Mad Honey

Title:  Mad Honey

Author:  Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Publication Information:  Ballantine Books. 2022. 464 pages.

ISBN:  1984818384 / 978-1984818386

Rating:  ★★

Book Source:  I received this book through Jodi Picoult free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "From the moment I knew I was having a baby, I wanted it to be a girl."

Favorite Quote:  "People always talk about how their love for you is unconditional. Then you reveal your most private self to them, and you find out how many conditions there are in unconditional love."

The author's note states the goal and the reason I read Jodi Picoult's books. "In so many ways my entire career has been about untangling the knots that society tangles itself in as we futilely attempt to separate the us from the them." Further, it states the unstated lesson of the book. "What would I like you to take away from this novel. Absolutely nothing. I'd like you to give - a change, a thought, a damn. Like ......, difference is a construct. We are all flawed, complicated, wounded dreamers we have more in common with one another than we don't. Sometimes making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it."

Two important points that I find run through all of Jodi Picoult's books. Her books always make me think and make me question. Some stories I have enjoyed more than others, but all have left me thinking.

That being said, this is a challenging book to review because the topic at the heart of it is itself part of the reveal of the book's mystery. Prior to this book, I was not very familiar with Jennifer Finney Boylan. Had I been, I might have guessed at the book's mystery before I read it. Her author's note states, "All of us have something in our hearts like a flower that cannot bloom because it is held in secret. The adventure of life can be to get that thing out of the darkness where it lies and let the sun shine on it. So it can go back inside your heart facing the right direction."

This book will elicit strong emotions because of the topic, the age of the individuals, and the fact that the topic is not clear from the description.  However, this review is of the characters, the story, and how it's told.

The book has a small cast of central characters. Ava and Lily. Olivia and Asher. Maya. Olivia's family. Asher's father. The small town that Lily and Asher call home. In addition to the main topic of the book, this story delves into abuse, abortion, teenage romance and rivalries, teenage sex, the role of women in society, and beekeeping.

I find the beekeeping information interesting. "Mad honey comes from bees that forage on rhododendron and mountain laurel, and it's full of poisonous grayanotoxins. It causes dizziness, nausea and vomiting, convulsions, cardiac disorders, and more. Symptoms last for twenty-four hours, and although rarely, if left untreated, can be fatal. It has been used in biological warfare as far back as 399 BC ... The secret weapon of mad honey, of course, is that you expect it to be sweet, not deadly. You're deliberately attracted to it. By the it messes with your head, with your heart, it's too late." I am guessing there is a metaphor to be found in that title and that progression. However, it was a lot of information about beekeeping.

The book also goes into multiple timelines to capture all these issues - Lily as a child, Olivia's marriage and divorce, the days and months after Lily's death, and the days and weeks leading up to Lily's death. Are all necessary? To me, no. Do they get confusing? Sometimes, if I fail to read and refer to the chapter headings

Ultimately, it is the teenage issues that become the solution to the mystery. This is not really a surprise or a spoiler given the small cast of characters and the clear path of the investigation as to who is considered and who is not. That is disappointing as the intensity of the book and the education presented about the central issues of the book is lacking in that solution. That is also disappointing as the conversation seems unfinished and the age of the characters overshadows the more important issues at hand.

The book leaves me sad and disappointed. Although the telling of this story was not for me, I am still left thinking and still look forward to the next book by Jodi Picoult.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Wish You Were Here

Title:  Wish You Were Here

Author:  Jodi Picoult

Publication Information:  Ballantine Books. 2021. 336 pages.

ISBN:  1984818414 / 978-1984818416

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "When I was six years old, I  painted a corner of the sky."

Favorite Quote:  "The Japanese believe that it takes three generations to forget. Those who experience a trauma pass it along to their children and their grandchildren, and then the memory fades. To the survivors of a tragedy, that's unthinkable - what's the point of living through something terrible if you cannot convey the lessons you've learned? Since nothing will ever replace all you've lost, the only way to make meaning is to make sure no one else goes through what you did. Memories are the safeguards we use to keep from making the same mistakes."

I finish many of Jodi Picoult's books and think I did not see that coming. They leave me thinking and reflecting long after I finish. This book is no exception. This book does what most Jodi Picoult books do. They take on big issues. Small Great Things took on race, prejudice and the justice system. Leaving Time centered on grief. The Storyteller left me thinking about forgiveness.

This is also the first book I have read that is fiction around the COVID pandemic. I love historical fiction, but this is so immediate that it is challenging to think of it as history! I leaves me wondering. We read history. We study history. We are and will be history. Do people living through a period of time think about the fact that the period will be a significant history. Naive as it may sound, it seems odd to think of our reality as history. Yet, it is, and here we are.

That being said, this book does not end up where I think it's going to. The premise is seemingly simply. Diana and her boyfriend Finn have a trip planned to the Galapagos Islands. Perhaps, a proposal is to come to take their relationship to the next step. Finn is a medical professional. It is the very start of the virus. He cannot leave. Diana goes anyways as the trip is not refundable. Once there, the world shuts down, and she is stranded. She is forced to disconnect from the world she knows and establishes new connections.

Diana's perspective is that of those isolated and how they coped with that isolation. The book highlights that in that isolation lay self-discovery for many. We realigned priorities. Relationship altered. The sense of loss permeated.

Finn brings in the plight of the first responders and the front line healthcare workers at the forefront of this pandemic. Perhaps no one from outside of the medical profession can understand that stress or the devastation.

Part of the plight is the political response and the divided way in which this pandemic was approached. To mask or not to mask and to vaccinate or not to vaccinate became political rather than scientific conversations. The book has a clear viewpoint on this.

Where the book goes brings in all we still don't know and all the uncertainty about what can be. At times, it seems farfetched. Yet, so many real stories of COVID depicts things that seems hard to believe. Is this possible? I don't know, but then again, science is still working on discovering what may be possible.

At times, this book was hard because the events are so recent and part of my own personal history. Yet, at the same time, it is amazing to see the experience articulated. As I turn the last page, I want more to see how it turns out.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Book of Two Ways

Title:  The Book of Two Ways

Author:  Jodi Picoult

Publication Information:  Ballantine Books. 2020. 432 pages.

ISBN:  198481835X / 978-1984818355

Book Source:  I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "My calendar is full of dead people."

Favorite Quote:  "I believe that there are five things we need to say to people we love before they die, and I give this advice to caregivers:  I forgive you. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you. Goodby. I tell them that they can interpret those prompts any way they like, and nothing will have been left unsaid."

What do art, Egyptology, end of life support, infidelity, marriage, parenthood, quantum physics, and terminal illness have in common? All these disparate topics actually come together to form the story of this book.

I love the premise and the question this book asks. "I have heard that when you are about to die, your life flashes before your eyes." The question is who do you see? The thread of the story is there. It is about life choices, what governs them, and the regrets in life for the path not taken. However, the thread does not coalesce into an entire, moving story of me.

The book includes a lot of detail about Egyptology and about mathematics and physics. I enjoy the history, particularly about the Coffin Texts, the ancient Egyptian book of two ways for which this book is named. The metaphor, of course, is clear. Whether in this life or the afterlife, each individual has multiple paths, and the choices we make determine the path. We may make the choice, but we must accept the consequences. However, I find myself skimming through the detailed descriptions, and at times, the story appears lost in the factual details. Again, the thread about the path chosen and the path not taken is there but somewhat lost.

The book reads like a romance. It is a romance, complete with graphic scenes - on a kitchen counter, in a shower, and even one discussing a circumcision! Beyond that, the story is about infidelity with a child involved. Where that storyline ends up seems completely unbelievable.

The storyline related to Dawn's work as a death doula again pulls at the thread of paths not taken and regrets. I suppose the parallels are there to be drawn to Dawn's own life. However, that is more the patient's story and seems separate and distinct from the main plot of the book.

The ending of the book is a non-ending. I suppose the point is that it is up to each one of us to determine the path forward. However, it leaves essentially a romance about choices on a cliffhanger. Not a satisfying reading experience. Interestingly, my reason for wanting a conclusion is for some of the other characters more so than the main character herself.

That brings me to the final reason. For a romance or a book about choices to be compelling, the character at the heart of the romance or the choices must be compelling. The tragic events that altered the course of Dawn's life occur years before the story of the book begins. However, the book focuses on the choices fifteen years later, placing that tragedy at a distance. She is, in her own words, "a middle-aged woman who wonders what else her life might have been." However, "...women don't get have mid-life crises where they run off to find themselves." That, in and of itself, has the potential to be a compelling story, but Dawn unfortunately evolves into a fairly unlikable character, primarily for the way in which she treats the people in her life.

I have read several Jodi Picoult books. The books tackle difficult issues. They have made me think and have elicited a strong emotional response. I have enjoyed some more then others. Whenever a new one comes out, I feel compelled to read it. Her books deal with such serious human issues. I don't always agree with her take on the issues, but I am glad they are discussed and brought forth in this manner. Unfortunately, for all these reasons, this is the first one which, for me, does not elicit that response. At the end, this book feels like a romance trying too hard and unsuccessfully make a bigger, philosophical point.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Small Great Things

Title:  Small Great Things

Author:  Jodi Picoult

Publication Information:  Ballantine Books. 2016. 480 pages.

ISBN:  0345544951 / 978-0345544957

Book Source:  I received this book as a publisher's galley through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Sentence:  "The miracle happened on West Seventy-Fourth Street, in the home where Mama worked."

Favorite Quote:  "What if the puzzle of the world was a shape you didn't fit into? And the only way to survive was to mutilate yourself, carve away your corners, sand yourself down, modify yourself to fit? How come we haven't been able to change the puzzle instead?"

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

This quote is the inspiration behind the title of this book. Jodi Picoult has a well deserved reputation for taking on serious human issues, often the ones being talked about in the press. This book is no different; it tackles the conversation about race, prejudice, and the justice system.

The main cast of characters are a Black nurse, a white supremacist family who are focused in their hatred, and a white public defender who would never ever consider herself prejudiced or racist. Around them, you have families and communities who each hold fast to their views.

The story is that Ruth Jefferson is a Yale nursing school graduate with over twenty years of experience as a Labor and Delivery nurse; she is also the only Black nurse in her unit. Turk and Brittany Bauer are a young couple awaiting the birth of their first child; they hold white supremacist beliefs who do not want the birth or their child attended by a person of color. They equate their demand to a customer service request no different that a woman wanting a female doctor. The hospital complies, and Ruth is removed from the case. A crisis occurs, and Ruth is accused of a terrible crime. Kennedy McQuarrie is the public defender assigned to the case. Battle lines are drawn on a much larger scale even though all Ruth wants to do is defend herself, protect her son, and live her life.

Surrounding this main plot line are others that all carry on the same conversation about race and prejudice. Ruth's mother has been a maid for the same white family for most of Ruth's life; a closeness exists but the lines are clear. Ruth moved her family to a new, mostly white neighborhood to give her son a chance at a better education. Her son Edison goes to a school, where the color of his skin separates him from most who surround him. Ruth believes that race does not matter and that people see the person not the color; her sister takes a different path. Turk and Brittany portray the background of being taught certain things about race from the day you are born and what happens if those beliefs are ever called into question. Kennedy McQuarrie is a public defender by passion and belief in doing the right thing. Kennedy's mother is Southern belle who grew up being taught certain views. The same conversation comes through in this book from so many different directions.

At the beginning of the book, I am not sure. I am not sure Jodi Picoult is the author to tell this story. I see the stereotypes appear in the characters, and this conversation needs to be about breaking stereotypes; I am not sure. By the middle, I think I know where the book is going, but I hope not; I am not sure the ending I am envisioning will move this conversation forward. Meanwhile, I am furiously reading as I tend to do with Jodi Picoult books because I want to see where she takes the conversation. Be prepared. This is not an easy book to read. It will make you uncomfortable, and it will make you think about your own views and prejudices. I think that's the point.

By the end, the questions are answered - why she wrote the book and why certain characters appear as stereotypes. Make sure you read the author's note with the book for Jodi Picoult writes about how and why this book came to be and how and why she feels able to tell the story. The book is not perfect, of course; some of the twists and changes at the end, particularly the epilogue, feel a little contrived and too neatly packaged. However, this book accomplishes its purpose to keep the conversation moving. It holds true to the quote that is its inspiration. This is a fictional story that may perhaps contribute in a small way to great change.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Me Before You

Title:  Me Before You

Author:  Jojo Moyes

Publication Information:  Pamela Dorman Books. 2012. 384 pages.

ISBN:  0670026603 / 978-0670026609

Book Source:  I read this book based on a friend's recommendation.

Opening Sentence:  "When he emerges from the bathroom she is awake, propped up against the pillows and flicking through the travel brochures that were beside his bed."

Favorite Quote:  "You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible."

What would you do? That is the question at the heart of this book. It's the question I hope no one ever has to face, but what if? What would you do if you were Will? What would you do if you were Will's parents? What would you do if you were Louisa?

Will Traynor is a young, vibrant, wealthy businessman until a motorcycle accident leaves him a quadriplegic. He now lives on his parent's estate with continuous in-home car. His life, as he knows it, is over. Along comes Louisa Clark, a young woman living a closed, sheltered life in her small corner of the world. She needs a job, and Will's parents need a companion for Will.

At first glance, Louisa seems ill-equipped for the task. She has no nursing skills and no relevant experience. Her last job was in a cafe. Yet, she manages to reach Will in a way no has since his accident. Louisa is hired for only six months. Why? As Louisa discovers, therein lies the decision of Will's life.

Me Before You takes on the very serious, very divisive issue of the "right to die." Ultimately, each individual makes his or own choice. The debate centers around whether such a right should ever exist under the law, whether it should exist under the law in certain circumstances such as a terminal illness, or whether it should be a universal legal right. For many, it is a very simple decision of faith; for others, it is an equally simple decision for completely different reasons.

Regardless of your beliefs, this book draws for you the image of one family grappling with this situation. Most of the book is from Louisa's perspective with an occasional chapter from the perspectives of Will's mother, father, and nurse. Each one provides a glimpse into the struggle Will's accident and decision create for those who love him. Interestingly, the one perspective not really represented in the book is Will's. The reader never gets a chance to see inside Will's head; the story moves around him.

Me Before You has more substance than Danielle Steel books and less intensity than Jodi Picoult books. The book takes on a very serious issue but sets it in the lives of the wealthy. Many will dislike this book for the topic it addresses and the view it takes. I am not getting into that debate, but I can list many story-based reasons why this book shouldn't work.

The Traynor's wealth opens up options such as full-time in home care and impromptu trips around the word, which are completely unrealistic for the majority of the world. Yet, until Louisa comes along, no one has researched or gotten Will the technological tools - such as a voice controlled keyboard - that can give him some independence. His dedicated nurse/therapist didn't suggest these tools? Also, even with the wealth, nothing proactive seems to be done about Will's decision. He seems to get all the physical care he needs, but what about the psychological care?

Most characters in the book do not really develop. In fact, most of them build on stereotypes. Louisa seems to emerge from her shell, but other than that, the remaining characters are relatively one-dimensional. Even with Louisa, it is frustrating to me that a man becomes the reason Louisa sheds her past and reaches for her potential. Why not characterize a strong, independent woman in this situation?

The plot line from Louisa's past seems too convenient and sketchy. Things are hinted at but not clarified, yet this is a defining moment of her life. Why is it there? Once again, why not characterize a strong, independent woman in this situation?

This book paints a very tragic, one-sided picture of Will's life after the accident. The accident was a tragedy, a devastating one. However, many people not only survive such accidents but lead fulfilling, joyful lives. Life is never the same, but that does not mean that life cannot be happy. That aspect is hinted at during some of the online conversations that Louisa has in her research. However, that is barely a glimmer. To me, that message needed a stronger presence in this book. Very few books are written with disabled individuals as main characters. It would wonderful to see strength, courage, and positive qualities in the characters' lives.

All that aside, I can only give one reason why this book does work as a story. It makes me care about this family and about these two flawed individuals with their own decisions and heartaches. I care about them enough to read the book straight through to find out what happens. I will probably read the sequel for the same reason. I want to know what happens next.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

Leaving Time: A Novel

Title:  Leaving Time: A Novel

Author:  Jodi Picoult

Publication Information:  Ballantine Books. 2014. 416 pages.

ISBN:  0345544927 / 978-0345544926

Book Source:  I received this book through a publisher's giveaway free of cost in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Shelf Awareness!

Favorite Quote:  "I understand why Jenna needs this:  Otherwise, it's not a complete circle, it's a line, and lines unravel and send you off in directions you never intended to go. Endings are critical ... They need the details of those last few moments, because it is all they will have for the rest of their lives."

I did not see that ending coming! If you want to read this book, please do not read anything with a spoiler. You will not be able to read the book. It did remind me of one movie in particular, but I won't say what. That would completely give away the story.

Jenna is a precocious thirteen year old living with her grandmother. Her father Thomas is in a mental institution. Her mother Alice disappeared when Jenna was three. At that time, Thomas and Alice run an elephant sanctuary. Alice's specialty was studying elephant memory and grief and in rescuing at risk animals. The events at that time led to a woman's death, Alice's disappearance and the dismantling of the elephant sanctuary.

Jenna has no memory of the exact events that led to her mother's disappearance and her father's breakdown, and her grandmother won't speak of them. Yet, Jenna strongly believes that her mother would never have abandoned her. She studies what reminders she has left of Alice. She continually searches online to find some trace. Unfortunately, to no avail.

To further her search, she seeks out the help of a psychic Serenity. Serenity, at one point in her life, was a well known psychic. She is now what she refers to as a "swamp witch" - a fraud who makes up and delivers what her clients want to hear. After first refusing, she feels compelled to help Jenna.

Jenna also seeks out Virgil Stanhope, one of the detectives who investigated the events surrounding Alice's disappearance. He is no longer with the police force, working instead as a private detective. Alice's case is one that haunts him - the one that got away. What could he have done differently? What should he have done differently? Jenna's appearance in his life brings all these memories back, and he wants an answer.

The story is told in alternating first person narratives through Jenna, Virgil, Serenity, and Alice. From Jenna's perspective, we get the young woman who looks for closure and to finally know that she was not abandoned. From Virgil, we get the detective applying his contacts and his experience to solve a mystery that went unsolved years ago. Serenity brings in the spiritual dimension and the existence of ghosts and spirits who linger in this world. Alice's sections gradually fill in the story of what led to the events of that night. The suspense of actually happened that night lasts until almost the end the of the book and leads to an ending that was a complete surprise to me.

What I love about Jodi Picoult's books is that she tackles tough topics, and her books always leave me with new knowledge and with a lot to think about. The books present a primary point of view and do it well with research and a story that makes you read on and on until the very last page. As a reader, you can agree or disagree, but either way the point is well made. For most of her books, I usually find myself putting a lot of things in my life on hold to get to the end of the book. Then, I find myself putting them away, but continuing to think about them days later. This one follows the same pattern.

This book takes on the issue of grief. Wikipedia defines grief as "a multifaceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions."

Two things are clear from this definition. Grief, though normally associated with death, can occur as a result of any loss. Jenna grieves because she feels like her mother abandoned her. Virgil grieves for the unsolved case that haunts him still. Serenity grieves both for the burden that her skills as a psychic bring and the realizations that come with the loss of those skills. Alice, Thomas, Gideon, and Nevvi all grieve individually through their own sorrows.

Grief also manifests itself differently in each person - physically, emotionally, behaviorally, and spiritually. The reactions to grief and the actions grief can lead to are completely individual. Jenna refuses to quit searching for her mother. Serenity regrets the loss of her abilities but at the same time hides from the notoriety her abilities brought. Virgil walks away and attempts to forget through drinking. Alice disappears. Thomas suffers a breakdown. Others seek revenge from what they identify as the cause of their grief. Different people, different responses.

This book addresses grief through the human characters, of course. It also presents a lot of research on elephant behavior and memory - particularly the elephant's ability to grieve. The parallels are amazing. The PBS documentary Unforgettable Elephants makes the point that "Through years of research, scientists have found that elephants are capable of complex thought and deep feeling. In fact, the emotional attachment elephants form toward family members may rival our own." The author's note at the end of this book presents additional resources and ways in which an interested reader can impact conservation of these amazing animals.

In an interview, Jodi Picoult describes the book as follows: "This is a book about the lengths we go to for those who have left us behind; about the staying power of love; and about how three broken souls might have just the right pieces to mend each other. I won’t tell you much more, but I guarantee that when you finish, the first thing you’re going to want to do is reread the book." Pretty much. I want to reread the book to see if I could have seen the ending coming. I don't necessarily agree with everything she has to say, but I so always appreciate the way in which she says it. I also cannot wait to see what Jodi Picoult tackles next.

Please share your thoughts and leave a comment. I would love to "talk" to you.

The Storyteller

Title:  The Storyteller

Author:  Jodi Picoult

Publication Information:  Atria Books, Simon & Schuster. 2013.  460 pages.

Book Source:  I read this book because I have enjoyed many of the the Jodi Picoult's books.

Favorite Quote:  "It doesn't matter what it is that leaves a hole inside you. It just matters that it's there."

The Storyteller is a story of the Holocaust told from many different perspectives. Minka is the survivor. Sage is her granddaughter who feels removed from the history until she learns the reality of how it affected those she loves. Leo is one who studies the history and searches to bring the perpetrators to justice. Josef is.....Well, who Josef is becomes the crux of this story.

I have read several Jodi Picoult books. Unequivocally, the books all tackle difficult issues, and all of them have made me think and have elicited a strong emotional response. This book confronts the issue of forgiveness - our ability to forgive others and to forgive ourselves and what forgiveness does for the giver and the receiver. It tackles it on an enormous scale - the horror of the Holocaust, but at the same time, on a very personal level - forgiveness at an individual level.

The story is an emotional and powerful one from each perspective. Interestingly, the least developed is the story of Sage, who begins as the main character. She is dealing with guilt and forgiveness in her own life; yet that by the end seems tangential and extraneous to the main story. Leo's story is the pragmatic one of bringing people to justice, of ensuring that legal boundaries are met. Minka's story along with Josef's is, by its very nature, the most intense and the most emotional. Mingled with Minka's story is a tale she writes - one that to some extent mirrors the world around her but at the same time is able to take her away from the horrors she faces.

I have to say that I did guess the ending - the twist that so often comes in Jodi Picoult stories. In this case, seeing it coming added to powerful message of forgiveness that the book is all about.

On her website, Jodi Picoult states, "If we have a moral responsibility to the past, it's to make sure that history like this doesn't repeat. ... That's why I wrote this book. Because stories matter, and there are six million people who did not have the opportunity to tell theirs." A powerful book to read and to be left thinking about for a long while.

Lone Wolf

Title:  Lone Wolf

Author:  Jodi Picoult

Publication Information:  Atria Books, Simon & Schuster Inc. 2012. 421 pages.

Book Source:  I read this book based on how much I enjoyed other books by Jodi Picoult.

Favorite Quote:  "But as it turns out, being a grown-up doesn't mean you're fearless. It just means you fear different things."

Lone Wolf is like reading two books in one. One deals with the human story of Luke Warren and his family - his ex-wife Georgie, his estranged son Edward, and his adoring daughter Cara. The other deals with Luke Warren's experiences as a biologist and environmentalist and his life with the wolves. The family story is the crux of the book. The stories about Luke's experiences with the wolves come across as interludes of educational pieces about wolves as animals, the pack culture, and the lessons we can learn from them.

The family story tells of the man who left (deserted?) his family for two years to pursue a personal passion. It tells of the wife left behind and the choices she made. It tells the story of Edward, his son who learns that you can leave but wherever you go, you bring your thoughts and emotions with you. It tells the story of Cara, the child split apart by a divorce trying to find her place within her family.

As with all Jodi Picoult books, a central key theme exists in this family story. For this book, the theme is that of terminating life support. Luke Warren is in a car accident and not expected to recover. Different family members have different opinions on life support. People take sides. Lawyers get involved. Choices are made. Family history is rehashed. Family secrets are revealed.

Also, as with most Jodi Picoult's books, there is an unexpected twist towards the end. I don't want to give any spoilers. I will just say that I felt that story line was completely unnecessary and did not add to the book at all.

I have honestly not liked some of Jodi Picoult's recent books. They have had twists I did not like or feel necessary. The endings have sometimes gone in a direction that did not mesh with the rest of the story. However, whenever a new one comes out, I feel compelled to read it. Her books deal with such serious human issues. I don't always agree with her take on the issues, but I am glad they are discussed and brought forth in this manner. So, while I did not love this book, I probably will read her next one when it comes out.