Things to Do When It's Raining: A review

From Goodreads: When secrets tear love apart, can the truth mend it?

Mae Summers and Gabriel Broadbent grew up together in the idyllic Summers’ Inn, perched at the edge the St. Lawrence river. Mae was orphaned at the age of six and Gabe needed protection from his alcoholic father, so both were raised under one roof by Mae’s grandparents, Lilly and George. A childhood friendship quickly developed into a first love—a love that was suddenly broken by Gabe’s unexpected departure. Mae grew up, got over her heartbreak, and started a life for herself in New York City.

After more than a decade, Mae and Gabe find themselves pulled back to Alexandria Bay. Hoping to find solace within the Summers’ Inn, Mae instead finds her grandparents in the midst of decline and their past unravelling around her. A lifetime of secrets stand in the way of this unconventional family’s happiness. Will they be able to reclaim the past and come together, or will they remain separate islands?

My thoughts: I had a hard time with this one. I was really intrigued by the synopsis, title, and cover image, but it just fell short for me. Characters are integral to me, and I like a good flawed character, but I didn't like any of these characters. They all seemed to ruminate for years over things they did, or things that were done to them. So much so that it completely affected every aspect of their lives. I had a hard time connecting to anyone in the story, which is important to me as a reader.  

I was really confused for the first few chapters, too, because so many characters were introduced at once. I often forgot whose perspective I was reading from. There were two characters with names that started with 'V', and I kept confusing the two. 

I did really like the setting. The river played a big part and definitely felt like a character at times. The cover leads you to believe the story will be optimistic and sunny, but in reality it was kind of dark and dreary. I like when the atmosphere interacts with characters and becomes one itself. 

I ended up rating this 3 out of 5. It was a decent story, but just not the right one for me. I still think it's worth a read, though. I really wanted to like this one more than I did. 

A free digital copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review. 

Keep Her Safe by K.A Tucker: A Review

From Goodreads: Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.

Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.

Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

My thoughts: I'm a fairly recent fan of K.A Tucker (loved Until It Fades so much), so I was so excited when the opportunity to review this one came up. One of the things that I love so much about Tucker's books are the characters. They're always so real, relatable, and at times, unlikable. I don't know about you, but I like characters who aren't perfect specimens. Nothing is more frustrating than reading about perfect people who never so much as have a strand of hair out of place. Noah and Gracie were endearing because they struggled, and were far from perfect.

There were a few mysteries in this book, and they're all woven together to tell the complete story. I liked how each different mystery told a different part of the main story. There are 4 points of view (Gracie, Noah, Abe, and Jackie), and I really liked how you got a glimpse of the past in between the present. It allowed me to try and figure out the mystery with the little clues that were sprinkled in the past and present chapters. 

There was a romance in this, but it's sweet and not overwhelming. I love a good romance, and I love a good thriller/mystery, but I like them separate. The romance in this worked well, and didn't take anything away from the other plots. 

Tucker is Canadian, and I really wish that her stories would take place in Canada. That is my only complaint. There are so many US eccentric books, and I'd love some more mainstream Canadian located stories. 

I gave this one a 4 out of 5 stars based on Goodreads rating system.

A free copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for a review. 

It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree by A.J. Jacobs

From the publisher: A.J. Jacobs has received some strange emails over the years, but this note was perhaps the strangest: “You don’t know me, but I’m your eighth cousin. And we have over 80,000 relatives of yours in our database.”

That’s enough family members to fill Madison Square Garden four times over. Who are these people, A.J. wondered, and how do I find them? So began Jacobs’s three-year adventure to help build the biggest family tree in history.

Jacobs’s journey would take him to all seven continents. He drank beer with a US president, found himself singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and unearthed genetic links to Hollywood actresses and real-life scoundrels. After all, we can choose our friends, but not our family.

“Whether he’s posing as a celebrity, outsourcing his chores, or adhering strictly to the Bible, we love reading about the wacky lifestyle experiments of author A.J. Jacobs” (Entertainment Weekly). Now Jacobs upends, in ways both meaningful and hilarious, our understanding of genetics and genealogy, tradition and tribalism, identity and connection. It’s All Relative is a fascinating look at the bonds that connect us all.

My thoughts: This was a really fun non-fiction read. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, though I always say I'm going to, but my favourites are the ones that read like fiction. I want to learn something, but I don't want a lot of technical jargon thrown my way. Jacobs has a fantastic writing style that made me want to keep reading because I was enjoying it so much. He's actually quite funny, too. This was an easy to read book that really kept my attention and kept me intrigued.

Learning about your relatives and genes has really blown up over the past few years, and with good reason. We all want to know where we came from. Jacobs explores how we are all technically related, which is a fun thought when you really think about it. The book talks about his plans to throw the biggest family reunion, ever, which was really fun to read about. I do wish there were more details about the actual event. There was the big lead up to it, but I wanted to read more about it. The day probably went by way too fast to really record details.

The book had a lot of fun information about families and genes and how certain factors affect families. I really enjoyed and I definitely want to check out more of Jacobs writing.

I have a weird relationship with Colleen Hoover’s books. On one hand, I usually enjoy them because they’re very compelling and readable, however, on the other hand, there can be problematic elements in them that make me question why I keep reading these books. I didn’t find Without Merit as compelling as I hoped I would, and it left a bit to be desired.

 

Merit is kissed by a boy who shakes her whole world, unfortunately, she’s pretty sure he’s the boyfriend of her twin. The twin she’s really not that close with. She’s not very close with anyone in her family because of something that occurred when she was a bit younger. There is a lot of build-up to the ‘event’ with her family, and it takes a while to find out why Merit and her family do not mesh very well. It’s a disturbing revelation when it’s finally revealed, too.

 

I found it hard to like any of the characters, and I didn’t connect to any of them, which is important to me. They were all either shallow, selfish, inconsiderate, or all three. They didn’t treat each other like a family should, and it bothered me when suddenly they were able to resolve all their issues.   There were a lot of issues in this book, but none of them were handled or resolved very well. This book tries to deal with divorce, suicide, incest, abuse, and that’s only a few of them. It just seemed like there was too much going on. I didn’t understand the addition of Luck, either. He didn’t add anything to the story. Can we please talk about the names in this book, too? Merit, Honor, Luck, Sagan, and Utah. It’s silly, but the names bothered me.

 

I will probably keep reading Hoover’s books, but this one fell short for me.  I read It Ends With Us recently by Hoover, and really enjoyed that one.

 

A copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always opinions remain my own.

Review: The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti

From the publisher:
“Where did they come from? Why did they fall? The question would be asked a thousand times…

Until, of course, more important question arose, at which time everyone promptly forgot that a thousand birds fell on the town of Mount Oanoke at all.”

In a quiet Pennsylvania town, a thousand dead starlings fall onto a high school baseball field, unleashing a horrifying and unexpected chain of events that will rock the close-knit community.

Beloved baseball coach and teacher Nate Winters and his wife, Alecia, are well respected throughout town. That is, until one of the many reporters investigating the bizarre bird phenomenon catches Nate embracing a wayward student, Lucia Hamm, in front of a sleazy motel. Lucia soon buoys the scandal by claiming that she and Nate are engaged in an affair, throwing the town into an uproar…and leaving Alecia to wonder if her husband has a second life.

And when Lucia suddenly disappears, the police only to have one suspect: Nate.

Nate’s coworker and sole supporter, Bridget Harris, Lucia’s creative writing teacher, is determined to prove his innocence. She has Lucia’s class journal, and while some of the entries appear particularly damning to Nate’s case, others just don’t add up. Bridget knows the key to Nate’s exoneration and the truth of Lucia’s disappearance lie within the walls of the school and in the pages of that journal.

My thoughts: This was the perfect book to read this time of year. Kind of creepy, kind of atmospheric, and definitely intriguing. I haven't read Moretti's previous bestselling The Vanishing Year, so I was able to go into this novel without any expectations. This novel is told from four points of view, Nate (the accused), Alecia (Nate's wife), Bridget (Nate and Alecia's friend, and also Nate's co-worker), and Lucia (the missing teen), which means it is very character-driven. Personally, I love character-driven books. I love being able to get inside a character's head, and try to figure out why they act the way they do. I think it allows a unique perspective into the plot, as well.

I found some of the characters hard to like and trust. Nate came across as unintentionally pompous. He had to be liked by absolutely everybody, despite their feelings towards him. Alecia was a bit hard to like, too, but I was able to sympathize with her more than Nate. She didn't know what to believe, which I understood. How easy would it be to deny that your husband is capable of something so horrible? At the same time, how easy would it be to believe once you start finding what you think is undeniable evidence? It's not as easy as one would assume.

Lucia was easy to sympathize with, especially the more you got to know her. She was a teen with typical teen problems, but she also had a difficult home life. She was my favourite character, and I wish we had more from her perspective. I loved her journal entries, and think she was very intelligent. She is accused of being a witch, and you can certainly understand why as you read the novel.

There was a lot going on in this novel, but it all fits together by the end and I loved that you never really knew who to trust. The ending was not what I expected, but I was happy with it. I rated this one 3.5 out of 5 stars, and would highly recommend it to people who love character-driven mysteries.

A copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always, opinions are my own.

Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta

From the publisher: Eve Fletcher is trying to figure out what comes next. A forty-six-year-old divorcee whose beloved only child has just left for college, Eve is struggling to adjust to her empty nest when one night her phone lights up with a text message. Sent from an anonymous number, the mysterious sender tells Eve, “U R my MILF!” Over the months that follow, that message comes to obsess Eve. While leading her all-too-placid life—serving as Executive Director of the local senior center by day and taking a community college course on Gender and Society at night—Eve can’t curtail her own interest in a porn website called MILFateria.com, which features the erotic exploits of ordinary, middle-aged women like herself. Before long, Eve’s online fixations begin to spill over into real life, revealing new romantic possibilities that threaten to upend her quiet suburban existence.

Meanwhile, miles away at the state college, Eve’s son Brendan—a jock and aspiring frat boy—discovers that his new campus isn’t nearly as welcoming to his hard-partying lifestyle as he had imagined. Only a few weeks into his freshman year, Brendan is floundering in a college environment that challenges his white-dude privilege and shames him for his outmoded, chauvinistic ideas of sex. As the New England autumn turns cold, both mother and son find themselves enmeshed in morally fraught situations that come to a head on one fateful November night.

My thoughts: Mrs. Fletcher is my first Perrotta book, and I'm not sure how I felt about it. Eve is struggling with her identity as a recent 'empty nester', and after getting the 'U R my MILF' text ends up on a porn site. I thought it was interesting how the text and site led her on such a sexual identity journey. There is definitely some satire in this novel, but it manages to be up to date on current social headlines. I thought there was a lot going on with Eve's character. Discovering your sexual identity is not a linear thing, but I think there was just too much going on. I also did not connect with her, and I know that's not important to some readers, but it is to me.

Brendan made me very angry. He was so privileged and spoiled and he had no idea. He did not treat women well, and once he's finally called out on it, he goes running back to his mom. I don't know if it's because I'm a mom to a son myself (mind you, he's one so not the same) but I was very frustrated by most of Brendan's behaviour and I found his chapters difficult to read.

In the end I rated this 3 out of 5 stars. It definitely wasn't horrible, and I liked the way it made me question some of my own ideas, but it wasn't my favourite. I was a fan of the side characters more than the two Fletchers, and wanted more of their stories.

Good read, but not my favourite.

I received a copy of this book for free from Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always, opinions are my own.

Reckless Years: A Diary of Love and Madness by Heather Chaplin

Synopsis: Trapped in a dissatisfying marriage for nearly a decade, New York journalist Heather Chaplin finally summons the courage to leave. On her own, she finds herself intoxicatingly free, pursuing adventure, and juggling romance on two continents in multiple cities. She contemplates the meaning of life; she falls for a handsome Irishman.

But as the adventures progress, Chaplin’s own reckless choices send her spiraling downward—and toward a reckoning she’s avoided all her life. Pulled from Chaplin’s own diaries, Reckless Years is a raw, propulsive debut: unfailingly profound and impossible to put down.  

My Thoughts: I have a hard time reviewing memoirs. I really enjoy reading them, but when it comes time to review them, I always hesitate. Who am I to comment on someone else's reality? Especially a reality that includes some dark times. I love Heather's voice; the way she writes is so descriptive that you actually feel like you're sitting next to her. The book is comprised of actual journal entries, so what you get is so raw, vulnerable, and at times, completely relatable. You'll laugh with her, cry with her, and definitely root for her while reading this book.

I loved watching Chaplin try to regain her life and herself. She definitely didn't always make the best choices, but really, who does? She lived in the moment and I was really impressed (and jealous) with her ability to just up and head to Dublin to see her brother. Also, I really want to know which band her brother was touring with, but that's just me being nosey.

Chaplin's eventual downward spiral can be hard to read because it's so raw, but I loved it because since it's a memoir, you already know how it ends. Chaplin is now the founder of a journalism and design program at The New School. I'm sure she's still dealing with some things, but knowing she ends up successful (and I hope even more, happy) leaves the story with a real sense of hope.

Pick this one up if you're looking for a unique voice and a raw, hopeful story.

A copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always, opinions are my own.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Are you looking for the perfect summer read? Well, you can stop searching now because The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid absolutely delivers a scorching summer read. This book has it all: diversity, romance, humor, and a little intrigue. If you've never read anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid, you seriously need to. I read my first book by her last year and immediately fell in love. She's one of my favourite authors and one I can truly say just keeps getting better. This story is woven together so intricately that you will begin to wonder if you're actually reading a celebrity memoir.

Evelyn Hugo is a 79 year old former Hollywood headliner who is finally ready to tell the story of her seven husbands. Throughout her time in Hollywood she was the seductive blonde with massive sex appeal and more than one scandal to her name. There is way more than meets the eye with Evelyn, though. She recruits journalist, Monique, to tell her story. Monique is fairly young and going through a divorce. Evelyn's choice to recruit Monique leaves her curious and left me wondering if there was some sort of connection between the two.

I found myself getting lost in this beautiful story. Each section is about Evelyn's relationship with one of her husbands and I could not read this fast enough. There is one person in particular who is the love of Evelyn's life and one of the reasons she has chosen to finally tell her story. I won't spoil anything, though, because it is truly better to not know who her one true love is until she wants you to know.

This story was completely captivating. Evelyn was a fantastic character full of contradictions; humble yet bold, soft yet hard, and a little infuriating at times. She was the perfect actress and one Hollywood would surely be obsessed with today if she were real. I really did feel like she was real at times, which is a testament to Taylor Jenkins Reid. Reid has a way with words, especially when dealing with love and loss. She shines brightest when she's writing about love and loss and what it means to be human. Her characters become real people right before your eyes.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a must-read this summer! It's on sale today, so go out and buy it! While you're there, pick up one of Taylor Jenkin Reid's other books because she is amazing. I would probably read her grocery list and be enthralled.

I'm part of Simon and Schuster Canada's blog tour, so a copy of the book was provided for free, but as always, opinions remain my own. Make sure to check out my fellow bloggers posts; something tells me their feelings will be similar to my own.

Summer Contemporary Reads

I've been all about the summer contemporary reads this past week or so. I went through a big fantasy phase, but now I just want to read stories that take place on beaches or cottages or just anyplace warm. Maybe it's because where I live it's only JUST started to feel like summer. We suffer from Sprinter (Spring/Winter that just won't quit) around here.

Sometimes the setting in a book can feel like a character. In the books I've been reading lately, I definitely feel like this is true. The settings have made me want to just pack up and go somewhere new. If only, right?

 

Emery Lord is one of my favourite authors. This story takes place at a summer camp, which was amazing. Lucy is a Christian who finds herself questioning her beliefs after her mom's cancer comes back. Her family runs a Christian summer camp, but her mom wants her to spend her summer at the camp across the lake. That camp is for kids who have been through hardships and who don't have easy lives, so Lucy feels like she can't relate.
I loved this book. I loved Lucy and all of the other characters, except her stuffy boyfriend who was way too perfect. I really appreciated the relationship Lucy had with her parents. Too often in YA, the parent-teen relationship is full of angst, which can be true to life, but I liked reading about a good relationship full of respect.
I mentioned that Lucy is a Christian and questions her beliefs, but this is not a religious book at all. It's a book about growing up, friendship, and experiences. The summer camp setting was one of my favourites and I'd like to read more stories that take place at a camp.

I happened to find this on Goodreads while I was browsing and knew I had to pick it up. Jimmy is killed in a fire, and his wife, Jackie, and son, Charlie, are left to pick up the pieces. Jackie decides to spend the summer in her childhood house with her mom, Annie. Annie has been separated from her husband, Buster, for over ten years.
This book was full of fun characters. Annie was the type of grandmother we all want to have; lovable and quite quirky. I thought she was hilarious, even if she was a bit off base at times. Charlie was a sweetheart and my heart absolutely broke for him and everything he had to go through.
This takes place in the Lowcountry, which is one of my favourite settings. I've never been, but books that take place there always leave me wanting to pack up and go. White beaches, churning seas, and lighthouses. Ooh, I have a love of lighthouses.

I've been hearing about this book for ages, and someone posted on Twitter that the ebook was on sale for $1.99, so I grabbed it and started it right away. I read this so quickly! I did not want to put it down, but there's a tiny human who depends on me so I ended up reading this in two sittings. Anna is a 30 year old teacher who is hired to help sixteen year old T.J catch up on his studies after he misses most of the school year dealing with cancer. They're going to spend the summer on an island with T.J's family, but on the way, their pilot has a fatal heart attack and they crash land in the middle of the ocean. What a premise, right?
This book takes place over a few years and I loved reading about the evolution of Anna and T.J's relationship. They're able to meet most of the basic needs, but what about their physical and emotional needs? They find themselves depending on each other for absolutely everything.
This book was honestly so good. I need to read more books about being stranded on an island because the setting was so interesting. I don't even want to say too much because I think it's just better to read it, so seriously, go read it.

I'm currently reading this one and really enjoying it. I'm about 79% done, and it's proving to be a classic Sarah Dessen novel. I've been reading Sarah Dessen for more than ten years now, and I will continue to read whatever she writes as she's one of my absolute favourite authors. I love the setting of her books. Some take place in the fictional town of Lakeview, and others take place on a fictional island of Colby. Dessen's characters are always relatable (even as a thirty year old), and never fail to make me nostalgic. I can't say too much about this one yet, as I'm not done, but I'm having a lot of fun reading it. Louna lives with her mom and helps her with her wedding planning business, while trying to deal with the aftermath of her great love, Ethan. The story of what happened between the two is told slowly, but it really works. Ambrose is hired by her mom for the summer, and Louna finds herself in a dating bet with him. Ambrose is full of life and can be a bit much, but you know his heart is in the right place. I'm excited to finish this one up tonight and see what happens.

I'm forever looking for new recommendations, so I would appreciate any summer contemporary recs you may have. Up next I think I'm going to read Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han, but that could always change if someone recs something even more enticing.

The Party by Robyn Harding: A Review & Author Q&A!

 





The Party  by Robyn Harding is one of those books that absolutely grabs you and makes you want to keep reading. Jeff and Kim Sanders are the 'perfect' family with two great kids who would never do anything wrong. Or so they think. They throw a sixteenth birthday for their daughter, Hannah, who is a smart, sweet girl with a great head on her shoulders. Again, or so they think. One of Hannah's friends is tragically injured at the party, which leads to a lawsuit and their perfect lives begin to crumble around them. Suddenly no one in the family is as perfect as they may seem.

I read this book in two days, which honestly with a 9 month old, is a feat these days. That is truly a testament to how good this book was. I loved how real the story was. A teenager getting injured at an unsupervised party is definitely not far-fetched and neither is what follows. This book shows what can happen when your perfect façade is turned completely upside down. No one in the Sanders family is who they seem to be, and there were things that I did not see coming at all. You'll be surprised at which Sanders family member is the most imperfect.

It makes you wonder how you'd react as both the mother of the injured teen and also as the mother of the party-thrower. As moms, we definitely have mama-bear instincts, but how far is too far? When does justice become about more than just justice? The questions The Party had me asking myself made it that much more interesting and fun to read.

I rated this one 4 out of 5 stars, and I'm looking forward to picking up other books by Robyn Harding. I read most of this before bed, but I think it would be a fantastic book to read while sitting on a deck by the lake. Definitely add this to your summer TBR!

I was lucky enough to be offered a Q&A with the author, Robyn Harding, as part of the blog tour. See below for more insight into this great book!

1) Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?
 I like to take very real, very relatable situations and then take them to the edge. Or right off the cliff, as is the case in The Party. I think most readers can relate to the concept of a sweet sixteen party where teens drink behind their parents’ backs. But I wanted to explore what would happen when the unimaginable occurs, and how everyone involved would deal with the fallout.

2) Why did you choose to write from multiple characters’ perspectives?
 I find it fascinating how people perceive situations, particularly conflict, differently. Husbands and wives, kids and parents, friends and neighbors, can all have incredibly diverse points of view on the same events. I felt that a dramatic situation like the one in the book would be much more interesting if we could examine it through several different lenses.

3) If you were Lisa and your child was hurt, do you think you'd react the same way she did? Would you have gone after the Sanders in the same way? Would you feel vindicated if you won?
I am the most non-confrontational person in the world, but, like most mothers, I can be fierce when it comes to my kids. Still, I wouldn’t attack Jeff and Kim like Lisa did. The Sanders are superficial, disingenuous, unpleasant people but the accident was not their fault. And while Lisa thinks she’s looking out for her daughter, she’s subconsciously operating from a place of jealousy and resentment. Three million dollars would be life changing, but I wouldn’t feel satisfied or vindicated if I got it by suing my neighbours. 

4) Kim seems very shocked to learn the things Hannah's been doing. Do you think a parent can ever truly know their own kid(s)? 
I have two teenagers. My daughter and I have a very open, communicative relationship. My son is less forthcoming, but if I ask him something point-blank, he seems incapable of lying to me. But I’m sure they both have aspects of their lives that they keep from their mom. What normal kid doesn’t? When I was a teenager, I was incredibly sneaky. My poor mom had NO idea! 

5) It seems like all the Sanders have secrets. They don't seem very connected and just do their own thing. How do you think a family gets to that point? Is there any way to fix it? 
I think the characters in this story have all lost touch with what is truly important: love, connection, authenticity…. They’re obsessed with superficial things like appearances and possessions, so they’re all unfulfilled. Sadly, I don’t think it would be hard for a family to lose each other in today’s competitive, status-conscience society. Sometimes, it takes a dramatic event to make people realize what really matters. Unfortunately for the family in The Party, the crisis brought out the worst in all of them. 

Thank you, Robyn! The book is on sale today and I definitely recommend picking it up!

I was provided with a free copy of the book from Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always, opinions are my own.

What I've Read Lately

Being a new mom is hard. Your needs get put on the back burner so you can keep your new tiny human alive and happy. When my son was first born in August, I practically stopped reading. It's not that I didn't have the time, as newborns nurse and sleep a lot, I just didn't feel like reading. My favourite time to read is before bed when I can curl up in my bed with my book. I've done that since I was a little girl, and it's my favourite way to relax. Our son was sleeping in our room up until March when we moved, so I didn't really have that opportunity because once he went to bed, I wouldn't go in the room until I went to bed myself. Sure, I could read on the couch (and I do), but it's not the same.

Now that he's in his own room and I have my room back, I've been reading much more and I love it. I've written a few review posts lately, but I also wanted to write about the other books I've been reading.

We Were on a Break by Lindsey Kelk - I've written about my love of Kelks books before, and this one was no exception. I literally laughed out loud and woke my sleeping son up at one point. It was really funny, but also really sweet and thought-provoking. Liv and Adam decide to take a break from their relationship, but eventually consider possibly making the break permanent. I loved getting to read from both Liv and Adam's point of view, and I was really happy with the ending.

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir - I actually won this one back in August before it came out, but received it after my son was born. I started it back in October, but didn't finish until the other day, which is not because it wasn't good. I loved An Ember in the Ashes, and I loved this one, too. Laia, Elias, and Helene are fantastic characters and their stories have evolved so well in this book. I'm already excited for book 3.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult - Picoult is one of my favourite authors and this did not disappoint. This was hard to read at first because a newborn dies in it, which as a new mother, that's definitely my biggest fear. It was a great read, and one that's very important these days. It tackles racism and will make you question your own views. I think this should be required reading in school because of the quality discussions it can inspire.

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens - Stevens is another of my favourite authors and again, this did not disappoint. I actually read this in 3 days or something, which is a feat these days. Stevens' books always mess with my head and leave me feeling a little creeped out. She takes every day instances and makes them terrifying. In this book, Lindsey and her daughter escaped an abusive marriage, but eleven years later, he's out of jail and Lindsey feels like he's stalking her. Creepy, right? This is something that could happen, which makes it all the more scary.

I may not have read a lot lately, but I've been reading some great books. My goal this year is 25 books because I'll be returning to work in August (which is breaking my heart), so I'm not sure how much reading I'll do once I have to also balance that. I need to prioritize reading, though, as it's very important to my mental well-being. So far I'm at 10 books, so maybe I can surpass my goal. I'll be happy as long as I keep reading good books!

The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

 

 

The hardest reviews to write are the ones where you absolutely loved the book because I never feel like I can do it justice. I loved this book and this series. It's honestly fantastic. This is the third book in a series of what is set to be seven books. You can read my review for the second book, The Storm Sister, here, which I also loved.

 

The general premise of these books is that there are six sisters who were adopted as babies by Pa Salt. Pa Salt has sadly died and has left each sister a clue to where they were adopted from and their heritage. The clues involve a letter from Pa Salt, and a set of coordinates leading them somewhere in the world. The Seven Sisters followed Maia and her roots to Brazil. The Storm Sister followed Ally to her roots in Norway, and The Shadow Sister follows Star to a bookshop in London.

 

Star is a great character and one I felt like I related to. She's very quiet and happy with the simple pleasures in life; reading, gardening, and hanging out with her sister, CeCe. CeCe is very headstrong and tends to lead Star. Star begins to feel a bit overwhelmed by CeCe and decides to find out about her heritage, which leads to a little bookshop in London. The bookshop introduces us to a cast of fun characters, such as quirky Orlando, and sweet Rory. Star ends up taking a job in the shop, which then leads to her becoming a sort of babysitter for young Rory at their dilapidated old home in the country.

 

One of the things I love about this series is that while you get the present day story about the sister, you also get the past story about the sisters relative. In this case, we also get to follow Flora MacNichol who is a strong woman living in a society that doesn't exactly celebrate headstrong women. We know Flora is somehow related to Star, and the connection is slowly revealed throughout the two stories. I love getting to read both stories and I've never found switching between the two stories/time periods to be confusing.

 

There is something for everyone in these books; romance, history, family relationships, and of course, a little intrigue. Riley always sets the scenes so beautifully, too. I could picture myself roaming and exploring with Flora, and hanging out in the bookshop with Star.

 

I don't feel like you necessarily have to read each book in the series because Riley sets them up with enough details that you aren't lost, but I do recommend reading them because they're so good. This was definitely a 5 star read for me!

 

A copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada, but all opinions are my own.

 

The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda

The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda was one of those books that left me wondering if you can ever really truly know someone.

Leah Stevens has lost everything. She's lost her job and her credibility, but she found the one person she never thought she'd see again; her former roommate Emmy Grey. The women relocate to a small town where no one knows them and they try to begin again. Leah soon lands a job as a high school teacher. A woman who looks like Leah turns up dead and Emmy has gone missing. No one can find Emmy, but Leah is becoming convinced that she is somehow connected to the murder. Since no one knows the women, people begin to suspect that there never really was an Emmy and that Leah knows more than she's letting on.

This book really hooked me and kept me guessing. It played games with my mind and left me wondering if there was actually an Emmy Grey. Leah is an unreliable protagonist, which definitely added to the mystery. I wasn't sure what to think about Leah. I found it hard to be sympathetic towards her, even though she really didn't deserve the things that happened to her. She was very frustrating at times because she seemed very selfish. How do you live with someone twice and know absolutely nothing about them?

With Emmy missing, Leah is faced with confronting her past, especially as someone in town seems to be digging it up. Leah suspects one of her students, Theo, is messing with her but isn't sure why. This particular storyline kind of creeped me out because it made me realize how easy it is for people to dig up information about us online these days. Theo had no trouble looking into Leah's past with a simple Internet search, which is kind of disturbing if you stop and think about it. What are we putting out there? Mind you, Leah was a journalist so it'd be easy to find her stories, but it kind of reiterates that the Internet is forever and to be careful with what you put out there.

The book has lots of little details and things that really make the story come full circle. I loved not knowing whether or not Emmy was real. I spent most of the book thinking that Leah was also Emmy. I won't tell you whether or not I was right, because where's the fun in that? I ended up giving this book a 3.5 out of 5 because I enjoyed the mystery and it left me wanting to know more.

Megan Miranda is the author of the bestselling All the Missing Girls, which I haven't read, but which has been added to my TBR for sure! The Perfect Stranger is on sale now and is the perfect book to curl up with on these spring nights that are still chilly.

A copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always, opinions are my own.

Promises to Keep by Genevieve Graham

Hi everyone! It's been a while. My son is now 7 months old, which is absolutely crazy. Time flies even faster when you become a parent!

Today I've got a review of Promises to Keep by Genevieve Graham, which was sent to me by Simon and Schuster Canada. As always, opinions are my own.

I was initially drawn to this book because a.) it's by a Canadian author and b.) it takes place (partially) in Nova Scotia. I think I've mentioned it before, but I love Nova Scotia. I've only been there twice, but it completely stole my heart both times. I was also drawn to this story because it's based on actual events. In 1755, the Acadians of Grand Pré, Nova Scotia were expelled from their land by British soldiers. They were forced onto ships and sent away to various parts of Canada and the US. Promises to Keep tells the story of Amélie Belliveau and her Acadian family and their expulsion. Amélie and her family are loaded onto two separate boats and sent off to sea.

Amélie is a strong willed, spirited girl who falls in love with someone she shouldn't - a soldier for the British, however, Connor is not the soldier he appears to be. He is not as loyal as the British think he is. Amélie lives with her mom, dad, two sisters, and two brothers. She also has a close relationship with some members of the Mi'kmaq tribe who live in the forest nearby.

I liked Amélie because she was tough. She didn't just sit back and let the awful expulsion happen without consequence. She was perhaps a little too headstrong, but I liked her fearlessness. She was the sister and daughter her family needed her to be. I liked Connor for the same reasons. He was definitely not afraid of the British and had no trouble trying to undermine their mission.

I did feel like the connection between Amélie and Connor was a little instantaneous, but it felt and read genuine. I loved that it was written in dual perspective, because I was able to read how both were feeling and it made the whole experience that much more emotional.

I also really enjoyed the character of Me'tekw. He only has a couple of chapters, but they are so significant integral to the whole story. His story begins as a prequel and just leaves you wanting to know where his story ends.

I gave this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars because I really enjoyed it and it was a quick read. If you're looking for a great historical fiction based on actual events then definitely pick this up. Pick it up if you're looking to read beautiful descriptions about Nova Scotia. Graham made me remember why I love the province so much and reminded me that I need to get back there immediately.

I've never been to Grand Pré (it poured rain the day we were going to go), but we did go to a lookout spot that overlooks the general area of where Grand Pré is. Fun story, our car died at the top of the lookout point.

Isn't it pretty? Go and buy Promises to Keep so you can read about these beautiful views. It's on sale today!

Quick Update

I'm not sure if anyone will actually read this, but thought I'd do a quick update.

I'm still alive. I gave birth to my son on August 23rd, so everything has been about him lately. I've been in the new mommy fog, wherein all that matters is keeping my tiny human alive, fed, and happy. The fog is beginning to lift, so I'm hoping to become more active again in the new year. I've only managed to read 1.75 books since he was born, but we've gotten into an evening routine so I'm hoping to start reading more. Honestly, some days I'm too tired to focus on reading so watching TV is just easier. I've never watched so much TV in my entire life. I think my brain cells are slowly dying.

Parenthood is unreal, and I wouldn't change my new life for anything; it just takes some adjustment and unfortunately, some things need to be placed on the back burner. Like daily showers.

Just wanted to update for anyone wondering if I was still alive. I do have 4 review books coming my way soon from a publisher that are coming out in April and May, so I better get back into the swing of things soon.

I'm also hoping to do the end of year survey since I enjoy doing that every year, but we'll see.

The Tumbling Turner Sisters by Juliette Fay

 

Have you ever heard of vaudeville? I hadn't before I read this book. Vaudeville was a variety show program that was popular in the late 1800s to the 1930s. Acts ranged from singing and dancing, to impersonations, to even acts with animals. It was a pretty big form of live entertainment back then, and one I think sounds very cool.

From Goodreads:
In 1919, the Turner sisters and their parents are barely scraping by. Their father is a low-paid boot-stitcher in Johnson City, New York, and the family is always one paycheck away from eviction. When their father’s hand is crushed and he can no longer work, their irrepressible mother decides that the vaudeville stage is their best—and only—chance for survival.

Traveling by train from town to town, teenagers Gert, Winnie, and Kit, and recent widow Nell soon find a new kind of freedom in the company of performers who are as diverse as their acts. There is a seamier side to the business, however, and the young women face dangers and turns of fate they never could have anticipated.

My thoughts:
I loved reading about vaudeville and the different people that were involved with it. There were so many different characters involved in each show, and they really made the story interesting. While this may seem like a sweet story about sisters performing an act, there was a lot of serious talk about the issues that were prevalent in that time period. Racism was a huge issue (and still is), and I enjoyed reading about how the girls tackled it. They put themselves into a few dangerous situations in order to do what was right, no matter the potential consequences to themselves.

I loved each of the sisters for different reasons. They were all different, and you really got to see them grow and flourish throughout the story. Gert was headstrong and tough, Winnie was smart and determined, Kit was young and fun, and Nell was recently widowed and reserved. The story alternated between the perspectives of Gert, Winnie, and Kit, but I wish there had been chapters from Nell's perspective.

I did find it a little slow at times, but the slow parts didn't last long and the story was quick to pick u again. My final rating is 3.5 stars. It was entertaining to read, and filled with lots of different and quirky characters. If you're looking for a fun historical novel, definitely pick this one up.

A copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The hardest thing as a book blogger/reviewer is writing a review for a book you absolutely loved. If I didn't like a book, I can usually find a few reasons why and BAM, there you go. For a book I loved, I just want to write, 'THIS WAS AWESOME. READ IT,' but I don't think that's really effective.

The book that I absolutely loved and am therefore having a hard time reviewing, is One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I picked up After I Do by Reid earlier this year, and completely fell in love. Why did no one tell me to read her books earlier? When the lovely people at Simon and Schuster Canada contacted me and asked if I'd like an early copy of One True Loves, I immediately said YESPLEASEGIMMETHANKYOU. Or, you know, 'yes, please! Thank you!' like an actual polite human. I devoured this book in two sittings, staying up way too late one Sunday night.

The quick synopsis for this book is Emma marries her high school sweetheart, Jessie. They spend their days traveling and living their lives far away from their hometown. On their first wedding anniversary, Jessie disappears in a helicopter accident over the Pacific. Emma moves home to grieve and try to start over, where she is reacquainted with an old friend named Sam. Sam used to work in her parent's bookshop. They fall in love, get engaged, and then Jessie is found alive. Emma clearly has a choice to make. Does she choose Sam, her new love who offers her the quiet life she's discovered she really loves, or does she choose Jessie, who offers her the crazy, travel-filled life she once had?

I loved both Sam and Jessie for different reasons, however I did lean towards one of them more than the other. I won't say who, because that's who she ultimately picked and I was very happy with the end of this book. They both offered her a completely different lifestyle, and part of her choice was choosing which version of Emma she wanted to be. It wasn't just about choosing the right guy. She had to choose the right Emma. I loved trying to figure out who she was going to pick and see her settle into her future. There was a lot of growth for Emma, and it all felt very genuine.

One of my favourite chapters in this book was the chapter dealing with Emma's grief. It was so raw, and yet so beautifully written. I completely felt Emma's pain and anguish. That chapter didn't follow the format of the rest of the book, but I thought it worked really well. The rest of the book is written in Before and After, so you really get a sense of Emma, Sam, and Jessie.

No one writes about love and loss like Taylor Jenkins Reid. I've now read all of her books, and I've loved every one of them. She has a way with words that leaves you nodding along. I'm married, and many of her books deal with marriage in some sense, so I can always relate to the characters. I think you could definitely enjoy these books even if you aren't married. There is something to take away from each book, no matter your season of life. Her books always leave you wondering what you'd do in the situation she poses, and I find myself incredibly grateful for all I have.

One True Loves is on sale today, so please do yourself a favour and go out and buy it and then buy her entire back list. You won't be sorry.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

A couple years ago I wrote a post on why you should be reading Morgan Matson. Since that post, I've read Since You've Been Gone and her latest, The Unexpected Everything, and I can 100% say that everything I said in that post still holds true today.

In The Unexpected Everything, we meet Andie who has always been the girl with the plan. Until she was the girl with no plans. As you can imagine, this completely throws her off and leaves her disheveled. To top it all off  her congressman father, whom she's not really close with anymore, is being investigated and is home for the entire summer.

I loved the relationship between Andie and her father. It developed perfectly and really left me feeling good. Matson always has positive family relationships in her books and that's something I really like. It's easy to write about the dysfunctional family, but it's important to write about the realistic family. Mind you, Andie and her dad go through their fair share of dysfunction but they end up becoming much closer because of it. I loved seeing her dad really own up to being a good father figure for Andie.

Since Andie has no summer plan, she ends up walking dogs for the summer, which sounds like the perfect summer job to me. Who doesn't want to spend time outside in the sunshine with happy dogs? Add in the adorable guy she meets, Clark, and hello, perfect summer. Except it's not a perfect summer because there is no such thing. Clark is fantastic. He is absolutely everything that Andie needs and he's her complete opposite. I think Clark may be my favourite Matson guy so far. He's mature but super nerdy. Sweet, but not afraid to be tough if he needs to, and what he does for a living is super impressive.

Another thing I love about Matson's books are the friendships. She always seems to write about positive friendships, which is sometimes rare in YA. There are no frenemies here, and I love that. Andie has three best friends, Palmer, Toby, and Bri and I loved them all. They each had their own thing going on, but they were always there for each other. Like every friendship, they do have their issues but they aren't catty and mean to each other. I loved trying to decipher Toby's emoji conversations. They were pretty hilarious!

Andie ends up having the absolute perfectly unplanned summer and it's everything she never knew she needed.

This is the perfect summer book to completely lose yourself in on a beautiful day. Cute boys, friends, dogs, ice cream, and an awesome scavenger hunt. This book made me want to go back to being 16, and that doesn't happen very often. Definitely go and pick this one up. It's on sale today!

SimonTeen (Simon and Schuster Canada) provided me with a copy of this book for review, but that didn't sway my opinion at all.

The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

Last summer I randomly bought The Seven Sisters and I fell in love with it. When I learned that it was going to be a series of seven books, I was excited and, of course, impatient. I reached out to Simon and Schuster Canada about reviewing The Storm Sister and since they're awesome people, they sent me a copy. Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada!

The general premise of these books is that there are six sisters who were adopted as babies by Pa Salt. Pa Salt has sadly died and has left each sister a clue to where they were adopted from and their heritage. The Seven Sisters followed Maia and her roots to Brazil. The Storm Sister follows Ally to her roots in Norway, where she finds she may be related somehow to a famous composer.

The thing I love about these books is that essentially, you get two stories in one. Ally is struggling to come to terms with some losses in her life and how to move on in 2007. The other perspective is of Anna and Jens in the late 1800s/early 1900s, who may be somehow related to Ally. I love the dual perspectives and the history involved in Anna and Jens story. Despite not being alive in the same time period, I found some similarities between Anna and Ally and their circumstances.

Riley weaves such an intricate story within a story and really leaves you needing to know if Ally is related to the famous Anna and Jens. Switching between the two time periods is effortless and even if you know nothing about classical music, you won't find the story hard to follow. In fact, you'll probably learn a thing or two.

I love all the characters in this story. Ally is (so far) my favourite sister and my heart broke for her on more than one occasion. I like how you get glimpses of the other sisters, but you don't get to fully know them until their own story is written. I want to know more about the secondary characters such as Ma, who has been the girls' guardian alongside Pa Salt. I figure those details will slowly come out as the series progresses.

I highly recommend this series. I've rated both books 5 out of 5 stars. I would advise starting with The Seven Sisters, but I don't think you absolutely have to. Why wouldn't you, though, when both stories are so good? This is definitely a series you want to get hooked on.

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz & Still Mine by Amy Stuart

I have been an awful blogger and reader lately, but I have a valid reason. My husband and I are expecting our first baby in September! We are so excited (and nervous) and cannot wait for this new adventure. That being said, being pregnant is exhausting. I'm now 18 weeks and finally feel a little more energetic. I was also in a car accident in February (baby and I are fine), which resulted in our car being written off and that was just one very long, crazy month. I'm hoping that I can settle back into a routine before I hit the uncomfortable 3rd trimester.

I've got two reviews today because I am awful and I'm behind on my reviews. Both books were provided by Simon and Schuster Canada, but as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada!

If you're looking for a book with lots of secrets and unreliable characters, this is definitely the book for you. After finding her husband dead at the bottom of the stairs, Tanya is on the run and not for the first (or last) time. Right away you're wondering if she killed her husband and you realize that she is quite unreliable. Throughout the book, she is forced to change her name and identity in order to keep her secrets. The name changes are nicely sectioned out, so it's not confusing to follow.

Tanya meets Blue, who may just be even more unreliable than Tanya. Tanya ends up moving in with Blue and the two find themselves entangled in a mess that leaves Tanya running again. You really do feel like a passenger in Tanya's life of craziness.

Each time Tanya ran and changed her identity it was almost like reading a new character, which I enjoyed. I wanted to hate Tanya because I didn't know if she was a ruthless killer, but at the same time, I found myself liking her and really wanting her to be a good person.

My favourite part of the book were the random emails from an unknown male named Ryan to Jo. Who is Jo? Is Jo another version of Tanya? The e-mails span from 2008 to 2015 and hint at a very bad past for whoever Ryan and Jo may be.

I felt like there were a lot of different mysteries in this book and a lot of questions. All the questions are, thankfully, answered by the end and many of the answers were not what I anticipated. This book definitely takes you on a ride. I rated this 3 out of 5 stars.

Still Mine is a thriller with a dark atmosphere and seedy characters that will leave you feeling unnerved. Clare is on the run from her husband and her troubled past. With the help of a mysterious man named Malcolm, she ends up in a very small town, Blackmore, and draws attention to herself when she starts asking questions about a local missing girl, Shayna.

Clare finds herself getting acquainted with the residents of Blackmore, and finds herself involved in their twisted lives. I found that I couldn't trust any of the characters, and I wanted to know how they were involved in the disappearance of Shayna. There's her ex-husband, her friend, a drug dealer, her parents, a doctor, and you honestly don't know what any of them have to do with anything until the very end. I loved that I couldn't trust anyone. There are a lot of characters in this book, but they're easy to keep track of.

I found myself fully involved in this book as I was reading it, and basically read it in two sittings. I had so many questions, not only about Shayna, but about Clare and Malcolm. Is Malcolm a good guy, or is he just waiting to harm Clare? Clare felt like she was being watched the whole novel, and I felt that way, too. I was on edge, waiting for some big revelation.

The ending was not what I was expecting, and I mean that in a good way. I was happy with the ending, and the last page left me desperately needing more. I would definitely recommend this to people looking for a dark thriller full of seedy characters in an equally seedy town. I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.