Review: City Under One Roof by Irish Yamashita

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 304

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel.

After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village.

Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?"

Kritters Thoughts:  A perfect read during the winter season, was Cara Kennedy a police investigator from Anchorage, Alaska, who gets stranded in this small remote town in Alaska where the population drops to around 200 during the winter season and most everything in this city is under one roof - hence the title!  

Cara Kennedy is a great police investigator to follow through this mystery as this small town is plagued by body parts being found and she must first found out who is murdered AND then find out who and why.  I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, it felt as though there was more mystery than in other books as you don't even know WHO has been murdered!  

The other part of the book that I really enjoyed was the claustrophobic feeling of being stuck - everyone is stuck due to an avalanche and the only way in and out is blocked and this feeling heightened the book as you could almost guarantee that the killer and all of the problems were still in the city.  

I knew when starting this book that there was a book 2, so I was even more excited when I enjoyed investigating with Cara's point of view and would get another opportunity to watch her solve something.  I hope to read the second one this winter as it is located in the state of Alaska.      

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Recipe Review: Blue Cheese steak sauce

Over the last year, I have perfected the air fryer steak situation, so that wasn't my new recipe for 2024.  AND I have been blessed with a fantastic Durham family steak marinade that is just right to give flavor but not over power the steak and this wasn't new to me at all.  My grandfather was very proud of his marinade making it into the recipe book for his church AND it included bourbon.  I always put the bourbon in to honor Max Durham!  

Adding a blue cheese steak sauce was new to me.  I have had a blue cheese steak sauce out at a restaurant but wanted to see if I could do this at home.  I loved that two of the ingredients from the sauce were also in the marinade, so I felt as though this would line up well - Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.  The sauce was nice and easy to make while the steak was doing its thing in the air fryer.  This will be a recipe that will absolutely be repeated.    

Review: Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

Rabbit Hole
by Kate Brody

Publisher: Soho Crime

Pages: 374

Format: audiobook and ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark’s family, he had been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can’t help but fall down the same rabbit hole.

Teddy’s investigation quickly gets her in hot water with her gun-nut boyfriend, her long-lost half brother, and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy’s growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

Bewitched by Mickey, Teddy begins to lose her moral compass. As she struggles to reconcile new information with old memories, her erratic behavior reaches a fever pitch, but she won’t stop until she finds Angie—or destroys herself in the process.

Kritters Thoughts:  My first book of 2024 and while I for sure finished it, it was just an ok book from my point of view.  A book that could be described as much more character driven then plot and had a very slow roll.  I have found over my years of reading that I tend to lean and enjoy those books where the characters are great, but there is definitely some plot movement with great pacing.  

Teddy Angstrom's father has committed suicide and this is the second mystery that she is trying to solve.  The first is the ten-year-old mystery of her older sister's disappearance.  Teddy wonders if the two are related and why her father has chosen now to end his life.  She heads to reddit, the chat boards, and old school sleuthing to try to gather the clues to solve it all.  

For me, when I read the synopsis I felt as though the book was leaning towards the real mystery of it all and while that is the heart of the story, this book is more literary fiction and coming of age as Teddy is really trying to find herself without two of her family members in her life.  

The book was very raw and real, and to warn the sensitive readers, this one had some scenes that while appropriate for the book, could make you blush.  I personally don't have someone that I would recommend this book to, but I hope with describing it this way, a reader could find it for themselves.    

As for the audiobook, the narrator was great, it felt as though Teddy herself was telling her story and I enjoyed listening to the story.  I did have the ebook version and was glad to read in that medium also, and especially enjoyed the reddit parts in "print" was it was easier to follow the flow of the chat.  

Audiobook 2024 Challenge:  1 out of 24

Rating: 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Recipe Review - Roasted Rack of Lamb

For 2024, I have a goal to try out new recipes (hopefully 52, one a week), diversify what I can cook, and maybe even pick up a few new skills and/or gadgets in the kitchen.  I started the new year with a recipe that had been on my to do list for a bit - Roasted Rack of Lamb.  

I put the marinade together which was super easy in a cuisinart and it was entertaining to be handling garlic while sipping my morning coffee, so this could marinade during the day.  

The one thing I didn't follow on the instructions was moving the rack in the oven and I think this prevented a good crisp on the lamb, so while I was able to get it to the right temperature, it just seemed bland.  I would love to redo and make this one change.

NOW.  I had some leftovers.  And I had a blast making a homemade tzatziki sauce and using the lamb to make a sort of gyro platter with hummus, naan, and arugula.  SO while the original recipe didn't quite work out, the leftovers were perfection!

     

2024 Recipe #1

Review: Being Henry by Henry Winkler

Being Henry

by Henry Winkler

Publisher: Celadon Books

Pages: 256

Format: audiobook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Henry Winkler, launched into prominence by his role as “The Fonz” in the beloved Happy Days, has transcended the role that made him who he is. Brilliant, funny, and widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it’s simply not the case, he’s really just grateful to be here), Henry shares in this achingly vulnerable memoir the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia, the pressures of a role that takes on a life of its own, and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.

Since the glorious era of Happy Days fame, Henry has endeared himself to a new generation with roles in such adored shows as Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and Barry, where he’s revealed himself as an actor with immense depth and pathos, a departure from the period of his life when he was so distinctly typecast as The Fonz, he could hardly find work.

Kritters Thoughts:  An audiobook that I finished the end of 2023 and one that I loved.  

The first words that come to mind for most readers when you hear the name Henry Winkler are . . . THE FONZ!  Known for a character he played in his late 20s, Henry Winkler has spent many years trying to play characters that were not The Fonz.  Recounting the fun days of Happy Days and the trying time after where his professional life was many ups and downs and a lot of anxiety.  

While I may not have watched Happy Days, I can remember watching a few episodes with my parents and loving the Grease like air of the show.  I fell in love with Henry Winkler while reading this book.  I loved his recounting of those Happy Days, but I loved more his behind the scenes stories of all of the sets and projects he worked on.  And even more than that I loved hearing about his love story and his friendships that were made in and out of the Hollywood life.  

After reading this book, I was encouraged to go look up other celebrity memoirs and listen to them in 2024 as I do housework, walk the dogs, and spend time in my garden! 

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

2024 Personal Goals

While this blog has been traditionally a book blog, I would like to include other happenings from my life this year - dogs, gardening, house projects, and Peloton workouts.  I have a few goals that I would like to work towards in 2024 and here are the ones that I am going to share here:

1. Enjoying my kitchen.  I love my house and my kitchen is such a fun space.  I was a girl who makes a lot of similar things at home and I want 2024 to be the year where I branch out.  I love trying things in a restaurant, but I want to bring that energy into my kitchen.  My goal is to try a new recipe once a week, whether that is a main, a side or a cocktail.  I would love to have a few new things that I can make for myself and others.  

2. In 2022 and 2023, I distanced myself from my Peloton and workouts and instead got my fitness done in other ways.  I want to return to spinning, yoga, and pilates and take that time for myself.  I don't have a measurable goal here, I just want to do more of this in 2024.  

3. My garden!  I have spent the last year creating a new backyard garden and I can't wait to spend time out there planting, nurturing, harvesting, and maybe killing a few pests!  There isn't a goal here, but more a place where I want to spend time and my hope is that this goal will "feed" into my first goal and something I grow will inspire me to cook something different or interesting.  

I already have tomatoes from last year's harvest and making homemade pasta sauce is on my early to do list!    

Beyond this list, I promise there will be some dog photos this year.  I have two sweet pups who bring me joy and I love spending time with them in our home and on walks around our neighborhood.  

2024 Reading Goals

For this year, I am going to do a post on reading goals and another one on life goals, I want to share those here as I may spend some time on my blog "rambling" about them and I am excited to share more about what is going on besides my reading life here on the blog!  

Ok now for the Reading Goals of 2024!

1. I want to read a minimum of 124 books.  I read 49 books in 2023 and I am hoping with fewer house projects and a quieter year that more quiet time with a book will happen.   

2. As in last year, I want to focus on my Netgalley percentage.  Thankfully it stayed the same in 2023, I was graciously given access to a lot of books, but I was able to read and review enough to keep the percentage the same, I would like it to increase in 2024.  Not setting a specific number just an increase from 20% would be great! 

3.   With more books clearly in my plan, I would like to embark on more audiobooks this year.  I expect some time in the garden and some time walking dogs which are some of my favorite things, so if I can bring reading to those activities, I would be a happy lady in 2024.  I will be keeping track of this in 2024, with a hope of 2 books per month.    

First Book of 2024!

I am beyond excited for 2024 and ready for a new year with new goals and to start a new year of reading!  I want 2024 to be the year where I spend a lot of time curled up with a book in one way or another - physical book, ebook, and audiobook.  So for my first book of 2024, I am going to read a book that I have from Netgalley in both ebook and audiobook form, to encourage me to read in multiple formats to try to get the most amount of reading out of a day! 

Goodreads:  Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark’s family, he had been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can’t help but fall down the same rabbit hole.

Teddy’s investigation quickly gets her in hot water with her gun-nut boyfriend, her long-lost half brother, and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy’s growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

Bewitched by Mickey, Teddy begins to lose her moral compass. As she struggles to reconcile new information with old memories, her erratic behavior reaches a fever pitch, but she won’t stop until she finds Angie—or destroys herself in the process.

Happy New Year and New Blog!

As a new year begins, I am starting 2024 with a new blog redesign and am excited to change the way I do things here.  I am still pondering what all I want to do, but I can guarantee - I want this to be a place where I share the things I love and ramble about all the things that make me smile.  

You will see I have switched out my rating system, I am now using stars and using the normal star rating that is typical in most places of 5 stars.  No halfsies here, so decisions will need to be made!  

2023 wrap up

WELL, I thought 2022 was going to be my saddest reading year, but 2023 was worse.  It was a year full of other hobbies taking center stage - making a new house a home, setting up a new garden, and welcoming a new puppy into my house!  All of these things took my time and attention, so hopefully 2024 reading will take up more of my time!

  Let's compare 2023 to 2022.  

Total number of books I read in 2023: 49

Total number of books I read in 2022: 91

Total number of pages I flipped, clicked, and so on in 2023: 14,483
Total number of pages I flipped, clicked, and so on in 2022: 29,355

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I have been keeping track of WHERE my books were taking place all year. Below is the outcome.  For the second year in a row, my lack of reading absolutely impacted where I traveled.  I didn't even read a book in my home state of Virginia!  I visited 12 states this year and this is a number I would for sure like to increase in 2024.

States that made the list:

Maine                     Connecticut                Illinois

New York                Massachusetts          Colorado

Maryland               Ohio                             California

Pennsylvania        Wisconsin                   Washington

My country number went down again this year and I would love to travel more in 2024, so I want to try to keep an eye on this number and be intentional with my reading.  

Countries accounted for:

India        France            United Kingdom

Come back on January 2nd to see what I hope for in 2024! 

Review: A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss

A December to Remember

by Jenny Bayliss

Publisher: GP Outnam's Sons

Pages: 413

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Three bickering half sisters. One unique antiques shop. The coziest holiday season of their lives. Wildly different half sisters Maggie, Simone, and Star have hardly seen one another since their sprightly summers at Rowan Thorp, their eccentric father Augustus’s home. Known for his bustling approach to the knick-knack shop he ran, Augustus was loved by all and known by none, not even his daughters. Now, years later, the three estranged women are called upon for the reading of Augustus’s will and quickly realize he's orchestrated a series of hoops through which they must jump to unlock their inheritance—the last thing any of them want to do. But Maggie and Star desperately need the money. And who would Simone be to resist? Through hilarious goose chases, small-town mishaps, and one heart-warming winter solstice celebration, love, hope, and reconcilation is in the air, if only the three sisters can let themselves grasp it.

Kritters Thoughts:  A story that I have read before where a family member has passed and they have left their kin with a charge in their will and their goal is to bring the family back together.  These three half sisters all shared one father who was eccentric, but cared for each of his daughters and hoped that they would have each other when he was gone.  Augustus left his daughters a treasure hunt and a challenge.  

This was such a fun ride.  I loved the uniqueness of the sisters and I believe that all readers could find themselves in at least one of them and they are each at crossroads in their lives where having their sisters will help them cross each bridge.  While there is some romance in this book, it isn't the full focus and instead the role of both your internal family and found family in a community really shines in this book.  

My second Jenny Bayliss holiday book and now an author that I hope to read during each holiday season as her books are just fun to read with great characters and a wonderfully joyful holiday setting.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2023 Challenge: 9 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

Christmas Presents

by Lisa Unger

Publisher: Mysterious Press

Pages: 260

Format: audiobook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Madeline Martin has built a life for herself as the young owner of a thriving business, The Next Chapter Bookshop, despite her tragic childhood and now needing to care for her infirm father. When Harley Granger, a failed novelist turned true crime podcaster, drifts into her shop in the days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up events that Madeline would much rather forget. She’s the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, the man who was convicted of murdering her best friend Steph, and is suspected in the disappearance of two sisters, also good friends of Madeline’s, who have been missing for nearly a decade. It’s an investigation that has obsessed her father Sheriff James Martin right up until his stroke took his faculties.

Harley Granger has a gift for seeing things that others miss. He wasn’t much of a novelist, but his work as a true crime author and podcaster has earned him fame and wealth—and some serious criticism for his various unethical practices. Still, visiting Little Valley to be closer to his dying father has caused him to look into a case that many people think is closed—and some want reopened. And he has a lot of questions about the night Stephanie Cramer was killed, Ainsley and Sam Wallace disappeared, and Madeline Martin was left for dead, bleeding out on a riverbank.

Since Evan Handy went to jail, three other young women have gone missing, most recently a young college dropout named Lolly. Five young women missing in the same area in a decade. Are they connected? Was Evan Handy innocent after all? Or was there some else there that night? Someone who is still satisfying his dark appetites?

As Christmas approaches and a blizzard bears down, Madeline and her childhood friend Badger return to a past they both hoped was dead—to find the missing Lolly and to answer questions that have haunted them both, discovering that the truth is more terrible and much closer to home than they think.

Kritters Thoughts:  A book I read solely via audiobook and what I believe to be my first thriller audiobook experience and will absolutely not be my last!  Not my first Lisa Unger book, so I knew before going in that I was probably going to enjoy, but to experience in a different medium was fun to try.  

The main character is a bookstore owner, a future dream of my own, and she is living in the same small town that she was raised, but is trying to forget and hide some things of the past.  BUT in walks a famous author who has a history of digging into things of the past and putting together podcasts to uncover secrets of the past.  Madeline Martin may be a bit worried as to what Harley Granger may find and what she may have to confront.  

Listening to the book was such a fun experience.  To listen to a thriller and have the same joy of wanting to keep reading and reading and not stopping was awesome!  I kept cleaning parts of my house and sitting in my car while running errands so I could continue listening to this riveting thriller.  

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Princess by Wendy Holden

The Princess

Wendy Holden

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 416

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Britain, 1961: A bouncing blond baby is born to Viscount Althorp, heir to the Spencer earldom, and his wife Frances. Diana grows up amid the fallout of her parents' messy divorce. She struggles at school. Moving to London, she takes menial jobs as a cleaner and nanny. Her refuge throughout is romantic novels. She dreams of falling in love and being rescued by a handsome prince.

In royal circles, there is concern about the Prince of Wales. Nearly 30, Charles remains unmarried; the right girl needs to be found, and fast. She must be young, aristocratic and come to the royal family without any past liaisons.

The eighteen-year-old Diana Spencer is just about the only candidate. Her desperation to be loved dovetails perfectly with royal desperation for a bride. But as the ruthless Palace machine starts up, there are challenges for Diana to face plus mysteries she can't fathom, from the strangeness of life within the palace walls to a certain Mrs. Parker Bowles. Can her romantic dream survive the forces that shape her into a global icon?

Kritters Thoughts:  The third in a series that I have just adored reading.  Each book has focused on a woman that is in one way or another connected to the royal family and I have loved each one - maybe because I am a little obsessed with all things ROYAL!  

This book focuses on Princess Diana, but it goes back in time before she was the woman we all fell in love with.  And the way in which the author presented her story was just genius - without spoiling too much, Princess Diana is recounting her story to an old friend that she reconnects with and I loved hearing her story from her own point of view.  

We all know the Princess Diana story or most of us do, but I even learned a few things while reading this book.  I know this is historical fiction and the author may have taken some liberties, but I loved how she presented Princess Diana.  For me one of the things that stood out was Diana's age and how young she was when she was thrust into the spotlight and was confronted by the world's opinion.  I really thought about her age when it comes to Charles and Camilla and how naive she was and how much she may have not realized until it was just too late to change.  

I am sad to say I think this was the last of a trilogy, but I sure hope Wendy Holden has something else up her sleeve because the way she writes these real people is just magical.  

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: A Christmas in the Alps by Melody Carlson

A Christmas in the Alps

by Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Pages: 176

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  After a time of heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a tantalizing letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Ever practical, Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. Despite her deep-rooted fear of flying, Simone boards a jet to travel to Paris at Christmastime to uncover the truth.

During the long flight, Simone meets the charming Kyle Larsson, who's on his way to France to become an apprentice clockmaker. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone's family's clock factory may lead to the discovery of the family treasure . . . and so much more.

Kritters Thoughts:  Simone has spent the last few years taking care of her family and now that her family is gone, she can concentrate on herself and when she finds a mysterious note amongst her great-grandmother's things, she is sent on a mission!  Her great-grandmother has left a treasure, but it is across the Atlantic ocean and Simone has a great fear of flying that she must first conquer before she can find the treasure, but it is a great excuse to go to the French Alps and find where her family comes from and reconnect with them.

I may have been a little nervous in the beginning with Simone's intense vibes regarding her seatmate on the plane but those soon went away when she got to France and the book got underway.  I loved all the characters and that there was some realism with not all the French characters speaking English and there needing some translation help throughout the book.  I know this plotline is used often, where someone must go track down relatives without the aid of anyone, but for me it is one I enjoy to read!

This was a sweet novella of sorts that I would suggest for a weekend during this holiday season with the snow on the French Alps and taking place just before Christmas, this is a great book to curl up with during this season.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2023 Challenge: 8 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: It Happened One Christmas Eve by Jenn McKinlay

It Happened One Christmas Eve
 by Jenn McKinlay

Publisher: Dreamscape Media

Pages: 121

Format: audiobook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Claire Macintosh is about to get engaged to a man she doesn't love at the holiday gala she is hosting as director of the Museum of Literature. Her mother, Hildy Macintosh, has made it clear that if the museum is to continue to receive the enormous donations from the family trust that Hildy has approved all these years then Claire will marry the man Hildy has chosen for her and start to produce some grandbabies. At forty and single, Claire feels she has no choice. But when the horse and carriage arrive at the gala with the driver dressed as Santa to deliver Claire's engagement ring, she just can't go through with it. She hijacks the horse and carriage with Santa still on board and escapes!

Reporter Sam Carpenter thought he was being so clever convincing his friend to let him step in as Santa so he could get up close and personal to the subject of his upcoming magazine expose. He is completely unprepared for the events that unfold and finds himself dashing through Central Park with a runaway would be fiancé. Now the only way to save his story is to broker a deal with Claire Macintosh. In exchange for his help in getting her to her cottage in Maine by Christmas Eve, she'll grant him an exclusive interview. As their journey takes a series of unexpected twists, turns, and misadventures, both Claire and Sam realize that there's more than their careers on the line. And it's going to take a Christmas miracle to find their happily ever after.

Kritters Thoughts:  Claire is on the cusp of an engagement that would set her life down a very certain path when all of the sudden she decides to take a different route.  A man who has been on the perimeter of her life now becomes a main character as Sam Carpenter a reporter who has written about her and her family helps her escape and this book is their adventure.  

I love all those road trip adventure books, but only every so often.  It was fun to combine that sub genre with a little Christmas cheer.  I think what helped this book the most was their lack of funds and the inability to get them, so forced some creativity for them to get to their destination.  Of course, this was an easy enemies to lovers romance where I felt like the enemies part was believable and their romance wasn't too quick as they had some history leading into this adventure.    

This was a great audiobook read while driving during the lead-up to the holidays and then while decorating the house.    

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein

We Must Not Think of Ourselves

Lauren Grodstein 

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Pages: 304

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: On a November day in 1940, Adam Paskow becomes a prisoner in the Warsaw Ghetto, where the Jews of the city are cut off from their former lives and held captive by Nazi guards, and await an uncertain fate. Weeks later, he is approached by a mysterious figure with a surprising request: Will he join a secret group of archivists working to preserve the truth of what is happening inside these walls? Adam agrees and begins taking testimonies from his students, friends, and neighbors. He learns about their childhoods and their daydreams, their passions and their fears, their desperate strategies for safety and survival. The stories form a portrait of endurance in a world where no choices are good ones.

One of the people Adam interviews is his flatmate Sala Wiskoff, who is stoic, determined, and funny—and married with two children. Over the months of their confinement, in the presence of her family, Adam and Sala fall in love. As they desperately carve out intimacy, their relationship feels both impossible and vital, their connection keeping them alive. But when Adam discovers a possible escape from the Ghetto, he is faced with an unbearable choice: Whom can he save, and at what cost?

Kritters Thoughts:  A historical fiction set in the time period of World War II, but thankfully we are not inside a concentration camp, but conditions are close in this Warsaw Ghetto.  A teacher, Adam Paskow is living in an apartment with two other families as they are just trying to survive until this war ends.  Adam is asked to document the lives of those living in the Warsaw Ghetto and recording the big and the small of life inside in hopes that it can be shared when all is said and done.  

While I do read a lot of historical fiction, I tend to limit my reading of World War II books because it all just seems so sad and while I am not denying the horror of it, I don't want to read too much of it.  This one sounded interesting from the synopsis and it lived up to my wonder of how this author would share this community at this time.  I loved how Grodstein made me feel the humanity of these characters, they weren't just a number in a war, but instead we learned of their back stories and I liked reading the mundane of the day to day survival of it all. 

My first read of Lauren Grodstein and will by no means by my last.  I would love to read her two previous novels and then I surely hope for more in the future.  This is a book I will recommend to readers who haven't read a lot of World War II AND for those who feel they have read it all!  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2023 Challenge: 7 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Algonquin books.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

October

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The first month this year, where I felt like reading took a front seat and I spent a lot of time reading - a COVID diagnosis and lots of time curled up with books was the to do list for this month! 

1. Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

2. Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

3. Ignorance by Michele Roberts

4. Distant Sons by Tim Johnston

5. And Again by Jessica Chiarella

6. Young Queens by Leah Redmond Chang

7. The Second Home by Christina Clancy

8. Anthony Bourdain Remembered by CNN

9. Actually the Comma Goes Here by Lucy Crisps

10. The Takeaway Man by Meryl Ain

Total pages read, clicked and flipped: 3,179

Where Have I Been Reading?:

Ohio

France

Wisconsin

Chicago, IL

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

New York City, NY