Review: Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Absolutely fantastic. Not sure when I became a grandmother, space nerd, but I do love Andy Weir's books.

Dr. Grace is sent on a mission to try to save the world when he meets up with another space traveller attempting the same thing. They find ways of helping each other.

Excellent read. More than five stars.

Review: You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shay Miller wants to find love, but it eludes her. She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end. She wants to belong, but her life is increasingly lonely.

Until Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane live a life of glamorous perfection, and always get what they desire. When they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Shay would die for them to like her. She may have to.

A nice, long read.

Review: The Stars Are Fire

The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is always good to learn history and this story is a retell of the great fire in Maine in 1947.

This is how the story opens. A young couple, Grace and Gene, is getting on its feet with two small children. The story opens during the rainy season and the housewives are having a hard time to just get the clothes dried and everything is constantly damp. Spring and then summer arrives with the lovely weather. But as time goes on the heat becomes unbearable and eventually everything is tinder dry.

Fires start and Gene is called to go and help, leaving Grace with the small children. As the fire approaches, Grace packs as much as she can for survival into her baby pram, gets her good friend and neighbour, Rosie and her children and head for the beach. They are so close to the fire that they wade into the water, with the children, get blankets wet and submerge into the water making air pockets for the children. They are there many hours until they are rescued.

All the houses have been burned to the ground and a lot of people are missing.

An excellent read.

Review: Here, Home, Hope

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three women friends reaching the age of 40. Two have just had their marriages break down and its complicated. Kelly is happily married but is feeling something missing from her life.

There is a lot of soul searching and discovery of what makes things tick and doing what makes you happy.

A nice read.

Review: A Good Neighbourhood

A Good Neighbourhood by Therese Anne Fowler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A story about a young couple who fall in love, but are doomed. He is from a mixed race background and she if from a single mom, who now is married to a well to do business owner.

It is an example of what people of colour have to endure. Don't look for a happy ending.

A good read.

Review: The Thursday Murder Club

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved reading this book. A group of seniors in a home that meet to solve cold case crimes. When a current crime lands in their midst they are almost overjoyed at the thought of being useful in a current investigation and also to possibly solve the crime.

There are many strange and also loveable characters and it was a pleasure to get to know each one of them. There are times in the book when it seemed that there were too many characters and messy. We couldn't see how it was all going to come together. But its a lesson on just giving ourselves over to the book and trust that the author will get us out of the maize. Real life is messy and hardly ever straightforward and this book is certainly no exception to that.

There was just enough "meat" to keep us all on our toes and to get the thought juices working overtime.

A great read.

Review: Northern Spy

Northern Spy by Flynn Berry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A producer at the Belfast bureau of the BBC, Tessa is at work one day when the news of another raid comes on the air. The IRA may have gone underground after the Good Friday agreement, but they never really went away, and lately, bomb threats, arms drops, and helicopters floating ominously over the city have become features of everyday life. As the anchor requests the public's help in locating those responsible for this latest raid - a robbery at a gas station - Tessa's sister appears on the screen. Tessa watches in shock as Marian pulls a black mask over her face.

The police believe Marian has joined the IRA, but Tessa knows this is impossible. They were raised to oppose Republicanism, and the violence enacted in its name. They've attended peace vigils together. And besides, Marian is vacationing by the sea. Tessa just spoke to her yesterday.

An interesting and informative read.