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cstucky2
"The Berry Pickers: A Novel" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Indigenous people from Nova Scotia, who annually journeyed to Maine to pick blueberries, are center stage in the page turner, “The Berry...
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Welcome to my favorites list — a continuation of “Novel Ideas,” a book review column I wrote for 18 years.
I’ll regularly suggest new books here, presented in a snappy new format.
These are the stories I’ll share when you ask, “read anything good lately?”
These are the books that have captivated me with well-drawn characters and plots that move like runaway trains.
Each favorite has a place of honor on my bookshelf, cherished friends I’m happy to suggest.
Page On! Enjoy!
cstucky2
- Nov 24
- 2 min
"The Little Liar" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
The cover of Mitch Albom’s newest book, “The Little Liar,” foreshadows its compelling narrative. Autumnal light fades into the sunset as...
28 views
cstucky2
- Nov 12
- 3 min
"Absolution: A Novel" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Alice McDermott offers readers a beautiful literary experience with her new novel “Absolution” a thought-provoking, nostalgic story set...
15 views
cstucky2
- Nov 7
- 2 min
"All the Light We Cannot See" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Memorable and literary, I had double the pleasure with “All the Light We Cannot See,” which I read and listened to when it was first...
10 views
cstucky2
- Nov 3
- 3 min
"The Woman In Me" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Shocked. That’s the reaction I got when I told my daughter I was listening to the new book by Britney Spears. Though this autobiography...
41 views
cstucky2
- Oct 3
- 2 min
"Night Watch" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
It’s 1874, a buckboard makes its way to an insane asylum in Weston, West Virginia. A Civil War veteran drives the wagon. Beside him is...
31 views
cstucky2
- Sep 25
- 2 min
"Bright Young Women" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
An engrossing blend of true crime and fiction makes “Bright Young Women,” by Jessica Knoll, a page turner that pulls you in as soon as...
32 views
cstucky2
- Sep 19
- 2 min
"Chenneville" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
I’ve been a Paulette Jiles fan since “Enemy Women” was published in 2002. Since then, Jiles has never disappointed, securing an abundant...
42 views
cstucky2
- Sep 12
- 2 min
"The Vaster Wilds" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
It begins with a daring, frigid escape in the wilds—a girl flees for her life, from those who would kill her on the spot or return her to...
31 views
cstucky2
- Sep 6
- 2 min
"Small Town Sins" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Locksburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for “Small Town Sins,” a gritty novel with an addictive storyline by Ken Jaworowski. The book...
26 views
cstucky2
- Aug 28
- 2 min
"Happiness Falls" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
The impetus behind Angie Kim’s new novel, “Happiness Falls,” can be traced to the difficulties she had adapting to a foreign culture when...
15 views
cstucky2
- Aug 20
- 2 min
"The English Experience"| Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
It’s been a while since I read a book that made me laugh out loud, but that’s what happened as I walked the Brit walk with Jason Fitger,...
40 views
cstucky2
- Aug 7
- 2 min
“The Connellys of County Down| Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
For over a year, Tara Connelly has been in Taconic Correctional, a medium security facility where she’s been a model prisoner. The day...
31 views
cstucky2
- Jul 20
- 2 min
"The Last Ranger" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Any reader who’s been to Yellowstone will revel in “The Last Ranger.” Author Peter Heller entices once again, adding another exciting...
33 views
cstucky2
- Jul 13
- 2 min
"The Art Thief" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
While fiction is my preferred genre, I do enjoy narrative non-fiction too— “Behind the Beautiful Forevers,” “Hidden Valley Road,” “Devil...
15 views
cstucky2
- Jun 29
- 2 min
"The Quiet Tenant" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
She’s been kept prisoner in the garden shed for five years, this woman he renames Rachel. He brings her food and water daily and uses her...
77 views
cstucky2
- Jun 26
- 2 min
"Banyan Moon" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Three generations of women narrate “Banyan Moon,” an immersive, heartfelt novel by Thao Thai. The matriarch of the story, Minh, is...
25 views
cstucky2
- Jun 6
- 2 min
"Crow Mary" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Author Kathleen Grisson found inspiration for her new novel “Crow Mary,” in 2000 when she visited Fort Walsh in Cypress Hills,...
24 views
cstucky2
- May 28
- 2 min
"The Book of Charlie" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Wise advice and delightful anecdotes abound in “The Book of Charlie: 109 Years in the Pursuit of Happiness.” This non-fiction read might...
50 views
cstucky2
- May 17
- 2 min
"The Guest" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Alex, the main character in Emma Cline’s immersive, addictive novel “The Guest,” has been staying at a Long Island beach house owned by...
21 views
cstucky2
- Apr 23
- 2 min
"The House is on Fire," | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
The Richmond, Virginia theater fire of December 26, 1911, caused a significant loss of life for a young United States of America....
34 views
cstucky2
- Apr 4
- 2 min
"The Lost Wife" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
“It is the summer of 1855, and you are free,” Sarah, the narrator of “The Lost Wife,” states with relief, at the beginning of a searing...
47 views
cstucky2
- Apr 1
- 2 min
"Earth's the Right Place for Love" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
The world would be a nicer place if there were more Arthur Masons around. Readers might remember Arthur from Elizabeth Berg’s novel “The...
50 views
cstucky2
- Mar 19
- 3 min
"Hello Beautiful" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
“Hello Beautiful,” by Ann Napolitano, is a heartfelt novel about four Chicago sisters and a young man who comes into their lives as a...
55 views
cstucky2
- Mar 15
- 2 min
"A Likely Story" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Author Leigh Abramson captivates in her new book “A Likely Story” laying bare the double-edged sword of notoriety, at once a blessing and...
27 views
cstucky2
- Mar 7
- 2 min
"The Crane Husband" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
I’ve long been a fan of author Kelly Barnhill because of her award-wining children’s books. “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” won the John...
26 views
cstucky2
- Feb 21
- 3 min
"The Lost Year" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
A good book is a good book no matter what age it’s intended for. That’s my philosophy. Often, I’m as enamored by a picture book with...
31 views
cstucky2
- Feb 1
- 2 min
"Decent People"| Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
It’s March 1976, and the small community of West Mills, North Carolina is in turmoil. Three well known Blacks from the same family have...
23 views
cstucky2
- Jan 10
- 3 min
"Age of Vice" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
It’s been a while since I’ve sunk my teeth into a book as gripping as “Age of Vice” by Deepit Kapoor. This 531-page novel, set in India...
67 views
cstucky2
- Dec 7, 2022
- 2 min
"The Light Pirate" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
We’re besieged with headlines about climate change and its effects—hurricane season starting earlier, lasting longer; catastrophic...
41 views
cstucky2
- Nov 1, 2022
- 2 min
"Meredith, Alone" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
In the contemporary novel “Meredith, Alone,” by Claire Alexander, the main character suffers mightily from anxiety, panic attacks and...
35 views
cstucky2
- Oct 25, 2022
- 3 min
"Paul Newman: The Extraordinary Life of An Ordinary Man" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
The title of this memoir couldn’t be more spot on. Paul Newman didn’t take kindly to his movie-star status, didn’t like the fuss about his...
28 views
cstucky2
- Oct 18, 2022
- 2 min
"Signal Fires" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
A horrific car wreck involving teenagers kicks off “Signal Fires” by Dani Shapiro, an immersive, beautifully constructed novel about how...
50 views
cstucky2
- Sep 22, 2022
- 2 min
"The Old Place: A Novel" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
It’s sublimely satisfying to finish a novel with a contented sigh. That’s exactly what I did after spending treasured time in fictional...
58 views
cstucky2
- Sep 14, 2022
- 2 min
"All That's Left Unsaid" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Tracey Lien’s intense debut, “All That’s Left Unsaid,” is a murder mystery with multiple themes—family, friendship, cultural assimilation...
68 views
cstucky2
- Sep 8, 2022
- 2 min
"The Marriage Portrait" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Eager to read a novel with exquisite plotting and richly drawn characters, related in a voice that’s detailed and atmospheric bringing...
46 views
cstucky2
- Aug 24, 2022
- 2 min
"Dirt Creek" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
The innocent voices of children ring painfully true as they endure family dysfunction, self-identify issues and deal with the loss of a...
43 views
cstucky2
- Aug 1, 2022
- 2 min
"Flying Solo" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Sick of the heat—need a light read set in Maine? I suggest “Flying Solo” a simple, yet charming tale about a woman who marches to a...
16 views
cstucky2
- Jul 21, 2022
- 2 min
"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Novel" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
One must caution against judging people, or books, based on their appearance or what one has heard about them. I almost refused a newly...
29 views
cstucky2
- Jul 11, 2022
- 2 min
"The It Girl" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
A master of mystery, author Ruth Ware has quite a following. Her newest, “The It Girl,” provides more fodder for her fans. It’s a tale of...
34 views
cstucky2
- Jul 6, 2022
- 3 min
"Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
There is historical fiction and then there is historical fiction. Some books in this genre can be read without a lot of focus, as mere...
49 views
cstucky2
- Jun 29, 2022
- 2 min
"The Angel of Rome" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Author Jess Walter has enjoyed great success with his novels “The Cold Millions,” (2020) and “Beautiful Ruins” (2012). He’s back wowing...
36 views
cstucky2
- Jun 22, 2022
- 2 min
"This Dark Road to Mercy" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Don’t miss the opportunity to meet best-selling author Wiley Cash this Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. at Washington Public Library. His...
23 views
cstucky2
- May 17, 2022
- 2 min
"Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
"Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance,” By Alison Espach, is a gripping, coming-of-age novel that peels back the layers of grief,...
17 views
cstucky2
- May 10, 2022
- 2 min
"Half Baked Harvest Every Day" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
While I don’t spend as much time in the kitchen as I did when our children were growing up, I’ve become an enthusiastic fan of Tieghan...
50 views
cstucky2
- Apr 10, 2022
- 3 min
"Shmuel's Bridge"| Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Former Fontbonne University English Professor and poet Jason Sommer has penned a searing, yet illuminating memoir certain to stay with...
28 views
cstucky2
- Mar 23, 2022
- 2 min
"The Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found"
Author Frank Bruni wasn’t overly concerned when he woke one morning feeling sluggish, the vision in his right eye blurry. Later in the...
19 views
cstucky2
- Mar 8, 2022
- 2 min
"In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Bestselling author Amy Bloom writes with courage and honesty in her poignant, thoughtful book “In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss.” The...
35 views
cstucky2
- Feb 27, 2022
- 2 min
"One Italian Summer: A Novel" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
Author Rebecca Serle’s new release “One Italian Summer” is an easy read set in Positano, an Italian city on the breathtaking Amalfi...
38 views
cstucky2
- Feb 21, 2022
- 2 min
"I Must Betray You" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider
There’s much to be learned in the heartfelt, illuminating thriller “I Must Betray You” by Ruta Sepetys. The award-winning author...
146 views
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