2025 Book Review #42: Someone We Know

 

My sister Joy has read a couple of this author's books. I never had.  Saw this in the library last week and thought it sounded interesting.  I probably won't read any more of hers. 

STORY SUMMARY

In a suburb downstate in the Hudson Valley of New York (the author calls it upstate.....we here in the Capital District would say downstate), there is a quiet suburban town called Aylesford. (a fictional town for NYS but there is one in Nova Scotia!) 

Alyesford is small and the neighborhood that Olivia and her husband Paul live in is one in which just about everyone knows everyone else. Olivia and Paul have a son named Raleigh.  He is 16 yrs old and good friends with two other teen boys, Mark and Adam.  Adam tends to get drunk a lot and this bothers his mother Glenda who is best friends with Olivia. Glenda and her husband Keith spend a lot of time with Olivia and Paul and they are very close. But.....every family has secrets. 

Not much ever really happens in the small town....until it does. 

A teenager has been breaking into the neighborhood homes and hacking into personal computers. He has learned many of their secrets. 

Which teen boy is doing this and what might he have learned or uncovered? 

Soon, two anonymous letters show up at two of the homes the teen boy has broken into.  Now suspicions begin to fly and whispers start to circulate. 

Then....a rather new to the area woman goes missing. The woman's name is Amanda Pierce and her husband Robert reports her missing after she doesn't return from a supposed shopping trip with her friend Caroline to NYC. The police begin to question Robert.  Then a few days later, her car is found in a lake up in the Catskills and her body is found in the trunk.  She has been brutally beaten and murdered. 

Robert is of course the police's first suspect.   

But......the police soon learn that Amanda has been having not just one affair but possibly several. 

Or has she??  

How far will these very nice suburban people go to protect one of their own?  Who really killed Amanda? and why? 

MY THOUGHTS

This book started boring me about half way through as I kept feeling like I had already guessed who did it (I was correct!) and much of the plot seemed redundant. 

It's an okay mystery but I've honestly read much more exciting "who dun it" stories. 

There's quite a few characters to keep track of although it wasn't cumbersome to do so. 

I found no editing errors in the story and there wasn't all that much crass language. 

The main themes in the book seem to be: parent-child relationships; friendships; marital strife and adultery; deception/lies; betrayal; mistrust; dishonesty; underage drinking; computer hacking; breaking and entering; murder. 

I did like the character development and setting. Each character has flaws but also many strengths. One big flaw is that they all assume they know each other and yet...they really don't. This is very typical I think of modern society.  As in: how well do we really know our neighbors?? 

The ending was the best part. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 7.

End of August Faves

 

It's the end of August and it's been a beautiful week of perfect Summer temps, although many folks have told me it's "too chilly".  Nope. I'm loving the temps in the 60s and 70s.  It's my fave. 

Along with the weather, I'm also thankful for FIVE other blessings God brought into my life this week. I'm linking up with other thankful bloggers to share our list at Susanne's site. Head on over here to join in! 

our destination: the top of this fire tower on the top of Vanderwhacker Mt 
photo is from my first time up in Autumn 2014

• MOUNTAIN HIKE: I only had 2 other SoulSteps members sign up for our climb up Vanderwhacker Mountain which stands at 3, 389 feet tall so our highest mountain so far to climb as a group.  The hike was last Saturday and it was the perfect weather for it. When we arrived at the trailhead which is 2.5 miles in from a main road along a very remote dirt road, it was only 57 degrees F.  We began hiking at about 10:30 AM.  It warmed up to 74 when we were done with the hike around 3:30 pm. It was my third time to climb this mountain and yes, it was a tad bit tougher now that I'm in my 60s. But we all made it!  Below are just two of my fave photos from the day. I'm thankful I got to know Evelyn more, and that my friend Ping could get away for the day and enjoy a mountain hike. 

the High Peaks of the Adirondacks
seen from the summit of Vanderwhacker Mt
which is in the central region of the ADK 

Ping, Faith (me), Evelyn...she's the mom of my oldest daughter's bf!
At the start of the trail up Vanderwhacker Mt 
photo used with permission

Rocky Sweet Melon 
looks like cantaloupe on the outside
looks like honeydew on the inside
tastes less sweet than honeydew
here in the states it tends to come from CA

Clean eating with lemon dill hummus
on garlic naan, farm fresh tomatoes, homegrown basil
and  juicy fresh raspberries
plus some sharp cheddar cheese

• FRESH PRODUCE!  We have been enjoying Rocky Sweet Melon (new to Dave and I) for breakfast and dinner.  I've been enjoying using up some lemon-dill hummus on garlic naan with tomatoes from a local farm and the basil I've grown in a pot on my deck.  The raspberries were found at the local grocery store and have been particularly good this month. I love a simple lunch packed full of good produce and am thankful for the abundance of fresh veggies and fruit grown right here in NYS. 

Tyler and Courtney 

cause summer isn't summer until you've had another s'more

• BONFIRE NIGHT:  Last Friday evening, Dave invited his good friend and, work  colleague, Peter over for drinks and a bonfire and we also invited our oldest daughter and her boyfriend, and our youngest daughter. Youngest daughter said she just wanted to go home and "chill out" after working all day and another friend I had invited over with her hubby, couldn't make it.  We ended up having a really good time although I had to leave the backyard by 10:30 since I was hiking a pretty tough mountain the next day and had to be up at 5 AM. We made s'mores for only the 2nd time this summer due to July being so hot and humid that no one felt like sitting around a bonfire.  But last Friday night the temps were perfect for this activity.  Plus, we burned more brush that Dave had collected all summer. I'm thankful that everyone had a great time and that we could get to know Tyler a bit more. 

Beginning of my power walk
Wednesday 27 August

love this display near the entrance
 to the Veterans Memorial

The meadow area of the park 
you can see the brown grass and the fact we need rain!

last part of my walk through the woods
and back to my car

• MORNING WALKS:  I've been loving this weather so much and have been able to do a good power walk of 2 miles or 2+ miles every morning this week except yesterday when I had a day to rest and recover.  One of my fave places to walk is our big park in the south part of the town.  Click here to read about it.  Our youngest daughter was only 4 years old when the park officially opened in 2003.  We used to bring the girls to the playground and bring all the bikes to ride the bike paths.  Now, I'm really the only one in the family who goes to either walk alone or to meet friends there for a good power walk. Again, the weather was perfect for getting my heart rate up and although I did get sweaty, it wasn't because of the high heat and humidity!  I'm thankful the weather has cooled down and is more "early Autumn" like in the mornings. 

• LAKE DAY:  Yesterday was downright  chilly first thing in the morning. I had coffee, watched a few minutes of The Today Show, had breakfast, read Scripture, and then got ready to spend the bulk of the day with my sister Joy at one of our fave mountain lake beaches.  I  quickly packed a bag with swimsuit, water, towel, sunscreen and a book. We ended up getting two of the ADK chairs provided by the town on the beach as there were only 2 other people when we got there. The lake water was warmer than the air! We talked; I walked up the Main street a half mile away to do some browsing in one of the stores and then grab a maple latte at this fave place.  Walked back to the beach with the coffee; chatted some more, decided the air was too chilly to swim (it never got past 70 while we were there....but the sun was nice....). We both left around 1:30 and I was home by 3: 30 after stopping for an ice cream at another fave place.  They can mix soft serve flavors so I chose a rather decadent one: chocolate orange. I couldn't finish the whole thing but it was a nice splurge and we hadn't eaten lunch so I justified it. 😁 I'm thankful we had good conversation and nice sunshine for the day. I'm thankful too for being able to savor these summer days. 

Schroon Lake
East-Central ADK
28 August

That wraps up my fave blessings from the week.  

In light of the horrible school shooting on Wednesday morning, I did pray for all the families and teachers/staff involved.  My heart broke and I was very sad to the point of tears when I saw the news and heard 2 children had been killed and more wounded. Im thankful I can pray for people and although it seems like a small thing, prayer is powerful.  Now to pray for much stricter gun control laws!! But I won't get into that here..........💔

I hope you all have a safe and healthy long holiday weekend (Labory Day here in the States). 

Are You Yoked with Him?

 

I've been meditating on this portion of Scripture the last few days. 

A friend of mine who is putting together a devotional, wanted someone to write a short piece centered around these verses. I volunteered.  

I started to think about how we are yoked with Jesus when we choose to walk with Him.  This means we are committed to Him...it's a binding relationship. A yoke, from what I understand, is a wooden beam that joins two animals...often oxen...together. One pulls though....one bears the greater burden.  This is symbolic of our yoke with Jesus. We work together with Him. 

When we give Him our burdens, we are allowing Him to guide us through it. We learn from Jesus to be at rest and in that rest comes peace. It's a trust issue as well. 

It made me think recently of the burden of my backpack on a mountain hike. Our destination was the fire tower on the summit of a mountain that stands at just under 3400 feet in elevation.  It has a rather steep ascent for the last mile of the 2.8 mile hike up. The ascent wasn't the issue for me this time..my third time climbing the mountain in the last 15 years.  Rather, it was the flat part of the trail.  Why? because there was a very large tree, along with a shorter tree, lying directly across the trail.  Both were old large pines. The trunks were so massive I couldn't get my leg up and over the larger one. 

You can see me in the photo below trying to get up and over that 2nd tree.  I ended up having to sit, swing my legs over, and then all was fine while I bushwhacked through waist high brush to get back on the trail about 800 yards away on the right. My new hiking member Evelyn had offered to take my pack.  She would have lightened my load so to speak.  I didn't take her up on the offer but I did appreciate knowing she had me covered in case I needed her help. 

I had to slow way down, say a quick prayer that we wouldn't lose the trail, and trust that our instincts were correct.  However, I was also trusting God to lead us!  Knowing that 2 friends were behind me also helped.  

and just like my friends and I were cheering each on......so too does the Lord cheer us on through our trials and burdens.  

on the Vanderwhacker Mt trail 

Jesus is always there to guide us, help us and lead us, isn't He?  We just need to ask!  

How do we learn to trust Jesus to take our burdens?

By being in His Presence daily.  Talking with Him in prayer and meditation. 

Reading the Scriptures. 

Although we all have "yokes to bear"....our burdens are lifted when we give them over to the One who can carry them for us.  We can rejoice in that assurance!

Just like my hiking friends and I rejoiced when we got to the top of that mountain fire tower! 

Ping, me, Evelyn
on the summit of Vanderwhacker Mt in the fire tower
Central ADK 

2025 Book Review #41: Burning Marguerite

 

A former teaching colleague of mine recommended this book.  WOW. It's a deep one. Really good. 

Sad, humorous in spots, serious, profound. 

STORY SUMMARY

James Jack Wright wakes up one morning in the deep chill of winter and a snowy one, only to find 94 yr old Marguerite Deo lying dead in the woods outside his cabin. 

He begins to confront the mystery of her death:  why would his "Tante" who watched him grow up and actually took him in at age 4 after his parents drowned, walk out into the frigid winter night? 

What was her life like before she settled on the island off the coast of New England? She spent the beginning of her life in New Orleans during the depression and World War Two. Her life was one of secrets and a horrible crime. 

But her happiest times was spent caring for James Jack and their special bond.  A bond that deepens after the terrible accident that took his parents and changed both of their lives forever. 

What exactly happened to Marguerite in her teen years?? 

And what was her last wish?? 

MY THOUGHTS

This is a powerful look at family. It's an excellent literary work. 

The main themes seem to be: forbidden love, racism, secrets, trauma, mother-child relationships; loyalty, loss, betrayal, murder, forced abortion, love, hatred.  

The story is about how love shapes lives.

But it also shows how hatred and racism shapes lives. 

The story is told in the voice of Marguerite and her memory and also in the voice of James Jack. 

It's a bit stark.....but there's a kind of poetic beauty about this novel as well. 

I loved that it is different from most books I choose from the library.  It was the author's debut novel in 2002.

There seems to be some symbolism between fire and ice as well. 

It's very thought provoking, and left me feeling sad but satisfied if that makes sense. I felt some tension in this book that the ending diffused and then a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It's very deep and profound.

This would make a good novel for an advanced literature class.

I found no editing errors.  I also loved that there were no F bombs or crass language. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.