34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Goodreads: A dark and moving novel—reminiscent of Thirteen Reasons Why—about the mystery surrounding a teenage girl’s fatal overdose.

There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.

Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they begin to confront the darkest truths about themselves, they will also find out what Ellie herself had been hiding all along...

My thoughts: So the premise of this book is that two 17 year old girls overdose on pills and one dies. The story is told between alternating narrators that include Sarah, the girl that lived, Jake, Ellie's brother, and Jessie, Sarah's younger sister. Timelines are all over the place. The marker in time is the night Ellie died in November. Then the three narrators take turns telling pieces of what happened to Ellie, secrets they carry, and guilt that burdens them. They all let Ellie down in one way or another but I found the story dissatisfying and pointless.

Like the book has been advertised, it is similar to 13 Reasons Why or it could be entitled, "How Ellie's Death is All My Fault." To be fair, the main characters eventually learn something from the events but not enough to warrant my time. Ellie is a deeply scarred and disturbed character that for reasons I can't fathom was popular and like able. At the same time, her dark side was ignored, even though people saw it.

All of the characters had secrets. All of them hid their deepest thoughts and desires in a proverbial and figurative box but only Ellie wrote hers down to be discovered. Yet I connected with none of them. Their parents failed them. Their friends fail them. Nobody cares. Okay. Got it. It's angst at its best.

Language is severe. A lot of swearing.
Sex is moderate to severe.
Dialog is heavy.
Subject matter - very heavy yet none delving deeply into any of the broached subjects of suicide, cutting, drug and alcohol use, molestation, sex; both hetero and homosexual, depression, bullying, peer pressure. Basically, it touches on everything but explores nothing. Which led me to where I ended, wondering what was the point of the book.

*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The White Forest: A Novel by Adam McOmber

The White Forest: A Novel by Adam McOmber
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Goodreads: In the bestselling tradition of The Night Circus and Sarah Waters’s The Little Stranger, Adam McOmber’s hauntingly original debut novel follows a young woman in Victorian England whose peculiar abilities help her infiltrate a mysterious secret society.

Young Jane Silverlake lives with her father at a crumbling family estate on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Jane has a secret—an unexplainable gift that allows her to see the souls of manmade objects—and this talent isolates her from the outside world. Her greatest joy is wandering the wild heath with her neighbors, Madeline and Nathan. But as the friends come of age, their idyll is shattered by the feelings both girls develop for Nathan, and by Nathan’s interest in a cult led by Ariston Day, a charismatic mystic popular with London's elite. Day encourages his followers to explore dream manipulation, with the goal of discovering a new virtual reality, a place he calls the Empyrean.     A year later, Nathan has vanished, and the famed Inspector Vidocq arrives in London to untangle the events that led up to Nathan’s disappearance. As a sinister truth emerges, Jane realizes she must discover the origins of her talent and use it to find Nathan herself, before it’s too late.     Adam McOmber, whose short story collection This New and Poisonous Air earned glowing praise for its evocative prose, here reveals a gift for fantastical twists and dark turns that literary fans will relish.

My thoughts: Literary masterpiece! The story itself is odd yet compelling. The first ten pages are confusing but slowly the conflict takes shape. Jane, a somewhat backward girl, senses the living souls of matter. Sometimes deafening and disturbing and other times calming and complete, Jane shares her gift with her best friends, Maddie and Nathan. Unfortunately, Jane knows little of human nature and petty jealousies. The story gathers speed even in nineteenth century England, as Maddie and Jane try to solve the mystery of Nathan's disappearance. This will eventually lead them to the charismatic and possibly dangerous cult and persona of Ariston Day.

Feel free to leave any pre-conceived ideas about Genesis and "In the beginning..." The beginning may have begun before. I didn't love the conclusion although it is not disturbing. It is the logical conclusion. I loved the prose and originality and the way the story reveals itself in a way to be believable (in a surreal manner) and an enjoyable way to spend a day of reading.

It's weird and dark and can be compared to Night Circus in that way but not as much fun as Night Circus.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

My thoughts: As a mother, I do not approve of this book. It is laden with underage drinking, drug use, lots of sex and violence. It is the perfect example of an unhealthy relationship with codependency issues and lack of anger management.

Okay. I needed to get that off my chest.

As a woman reader, I found the story of Abby and Travis to be a bumpy romance. Travis has a rough personality with a rough past yet he is close to his brothers and father as an adult. As a kid, he took beatings regularly which prepped him for a kind of fight club where gambling is the name of the game. This is where Abby gets her first glimpse at Travis and is sprayed by blood from Travis' contender.

Abby's second encounter was Travis the Sex Appeal. Women on campus threw themselves at him. He is a well known player and womanizer. Without apology, he has sex with any beautiful woman on campus. There were some stomach turning moments with his sexual prowess, I must admit.

Aside from Travis' conquests and bloody fights, I enjoyed the developing friendship between the two. Abby and Travis are both haunted by their own ghosts yet somehow they heal each other or find comfort in the company of one another. It takes awhile to find out what Abby's past wounds are but she is clearly cognizant of what she is trying to avoid. For the damage she must have suffered, she's fairly functional in communication and friendships.

Naturally, there is sexual tension between Abby and Travis and some miscommunication. That said, it is not angsty. Travis and Abby play few games with one another but go through the relationship getting together, breaking up, getting together, opening wounds, breaking up, etc., etc. So help me, I liked it. I will not be giving it to my daughters to read but I liked it anyway.

The Lost Girl Review

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself.


My thoughts: The story reminds me of a movie I watched years ago starring Scarlett Johanson and Ewan McGregor where, in a futuristic world and on a island, clones were being kept for harvesting parts when the "real" person was injured. But in this story, the clones are not cloned which I found to be an interesting concept. Some of the subject's cells are used but the beings are "woven" together. There is also talk that the parts are also from robbed graves. There are three "weavers" and there seems to be some differences of opinions within them. They work at "The Loom" and have given each Echo guardians who watch over their charges and report bad behavior. They are playing God.

Echos are not allowed to have their own identities. They are made expressly to replace the person they look like if s/he were to die. They eat only what their person eats. They study and and are quizzed on the person's lives to the smallest detail. If their person dies, the echo is dispatched to take their place, all with the same body markings and knowledge.

The protagonist is an Echo who is to replace an Indian girl named Amara. Her guardians are good and discreet. The echo discovers her own identity, however and gives herself a name; Eva. The story continues at a good pace and revelations are given although not all questions are answered. One can definitely make assumptions regarding Eva's origination and it is intriguing, indeed. The more interesting question is why.

My interest was held for the entire book. The ending was a little cheesy but with plenty of hanging questions that need to be followed up in a sequel. Solid storyline. Solid writing. Excellent character development of Eva. The rest of the characters need additional information which I assume will come.



View all my reviews
*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Love--good and bad--forces three teens' worlds to tilt in a riveting novel from "New York Times "bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.Three teens, three stories--all interconnected through their parents' family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt....

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year--and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister's impending death. Can he accept Alex's love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen--a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel.

My thoughts: In order to completely enjoy Ellen Hopkins, the reader must read the books in the format they are written. The words are profound and written in verse. At the same time, the format provides layers to the stories. It's more of an art form than simply a novel or a book of poetry. For instance, one of the peripheral characters is writing from his point of view and expresses many different thoughts and feelings when read in complete verse. It makes complete sense and the voice stays in character. At the same time, the verses are written in a format where certain words are set apart and succinctly summarize in five words.

Triangles was an adult book, written about three women; friends and/or sisters. Their lives all intersect in many ways and on different levels. What they all have in common is their geography and the fact they are all mothers. Tilt is also written in verse and alternate points of view via three main characters, one teenage child per woman from Triangles. This book covers the same time period as the adult book, perhaps even further if I remember correctly, but from the teenage children's perspective. Interestingly, it does not retell the same story. There are life events that both books mark like death, marriage, divorce, and a certain level of infidelity, but the books intersect only so far. The children never completely grasp what the parents are experiencing and the parents did not comprehend what the children were really doing or feeling.

The main characters include Harley, Shane, and Mikayla. All three are struggling to find their place in the world. Intermingled in the three stories are peripheral points of view through verse via boyfriend, sister, cousin or best friend. Each character and voice is vastly different and I found myself liking Alex, a peripheral character, the best because of his depth.

I can not rant and rave enough about Hopkins and her writing style. I love it and I love the way she expresses an individual's thoughts, feelings, and subconscious ideas. I would suggest this book as a book club book and moderated by a teacher or counselor. It is rich with feeling and layered with the reality of consequences regarding teenage sex, quick judgment, and drug and alcohol use. Well worth the time. But be prepared for difficult subjects.

Sex - Extreme
Drug Use - Moderate to extreme
Language - Extreme
Violence - Mild to none.

*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Every Day by David Levithan

Every Day by David Levithan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The concept for the story is intriguing - A is a person that inhabits another person's body for one day. Sometimes A is a boy, sometimes a girl. A can inhabit different colors of skin and different shapes and sizes. A tries to minimize the impact of occupying the body. A is supposedly not judgmental. Whatever body A inhabits is fine with A.

The story is, I believe, about acceptance. People come in all shapes, sizes, genders and orientations. There is no preference given the above mentioned categories. Biology does play a part in a person's makeup, as demonstrated by the chemically depressed girl A inhabited one day which was moving and empathetic. Very well written. Also well-written is the chemical dependence of the addict and physical pain A felt and the act of defying the urge by staying in the bedroom until the end of the day, enduring.

Yet I feel like Leviathan is preachy about his own beliefs, pushing his viewpoint whether than just letting the reader think. The lack of understanding that gender might effect Rhiannon's attraction and the implication that she is wrong for that isn't fair. I'm only attracted to men. Does that make me a bad person? Even though being attracted to one gender is more common, A pushes the idea that it's wrong and judgmental which feels judgmental to me.

Much of the storyline focuses on gender and orientation rather than acceptance of each person. Not that the author doesn't attempt this topic because he does. The protagonist inhabits a 300 lb. boy, an addict, a boy grieving for his grandfather, a mean girl, a football player, a deeply depressed girl. Yet the recurring theme tends toward gender being a societal construct rather than a biological reality. Love is love no matter what. There is lesbian love, homosexual males in a gay pride parade, a transgender female going through hormone changing injections with a girlfriend, a past where A fell in love when occupying a boy's body with another boy and began a romantic relationship yet I don't recall (although I may be mistaken) a healthy heterosexual relationship portrayed throughout the book.

Additionally, the topic of religion is brushed upon but not in a favorable light. I did like the summation that religions share a great deal of commonalities because I agree with this especially when clarified with the differences being the history of their church and origin. But overall, humans believe in a higher power and a greater purpose. However, brushing religion under the carpet as being unimportant is rather condescending. Despite the commonalities of all religions, I'd wager that identifying with a religion is one of the top 5 characteristics of most people. Perhaps because my sexual orientation is just assumed, I don't typically qualify myself as "heterosexual."

The concept of this book is interesting, but overall it's a romance. It carries all the cheesy declarations of loves that come with that. If the book had focused less on the romance and been more well-rounded in it's portrayals of different belief systems it would've probably rated higher for me. It seems to want people to understand different viewpoints without fairly attempting to understand theirs. Faith being portrayed so inaccurately is very frustrating, especially when it's also unnecessary.



View all my reviews
*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon Review

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Filled with action, suspense, and romance, this first book in a new trilogy offers readers nonstop thrills.

My thoughts: From the first page, I was completely hooked. Noa wakes up on a cold table with no memory of the past three weeks and a surgical star that feels cold to the touch. She is further alerted to trouble when the men who are holding her act guilty and weird. That's where the action takes off. It is nonstop. Noa uses her street smarts and excellent hacking skills to escape, try to stay off the grid and evade recapture. Which is very difficult since whoever held her seems determined to recapture her. Additionally, Noa is a kid in the foster system. Nobody missed her while she was gone. Big red flag.

Meanwhile, Peter is a rich kid who used to have an older brother. His brother died of a disease that has the world befuddled. Peter is bored and at home when he decides to hack into his dad's files and see what's going on there. Immediately, his house is broken into and a bunch of militant brutes steal Peter's computer from his hands, threaten him, and leave with a directive to let his parents know that Mr. Mason stopped by. Peter is miffed and passes on the message which freaks out his parents.

Eventually, Peter and Noa cross paths. Somehow their experiences are related and they are trying to figure out what happened to Noa and why was she targeted. Noa and Peter hack into different systems and discover disturbing images and trends. The men after Noa and intimidating Peter are very, very bad men but seem to have a lot of latitude and power.

Noa's street smarts is impressive and her character stays true to itself. Peter develops more as a person and more people are introduced as the story moves along. This is part Young Adult, part mystery and a lot of action. Some medical terminology is used and explained and sets up the reader to be anxious for the next book to be released.

Set aside an evening to read this.

*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Falling in Love with Joseph Smith: Finding God in the Unlikeliest of Places by Jane Barnes Review

Falling in Love with Joseph Smith: Finding God in the Unlikeliest of Places by Jane Barnes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Fabulist or visionary, fraud or God's messenger—one woman's quest to nail down America's homegrown prophet.

When award-winning documentary film writer Jane Barnes was working on the PBS Frontline/American Experience special series “The Mormons,” she was surprised to find herself inexplicably drawn to Joseph Smith and the Mormon religion. The product of an Episcopalian, “Waspy” family, she had never even met a Mormon before she began work on the series. But so it was: She was smitten with a man who proclaimed to have translated the word of God by peering into the dark of his hat.

In this brilliantly written memoir, Barnes describes her experiences working on the PBS series as she teetered on the precipice of conversion to Mormonism. It all began when she came across Joseph Smith's early writings. She was delighted to discover how funny and utterly unique Smith was: “We do not normally think of God tickling us until we break into helpless peals of laughter.” And her fascination only deepened when, much to her surprise, she learned that her third paternal grandmother was a Mormon convert who, in 1833, had followed Smith west and whose family's pioneer life was consumed by the crises swirling around the prophet and his involvement in polygamy.

Falling in Love with Joseph Smith is a funny, poignant, philosophical book that anyone with a spiritual bone will relate to.

My thoughts: This is a rare find. The book is part memoir and part historical yet they can not be separated. The reason I found this book so wonderful is that the author has no agenda. Far too often in secular publishing, the goal of the book is to discount Joseph Smith and/or Mormonism. On the other side of the equation is the publishing company, Deseret Book which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What I was really wanted to read was an objective view of the LDS church. As objective as an exploration could be, at any rate. Barnes provided this.

Jane Barnes is a baby boomer, raised as an Episcopalian although with little religion. She married a Catholic and had two daughters, both of whom she took to the Catholic church. Still being young when the 60's were in their exploration stage, Jane found herself questioning many societal norms and was drawn to the fringe, entering a lesbian relationship thus ending her marriage. This experience turned out to be a vital experiment in understanding how one feels to be practicing an unpopular practice; one that is not discussed and make others uncomfortable. Much like earlier Mormons.

Later in life, Jane was introduced to Joseph Smith's life and teachings through a writing job she had with a cable network. She was fascinated, enamored, and obsessively jumped right in to explore the subject matter. For the reader to understand her point of view, it is important to understand the author and her experiences which led to Joseph Smith and ultimately her decision on where to place her knowledge in her life today.

Being a life-long member of the LDS faith, I wanted to see from another's eyes how the church and Joseph Smith is perceived sans propaganda. To google the subject is to take into the sites of hateful and anti-Mormon thoughts based on angry feelings rather than thoughtful theology and scholarship. Mormon bashing has become a popular sport as of late.

On the other side of the coin is the fact that before the age of information, and like many other members of different denominations, I was provided a carefully edited version that did not always paint a complete picture of the times, the people, or events. Barnes, not being a member of the LDS faith, provides more objectivity without an agenda to slander to canonize.

Naturally, I didn't agree with all of Barnes' ideas or facts. Some of her accepted facts are controversial. At the same time, I don't fault her findings or conclusions simply due to the fact that she took the time to explore concepts with the goal of understanding. Her research also provided me with at least two books that I want to read on Joseph Smith.

Barnes does not shy away from the cringe-worthy subjects. One subject that is particularly controversial is polygamy. Did Joseph Smith institute it because he was inspired by God or because he was oversexed? Although the mainstream LDS church does not and has not practiced polygamy since late 1850's, this was a great cause of friction within the early Church. So much so, members who did not forsake the practice were excommunicated. Also, those who refused to accept the doctrine prior to coming to Utah, left the church. Most did not refute that Joseph was a prophet of God and translated the Book of Mormon. They refuted the practice of polygamy as doctrine.

The most fascinating discussion and exploration came at the nearly the end of the book. Although comfortable enough looking at mainstream Mormon people, I, like most of America cringe at today's polygamous communities. Thank you, Rulon and Warren Jeffs. But Barnes goes there. Well, not specifically THERE but she tracks down a different sect of Utah polygamy. Just outside of Colorado City sits a community called Centennial Park where she finds a family open to discussing the practice and reality of polygamy. I found the explanation and discussion of the real spirit of polygamy beautiful and tragically misunderstood by those who abuse it. I found that I gained an appreciation for those who choose to practice it (I just don't want them to call themselves Mormons because I'm selfish like that). They are largely underground and quietly practicing what they view as eternal marriage while the scandalous get the press time.

I found the book and Barnes' journey to be honest, positive, and beautiful. I appreciated her candidness regarding her own life and experiences, as well as her openness to Joseph Smith and his contextual time period in American History. I enjoyed her honest agenda of trying to understand Joseph Smith.


View all my reviews

The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis GIVEAWAY

The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis

Against a teeming canvas of Borgia politics, Niccolò Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci come together to unmask an enigmatic serial killer, as we learn the secret history behind one of the most controversial works in the western canon, The Prince...

When Pope Alexander dispatches a Vatican courtesan, Damiata, to the remote fortress city of Imola to learn the truth behind the murder of Juan, his most beloved illegitimate son, she cannot fail, for the scheming Borgia pope holds her own young son hostage. Once there, Damiata becomes a pawn in the political intrigues of the pope’s surviving son, the charismatic Duke Valentino, whose own life is threatened by the condottieri, a powerful cabal of mercenary warlords. Damiata suspects that the killer she seeks is one of the brutal condottierri, and as the murders multiply, her quest grows more urgent. She enlists the help of an obscure Florentine diplomat, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Valentino’s eccentric military engineer, Leonardo da Vinci, who together must struggle to decipher the killer’s taunting riddles: Leonardo with his groundbreaking “science of observation” and Machiavelli with his new “science of men.” Traveling across an Italy torn apart by war, they will enter a labyrinth of ancient superstition and erotic obsession to discover at its center a new face of evil—and a truth that will shake the foundations of western civilization.

And it's a GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to an awesome publicist, I have two copies up for grabs!
Fill out the form below!
If you can't see it, click HERE.

Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans

Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Michael must save his mother—and protect his powers—in the electric sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Michael Vey, from Richard Paul Evans.
Michael was born with special electrical powers—and he’s not the only one. His friend Taylor has them too, and so do other kids around the world. With Michael’s friend Ostin, a tecno-genius, they form the Electroclan, an alliance meant to protect them from a powerful group, the growing Order of Elgen, who are out to destroy them. The leader of the Elgen, Dr. Hatch, has kidnapped Michael’s mother, and time is running out.

After narrowly escaping an Elgen trap, Ostin’s discovery of bizarre “rat fires” in South America leads the gang to the jungles of Peru, where the Electroclan meets new, powerful foes and faces their greatest challenge yet as Michael learns the extent of the Elgen’s rise in power—and the truth of their plan to “restructure” the world


My thoughts: No way can the second book of a series be as good as the first. But it is. Not just a place holder, but a bona fide page turner. The story continues to develop as do the characters. The Electriclan kids' powers are practiced and develop even further. Michael Vey becomes the accidental leader and, I love this, he is flawed. Not only is he flawed, but he's still a kid and often wants to go back to a simpler time.

Read the first book before this one. Although I think a reader will catch onto the gist, it's worth the time to get the background story. Honestly, I forgot how the kids became electric. I think they were staying in some hospital at the time that a new doo-hickey was being tested. A lot of babies died but those that didn't die developed neuro-electric currents that could be channeled and used for good or evil. It all depends on who is in control - Dr. Hatch or free agency.

The action is nonstop. Those who have chosen to split from Dr. Hatch (including the three guinea pigs) are trying to evade recapture. They are also finding how long Dr. Hatch's arm really is in the larger world. The storyline is clever and original. For being science fiction - it makes a lot of sense and scared me. Just a little bit. Don't worry. I can still sleep at night.

Language and sex - clean
Violence - Strong with disturbing torture implements (thank you, Dr. Hatch)

I would give it to my 12 year son and he would enjoy it. In fact, all of my children (including my husband) would enjoy this book. It is genius.

One caveat - I am mad at the author. He came to my Costco and was so inundated with fans, he didn't acknowledge me. Not that I stood in line for his signed copy. I expected his neuro-electrical transmitters to sense a diehard reviewer and fan.

Alas, he is not Michael Vey.

View all my reviews

*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

A Girl Like YouA Girl Like You by Maria Geraci

A Girl Like You by Maria Geraci

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Goodreads: What if you found out you were the ugly friend?

Emma Frazier is smart, hardworking, and loves her job as a journalist for a Florida lifestyle magazine. Emma knows she’s no great beauty, but she’s pretty certain she has a shot with her handsome new boss, Ben Gallagher—until Emma overhears a mutual acquaintance refer to her as the “ugly friend.” In an effort to reclaim her battered self-esteem, Emma decides to impress Ben at work by promising an exclusive interview with NASCAR legend, Trip Monroe.

Emma and Trip went to high school together and although it’s been fourteen years since they’ve spoken, Emma is certain she can score an interview with the elusive super star. But connecting with Trip turns out to be harder than Emma imagined. Her quest for the interview leads her back to her tiny hometown of Catfish Cove, where old secrets and a new romantic interest shake up Emma’s views on life and teach her that maybe the key to finding true love is as simple as accepting yourself for the person you were always meant to be.


My thoughts: A Girl Like You is a quick, fun read with the most important elements for a girl like me; excellent character development and humor. You know those little moments you catalog in your brain but don't articulate the moment? Geraci does it and it's fun to see.

Emma is a small town girl who happens to carry a few pounds more than her skinny friends. It's never really bothered her much until she overhears someone with few social graces mention that she's the "ugly friend." The book tells a story that meanders quite a bit but my interest didn't meander. I just kept reading and enjoying it. I finally understood how it tied together but I won't tell you that part. I will say that what Geraci accomplishes is writing a believable story with flawed, wonderful and real characters that often react to previous experiences and overheard conversations rather than enjoying the moment.

I loved every character. Especially the most flawed of them. My favorite scene is where Emma leaves one character at the end of a dock, with his hands pushed into his pockets, looking thoughtfully out to the distance like a Nicholas Sparks novel. Cracked. Me. Up.

Fun read. Perfect summer escape


*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel Review and GIVEAWAY

The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads: At thirty-six , Hope McKenna-Smith is no stranger to bad news. She lost her mother to cancer, her husband left her for a twenty-two year old, and her bank account is nearly depleted. Her own dreams of becoming a lawyer long gone, she’s running a failing family bakery on Cape Cod and raising a troubled preteen. Now, Hope’s beloved French-born grandmother Mamie, who wowed the Cape with her fabulous pastries for more than fifty years, is drifting away into a haze of Alzheimer’s. But in a rare moment of clarity, Mamie realizes that unless she tells Hope about the past, the secrets she has held on to for so many years will soon be lost forever. Tantalizingly, she reveals mysterious snippets of a tragic history in Paris. And then, arming her with a scrawled list of names, she sends Hope to France to uncover a seventy-year-old mystery.

Hope’s emotional journey takes her through the bakeries of Paris and three religious traditions, all guided by Mamie’s fairy tales and the sweet tastes of home. As Hope pieces together her family’s history, she finds horrific Holocaust stories mixed with powerful testimonies of her family’s will to survive in a world gone mad. And to reunite two lovers torn apart by terror, all she’ll need is a dash of courage, and the belief that God exists everywhere, even in cake. . . .

My thoughts: Absolutely moving, charming, and full of hope and symbolism. There is so much to the story that touches on so many levels and important topics. The book opens with Hope, a middle aged mother with learned pessimism. Barely hanging onto her family bakery, she is also struggling with her 12 year old daughter and coldness she feels in her own heart, her feelings of inadequacy she carried from childhood, and her ex-husband. The icing on the cake is her French grandmother fading into Alzheimer's.

Rose's story is slowly revealed throughout the novel and redefines Hope's identity. Rose lived through WWII where she met and married an American while in Spain. But there were people she loved and lost and tried to forget. Before she does, she asks Hope to search for their fates. Her goal is to give Hope her true legacy.

I could not put the book down. It ranks up there with a book by Kristen Hannah but with a historical fiction flavor that had me nearly in tears as the characters relive the Holocaust. Bring tissues but be prepared to feel uplifted.

3 winners! 

How exciting!

I hope you win.

You're my favorite, you know.

*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake Review and GIVEAWAY

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at “the old home place,” a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. The children embrace the reunion as a welcome escape from the prying eyes of their father’s congregation; for Willadee it’s a precious opportunity to spend time with her mother and father, Calla and John. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core: John’s untimely death and, soon after, the loss of Samuel’s parish, which set the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change.

In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But it is Blade Ballenger, a traumatized eight-year-old neighbor, who soon captures Swan’s undivided attention. Full of righteous anger, and innocent of the peril facing her and those she loves, Swan makes it her mission to keep the boy safe from his terrifying father.

With characters who spring to life as vividly as if they were members of one’s own family, and with the clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragic—and triumphant—aspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield emerges as one of the most vital, engaging storytellers writing today. In The Homecoming of Samuel Lake she has created a memorable and lasting work of fiction.


My thoughts: What sets the story apart from other books is the writing style and character development. But then, just as I was enjoying it just because it was making me laugh, Ras kept showing up and leaving a bad taste in my mouth. He's definitely a key player in the book since he is the cause of the biggest conflict but his actions, both past and present, turned my stomach. He is, as the characters summarize him, the spawn of the devil. And, although he gets his just desserts in the end, the ending left me just a little less satisfied because he got to terrorize for so long.

But the positives of the book is everything and everybody else. There is no writing style to compare it to except, perhaps, Good Graces, but this one might have eclipsed that writing style. Every character is one I could imagine, maybe because I spent a little too much time watching The Dukes of Hazzard, Beverly Hillbillies, and the Andy Griffith Show, but many of the actors came from them. Calla was just a plumper Grannie. Ras was a more evil Hoggs. The children, Noble, Swan, and Bienville Lake come from someplace close to Mayberry.

What irritated my husband because I kept laughing while he was trying to sleep:

Noble said, "I'm the sheriff."

Swan said, "I'm the United States marshal."

Bienville's hands went to work signing, indicating his own identity, but Blade couldn't read sign language, so he just looked at Swan, since she seemed to always have the answer for everything.

"He's a deaf and dumb Indian scout," Swan said. "he can't talk, and he can't hear you when you talk, so you can say anything you want to around him."

As if to illustrate her point, Noble turned to Bienville, and grinned real big, and said, "You're ugly, and you smell like a cow pile!"

Bienville grinned back, nodding his head up and down as if to say that he couldn't agree more.

It's a small town where everybody knows everybody's business and the grown-ups take themselves far more seriously than anybody else does. Eventually, crap happens but it's the way people carry on and bear each other up that pulls it all together. But I just loved the character development.

Excellent.



*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

It's Friday and I Need to Post Giveaways!

My thoughts can be found HERE.

Description of book:  Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn’t seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.

Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce’s remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.

Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him—allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years.

And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.

A novel of unsentimental charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry introduces Rachel Joyce as a wise—and utterly irresistible—storyteller.

Enter to win right HERE!

My Honesty and Coping Mechanism

Just in case you have been following my book blog for awhile, you may have noticed a slowing of my reading. I am ready to come clean with a serious problem I have. Maybe, if I share my journey, more of you will bravely come forward, and admit your own weaknesses. Or, you'll just call me crazy.

So, let's get that part out in the open. I am crazy. Not quite certifiable but definitely not normal. Whatever normal is. So sit down for a minute and let me introduce myself to you properly. My name is Nancy. I am a suburban housewife. I am a mother of four children. I am school counselor. I am a wife. I am a reader. Those are the basics, although I could certainly add more to this list. I have a Master's degree in educational psychology. Surprisingly, this has not made me a stellar mother. Stunned me, too. When stressed out, I fall back on my old coping mechanisms. Therapy? Pharmaceuticals? Healthy lifestyle? All no.

I start a new hobby.

Generally speaking, I erroneously believe it is cheaper than therapy. My mind is occupied with learning things I know so very little about so my life stressor is pushed comfortably into a mental closet, seeping out only a little at a time and, theoretically, I live through a highly anxious time and have something to show for it; a book blog, a beautiful garden (fertilized with llama poo - the best fertilizer, dancing live with other mothers on stage, etc.).

So early this Spring I had another life changing event. My identity was about to change. I was getting a job transfer. I was changing from a high school counselor at the alternative school, one I felt comfortable doing, to being a junior high counselor in a different town.

So I got chickens.

Things were going so well. They were brooding in the garage under a heat lamp, growing feathers and being cute. Ten days before they were to be transferred to a failed eagle scout project coop, my stupid dog realized her true calling. She upset the box, chased them, tracked them, and proudly brought me their remains, wagging her happy Labrador tail.

I said bad words and lost a little bit more of my sanity. I saved one slobber covered chicken and watched her slip into a deep depression. So I pulled her out of her depression by giving her three new sisters, against my husband's better judgment.

For Mother's Day I got a $300 dog collar that shocks said dog when she leaves a set perimeter.

Last month I had my custom built chicken coop and run delivered to my house.

Long story short, my chicken hobby has taken a lot more time than I had anticipated. Not to mention, when the first egg is finally laid, it will have cost somewhere between $800 - $1000.

Bottom line - I should have tried Prozac.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

I liked this book for reasons different than a typical reader might like it. Yes, the Noah - Echo romance and story was cute and kind of sweet at times but what I was really watching was the psychological development. I liked watching the social worker's methodology and the way she interacted with both Noah and Echo. I liked to see her techniques along with the outcomes.

Both protagonists have good and bad about their characters. Noah is a slut and a potty mouth. Just warning you. Echo is a classic case of repressed memories. The truth is too difficult for her to handle. When it comes in pieces, she starts to fall apart. It is through the strengthening of herself and her relationships with both Noah and her father that she finds her own strength.

I really liked how both protagonists characters develop. I thought the whole social standing thing was over-rated and pretty stupid. I did enjoy Echo's transformation as she gains self-confidence and learns to trust those closest to her. Noah's decisions are pretty heart wrenching but I thought the ending was appropriate and well written.

Like life, the story doesn't end in a nice, pretty package. But it's a nice beginning to what can come.

View all my reviews

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn’t seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.

Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce’s remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.

Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him—allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years.

And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.

A novel of unsentimental charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry introduces Rachel Joyce as a wise—and utterly irresistible—storyteller.

My thoughts: How can a book be so quirky, sad, yet bittersweet? And so full of wisdom?

Harold has been living on the fringes as a spectator all of his life. He retired recently and is quietly sitting at breakfast where his wife, Maureen, berates him lightly then hands him a post. It's a simple letter from an old friend who thanks him for his friendship and goodbye, she's dying of cancer.

Harold pens a letter to thank her and tell her goodbye and walks out to post it. But then he keeps walking and plans on walking until he reaches his old friend, Queenie, who is over 500 miles away. Deep in Harold's heart, he holds old regrets, pains from his past, disappointment from relationships, and shame for not being a better man.

Harold walks and thinks. His pilgrimage reflects much of what he thinks. On days where he is weighed down with past disappointments, he can barely move his feet yet he trudges along. Most of the time, he is quite British and refuses help. Occasionally, and with great humility, he accepts help on the way. Harold's pilgrimage is allegorical along with being literal. Meanwhile, his wife, Maureen, sits at home and, with the help of a neighbor, she makes a few personal adjustments, as well.

By the end of the book, the reader understands Harold and Maureen much better. The reader knows why Harold felt compelled to walk. And walk. And walk. Those who have been to England, will recognize a few of the towns and cathedrals. I really enjoyed returning to Wells in my mind. I even remembered the cathedral had flying buttresses.

If at all possible, read the book with a British accent. If not possible, re-read this review with a British accent. I wrote it with a British accent. It just sounded better inside my head that way.

 *I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.