I read books. Sometimes, I tell you about them. My sister says I do your Book Club work for you…that may be true!
Charlie purchases Adam, a top of the line robot, with money from an inheritance. His plan becomes to offer him up to Miranda, a tenant in his building that he’s recently realized he cares for, as a shared project. Maybe, if they program Adam’s personality together,
The larger story is about Bug reconciling with his past memories of his father and his childhood. Bugs daddy was a son’a bitch country, outlaw driver, that left Bug as a child to pay the price for something he did, and his momma never forgave either of them. If Bug doesn’t figure his shit out, he’s bound to repeat the same mistakes with his own wife and child.
Clearly, husband is having a mid-life crisis either bought on or aggravated by, his wife’s depression, his lackluster career and personal relationships, and changes to his comfortable political-socioeconomic landscape. Whyte rage, stage 1. 😒 Except our good ol’boy feels the vibes and decides to disrupt the status quo.
The story revolves around D-list actor groom and his bride to be, who is seemingly over the moon excited to meet her life’s goal of landing the town ‘catch’. 🙄 They’ve decided to be married on a remote Irish island…
While helping a friend, Robinson discovers a new drug being pushed in his adopted town and decides to confront the drug dealers and run them out of town. 🤔 Is that what y’all do in Boston? 🙄
The story is beautifully written and creates a type of intimacy that surprised me. There is something interesting about watching people reconcile a hard truth in real time.
Sandra and Victor are married living in his hometown where he is a well liked politician and coddled son of rich parents. One night, after a party, Victor dies in a car accident while Sandra is driving.
Suddenly the babysitter disappears and the police strongly suspect her or her husband may have played a role. As Selenas life continues to unravel, she discovers she may be stronger than she thinks.
Bea, after a heated blog rant on the need for diversity in reality television, gets herself picked to star in a TV dating show, a’la The Bachelor(ette).
The story follows aging actress Meredith White. She has the world in the palm of her hand when her Director husband decides to leave her for a young, up and coming actress.
A lot of twists and turns with this one as Brown leans heavily on thrills and goes a little light in the romance area. I wasn’t disappointed whatsoever.
I really believed Jules desperation and why she took such an obvious risk. The characters are complex- and what they are doing is wrong but, if you had the money- what would you do?
The book is a collection of longish, short stories with very little in common besides the overwhelming creepiness of each.
I enjoyed the fast-pace of the story. The trick of allowing us to get to know, and even like, the victims before the murders? Coldblooded Patterson! But, the technique worked. I was hooked, and no matter the obstacle thrown in Cooks way, (and there were many!)
There are plenty of scenes between the two pf them to keep you interested and as always Brown almost has you thinking it wont happen for them, right up until it does.
In Anita’s world vampires and werewolves rule the day…well, night 🙄 and exist legally. So, its a problem when someone decides to start targeting vampires and killing them.
The books are full of plots and twists: political scheming, mass murders (maybe a bit triggering in current times, but really done well), revenge, backstabbing, beautifully described fictional locations and big action scenes and cliffhangers.
Months after reading this, I feel like the author held a mirror up to women and said, ‘see how beautiful and ridiculous and horrific you are?’.
The story is about a group of friends that while on a hunting trip, angers a strong spirit. It takes a while but, the spirit comes looking for them to exact her vengeance.
This is more for The Wiz and Maleficent crowd. 💁🏾♀️ In this version, Dorothy’s gorgeous slippers may be evil and she and her buddies are holding Oz captive.
One day, one of Regina’s previous clients, Robert, a magician who Regina got acquitted for murder against his rich wife, shows up in Robin’s office and wants help patenting a magic trick.
Rye is a rough, living life on the edge, pilot that enjoys charging extra for difficult suicide runs. This next flight, may kill him. A rich client is requiring him to deliver a locked box, contents unknown, to a doctor, in a remote location.
Its the authors autobiographical memoir of her childhood experiences coming of age during the 1960-70’s Civil Rights movement and The Great Migration.
Ledge knows how unforgiving Penton can be. He’s had his own run-ins with the corrupt law and Ardens father. He decides to help with the refurbish job, mostly to keep an eye on her, and pow-chica-pow-wow: thinly veiled innuendos, steamy close calls, sexual tension and we are off to the Sandra Brown races!!
First of all,PANDEMIC!! 🤦🏾♀️ Honey, when they started handing out masks in the office, I felt my stomach lurch! Its like the scenes in the horror flick when you start yelling at the screen: “No, don’t go that way, RUN!!!”
Ally Linden arrives at work one morning, in her ex boyfriend’s office, at a place she hasn’t worked in years. Other than her tossed mental state, there is no sign of trauma.
Samiah Brooks finds out from someone live tweeting during a date, that her boyfriend is cheating on her…on a date in her neighborhood! She hustles around the corner to the restaurant and confronts him mid-date!
Is Pete having an affair with one of the nurses from the hospital? Whats up with Maddies psychotic meltdown? Is Miles’ wife ok? Whats up with the kids, are they ‘normal’? Was this an innocent mix or were the children maliciously switched?
Maggie is a numb, selfish, self absorbed, bad mom and wife. Her ‘independence’ comes from a alimony check from her husband, cash from mommy dearest, and proceeds from insurance fraud.
Afterward he watches over her closely, waiting for her to ‘change’ into a wolf. She never does and he never stops watching over her.
We are meeting Ana as she is in the grips of grief and mourning the loss of her lover of three years. She is telling us the story of their relationship and her becoming to this point in her life,
I prefer my romance novels with complex relatable characters, with checkered pasts, engaging in equal partnerships with no BDSM, but a few compelling sex scenes none the less.
typical fairytale romance trope. Rich, self absorbed bachelor meets poor, beautiful girl and during a sequence of funny/dramatic/heartwarming events, against all odds, the two fall in love.
Not one character is shamed or written to be better than another. I suppose we learn, no matter your choice, loveless or abusive marriage, mistress or childless wife, independent , single woman, it all comes with its burden to bare.
“…we follow Bethie and Jo Kaufman, 2 barely Jewish sisters growing up in 1950’s Detroit. I swear this story is like City of Girls, but youthful, Jewish, queer, drug addicted and racist in all the right places.”
“The Galvins choose to have so many children, really beyond what they could care for properly. Then, not unlike most parents, (except ‘most’ don’t give birth to entire mental wards 🤦🏾♀️)”
Mental disorders, multiple affairs, switching partners, hidden cameras, child abuse, cover ups and private detectives, stealing money..you name it and these folks engage.
Nina’s first husband Glen disappears one day, under the guise of a boating accident. He’s presumed dead but, during the investigation police uncover a possible affair and double life.
It was quick, beautiful, sad read and I enjoyed it very much. This would definitely be a great story for a book club to deep dive themes of class, familial obligation, the role of young women in underdeveloped country’s and voting reform…
“These stories, like typical Hurston, have a love gone wrong theme. Familial or romantic; funny, sad, secretive, justice delivered promptly on some, but all love, set mostly in Harlem amongst blackness. Not just black people but, our music, our food, our religion and magic..”
Even with its flaws, its a page turner and a quick read. The drama is nonstop and that keeps it interesting. If you like twists and turns, reading about busy bodies in action, narcissist and thier wives, with a side plot of possible vampire children, read this.
The Institute reminds me of Firestarter, which I read as a kid. I remember being terrified bad doctors would come thief my sister and I if they found out we were smart. 🤦🏾♀️🤣😂 The climatic ending is great as well, complete with suspense, action magic, and violence. #ClassicKing Everyone gets what they deserves and the telling is gratifying.
If you allow yourself to be distracted by Siri gone wild, ghosts, strange men, mean maids and angry teenagers the ending is a nice twist on events.
“Your lot in life is dictated by a comprehensive test given at age 10. Score high and you move on to the next level. Fail or score low, your education stops and you end up living in the slums, impoverished for life…”
“The gangster has killed Eddie’s partner, threatens Eddie’s family, straps a bomb to his chest and forces him into the courtroom. If Eddie doesn’t get the guy off, all is lost.”
EJD writes a mean sex scene. You shall be satiated in that regard…eventually. And the concept of getting an arguably behind the scenes perspective of the logistics involved in an erotic one night stand is intriguing.
Very interesting way to tell an old story of teenage pregnancy. I also liked the middle/upper class representation of blackness. Not all blackness is earmarked by poverty and lack.
Ive been a haunted by what I would right about my experience reading this book for months. I enjoyed the book. Not in a juicy, titillating way but, because I think the story should be heard, passed along.
I must say, between Queenie, Eleanor and Autumn from Speaking of Summer – I liked Eleanor best.
A.I. is a audio only book narrated by Regina Hall and Mindy Kaling. And with those two on deck combined with Cole, who typically writes historical romances, A.I. is part comedy, sci-fi, thriller, and romance.
