Behind Blue Eyes by Claire Duffy

Ellie James is a journalist who leaves everything she knows in London to move in with her boyfriend Johan in Sweden. She feels isolated, not able to speak the language, and his small group of friends aren't exactly welcoming her. At a party, she wanders off, only to discover a body on an isolated beach...a woman that Johan was dating when she disappeared. The initial investigation was that it was accidental, but everyone suspects that Johan is her murderer, even his own family. Ellie sets out on a quest to clear his name and discover the truth.
This is a fast paced thriller and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Just when I thought I had it solved there was a new twist!

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32603079-wanderers" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Wanderers" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542215231l/32603079._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32603079-wanderers">Wanderers</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17152.Chuck_Wendig">Chuck Wendig</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2912669959">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
It all starts one morning when Shana discovers her younger sister, Nessie, is missing. She finds her wandering in a trance like state, unresponsive to anything she does. Nessie is soon joined by more and more "sleepwalkers". If anyone tries to stop them, they literally explode. Shana and the family members of the other walkers decide to follow them to keep them safe and become known as "shepherds". Meanwhile, a new disease starts sweeping the country. Nicknamed "white face" for the advanced stage where the victims face is coated with the white fungus, there appears to be no cure. The only ones safe from this disease are the sleepwalkers. As fear and tensions rise, the walkers and shepherds are blamed for causing the disease and, as government and civilization start to deteriorate, new powers rise up determined to destroy the walkers. <br />This is a long book with most of the action in the last third of the story. I feel like it could have been a little shorter, but the building of the background story of Benji and the CDC and the creation of the AI program Black Swan was important. I think it's terrifying that this computer took over in making decisions that so dramatically impacted the whole human race.
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Strangers in the Storm by Jared Rund and Diane McKenney

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43805016-strangers-in-the-storm" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Strangers in the Storm: Love and Survival on Mount Rainier" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549029747l/43805016._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43805016-strangers-in-the-storm">Strangers in the Storm: Love and Survival on Mount Rainier</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18841660.Jared_Rund">Jared Rund</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2910351217">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.<br />A couple of years ago, I became fascinated with books about mountain climbing, especially Everest. I am middle-aged, out of shape, and terrified of heights, so I live vicariously through other's adventures. This true story about two amateur climbers caught overnight in a storm on Mt. Rainier gave me chills. <br />Diane and Jared had just met the day before, but after summitting the mountain, they get caught in a bad snowstorm and lose their way. It's a mountain, you think, just go down. But the problem is there are glaciers and crevasses that in summer become even more deadly and treacherous. They must rely on each other to make it out alive.
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Disaster's Children by Emma Sloley

Marlo has been raised in a ranch commune, sheltered from the outside world, what they call the Disaster. This group, predicting how climate change would destroy the world, have created their own utopia, where only wealthy families are allowed in. Marlo's friends have left the commune to help avert disaster however they can and are urging Marlo to join them. She must decide between staying in the only life she's ever known or risking her own survival to help others.
This was a good book warning of the dangers of climate change. I like the description of the ranch, all these people working together to create a beautiful utopia. I can't blame Marlo's parents for doing everything they could to keep their only child safe and sheltered, but Wolf's reasons for staying seemed vague and a little creepy. My only complaint is that I wish the story had continued a little longer after they left the ranch.

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

This is a lighthearted, charming story of small town life. Grace Wheeler has moved her family to Dove Pond, hoping that her foster mother's childhood home will help with her Alzheimer's diagnosis. She keeps repeating that it's only for a year, but as she gets more involved with town life and its people, the more it feels like home.
I was disappointed that the story made Sarah, the woman who can hear books, a secondary character. She was important to the story, but I wish she had been in it more. Maybe in later books, as I noticed this is book 1 of a series. I look forward to reading about some of the other characters in later books. Overall, this book was cozy and inviting, a great book to snuggle up with under a comfy blankie with a cup of tea.

The Perfect Wife by JP Delaney

Abbie, wife of an AI tech genius and mother to an autistic son, tragically dies in a surfing accident. Five years later, she awakens, groggy and disoriented, to find that her husband Tim has placed her memories in a "cobot" or companion robot made to look just like his late wife. As she tries to fit in to her new life and become more human, strange memories keep surfacing, making her question what really happened to the "real" Abby.
This book is a mix of sci-fi, family drama, and psychological thriller that just works. I could feel all the emotions that the robot feels, especially the love for "her" son. I look forward to more books by JP Delaney in the future.

Five Ferries by William Michael Reid

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42428881-five-ferries" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Five Ferries" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540381145i/42428881._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42428881-five-ferries">Five Ferries</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18516874.William_Michael_Ried">William Michael Ried</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2881198399">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.<br />After the death of his brother in Vietnam, Steven, recent college graduate, decides to take a year off and travel across Europe for "zero dollars a day". He relies on a cast of generous and quirky strangers for food and shelter, meets new friends, and ultimately learns to let go of his grief over his brother's death.<br />While this sounds like an awesome experience, something I would love to do myself, I can't imagine total strangers taking anyone in in this day and age. It really makes you long for that more trusting generation. I thought this book was fun and lighthearted and I enjoyed the strange experiences he had with total strangers. Great adventure story!
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The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43161988-the-road-she-left-behind" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Road She Left Behind" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553930788i/43161988._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43161988-the-road-she-left-behind">The Road She Left Behind</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4811669.Christine_Nolfi">Christine Nolfi</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2873782420">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.<br />After a tragic accident that killed both her father and sister, Darcy abruptly moves away leaving her judgemental mother, her newborn nephew, and her boyfriend behind. Eight years later, Darcy comes back when her nephew disappears. When he's found, she decides for his sake to stay and face her own guilt and her mother's anger and accusations.<br />I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book. Rosalind was such a bitter and hateful character, I had a hard time believing she could change to loving mother and grandmother in the end. I loved the character of Samson, he seemed to tie all the characters together. Overall it was a good story of redemption and the love of family.
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