In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. 

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

Our thoughts:

This is a truly fabulous book by Khaled Hosseini. I have read and enjoyed his previous novels, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Hosseini has yet again produced another unforgettable tale.

As a quote taken from the book states, "A story is like a moving train: no matter where you hop on board, you are bound to reach your destination sooner or later". And Hosseini knows exactly how to take you on that trip. Emotionally heart-wrenching, it showed how one persons choices can have an effect on many generations.

Hosseini weaves his tale piece by piece, unfolding it layer by layer, right up to the end. I loved this wonderfully moving story.

Three women. One stranger in a shimmering silver dress. Whatever binds them together has already destroyed one life. It just might consume them all.

Someday, Livvi Gray will break free from her past. Someday, she will escape her recurring nightmare about that stranger in a shimmering silver dress. Someday, she will have a family of her own. Now she's found Andrew, and someday seems to be right around the corner. But there's so much Livvi doesn't know.

Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, she will come face-to-face with the stranger from her dream-an encounter that will alter Livvi's future and crack open everything she knew about her past. Livvi is swiftly moving toward the ultimate turning point in her life-and she's not the only one. Linked by an unforgettable mystery, photographer Micah and young mother AnnaLee are also being rapidly drawn into a web of devastating secrets about the unexpected ways in which we choose to protect-and betray-the people we love.

Our thoughts:

This book is written as three separate story lines which finally come together beautifully in the end. The heart of this novel is a mystery full of secrets. The people keeping the secrets are trying to protect themselves and the people they love, but ultimately, the secrets only lead to more hurt.

I really enjoyed reading this book but it didn't end the way I wanted it to. Even though the characters were deeply flawed, I felt very sympathetic toward them. This was a great read. While I couldn't wait to finish this book to see how it ends, at the same time I wanted the story to continue.

For Amy Henderson, 1973 has been a lonely year of too many awkward moments to count--that is, until she helps rescue an injured seal pup. To help save Pup, she forms an unlikely alliance with a questionable boy in a worn-out army jacket, and a peculiar older woman the kids in town call "Old Coot." 

Amy finds that people aren't always what they seem, as she nurtures Pup back to health with the help of Craig and Miss Cogshell, while trying to hide Pup from the harbormaster and a group of nosy popular girls who have their eyes on Craig. Just as Amy starts to feel at home with her newfound friends, she must face an unexpected challenge that could change the future of her town, and her own life as well.

Our thoughts:

This is Strykowski's first novel and it was really cute. The budding friendship between Amy and Craig was very sweet and believable, as was their relationship with an elderly woman that the kids all referred to as "Old Coot". What I had a hard time believing was the idea that they were harboring a seal pup. I didn't think you could even keep a seal alive without having some place for him to swim, no less be able to keep him in a house. I can't imagine what that must have smelled like.

On the whole I liked this book. The characters insecurities, self-doubt, and wisdom made them all very convincing. This was a nice coming of age book.

"I bought the milk," said my father. "I walked out of the corner shop, and heard a noise like this: T h u m m t h u m m. I looked up and saw a huge silver disc hovering in the air above Marshall Road."

"Hullo," I said to myself. "That's not something you see every day. And then something odd happened."

Find out just how odd things get in this hilarious story of time travel and breakfast cereal.

Our thoughts:

 

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

Our thoughts:

Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Our source: ARC from the publisher

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

For me, science fiction tends to fall into two categories: This is never going to happen, or, I'm concerned this will happen next week. This book fell into the ladder. I found Mott's world of the dead returning after many years completely real and believable.

And his characters! I loved them all. They were complicated, flawed and completely realistic. 

This isn't a high-action science fiction story - it's more of a slow-burn as people deal with their rapidly changing world.  It's interesting and thought provoking and I thought it was incredibly well done.

I should also note that it's already been picked up by ABC as a future drama called, "Resurrection". I'm not always on board with my favorite books being made into movies or TV shows, but I think this one lends itself really well to it so I can't wait to check that out as well!