Wow! Jennifer Weiner puts everything into The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits. A beginning that leads you into a world filled with creating music mingled with heartbreaking tragedy. Zoe and Cassie are sisters with a bond that finally turned into a betrayal that destroyed careers, lives and even love. Their greatest hits were woven with bitterness and jealousy, leading to the death of the one man who tied them together as a successful band. His involvement with both sisters led to the demise of the band and the sisters’ bond. For 20 years, Cassie remained a recluse while Zoe tried to reclaim the stardom she loved. It took Zoe’s daughter Cherry to finally help the sisters realize neither was more at fault than the other. Another classic by Jennifer Weiner well worth reading.
When I started reading The Wedding People by Allison Espach, I was a bit disappointed that I may have misunderstood the book’s premise. I was expecting a book about wedding guests, family and the ensuing intrigue. Instead I meet Phoebe, who is going to her dream hotel planning to kill herself. The last straw in her depressing life was the death of her cat. As a cat lover I was immediately saddened! I generally read for pleasure, not to become depressed and worried about a suicidal woman. But I kept on and became caught up in the bride and the wedding that would change Phoebe’s life and her outlook. Phoebe becomes involved with the bride and her out-of-control wedding plans. Phoebe steps in to fill numerous gaps and ultimately comes to realize she has many winding paths that may take her to places she never dreamt of.
I selected Heartwood by Amity Gaige as a “Read with Jenna” Today Show book club pick. I rarely read books just because they are recommended by TV hosts, but this was one I was immediately drawn to because I’m close to a wonderful and brave young woman who is currently hiking the Appalachian Trail. Valerie, an experienced hiker, disappears on the trail in Maine, one of the largest forested areas on the trail. I was alternately terrified and mesmerized by the search for her. Beverly, a Maine state game warden, is relentless in her search, but as days go by, it appears to be fruitless. A retired birdwatcher seems to hold a key to finding Valerie but will her efforts make a difference in finding Valerie alive? A book I could not put down. The situation was so precarious; yet Valerie had instituted so many safeguards, it became clear that too much was out of her control. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.
