Twenty years ago, 42-year-old Leigh Mackenzie wanted nothing more than to play hockey in the Olympics. She trained with relentless focus, pushed herself to the brink of collapse, and visualized herself standing proud on the podium. As an added guarantee, she accepted the advances of her coach, who promised her a spot on the team in exchange for sexual favors. When Jeff Carlson failed to deliver, Leigh's dreams were crushed. Shamed and shattered, she buried their secret affair and left the sport behind, using her athletic drive to become a successful investment banker in Florida. 

When a job opportunity leads Leigh back to her hockey-obsessed hometown, she returns to Minnesota with great reluctance. As much as she doesn't want to face her past, she can't deny that Liston Heights is the best place for her son—a 9-year-old hockey prodigy—to excel. Getting Gus on the right team with the right coach is essential, but it will mean plunging their little family into the cutthroat world of competitive sports on a level her husband and child have never experienced before. Not only is Jeff Carlson in the center of that universe, but so is Susy Walker, Leigh's former teammate and the only person who knows what really happened between her and Jeff two decades ago. 

Leigh is dismayed to discover that despite Gus' natural skill, he's far behind the other kids in his training. When Jeff offers to help, Leigh finds herself in a delicate position once again. How far is she willing to go to get Gus where he needs to be? With rumors of a new sexual harrasment suit against Jeff in the air, she has to decide whether to keep quiet for her son's sake or reveal the explosive secret even her husband, Charlie, doesn't know in order to take an influential predator out of the game for good. 

Before I start dishing about Home Or Away, Kathleen West's newest novel, I should say right up front that I don't have a competitive bone in my body. I've never been into sports and even with games I do enjoy (like, say, Scrabble), I care not at all whether I win or lose. In my (not so) humble opinion, youth sports should be a safe, supportive environment where children can learn and have fun, not a place for hyper parents to relive their own glory days or pad their egos by pressuring their kids to win, then losing their minds when the players don't triumph or perform as well as expected. Because of these pre-existing feelings, I admit I went into Home Or Away with some heavy biases that affected my reaction to and enjoyment of the story. Incidentally, I have to say that the novel did nothing to change these biases. In fact, it just reinforced them...

At any rate, you won't be suprised to learn that I had a hard time relating to the characters in this book. I simply don't understand people whose lives revolve completely around their children's sporting events. It's even tougher for me to conceive of parents who do the kinds of things Leigh, Charlie, and their friends do in the name of hockey. To me, it just seems silly to care as much as they do about the athletic career of a NINE YEAR OLD. So, while Charlie is much more likable than Leigh, I still really didn't care for either of them (if you want a more spirited and spoiler-y explanation of why, you can read my lengthy Goodreads review here). The only person in the story who mattered to me was young Gus. 

All that being said, West does do a good job of bringing the whole crazy competitive hockey culture thing to life. I could really FEEL the characters' emotions, from the highs of winning to the lows of defeat. The tension in the novel, from both the high-strung parents and the too-pressured kids, is palpable. That constant conflict kept me burning through the pages. I definitely wanted to know how the story was going to play out. So, while I can't say I loved this novel (Did I even like it? I'm not sure.), it did keep me reading. In addition, the book's plot and themes provide plenty of food for thought and discussion. If you're on the hunt for a read that will provoke a lively debate at your next book club meeting, you just found it...

(Readalikes: Reminds me of You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott)

Former whistleblower Nora Trier has built a successful career as a forensic accountant.  For the last 15 years, she has spent her days combing through financial records searching out fraud, but she's still surprised by her newest case.  Strike, a billion-dollar home-grown premium athletics brand, is on the verge of hosting a huge kickboxing competition with an unprecedented prize—the winner earns $20 million and the chance to be Strike's new spokesperson.  The problem?  The coveted prize money has gone missing.  Strike's owners, Gregg Abbott and his wife, famous kickboxing champion Logan Russo, have suspicions about where it might be and who might have taken it, but no one knows for sure.  With one week before it's to be awarded, the money needs to be found.  Gregg is convinced that only Nora has the expertise to find it.

Nora prides herself on her objectivity, but she has more than one secret connection to Strike.  Can she investigate the company fairly?  The further she delves into its financial transactions as well as the personal lives of its owners and employees, the more concerned she becomes.  With whispers of embezzlement, betrayal, and sabotage in the air, Nora's not sure what to believe.  All she knows is that the evidence is leading in a disturbing direction.  As she gets closer and closer to the truth, Nora's position becomes more and more dangerous.  Someone doesn't want her to find out what's really happening at Strike.  Who would do the unthinkable to keep the truth hidden?

I enjoyed the two books I've read by Mindy Mejia, so I picked up her newest assuming it would be just as enticing.  Strike Me Down definitely sucked me in and kept me reading.  I whipped through its pages because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  The plot kept me guessing, which is something I always appreciate in mysteries/thrillers.  Unfortunately, though, I just could not stand any of the novel's main characters.  Nora and Logan are both cold, selfish women who are admirable in some ways but still almost wholly unlikable.  Gregg is greedy, unfaithful, and overly obsessed with Strike.  By the end of the novel, I found all of them so repulsive that I didn't care much what happened to any of them.  So, while Strike Me Down is an engrossing page turner that held my attention, for me it ended up being a depressing, dissatisfying read because I hated the characters so much.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  No specific titles are coming to mind.  You?)

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Isobel Johnson considers it her duty to challenge the entitled thinking of the students she teaches at wealthy Liston Heights High.  Sure, her liberal methods occasionally garner a raised eyebrow from the administration or the occasional criticism from a tightly-wound parent, but that just means they're effective, right?  Still, when Isobel receives an anonymous voicemail accusing her of going too far, she's surprised.  She's even more stunned to learn she's become the target of a smear campaign that threatens not just Isobel's position at the school, but also her entire teaching career.

Julia Abbott will do anything for her two kids, including buying her son a coveted role in the upcoming high school musical.  After all the volunteer hours she's put in over the years, she figures she's owed a few favors now and then.  When one of her helicopter mommy maneuvers lands Julia in a hot spot thanks to a video gone viral, however, she discovers she can no longer bribe her way out of trouble.  This time, the consequences of her actions will have far-reaching effects on everyone in her family.

As the two women deal with their separate, but intertwining battles, they will have to decide when to back down, when to stand up, and when to hurl themselves into the ring and fight with everything they've got.

In the vein of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies, Kathleen West's debut takes a sharp, cutting look at the politics, privilege, and power plays that parents wield in order to push their children to the front of the pack in a competitive, high-pressure school environment.  Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes shows just how far some parents will go and how little administrators and teachers can—and will—do to stop them.  While Julia's actions seem outrageous, West, a veteran middle and high school teacher, insists it's par for the course.  Unbelievable.  In promotional material for the book, West says her aim was to produce a "discussable" novel.  She has certainly done that, while also creating a story that's engrossing and entertaining.  With short, punchy chapters; interesting, recognizable characters; and bright, snappy prose; the book is a quick, easy read.  However, the questions it asks are not so simple:  What is a parent's role in their child's education?  How involved should they be with homework, extracurricular activities, and teacher/student conflicts?  How far would you go to help your child achieve?  Questions like these will certainly lead to lively book club discussions.  

Personally, I liked Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes but didn't totally love it.  While most of the adult characters are relatable, none of them are particularly likable. I did enjoy the role reversal of the adults behaving badly, letting the kids shine as examples of honesty and fairness.  I also liked that the novel kept me reading fast and furious to find out what would happen next.  Overall, I enjoyed it.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives)

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives) and violence

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a couple of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Lost Girls from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Note:  Although this review will not contain spoilers from The Clue in the Trees, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, Enchantment Lake.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.

After a harrowing summer at her aunts' lakeside cabin, 17-year-old Francie Frye has decided to stay in little Walpurgis.  As far as excitement goes, Brooklyn has nothing on the Minnesota Northwoods.  Not that Francie is looking for anything more thrilling than the normal, everyday life of an average, ordinary high school senior, mind you.  

When a surly archaeologist is strangled to death while manning an important dig near the aunts' cabin, everyone expects their own northwoods Nancy Drew to take up the case.  Francie couldn't be more disinterested.  Been there, done that.  Then her older brother shows up unexpectedly, trailing trouble in his wake.  Francie hasn't seen Theo in three years.  There's plenty she doesn't know about him and it's obvious he's hiding some big secrets.  Could one of them be that he's a murderer?  With Theo as the prime suspect in the murder of the archaeologist, Francie's got no choice but to launch her own investigation.  She has to prove her brother innocent.  With mounting evidence against him, though, she's forced to ask a chilling question:  Is Theo guilty?  In a situation where nothing is as it seems, Francie must solve a complex puzzle before time runs out for her brother and herself ...

You might remember that I wasn't overly enthusiastic about Enchantment Lake, the first book in the Northwoods Mystery series by Margi Preus.  I'm happy to report that I'm much fonder of its second installment, The Clue in the Trees.  While there are a few incongruencies in the tale that I'm still trying to figure out, overall, the book provides a fast, fun mystery that surprised me in the end.  The vibrant lake setting remains the star of this particular show, but I did find Francie more likeable this time around.  I'm also enjoying the continued mystery surrounding her parents' suspicious demises.  After reading Enchantment Lake, I had little desire to continue with the series.  Now, though, I'm invested and looking forward to Francie's next adventure.  

(Readalikes:  Enchantment Lake by Margi Preus; also reminds me a bit of the Jess Tennant series [How to Fall; Bet Your Life; Hide and Seek] by Jane Casey)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for violence and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Clue in the Trees from the generous folks at University of Minnesota Press via those at Fantastic Flying Book Club.  Thank you!

--

Feeling lucky?  Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter a giveaway (U.S. only) for one copy of The Clue in the Trees:

 

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Just because Francesca "Francie" Frye once played a detective on t.v. doesn't mean she knows anything about sleuthing.  Still, when the 17-year-old actress receives a frantic call from her aunt—who insists someone is trying to kill her and her sister—Francie doesn't hesitate to hop on a plane bound for northern Minnesota.  It's only en route that she starts to have some reservations about her hasty trip.  After all, everyone knows Francie's spinster aunts are a little ... eccentric.  As strange as they may be, the pair are old and living alone in an isolated cabin on an island that is accessible only by boat.  Francie has little choice.  She has to check on the elderly women.

Soon, Francie finds herself in Walpurgis, the tiny northwoods town where she spent many of her childhood summers.  While her aunties seem safe enough, they—like many of the older lakeside residents—are in an uproar over proposed development of their island paradise.  Land owners are being persuaded to sell heirloom cabins.  Those who hesitate, well, they seem to up and die in mysterious "accidents."  Francie's aunts are convinced something sinister is going on.  Are the old ladies just being paranoid?  Considering the creepy noises Francie hears in the woods at night, a weird confession from a could-be killer, and a poisoned hotdish that sends someone to their grave, Francie tends to agree with her aunts.  Something weird is happening at Enchantment Lake.  A certain northwoods Nancy Drew is determined to get to the bottom of it, which is, not incidentally, exactly where all the answers to the mystery may lie.

Enchantment Lake, the first book in Margi Preus' Northwoods Mystery series, offers a fast, fun read with a few twists to keep readers guessing.  Although the story features some colorful characters, it's the setting that really steals the show in this book.  Preus brings the lake and its surrounding community to life with vivid description and an obvious affection for the land.  Francie is much less convincing.  She doesn't talk or act like a teen.  Adults treat her as an equal, somehow believing that she's an NYPD detective, despite the fact that she's only seventeen.  Which begs the question, why would a teenager be playing a police officer on t.v. anyway?  These leaps in logic made it difficult for me to really believe in this story.  Overall, though, Enchantment Lake is not a bad read.  It's atmospheric, exciting, and stocked with enough red herrings to keep the killer's identity pretty well under wrap.  I didn't end up loving this book, but I didn't hate it either.  So that's something.

(Readalikes:  The Clue in the Trees by Margi Preus; also reminded me a little of the Jess Tennant series [How to Fall; Bet Your Life; Hide and Seek] by Jane Casey)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Enchantment Lake from the generous folks at University of Minnesota Press via those at Fantastic Flying Book Club.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

High school senior Hattie Hoffman appears to have it all.  She's beautiful, popular, smart, and a talented actress.  Maybe too talented.  Hattie is hiding a lot more under her innocent, girl-next-door facade than anyone would ever guess.  When the 18-year-old is found murdered in an abandoned barn, one question hovers the whole sad affair:  Who was Hattie Hoffman?  The answers are plentiful.  What's the truth?  

County sheriff Del Goodman is tasked with finding Hattie's killer.  A close friend of the Hoffmans, he's baffled by what he's finding out about their daughter.  Did anyone really know Hattie?  He's beginning to think not.  There's only one thing he knows for sure:  He will find her killer.  No matter what it takes.

Peter Lund, Hattie's English teacher, is hiding an incriminating secret—from his wife, from his colleagues, from the police.  What will happen when the truth comes out?  Will he find himself accused of killing his favorite student?  Did he?

Told from three perspectives—the victim, her English teacher, and the policeman investigating them both—Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia is a compelling psychological thriller.  The story twists and turns all over the place, making for a tense, engrossing read.  Hattie and Peter are complex characters, neither of whom is very likable.  The former is a manipulative brat (who seems WAY older than 18) while the latter is a selfish wimp.  Despite these less-than-desirable qualities, I did want to know what happened to them.  The ending of this one frustrated me, so in the end, I'm not sure quite what I thought of Everything You Want Me to Be.  It's an intriguing page turner for sure, but I can't say I really liked it.  Overall, it didn't leave me feeling very satisfied.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of The Secret Place by Tana French)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Everything You Want Me to Be from the generous folks at Atria Books (a division of Simon & Schuster) via those at NetGalley.  Thank you!

for language (no F-bombs) and brief references to illegal drug use and underage drinking

To the FTC, with love:  I purchased a copy of Invisible from Target (I believe) with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.