If Cats Disappeared from the World

Author: Genki Kawamura
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Flatiron Books, 2019
Pages: 176
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: The young postman's days are numbered. Estranged from his family and living alone with only his cat, Cabbage, to keep him company, he was unprepared for the doctor's diagnosis that he had only months to live. But before he can tackle his bucket list, the devil shows up to make him an offer: In exchange for making on thing in the world disappear, the postman will be granted one extra day of life. And so begins a very strange week that bring the young postman and his beloved cat to the brink of existence.

With each object that disappears, the postman reflec
ts on the life he's lived, his joys and regrets, and the people he's loved and lost.

Review: I liked this book, but I didn't have any revelations while reading as it seems many other have. Quick read, well worth the time.

The Dilemma

Author: B. A. Paris
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2020
Pages: 352
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: It's Livia's 40th birthday, and her husband Adam is throwing her the party of a lifetime to make up fort he wedding they never had. Everyone who leves will be there, except her daughter Marnie, who's studying abroad. But Livia is secretly glad Marnie won't be there.

Livia has recently uncovered a secret about their daughter which, if revealed, will shake the foundation of their family to its core. She needs to tell Adam, but she's waiting until the party is over so they can have their last happy time together.

Adam, meanwhile, has his own surprise for Livia: he's arranged for Marnie to secretly fly back for the party. But before Marnia arrives, Adam hears some terrible news. Now he too is faced with a dilemma: Does he share what he's learned with his wife? Is hiding the truth the same as telling a lie? And how far are Adam and Livia willing to go to protect the ones they love-and give each other a last few hours of happiness?

Review: My journey with B. A. Paris: I loved Behind Closed Doors. The Breakdown was a let down. I thought maybe Bring Me Back would be her come back, but no.

The Dilemma is so good. Not quite five stars, but darn close. I really enjoyed this. It's family drama with the same sort of tension you mind in thrillers.

The Art of Her Deal

Author: Mary Jordan

Genre: Biography

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2020

Pages: 352
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Based on interviews with more than one hundred people in five countries, The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump draws and unprecedented portrait of the first lady. While her public image is of an aloof woman floating above the political gamesmanship of Washington, behind the scenes Melania Trump is not only part of President Trump's inner circle, but for some key decisions she has been hissingle most influential advisor.

Throughout her public life, Melania Trump has purposefully worked to remain mysterious. With the help of key people speaking publicly for the first time and never-before-seen documents and tapes, The Art of Her Deal looks before she met Donald Trump. Mary Jordan traces Melania's journey from Slovenia, where her family stood out for their noncorformity, to her days as a fledgling model know for steering clear of the industry's hard-partying scene, to a tiny living space in Manhattan she shared platonically with a male photographer, to the long, complicated dating dance that finally resulted in her marriage to Trump. Jordan documents Melania's key role in Trump's political life before and at the White House, and shows why he trust her instincts above all.

The picture of Melania Trump that emerges in The Art of Her Deal is one of a woman who is savvy, steeling, ambitious, deliberate, and who plays the long game. And while it is her husband who became famous for the phrase, "the art of the deal," it is she who has consistently used her leverage to get exactly what she wants. This is the story of her art of the deal.

 

Review: Melania is interesting to me, and partly because she is rather mysterious. This author didn't dig up any dirt on her, and took a non-biased approach in discussing. I didn't expect any earth-shattering revelations, and there weren't any. Melania is a smart lady, stands on her own two feet, and she and Trump are well-suited. That was my take-away.

Aly's House

Author: Leila Meacham

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2016 (originally published in 1985)

Pages: 224

Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: A tender, classic love story about the power of first love and the promise of a second chance. . .

Aly Kingston has only ever loved one man, Marshall Wayne. But she put all those childish dreams behind her ages ago when the Waynes left town. Her father's victory at foreclosing on the Wayne family farm, the betrayal written all over Marshall's face-it all lingers in her mind and in her heart. But now, years later, when he comes back home to Claiborne, Aly realizes so much has changed since Marshall's been away. . .and so much remains the same.

Seeing Aly again surprises Marshall Wayne. Gone is the gangly girl who followed him around. In her place is a beautiful woman with warmth and sensititivity, someone who makes him want to believe in love again. But Marshall is back home for one reason and one reason alone: to get revenge on the man who destroyed his family and to reclaim what rightfully belongs to him. 

As the past and the present collide, will Aly lose her heart to the man who's plotting to destroy her family? Or can she show Marshall that love runs deeper than vengeance?

Review: I devoured this Leila Meacham book. It wasn't one of my faves, but I just love her writing style. Granted, this is a much earlier novel, I believe her second, and it reflects the 1980s in time and place, but it's still enjoyable. In fact, it's interesting to see how readers' tastes and expectations have changed.