Albatross by Terry Fallis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful! Kept me reading constantly until finished.

I have read, and loved, every one of Terry Fallis' novels. A few years ago I belonged to a library book group in Toronto. One night at our monthly meeting, an author visited us named Terry Fallis. He gave us the most wonderful talk that I still remember. From that talk we learned about this new author and then we read his novel, Best Laid Plans, and all loved it. Oh, I must mention that it was the very day that Mr. Fallis received the Stephen Leacock for humour.

The Albatross is a great story. One thing that I also appreciate about his novels is that they can be read and enjoyed by any age group.

Alli and Adam have been fast friends since early school days and have their plans to attend The University of Toronto together and join the writers' courses. But things don't always happen the way we plan them. During his last year of highschool, Adam has a physical education teacher who has read an obscure formula of measurements that claim that if you fall into certain categories you can excel at a particular sport. In Adam's case, his particular sport to excel in was golf.

An excellent read.

The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was an interesting story taking place just before the Second WW in Austria. A family is torn apart and we learn a bit about what it was like just before Britain declared war on Germany.

I reduced the stars on this book due to the way it was written. I can hardly describe it as it seems to be in the first person, but present/past. Many of the sentences would be spoken by young teens today rather than adults. A very poor word happened at least three times and this would not be used in 1938 nor 1989 and that is the word "grab". For mature adults the word grab is very rude. In 1936 a person would never say "I forgot to grab a raincoat" or "I am going to grab a coffee." The author needs to find some grown up editors for her books.

I did finish the book but a lot of time it felt like fingernails scraping on the blackboard. Very disturbing.

The Reckoning by John Grisham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Another winner by John Grisham.

Pete loves his family and his farm in the south. When the war was declared in Europe he realized that it was just a matter of time before he would be called up. He spent time in The Philipines and fighting the Japanese and was in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Terrible things happened in those camps. Louis Zamperini told a lot also about these camps in his biography, Unbroken.

Pete was reported as missing in action while in the prison camp. What a wonderful day it was when he was finally sent home, very broken and needing hospitalization for months, but alive.

But something was not quite right. When he was home for only a short time, he sent his wife away to a mental asylum and shot the minister of his church point blank. But why did he do that? That is the question that you keep asking throughout the book.

An excellent read.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I listened to the audio of this book and enjoyed the characters very much.

Nina is a married lady whose husband is very successful and she and her little family of one son want for nothing. Her son, Finch, has been accepted into Princeton University and the road seems paved in gold for them.

Until the knowledge of a foolish prank comes to light that Finch and his friends concocted and things begin to fall apart.

Most of the characters were not likeable, but the story was interesting enough to overcome this disadvantage.

Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Kelly Rimmer has written another unforgettable story. Callum and Lilah meet by chance on a ferry on their way home from work. Sparks fly immediately and Callum realizes that for him it was love at first sight. Lilah feels the same way but she holds back and tries to avoid another encounter. She has her reasons for avoiding a love affair at this time.

Callum is a 40ish, straight laced advertising/marketing executive who is, not exactly unhappy but not exactly satisfied either. Lilah is a quirky, vegan, bare footed, high powered lawyer. 

Oddly, they run into each other again at another location near her work and it was obvious that they were meant to be together. Lilah's reasons for holding back become the focus of the story.

This was a very sad but important story.

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Alina Dziak is a young girl in the early days of the Nazi occupation of Poland. She and her boyfriend Tomasz intend to marry when she is old enough and he returns from university in Poland. All that changes when the Nazis invade and all lives must make new plans.

The story streamlined from wartime to current times with the family and the family secrets.

Highly recommended book.

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved this audio book that was read by Ann Marie Lee. It would not have had the same impact with me if I had read the paper book.

The story keeps unfolding and just when you start to ask yourself why she does certain things, the answer comes bit by bit.

Juliette loves Nate and will stop at absolutely nothing to get her man and has a plan. Nate broke up with her several months previously but she will continue to try to win him back.

A great read.