Ralphie Rough Road

1.  “The Golden Tresses of the Dead:  A Flavia de Luce Novel” by Alan Bradley.  323 pages, fiction.

If you have not had the pleasure of reading A Flavia de Luce novel, you really should.  The main character Flavia is a hoot.  As a young adolescent detective/chemist her humor is beyond compare.  I have read and enjoyed all of them.  This one was delightful as they all are.  Alan Bradley is a wonderful author that I highly recommend checking out.

2.  “Night of Miracles” by Elizabeth Berg 261 pages, fiction.

This is a nice little gem of a book.  A heartwarming story of small town life.  I enjoyed the characters throughout the book and their interactions.  It was a short, quick, and easy read.  Perfect for a rainy afternoon.

3.  “Heads You Win” by Jeffrey Archer.  437 pages, fiction.

I enjoyed this book.  The story, actually two stories in one, was an engaging one.  With a choice stemmed two unique stories centered around the main character.  However, I found it a little difficult to keep the two stories straight.  Maybe I’m just getting older and the memory is not what it used to be.

4.  “Little Fires Everywhere”  by Celeste Ng 336 pages, fiction.

It thought this book was excellent.  I really loved the writing style and the story.  A tale of a “perfect town” with it’s own issues behind closed doors.  Enjoyed the intertwining of the two families, one with the perfect life and the other with a mystery of their own.  Each character was rich and deeply developed.  Definitely a page turner.

5.  “An Untamed State”  by Roxanne Gay 367 pages, fiction.

Wow!  This book was beyond excellent.  An adrenaline ride and fast pasted.  I was pulled in from the beginning.  The rawness of this book is beyond words.  The emotions and feelings of Miri, the woman who was captured and endured awful things at the hands of 7 men. The author did not hold back. It read like a true life story. Her descriptions were vivid, you almost felt like you were there right alongside Miri.  Witnessing, feeling for her. The distress she felt after her captivity was heartbreaking.  She was a completely broken woman, forever changed. A true to life story of struggle, survival, and an attempt to piece her life back together forever changed into a different person. A must read for sure.

6.  “Once Upon a River”  by Diane Setterfield 460 pages, fiction.

Another excellent book.  The characters were richly told and developed. The story was fabulous. What a beautiful, haunting, and thrilling story. Loved every minute of this book. One of mystery, intrigue, murder, evil, love, and everything in between. A must read. Great story and wonderful ending.