Neena Lee is Seeing Things by Sheila Athens is a contemporary fiction looking back at the marriage of John F Kennedy to Carolyn in 1996 and their death in a plane crash in 1999 through the eyes of a journalist, Neena Lee.
Neena has suffered loss and hold herself responsible. Her latest lost left her hospitalized in a mental health facility and without a job. She needs to write this article about John Jr to prove her abilities and save herself financially. However, when she 'sees' John Jr standing in the church, she is sure that her mental illness has taken a turn for the worse. I enjoyed how Athens connects those visiting the island today with issues Neena and/or John himself needs to face. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, which is quite appropriate with the upcoming 25th anniversary of John and Carolyn's death in July.
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The Psychologist's Shadow by Laury A Egan is a psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first chapter.
Ellen Haskell is a psychologist who recently moved her practice to remove herself from a bad situation. Somehow, it seems that 'bad situations' follow Ellen, and she soon finds herself in the middle of an obsession. Egan does a wonderful job casting light on several patients and even a family member who could be behind the phone calls, notes, and trinkets. I didn't figure out the stalker. I had ruled out some because they seem to obvious and others because of specific things that happened during the action. I actually thought it was one of the patients that I didn't want it to be! I even suspected patients ruled out by Ellen figuring she was missing something. Finally, I suspected a past boyfriend. Although I hadn't ruled out the real stalker, I certainly wouldn't have bet my life on it! Egan did a great job keeping the reader guessing. Although I tend to shy away from thrillers because they often get too graphic, Egan provided all the suspense necessary without adding gratuitous violence. This is a must-read! The Road to Moresco by Mark Jamilkowski is a story about Maria-Luisa Moresco. As a woman in the early 1900s, she was ahead of her times and wanted more than the traditional life of motherhood. Unfortunately, her life was not easy, and the reader follows her as she pushes her way forward despite such things as earthquakes, war, and murder.
I only gave this book three stars and here is why. The story and characters were really good. The historical research that went into the novel are also phenomenal. However, Jamilkowski had a difficult time intertwining the story with the history. I often felt like I was reading a great novel interrupted by a strong history lesson. Jamilkowski states he would like to learn more about blending fact with fiction and potentially release a second edition of the book. I hope he does, because the story is a wonderful portrayal of strong women in a time when women were meant to be something else. |
AuthorTeri M Brown, author of An Enemy Like Me and Sunflowers Beneath the Snow connects readers with characters they'd love to invite to lunch. Follow the Blog Using the RSS Feed link below:
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