The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen

 Title: The Five Year Lie

Author: Sarina Bowen
Did I listen or read?: kindle purchased
When did I finish?: 4/23/2025
When was the book published: 2024
Main Characters:  Ariel Cafferty, son Buzz, missing father of Buzz, Drew, her family, nasty father who passed, good guy uncle (or is he?)
What happens? Five years after Buzz leaves, Ariel gets a text.  It turns out that the text was held up due to a system glitch (that impacted others) but Ariel starts down the path to find out what happened to Drew, and unravels the mystery of the family business, and who the bad guys reallya re.
How long was this? 421 pages
Did I like this? It was actually pretty well done.  Would try this author again
Overall grade: B+

Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt

 Title: Deck the Hounds

Author: Daavid Rosenfelt
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook
When did I finish?: 4/21/2025
When was the book published: 2018
Main Characters: Andy Carpenter book 18, Laurie, Rickie, Marcus, Sam,  Don Carrigan
What happens? Carrigan is  homeless w/ dog, and gets arrested for murder in an elaborate frame up by the bad guys, while some deranged divorcee is shooting everyone associated w the divorce.
How long was this? 368 pages, about 7 hours
Did I like this? Decent
Overall grade: B

28 Summers by Elle Hilderbrand

 Title: 28 Summers

Author: Elle Hilderbrand
Did I listen or read?: kindle libby
When did I finish?: 4/15/2025
When was the book published:  2020
Main Characters: Mallory, son Linc, Jake McCloud, brother Cooper, best friend Leland, Jack's wife Ursula
What happens? Mallory and Jake get together on labor day, and start a same time next year tradition cuz they know they can't be together.  They see each other every year on Labor Day, for .... 28 summers.
How long was this? 432 pages
Did I like this? A really enjoyable story about real people caught in a difficult situation.  Very well done, very moving.  Take for example that Fray (Cooper's friend) gets Mal pregnant in a one time thing, and they handle it very humanly, and continue to be Linc's parents.
Overall grade: A-

The Deep Dark Descending by Allan Eskens

 Title: The Deep Dark Descending

Author:  Allan Eskens
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook
When did I finish?: 4/9/2025
When was the book published: 2017
Main Characters: Max Rupert, a detective whose wife was killed 4 years ago. 
What happens? He finds out who did it, and that it was not because she was a cop's wife, and tracks down the parties involved, and gets Deep and Dark.  The book alternates between current time, as he has captured the killer on an icy lake, and three days ago, when a defense attorney brings him a CD with a recording about the contract to kill his wife.
How long was this? 8 hours i think
Did I like this? It was overall pretty good.  The main character is someone you root for, and the plot moves along.  The "you're lying to me, admit that you killed her" confession goes on and on and on.  
Overall grade: B+

Battle Mountain by C.J. Box

 Title: Battle Mountain

Author: C.J. Box
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 4/8/2025
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Joe Pickett, Nate Romanowsi, Axel Soledad, Geronimo
What happens? Nate is after Axel who killed his wife, Liz, and has been living in the woods for months.  Geronimo (Axel burned down his house) finds Nate to go after him. Joe is brought in by Gov Rulon to find his son-in-law, a techie who the Gov convinced to take a job helping an expert hunt guide. This intersects with a plot by Axel to murder a bunch of Centurions, rich folks who gather in the woods near Battle Mountain 1x / year.  Axel has enlisted a buncha ex-military disgruntled, and a bunch of hippies.  Damn that Antifa and that Federal Government!
How long was this? 358 pages
Did I like this? Good story, great plot.
Overall grade: A-

We All LIve Here by JoJo Moyes

 Title: We All Live Here

Author: JoJo Moyes
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 4/3/2025
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Lila Kennedy, stepfather Bill, daughters Celie and Violet, bio father Gene the actor, Elanoar the best friend, Jensen fixing the garden, Dan the ex-husband who left for Marja
What happens? Lila's life is turned upside down when Dan leaves her, her mother is killed in an accident, and she struggles to get on with life with Bill at her side, and Gene showing up broke and moving in.  They all live there.
How long was this?  448 pages
Did I like this? Why can't every book be this good?  Why can't the story go on?  I don't want it to end.
Overall grade: A

By Any Other Name by Jodi Piccoult

 Title: By Any Other Name

Author: Jodi Piccoult
Did I listen or read?:  library book
When did I finish?: 3/26/2025
When was the book published: 2024
Main Characters: Two sets.  Emilia Bassano in the Shakespeare era.  Melina in the modern era.  
What happens? Elimia writes shakespeares plays.  Melina writes a play about her, but her black gay best friend submits it as "Mel" and has to pretend to be "Mel Green."
How long was this? 480 pages
Did I like this? A really good authentic story with plenty of action and plenty of MISERY that goes on for 180 pages too long.  No happy ending here.
Overall grade: B+