Showing posts with label boyfriend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boyfriend. Show all posts

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Book Review - Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan

 

Ezra Ahern wakes up one day and his entire life has turns upside down. His beloved older sister, Bea, has disappeared. She left without even saying good bye to anyone. Bea left behind a cryptic email address hidden somewhere only he could be able to find. Ezra never expected that Bea would leave him alone to deal with their abusive stepfather and mother.

Bea Ahern knew that she needed to get as far away from home as she could for her sanity. When she receives an email she realizes that she is alone in a new city without a real plan and the person she is looking for might not want to be found.

As thing spiral out of control, Bea and Ezra share secrets about their past that will change them forever. They realize that they might be apart but connected through their emails. They come to terms with the abuse that they endured and realize they need to face their own demons before they can be reunited.

The novel is a heart warming and thoughtful read. I reading the email exchange between the two siblings and was hoping for them to get their happy ending. I think the authors did a great job talking about abusive and neglectful parents along with touching on the insecurities the children might feel. The book was a great read and I look forward to reading other books from the authors.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Book Review - This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

 

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Nearly twenty-five years ago, Eve Knox, a young sixteen-year-old is found dead in the caves near her home in Grotto, Iowa. Eve's body was discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and Eve's sister, Nola. The police have a handful of suspects including Eve's boyfriend, Nick, but they lack solid evidence to convict anyone. The case has gone cold for years until one eventful day.

Maggie has been haunted by Eve's death and finding her body. Maggie is now a detective and seven months pregnant when she is thrust back to that night when new evidence emerges. Maggie is assigned to the case when it is reopened. As she begins to investigate, she discovers that someone knows more than they are letting on and they will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.

I was really torn while reading this book. I didn't care for any of the characters and I didn't find the plot to be believable. When reading the book, I had a hard time believing Maggie was a detective. There was an incident that happened to her and it was never explained who was behind it and the book just chalked it up as "we will never know".  And then one of her neighbors in the community, she knows they are a pedophile that targets young girls and she knows that people like that never change but, she does nothing to try and stop it. The novel moves very slowly until a "bombshell" is dropped but, even then it doesn't redeem this tedious book.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Book Review - A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

Photo Credit - Amazon

In November 2012, a thirty-seven-year-old single mother vanishes from Omaha, Nebraska. Cari was known to others as a doting daughter, a devoted mother, a thoughtful friend, and a reliable employee. She has never been the type to abandon her duties and obligations. She would never abandon her son or her dying father as he is taking his last breath. However, the texts from her phone indicated a different story. 

In a span of over thousands of text messages and emails, Cari dumps her new boyfriend, quits her promising career, plans to leave her familial home, sell all of her belongings, and give up custody of her son. Her boyfriend, Dave Kroupa, and her manager believe that this behavior is odd for Cari but, still believe and accept her texts at face value. Her mother, Nancy Raney, believes that this isn't the behavior of her daughter. She is certain that her daughter is in danger and reports her missing. The police are skeptical of her claim of someone posing to be her daughter.

Nancy and a handful of Cari's friends are afraid of what happened to Cari. However, Dave is certain that Cari is stalking him and grows fearful of her. He has never seen or heard Cari but, the stalker always remains one step ahead of him. His stalker also seems to be obsessed with his girlfriend, Shanna Liz Golyar. The stalker uses every opportunity available to be verbally abusive towards Liz and even threatens her.

In three years, the stalker sends over twelve thousand emails and texts to their victims. The stalker communicates with Cari's mother, Nancy along with stalking Dave and Liz endlessly. Dave and Liz receive threats of death, vandalism, and burglaries. While the stalker might have sent the messages in Cari's name, the identity of the real stalker is tangled behind webs of deceit and lies.

I wasn't familiar with the case and this was my first "real crime" novel. However, I must say, I am hooked. I didn't read the description of the novel so, finding out how the real culprit was a mystery to me. After a few chapters into the book, I had a feeling of the mastermind was. I was quite surprised that they were able to pull off such a ruse given how Dave describes her. The author wove an enticing read and I love getting the background behind each of the characters. A true gem for a true crime fanatic!

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Friday, October 25, 2019

Book Review - 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Sophie couldn't wait for the holiday break so she can spend time with her boyfriend and away from her overprotective parents. When her parents decide to spend some time with her older sister, Sophie is beyond ecstatic to have her freedom. Sophie couldn't wait to tell Griffin the news but, then she finds out that Griffin wants to take a break from their relationship.

Sophie is heartbroken and decides to spend her time at her grandparents' house where the entire family is gathered for the holiday. Her Nonna has a brilliant idea to help Sophie get over her pain by allowing each one of her family members to plan a different blind date for her. With each date allowing Sophie to get over Griffin and enjoy herself, she finds herself lost for words when Griffin begs her to take him back.  However, Sophie is more confused than ever when she finds herself falling for someone else. Will Sophie be able to find the person she should be with?

I thought the novel was a cute and fun read especially when someone is going through heartbreak. However, I was a bit put off by some of Sophie's behavior such as almost ghosting someone when she realized she might like someone else. I thought as she experienced first-hand someone being less than kind with her that she would be better. Or when she felt that excluded from her cousins and instead of telling them how she felt, she pulled away from them. And then she feels hurt when she doesn't feel included in their plans.  I feel like as a person who has been heartbroken or lonely, she isn't very empathetic to people around her. Overall, I still found the novel to be an enjoyable read especially the dates she went on.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

About the Book
Title: 10 BLIND DATES
Author: Ashley Elston
Pub. Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 336

Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship.

Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents' house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That's when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.

When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she's started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.

This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever . . . or is it?

"This piece-by-piece romance doesn't need its Christmas theme to sell, but it makes it glitter all the more."—Booklist
"In a funny holiday romance that has Sophie dog-sitting in a hockey rink, watching porn at a drive-in theater, and playing the Virgin Mary in a middle school Nativity, Elston cleverly reflects the family members' personalities through their choices of dates for Sophie."—Publishers Weekly




About Ashley:
Ashley Elston is the author of several novels, including THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING (a finalist in the Best Young Adult Novel category of the International Thriller Awards) and THIS IS OUR STORY. She graduated with a Liberal Arts degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Ashley worked for many years as a wedding photographer before turning her hand to writing. Ashley lives in Louisiana with her husband and three sons.

Ashley is represented by Sarah Davies at The Greenhouse Literary Agency.

Giveaway Details:
3 winners will receive a finished copy of 10 BLIND DATES, US Only.

Rafflecopter link:

Tour Schedule:
Week One:
10/1/2019- BookHounds YA- Excerpt
10/2/2019- Odd and Bookish- Review
10/3/2019- Fictitiouswonderland- Review
10/4/2019- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

Week Two:
10/7/2019- PopTheButterfly Reads- Excerpt
10/8/2019- Read. Eat. Love.- Review
10/9/2019- Paper Reader- Review
10/10/2019- A Bookish Dream- Review
10/11/2019- Savings in Seconds- Review

Week Three:
10/14/2019- book briefs- Review
10/15/2019- Shelf-Rated- Review
10/16/2019- Smada's Book Smack- Review
10/17/2019- Do You Dog-ear?- Review
10/18/2019- Wishful Endings- Review

Week Four:
10/21/2019- Southern Girl Bookaholic- Review
10/22/2019- Eli to the nth- Review
10/23/2019- fictitious.fox- Review
10/24/2019-  Fire and Ice- Review
10/25/2019- Two points of interest- Review

Week Five:
10/28/2019- Riddle’s Reviews- Review
10/29/2019- Jena Brown Writes- Review
10/30/2019- Moonlight Rendezvous- Review
10/31/2019- Novel Novice- Review
 

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Book Review - The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

Photo Credit - Amazon

Annika Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. She becomes anxious in social situations and she finds it hard to decipher people's behaviors. She finds comfort in books and playing chess.

When newcomer Jonathan Hoffman joins the chess club, he plays his first match against Annika. After he loses his first match, he finds himself drawn to the beautiful but, shy Annika. Jonathan admires that Annika is able to be true to herself. They are both drawn to each other as they balance each other out. Together, they embark in tender love affair when a tragic accident tears them apart causing them to live separate lives.

A decade has passed and Annika and Jonathan has a fate encounter in Chicago. Annika is living the life as she wanted as a librarian. Jonathan is a recovering from a divorce and is a financial expert. The attraction between the pair is still strong. Together, they decide to rekindle their relationship. However, they quickly realize that their fears, quirks, and anxieties that first drove them apart, is threatening their relationship once again. Will Annika and Jonathan be able to work through their differences.

I found myself torn between thinking this book was "meh" to "I liked it". At first, I didn't quite like Annika because I was reminded of some uneventful childhood experiences. But, after learning more about her, I was able to understand her better. I thought Jonathan loved Annika but, sometimes I feel like he "tolerating" or with her because of how pretty she was. I felt like there was a lot of focus on how beautiful she was or that her beauty was "wasted" because of how she was. I didn't like how people were sometimes unnecessarily cruel to Annika because she couldn't understand the world around her. I think the novel was a tad boring, I wish it had more going on.


 **Disclosure - This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Book Review - Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus + Giveaway


 
Photo Credit - Amazon

Ellery's mother is from a small town called Echo Ridge. Ellery has never been there but, she heard about it. Her aunt went missing when she was seventeen. Five years later, a homecoming queen was murdered at a local amusement park. Now Ellery and her brother, Ezra has to move to Echo Ridge to live with their maternal grandmother they barely know.

Even the small picture-perfect town is hiding secrets. In a memorial service before school begins, there was an ominous message about homecoming becoming deadly as it was five years ago. Shortly after the message appears, a girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about people keeping secrets. Her mother and grandmother are keeping secrets too. The longer she spends in Echo Ridge, the more she realizes that everyone is hiding something.  She realizes that someone is willing to kill to keep their secret quiet. Will Ellery be able to find out what happened to her aunt years ago?

I usually like reading novels like these because they usually have unexpected twists and delicious secrets. I was saddened when the story was predictable except for a portion of the ending. On a side note, while I did enjoy the novel, I found that there was a lot of characters and the ages were a bit confusing to me. For example, Ellery's mother and the other students are the same age but, the other students have younger siblings who are the same age as Ellery and Ezra. This was hard for me to grasp and conceptualize.  I wish there was a timeline of ages and past events as this would have made some of the story easier to follow along. Overall, a fun read for people who love novels with "small towns with deadly secrets".

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**  

About the Book:
Title: TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET 
Author: Karen McManus
Pub. Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 336
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonAudible,  B&NiBooksTBD

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.


About Karen: 



As a kid I used to write books when I was supposed to be playing outside, and not much has changed. I'm a marketing and communications professional who also writes Young Adult contemporary and fantasy fiction in Cambridge, MA.

When not writing or working I love to travel, and along with my nine-year old son I've ridden horses in Colombia and bicycles through Paris. A member of SCBWI, I hold a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Which I have never, ever used professionally.


Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET, US Only.


Rafflecopter link:


Tour Schedule:

Week Five:
1/28/2019- The Clever ReaderReview
1/29/2019- All the Ups and DownsReview
1/30/2019- Two Points of InterestReview
1/31/2019- EatingbetweenthelinesINCReview