Rachel Baack
Added to listAutobiography & Memoirwith 15 books.
Summary: Caitlin Doughty has worked close to death in various capacities for years, and, in this memoir, the relates her experiences and reflections upon working with the dead and the living who tend to them. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at the current practices of death work in America and offers her thoughts on the ways that those practices—mostly focused on distancing the average person from the realities of death—are socially and emotionally damaging. She leaves readers with some ideas about how we might engage with death in healthier ways as a society.
Summary: Caitlin Doughty has worked close to death in various capacities for years, and, in this memoir, the relates her experiences and reflections upon working with the dead and the living who tend to them. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at the current practices of death work in America and offers her thoughts on the ways that those practices—mostly focused on distancing the average person from the realities of death—are socially and emotionally damaging. She leaves readers with some ideas about how we might engage with death in healthier ways as a society.
Summary: Stevie Bell thinks she has finally solved the decades-old mystery surrounding the kidnapping of the wife and daughter of her school’s founder, Albert Ellingham. The problem, however, is that danger continues to lurk on the Ellingham campus. Since Stevie has arrived at Ellingham, death and danger have seemed to stalk the campus and those connected to it. Stevie suspects that it’s all somehow tied to the Ellingham case, and she is determined to figure out how.
Summary: Stevie Bell thinks she has finally solved the decades-old mystery surrounding the kidnapping of the wife and daughter of her school’s founder, Albert Ellingham. The problem, however, is that danger continues to lurk on the Ellingham campus. Since Stevie has arrived at Ellingham, death and danger have seemed to stalk the campus and those connected to it. Stevie suspects that it’s all somehow tied to the Ellingham case, and she is determined to figure out how.
Summary: Despite having (kind of) solved the mystery surrounding the death of her classmate, Stevie Bell has been pulled out of Ellingham Academy by her parents, greatly hindering her ability to continue her research into the decades-old Ellingham kidnapping cold case. It is not until Edward King, the deeply unpleasant politician for whom Stevie’s parents work, steps in that the Bells allow Stevie to return to Ellingham. His seeming kindness, however, comes with strings attached, and Stevie must balance meeting his expectations while continuing her investigation into the Ellingham case as well as the continued mysterious happenings on Ellingham’s campus.
Summary: Despite having (kind of) solved the mystery surrounding the death of her classmate, Stevie Bell has been pulled out of Ellingham Academy by her parents, greatly hindering her ability to continue her research into the decades-old Ellingham kidnapping cold case. It is not until Edward King, the deeply unpleasant politician for whom Stevie’s parents work, steps in that the Bells allow Stevie to return to Ellingham. His seeming kindness, however, comes with strings attached, and Stevie must balance meeting his expectations while continuing her investigation into the Ellingham case as well as the continued mysterious happenings on Ellingham’s campus.
Added to listYoung Adultwith 66 books.
Summary: In the 1930s, wealthy businessman Albert Ellingham opened Ellingham Academy, a school for gifted students where learning was seen as a game and students were given a high degree of autonomy with regards to their education. Shortly after the school opened, Albert Ellingham’s wife and daughter were kidnapped. His wife was killed, his daughter never found, and the case never solved.
Now, decades later, Stevie Bell has been admitted to Ellingham Academy upon the basis of her interest in and thorough research into the case. She is determined to figure out what really happened all those years ago, and she continues digging into the case as soon as she arrives on Ellingham grounds, all while adjusting to her new school and forming bonds with her housemates. Then, to everyone’s shock, a death occurs on campus, and Stevie can’t help but wonder if it is somehow connected to the Ellingham case.
Summary: In the 1930s, wealthy businessman Albert Ellingham opened Ellingham Academy, a school for gifted students where learning was seen as a game and students were given a high degree of autonomy with regards to their education. Shortly after the school opened, Albert Ellingham’s wife and daughter were kidnapped. His wife was killed, his daughter never found, and the case never solved.
Now, decades later, Stevie Bell has been admitted to Ellingham Academy upon the basis of her interest in and thorough research into the case. She is determined to figure out what really happened all those years ago, and she continues digging into the case as soon as she arrives on Ellingham grounds, all while adjusting to her new school and forming bonds with her housemates. Then, to everyone’s shock, a death occurs on campus, and Stevie can’t help but wonder if it is somehow connected to the Ellingham case.
Added to listHistorical Fictionwith 27 books.
Summary: Victoria, the daughter of wealthy parents in 1909 London, has gotten herself into some hot water after posing nude for an art class. Vicky wants nothing more than to be an artist, but, following the scandal, her parents have determined to marry her off and see to it that she lives as a respectable woman of society. Not to be deterred, however, Vicky determines to secretly apply to art college, and, as she attempts to build her portfolio, she finds herself becoming entangled with London’s suffrage movement and a working-class boy.
Summary: Victoria, the daughter of wealthy parents in 1909 London, has gotten herself into some hot water after posing nude for an art class. Vicky wants nothing more than to be an artist, but, following the scandal, her parents have determined to marry her off and see to it that she lives as a respectable woman of society. Not to be deterred, however, Vicky determines to secretly apply to art college, and, as she attempts to build her portfolio, she finds herself becoming entangled with London’s suffrage movement and a working-class boy.
Added to listRomancewith 41 books.
Added to listRealistic Fictionwith 107 books.
Added to listMystery & Thrillerwith 26 books.
Summary: When a stranger misunderstands an overheard conversation between murder mystery writer Finlay Donovan and her agent, she attempts to hire Finlay, who she mistakes for a hitwoman, to kill her husband. Finlay is of course shocked, but she can’t help being curious, and she soon finds herself more deeply involved in the world of true crime than she ever intended to be.
Summary: When a stranger misunderstands an overheard conversation between murder mystery writer Finlay Donovan and her agent, she attempts to hire Finlay, who she mistakes for a hitwoman, to kill her husband. Finlay is of course shocked, but she can’t help being curious, and she soon finds herself more deeply involved in the world of true crime than she ever intended to be.
Summary: A few months after the end of World War II, author Juliette Ashton receives a letter from a pig farmer on the formerly occupied island of Guernsey who found her name and address written in a book that ended up in his possession. Juliette learns from the farmer, Dawsey Adams, that, during the occupation, he and his friends had formed a book club that, despite its creation as a cover for an unauthorized gathering they’d held, ended up becoming an indispensable community of support for its members. Juliette, intrigued, decides that she must meet the book club, and she sets out for a visit to the island that will change her life.
Summary: A few months after the end of World War II, author Juliette Ashton receives a letter from a pig farmer on the formerly occupied island of Guernsey who found her name and address written in a book that ended up in his possession. Juliette learns from the farmer, Dawsey Adams, that, during the occupation, he and his friends had formed a book club that, despite its creation as a cover for an unauthorized gathering they’d held, ended up becoming an indispensable community of support for its members. Juliette, intrigued, decides that she must meet the book club, and she sets out for a visit to the island that will change her life.
Added to listFantasywith 28 books.
Summary: This book traces the tale of the Roux family through four generations, detailing the devastating effects that romantic love (or something akin to it) has had on their lives. The youngest generation of Rouxs includes Ava, born inexplicably with a set of wings, and her twin brother Henry, who speaks rarely and without being often understood by those around him. This work of magical realism, despite detailing numerous tragedies that have befallen the Rouxs, beautifully portrays the sustaining effect that the love of a family—even a seemingly broken one—can have on its members.
Summary: This book traces the tale of the Roux family through four generations, detailing the devastating effects that romantic love (or something akin to it) has had on their lives. The youngest generation of Rouxs includes Ava, born inexplicably with a set of wings, and her twin brother Henry, who speaks rarely and without being often understood by those around him. This work of magical realism, despite detailing numerous tragedies that have befallen the Rouxs, beautifully portrays the sustaining effect that the love of a family—even a seemingly broken one—can have on its members.
Summary: Molly takes her job as a maid at a high-end hotel very seriously. She is thorough, organized, and hardworking, and she always does her best to do the right thing. She would never have expected to find herself, then, a suspect in the murder of a prominent hotel guest, but that is precisely what happens. In order to clear her name, Molly, alongside friends old and new, works to piece together clues that will demonstrate her innocence.
Summary: Molly takes her job as a maid at a high-end hotel very seriously. She is thorough, organized, and hardworking, and she always does her best to do the right thing. She would never have expected to find herself, then, a suspect in the murder of a prominent hotel guest, but that is precisely what happens. In order to clear her name, Molly, alongside friends old and new, works to piece together clues that will demonstrate her innocence.
Added to listScience Fictionwith 26 books.
Summary: When reporter Felicity Staples is assigned to cover the murder of real estate agent Madison May, she can’t help but notice that there is something odd about this case. It isn’t until a run-in with two individuals she believes to be connected to the case—one of whom may even be the killer—that Felicity’s reality is turned upside down, and she learns that Madison has, in fact, been killed multiple times across as many different realities.
I found the book to be incredibly interesting and thought-provoking, but I didn't love the ending.
Summary: When reporter Felicity Staples is assigned to cover the murder of real estate agent Madison May, she can’t help but notice that there is something odd about this case. It isn’t until a run-in with two individuals she believes to be connected to the case—one of whom may even be the killer—that Felicity’s reality is turned upside down, and she learns that Madison has, in fact, been killed multiple times across as many different realities.
I found the book to be incredibly interesting and thought-provoking, but I didn't love the ending.
Added to listMystery & Thrillerwith 22 books.
Summary: When a man turns up dead in an otherwise quiet retirement village, the Thursday Murder Club, formed by four members of a retirement village to do conduct armchair investigations into cold cases, decides to do some real-life sleuthing.
Summary: When a man turns up dead in an otherwise quiet retirement village, the Thursday Murder Club, formed by four members of a retirement village to do conduct armchair investigations into cold cases, decides to do some real-life sleuthing.
Added to listHistorical Fictionwith 26 books.
Added to listRomancewith 39 books.
Added to listRealistic Fictionwith 101 books.
Summary: When Diana Boyle discovers the existence of a directory of wealthy single women being used by the bachelors of England to find wives who will improve their financial situation, she decides not only to confront its author, Maxwell Dean, about his having painted targets on the backs of the women included in it, but also to plan with the ladies how they might use their inclusion in the directory to flip the social script and gain some control over their romantic destinies in a society that would not usually afford women this ability.
Summary: When Diana Boyle discovers the existence of a directory of wealthy single women being used by the bachelors of England to find wives who will improve their financial situation, she decides not only to confront its author, Maxwell Dean, about his having painted targets on the backs of the women included in it, but also to plan with the ladies how they might use their inclusion in the directory to flip the social script and gain some control over their romantic destinies in a society that would not usually afford women this ability.
Added to listShort Fictionwith 38 books.
