The Whispers

 

Title: The Whispers

Author: Audrey Audrain

Publisher: Penguin Audio

 
ISBN: n/a

 

Thoughts: At times, a very taut psychological domestic thriller, but I wish Audrain went deeper as it feels like she is holding something back, plus it would have been very helpful if the audio book had a different narrator for each woman.

Rating: 3/5

Finishing the Hat

 

Title: Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines, and Anecdotes

Author: Stephen Sondheim

Publisher: Knopf

 
ISBN: 9780679439073

 

Thoughts: This collection of the first half of Sondheim's oeuvre contains many insight into the world of Broadway from the 50s-70s.

Rating: 4/5

The Hillside

 

Title: The Hillside

Author: Jane Smiley

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

 
ISBN: 9781542041386

 

Thoughts: A futuristic story with a morality-tale feel that leaves a huge backstory to the imagination.

Rating: 3/5

Congratulations, the Best Is Over!

 

Title: Congratulations, the Best Is Over!

Author: R. Eric Thomas

Publisher: Random House Audio

 
ISBN: n/a

 

Thoughts: Very relatable humorous personal essays, that do focus a lot of Thomas's time during Covid.

Rating: 4/5

The King Tides

 

Title: The King Tides

Author: James Swain

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

 
ISBN: 9781503956698

 

Thoughts: This story, while it had a solid plot and decent characters, was very disjointed in the first half and second half felt like two different novels, although related, and the use of the king tides added nothing.

Rating: 2/5

Yellowface

 

Title: Yellowface

Author: R.F. Kuang

Publisher: The Borough Press

 
ISBN: n/a

 

Thoughts: This is a book that needs to be discussed because it touches on so many subjects and presents so many view points to those subjects, all while being highly engrossing.

Rating: 4/5

Tom Lake

 

Title: Tom Lake

Author: Ann Patchett

Publisher: HarperAudio

 
ISBN: n/a

 

Thoughts: Highly engaging memory novel that will appeal to family saga lovers and theatre geeks alike.

Rating: 4/5