A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I l0ve these books. The characters have grown and matured and the stories still tell me so much about what it was like in England during this time. The story is a little more convoluted than usual but it became an old fashioned page turner. Just good reading. I hope another is in the works.

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The Lightning Rod by Brad Meltzer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Its fun to get into a series at the beginning. This is the second of the Zig and Nola stories and it was a great one. complicated plot twists, really evil villains and our two main characters whose personalities and lives get fleshed out much more than in the first book.
I'm ready for the next. Brad Meltzer is a master storyteller and feed the reader just enough to keep him going but not quite enough to figure it out.
I enjoy the characters and the plot seems quite real. No heroics that are beyond human possibilities. They get hurt and heal.

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The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent story with great character development. I only read this because I saw Meltzer interviewed and he talked about his next book. When I went to read it this one came first. Strange characters and a story that was a bit complex but certainly worth the time. I love a good mystery and this was one.

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The Berlin Exchange by Joseph Kanon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always enjoy Kanon's books but this one seemed more like a short story. The plot was a little thin. Still, all in all he sets a beautiful table, showing us life in east Germany after the war. A lot of action and intrigue for a character that just got out of years in prison.

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved it. It had the feel of an adventure and the science was just explained enough to keep me informed. Never confusing but also a little complicated at times. I could see the action in my minds eye, I hope they make it into a movie.
This book is more than fun and entertainment, it is an exploration of how we might meet another race in space. How different, yet the same, sentient beings would be. Some parts of humanity are universal to all life, others not so much.
This is a fun and interesting read. Worth the time.

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The Every by Dave Eggers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Magnificent, This is a must read. Its a page turner and it is relevant to all of us with phones and online shopping accounts. How many of us have researched products, used our phones for a medical diagnosis or kept our personal records on the phone. I know, all of us. This book is about that concept run wild, and so much more. Read it. Don't worry that you didn't read :The Circle" This book stands alone and it stands tall and should shake you up.

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Criminal Mischief by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Stone Barrington might be getting old. The story was a bit lame. That's a tech term for barely held my interest. Sorry to see the old guy fade away but that seems to be what he's doing. Not real enough, I know its fantasy but it still has to ring true, this does not.

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The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book that will stay with you for a while. Clever, but simple, plot line that is explored so beautifully. I can only say read it. Such an interesting exploration of a simple story line. I'm still not sure I got the ending but I'll give it time to sink in.
This book is well worth the read.

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An Observant Wife by Naomi Ragen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book a lot. The writing, although sometimes a bit preachy, was wonderful and I felt that I could truly understand some of the character's emotions and trials. It is a good plot although a little predictable. Certainly worth the read if you are at all intersted in the strange world of orthodox Judiasm, or orthodox anything for that matter. The glossary is at the end and I would advise one to read that first and possibly refer to it during the read but after a few pages I got used to the interspersal of Yiddish terms.

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2021 in Books

My Year In Books:

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Vietnam War related book that I've read. It was good but brought back some memories that are less than pleasant. Good writing is good writing and this book conveys the emotion and angst of the characters beautifully. This is our history but I wonder if literature will eventually treat it like we treat WWII. Does the glamore come from the times or from the events? I wonder if Vietnam or Korea for that matter will ever have the same place in our literary universe.

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The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Certainly worth reading. I loved "A Gentleman..." and looked forward to this book. The writing was brilliant but often I felt the story meandered around and led me down paths that were dead ends to the main plot. Then I began to wonder what the main plot was. The characters kept me reading but it felt like it had no where to go as a story and consequently didn't get there.
Still better than a lot of books and certainly kept me wondering whether I liked it or not. In the end I'm still not sure.

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