Cohen

4/4 stars.

"This mystery/thriller is about two women and one young girl who suddenly disappeared 11 years ago. Flip to the present day, the young girl surprisingly returns having escaped from her captors. What happened all those years ago, and who is the girl who has reappeared so many years later? There are many twists and turns in this story, and each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character. It was very engaging and a real page turner!" - D. Cohen

3/4 stars.