The wedding people, by Alison Espach

 

This is a page-turner of a novel that I just couldn't put down. College professor and recently divorced Phoebe goes to a resort hotel in Rhode Island with the intention of committing suicide by overdosing on her recently dead cat's pain pills. When she arrives she finds that the rest of the hotel has been taken over by a wedding party for week-long festivities. Her plans for suicide are thwarted on the first night, and Phoebe gives up on the idea, but still not sure what to do next, she's drawn into the drama surrounding the wedding and quickly befriends the bride, Lila. When Lila's maid of honor has to cancel at the last minute, Phoebe is drafted for the job and she gets drawn more and more into Lila's family situation. Things get complicated when she realizes that both the bride and groom have doubts about their wedding plans, and Phoebe begins to have feelings for the groom. This is a funny but heartfelt exploration on grief and love. It's very well-written and I felt myself absorbed by the plot and characters. Highly recommended!

The power of habit: why we do what we do in life and business, by Charles Duhigg

In an engaging and entertaining collection of stories and research, author Charles Duhigg shares how habits form and how they can be changed. Claiming that habits cannot be eliminated, only changed, Duhigg says that one must identify the cue, routine, and reward cycle for any habit, then work to change the routine. In a manner reminiscent of many business self help books, Duhigg bolsters his and others' research with many anecdotes to illustrate how habits are formed by individuals, organizations, and societies. While interesting, I was hoping for something more instructive to apply to my own habits, but this book does lay the foundation for how to think about the habits we have and how we might change the cycle. This was a re-read, and my opinion is the same this time around.
 

Dead lions, by Mick Herron

 

I really enjoyed this second book in the Slow Horses series by author Mick Herron. The story begins when a retired spy notices a former Soviet agent; he follows him but ends up killed. When Jackson Lamb finds out about the death, he immediately suspects that it's murder and he begins to investigate, crossing paths with another MI5 agent who's trying to recruit a Russian oligarch to be an intelligence asset. As in the first book, some of the agents at Slough House are used by the central leadership of MI5 to support the recruitment effort, while others are working with Jackson to investigate the murder of his former colleague. This book was easier to follow than the first because so many of the characters were already introduced. The action and intrigue in this story are page turning and lead to a very exciting climax. I can't wait to read the next one!

Remarkably bright creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt

 

I really loved this first novel by author Shelby Van Pelt. It's about a woman named Tova Sullivan who has endured significant loss over the years and who has taken a job as an evening cleaner at the local aquarium. Tova lost her son when he was just 19 in mysterious circumstances at sea. She lost her husband a few years ago, and her brother has also recently died. Tova's job at the aquarium brings her into contact with a highly intelligent Pacific octopus who has a penchant for escaping his tank for short jaunts around the aquarium to look for snacks. The octopus, named Marcellus, also holds the secret to what happened to her son years ago, and he sets in motion a series of events that lead to Tova learning about her son and much more. There are a lot of great characters in the book, including a local shop owner who has a crush on Tova, a young man who's searching for his father, and the members of Tova's knitting group. The interplay between all of the characters and especially between Tova and Marcellus is funny and touching. The writing is wonderful, and I couldn't put this book down. I'm looking forward to the author's next book!

Mayra, by Nicky Gonzalez

I did not love this horror novel about a young woman, Ingrid, who goes off to the Everglades for a weekend visit with Mayra, a friend she hasn't seen in a long time. They're staying in a home with Mayra's boyfriend, Benji, who is obsessed with caring for the house. The house itself is strange and seems to grow and develop organically, reflecting its occupants' lives. As days pass, it's clear that the house is causing Ingrid to lose track of time and her life outside. When Ingrid finds a diary of a former occupant, she begins to realize what's happening and plans an escape. In the end, she gets out, but Mayra decides to stay behind in the house with Benji. While the premise is interesting, the book didn't coalesce well for me. In flashbacks, Ingrid delves into her and Mayra's past relationship, but none if it seemed to shed light on what's happening in the present. Similarly, the diary did lead to Ingrid's figuring out what was going on, but it seemed like an unnecessary digression from the plot. I also didn't like the author's overemphasis on gross descriptions of sweat and dirt. At one point Benji wipes his finger along a dusty windowpane and then eats the dust ball. I didn't get the point of that at all, given that he's not in any other way depicted as a monster or demented (other than being bewitched by the house). 
 

Among friends, by Hal Ebbott

 

I did not care for this book at all. Two families have been friends since childhood, but the adults all seem to resent and even dislike each other. When one molests the daughter of his best friend, her resulting downward spiral leads to her telling her parents what happened, but they're torn about what to do because they don't want to break up the friendship. WHAT? I found this book incredibly offensive, made even worse by the fact that the adult characters don't even seem to like each other. It makes the conclusion unfathomable and actually unbelievable.

Master slave husband wife, by Ilyon Woo

 

I really enjoyed this true story about a husband and wife, both enslaved, who escape the south by disguising themselves as a master and slave, with the wife posing as a young man and her husband posing as her slave. They had saved enough money from their skilled labor that they were able to purchase train and boat tickets that took them first to Philadelphia, and then to the Boston area. They joined up with abolitionists and went on a speaking circuit to raise money for themselves and abolitionist causes before trying to settle down. However, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made their safety uncertain, so they fled to England where they lived until 1968. Author Ilyon Woo provides a deeply researched look at their lives as well as the historical background, but the book reads as smoothly as a novel.

By the second spring: seven lives and one year of the war in Ukraine, by Danielle Leavitt

 

This is an amazing work of contemporary history. In it, author Danielle Leavitt profiles seven Ukrainians during the first 18 months of the Ukraine war. They were ordinary citizens, men and women, old and young, married and single, well-to-do and those of moderate means. They came from all over the country and also include one woman who had emigrated to the US with her American husband but who dropped everything to go back and provide relief efforts when the war began. The author structures her books around the seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall/winter, and spring, hence the title. In each section she provides an update on each of those profiled. One man had just fulfilled his dream by opening a coffee shop a few weeks before the war started, only to see it demolished. A woman flees eastern Ukraine with her parents when her husband decides to volunteer for the Ukrainian army. Others try to stay in place while the war rages around them. Throughout the book, Leavitt provides background information that helps set the context for contemporary Russian aggression, outlining much of 20th century Soviet history through the breakup of the Soviet Union and Russia's subsequent attempts to control and dominate its former fellow republics. This book only covers the period through spring of 2023 and its heartbreaking to think about and not know what has happened to the people profiled in the three years since then. I hope at some point there will be an effort to track them down and provide an update.

Slow horses, by Mick Herron

 

I've been reading about what a great TV series this is, but since I don't currently subscribe to Apple TV, I decided to read the books, a very good decision! I loved this book which starts at a moderate pace but which quickly had me riveted. There are a lot of characters who need to be introduced in the beginning, and they were hard to keep track of at first, but once past that initial 50 or so pages, the book really picks up and moves at a quick pace. I like the way secrets are revealed along the way, each time providing a little twist or turn that changes how you think about the characters and what's actually going on. The premise is that all of the MI5 agents relegated to Slough House have made some mistake that resulted in them being shoved aside to perform menial tasks in the hope that they'll quit rather than be fired. When they're asked to take on a few minor errands that end badly, the head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb (played by Gary Oldman in the TV series) realizes that something much bigger is going on, and he is forced to put all of his agents in the field to save someone from a gruesome death and set things right. Highly recommended!

Caveat emptor, by Ruth Downie

 

I continue to be impressed with the excellent writing in this series. Caveat emptor is the 4th in the Medicus series which follows a 2nd century doctor in Roman Britain. In this entry, Ruso is back in England with his now-wife, Tilla, and looking for a job as a doctor. His friend Valens had promised to help him find a position, but instead he found him a temporary job as an investigator for the tax office. A tax collector in a nearby town has gone missing along with the month's tax receipts, and his wife Camma is strongly denying that he is responsible for the theft. Ruso and Tilla go with Camma and her infant back to their town to investigate, and are later helped by the arrival of Albanus and Valens. They follow the money trail, which leads to a potential forgery ring, but find the town leaders, all British, to be eager to cover up what has happened. I really enjoy the period detail provided in these books, including everything from the food to clothing and decor, and I find them to be very well written.

Murder in the forum, by Rosemary Rowe

In this 4th volume in the Libertus Roman series, author Rosemary Rowe has presented us with the sudden death of Perennis Felix, a high-ranking Roman visiting Libertus' city of Glevum. Upon arriving, Felix had executed a slave in a gruesome manner, then arranged to have a banquet held in his own honor. During the banquet he chokes on a nut, but then dies from what turns out to be poison. There are many with potential motives, including his daughter and her lover, whom he will not allow to marry and who both suspect the other. As Libertus and his assistant Junio investigate the murder, they follow one lead after another before uncovering the truth, along with a much larger conspiracy than expected.
 

Death in the clouds, by Agatha Christie

 

This is the 10th Hercule Poirot mystery that I've read and features Poirot solving a crime that took place in an airplane cabin while flying from France to England. A woman has been murdered with a poisoned dart. Even though multiple devices could have been used to blow the dart, including a blowpipe, a flute, and cigarette holders, no one saw any such thing happening. There are also many potential suspects on board since the woman who was murdered was a money lender and several of those on board were her customers. Once on the ground, Poirot attaches himself to the investigation and ultimately solves the crime. As usual, it was very entertaining. One thing I found interesting was a mention of the Great Depression in America, but no mention of any political unrest or aggressions in Europe, even though the book was published in 1935.