I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

Description
With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal—this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world


This is mainly the story of twin brothers, one who is in and out of institutions due to mental illness, and one who feels he must always look after him and protect him as best he can.
I very much enjoyed the first part of the book which kind of bounced back and forth between the here and now, and flash backs to when the boys were growing up with an abusive step father and a mom who was basically afraid of her own shadow, Towards the middle and into the last half when much of the book was taken over by memoirs written by the long dead grandfather my enjoyment began to wane a bit. I also would have liked less psycho babble from the drawn out visits with the psychiatrist who was constantly asking for things (Americanisms ) to be explained. Although some of the secrets revealed in the grandfather's memoirs were pertinent to the story, I really feel this story could have been better told in 700 or so pages instead of needlessly dragged out into 900.
I would rate it 4 of 5 stars.

Dastardly Bastard by Edward Lorn

Description

When war photographer Mark Simmons is sent to do a promo on Waverly Chasm, he assumes it’s a puff piece, a waste of his talents.

Widow Marsha Lake brings her son, Lyle, to help him heal after his father’s death.

Donald Adams, aka H.R. Chatmon, joins the tour to get away from a sticky situation.

Justine McCarthy consents to the hike to placate her boyfriend, Trevor.

For Jaleel Warner, the tour guide, walking the chasm is just part of his job.

Each of these people must face their darkest memories in order to discover and defeat the secret buried in Waverly Chasm.

Dastardly Bastard by Edward Lorn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure what to expect from the description but having read and enjoyed another book by the author (Life After Dane) I decided to give it a chance.
With an eclectic cast of quirky characters it really held my attention right from the start. I love horror with a dose of humor thrown in and that is exactly what this book delivers.
There are some strange and spooky happenings before Justine and Trevor even arrive to tour Waverly Chasm, and Mark had a humorous time getting there. The adventures of this plus sized reporter had just while renting a car had me laughing one minute and gave me goose bumps the next.

I received a complimentary copy for review

When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker

Description

Dear Luke,
First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you…
Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home.
The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.


I was in the mood for a good cry when I picked up this book, but what sounded like another Tear-Jerker was surprisingly much more.  When Luke is left to raise his children alone after the untimely death of his wife he is totally lost without her. Suddenly letters begin to mysteriously appear written by his wife before her death, but who is sending them? Her best friend claims no knowledge of them but she is keeping secrets too. Luke begins to suspect his wife had secrets from him and what he uncovers is not at all what I was expecting. There are lots of twists and turns in this well told tale.

I received an advance copy for review

A Note From the Publisher

Emily Bleeker is a former educator who learned to love writing while teaching her students’ writer’s workshop. After surviving a battle with a rare form of cancer, she finally found the courage to share her stories, starting with her debut novel, Wreckage. A fully recovered “secret writer,” Emily now spends her days wrangling four kids while planning out plotlines and writing about the people in her head. She currently lives with her family in suburban Chicago.

Castles in the Air by Alison Ripley Cubitt

Description

An eight-year-old child witnesses her mother's secret and knows that from that moment life will never be the same.

After Molly, her mother dies, Alison uses her legacy to make a film about Molly's relationship with a man she had known since she was a teenager. What hold did this man have over her mother? And what other secrets was her mother hiding?

Castles in the Air follows the life of Molly Ripley through the eyes of her daughter Alison. From Molly’s childhood in colonial Hong Kong and Malaya; wartime adventures as a rookie office girl in the far east outpost of Bletchley Park then as a young nurse in the city; tangled romance and marriage… to her challenging middle-age when demons from the past seem set to overwhelm her.

The writer in Alison can't stop until she reveals the story of Molly's past. But as a daughter, does she have the courage to face up to the uncomfortable truths of Molly's seemingly ordinary life?

As she unravels the private self that Molly kept secret, Alison realizes that she is trying to find herself through her mother's story. By trying to make sense of the past, can she move on with her future?

Honest yet unsentimental and told with abundant love and compassion, this is a profoundly moving portrait of a woman’s life, hopes and dreams. We learn not only about Molly, but about mothers and daughters, secrets and love. A story for readers struggling to come to terms with the trauma of losing loved ones. 

 

 The description intrigued me. I love both fiction and non fiction from this time period so I read through this memoir in a single night.  After a young girl witnesses what was meant to be a private moment she begins to question how much she really knows about her mother Molly.
The story of Molly's life is told partly through letters and diaries, and a ship's log type journal. It was a bit disjointed at times but worth a read.

 

I received a complimentary copy for review.