Marina Mews by DL Mitchell

 

Genre:  Adult, Mystery

Source: I received a copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What I loved about this book is that it is a fast paced mystery and has animals to fall in love with. I loved that the author had a six toed cat named Hemingway as a character in the book. The story takes place in a small South Florida town. I could relate because I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida with its laid back feeling.  Emily is a veterinarian and has just found the body of her friend Billy. He owned a dive shop and actually taught Emily to dive. Eventhough her boyfriend and brother try to get her to stay out of it she just can't. This seems more important when she learns the death was possibly a murder. As a teacher I love learning things in books, especially if they are sprinkled throughout a fictional book. The author has sprinkled advice about treating animals all throughout the book. In other words, the author has interjected her own expertise into the book. The cat Hemingway belonged to Billy. He helps Emily solve his owner's murder. There is the slightest romance in the book, but not enough to throw me out of it. There are actually two other books in this series I have not read.  I will be reading them. I love when I find not only a great new series but a great new author. I highly recommend this series to you.

Hiding in Holland by Shulamit Reinharz

Genre:  Biography, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Adult

Source:  I received a copy from the author. The opinions expressed here are my own.

                Let me start by saying that I have loved reading about this part of history since I was twelve and learned I shared a birthday with Anne Frank. I was fascinated by the resilience of the Jewish people. I was fascinated by kindness and often the sacrifice of their own lives that a handful of non-Jewish people showed in the face of such atrocious adversity. John 15:13 says, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” In the case of the holocaust, often the person who laid down their life for the Jews were total strangers, yet they exhibited true love.  When I read these stories and memoirs I find myself angry at those who saw what was happening to their neighbors and did nothing and then when the war had ended tried to pretend like they knew nothing or that it was all a lie.  Those same feelings came back as I read where Max had returned to his hometown and this was the attitude of so many. So many still blamed the Jews.  

                This book starts of with the author finding boxes of old documents which her father tells her she can throw out. Instead she takes them home and organizes them. She cobles together an account of her father’s survival and resistance to the Nazi atrocities around him. It is obvious that he saw himself as more than just a survivor of the atrocities thrust upon the Jewish people. It was years later after discovering and organizing the materials that she finally had them translated. She used those findings along with massive amounts of her own research to write this book. One thing that became clear was the importance of keeping alive memories. Not all of us have gone through something so horrific. However, memories of our past and those of our parents and grandparents are important. Does that mean we should all write books about what our parents went through? No. However, the importance of documenting not only good times, but extreme hardship is what may make the difference in future generations not repeating mistakes and atrocities of the past.

                I was shocked to learn that Jews who were not real strict followers of their Jewish religion often survived compared to those who stuck religiously to their Jewish beliefs.

When I read the percentage of murdered Jews from different countries, I was shocked to learn that 85% of the Dutch Jews were wiped out compared to other countries.  It still boggles my mind that we as humans could let something like this happen. Yet for centuries we have allowed this to happen.  One thing that stood out in this memoir is found in the following excerpt where the author explains why and how her parents survived the German occupation. She mentions what her father considered the most important lesson he learned. He said, “There are some good people in this world.”  The author said, “Dad’s belief is not to be confused with Anne Frank’s naïve idea that there is ‘some good in everyone.’”  As a teacher I have taught “The Diary of Anne Frank” for years. I don’t know how many times I have pointed out that quote.  It wasn’t until I read this book that I truly see how naïve she truly was.  This is not a put down to her. I believe we all want to believe that there is good in everyone. However, after reading this book I actually have to agree with the author’s father’s statement.  If there was “some good in everyone” then those who stood by and let the Nazis do what they did, or turned their neighbors in for money, we would have to conclude there was more evil than good in them.

    For me one of the things I really loved about this book is all the references.  Obviously, the author did so much more research to add to her father’s accounts.  For me it just added so much more for me to read to add to my own understanding. I as a non-Jew can never understand what they went through. However, I can increase my understanding of those times to try to pass that knowledge on to future generations. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the holocaust.

 

Kristjan's Rise by Kandi J. Wyatt

Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Fantasy

Source:  I received and advanced copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Kristjan is the son of the chief. One day he will be the new chief of the clan. Only one thing can stop this from happening, the voices in his head that keep telling him how useless he is. For every positive voice he hears there is a negative voice.  Kristjan and his best friends Marko and Bastian his cousin are almost inseparable. They live in a city carved out of the stone. The gems they mine have been found less and less. They need these gems to bring the traders in. Marko and Kristjan are more like brothers. They have been this way since they were tiny.  Kristjan's mother died giving birth to him. His father the chief raised him. For some reason Kristjan doesn't believe he can live up to one day being the chief. The darkness in his mind escalates when he volunteers himself, Marko and Bastian to go out hunting for food. A freak accident claims the life of his best friend and sets him down the path of darkness.  He blames himself for Marko's death. He feels he needs to be punished, and the punishment should be death.

I believe there are so many people who could relate to this book.  I was once like Kristjan.  I had dark thoughts.  The thing is that as a Christian you just keep crying out to God to help you find the peace.  The journey Kristjan is on is hard to read. We will either see ourselves in him or we will see someone we know or knew. For me this book was very  soothing.  It resembled a time in my life I can look back on and know that God brought me through.  There is so much more to this book than just the darkness. This is as much a book of hope.  I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next one to come out.  This book is supposed to be published sometime in September so keep your eye out for it.

 

How To Improve Leadership Development In Business: A Simple Blueprint to Build Strong Teams, Master Emotional Intelligence, Inspire Confidence, and Achieve Leadership Excellence Dr. Francis Dumbuya

 

Genre: Adult, Inspirational Leadership

Source: I received a copy from the author to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book is set up to teach you how to become a successful leader.  To do this you need to become well disciplined. Part of this is connecting emotionally with your team. This makes things so smooth. He talked about active listening and giving and receiving feedback. A lot of the things he talks about in the first half of the book are things we do with our students at school. We teach them to be active listeners. We teach them to be risk takers. 

The author describes different types of leadership shedding light on the pros and cons of each type. He gives examples throughout the book using real people and real situations. This is a very motivational book no matter what your leadership role is.

Edge of the Woods by A.J. Rivers

 

Genre: Adult, Young Adult, Mystery
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this book. It had an element that many people hate or find confusing. In this story, a group of girls is spending their last year at camp. They have just graduated from high school. After camp, they will be moving on with their lives. In the middle of their camping, Bethany walks out of their cabin and never returns. The story has flashbacks through text messages and memories.

Now move to the present time. Annie is awakened with another nightmare. Every June for fifteen the nightmares return. Annie finds it difficult to function.  Then she and two other girls receive a call from someone who wants to make a movie about what happened at camp that summer. Annie finally agrees so that it is told from the right perspective.  But what happens when things start happening at  camp again.  Will it destroy or help Annie?

There was everything to love about this book. The mystery, the characters, all of it.  I definitely recommend it.

All The Silent Bones by Gregory Fun

This book will be published on June 9th.

Genre:  Adult, Suspense, Thriller

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I must admit that I was only familiar with this author’s middle-grade books because I teach middle grades.  However, I have discovered how excellent his adult books are.  I am a very eclectic reader.  My mother used to say if it stood still long enough, I would read it. She wasn’t wrong. I love reading works with a dark side, like this book, which is full of darkness. What is there to love about All the Silent Bones?

The opening of the book introduces two of the characters.  Both characters have very dark sides. Although the book begins with the characters as adults, it then flashes back to their childhood.  When Bobby moves into their neighborhood, Ray’s father forbids him from ever going into their house.  We all know what happens when you tell a kid they can’t do something. I immediately wondered whether his father knew something or just felt something was off with the family.

The trauma that happens at Blackamore Pond is handled differently by each boy. Regardless, we can see that each character is still affected by that trauma years after it occurred. We can see how childhood violence affects the characters as adults.  Trauma stood out the most because I had several students this year who struggled with family violence in their homes. When I have students like this, I often wonder how they will handle it as adults.  For me, seeing the makeup of the characters and the way their past created their present made them feel more realistic.  I liked that.

This book was a bit of a slower read for me, as I am accustomed to reading middle-grade and young-adult books to recommend to my students.  It took a while to get into the adult frame of mind and expectations. It had all the things I love and crave in adult books.  We have characters who have been hiding secrets.  The characters are fleshed out so that we see all their sides, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I loved the pacing and the twist.  The only negative for me is a personal thing. I am a grown woman, but not a fan of the “F” word. I hear enough of it from my students.  Overall, I would recommend this book and check out his other adult books.

 

From Turmoil to Peace by Delia Hayward

 

Genre: Adult, Christian, Memoir

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What an awesome, God-inspired memoir. The author takes us through her life and its hardships and shows us what it is like to walk with, and rely on God.  From the time she was a young child she faced hardships. She grew up thinking that no one truly loved her. She, like so many people tried to find that love in different places. She married and had three boys. However, her marriage was in just as much turmoil. She not only learned to love and follow God in her daily walk; she learned that God will often tell us what we need before we know we need it.

There were so many things I could relate to in her story. I went the route of a single parent after my divorce. I had no intentions of ever marrying again. Then one night my daughter asked me if I would pray with her for a new daddy.  Boy did God ever answer that prayer. This June will be thirty-two years.  I understood how hard it was to forgive her husband for what he put her and the children through. 

This story makes your heart ache yet lifts you and lets you see the possibilities with God in control of your life. I was raised in a strong Christian home. Sometimes, God wants us to be reminded that he is in control of things if we just take our hands off the wheel and let him handle it. This book came at a time when I must have needed that reminder. A time when I needed to pray for the one I see as causing some turmoil in my life. My mother used to tell me you can't be angry with someone if you are praying for them. This book reminded me of that.  I want to share this book with everyone I know. Its message is one for all people to hear.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Genre: Adult, Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased

 I was first introduced to this book last year while teaching Pre-Ap English. There was an excerpt in it from three character’s perspective in our textbook.  Once of my students asked if I knew there was a movie about it. I did not because I prefer to read a book first.

 Marie is blind and her father works for a museum. When the Nazi’s invade her father takes her and they leave to live with her great-uncle.  The other character we meet is Werner. He is an orphan. He has a talent for fixing radios. Unfortunately he’s not supposed to be listening to the radio.  The Germans take him and he is forced to use his skills to try to locate whoever has been leaving messages to guide the resistance. This is where his path and Marie’s cross.

 There were a couple of things I really enjoyed about this book, besides the story itself.  The chapters are short. We get glimpses of each of the character’s story as well as what happened to them at the end of the story. I am one of those readers who will often read the ending to find out what happened and then go back to fill in all of the blanks. I didn’t have to do that with this book as the reader knows the outcome of some of the characters before the end of the book.  

By the way, the movie is just as awesome.

 

A Christmas Wish by Engy Neville

 

Genre: Adult, Romance

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own

Romance novels are not usually my go to genre. I have certain requirements. I don’t want a mushy, gushy romance.  There has to be other conflicts that must be solved for me to truly enjoy it. This is my first book by this author and will not be my last. As a teacher of teens,  I have been reading middle grade and young adult books for so long that I had put a lot of adult books on the back burner.

Amy is a young woman who moved from California to take another job, her dream job in New York. She left behind a cheating boyfriend and a job where her boss was out to get her. On a vacation to the Hamptons with  her best friend from California and her new best friend from New York, she meets Richie, a gorgeous looking man. He seems to have fallen head over heals in love with her. She meets his family at Thanksgiving and loves them.  Then things begin to fall apart. Her former boss is back in her life in New York. They have the same position. She is getting ready to spend Christmas with her boyfriend and his family. It seems that things are going downhill fast.

Things aren’t always what they seem to be.  There are many things we learn as we read the book that adds quite a bit of tension to this story. That is what made me really enjoy this book.  I will stop at this point because I don’t want to give anything away. I will say, if you love a feel good romance or you are like me, sitting on the fence when it comes to romance novels, then you most definitely need to read this one.

A Place of Refuge by Marlayne Giron

 

Genre: Adult, Christian Fiction
Source: I purchased a copy.

I loved this sequel to Second Chance Inn.  I have known a few Amish people who were shunned by family and friends because they chose a different path.  I know this is a part of their faith, but I always wondered how they would feel if God shunned them because they did something he didn’t agree with.

Rachel is having a tough time. She is fresh home from the hospital and is really unable to do much. She came back to a disaster. Dishes have been piling up in the sink.  Laundry is sky high. It really isn’t because her daughter just didn’t care. It is because her daughter was trying to help keep the farm running and trying to keep things running smoothly in the Inn.  All Rachel can do is pray that God will provide.  He does just that when Emma shows up. She has been shunned by her family, her car has broken down. She has no money and doesn’t know what to do. Lucky for her she broke down near  “The Second Chance Inn”. She wonders if God is giving her a second chance.  Emma contacts three of her friends, Like Emma they don’t fit into the Amish or the English world. These young men are also give a place to stay and food for the night.

Rachel awakes from a dream and asks God for confirmation, so she will know his will, and she gets it. It becomes clear that the Inn is to be a place of refuge for those like the young kids she has just taken in. She and Samuel had the same dream. The burden is lightened with the help of the three young men and Emma.

There is so much more in this book.  The characters are well developed. Whether you are a Christian or not you will enjoy this book. The author has created characters who have real trials like we do. She doesn’t put them in a fake Amish world where everything just turns up roses. What she does is shows what happens when the two worlds collide. She has shown realistic issues that show up and take them on a rollercoaster ride. She shows that our faith can get us through even the most terrible of trials.  This is a must read. If you have not read her first book, “Second Chance Inn.” You really must read it.  I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I really need to see what happens and how God answers their prayers.

The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast by Sophie Love

 

Genre: Adult, Mystery
Source: Purchased

Marie Fortune is nothing like her name.  In just a few short hours, she quit her job, got rid of her two-timing boyfriend and received a call from police that they had found your great-aunt June dead in her house. Fortune had nothing to do with her day.  June packs a bag and head up to Point Bliss. Her one hope at that time is that whoever ends up with her aunt’s house will let her have one last walk through. At her great-aunt’s funeral a lawyer approaches her. He hands her three envelopes. The first one informs her that she is the new oner of her aunt’s house. The second one informs her that her aunt left her a surprise. The surprise ends up being a dog named Boo. The third envelop contains the keys to the house. 

After spending a night in the house Marie decided to make her childhood dream a reality. She will turn her grandmother’s house into a bed and breakfast. The first customer she has booked arrives only to realize they booked the wrong place. The second call she gets is someone looking for a place in the area because of a job he has.  Brendan Peck is a paranormal investigator. He is investigating a nearby  lighthouse.  On a tour of the bed and breakfast he is videotaping a couple of areas and finds what seems to be a ghostly appearance. Overly eager, he posts the video to Twitter and it goes viral.  The calls start pouring in. This includes a call from Alfred Ryker. He is known around the world for debunking paranormal activities. After filming all night he comes down and informs Marie he has proof to debunk the ghost in her place.  Later that day he is murdered. Who would kill him and why?

This book was absolutely awesome. So much so I bought the rest of the series to read. It was a great murder mystery. There were some ghostly elements along the way. I loved her dog Boo. He has an important role in this book.  It kept me guessing all the way through. I literally sat and read in in three hours.  So good. I love when I find a new to me author and can recommend them to others.

Ocean’s Justice by Demelza Carlton

 

Genre: Adult Romance
Source:Purchased

A ship finds a woman naked and floating on a raft. How did she get there? Who is she?  The one love of her life is dead, and now she is aboard another ship. She can't speak their language. She is able to tell them her name is Maria.  Some consider it unlucky to have a woman on board. Some want something more from her.

This story follows along as the men all lust after her, and one falls in love with her, and she with him. This is a story that builds and builds. It is full of learning, love, and catastrophe.

The world building is great. The time period is wonderful. The only problem I have is the explanation of the sexual act. I am a grown woman and really have no desire to read the details of a sex act. The storyline was wonderful, even with this one unnecessary scene.

Student Saturday: This Made Me Think of You by Emily Bird

 

Genre: Adult, Poetry

Student Reviewer:  Sophia T

"This Made Me Think of You" by Emily Bird is a poetry book about love. I enjoyed reading this poetry book because it had deep meaning. This poem describes love with words using a double meaning, creating a more interesting word choice. I believe this book was significant to express the connotation of love. I would recommend this book to people who like poems and/or love genre.

Cursed by Casey Odell

Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Source: I received a copy from BookBub. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Claire lives a fairly boring life. Her mother owns a Tavern. Her job is simple; stay behind the bar, wash the dishes and clean up.  One night after Claire has gone to bed she is awoken by her mother. Her mother helps her dress quickly and ushers her out of their house. Their town is ablaze. Then the real terror begins. Clare sees the Centaurs who are determined to destroy the people of her town. Her mother runs with her through the fields. She gives her a dagger and tells her to run into the forbidden forest, known as the Cursed Forest. This is where her journey begins. Found by an Elf, she had no idea existed she is taken to the palace and presented to the King.  She discovers a mark on her hand and arm that begins to glow blue. From here she is forced into a mission With two Elves, Aeron and Farron. What do they want with her and where are they going?

This book was full of twists and turns. Claire doesn’t know who to trust and it seems her companions don’t either.  The world building is awesome. Each city they visit is described in a way that you can imagine it in your mind. The hint of magic that runs throughout the story lends an element that keeps you reading.  The ending was one I had not seen coming.  I can’t wait to read the other three books in this series. 

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks

 

Genre: Adult Suspense/Thriller
Source: I purchased a copy



This was an excellent story. I started it last night and got up early this morning to finish it. The story is told from two points of view, Charlotte and Harriet; and from two time periods “then” and “Now”
The “Now” time period takes place in a police station and the “Then” takes place before the events that led them to the police station. This was one talented author to be able to write this way and keep it so organized I never felt confused.

Charlotte is the mother of three children and Harriet is the mother of one. They have been best friends since before Harriet had Alice. One day Harriet asks Charlotte to watch Alice while she takes an accounting class. She has never let Alice out of her sight. Charlotte is more than happy to watch Alice. She takes them to their school’s fair. She sits with her youngest daughter while her two older children go on the “Jungle Run” bouncy house with Alice, only two of them come off. They look everywhere for her then call the police. Everyone is wondering how you can go to the fair with four children and only return with your own three.

Things are not necessarily what people think. Charlotte feels guilty about losing her best friends child. At the same time a young boy who had gone missing a year before,  his body has just been found. This makes Charlotte feel even more guilty. What if the same monster who took this young boy took Alice?

As Angela, the officer liaison assigned to Harriet and Brian spends more time with them, she notices things are not what they appear. Harriet doesn’t want to see or speak with her best friend Charlotte. Brian has become convinced that his wife is becoming forgetful and in danger of hurting herself. What is really going on and who took little Alice? Most importantly, will they ever find her?

This was one of those books that you hate to put down. However, I knew I had to sleep so I could actually finish the book. I didn’t predict the outcome. This author does a great job of leading you where they want you to go and then says, wait here is a clue you need to follow this way. I was tense all the way through the reading. As I read this I thought of three cases where I knew the missing child or the family. In two of those cases their child was found murdered and in the other case the child, thirty-six years later, still has not been found. I manned phones taking down information and clues for one of those cases. I know the feeling of watching parents like this go through this terror. I think that was why I was so drawn into this storyline. I know it kept me on the edge of my seat. If you want a story that will keep you rooted to your seat from beginning to end, then this is the book for you.

Student Saturday: Dead Lake by Darcy Coates

 

Genre: Adult, Horror, Suspense
Student Reviewer: Franklin G.

Sam, a young artist, got an invitation for her art to be shown at the Heritage Gallery, which was a huge deal for her. But her mom sadly passed away shortly after, so for the next few months, instead of preparing artwork for the gallery, she forgot about it completely until about a week before it was happening. Sam's uncle let her stay in his cabin, which was completely off the grid, and only a few people knew about it. As she was there, she thought she was alone. Her uncle wasn't there, but there was no cell reception, and there wasn't anyone for a few miles. Then she started painting these strange images in her sleep. These images were of a man, and he looked strange, but she slowly realized that the man had been watching her and started to attack her. He would sit and look over the dock and watch her from the woods. These woods had always had disappearances, and it turned out he was the one killing them, and Sam was in grave danger. She had met a ranger from a nearby park and wanted his help, but things went from bad to worse the longer she stayed at the cabin. What happened to Sam and the ranger? Did the strange man kill them? Did Sam's art go to the gallery? 

I loved this book, and I thought it was great. It is a shorter read and Darcy Coates put two other short stories in the back. This story, though was great. I love the action and the mystery, but most of all I like the little horror details in the story. This is a great book if you like mystery combined with horror and action. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 10 because this book might be scary for younger readers, but all in all, this was a really good book.

I can't fully relate to the characters in this book but I can say if I was in this situation I would try my hardest to survive.

Little Boy Lost by Urcelia Teixeira

 

Genre: Adult, Christian, Suspense

Source: This was a free download to introduce the author's work

This novella will keep you on the edge of your seat.  All Michael Tanner wants is to see his son Archie. The problem is his ex-wife has not shown up for the second week in a row.  Living in this small town brings another problem for Michael. As the person in charge of safety at the fish manufacturing plant, he is blamed for an explosion that took the lives of several hundred people, including his wife's father and brother. Injured in the explosion with no memory of it his wife leaves him.  Now it seems she has left town with their son.  He goes to her house, even though there is a restraining order against him and discovers she has moved.  He knows he can't trust anyone in this town so he goes to the next town over. The sheriff believes him even when he is told that Michael has some major mental issues.  But how deep and sister will things get?

This was a great book that was not overly religious. We have characters that demonstrate their faith  through prayer. We have a believable main character that comes across as genuine and believable. Then we have Sheriff Hutchinson who give you that vibe that there is more to him than meets the eye and you'd better watch out for him.  The tension was perfect for this novella. Can't wait to get into the restt of her books.

40 Lives in 40 Days by John MacArthur

Genre: Christian, Inspirational, Informational

Source: I purchased a copy

The author takes us on a trip through the lives of forty different Biblical people. He starts with some of the disciples and continues to other important people. I found his description of Thomas, also known as “Doubting Thomas” funny. He said that Thomas was a worrier. It was pointed out that he was so connected to Christ that he would rather die with him than be apart from him. The author compared him to “Eeyore” from the “Winnie the Pooh” book.  He speaks of Abraham’s wife Sarah as an example of what happens when we try to take matters into our own hands. It never works out right.  Rahab is an example of how God reaches down to the lowest of the low.  I was surprised by how many women he spoke about. This is a wonderful book that can be applied to all of our lives.

Student Saturday: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

 

Genre: Adult, Nonfiction, History, Leadership

Student Reviewer: Zachary M.

The Art of War is one of the most influential books in the world. It has helped many a general achieve a decisive victory that changed the tide of the battle against all odds. Its author, Sun Tzu, was allegedly a Chinese general and strategist who lived in between the years 771 and 256 BCE. While he is credited as the author of the Art of War, there is little proof of him participating in any battle or even existing. But none of this is as important as the contents of the texts, as the knowledge and wisdom found within it are rich and true.

The Art of War is not just about how to strategize in battle, but about how to be a proper leader and solve problems in general. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to be better at leading others and organizing, and anyone simply looking for something intellectual or philosophical to read. One personal connection I have with the book is that I use it to help me lead student run organizations like TSA (Technology Student Association). Overall, this book is a phenomenal read and I personally insist on getting a copy that has a commentator making notes about everything Sun Tzu says because they often share relevant quotes and anecdotes that further enhance your understanding of what the enigmatic text is really trying to say.

Son of the Sea by Andrew E. Kaufman

Genre: Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I purchased a copy

Let me start off by saying, "wow!"  This was such an emotional rollercoaster ride for me.  The author has developed the character's so well that anyone can identify with them. His main character Griffin is carrying around a lot of baggage. We see Griffin and his father together at a fair. They are celebrating his birthday, while his mom and twin sister are out celebrating hers.  We are shown a loving father who loves his son, until the mother dies.  This father, a lawyer by day, becomes a monster by night, spewing his anger our on his son. Fast forward many years and we see grown up Griffin. He works out and runs to excess when he is stressed, which seems to be all the time. The woman he loves tries to help but has her own baggage. All of his actions are pushing her away. Then the unthinkable happens. Griffin is in an accident and the person who hit him is his estranged father. Old feelings return and threaten to destroy him. Griffin learns his father has Alzheimer's.  You will just have to read the book to find out what happens.  The turmoil in his life is one so many go through. Whether you have been through anything like this or not it puts fresh eyes on relationships and I would recommend it to everyone.