Book #87:
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell (Length: 356 pages). This is a literary fiction and is based on the real life duchess Lucrezia de’ Medici who lived in Florence in 1550s and died a year after being married at age 16 to the young duke Alonso. There is a sense of mounting dread throughout this quick read as the reader knows the real-life person this character is based on was found dead, and Lucrezia speaks of her own fear that she will die at the hands of her new husband. This is accessible literary fiction, and much like the author’s Hamnet, no words are wasted here. I adore this book and definitely recommend!
Book #88:
A Million Junes by Emily Henry (Length: 398 pages). This is a YA magical realism novel written by one of my favorite authors, published in 2017. This novel is about the 18-year-old June O’Donnell whose family has had a century’s long feud with the Angert family. This feud was over land, a suspected murder of a family member and an angry ghost who has cursed both families. Enter 21-year-old Saul Angert who returns to town, and instant chemistry between June and Saul ensues. The premise here is a bit cheesy but the two things Emily Henry excels at as a writer in her popular adult novels are present here: detailed character development and clever, snappy dialogue. I am not a huge fan of YA novels but I am a fan of Emily Henry, so this was a worthwhile read of her backlist for me. 4 stars.
Book #89:
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth (Length: 361 pages). Miss Fairchild takes in 3 foster kids–Jessica, Alicia and Norah. This mystery novel is told in dueling timelines, past and present, and when a set of baby bones is discovered under the former foster home decades later, everyone comes together again. I’ve been a Sally Hepworth fan for years, and I’ve read everything she’s written. This, her most recent novel, is a huge miss for me, unfortunately. While the plot is propulsive, the writing style here is juvenile, and there are some very basic errors throughout in the e-book (ie, “piece of mind” instead of “peace of mind”) and they are super distracting. The story itself is entertaining, but the writing is honestly not worth suffering through. I’d recommend skipping this one. 2.25 stars.
Lora Terrill 