House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

Title: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: August 6, 2024

Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney that represents children involved in custody cases. She takes on 9 year old Rose Barclay as a client as a favor to her mentor, Charlie. Rose witnessed her nanny's fall from a window and possible murder and immediately stopped speaking. Charlie believes that since Stella went through a traumatic childhood herself that she is the only one who can reach Rose. Stella is reluctant but still vows to do all she can to help Rose.

As Stella starts her investigation at the Barclays home, she learns that everyone is a suspect, even little Rose. The father had affair and impregnated the nanny. The mother is uptight and has a sudden fear of anything glass so there is nothing glass in the house. The paternal grandmother seems to carry a hatred for her son. Rose has a collection of sharp objects. Stella has a feeling of dread every time she visits the home but she can't quite put her finger on the cause of it.

The more Stella investigates, the more memories of her own past trauma start to resurface. She decides to start looking into the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. Will she finally learn the truth? Will she be able to save Rose? Or is Rose the murderer?

This book was a real page turner and I finished it in a day. Stella's flaws make her a very believable and likeable character. The contrasts and conflicts between the mother and father were relatable as well. The ending was good.

The only complaint I have is regarding Stella's association with a police detective. I wish it had been fleshed out more. It felt a bit rushed and almost like an afterthought.

All in all this book was a great read. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy. 

Between Two Strangers by Kate White

Title: Between Two Strangers by Kate White

Publisher: Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, Harper Paperbacks

Release Date: May 16, 2023

Skyler is an up and coming artist who takes graphic design jobs to make ends meet. One day, she gets a phone call from a lawyer with some shocking news. A man named Chris Whaley has left her a rather sizable inheritance. The problem? She can't for the life of her remember who the man was.

After meeting with the lawyer, flashes of Chris start coming back to her. As this is going on, Chris's widow is contesting the inheritance and several strange and threatening things happen to Skyler. Is the widow behind the threats or is someone else mad about the money? Skyler is determined to find out who and why she was left the money in the first place.

It's an intriguing story and a very fast read from page one. The characters are fleshed out and relatable. Even the cat, Tuna, had her own distinct personality. There are plenty of twists to keep you and Skyler guessing. The story offers a look into Skyler's past and a tragedy that has been having long term effects on her, her family, and even her art work. The ending ties things up neatly.

A good weekend or beach read and a solid thriller. Thank you to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks and NetGalley for this entertaining ARC.

 

The Intern by Michele Campbell

Title: The Intern by Michele Campbell

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: October 3, 2023

Madison Rivera is a law student with a problem. Her idol and mentor, Judge Conroy, has offered her an internship. It will look outstanding on her resume and bring her even closer to her dreams of becoming a lawyer. The problem? Her younger brother Danny has been arrested and the judge in his case is Judge Conroy. Does she divulge the truth to the judge and risk losing the internship? 

Madison lies. She has numerous opportunities to come clean but she doesn't. She tells herself she's doing it to help her brother but in reality she's being a bit selfish and looking out for her future career. While I appreciate the sentiment of doing anything for a sibling, Madison was also looking out for herself.

We soon learn that the judge and Madison had similar upbringings, and they form a strange bond over it. It's also revealed that the judge has her own secrets and Madison finds herself drawn into the intrigue whether she likes it or not.

The story is told from both Madison and Judge Conroy's point of view, in both past and present day. Both women appear to be fairly intelligent but are plagued by impulsivity and resulting bad choices. There were a few times I paused in reading to shake my head at them. Both characters are flawed and it's hard for Madison to accept that the judge isn't as perfect as she had thought.

This book is a fast-paced, easy read. Hints of lies, corruption and even a mob-like feel will keep you reading. It wasn't my favorite book this year but it's definitely a solid read.

Many thanks go to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

 

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Title: Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Release Date: 04/21/2020

I'm sure you've read a book where you read a certain scene and you mouth just drops open and you look around and say, "Oh my God, what??" This book had not one, not two, but several moments like that for me. Just when you think you've got the plot figured out, Ms. Brown yanks the carpet out from under your feet. The amazing part is that she does it so very well.

 Pretty Things is told from the perspective of Nina and Vanessa. These two women are as different as night and day. Nina is a con artist raised by a con artist mother while Vanessa is born into a family of wealth and privilege. They meet briefly while Nina is a teen and Vanessa is a college student due to Nina's friendship with Benny, Vanessa's brother. Now, years later they meet again as Nina is desperate for one last con to help her mother and then go legit. She thinks Vanessa will be the perfect mark.

The book intertwines flashbacks as well as the perspectives of the two women. There are a few scenes that are told from each woman's point of view. Strangely enough it works. I am not going to say that I loved either character because they are both deeply flawed. At different points you feel sad for them, you root for them, you care for them, and you even hates them.

Setting details are amazing. I could picture the landscape, picture the mansions, and picture the lake. The descriptions almost make me want to take a trip to Lake Tahoe and take a look around. If a writer has you seeing the story as a movie inside of your head then she's doing an excellent job. This was excellent.

The story shows you that whether you are rich or broke, you all have problems. No one is what they seem in this book and they tell lies upon lies upon lies to each other and themselves. In the end, could the two women bond and put their past aside?

The only thing that I wished for more in this book was that I wanted to see more of Benny. He's very troubled but also funny and he means so much to both women that it was a shame that he wasn't more present in the book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. The pacing is good and the story is compelling. I suggest you pre-order a copy so you don't miss out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book. I sincerely hope that Ms. Brown continues writing and that I'll be able to review her next piece of work. 

The Second Home by Christina Clancy

Title: The Second Home by Christina Clancy
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Six months after her the death of both of her parents, Ann "Ann with a Plan" Gordon wants to sell the summer home that has been in her family for generations. There's no will but she has appointed herself the executor of the estate. She has only one thought, and that is to keep her estranged adopted brother Michael from having a benefit from the sale.

The book is told from the perspective of Ann, Poppy. and Michael and tells the events from the summer of 1999 and back to the present day. Ann is the take charge daughter, Poppy is the flighty free spirit, and Michael is the golden  boy who never quite feels as if he fits in. It is a bit too much about how much they fit into their neat character boxes, but not unbearable.

Something happens to Ann in the summer of 1999 and like a stone thrown in a pond, the ripples extend out and touch everyone and everything. The incident in question made me angry and had it been a physical book instead of a digital copy I would have thrown it. A well known and somewhat overused plot device was employed here. I understand that it was used to further the story and fuel the plot but I didn't like it at all.

Barring those two things, the overall story was good. It was a quick read, dark enough to keep you invested (because trust me, after that one plot point I almost wanted to give it up) but light enough to be a summer read. 

The characters, even though predictable, were well fleshed out. Where this author excels though is the setting descriptions. You can almost smell the salt and sulfur of the Cape. You can almost see the changes of the season in the landscape. You can almost feel the sand between your toes.

The Second Home is about coming home and reliving memories that may have been brighter when seen through the eyes of a child but are dimmed a bit as an adult. The memories are still yours and just as special. The Second Home is about more than just the house and the sale of it. It's about how "home" is really more your family and the connection you have to one another than a building.

I'm glad I stuck with this book until the end. The ending was quick but the plot was tied up nicely. This book will make a good summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to have a copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Book Review: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Publisher:  Random House Publishing Group – Random House

            The Dial Press

Everyone is guilty of it at one time or another. You post something to one of your social media accounts to try to make your life look better than it really is. You use an Instagram filter or Photoshop to make a picture look good. You brag about a delicious meal that you ate when in reality it wasn’t really yours. You post about your picture perfect life despite the fact that the washer flooded the house and your kids have explosive diarrhea.

Little white lies that make your life look better than it really is and for a time make you feel better. Katie Brenner does that in this book. She makes her job and social life look glamorous when she’s actually really lonely and a peon at her job. She models her social media presence after her boss’s life, not knowing that her boss isn’t as perfect as she seems.

How things look are not always how they are in real life. Some people forget that. Katie spends so much time trying to erase her life as a farm girl that she misses out on any real emotion. Things start looking good for her when her boss and a hot guy take an interest in her but that quickly falls apart. Her boss fires her and the romance turns out to be nothing more than a fantasy. She soon returns to her boring farm life and the father that she has been trying to desperately to make proud.

Not a lot more can be revealed without spoiling the book but let me say that parts of the story really had me laughing out loud. I got strange looks from my future spouse. Katie, who was a little bit whiny and annoying in the beginning soon find her footing and makes you root for her.

The ending. Again, without spoilers, the author could have taken the easy and predictable way out and tie everything up with a pretty bow. She didn’t and that was a pleasant surprise for me.  It actually made me crack a smile.

This book was a pleasure for me to read.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: In the Blue Hour by Elizabeth Hall

Book Review: In The Blue Hour by Elizabeth Hall

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Elise Brooks has a dream that someone driving her car drives off an icy road. She can’t see who the driver is so when her husband Michael dies the exact same way she dreamed she is devastated. She is stuck in a rut and can’t move on. She’s depressed and can’t shake the feeling that Michael is trying to reach her from the other side.

I have experienced encounters with spirit-type beings so this wasn’t really a stretch for me. It was one of the reasons why I requested the book. This book was more eerie than scary so it’s not going to keep you up at night. One of the underlying themes that run through the whole book is that you have to live with the consequences of the actions you take and choices you make. Grief and how to move on is another theme.

The writing is very descriptive of the scenery. I found myself wanting to head out to New Mexico and the surrounding areas just to see the colors.

Some of the “chance meetings” were a little far fetched for me. At the end I could understand Elise’s path and how she ended up where she did but at times I just shook my head in disbelief. It was still well written and her journey was interesting to read.

The best part of this book, for me, was Elise. Even though she was suffering from grief, she eventually pulled herself up and got back to living. She had a mystery to solve and it gave her purpose but at the same time she found the inner strength that she had the whole time. It was nice to read a character that wasn’t a poor me pity me crybaby for the entire book. She was simply a woman who had been dealt a blow, and even though she wallowed in it for a time, she fought her way back to herself. She wasn’t written perfectly, she was written as a genuine human being. That is what I enjoyed the most.

I’d definitely recommend this to a friend as a good read. It didn’t drag and the characters were believable. Some were a little quirky but not over the top.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: Fractured by Catherine McKenzie

Book Review: Fractured by Catherine McKenzie

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

I would say that I couldn’t put this book down but I read it on my Kindle app. I guess I could say that I couldn’t stop swiping the page.

Julie Prentice moves her family to Cincinnati to get away from her stalker and for them all to start fresh. She’s the author of a best selling novel and it brought out the crazy in one of her former friends. All she wants is some piece and quiet and to be able to get her second book written. She thinks Pine Street will be able to provide everything she needs.

She soon discovers that this quiet street is full of nosey, overly friendly people. Cindy, the self appointed president of the neighborhood, is a meddling control freak. After a few mishaps it seems like Cindy sees Julie and her family as blights on her perfect community. Cindy starts going out of her way to make Julie’s life miserable.

The book is also told from the point of view of John. John is Julie’s neighbor across the street. He soon becomes her running buddy and friend and confidant. When it verges on becoming more than platonic, things start going awry.

All through the book, the author builds these complex characters that keep you guessing. Who is behind the pranks at Julie’s house? Is it her stalker or someone from the neighborhood? Is Julie losing her mind and doing things to try to gain sympathy or is there a true threat out there? The author also alludes to an accident, which is explained later in the book, and it makes the story compelling. You just want to keep turning the page to find out what happened. The twists and turns were well written and towards the end, when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was happily proven wrong.

As an aspiring author, I really connected with Julie. Her worries about meeting a deadline (I wish!) and her daily word count were something that interested me. It also shows that for many authors the words don’t just drop out on to the page. It’s real work.

This book was suspenseful and enjoyable. I highly recommend it. If you have cleaning to do, a chapter to write, a kid or pet to feed…wait to read this until you are finished with all that because once you start this book you won’t be able to stop reading until you get to the end.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much! It was a privilege to read this!

Book Review: Who We Were Before by Leah Mercer

Book Review: Who We Were Before by Leah Mercer

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Zoe and Edward’s marriage is hanging by a thread. Their son Milo was killed in an accident that Zoe can’t stop blaming herself for. She wanders through life, numb to everything. She and Edward don’t touch, don’t talk, and don’t even seem to like each other let alone love each other anymore. In an attempt to help them reconcile her parent’s treat them to a weekend in Paris.

Once there, Edward wanders off to text the woman he is emotionally cheating with. In her dazed state Zoe has her wallet and phone stolen. They are split apart and after an initial burst of anger they both decide that neither is going to look for the other. This struck me as two children saying “Fine then, be that way.”

Zoe wanders Paris and Edward prepares to take his cheating to the next level. The book is set in a series of flashbacks between their past and present which seems to be jarring at times. While I like reading about things from both their points of view I feel like it should have been split into “before” and “after” instead of a jumping of back and forth on the timeline.

While I felt empathy for Zoe, I just felt anger for Edward. Then at times I just wanted to yell at them for to stop being so stupid. The constantly “missing” each other when they finally realize they want to fix their marriage was annoying and almost made me stop reading.

It’s a quick read and touches on grief and survivor’s guilt in a real and honest way. I can appreciate that. It wasn’t a bad book but the formatting left a lot to be desired. It might be that it’s just not to my taste. The ending came rather abruptly and left me feeling like the book was a bit unfinished.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Always by Sarah Jio

Book Review: Always by Sarah Jio

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

I wanted to love this book but ended up only liking it. It’s a pretty quick and decent read. The story is captivating and it makes you want to keep turning the page to see what happens next.

The love of Kailey Crane’s life disappeared and left her heart broken but she has finally recovered. Successful social commentary journalist, engaged to a wealthy fiancé, and living in a beautiful home with a view she seems to have landed on her feet. One night, after a luxurious dinner, she comes across the now homeless Cade. While memories of their time together come flooding back to her, he seems to be unable to remember her.

What happened to Cade? A once up and coming music mogul has turned into a dirty, ragged homeless man. Why can’t he remember Kailey? Why did he disappear from her life without a word? Unfortunately, at the end of the book some loose ends stay loose and are never resolved. This is irksome.

Also irksome is the character of Kailey. I wanted to like her. I wanted to feel empathy for her broken heart and love lost. Unfortunately she was entirely selfish. She completely shut out Ryan, her new fiancé, in her quest to help Cade. She withdraws money from their joint account, lies to him about working, and even leaves a planned holiday to return to Cade. Emotional cheating can sometimes be worse than physical cheating and this book shows it in detail. As much as I appreciate a good “finding your lost love” story, her behavior really makes her unlikable.

The book bounces back and forth from the present day to the 90s when Kailey and Cade’s relationship took place. The author handles this pretty well as it’s not jarring and it doesn’t take you too far out of the story. It brought me back to the 90s with the musical references and clothing references. The nostalgia was spot on for me.

I didn’t love the ending at all. It seems a little rushed and as I said there are several loose ends that don’t get resolved. All in all it was a good book and I enjoyed it but it won’t make my favorites list.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg

Book Review: The Whole Town’s Talking by Fannie Flagg

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House

This book spans the happenings in a small town over a hundred years. While it may sound like a boring history lesson, it is anything but. Elmwood Springs is a town in Missouri founded by Swedish immigrant Lordor Nordstrom. The book starts with him founding the town and then sending away for a mail order bride.

Every character in this book is fleshed out really well. I felt almost as if I knew them by the end of the book. They were good people, flawed, but came together as a community of people that loved one another. Well, some of them more than others. It’s a testament to Flagg’s writing that the characters have so much life to them.

I don’t want to spoil a key part of the book but I do want to say that it really made me think about life and what you would do if you had just one more moment to talk to that special someone or best friend.

The chapters are short which makes the book go by really quickly. I enjoyed how the story was told from many different points of view and yet remained cohesive. The historical events that were mixed through out reminded me of a few things that I had forgotten.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light hearted yet thoughtful read. It’s a book that I will come back to whenever I need that feel good feeling.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Next by Stephanie Gangi

Book Review: The Next by Stephanie Gangi

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

I requested this book because it said that it as a tale of love, revenge, and ghosts. That seemed to be right up my alley because I am such a horror nut. I’m disappointed to say that this is not what I got at all.

We start with Joanna DeAngelis who is at home dying from her second bout of Stage 4 cancer. As someone who’s had a mother with cancer this hit close to home. You would figure that at this time she would be home amongst her two adult daughters and trying to soak in their love while she still can. Instead she is obsessed with her phone, social media, and her ex-love Ned. Ned went out for groceries one day and never came back. When he turns back up he has a new celebrity girlfriend and a baby on the way and has become a minor celebrity himself.

When she passes away, all the rage and anger about her loss of Ned brings her back as a ghost. She’s a nasty ghost. She is selfish and heartless and bent on revenge. She is not a likable character at all and it makes me dislike the book that much more.

Instead of checking in on her adult daughters and basking in a second chance to get some more love from them she is intent on destroying Ned. It gets exhausting and draining to read.

I’m not going to spoil the ending of the book and will only say that I was dissatisfied. The last chapter or so did not redeem the whole of the book like it could have.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Book Review: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

I enjoyed this book even though I have mixed feelings about it. Cannie Shapiro is a 28 year old woman with great friends, a job she loves, and a loving dog. She also happens to be plus sized. This part of the book pleased me because I happen to be plus sized as well. Cannie seems to be perfectly happy with her plus sized status until her ex-boyfriend writes an article about her in a national magazine. She’s embarrassed but it isn’t until later that she realizes that the article, while a little harsh, also had insights into her life that she didn’t even know that he had noticed.

I peeked at a few other reviews of this book and saw that one of the common complaints is that Cannie is too whiny about her life and being fat. While it does seem to go overboard at times a lot of her self doubts and inner commentary are common thoughts among unhappy plus size women. Unfortunately the “no one loves me because I am fat” mantra that some of us tell ourselves happens a lot. So while I feel that it was a little excessive at times I also nodded my head because there were times when I was in that mindset.

When Cannie is having a good day she is witty and sarcastic and funny. I laughed at loud when she threw a box of tampons at her ex-boyfriend’s head. She makes bad choices and ends up pregnant with the ex-boyfriend’s baby, which is a realistic occurrence. Then Cannie meets up with a movie star named Maxi who is almost like a fairy godmother. She arranges for Cannie to visit in California and pitch her script to an agent who immediately hands Cannie a check for a LOT of money. These are the unrealistic parts. It took me a little bit out of the story because while this would be a good scene in a movie, I cannot see things happening that quickly in real life.

After a show down with the cold, uncaring father that abandoned her and her family when she was a child Cannie seems to finally start developing a stronger backbone. This crumbles to pieces after an encounter in which she almost loses her baby and sinks into a deep depression. She loses weight drastically and is finally the thin she always wanted to be and is still unhappy.

She finally wakes up and starts to take care of herself. She gains some weight back and is finally able to see that she should have been happy with herself all along. This made me smile a bit because she was finally a happier, nicer person.

One of the elements that bothered me about this book was how nasty and unaccepting Cannie was to her mother for being a lesbian. I don’t have a basis for this in my own family but I understand that if you are not happy with someone else’s life choices it doesn’t matter. It is their life. There is no resolution to Cannie’s anger at her mother for becoming a lesbian. There is no acceptance of her mother’s partner. I usually can’t stand books that tie everything up in a neat little bow at the end but I really feel that not having Cannie at least accept that her mother was happy and she wouldn’t be able to change her mother’s mind would have been a decent resolution.

Despite the few issues I had with this book I did enjoy it. The characters are complex and flawed. There is a lot of humor in the story as well as some heartache. I would definitely read it again.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Book Review: Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Shelby Richmond is a hot mess. She was driving with her friend Helene, hit a patch of ice, and got into an accident. Shelby survived with minor injuries and Helene ends up comatose. Shelby’s life stalls. She attempts suicide, she cuts herself, and ends up in an institution. She even shaves her head as a way to act out from survivor’s guilt.

The book follows Shelby’s life as she finally rejoins the land of the living. She falls into a relationship with a boy named Ben. After getting a job she meets a woman named Maravelle and is soon enfolded in her family. Shelby learns about making new friends and about how those friends can become family. She learns that it’s sometimes okay to depend on other people to help you through difficult times.

I laughed and I cried while reading this book. Shelby is broken but you can see so much potential in her that you root for her to wake up and enjoy her life again. I found her to be very relatable. She adopts stray animals and takes them in and they help her heal and find something to be passionate about. Her addiction to Chinese food made me worry about her MSG intake.

The relationship she has with her mother is profound. Despite everything that has happened to her mother is her rock. She’s stern when she needs to be and gentle when she has to be and when Shelby just needs her to sit and just be there she does that as well. There was an extremely touching but fun scene between Shelby and her mom that still sticks with me. It made me want to hug my mom a little tighter.

The character of Maravelle was amazing. She sees the gentle and loving person that Shelby is deep down and in her own no-nonsense way helps to bring it out. Maravelle’s family is a cast of characters all their own but they also help Shelby grow in their own individual ways. The situations that her children get into are things I have seen teenagers get into in real life. The writing here was rich and believable.

Shelby also has an “Angel” whom was the person that pulled her from the wreckage of her accident. Angel mails her postcards over the years that encourage her to keep her life moving. Shelby begins to look forward to the messages. The identity of Angel is later revealed in the book. I wish that part had been explored a little bit more but I am still satisfied with what happened.

The pacing on this book was perfect. It didn’t drag along but didn’t skimp on details. The ending left me wanting a little more but not in a bad way. It left me wanting more in the way that a book is so good that you just want it to continue. I wanted to stay in Shelby’s world and see what happens next. Instead, I was left with the promise of her facing her future with a promise of greatness.

I LOVED this book. LOVED. Please give it a try and I promise that you will not regret it.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Book Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Book Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

The book starts out with Ruth Jefferson, a respected African American nurse in a Labor and Delivery Unit. One day she is removed from the care of a child simply because the child’s parents are white supremacists and don’t want her near them or their baby due to the color of her skin. The baby develops medical issues and even though Ruth intervenes after some hesitation the baby passes away. This leads to murder charges being filed against Ruth.

I didn’t read this book to enjoy it. I knew from the blurb and the topic of race issues that it wasn’t meant to be a fun read but a serious one. I was outraged on Ruth’s behalf due to the unfairness of the charges but the author quickly points out that I am not allowed to be. I felt like I was being preached at because I happen to be white. How dare I have any empathy for a fellow human being who is being treated wrong? Just because I’m not the same skin color I can’t relate?

The characters are complex and for the most part well written. The courtroom drama is there. The racial tensions are high. Ruth has several in depth conversations with her white attorney about why she can never understand everything that she has gone through because she isn’t black. While I understand what Picoult is trying to convey not everyone has reaped the benefits of “white privilege”. Like it or not it needs to be said that there are white people out there who have gone through similar things as to what Ruth goes through.

The overall tone aside this book will certainly make you think and question how you look at some things in the world. It was compelling but it’s not an easy read.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Book Review: Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale

Book Review: Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

                                                 

On what was supposed to be her wedding day, Aimee Tierney is at a funeral instead. Her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes at sea during a fishing trip. His brother brought his body home. A grief stricken Aimee is approached by a psychic who claims that James is still alive but she doesn’t believe her. At first.

Months go by and as Aimee slowly starts moving on with her life she finds she just can’t let James go. She has known James since she was eight years old. How can she just move on from someone who was such a huge part of her life? She can’t bring herself to part with his paintings or clothing. A nagging feeling that he is still alive keeps eating at her.

She starts her own café and a flirtation with a man named Ian. As much as she wants to move on into something serious with Ian she can’t bring herself to let James go. Mysterious clues from Mexico keep popping up and she finally decides she has to make a trip and search out the truth about James once and for all. Even though Ian knows that if they do find James alive somewhere he will lose Aimee, he decides to offer her his help.

I hate how Aimee kept pushing Ian away but I can also understand her reasoning. How can you through yourself fully into loving someone when you have no closure from the previous relationship ending? It wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Even though I hated her for it I felt she made the right choice. She’s not a perfect character. She’s flawed. She makes mistakes that will make you shake your head. In the end she is relatable.

Secrets are revealed and there are twists and turns. The epilogue at the end left me tearful and hoping for a sequel and I am happy to say the author revealed that a sequel is planned for 2017.

This isn’t a light read. Hopefully, like me, you will go through the rollercoaster of emotions with Aimee and enjoy the book. It ranges from devastated to hopeful, then the happiness and joys of new love, the bitterness of old love, and the cleansing aspect of closure.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine

This is the first book that I have read by Emily Giffin. It begins with the death of Daniel, the older brother and golden boy of the family that is ripped apart by his death. Flash forward to 15 years later and the two sisters are still dealing with unresolved grief.

Josie is the wild free spirited sister. Meredith is the goody-goody overachiever. Both have handled Daniel’s death in different ways and neither of them has ever turned to each other to cope. Josie feels that her life is empty and she looks to have a child to fill the hole in her heart. Meredith starts to doubt her life choices in regards to her career and her marriage. Josie suffers from survivor’s guilt among other things and Meredith has tried her whole life to be the glue that held the whole family together.

It was a compelling story told from both of their viewpoints. It was interesting to see how each woman made their decisions, faced the repercussions, and still managed to maintain their own identities. There were times that I yelled at my tablet and even a few moments where I grew teary eyed while reading. This is something to me that signifies that the writer has touched me.

This isn’t a happily ever after fairy tale. The ending doesn’t wrap everything up in a tidy little bow. The story, however, shows how tragedy affects a family. It can splinter or even shatter them but if they are strong enough they can make it through and reconnect and move to a happier future together. Love is definitely the central theme. This is the kind of book that makes you think and I enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for my honest opinion.