Sara's Reviews

Stella is a brilliant, beautiful econometrician. While most people don’t know she has Asperger’s, her past sexual encounters have been less than exceptional, and Stella decides she needs professional help so that she can snag a mate. Michael, a charming Vietnamese escort, takes her under his wing, but both learn more than they bargained for. This novel is smart, tender, and sexy, an exploration of self-discovery and a fabulously fun read. - Sara

Hal is still reeling from her mother’s death and her own new reality of debt and desperation when a letter arrives informing her that she may have an inheritance from her long-lost grandmother. Hal finds that she has embedded herself into a family full of bitterness and secrets that impact her more than she knows. Using her skills as a tarot reader, Hal must read the members of the Westaway family to find out the truth—before danger finds her. - Sara

Waxman returns with a delightful, witty story of people simply trying to make it through another chaotic day of family life. Frances walks in on her neighbor Anne in the midst of a deceitful act, and the entire neighborhood is thrown for a loop as Anne’s family comes unraveled. Allegiances are formed, gossip abounds, and Frances begins to learn that not everything is black and white. A fun, rollicking read threaded with drama (and some familiar characters), Other People’s Houses is full of charm, laughs and insight. - Sara

Myfanwy Thomas wakes up with no memories, but with her pockets full of letters explaining that she is an agent of the Checquy, a Supernatural Secret Service. Someone in the Checquy is trying to kill her and dismantle the agency, and Myfanwy must discover the traitor before time runs out. An exciting, often laugh-out-loud book full of monsters, mayhem, and slime! - Sara

Naomi doesn't remember why she was running when a group of migrants found her as a lost child outside a field, but she devotes her adult life to answering that question for other lost girls. A private investigator, Naomi is skilled at tracking down lost children. But when a new case draws her back into the broken memories of her past, Naomi is scared of what she might find. A beautiful, chilling tale of loss and redemption. - Sara

This charming, funny story tells of a widow and her struggle to continue life with her two young daughters. Lilian, an illustrator, is tasked with drawing vegetables for an upcoming book, and so enrolls in a gardening class. There she meets a group of very different​ strangers, all of whom touch her life. This quirky novel is full of humor, joy and hope. - Sara

This post-apocalyptic endeavor is a beautifully written, terrifying journey into a future that feels real. We follow a caravan of musicians and actors who call themselves the Traveling Symphony, performing for forlorn survivors as they traverse the desolate landscape of what was once the Great Lakes. A fantastic look into human nature and the will to survive. - Sara

Ignore the gimmicky title - Ruth Ware's writing is only getting better. The Lying Game has the fun, suspenseful feel of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the true-to-life characters of Into the Woods, but with richer character development. Four best friends meet at Salten, a boarding school near the Reach, a tidal estuary - a perfect setting for sneaking out to drink and smoke, swimming under the stars, and perhaps even...murder. My heart was racing through to the end. - Sara

Lo, a journalist for a travel magazine, gets a lucky break when she receives an assignment on a luxury cruise. Her ideal job turns into a nightmare when she believes she witnesses a body being thrown overboard in the night. However, all passengers are accounted for, and Lo finds herself an unlikely detective as she refuses to believe she imagined the murder. She is pushed to overcome her personal insecurities in order to solve a mystery that apparently does not exist. - Sara

The Expatriates interweaves the lives of three very different women who come to Hong Kong for various reasons but who are all bound together by each other’s choices. Mercy, a young woman struggling to find her place, makes a mistake that she discovers will define her. Margaret has trouble coping with a family tragedy. Hilary, a lonely housewife, cannot navigate the cultural differences. But together these women find strength, hope, and ultimately home, in this beautifully written novel.  —Sara