Tell the Wolves I'm Home

My heart!!!! From beginning to end I loved this book. Every flawed character was perfection and I never wanted this story to end. Fourteen year old June's best friend in the world is her Uncle Finn. When he dies of AIDS she is heartbroken and no one, not even her sister or her mother, understand what she's going through. They all just want to move on. When Finn's "special friend" reaches out June reluctantly agrees to meet him. Soon they realize how much they both loved the same bond and they slowly start to trust each other. A dazzling coming of age tale told through art, sibling rivalry, medieval music, and more. Truly wonderful and a story I will definitely visit again!

Long Bright River

Compelling and impossible to put down, this police drama about the opiod crisis, a missing family member, and murder gripped me from page one. Two sisters live in the same neighborhood but lead impossibly different lives. Mickey is a cop, patrolling some of the most crime ridden streets in Philadelphia. Her sister, Kacey, is an addict that has lived on those same streets for over a decade. Even though they haven't spoken in years, the two are aware of each other's presence, until suddenly Kacey disappears without a trace. Around the same time a few women on Mickey's beat are murdered; women like Kacey, addicts who will do anything for a fix. Mickey is immediately on high alert. Even though she doesn't approve of her sister's lifestyle and hasn't talked to her in years; she doesn't want to see Kacey murdered. Alternating between her and her sister's childhood to the present day disappearance of her sister; this book about the bonds of sisterhood, addiction, and the complexities of the police force will capture readers attention. A tour de force!

Practical Magic

I haven't seen the movie in a minute, but I grew up LOVING it. I was way past due reading the book the film was actually based on and I''m so excited that I listened to the audiobook version of it, it was WONDERFUL! I couldn't have asked for a better narrator, she embodied the Owens sisters so completely! It's a witchy book that's not really about witches; it's about sisterhood, love, trust, and hope. It's beautiful and haunting and you really root for all the characters despite their faults. It's the perfect fall time read as the leaves change and the witching hour grows closer. The Owens sisters had a unique childhood; raised by their aunts, the girls were mercilessly teased and bullied for their aunts potions and love spells the villagers used in desperation. Sally just wants to be normal and settle down, whereas Gillian wants to paint the town red; jumping from man to man until she can get the hell out of town. Years pass and the sisters have moved on with their lives though they haven't seen each other much in two decades. Sally is living with her two daughters in a nice suburban town when Gillian shows up on her doorstep with a problem so big it threatens to tear everything apart. Wonderful. Such unique and vibrant characters! The writing is beautiful as well! Although the movie is quite different; it's a wonderful tribute to the book!

Sisters of Heart and Snow

Dilloway, Margaret. Sisters of Heart and Snow. 12 CDs. unabridged. 13.75 hrs. Recorded Books. 2015. ISBN 9781490650784. 

Dilloway (How to Be an American Housewife) creates a beautifully crafted tale of two estranged sisters learning to make peace with their relationship and their dysfunctional family. When the Rachel and Drew discover a Japanese picture book hidden in their mother's sewing room, they have no idea what they have uncovered. In its pages they learn of the real life female samurai, Tomoe Gozen, her battle exploits, her love, and the bitterness of the losses she suffers. The book resonates with the sisters and its truth rings true across the centuries and is crucial in allowing them to accept, love, and heal their broken family. The story alternates between present day California where the sisters live and flashbacks to Tomoe's feudal Japan. All three characters are narrated beautifully by different voice actors, which helps bring out their distinct and vibrant personalities. Verdict Fans of Amy Tan will eat up this novel, as will readers of historical fiction and family sagas. While it does lag in some places, it builds up to a beautiful redemption and the interlaced female samurai story is not to be missed. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

Wildalone

This book sounded soo promising but quickly infuriated me. Talented Bulgarian pianist Thea, learns that she once had a sister, even though her parents never let on. When it comes time to choose a college, Thea shocks her parents by choosing far away Princeton, the very same school her sister mysteriously died at fifteen years prior. Having gone her entire life never knowing about her sister, Thea now wants to know what little she can about her. First however, she must transition to a foreign school, keep up with the demanding workload, and practice the piano like there is no tomorrow. As if she didn't have enough on her plate she meets a mysterious boy at her first concert and a whirlwind romance ensues. Things quickly become mysterious though and everything starts to point back at her sister. Mixed with Bulgarian folklore, tragic romance, and beautiful piano prose this story would make an excellent movie. However, I didn't like it because I could not STAND the two men she was into. Rhys seemed like such a controlling jerk, worse then Christian Grey and Sparkly Edward combined. The fact that Thea puts up with his bullshit made me hate her. Intriguing plot, I liked the mythical undertones and the piano bit, but I pretty much hated the characters.