The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

How I Came Across It... *I am a HUGE Wally Lamb fan. I was able to get an advanced copy of his latest novel via NetGalley. Even though I had read the E-Galley, I still wanted a hard copy for my at-home library. When the novel arrived on release day, I was surprised to see that it was an Oprah Book Club Selection. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *Father and husband Corby is having a difficult time in life.

*He has lost his job and is silently struggling with an addiction.

*After a horrific accident, Corby is sent to prison.

*While in prison, Corby not only learns a lot about himself, but that of the other prisoners.

*He tries to make the best of his time, but also worries about what he has left behind outside the prison walls.

What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *Because I'm such a fan of Wally Lamb novels, I was extremely excited to read his newest work of fiction. It had been many years since he had published something.

*When I began the novel, I noticed the writing was different from what I had come to know of Wally.

*The story line wasn't as deep, the writing wasn't as detailed, and the character development wasn't quite there.

*When I compared it to his other novels, I thought it fell short. When I compared the story to itself, I thought it was a decent story.

*There were moments of heartbreak, but overall the story wasn't what I was hoping for. But I'm certainly glad I read it and have another Wally Lamb novel in my collection. Who Should Read It... *If you have not read any previous novels by Wally, you will definitely find this story satisfying and enjoyable. If you have read his other books, you may be a bit disappointed that it doesn't measure up to "She's Come Undone", "I Know This Much Is True", and "The Hour I First Believed". Happy Reading!

Rating... 4 out of 5 stars

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

How I Came Across It... *I always love to see what Oprah is going to pick for her book club selections. Sometimes I'm on board and sometimes I take a pass. After hearing her describe this novel and watching her book club Podcast with the author, I bought myself a copy of the book. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *Hai is nineteen years old and wants to end his life.

*Grazina is an elderly woman who saves Hai from making a horrific decision.

*After spending some time together, Grazina invites Hai to stay with her for a period of time.

*Hai gets himself a job at the local store/restaurant and meets a variety of locals who have a profound impact on him.

*Grazina leans on Hai and Hai leans on Grazina. A alternating relationship.

What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *I was a little nervous going into the story because I thought it would be "above" my head.

*I found myself enjoying the start of the novel and reading about how the two main characters came to know each other.

*The story slowed down a bit and not much happened.

*This was definitely a story about "regular" people leading "regular" lives.

*The most powerful aspect of the story was the relationship between Grazina and Hai. Who Should Read It... *Readers of rich, strong, and highly praised literature, will definitely want to check out Ocean Vuong's second novel. While there might not be a lot of "action", you will definitely get to know the characters and feel what they are going through. Happy Reading! Rating... 3 out of 5 stars

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

How I Came Across It... *I'm actually not sure where or when I heard about this novel published for adults. There must have been some good reviews for me to buy a physical hard cover of the book. I finished it earlier this spring. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *Ryan and Lillian Bright seem to have it all; marriage, child, and love.

*Lillian has a secret she is keeping from Ryan.

*Ryan has a secret he is keeping from Lillian.

*As Ryan and Lillian's daughter grows up, she begins to distance herself from her parents and the life they created.

*When a "stranger" shows up, the daughter must not only face her past, but the truths about her family.

What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *Overall, I found the plot to be quite slow and had some moments when I struggled with continuing.

*The writing was beautiful and the characters were well developed.

*Because of the pace, I found myself skimming and scanning throughout the story.

*I just think the subject matter and pacing, wasn't for me personally.

*As I was writing this review, I did find many readers out there found this to be a strong and powerful. Who Should Read It... *I'm not sure? I know the story wasn't for me, but as I stated, many readers online have given this book rave reviews and high marks. If you enjoy character driven stories with beautiful prose, then his definitely might be the story for you. Happy Reading! Rating... 3 out of 5 stars

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

How I Came Across It... *I follow "Jordy's Book Club" on Instagram. Each month he announces a book club selection. A few months ago, he announced this book as a selection. I ordered a copy of the book and started reading. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *The Year is 1970 and the setting is St. Augustine, Florida.

*There is a home there called "Wellwood House" which takes in wayward girls.

*All the girls there have one thing in common: they are all pregnant and not married.

*One girl named Fern arrives and is young, scared, and feeling very alone.

*She meets the other girls, a unique librarian, and discovers a book about witchcraft. What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *The story started strong and grabbed my attention right away.

*I was born in 1967 so the time frame was my childhood and I could feel how disgraced people made these young girls feel.

*As I read, it was interesting to get to know the variety of young girls at had been sent to the home.

*There were times when I lost interest in the story, but I kept going and overall, I'm glad I did.

*I'm not always a fan of magic/fantasy, but I didn't mind it in this story. Who Should Read It... *I think most adult readers would enjoy the novel and take something away from the story. Overall, I would describe it as fiction, but of course there are sprinkles of magic and fantasy throughout the plot. So readers who gravitate toward that genre, would definitely enjoy the story. Happy Reading! Rating... 3 out of 5 stars

The Names by Florence Knapp

How I Came Across It... *I first head of the novel when Jenna Bush announced it as a book club selection. I put it on my TBR list. I then saw it pop up on a variety of "must-read" lists from people I follow on social media. I downloaded the title via Audible and listened to the story for my final commuting days of the school year. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *The story begins with mother Cora, along with her young daughter Maia, heading to register her newborn son's name.

*When it comes time to give the name of her son, Cora isn't quite sure what she should do.

*She knows her controlling husband wants to continue the tradition of naming the boys, Gordon.

*She asks her young daughter what she would name the baby. She responds with Bear.

*Cora, herself, has always loved the name Julian. The story continues in three parts telling the story of the family spanning years and telling what happened to each of them based on the name that was given to the baby boy. What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *What an interesting premise. What would our life be like based on our names.

*I enjoyed the beginning of the novel when I got to know Cora, her daughter, and the "evil" husband Gordan.

*Once the novel spread out into three sections, I became a bit less interested in the story.

*There were times I was confused on the time frame and what was going on with the son, based on which name was being covered.

*There were some difficult scenes throughout the novel dealing with domestic abuse.

Who Should Read It... *I know lots of readers out there who are raving about the novel and storyline. It wasn't necessarily for me, but I know it was well-written and gives the reader lots to think about. Readers who enjoy a "sliding doors" type of story, will definitely be satisfied with the novel. Happy Reading! Rating... 3 out of 5 stars

The Incorruptibles by Lauren Magaziner

How I Came Across It... *This middle-grade novel came to me via Aladdin/Simon & Schuster. I'm not always a reader of fantasy, but I'm trying expand my reading tastes so this was the perfect story to start with. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *The story begins with the main character, Fiora, living with her uncle after she lost both her parents.

*Fiora's uncle is a tailor and able to create "magical" capes in his shop.

*When Fiora must venture out for a dangerous "task", she is confronted by the other side of her society.

*After a dangerous interaction with the sorcerers, Fiora finds herself attending a new academy, but not everyone there is happy she is there.

*Will the "Incorruptibles" be able to help Fiora and get the answers she is looking for, or will the new life change her forever. What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *The story starts strong and grabbed my attention right away.

*I liked that the author didn't wait for chapter upon chapter to get the action going.

*Fiona started her adventure on page one and didn't let up until the concluding scene.

*Although I'm not a fan of fantasy, as I read I knew that young readers would love this story.

*The writing was clear, crisp, and flowed from page to page.

Who Should Read It... *This middle-grade novel is perfect for fans of fantasy, adventure, and mystery stories. The novel is longer at almost 400 pages so I would say it is geared toward readers in grades five, six, and middle-school students. It is the first of a new series, so readers will be excited to continue the adventure in the second novel. Happy Reading! Rating... 4 out of 5 stars