SANDWICH is a poignant story that resonated with me, as I'm in the same boat as the main character Rocky, sandwiched between aging parents and new aduSANDWICH is a poignant story that resonated with me, as I'm in the same boat as the main character Rocky, sandwiched between aging parents and new adult children. Not everything she went through was relatable to me, but I found myself nodding my head in agreement or in empathy for most of the book, as she navigated this moment of middle-age. I could definitely understand her nostalgia for the past. This is a wonderful character-driven story with many humorous passages balanced with ones that made me teary-eyed. Perhaps it's because I'm reading this at just the right time in my life, but I adored this book....more
3.5 Stars — The Bad Friend was a bit different from the other short stories I've read from this collection. It was very unsettling, and downright depr3.5 Stars — The Bad Friend was a bit different from the other short stories I've read from this collection. It was very unsettling, and downright depressing too. I did like how time moved quickly over the main character's lifetime to see the consequences of her actions. This is what happens when you're never satisfied with what you've got....more
Overall, I was impressed with the quality of writing in this debut novel. NORTHWOODS is a literary crime mystery that tackles the deadly op★BOTM Pick★
Overall, I was impressed with the quality of writing in this debut novel. NORTHWOODS is a literary crime mystery that tackles the deadly opioid epidemic in a small Wisconsin resort town.
The deputy sheriff Eli North is troubled and struggling. Since he finished his tour in Afghanistan, he's suffered from serious PTSD and alcoholism. He only keeps his job because his mother is the sheriff, always covering for him. He spent the majority of the book drunk, hung over, or being a terrible father to his young son, which, let me tell you, was difficult to read.
This was definitely a character driven, slow-burn mystery. And while I think it was well written, I didn't enjoy the subject matter overly much. I'm disappointed that the young FBI Agent Alyssa Mason didn't play a bigger role, because she was my favorite character. ...more
This is a strange book about a 40-year old woman OBSESSED with her husband of 13 years and the lengths she goes through to keep him hers. It's describThis is a strange book about a 40-year old woman OBSESSED with her husband of 13 years and the lengths she goes through to keep him hers. It's described as suspenseful and darkly funny, but I found neither to be really true. However, I didn't dislike the book; it was just different than what I was expecting.
The protagonist is a maddening character and readers are trapped in her head with her troubling thoughts. I'm not sure the epilogue was a satisfying enough payoff after enduring this woman, but maybe you could take the whole thing as a cautionary tale.
I think that Maud Ventura is a talented writer, and Emma Ramadan did a beautiful job translating her words into English from the original French. Oddly enough, the protagonist in this book is also a French to English translator.
I would recommend this to fans of quiet psychological suspense novels, perhaps like Mrs. March. Borrowed from the library....more
Though beautifully written, this was a tough book to read, as it tackles some heavy subject matter. Given the circumstances, I think you n3.75 Stars →
Though beautifully written, this was a tough book to read, as it tackles some heavy subject matter. Given the circumstances, I think you need to suspend disbelief in order to appreciate the story’s message of forgiveness.
The main character Sara was sexually assaulted at 18, and she gives birth to a daughter as a result, whom she raises in secret, far away from her imprisoned assailant and his wealthy family. Eight years later, Sara and daughter Alana must return to Savannah when her father falls ill.
Here’s where the tricky part comes in: Sara befriends her attacker’s identical twin brother Jacob, and she allows him to tutor her genius daughter, as long as he keeps her existence a secret from the rest of his family. Then Sara and Jacob’s relationship starts to develop into something more. Identical twin? Hmm.
This was a heartbreaking story that’s able to leave readers with a sense of hope. I was in awe of the strength of Sara’s character as she struggled with her trauma and her role as mother to Alana. My heart went out to Jacob as he tried to put the pieces of his broken family together.
One part of the writing I did not care for was how Sara’s father would only speak in poetry. When asked a question he would recite lines of his favorite poems, which unfortunately annoyed me after a while. It slowed down the pace trying to decipher what his answers meant, and there was a lot of poetry in this book.
Aside from the poetry, I found myself easily absorbed in this emotional story. I struggled a bit with the redemption parts, but I feel the author did a beautiful job with this uncomfortable and unique debut novel.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a digital review copy of this book. Opinions are my own....more
Though contemporary romance isn't a genre I pick up often, something about the premise of this book compelled me to give it a read, and I'm s4.5 Stars
Though contemporary romance isn't a genre I pick up often, something about the premise of this book compelled me to give it a read, and I'm so glad I did.
The main character Constance is a people pleaser, always willing to give up pieces of herself for others, and never feeling like she's enough. When her fiancé gives her a stunning antique engagement ring, she sets out to discover its provenance through a very old book of letters from WWI. The answers she finds help to guide her down her own path of self-discovery.
I wasn't expecting this to be such an emotional read, but I got teary eyed several times. My heart went out to Constance and her struggle with low self-esteem and her difficult relationships with others. She was such a sweet person.
There's a bit of mystery that Constance finds within the book of letters, and a lovely slow-build romance that came with a couple of surprising twists. I highly recommend this uplifting story of finding self-worth, true love, and having the courage to accept the past and set a new course in life.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book. Opinions are my own....more
This was an engrossing and unique family drama/mystery/suspense set in the Appalachian woods of Alabama. The story is told from the POVs of three sistThis was an engrossing and unique family drama/mystery/suspense set in the Appalachian woods of Alabama. The story is told from the POVs of three sisters and their sister-in-law. As the family gathers for their grandmother's funeral, buried secrets, both past and present, threaten to come to the surface. I enjoyed how the author hid the identity of the missing person until later in the book, which definitely added to the suspense.
I loved these sisters, and I was quickly pulled in by their dilemmas. Each one had her flaws, but all were complex and compelling. Overall, this was an entertaining story about the strength of sisterly bonds, with some Southern Gothic atmosphere and revenge mixed in....more
At 17 years old, Rachel takes a summer holiday to a Greek island, where she has an affair with Alistair, a man 20 years her senior. Sevente3.5 Stars →
At 17 years old, Rachel takes a summer holiday to a Greek island, where she has an affair with Alistair, a man 20 years her senior. Seventeen is an impressionable age, and Rachel is easily seduced by the charm and attention of an older man. Unfortunately, the toxicity of that relationship stayed with her long after leaving the island. Fifteen years later and married to someone else, she still longs to relive those days with Alistair, unable to accept the truth of what really happened.
THE GIRLS OF SUMMER is part slow burn suspense and part character study of what can happen when girls are groomed and exploited. The story is told from Rachel's POV in the present and past. I was very much invested in 17-year old Rachel's timeline. The writing was gorgeous with an ominous undercurrent of what was to come. On the other hand, adult Rachel frustrated me. Despite what she went through, her decisions and behavior made her rather unlikeable.
Though the book cover evokes feelings of carefree summery days, the actual story underneath is dark, uncomfortable, and thought provoking. So quickly and easily can girls be manipulated by older men, especially powerful ones, with detrimental consequences. Even though a bit slow in parts, this book is a well written contribution to the #MeToo discussion.
Goodreads giveaway win. Thank you to the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book. Opinions are my own....more
WHEN SEA BECOMES SKY is a bittersweet and thoughtful story set during a drought in the Carolina salt marshes. Bex and her little brother Davey spend tWHEN SEA BECOMES SKY is a bittersweet and thoughtful story set during a drought in the Carolina salt marshes. Bex and her little brother Davey spend the summer exploring the marshes on Pelican Island, when one day they stumble upon the hand of an old statue reaching up out of the water. As the drought continues and the water recedes, more of the curious statue is revealed. At the same time, they find out that their beloved marsh is in danger of being destroyed by a bridge development plan.
This was a beautifully written and emotional middle grade novel about loss, grief, and finding a way to move on when faced with profound change. The stunning symbolism presented is on point, from the drought and statue's mystery, to the ever-changing marsh itself. The vibrant descriptions of the salt marshes made me feel like I was there with Bex and Davey, and I was rooting for them to solve the mystery of the statue. This is an amazing sibling adventure story with a deep and memorable meaning underneath. Highly recommended! ♥
Thank you to the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions....more
A young Cree woman returns home to face her terrifying dreams and find out what's behind them. I was expecting a horror story, but BAD CREE turned outA young Cree woman returns home to face her terrifying dreams and find out what's behind them. I was expecting a horror story, but BAD CREE turned out to be more a coming-of-age tale about processing grief and guilt. The book's pacing was slow, and it lacked a strong plot, but I did like the Cree folklore and the strong family relationships presented. I enjoyed the supernatural elements, but was hoping for more horror or suspense....more
This is a sweet & summery story about friendship, love, mistakes, and forgiveness. It's told in alternating time periods — during Percy and Sam's teenThis is a sweet & summery story about friendship, love, mistakes, and forgiveness. It's told in alternating time periods — during Percy and Sam's teenage years when they met and fell in love, and then 12 years after the end of high school, when a huge mistake drove them apart.
I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop over the course of six summers, with endearing childhood moments and angsty teen drama. I do feel like the resolution was rushed in the end, and I wish there had been more focus on them as adults working through their conflict.
The setting was amazing. A cottage by the water and lazy summer days made me nostalgic for my childhood family holidays. Lovely! Would recommend to fans of second chance romances. 3.75 stars. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
This is a difficult book to rate, but I think it will land at 2 stars. The more I think about it, the less I like it, so there's that. VLADIMIR wasn'tThis is a difficult book to rate, but I think it will land at 2 stars. The more I think about it, the less I like it, so there's that. VLADIMIR wasn't at all what I was expecting. With the blurb and title, I assumed it would be a suspenseful homage to LOLITA with the roles reversed. Nope. Instead, we got lots of meandering thoughts from an unnamed narrator. Little dialogue, unfortunately. I never quite understood or was convinced of her fixation with Vladimir. Weird ending. ...more
4.5 Stars → Would I lie to you? Umm, yes, she did. Faiza's plight in this book was so nerve-racking!
After her husband Tom is laid off from his job in 4.5 Stars → Would I lie to you? Umm, yes, she did. Faiza's plight in this book was so nerve-racking!
After her husband Tom is laid off from his job in banking, Faiza finds herself in a terrible predicament. Their £75,000 savings account is empty, all of it secretly spent by Faiza to keep up with their affluent friends and neighbors. Instead of confessing her financial infidelity, she tries to find ways to cover up what she's done, but the hole she's in just gets deeper.
As a British Pakistani woman married to a white man, Faiza feels immense pressure to fit in with the white moms in their social circle. She wants to protect her children from the racism she faced as the child of poor immigrant parents as much as possible. Does that excuse her lying and secret spending? I was rooting for her as she attempted to make things right.
Though this book is billed as women's contemporary fiction, it had the page-turning suspense of a thriller — fast-paced and great tension throughout. I could NOT put it down! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ♥...more
4.5 Stars — AN OCCASIONALLY HAPPY FAMILY is about two teens and their father dealing with loss, and just b☆ Bittersweet & Funny Middle Grade Fiction ☆
4.5 Stars — AN OCCASIONALLY HAPPY FAMILY is about two teens and their father dealing with loss, and just because one member is ready to move on, the others might not be.
Can a disastrous road trip help the Ripley family face their grief after the loss of their mom? Not only is camping at Big Bend National Park the last place Theo and his sister Laura want to spend their summer vacation, their dad has a doozy of a surprise: meeting his new girlfriend.
This book made me teary eyed, and kept me laughing out loud at the witty dialogue. The characters were realistic and I could empathize with each one. The humorous banter and misadventures helped balance the seriousness in the story. Enjoyed! (Borrowed from the library.)...more
A SUMMER TO REMEMBER blends elements of family drama, mystery, and romance into a bittersweet story. Frankie is grieving the loss of her moth3.5 Stars
A SUMMER TO REMEMBER blends elements of family drama, mystery, and romance into a bittersweet story. Frankie is grieving the loss of her mother while trying to keep their Hollywood memorabilia store afloat. She comes across a couple of sealed letters, and a photograph of her mother with a pair of married movie stars taken a year before Frankie's birth. Always curious about who her father was, Frankie heads across the country to Cape Cod where the photo was taken in hopes of finding clues to his identity.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the sense of place and the Hollywood nostalgia, and I was very curious about the family secrets surrounding Frankie's father. The romance was lovely — two lost souls coming together. However, the pacing was slow, and I found the big reveal rather frustrating. It was unnecessary to keep this particular thing a secret for 30 years! If you can get past that hurdle, A SUMMER TO REMEMBER makes a great beach read that will leave you craving margaritas and fried clams, and wanting to dust off those old VHS movies.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
This book was so charming and uplifting. Anders is a journalist working for a small newspaper when he gets assigned to cover the annual cake walk on rThis book was so charming and uplifting. Anders is a journalist working for a small newspaper when he gets assigned to cover the annual cake walk on remote Frick Island. It's a place without internet and without cell phones, but what it does have is a curious story about a young widow named Piper who acts as though her husband Tom is still alive, and an entire town that goes along with it.
I did question the town's decision to pretend that Tom was really there (helpful or harmful?), but I decided to suspend disbelief and go with it too!
Anders's real dream is to be a famous podcaster, and Piper's peculiarity could be just the hook to reel in thousands of listeners — but at what cost? I liked Anders. He was soooo not what you'd picture as a romantic hero. Awkward. Kind of goofy, though not really meaning to be. A good heart, but not perfect by a long shot.
THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND takes a unique premise and adds a little mystery and romance to create a sweet story of love, loss, and loyalty. I wish it had been more emotional like the author's last book, You Were There Too, but I still enjoyed it and recommend as the perfect summer read!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
✱ 4.5 Stars ✱ RULE OF THREES is an absorbing middle grade family drama that tackles some serious issues, including drug addiction, Alzheimer’s, and in✱ 4.5 Stars ✱ RULE OF THREES is an absorbing middle grade family drama that tackles some serious issues, including drug addiction, Alzheimer’s, and infidelity. While these heavy subjects are presented realistically, the ending will leave readers hopeful.
Maggie is a sixth grader, just starting middle school, and she's already feeling stress from an uneasy shift in her friend group from elementary. It's a time when relationships change, and new people come into your life, but Maggie never dreamed one of them would be a half-brother she knew nothing about!
Tony is a year older than Maggie, and with his mother struggling with drug addiction, he has no choice but to live with his father who may as well be a stranger. I adored Tony and Maggie, and my heart went out to them. Their reactions to this situation beyond their control were so genuine, and I loved seeing the growth in their characters over time.
This is a thoughtful coming of age story with compelling, imperfect characters dealing with relatable struggles, and it was a delight to read. Highly recommended!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Wow, I loved this book! THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME is an unputdownable twisty suspense novel and family drama that hooked me right away. • Owen and HannaWow, I loved this book! THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME is an unputdownable twisty suspense novel and family drama that hooked me right away. • Owen and Hannah have only been married a short time when he suddenly disappears. Owen's last message to Hannah was a note saying, "Protect her," and she immediately knows he's referring to his 16-year old daughter, Bailey, whose own mother died when she was very young. • Hannah and her stepdaughter have a chilly relationship, with Bailey wanting nothing to do with her. However, their quest to figure out what happened to Owen and what he's been hiding begins to change their dynamic. • This is one of the best domestic suspense novels I've read, with realistic characters and a believable story. I enjoyed the author's wonderful, absorbing writing. The last line of the book got me choked up a bit! Highly recommended. ♥ • Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I'm torn over this book. I feel like OF WOMEN AND SALT paints a distressing and realistic picture of immigration to the US, particularly what it's likI'm torn over this book. I feel like OF WOMEN AND SALT paints a distressing and realistic picture of immigration to the US, particularly what it's like for women from Latin America entering the country illegally. I would call it a timely novel, though detention centers, family separation, and deportation have been going on for many years. • My issue with this book was its lack of a strong plot. This has been mentioned in other reviews, but it's more a collection of short stories, some very compelling and others not so much. The novel alternates between several different time periods (not chronologically) and POVs from different generations of women from a Cuban/Cuban American family. It also includes the story of a mother and daughter from El Salvador, whom I loved the most. • This was a short novel, and with the choppy nature of the chapters I felt like the story was missing something that would have tied everything together. There were also characters I wish had been fleshed out more, like Maria Isabel who worked in a cigar factory in 1860s Cuba. I wanted to know more about her life. • OF WOMEN AND SALT is a heartbreaking book that explores mother/daughter bonds, loss, survival, and desperate choices. I just wish it had been more cohesive. • Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
After reading the blurb, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It tells the story of the Cleo RAfter reading the blurb, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It tells the story of the Cleo Ray murder trial, with Cleo being a popular fitness "influencer" on social media accused of killing her girlfriend.
THE ANATOMY OF DESIRE is like a true crime podcast/documentary, and I knew after seeing the format of interview transcripts that I should switch to audiobook. The audio was so well done! Even with 14 different narrators, it wasn't difficult to tell the many characters apart. The performances made the characters seem very real. Santino Fontana is one of the narrators, a favorite of mine.
A large part of this book is the courtroom drama and ensuing social media circus. Though not usually my thing, I found Cleo's trial quite fascinating. I kept going back and forth over whether I thought she was innocent or guilty as the trial progressed. The ending took me by surprise, for sure. Recommended to fans of unique and thought-provoking mysteries. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review....more
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