Disaster Falls by Stéphane Gerson 306.85 Ger

This is not a long book but it took me a long, long time to read it.  That has nothing to do with the quality of the book.  It is a well-written book.  It was an interesting book.  It is, however, a very painful book to read.  Stephane, his wife Alison, sons Julian and Owen were on vacation and having a wonderful time on a rafting trip on the Green River in Utah.  In the middle of the trip there is an accident.

This book is the telling of how a family tries to survive a tragedy.  No two people grieve the same.  No two deaths are the same.  Gerson also talks about how others react to the tragedy - classmates, their community, society and even their parents.

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Stars Over Clear Lake by Loretta Ellsworth FIC Ell

Loved this book!  The Clear Lake in the title is "our" Clear Lake!  I always enjoy reading books that take place in Iowa.  The book opens with Lorraine Kindred returning to the Surf Ballroom - to the place that held so many memories for her.  It was the place of her youth where she spent magical evenings.  It is the place that holds secrets that she has held on to for decades.  Part of the book tells us about the life of that young girl.  It is the time of World War II and her adored older brother has signed up and is getting ready to leave.  Her mother is sent into a downward spiral of depression.  It is mostly her son's absence but also because her husband has signed up to have German POWs come from the POW camp in Altoona.  Without their help he will never be able to keep the farm going.  Lorraine tries to do some of her mother's undone chores even though she has her own to do.  One thing she did was to take food out to her father and the POW's and as time went by they seemed less like the enemy and more like regular young men.

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Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline FIC Sco

Scottoline never fails to entertain.  In this novel Christine and her husband, Marcus, are like many couples who are trying to have a baby with no results.  When tests are done they find out that the problem is with Marcus.  In hopes that they could still have a family they are working with a fertility clinic and plan to try a donor.  The donor is chosen by the perspective parents by going online and choosing one from many.  The donors are listed with a number and information (physical, family, personality, etc.)  along with two pictures - one as an adult and the other as a child.  They chose one and now Christine is two months along and wrapping up the school year as a grade-school teacher.  The sadness of leaving her job that day is replaced with the happiness of a surprise baby shower.  Even Marcus is there.

But then, Christine is shocked by a report on tv that a man has been arrested for the murder of several women.  Why is she shocked?  She thinks he looks exactly like her donor.  Although her best friend and her husband try to convince her that she is wrong, Christine can't let it go.  And so she will do whatever is necessary to find out if that man in jail is the biological father of her baby.  And that decision may be at the cost of her marriage.

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Beartown by Fredrick Backman FIC Bac

Backman is definitely one of my favorite authors!  In earlier books I was taken in by the quirky characters.  I often smiled and sometimes laughed.  There are some characters in this book who might be described as quirky - but in a different way.   When I finished this book I decided this one was about cultures - the culture of families, the culture of a small town and most importantly the culture of sports.

Beartown is surrounded by a forest.  It has shrunk over the years during hard times as many young people choose to leave.  But it is possible that everything can turn around!  The weight of that possibility is squarely on the shoulders of teenaged boys.  These boys are on the verge of winning a national championship.  Just one game left to win before that can happen.

Beartown is all about hockey - the young, the old, the men, the women - all live for the sport of hockey.  The hockey club is an important group in the town.  They basically run it and always have lots of unsolicited advice for the employees of the club.  The general manager of the club (a former superstar of Beartown) and the coaches are always under a great deal of stress.

Don't worry about this being filled with play-by-play accounts of hockey games!  It is about the people.  The young players and the adults.....and of course about this small isolated community who needs to win a championship.
    (I listened to the audiobook - it was excellent!)

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A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell FIC Bel

This is one of those domestic thrillers.  Stephanie left the city life to return to live in the suburbs because Davis, her husband, was insistent that it was the place to raise their son, Miles.  But that happy scenario didn't last long. Davis was killed in a car accident along with her brother, Chris.  Her life became one of caring for Miles, writing a successful blog (mostly about mothering), and trying to dig her way out of grief.

Things begin to look up when Stephanie meets Emily at the school when both are waiting to pick up their sons.  Turns out that Miles and Emily's son Nicky are best of friends at school.  And soon the mothers are best friends.  Emily has a high powered job in the city working for a fashion house.  Stephanie steps up to help Emily with Nicky, often picking him up after school and keeping him until Sean (Nicky's dad) or Stephanie gets home.

One day Stephanie doesn't come to pick up Nicky.  As the hours pass she puts both boys to bed and then tries to contact Sean, Emily's husband.  He says she went on a business trip.  Really? Then why did Emily tell Stephanie she would just be a little late.

I was entertained as the story took lots of twists and turns on the way to an unexpected conclusion.   And by the way, Ms. Bell was born and raised in western Iowa on a farm!  This is her first novel.  I will keep my eyes open for the next one!

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