Finding Chika

 
“Finding Chika” by Mitch Albom
Published by Harper
 
I don’t normally review audio books but I’m making an exception for this one.  If you need a book that will make you cry, this is it.  When Haiti suffered a crippling earthquake in 2010, many children lost parents or had parents that could no longer take care of them.  Mitch Albom stepped up and helped finance the rebuilding of an orphanage in Port-au-Prince to help house and care for some of these children.  In 2015, one of the orphans, Chika, was in need of medical testing that wasn’t available anywhere in Haiti, so he brought her home to Michigan.  Unfortunately, it was found that she had an uncurable form of brain cancer and given 4 months to live.  Mitch and his wife became her legal guardians, got her treatments, and took care of her until she died 2 years later at the age of 7.  This is their story.
 
I recommend the audio version because he has included snippets of recordings of Chika that will put a smile on your face.  However, please know that if you decide to buy the book, all author profits go to his Haitian foundation.
 
Finished 4/9/26 – 5/5 stars
 
#findingchika #mitchalbom #harper

A Town Called Solace

 
“A Town Called Solace” by Mary Lawson
Published by Alfred A Knopf Canada
 
This story is full of dysfunctional characters and I loved them all, especially 8 year old Clara and her former neighbor, Mrs. Orchard.  It is beautifully heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.  Overall, I’d call it a quick feel-good book that’s an easy read.  Nothing outstanding….just a good read.  I do recommend it and think it would make a good pallet cleanser after a tough read.
 
Finished 4/8/26 – 3.5/5 stars
 
#atowncalledsolace #marylawson #alfredaknopfcanada

Blake Cake

 
“Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson
Published by Ballantine Books
 
This is a fabulous multi-generational family drama told in dual timelines, full of culture with a little historical fiction thrown in as well.  What’s not to love?  It’s not my first Charmain Wilkerson book – I LOVED Good Dirt, but this was her first, her debut novel.   I find her to be quite a talented writer.  What she gives us in her storytelling is fabulous.  I wouldn’t say it’s the main focus of this book by any means, but I love how she gracefully shows the different racial cultures and blatant racism across both time and locations, spanning decades and multiple countries from the Caribbean, to the UK, and of course, to the United States.  She also puts emphasis on not holding family grudges – don’t wait until it’s too late to put aside family differences.  Keep the communication lines open to allow space and opportunity to possibly come back together one day.  The loss of not doing so is strongly felt in this book.  And yet, I found it to be a feel-good book that will warm your heart.  I definitely recommend it.
 
Finished 4/5/26 – 5/5 stars
 
#blackcake #charmainewilkerson #ballantinebooks #5starreads

Invisible Girl

 

“Invisible Girl” by Lisa Jewell
Published by Atria Books
 
This book had some decent twists and the story itself was good, but it was so slow and so repetitive.  I know when there are multiple POVs some scenes do get repeated but that’s because you need the other person’s side of the story.  In this instance, it was too much and slowed it down.  If I hadn’t been reading it for a challenge, I would have DNF’d it.  It just didn’t hold my interest.  It has a decent average rating in GoodReads though so maybe it’s just me.
 
Finished 3/27/26 – 2.5/5 stars

Like Mother, Like Daughter

“Like Mother, Life Daughter” by Kimberly McCreight
Published by Alfred A Knopf
 
I thought this book was just OK.  I think the concept was good, but there was just too much of it that felt unrealistic.  I’m one of those readers that doesn’t like fantasy because I have a hard time letting go of reality while I read.  And in this book, some things that happen and some choices that are made just don’t feel like things that would happen in real life.  So, it very well could be that plenty of people would enjoy this book more than I did.  But for me, it was just OK.
 
Finished 3/22/26 – 3/5 stars
 

Where the Truth Lies

 
“Where the Truth Lies” by Katherine Greene
Published by Crooked Lane Books
 
This is definitely a page turner murder mystery.  Initially you are given two unnamed males as suspects.  By the middle of the book, you have confirmation of who those 2 individuals are but by then you’ve added a couple more names to your suspect list.  You have to wait until almost the very end to confirm your suspicions though. (I got it right this time)
 
This is the 2^nd book I’ve read by Katherine Greene, and I greatly enjoyed them both.  There were times that this story made me quite angry due to the mistreatment of some female characters, both verbally and physically, but it’s part of the character development of a fictional story so it’s OK.  This might not be the book for you if you think those types of scenarios would be triggering for you though.  If not an issue, I highly recommend it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed in this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 3/16/26 – 4/5 stars
 
#wherethetruthlies #katherinegreene #crookedlanebooks #netgalley

Too Good to Be True

 
“Too Good to Be True” by Carola Lovering
Published by St. Martin’s Press
 
I have conflicting opinions about this book.  I like the way it was written from three points of view, using journal entries to tell parts of the story.  I dislike the characters, completely (although that’s not always a bad thing).  I like the suspenseful feel it has throughout but dislike the ending because it’s too “wrapped up in a bow” for my liking.  With all that said, I did enjoy reading it.  The things I like about it outweigh the things I dislike, and my curiosity kept me turning the pages.  So, although I’ve mixed opinions, I still recommend it.
 
Finished 3/12/26 – 3.5/5 stars
 
#toogoodtobetrue #carolalovering #stmartinspress #botm