#39: The Virgin of Small Plains

The Virgin of Small Plains

by Nancy Pickard

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Small Plains, Kansas, January 23, 1987: In the midst of a deadly blizzard, eighteen-year-old Rex Shellenberger scours his father’s pasture, looking for helpless newborn calves. Then he makes a shocking discovery: the naked, frozen body of a teenage girl, her skin as white as the snow around her. Even dead, she is the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. It is a moment that will forever change his life and the lives of everyone around him. The mysterious dead girl—”The Virgin of Small Plains”—inspires local reverence. In the two decades following her death, strange miracles visit those who faithfully visit her grave; some even believe that her spirit can cure deadly illnesses. Slowly, word of the legend spreads.

But what really happened in that snow-covered field? Why did young Mitch Newquist disappear the day after the Virgin’s body was found, leaving behind his distraught girlfriend, Abby Reynolds? Why do the town’s three most powerful men—Dr. Quentin Reynolds, former sheriff Nathan Shellenberger, and Judge Tom Newquist—all seem to be hiding the details of that night?

Seventeen years later, when Mitch suddenly returns to Small Plains, simmering tensions come to a head, ghosts that had long slumbered whisper anew, and the secrets that some wish would stay buried rise again from the grave of the Virgin. Abby—never having resolved her feelings for Mitch—is now determined to uncover exactly what happened so many years ago to tear their lives apart.

Three families and three friends, their worlds inexorably altered in the course of one night, must confront the ever-unfolding consequences in award-winning author Nancy Pickard’s remarkable novel of suspense. Wonderfully written and utterly absorbing, The Virgin of Small Plains is about the loss of faith, trust, and innocence…and the possibility of redemption.

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Finished: April 20, 2015

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars *****

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Another captivating book from Nancy Pickard that will make you want to sit down and finish it all in one sitting. I’m pretty sure I did. The mystery is one that I can honestly say I didn’t figure out until the very end, which just goes to show Pickard’s skill for weaving a story. Her writing style is true to the suspense genre and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end of the book.

The characters are complicated and relatable, and I found myself drawn into their stories and personalities throughout the novel. It tells the story of a long-lost true love, a small-town cover-up, and so much more. Told from the setting in the Midwest, this story and its characters will successfully draw you in and won’t let you escape until you’ve read every word in the novel. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance-riddled suspense novels and any other work by Nancy Pickard.

#21: The Scent of Rain and Lightning

The Scent of Rain and Lightning

by Nancy Pickard

 

 

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Rose, Kansas, is a quiet town poised between the orderly and the unpredictable, where a terrible secret lies long dormant . . . until it vengefully stirs to life one fateful day. Young English teacher Jody Linder wakes up one morning to find her three intimidating rancher uncles on her doorstep. They bring shocking news: Billy Crosby, the man convicted of murdering her father—and presumably her mother’s killer as well—is being released from prison and coming back to Rose with his son, Collin, an attorney. Convinced of his father’s innocence, Collin provokes Jody to face the stunning mystery behind her tragic past. Enthralling, surprising, and beautifully textured, The Scent of Rain and Lightning blurs the boundaries between suspense and literary fiction.

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Finished: March 6, 2015

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars *****

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I never really grouped myself into the category of avid mystery readers, but this was a contemporary, non-detective mystery book, which is, I think, why I was so pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book so much.

Nancy Pickard is now one of my dependable authors. The Scent of Rain and Lightning was a short book, not overly long, and it was fast-paced and believable the whole way through. From the two Nancy Pickard books I’ve read so far, I’ve figured out that most of her books are mysteries based in the mid-west part of the U.S., which gives the mysteries a sort of small-town, everyone-knows-everyone kind of tone. I’m really not that into the detective kind of mysteries, but I might be swayed eventually.

This book was about a girl whose parents were killed while she was very young. The mystery of the story is in discovering what really happened the night that her parents died, and when the man everyone—including Jody’s grandparents—believes murdered Jody’s parents gets out of prison twenty-six years later, the whole town must try to figure out the truth of what really happened that night long ago.

I think the reason I liked this book so much was because of it’s unexpected twist at the end. I can honestly say that I didn’t suspect the ending at all, and I’ve been getting pretty good at correctly guessing the ending of books before I finish them lately. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary, non-detective, small-town mystery stories or books, with a little bit of a love story mixed in.

#36: The Things that Keep Us Here

The Things that Keep Us Here

by Carla Buckley

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Everything seems quiet on Ann Brooks’s suburban cul-de-sac. Despite her impending divorce, she’s created a happy home and her daughters are adjusting to the change. She feels lucky to be in a supportive community and confident that she can handle any other hardship that life may throw her way. But then, right before Thanksgiving, a crisis strikes that turns everybody’s world upside down. Suddenly her estranged husband is forced back onto her doorstep, bringing with him his beautiful graduate assistant. Trapped inside the house she once called home, confronted by challenges she never could have imagined, Ann must make life-or-death decisions in an environment where the simple act of opening a door to a neighbor could jeopardize all she holds dear.

The choices she makes will impact the lives of those around her irrevocably and linger in the reader’s memory in this marvelous first novel, written with authority, grace, and wisdom.

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Finished: April 15, 2015

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars *****

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I initially purchased this book thinking it was going to be some kind of modern-day zombie story, and I guess in a way it was. Except instead of cannibalism it was about a bird flu pandemic.

I actually ended up really liking it. It was way different than I thought it was going to be, but it was really good once I figured out the tone of it. I had a hard time putting it down once I started it. The emotions that Buckley gives to her characters are very real and relateable, and I can honestly say I was surprised by the ending. It wasn’t nearly as predictable as one would think.

It’s interesting to read about the conflict in a suburban neighborhood that can arise from the panic of a pandemic like bird flu, and the extremes that people will go to to keep themselves and their families safe and away from a virtually invisible threat like a sickness.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. I will be watching out for more books by Carla Buckley as well. You should, too!

#35: Love Anthony

Love Anthony

by Lisa Genova

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Olivia Donatelli’s dream of a “normal” life shattered when her son, Anthony, was diagnosed with autism at age three. He didn’t speak. He hated to be touched. He almost never made eye contact. And just as Olivia was starting to realize that happiness and autism could coexist, Anthony was gone.

Now she’s alone on Nantucket, desperate to find meaning in her son’s short life, when a chance encounter with another woman brings Anthony alive again in a most unexpected way. In a piercing story about motherhood, autism, and love, Lisa Genova offers us two unforgettable women who discover the small but exuberant voice that helps them both find the answers they need.

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Finished: April 12, 2015

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars *****

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Another great read by Lisa Genova. I really like this author because of her topics related to neurology and issues in the brain. The first book I read by her was Left Neglected, then earlier this year I read Still Alice, and since I’ve never been disappointed after reading one of her books, I decided to read another one. This one was about autism, and it was the perfect tone for a book to read directly after reading The Stranger Beside Me, which left me wanting to read something positive and uplifting.

Once again, Genova’s intelligence and experience with neurological disorders contributed to a wonderful story about a mother mourning the loss of her autistic son and questioning what his purpose was during his too-short life. The struggles of a mother of an autistic child are not often understood, and certainly are not applauded the way they should be.

This book does a wonderful job of stressing the difficulties that come with raising a child with autism, and it is moving in a way that will make you not only understand autism a little better after reading it, but also make you appreciate the fact that just because someone appears different and may communicate in nontraditional ways doesn’t mean that that person is incapable of feelings or of your love and devotion.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an appreciation of autism and Lisa Genova. A quick and heartwarming book that won’t leave you dissatisfied.

#30: Secret Daughter

Secret Daughter

by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

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Finished: March 28, 2015

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars *****

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This is another book that’s been on my Goodreads “to-read” shelf for quite a while, and I finally felt like I was in the right kind of mood to get lost in this type of story.

It was very well-written and was a great way to learn a few things about Indian culture, both upper-class and extremely lower-class. The story is about a young girl, Asha, whose birth mother was part of the extremely poor class of Indian women, and she lived in a village where it wasn’t practical or financially possible for she and her husband to raise and provide for a daughter. Because of this, Asha’s mother was forced to give Asha up for adoption in order to save her daughter’s life.

Meanwhile, a young couple in San Francisco, California is unable to have children, and adopts Asha from her orphanage in India. The story goes back and forth between perspectives of Asha’s birth mother and adoptive mother, as well as chapters from Asha herself as she grows older.

As Asha matures, she finds herself longing to get to know the country she was born in, and is ultimately drawn back to India on a path of self-discovery.

I really enjoyed the unique storyline of this book, and especially because I was able to learn about the Indian culture, which I must admit I was very uninformed about prior to reading it. I would recommend this book to lovers of A Thousand Splendid Suns, but keep in mind that it is much more modern and isn’t nearly as emotionally upsetting as that book. It is a warmer story and focuses more on a young girl’s desire to learn about her past and coming to terms with her life and relationships she has come to know as familiar.

#29: Breaking the Silence

Breaking the Silence

by Diane Chamberlain

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Finished: March 25, 2015

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars *****

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I bought this book awhile back, towards the beginning of January, so it’s been sitting on my shelf of books to read for some time. At least, for my definition of “some time.” I’ve been getting quite a lot of Diane Chamberlain book recommendations on my Goodreads account, and now I understand why. For those of you who may not know, I’m a pretty big fan of Jodi Picoult, and I’ve seen multiple comparisons of Jodi Picoult to Diane Chamberlain in various places. I now understand why.

Breaking the Silence was far better than I expected it to be. I’ve been reading so many contemporary fiction books lately that I was expecting something similar to the usual style in the genre, but this one surprised me. It was definitely contemporary fiction, but it added a little bit of a suspense or mystery feel to it. For me, I’m not usually a huge fan of the mystery genre in novels, or at least I need to be in a specific kind of mood to enjoy one like that, especially with detective novels. But Diane Chamberlain in this book gave me just the right amount of balance between the contemporary fiction and the mystery story to be perfect for what I was wanting to read when I picked this up off my shelf.

The main character, Laura, is an astronomer whose father has just died, but just before he died, he made her swear to take care of an older woman in a retirement home that she’s never heard of before. When she returns home and tells her husband about it, he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to go and visit this woman, and believes it better to just leave things be.

Laura decides to investigate anyway, and leaves her five-year-old daughter, Emma, at home with her husband while she goes to meet this stranger. When she returns home from the retirement home, her husband has shot himself, committing suicide in front of her daughter, who mysteriously refuses to speak a single word afterwards.

The book goes on with Emma in child therapy to figure out the cause of her silence, and Laura continues making visits to this Sarah Tolley lady, who tells her detailed accounts of her past, despite being in the early throws of Alzheimer’s disease.

In an effort to get Emma to open up, Laura reconnects with Emma’s birth father, Dylan, who becomes entangled in Laura’s efforts to figure out who Sarah Tolley is and how she was involved with her father. What they discover is a story filled with secrets that invariably connects them all.

To avoid spoilers, I won’t give away the ending or the solution to the mystery, but I will definitely be reading more books by Diane Chamberlain in the future. The characters in this book were so well thought-out, and I found myself unable to put the book down for exceedingly long stretches of time.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading books by Jodi Picoult, although it does not contain Picoult’s usual inclusion of a law trial. It’s a very well-written book and makes for an excellent starting point for books by this author, Diane Chamberlain.