First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston This was another book club read and I was totally obsessed with this one. Her real name is Lucca, but she’s going as Evie Porter. She’s a con artist for hire, and works for a man named Mr. Smith. Her job is to infiltrate whoever the target and retrieve something of interest for Mr. Smith—whether it’s to steal something or to get information. She’s had a ton of different identities and has been on a ton of different jobs and she is the absolute best in Mr. Smith's stable of con artists. So, she’s there posing as Evie Porter when she’s at a party with her newest mark, when she meets a woman who is going by her own original name, Lucca. And then she has to figure out why that is happening and who this woman really is and why Mr. Smith has planted this woman with her original name to mess her up. Super fascinating story. I was obsesssed with it!
My Effin Life by Geddy Lee LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! I grew up listening to Rush, the band where Geddy Lee is the lead singer and bassist. I listened to him sing the lyrics written by drummer Neil Peart. And man is his life story absolutely fascinating and well worth the entire time it took to listen to it. His parents were survivors of Auschwitz, and while he’s in his 70s now he still carries their stories of survival with him. His parents’ need to thrive after such a trauma seems to have driven him to be the success that he is, while still being a great human being as well. The love he openly expresses for his band mates is also wonderful. Very worthwhile read. Absolutely awesome. I could feel the profound heartbreak when he described losing Neil Peart.
BJ Knapp is the author of Beside the Music, available for purchase here. Please sign up for the Backstage with BJ Knapp mailing list to get updates on events, signings, dog pictures and so much more.