January Books Continued Books 3-6

Book 3: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

First, let me say this is the third book by Kristin Hannah that I've read.  I read The Great Alone and The Nightingale, both which I enjoyed, though I felt that The Great Alone should have ended differently. I'm also noticing that Kristin Hannah likes to leave the reader feeling hope in some way.  

Winter Garden is a family drama sort of book centered around the mother, a Russian woman who married an American and came to the US after World War 2.  She is very cold towards the two daughters she has, and when their father dies suddenly, they are left to care for her.  The story is very well done and flashes back to the mother's time in World War 2.  Very well researched, and I did really enjoy it.  

Book 4:  The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O'Neal

I listened to this as an audiobook last year, and I like this author (When we Believed in Mermaids my favorite so far).  I decided to read the book because I liked the premise and felt that I missed some things when I listened to it. 

About a Californian whose mother dies suddenly and leaves her an estate in England which her daughter knew nothing about.  She unearths a lot of family secrets while she is trying to figure out how to save the dilapidated estate.  One thing I like about Barbara O'Neal is that she writes about food with a love that makes the food almost leave a taste in your mouth.  This is true of all the books I've read of hers.

Book 5: Objects of my Affection (Audiobook) by Jill Smolinski

This is about a woman (Lucy) who is an amateur organizer who is hired by a man to help his famous artist mother clean out her home--which is a hoarding situation.  Lucy has just sold her home to pay for drug rehab for her 19 year old son.  She's essentially homeless, staying with a friend until this job is completed and she earns a bonus for its completion.  Some of the twists were predictable, but the author did a good job of adding unexpected details to the story. 

Easy to listen to, and kept my interest. I do struggle more to pay attention to audiobooks--it's a different skill than reading words on the page.  

Book 6:  The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Heather Terrell

This novel is based on a mystery that was really never explained and is the author's theory about what took place.  Agatha Christie went missing (this really happened) and there was an investigation that revealed the husband was having an affair and planned to leave her.  Her disappearance was suspicious because her car was found with the door open and suitcase inside.  

The novel version hops between timelines, Agatha telling her story of her relationship with her husband, her mother's constant advice to make sure to devote all her attention on her husband, which of course, would be impossible given that she was a published author.  It also hops to the husband's point of view during the disappearance and aftermath, guessing at what he was thinking or feeling, what he was doing to try to suppress suspicion of him.  Part two wraps it up nicely.  

It was just okay for me.  I put it down and picked it up about four times.  

Onto February.