Charlotte's Web of Books

I am not a very political person.  I generally only discuss politics with my husband, because I know that we share the same views.  Which oddly enough, in nine years of marriage we both changed our political leanings from one side to the other.



Politics aside, I love reading about the inner workings of the White House.  It is a topic that I just can't pass up.  I have been looking forward to Becoming for quite some time, because of all of our recent First Ladies, Michelle Obama seems the most relatable.  Her fondness for Chipotle and Target makes her someone that I think would be fun to have in your inner circle.



Michelle Obama tells us her story.  From her normal childhood on the south side of Chicago to her years at Princeton and her days as a young lawyer. Then she meets a young lawyer with big dreams.   Soon they are on the path to changing history.  Michelle goes into detail what it was like on the campaign trail while trying to manage a career and a home with two young daughters.



And then they get to the White House.  From the early days of working out the logistics of moving a family across the country to raising two girls in the most recognizable home in the world. I didn't realize that the family paid for everything except staffing in the White House.  Groceries and clothes were paid for out of their own pocket.  What I also loved was her admission to watching HGTV in comfy clothes while trying to escape the madness of her world.  She would sneak out to Target and the staff would get her the latest issues of her favorite magazines.



Bottom Line -  I don't use the word "intimate" very often when describing memoirs, but Becoming did feel intimate.  Michelle Obama opens up about her life, her career, her marriage, and her time in the White House.   No matter what side of the political fence you stand, Becoming is an interesting and engaging read.



Details:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
On Twitter
Pages: 448
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Publication Date: 11/13/18
Buy it Here!

Nine Perfect Strangers gather at an exclusive health resort for ten days of restoration, rejuvenation, and in some cases, redemption.  Tranquillum House is the very picture of perfect, set in a remote, yet tranquil area outside of the city.    Frances Welty arrives hoping to gain some clarity to what steps she should take next. Her career is in shambles and her love life is worse.   Carmel is there to lose weight. Plain and simple.  Lars is there for a bit of rest and relaxation.  Tony is there to change his life. Ben and Jessica Chandler are there to try to save their marriage if they are honest about it.  And then there is the Marconi family.  Heather, Napoleon, and Zoe are there for an anniversary they all wish would go away.  They are all intrigued by the less than conventional methods used by the director, Masha.  The long periods of silence, the fasting, the daily smoothies that are infused with more than just fruits and vegetables.  But they all realize that there is more to Tranquillum House than meets the eye and there is a very strong possibility that they will not survive the full ten days.

Nine Perfect Strangers was one of the most anticipated books of the year.  And sadly it did not live up to the hype.  The characters are all stereotypes.  Even Masha, the director of Tranquillum House,  fit a stereotype of a strong Russian woman. Of all the characters, I think that Tony was my favorite.  He was the one trying to go against his stereotype in a few different ways. The worst was Jessica Chandler, she was painted almost like a cartoon in my mind.  Everything about that woman was fake, including her voice.  Things got interesting after the great silence when Masha revealed the ingredients of their smoothies and went downhill from there.  - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS -  I heard that Nicole Kidman bought the rights to the book and was going to develop Nine Perfect Strangers into a television series. And I am really excited to see what she does with the characters and the story.  With enough time to flesh out the characters, I think my opinion could change.


Bottom Line - The premise of  Nine Perfect Strangers was a good one, but the characters needed a lot more work than they were going to get at a ten-day health retreat.  I didn't give up on it because I wanted to see what happened in the end, but it was definitely not her best work.

Details:

•  Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
• On Facebook
• Pages: 464
• Publisher: Flatiron Books
• Publication Date: 11/6/18
• Buy it Here!

It has been a year since Poppy's husband, Jack, was brutally murdered and she is still barely holding it together.  In the days after his murder Poppy spiraled down a hole of grief and basically into a psychotic break She disappeared for a week and to this day she still doesn't remember anything from those days.   And Jack's murder is still unsolved.  A year later Poppy's grief is not quite as debilitating now as it was then, but it still haunts her both awake and asleep. Her sleep is haunted by vivid dreams from before and after Jack's death.  Her family and best friend feel helpless watching Poppy slip away into prescribed medication and the dreams plaguing her sleep. They are trying to protect her from those memories, whatever they may be.  With the help of a guy, she met on the internet Poppy starts to piece those missing days together and as she weens herself off of the drugs she starts to remember.  And realizes that she is closer to the truth than she realizes.

Under My Skin was an intense psychological thriller centered around a grieving woman.  Grief can be such an intensely private emotion that many just do not understand.  Poppy's grief, even a year later, was palpable.  I loved how Poppy's friend, Layla, looked after her. I loved how they were more family than friends.  Poppy fit in with Layla's family like a cherished auntie.  I was just as skeptical of Noah as Layla was, there was just something about him that triggered my spidey senses.  The whole book was fast-paced, but it seemed like the ending was upon us before I knew it. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - Lisa Unger is such a great author.  She knows how to weave a tale that takes the reader on a wild, mind-bending ride.   Set aside sometime when you start Under My Skin, you will want to devour it in one sitting.

Details: 

• Under My Skin by Lisa Unger
• On Instagram
• Pages: 368
• Publisher: Parkrow Books
• Publication Date: 10/2/2018
• Buy it  Here!

I graduated high school in 1993.  In 1994 I was introduced to Ross, Rachel, Monica, Joey, Chandler, and Phoebe. After that, I was glued to my television for "Must See TV" on Thursday nights. Every Thursday night for the next ten years I would find myself hanging out at the Central Perk with my new "Friends" and millions of other people.

I'll Be There For You is a look at the hit show that still resonates with viewers nearly twenty-five years after it first aired.  From the selection of actors to shooting the pilot and shooting the iconic open credits, the inside tidbits make it all worth the read.   From the real and lasting friendships that developed on set to the "Friends" finding out about their success while taping an episode of Oprah, it was a quick and fascinating read.

I also like how the author devoted an entire chapter to the aftermath of 9/11.  For a beloved television show set in New York City, the tragic event that shaped our nation needed to be handled very carefully.  They kept things light but acknowledged the event in subtle ways.  Like having the "Friends" wear FDNY t-shirts and the images on the magnadoodle.

Bottom Line - Friends is one of those shows that I find myself constantly referencing at the strangest times.  Like the other night, I flipped my brother off ala Ross and Monica.  My favorite is to reference my favorite episode when Joey put the scary book in the freezer.  Bonus points to anybody who knows what two books Joey and Rachel were reading. (Little Women and The Shining) It is the kind of show that when I am flipping channels, I will always stop.   If you love Friends as much as I did (do), then you will definitely enjoy I'll Be There For You!

Details: 

• I'll Be There For You by Kelsey Miller
• On Instagram
• Pages: 304
• Publisher: Hanover
• Publication Date: 10/23/18
• Buy it Here!

Emily has met the man of her dreams. Adam is everything that she has ever wanted in a man. He is perfect for her in so many ways.  And then she meets his mother, Pammie.  Pammie is overbearing and protective of her son.  She is critical of everything Emily does, says, and wears.  Of course, Adam doesn't see it, she is his mother, after all. Despite Pammie's best efforts, Adam and Emily's relationship is flourishing and Adam proposes on his birthday, but the night does not get a pass from Pammie's hysterics.  Then the night before their wedding, Pammie declares that she has cancer, forcing Adam to postpone the wedding.   Emily is devastated and not sure they can ever get past the disappointment, no matter how much Adam professes his love.  Then Emily discovers she is pregnant.  Will Emily and Adam get the "happy ever after" that they both claim to want?

I must say that I think that Emily is a freaking saint for putting up with everything she did from both Adam and his mother.  Almost immediately flags were waving for me and they were bright red.  It is hard for the reader to keep turning pages because you just want to shake Emily and tell her to run, but you also want to see what is going to happen.  You cannot put the book down because you just have to see if Adam finally tells his mother off.  Or if Emily will finally get fed up and walk away.   The end was so shocking to me, it was the kind of twist that you just don't see coming.  -CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line -- I absolutely love the kind of thriller that can surprise me in the end.  The Other Woman was one of the rare books that left me speechless.  I can easily see why Reese Witherspoon chose it for her online book club.

Details: 

• The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
• On Twitter
• Pages: 304
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Publication Date: 8/21/2018
• Buy it Here! 

For the last fifteen years Edie Beckett has been living in the shadow of her mother, the notorious Lilith Wade. You see, Lilith Wade is a serial killer and is on death row for her crimes.  Edie is finally starting to put her life back together, she has a good job and a friend who could be a boyfriend. But she has a secret.  She is obsessed with the "remainders", those her victims left behind.  The husbands, the children, the friends of those she killed.  A recent tell-all book has brought it all to the surface again. There is one guy, in particular, Peter Lipski.  His wife's murder never really fit Lilith's MO, but she was convicted of her death.  One night Edie hooks up with Peter Lipski. He was found dead the next morning and the police believe Edie killed him.  Edie was drunk, but she doesn't believe that she has it in her to kill anybody, no matter who her mother is.  The thing is that the police won't believe her and Edie knows that she has to find the real killer before the police find her. Will she be able to prove her innocence and find out who killed Peter?

In Her Bones is a very fast paced thriller that covers a topic rarely covered in fiction - women serial killers.  But Kate Moretti takes it even one step further and introduces the family of a female serial killer.  How did Edie and her brother Dylan and her father not know that Lilith was a killer?  I really liked Edie.  She was obviously permanently damaged by her mother, but she was still trying to survive.  The author throws a lot of "red herrings" at the reader, but really the reader needs to go with their initial guess on who actually killed Peter.   It was my gut reaction, even though the author tried to throw me off, but I was right.  - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS -   I really loved the end, though.  The much later epilogue where Edie runs into Brandt at the coffee shop.  It felt - right.

Bottom Line - I read so many thrillers and mysteries that it is rare for an author to give me a new "spin" on things.  In Her Bones is definitely a fresh look at what happens after a serial killer is caught.  Even though I had figured out the "whodunit" fairly early, I kept second-guessing myself and was eager to get to the end. Which are the best stories to read!

Details: 

• In Her Bones by Kate Moretti
• On Instagram
• Pages: 320
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Publication Date: 9/4/18
• Buy it Here!

Being "Class Mom" is not for the faint at heart. Jen Dixon isn't entirely sure how she got the role of "Class Mom" for her youngest, Max, but here she is.  She also has two kids in college and is older than all of the other parents, yet here she is in a role that she never wanted.  In her role she has to support a Kindergarten teacher who is less conventional, she has to deal with a helicopter mother who coddles her child and believes that they can do no wrong, she has to beg and plead parents to help with all of the class field trips, parties, and then there is picture day. Oh, and there is also the single dad who Jen has had a crush on since high school.   Flirting with him is just as fun now as it was then, even though Jen is happily married.  Will Jen (and her marriage) survive being the "Class Mom?"

Class Mom was a fun and easy read.   And what I really loved was the Kansas City setting.  I was shocked to read that the author lives in NYC and has no apparent ties to Kansas City, yet she got so many things right.  Like Minsky's, a popular pizza chain in KC.  A few local names had subtle changes but were still recognizable.   I really liked Jen Dixon.  She is the kind of woman that I could see having as a friend. She has led an interesting, if not wild life, and settling down in the suburbs of Kansas City probably was never one of her dreams, but here she is.    She is obviously older and "wiser" than the parents of her son's classmates, but she still wants to make sure that her son's Kindergarten experience is a good one.  I loved the witty emails that she would send out to the other parents, even though they often times got her in trouble.   I didn't really like the direction her friendship with the single dad took, but it didn't stop me from liking her.    In the end, Max made it out of kindergarten and things worked out for Jen.

Bottom Line - Class Mom is one of those fun books that is never going to win awards, but it is going to be wildly  successful because so many people can relate to being the "Class Mom." With a uniquely witty style,   Laurie Gelman has nailed what life is like in the suburbs for the "Class Mom." This is a must read if you are looking for something to make you laugh.

Details: 

• Class Mom by Laurie Gelman
• On Instagram
• Pages: 304
• Publisher: Henry, Holt, and Company
• Publication Date: 8/1/2017
• Buy it Here!