Hello and a very warm welcome to a brand new week on damppebbles. I have lots of lovely books to share with you this week so make sure you stay tuned to #R3COMM3ND3D2021. Speaking of which, it’s day 34 of #R3COMM3ND3D2021 and what a glorious series it’s been so far. Fear not, I still have a handful of posts left to share, enough to take us to the end of next week, so still lots of glorious books to come!

Joining me today is, without doubt, one of my favourite bloggers and one of my favourite people in the book world. It’s the lovely Lynne of Fictionophile. Lynne’s blog is a treasure trove of bookish delights so if you’re not already subscribed, make sure that changes. Do it now! We’ll wait for you…

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2021? It’s about sharing the book love. It’s a chance for authors, book bloggers and bookstagrammers to shout about three (yes, *only* three) books they love. They can be written by any author, in any genre and published in any way (traditionally, indie press or self-published). But there is a catch. All three books must have been published in 2021. To make things interesting there are a couple of teeny, tiny rules; 1) the book must have FIRST been published in 2021 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. I like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉

Here are the three books Lynne recommends…

Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner
Frankie Elkin is a one in a million character. So unique, so broken, and so very memorable. I loved her and was sad when I turned the last page on her story. I adored the writing in this book. The dreadful and disturbing circumstances which were lightened with levity and sarcasm. The book brings home the truism that people all over are really the same. Regardless of their social standing, ethnicity, religion, or other persuasion, people all want enough food to eat, a safe place to live, someone to care for, someone who cares for them. This novel also spoke to the plight of illegal immigrants in this modern world. It told of inner city teens striving to better themselves and their situations in any way they can. I adored this book much more than I expected to. It is all Frankie Elkin’s fault.
Lynne’s Review of Before She Disappeared

Margreete’s Harbor by Eleanor Morse
The characters were so authentically and vividly portrayed that I felt I knew them – and shared their lives. The novel touched my heart with its eloquence. Set in Maine, from the mid 1950s to the late 1960s, in addition to being a narrative about a decent, complicated family, this book also incorporated some pivotal events in American history. The civil unrest in the South, racism, the Vietnam war and the draft, the assassination of President Kennedy, the speeches of Martin Luther King, etc. I highly recommend this wonderful novel to those who enjoy well executed literary fiction that is character focused and includes more than a little history. A wonderful read!
Lynne’s Review of Margreete’s Harbor

The Downstairs Neighbour by Helen Cooper
This is definitely a debut that does not read like one. Polished, well-plotted, and with believable characters, it presents as the work of a much more seasoned novelist. Teeming with secrets, the inhabitants of this house in Kingston-Upon-Thames, have made many mistakes. Not malicious, but mistakes born from misunderstandings, guilt, and misguided, life-altering decisions. With themes of deception, family secrets, sacrifice, and making disastrous choices, this novel is ingeniously plotted and alarmingly realistic. Highly, highly, recommended to those readers who enjoy intelligently plotted domestic thrillers.
Lynne’s Review of The Downstairs Neighbour

Thanks so much for your terrific picks, Lynne. I think there are a couple of additions to my groaning TBR here, for sure!

About Lynne aka Fictionophile:
Before retirement I was the fiction cataloguer for Halifax Public Libraries in Nova Scotia, Canada. Now I am a full-time bookblogger.

I enjoy spending quality time with my husband, enjoying a glass of wine with my friends, gardening, watching British television drama, doing word games, crocheting, and jigsaw puzzles. I am the proud mother of two adult children and have one darling two-year-old grandson. I love to read, and my favorite genre is mystery fiction. I also have a deep appreciation for thrillers, classic literature, historical and literary fiction. I have been a reviewer/member of NetGalley since autumn 2013. Also, I am a reviewer/member of Edelweiss and moderate the Edelweiss Reviewer’s Group on Goodreads.

Lynne’s Blog and Social Media Links:
| Fictionophile | Twitter @fictionophile | Instagram @fictionophile56 | Goodreads |

Sadly submissions for #R3COMM3D3D2021 are now closed (posts will be running until mid-December so we’re not quite done yet). Shortly after the last post I will be inviting you all to attend the virtual after-show party, which should be a giggle, where we can cast our eyes over the marvellous and majestic beauty of 2021’s books. We will also crown 2021’s winner (or joint winners, if that’s the case ). So I expect it to be a jolly good ol’ knees up! Until then stay tuned as we have lots more bookish loveliness heading your way ❤