Mad Honey (Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan)

I've been reading Jodi Picoult for over 20 years, and up until recently, have absolutely devoured her books. The past few have been very disappointing however, so I went into Mad Honey quite tentatively. I'm happy to say that I again devoured this one.

Let's give credit where it's due though -- this book really came about because of co-author Jennifer Finney Boylan, who one night dreamt that she wrote a book with Jodi Picoult. She tweeted this exact fact, to which Picoult responded asking what the book was about. The rest is a match made in heaven.

In Mad Honey, Olivia McAfee escapes her husband's abuse and moves with her son, Asher, to New Hampshire to take over her deceased father's beekeeping business. Lily Campanello also moves to the same town with her mother, Ava. Upon meeting, Asher and Lily fall head over heels for each other, but soon, Lily is dead and Asher is arrested for her murder.

From the beginning, Picoult has written about issues in the headlines, and Mad Honey is crammed with them. I was worried about this because her books sometimes don't work if they focus on too many. But for some reason, this one does, and I actually feel that the book wouldn't be the same without all of them. This books is both heartbreaking and suspenseful -- Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan are a great team.

MY RATING - 4

Wish You Were Here (Jodi Picoult)

The first book I ever read by Jodi Picoult was The Pact. I made the mistake of reading that on vacation -- the mistake was that all I wanted to do was read. It was that engrossing. I read everything she's ever written up to 2020's The Book of Two Ways, which brought my streak to a screeching halt. It was so heavy and filled with ancient Egyptian history that I couldn't get through it. While I liked Wish You Were Here a little more, I didn't like it as much as other Jodi books.

The main character, Diana O'Toole, is positive that her boyfriend, Finn, will propose on their upcoming trip to the Galapagos. But as a surgical resident, Finn must cancel the trip because of "all hands on deck" at the hospital. At this point, no one knew exactly how bad Covid would get. Implausibly, he tells Diana she should still go, and she does. But, of course, she gets stranded and only has limited contact with Finn, who tells her that things are not going well. Since her hotel has closed, a local family puts her up, and she grows close with them. 

A warning that the majority of Wish You Were Here is about the pandemic, so if you're not ready to read about that yet, you might want to steer clear. I think what I found most frustrating is that Diana in the Galapagos really seems like a completely different book than what Finn is going through in the States. The mesh wasn't seamless. All in all, I would put this toward the bottom of the list of Picoult books, but that's because she has so many other ones I liked better.

MY RATING - 3

Available Nov. 30, 2021

A Spark of Light (Jodi Picoult)

I've been a big fan of the great Jodi Picoult since the beginning and always look forward to her books with much excitement. Most of her novels have attained well-earned fours and fives on this site, but there have been some that I've liked less (I'm looking at you Sing You Home!). For me, A Spark of Light falls squarely in the middle of the pack.

As Picoult fans know, she often takes on a hot button issue in her books -- this time, it's abortion. Hugh McElroy is called to the scene of a hostage situation at an abortion clinic; the situation gets even more devastating for Hugh when he finds out that his teenage daughter is in there. He needs to put his questions aside about why she is there in the first place in order to save her and all the other people inside. What is interesting about A Spark of Light is that it is told backwards in time. Some reviewers have commented that, for them, it didn't add anything to the plot to do that, but for me, it did. Knowing what was going to happen to each character first made everything that came before much more powerful.

What didn't work for me was the preachy tone of the book. It's obviously fine for an author to take a side in his or her own work, but it needs to be woven naturally into the story. It's jarring as a reader for the narrative to abruptly stop for characters to have a 3-page conversation about the issue. For that reason, I can't give my usual 4 or 5 to Picoult's latest.

MY RATING - 3.5

Small Great Things (Jodi Picoult)

Because she's one of my favorite authors, receiving a new Jodi Picoult book is like Christmas, Halloween, and my birthday all wrapped up into one.  I devour each and every one, and Small Great Things was no exception.  This time, Picoult taps into the always-prevalent issue of racism, one that writers seldom do except in the area of historical fiction.  Reading her reasons for delving into the issue, along with how she accomplished her research, is just as interesting as the actual book.

Ruth is a highly respected delivery nurse in a hospital when one day, she finds herself assisting Davis, the newly born son of white supremacists.  They want nothing to do with Ruth and promptly ask her supervisor not to let any African Americans touch their son.  One night, every other nurse is in some type of emergency, and Ruth is the only one available to watch over Davis after a routine procedure.  When he codes, she's left with the choice of whether to follow her orders or help the infant. 

As in every Picoult book, Small Great Things is told with multiple narrators -- Ruth, Turk (Davis's father), and Kennedy (Ruth's lawyer).  The trial is emotional and really makes readers think about how they act with people who are different from them.  While the ending is slightly unrealistic and wrapped up in too neatly of a bow, that doesn't deter from the profound lessons the book teaches.

MY RATING - 4

Leaving Time (Jodi Picoult)

It's like a national holiday for me when the new Jodi Picoult book comes out.  Ever since I was first introduced to her writing with The Pact, I've loved everything she's ever put out (except for Sing You Home and Salem Falls).  This year, she is publishing in October instead of March, so I had to wait a few extra months for an advanced read.  Was Leaving Time worth the wait?  Read on.

As Picoult's fans know well, she does impeccable research with each novel.  Whether it's a medical condition or the Holocaust, she leaves no stone unturned and effortlessly weaves her fictional narrative in with a nonfiction topic.  Her older books usually end with some sort of courtroom drama, but lately, she's left those behind for a big twist.  I'm sad to say that I wasn't really into Leaving Time until the twist; usually I can't wait until the day ends so I can curl up again with her books.  However, when this twist comes, it completely changes the direction of the book; I couldn't stop reading and raced to the finish.

Leaving Time is told in trademark Picoult style with different narrators.  Jenna is a teenage girl who longs to find out what happened to her mother, Alice.  A long time ago, Alice, a renowned scientist who studied elephants, and Jenna were living on an elephant sanctuary, along with Thomas, Jenna's father.  One night, the police were called to the sanctuary when one of the employees was trampled by an elephant.  Alice was found unconscious, and soon after she was taken to the hospital, she disappeared.  As Jenna grows up, she desperately wants to get some closure regarding Alice's disappearance.  To do that, she turns to Virgil, the detective called to the scene of the trampling, and Serenity, a psychic.

When Picoult eventually reveals the big twist, the book changed completely for me...for the better.  I felt the first three quarters was very slow, and I was going to rate it a 3.  However, the end was a 5, so let's average them.

MY RATING - 4

The Storyteller (Jodi Picoult)

I look forward to the yearly release of Jodi Picoult's books the way some people look forward to Christmas.  To me, getting her new novel fresh off the presses is more exciting than opening up a nicely wrapped gift.  I literally jumped up and down when The Storyteller arrived on my doorstep (I know...seriously).  Rarely does a Picoult book not make you think because she is not afraid in the least to tackle controversial issues.  Just as rarely does the Picoult book come along that I don't like (Unfortunately, I'm looking at you Sing You Home!).  Usually, I know I am looking at an automatic rating of 5 because Picoult does not just tell her stories...she involves the reader in ways that I've never before seen in a novelist.  I am not afraid to make a statement right here that The Storyteller is an instant classic and one that I am still thinking about in ways I never imagined.

The trademark of Picoult's novels is that her stories are told by various narrators, all of whom have an integral part in the book.  In her latest, we begin with the story of Sage, a baker so self-conscious because of facial scarring that she works overnight and has few friends.  One day, a 90-year-old-man, Josef, arrives in the bakery, and despite Sage's tendency to be antisocial, she and the man begin a friendship.  Josef is beloved in their small town, but he shocks Sage by showing her a picture of him as a young man in an SS uniform.  He asks her to help him die, but Sage reports him to the federal government instead.  At the same time, Sage's grandmother, Minka, finally tells her story of being held at Auschwitz so many years ago.  Josef's and Minka's stories inevitably come together like an unstoppable racing train.

Jodi Picoult did not in any way take writing The Storyteller lightly.  She conducted extensive research, including interviews with survivors and guidance by historians.  This book stays with you like few others, making you think twice when you're getting ready to complain about something frivolous in your life.

MY RATING - 5

One Breath Away (Heather Gudenkauf)

Numerous blurbs on the back of Heather Gudenkauf’s latest, One Breath Away, describe Gudenkauf as the next Jodi Picoult.  Picoult has taken the idea of multiple narrators and practically created an entirely new writing style.  The payoff is immensely satisfying when it’s done correctly, as it creates a truly completed puzzle.  While not as successful as  her debut novel, The Weight of Silence, Gudenkauf has written a worthwhile and powerful read in One Breath Away.

Gudenkauf takes every parent’s worst nightmare, an intruder in his/her child’s school, and creates a riveting narrative (so, ironically, did Picoult in Nineteen Minutes).  Each narrator adds a slice of the pie to the horrible hours when the incident took place.  Augie, sent to live with her grandfather after her mother’s accident; Will, Augie’s grandfather; Holly, Augie’s mother; Meg, a police officer at the school whose daughter is thankfully not there that day; and Mrs. Oliver, the third-grade teacher whose classroom the intruder is holed up in.

Gudenkauf wisely writes short chapters, which causes the “just one more” syndrome.  At times, I couldn’t put it down and kept reading long into the night.  Gudenkauf builds suspense with making the reader guess the intruder’s identity and hoping against hope that everyone will get out safely.  However, the identity is easily guessed, so the reader shouldn’t expect any big surprises there.  That part needed much more drama and felt a little too amateurish.  The lead-up to the big reveal and the afterword was wonderfully written. The actual reveal…not so much.  However, don’t let that stop you from picking up One Breath Away.  The heroics of the key players and general suspense keep you wanting more.

MY RATING - 4

Lone Wolf (Jodi Picoult)

Every year, at around this time, Jodi Picoult’s fans anxiously await her new novel. Most of the time, Picoult’s novels are “ripped from the headlines”. In the past, she’s taken on everything from gay rights to a school massacre to religious freedom. In Lone Wolf, she asks the questions none of us ever really are fully prepared to answer if it would happen to someone in our family. Presented with a traumatic brain injury, when does life stop? Does life on a ventilator, with a slim-to-none chance of regaining consciousness, constitute a life worth continuing?

Since the beginning, Picoult has not strayed from her style…various narrators, all involved in the story, typed in different fonts, with different opinions. Because of this, Jodi’s books are usually extremely well-rounded, with all sides of an issue presented. However, in this case, the fact that the “main character”, if you will, is in a comatose state, prevents him from narrating what is happening in the present. Luke is involved in a car crash with his daughter, Cara, who is also majorly injured. Cara decided to live with Luke after he divorced her mom, Georgie. As much as Georgie tried living with someone like Luke, she found it impossible. You see, Luke was fascinated with wolves, even going so far as to disappear from his family for awhile to infiltrate their packs. Luke and Georgie’s son, Edward, escaped to Thailand after a fight with Luke. When he gets the call that his dad was in a car accident, he rushes home to try to do things “right” by his dad and Cara.

Unfortunately, Edward and Cara have differing opinions about what they should do about Luke’s care. Of course, this being a Picoult novel, it goes to trial and there is an emotional ending. When I said before that Luke is not involved in the narration in present day, that doesn’t mean he does not narrate at all. Because of this narration, the reader is hardpressed not to come to the conclusion of what Luke would want his kids to do.

Almost 20 books later, Picoult is still the master of making the reader think. It’s almost impossible to come away from one of her books not having learned something about yourself. While not my favorite Picoult, Lone Wolf is still tremendously worthwhile to read.

MY RATING – 4

This review can also be found on www.bookloons.com.

Silver Girl (Elin Hilderbrand)

I was looking through my posts today and noticed that it has been quite awhile since I was able to give a book a "5" rating. The authors I normally love, such as Jodi Picoult (a "2" for Sing You Home???) and Jennifer McMahon just didn't put out the work that I expected from them this year. I love, love, love Bethenny Frankel, but she can't really write a book. The last "5" I gave was to Jane Green on June 2 for the lovely Promises to Keep. I was getting a little discouraged. Then came Silver Girl.

Ironically, it was Jane Green herself who told me about Hilderbrand. I e-mailed Ms. Green to let her know how much I enjoyed Promises. Imagine my surprise when, within minutes, this New York Times bestselling, very busy author, e-mailed me back to thank me and tell me about Elin Hilderbrand. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Hilderbrand grew up right down the street from where I am living now!

Silver Girl is just a treasure, and I was actually sad when it ended. It is a fictional account that is ripped from the headlines. Meredith Delinn is the wife of Freddy Delinn, who is in jail for life for cheating investors out of billions of dollars. People think that Meredith knew what Freddy was up to, and so she is scorned and rejected by everyone she knows. To make matters worse, she and her son (who she is forbidden to have contact with) are under investigation by the FBI.

Connie is Meredith's old friend, who she has not seen or talked to in years due to a falling out. Out of Meredith's desperation, she contacts Connie, who reluctantly agrees to give her refuge at her summer house in Nantucket. Even though Meredith is out of Manhattan, she still is in danger by people who want revenge for her husband's dealings. Meredith never truly feels safe, even as she begins to get some people back into her life, including her ex-lover, Connie's brother, Toby. This is not only Meredith's story of trying to get her life back, but also Connie's, who is still grieving for her deceased husband and trying desperately to get back in touch with her estranged daughter.

What a beautiful, beautiful book. From the gorgeous cover, to the picturesque setting throughout, the reader will become enchanted with Meredith's story. Read this book slowly, and treasure every word. One realizes from reading this that life is not about what car you drive or how big your house is, but who you can count on when life unexpectedly goes awry.

MY RATING - 5 (YAY!!!!)

Part of this review can also be found on http://www.bookloons.com.

Sing You Home (Jodi Picoult)

As you know, I look forward to March every year (even though in Philadelphia it is still so blasted cold out), because Jodi Picoult puts out her new book. Nothing is better to me than snuggling under a warm blanket and diving in to her books. However, I must admit something to my readers. I finished Sing You Home about three weeks ago, but I just could not bring myself to write a review of it. I pride myself on being a completely unbiased reviewer, except when it comes to Miss Jodi. I sing her praises to everyone I meet. Unfortunately, and it breaks my heart to say this, I cannot sing her praises about this one.

We begin Sing You Home with Zoe, a music therapist, and Max, a couple who seem very much in love and struggling with infertility. A string of miscarriages brings them to the brink of despair, until Zoe finally becomes pregnant. Tragedy strikes at her baby shower, which tears the couple apart. Zoe begins a relationship with Vanessa, a high school guidance counselor. After legally marrying, they decide that they would like a baby. They ask permission from Max to use Zoe's stored embryos, but Max has other plans for them. What ensues is the standard trial that ends most Picoult novels.

To me, it seems like Jodi was trying to stuff as much "ripped-from-the-headlines", controversial material into one book as possible. She also tried the "free gift with purchase" approach, enclosing a CD with the book (apparently to listen to a song after each chapter? Zoe was a music therapist, get it?). I was able to put this book down a lot, which is not what I have come to know from Picoult books. Better luck next year, Jodi. I still love you.

MY RATING - 2????????????????????????

The Forgotten Garden (Kate Morton)

In my last post, I stated how rare it is for me to review two books in a row by the same author. I have never, since this blog has been existence, reviewed three in a row...until today. This is Morton's last book, so after this, it is on to other authors. It is with all anticipation that I wait for her next masterpiece.

The Forgotten Garden begins with an old woman on her deathbed. Nell dies with a family mystery she has never been able to solve. On her eighteenth birthday, the man who she knew as her father tells her a shocking secret. He found her abandoned when she was a four year old child on a dock in Australia. How did she end up alone there? The mystery, of course, is solved in the end, as is Morton's way, but it astonishes me, in all of her books, how she gets there. Morton changes chapter by chapter from the early 1900s to the 1970s to 2005, and never misses a beat. We hear the story told through the eyes of all different characters, including Nell's granddaughter, her mother, and a mysterious woman known as the Authoress. Just when you think that a question you had at the beginning will not be answered, it does at a different point of time. I can only imagine that Morton has a giant flowchart for all of her books, as she is the most talented author I have ever read at being able to bring everything back full circle.

The Forgotten Garden would have gotten a 5 if I had read it first. While not my favorite of her three, she is, by far, one of the most talented literary forces we have today.

MY RATING - 4

My favorite month of the year is coming up! Why?? March is the month when Jodi Picoult releases her books. I will have a review soon.

The One That I Want (Allison Winn Scotch)

Allison Winn Scotch is quickly rising the ladder to rival Picoult and Scottoline status. It is no surprise that she writes from the female perspective, with a female protagonist searching for meaning in her life. Her books are heartwarming and, even with the hint of the supernatural as in The One That I Want, very true to life.

This is the story of Tilly, a thirtysomething woman living in the same town she grew up in, having the same friends she grew up with, and married to her high school sweetheart. Her life is happy...a gorgeous husband, a job she loves as a high school counselor, and a wonderful best friend. The only thing missing is a desperately wanted baby and her mother, who died awhile back. She lives her life the only way she knows how...helping others with their problems, including her alcoholic father. When Tilly meets an old high school friend at the town fair, things begin to go awry. Suddenly Tilly can "see" things that will happen in the future, and when those events really begin to happen, the story evolves.

Scotch does it again with a real winner. You will not be disappointed.

MY RATING - 5

House Rules (Jodi Picoult)

I am going to begin this with a disclaimer. As anyone who knows me is well-aware, Ms. Picoult is my favorite author, hands down. House Rules is her 18th novel, and while not her best, even my LEAST favorite would get a 4 in my rating scale. It absolutely kills me to give her anything less than a 5 because I love her so much. This is only the 2nd of the 18 that I would do that to (Salem Falls being the other). Jodi...please don't hate me.

Picoult's novels usually center around an issue and a trial. This time, the issue is a young man with Asperger's Syndrome. Jacob lives with his mother, Emma, and younger brother, Theo. Picoult researches her topics impeccably and this is no exception. When Jacob's social skills instructor is found murdered, he becomes the prime suspect. The fact that he is obsessed with forensics and shows up uninvited at crime scenes does not help him.

Picoult integrates her usual style seamlessly with classic murder mystery. The reader does not find out the truth until the last few pages. However, there is much ambiguity and a lot of questions remain unanswered. While this works for plays like Doubt and TV shows like The Sopranos, I hate when this happens in books. For this reason, and ONLY this reason, I have to give it a 4.

MY RATING - 4

Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Picoult)

Oh, yes....another Picoult book. Get used to it. She is an outstanding writer and deserves every bit of her success. I am in the process of reading "Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn, so while I am finishing that, here is another Picoult to devour.

Think about a ripped-from-the-headlines issue that you feel sharply for or sharply against. Picoult takes these issues and, in her "I have no idea how she does it way", makes you see all sides. How can you possibly have even an iota of sympathy for some of the characters in her books? You will....you just wait and see.

What can you do in nineteen minutes? Bake cookies? Dust the bedroom? What can you do that will change everything as you know it? Accidentally fall down the stairs? Jump off a bridge in a fit of despair? "Nineteen Minutes" is the story of a shocking, violent school shooting. Sterling, New Hampshire, is changed forever in nineteen minutes. Once the killer is identified, Picoult makes the reader feel uneasy. What role does society play in tragedies such as these? Most importantly, who has the right to judge anyone else?

MY RATING - 5

Handle With Care (Jodi Picoult)

Well, now you will finally be introduced to my absolute obsession with Jodi Picoult's writing style. I started reading her books in the late '90s with "The Pact", and I eagerly look forward to her new title every March. Grisham and Picoult release their new books at about the same time every year. While Grisham used to write very, very thrilling material, he now seems to be following the unfortunate "write junk to make my deadline and more money quickly" protocol (like Patterson). Picoult, however, writes stories of quality every single year. What is so interesting about her is that she makes you have sympathy for characters who you can't believe you can have sympathy for. Picoult writes all of her stories from many different viewpoints. No character is 100% right and no character is 100% wrong.

"Handle With Care" is Picoult's newest. It is so difficult to determine her best, but I believe this is it. Willow is a child with osteogenesis imperfecta, a debilitating disease which makes bones break at the slightest strain. Normal childhood events like going to Disney World and the first day of Kindergarten are magnified 100 times with the possibility that a bone will break. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe are Willow's parents who desperately love their daughter. With mounting medical bills and the accusations of child abuse due to Willow's breaks, the O'Keefes are forced to confront some what-ifs. What if they had known about Willow's disease before she was born? What determines a valuable life?

I will be reviewing many of Picoult's books in this blog, but I wanted to do my favorite first. You will never regret reading one of her books. They will confront you with questions about your own beliefs and fears and will keep you up late into the night. There is a reason why she is on the bestseller lists every year.

MY RATING - 5