Skipping Christmas

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Publish Date: November 6 2001

Read Date: 01/02/2019 - 01/05/2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

Luther and Nora Krank have sent their college graduate daughter Blair off to Peru with the Peace Corps, and have decided that they will not be " doing" Christmas this year. Instead, they are going on a cruise, set to leave Christmas day at noon.

The Kranks forgo decorations, a tree, gifts, charitable donations, even the annual christmas eve party.  Everyone is shocked and disappointed.

Only the Kranks live in a very festive traditional neighborhood, and their neighbors revolt against this idea. Even sending notes and phone calls to free the 7 foot Frosty that normally adorns the top of the Krank house, like every other house on Hemlock street.

The Kranks have hilariously made it through to Christmas eve, when they get a phone call from Blair letting them know she is on her way home and expecting ALL the christmas traditions she is used to.

So now the Kranks are in overdrive to make everything perfect. In the end everyone comes together and Christmas spirit shines through.

Most commonly known by movie form " Christmas with Kranks".

River Bodies

River Bodies by Karen Katchur

Publish Date: 11/01/2018

Read Date: 12/26/2018 - 01/02/2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

New Jersey Veterinarian Becca Kinglsey returns home to Portland Pennsylvania after being forced to leave 10 years ago, to be with her dying father, the former Police Chief. 

When Becca returns she is caught up with a man that eerily watches from across the river, her childhood love interest turned police officer Parker, and a murder investigation that almost mirrors one from her childhood.

Sadly, that is pretty much the premise. That said. The book itself is a good read. It is fairly easy to figure out who did it and why, but the way the story evolves for Becca is interesting.

There is also alot of  police procedural, which if you find that interesting you will enjoy.

I really enjoyed reading this!!!

All The Missing Girls

All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

Publish Date: June 28, 2016

Read Date: 11/27/2018-12/26/2018

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Nicolette "Nic" Farrell has returned to Cooley Ridge after 10 years to help her brother Daniel care for her ailing father. The last time she was there, her best friend Corinne disappeared without a trace after a county fair. Corinnes case is still unanswered.

Once Nic returned home, all of the memories of that night, of the investigation came flooding back to her. Almost haunting her in a way, like they never really left the house.

Shortly after she returned home, Nics younger neighbor Annaleise Carter disappears. Annaleise was a witness and an alibi for Nic and her friends to the events that unfolded at the county fair.

Everyone is a suspect, and only 2 people really know what happened.. and one of them is now missing..

There are similarities to both missing girls. Memories and fears are brought back to the surface.

Told backwards, beginning with day 15 and ending with day 1, it can be a bit confusing to keep track of if you stop reading at any point and pick it back up.

I gave it 3 stars because I was not a fan of the set up. This was not a book I could read in 1 sitting because life got in the way and forgetting that it was told backwards became confusing at times. Short of that, it has everything you'd want in a decent thriller.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Publish Date: May 09, 2017

Read Date: 11/18/2018 - 11/27/2018

Rating: ★★★★


" My life, I realized, had gone wrong. Very, very wrong. I wasn't supposed to live like thus. No one was supposed to live like this. The problem was that I simply didn't know how to make it right"

Eleanor Oliphant is a complicated 30 year old woman with a simple life. She arrives to work in the morning and goes home at night to an empty apartment. The small joys she seems to have in her life are her nightly rituals of vodka, her Fridays of vodka and pizza, and her weekly chats with her mom.

Eleanor doesn't have any friends, and doesn't quite know how to handle herself socially. All things considered though, she is completely fine.

On her trip home from work one evening, Eleanor and a newly met co-worker, Raymond from I.T., happened to be in the right place in just the right time to encounter Sammy. Sammy is an elderly man who is in need of medical attention. Raymond and Eleanor rush over to help him.  In typical story book fashion, this leads Eleanor into her most exciting time ever.

Raymond convinces Eleanor to visit Sammy in the hospital, and while there , met his family.

Throughout the course of Sammys recovery, Eleanor and Raymond's friendship begins to blossom. Eleanor begins to grow personally and socially.

It's not all glitter and rainbows for Eleanor. Eleanor believes she has met "the one". The man who will rescue her and make everything better. In true Eleanor fashion, she latches on to this man in an unhealthy made up world. Eventually, it all crashes in.

Eleanor is left in complete despair, contemplating suicide.

To her surprise, Raymond comes through as a miraculous friend, and helps her find the courage to talk to someone and get help.

Eleanor slowly works through her personal traumas and kicks her vodka habit. Eleanor begins to emerge better than she has ever been. She adopts a tortured cat, appropriately named for her favorite vodka. She begins to see that she is loved and cared for and deserves all the good things in life.

*** Personal note:  At the beginning of reading this, I found Eleanor to be quite annoying. The type of person that you would be kind to out of humanity, but silently judge. Don't lie, we all do it. Although, I was not annoyed with her enough to give up on the book, and I am quite glad I didn't. There were many times I found myself relateable to her. The way she feels about situations, sneaks up on you and you feel it with her.***

An Anonymous Girl

An Anonymous Girl By Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Publish Date: January 9, 2019

Read Date: 11/10/2018-11/15/2018

Rating:  ★★★★

Thank You to St. Martins Press, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.


"You're invited: Seeking women aged 18-32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality conducted by a preeminent NYC psychiatrist. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. Call for more details. "


Jessica Farris is a 28 year old make-up artist living paycheck to paycheck. Her dreams of being a theater make-up artist behind her she takes on clients on a case by case basis.

During a client session, Jess learns that her client is passing on a paid study. Jess uses a  to sneak a look at her clients voicemail and get take down the details: “This is Ben Quick, Dr. Shields’s assistant. I’m confirming your appointments this weekend, for tomorrow and Sunday from eight to ten a.m. The location again is Hunter Hall, Room 214. I’ll meet you in the lobby and take you up.”

Jess shows up and and sneaks herself in the study, hoping to make a quick $500.00. Jess becomes "Subject 52".

The first session goes well, Jess reveals a little bit of secrets and returns for the second session. The second session reveals more secrets resulting in Jess being asked to return for more intimate sessions. Being promised adequate compensation, Jess agrees to continue the study.

As Jess delves deeper into the study and becomes more involved in Dr. Shields experiment, she soon learns she is in over her head.

Dr. Shields soon begins dictating how Jess dresses, where she goes and what she does. Even including who she meets and how she approaches and talks to them. Jess blindly follows the Drs requests because she believes it is all part of the study.

Jess slowly begins questioning all of her "jobs" and the trust in the revered Dr begins to fade. Before she can make a clean exit, Jess unknowingly gets caught up in a plot of revenge, second chances, lies and possible murder.

Vox

Vox by Christina Dalcher

Publish Date:  August 21 2018

Read Date:  09/04/2018 - 09/12/2018 

The average person speaks upwards of 20,000 words per day. Yes, you read that correctly TWENTY THOUSAND. Think of all of the general greetings, arguments, messages of hope, love and thankfulness that are all included in those thousands of words we speak daily. Now, narrow your limit to 100 words. A mere 0.5% of the usual vocabulary we use daily. Can you do it? Can you limit your daily spoken words to 100? Well... in this story line.. If you are a woman. You have to.

Dr. Jean McClellan is the top of her field. A renowned Nuerolinguist in the field of study for restoring speech to Wernicke's area of the brain. Dr. McClellan is also a woman. She can no longer work, read, write or surpass 100 words a day. She wears a counter on her wrist that keeps detailed track of all words spoken. She is not the only one.

All women, and girls, in the future United States are stripped of their right to work, read, write and use an expansive vocabulary. If they miscount or purposely go over their allotted 100 words per day, the wrist counter delivers a shock to them, reminding them of their mistake.

Dr. McClellan is at home when she is summoned by the leader of the "Pure Movement" and representatives of the President. The President needs her help, and her expertise. The Presidents brother has reportedly been in an accident causing brain trauma to Wernickes area, stripping him of his access to coherent speech. Dr. McClellan has been tasked with continuing her research to find a cure and cure the Presidents brother. At first, she refuses to comply. She is then presented with the option that should she choose to help, her wrist counter and her daughters will be removed for the duration of the project allowing unlimited access to words. Jean agrees, and is assigned her team.

She fully plans on waiting out the clock, giving her and her daughter as much speech counter- free time as she possibly can manage.

She is given access to her previous research and begins working on her task at hand. She soon learns there is more to the plan than she is being let on to believe. There are 3 teams total. Each team is assigned a different task in the master plan.

One team, the White Team, is meant to develop, test and mass- produce the Anti-Wernickes serum, meant to reestablish verbal communication. This is Dr. McClellans team.

One team, The Gold Team, is meant to develop, test and mass- produce the Wernickes serum, meant to force verbal silence on its intended victim.

and the last team, The Red Team, is meant to ecplore water solubility of Wernickers serum.

It all becomes very clear to Dr. McClellan. She was brought it to create a bioweapon, and its antidote.


With the help of her team, and the Resistance to the Pure Movement, she discovers a way to silence those in power for good, hoping to restore the world as she knows it. However, her plan doesn't go exactly the way she wanted and she may lose someone dear to her.

The Perfect Nanny

The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

Publish Date: January 9 2018

Read Date: 08/19/2018 - 09/04/2018

I will start this off by saying that I did not finish this book. The choice for me to not finish a book, is not an easy one. I try to push through to the end irregardless of how much I am enjoying, or not enjoying the book. I was pulled in by the first chapter, then it fell flat and simply confusing.

** THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE REVIEW. THIS BOOK WAS NOT READ IN ITS ENTIRETY****

The Baby is dead. This is the first line you read.


Myriam, a Lawyer, and Paul are busy professionals who decide that the best thing for their family is to bring in a nanny for their 2 children, toddler Mila and baby Adam. After interviewing many, and liking none, the family finds Louise. Louise is the idyllic nanny. She cooks, she cleans, she is excellent with children. It's as if the children are her entire life. Louise becomes so much part of the family that she even accompanies them on vacations.

This is where it all falls apart for me. The chapters are short, simply 2-5 pages each. The book jumps around from past to present with no warning, and no explanation. There is no segue and no flow from one jump to the other. You simply are reading the present at one moment and then about Louises daughter troubles the next.

Based on other reviews and the idea of the book, you gather that somewhere down the line Louise snaps or breaks down and murders the children. While it started off amazing, it fell quickly.

The book could almost be 2 separate books simultaneously. It is hard to follow, frustrating and confusing.


As interested as I was prior to even reading the first chapter I failed to maintain enough interest to continue reading to the end.

Friend Request

Friend Request  by Laura Marshall

Publish Date: September 5th 2017

Read Date: 08/12/2018 - 08/19/2018

Louise Williams is a divorced single mother to 4 year old Henry. Like most people Louise Williams uses Facebook to keep in contact with friends from high school, work and family and to post pictures of her son. 

Jumping back and forth between present day - 2016 and high school days -1989, Louise explains how the death of Maria came to happen. It was prom, there was pranks, and there were drugs. Louise and her best friend Sophia had a plan to slip Maria some drugs as a prank.

In 1989 Louise is in High school. After years of being left out in school, Louise is now friends with the popular girl, Sophia and her crew. In comes new student Maria. Transferred from a different school district, with rumors that followed her. Louise and Maria became friends, though Louise was never able to learn the truth behind the rumors following Maria. Being high school kids. the other students are only happy to spread around the rumors.  Eventually, Louise harshly breaks off the friendship with Maria. As quickly as high school goes by, it is soon prom time. Louise, Sophia and their group decide that they are going to play a prank on Maria during prom and spike her drink with drugs. They never expected Maria to react badly and run off into the woods, and never be seen again.

One seemingly uninteresting day in present day  2016, Louise gets an email so she checks it as she would any other. It's a Facebook friend request from Maria, except there is no way that Louise can be getting a friend request from her. Maria has been dead since high school. Louise knows this to be certain, after all she was part of the plan.. Louise is startled and confused by the request, but decides to accept to see where it goes. Shortly after, Louise begins to get cryptic, threatening messages from Marias Facebook account. Maria uses the friend request and the messages to connect with high school friends lost through the years in an attempt to find out who else has received Marias friend request and if theirs came with messages also. It is through facebook , and the re-connection of old friends that Louise learns of the planned high school reunion. 

While at the reunion a classmate dies, sparking an investigation. Old memories are brought up. Louise is scared of her involvement in the death of Maria coming out, so she scrambles to hide it as best as she can.

In the end, Louise learns the truth about the death of Maria, and the classmate at the reunion and its not at all what she expected.

*** Personal note: This book was an easy read, but I did not find it exactly enjoyable. The characters were hard to connect with, and the story line slow. There was also random entries that could be an blog post or a diary entry, and the writer is never explained. They didn't fit with the rest of the story.

Everything We Give (Everything series #3)

Everything We Give (Everything Series #3) by Kerry Lonsdale  

Publish Date: July 3^rd 2018

Read Date: 07/14/2018 – 07/18/2018

 This book is the third and final installment of the Everything series. While you can read each book as a stand alone, they will make far more sense when read in order. If read as a stand alone, you may be confused and end up with spoilers from the other 2 books in the series. Each book of the Everything series is an individual story, but each story is intertwined with each other creating additional moments not shared and story continueation.

Ian is married to Aimee and they have a daughter Caty. Ian is an award winning photographer who is on a mission to photograph for National Geographic.  A mission that Ian has recently found out he has succeded in. Ian is waiting for just the right time to tell Aimee his exciting news. But with everything going in Aimees life, the potential opening of a new coffee shop and most pressing the return of her ex fiance, James.

James disappeared years ago just before Amiee and James were set to get married.  James was believed to be dead, only to be found alive in Mexico with no idea who he is, living a life as someone else.  Now, James remembers who he is, and who Aimee was to him. This return has caused an interruption in Aimees life and more stress than Ian and Aimee know how to properly handle.

Ian eventually decides to tell Aimee that he has been selected to be an on location photographer for National Geographic and will soon be sent to Spain.  Ian buys plane tickets for both him and Aimee, with the intention of whisking her away from her troubles.  However, those plans quickly change as Aimee begins to hide things from Ian.

Ian packs up and leaves abruptly for Spain.  Aimee decides to meet him, so she boards a plane and off she goes.

Upon returning from spain Ian locates his long lost mother and finds his father.

In the end on relationship is rekindled and another is lost, but will it be who you think it is.

**** Personal attribute ***** I disliked this book the most out of the 3. I felt that the story was drawn out much more than it needed to be and did not resovle or answer any question left over from the previous books.

The Book of Essie

The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir

Publish Date: June 12 2018

Read Date: 07/19/2018 - 07/21/2018

Esther Ann Hicks (Essie ) is the 17 year old daughter of an Evangelical Preacher on a TV reality show, and the youngest of 6 children of the Hicks family.  Due to the faith of the family, she is strictly regulated and regimented in her daily activities and lifestyle. Every part of her life is broadcast as she is followed by cameras and voice monitors throughout her house. The only privacy she has from the cameras is at school, since they can film only school functions , not on campus. 

The image the family displays is the most important thing, because this is their paycheck, their lively hood. The Hicks children are expected to show their best side and and their best behavior at all times.

Essie has a secret. One that must be dealt with, and hidden from the public veiw.

Essie is pregnant. For now, only a select few know. Her Mother, Celia, has discovered the pregnancy and with the help of the shows producer go through the available options. They have decided on 3 options. They can send Essie out of the country on a “ mission Trip”. They can alow the birth of the child and convince the world that the child is Celias. Or they can go big and marry Essie off,  thus providing a storyline explaining the pregnancy and boosting the ratings.

Essie has learned to listen in on the conversations that occur in the office from one of her sisters. She uses this skill to eavesdrop on the decisions being made on her behalf.

Celia tells Essie that they have decided to marry her off in a quick wedding, and they will need to find a willing counterpart to go along with their plan.

Essie acts the obeident daughter, and agrees to go along with her mothers choice. But, Essie has other plans.

Essie starts showing interest in a boy from her church and her school, Roarke Richards. Quickly her mother gains interest and sets a meeting with Roarkes parents to pitch the wedding plans.

With the promise of financial gain and stability the Richards family agrees to go along with the ruse. Essie and Roarke begin to fabricate the backstory of their relationship, creating pictures and stories in an attempt to present to the public that the relationship is real.

Essie grants infamous investigative reporter Liberty Bell an exclusive on the wedding, in return for a secret favor, and Libertys trust.

The wedding is fast approaching and the plan made by Essie and Roarke is in full effect. They just have to make it through the wedding.

The day of the wedding arrives. Essie and Roarke are married in an extravagant and televised event. After the marriage license is signed and safe in the hands of Liberty Bell, Essie stands in front of the press and begins to speak.

The words spoken shock the world, they cause her mother to faint, and they can’t be taken back.

The truth is out.  

Lies

Lies by T.M. Logan 

ISBN: 978-1785770555

Publish Date: May 4 2017 / September 11 2018

Read Date: 07/11/2018 - 07/14/2018


Thank You to Macmillan Publishers and T.M. Logan for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Everyone thinks they know their life, and the people they spend their life with. You know their schedules, their car, their habits. But, do you really?

Married for 12 years and living a happy and content life is Joe, Mel and their 4 year old son William. 

While driving home one day little William spots his mothers car driving on the other side of the road. Excited to surprise his mom and show her his new award from school, he pleads with his father to turn around and follow Mom to catch up with her. 
Joe is able to catch up to Mel and realizes that he has followed her into a hotel parking lot. Joe is confused as to why his wife would be in a hotel in the middle of the day, so Joe decides to investigate. 

As Joe approaches the hotel, he sees Mel in a heated conversation, or possible argument with a man. Joe recognizes the man as Ben Delaney, a friend of both his and Mel. Joes mind a going a mile a minute and he is coming up with any number of scenarios that could explain why its in the middle of the day and his wife is in a hotel, arguing with their friend, their married friend. Not long after the heated conversation began, it ended with Mel and Ben going their separate ways.

Still in the parking lot Joe attempts to get Mels attention as she speeds away, instead finds himself face to face with Ben. Joe tries to get information out of Ben, who is not wanting to talk. Yelling takes place, and punches are thrown. Being a slightly bigger guy, Joe has an advantage on Ben. When Joe punches Ben, Ben goes down, hard. Ben falls and hits his head on the ground. While trying to check on Ben, Joe realizes that William is having an asthma attack in the car. To no avail  Joe hurriedly tries to locate Williams inhaler. Joe makes the choice to leave Ben in the parking lot of the hotel and speed home to get William his inhaler. Somewhere in all the chaos, Joe realizes he can't find his cell phone. 


Once home and William taken care of and settled down, Joe returns to the Hotel to check on Ben. Bens car and Ben are gone from the scene. Joe returns home and attempts to contact Ben. There is no answer and no reply. 


A day or so passes and Beth, Bens wife has reported Ben missing to the police and Ben has become the main suspect in the investigation. 

Soon Joe starts seeing strange messages show up on his facebook wall, and begins getting weird texts and emails from his own account. The messages get more threatening, eventually Joe is told that everything will be taken from him. His Teaching job, his Wife and his son. Joe tries desperately to make the police realize that it is Ben sending the messages. The police are not convinced.

Joe tries to get Beth to work with him to prove that he is innocent and that Ben is in fact alive, well and pulling the strings to this sordid ordeal. Beth begins to confide in Joe that she is being followed by a black vehicle. Joe starts to see this black vehicle possibly following him as well. 



One evening, Beth or her daughter texts Joe that the Black vehicle is at their house and they need help. Joe rushes over to Beths house. 

It's at this point that all of the Lies begin to unravel and the truth is spread out right in front of him. 

It's absolutely not what Joe expected. 

How well do you know the one you love the most. 

A Gathering of Secrets

 A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo

ISBN: 978-1250121318
 
Publish Date: July 10th 2018

Read Date: 06/27/2018 - 07/05/2018


Thank you to St. Martins Press and Minotaur Books for an advanced readers copy for my honest review.

As 'A Gathering of Secrets" is book #10 of the Kate Burkholder series and not having read any other books  both in the series or by Linda Castillo, I was leery of this one because I worried I would be lost and confused. Missing only the backstory of Kate Burkholder, the main character, this book flowed well as a stand alone and you are provided enough information through the story-line to understand a large part of the characters previous life.

Amish communities keep to themselves, they are deeply religious and incredibly private people. There is a large number of subjects that are not spoken of within the Amish communities and their households. Even more so, what must be kept secret from the people not in the Amish circle.  The Amish handle their own business, and are not keen on outsiders.

But, Even the Amish can't hide their secrets for long.

Kate Burkholder is an ex-Amish, small town Police Chief of Painters Mill Ohio. She's loyal to her job, her co-workers, her boyfriend and still respects her former life.  Within her small town there is a large Amish presence, including the family she left.

It has been six months since the suicide of a local Amish girl. 17 year old Emma Miller, a  seemingly depressed girl went against her beliefs and took her own life. Now, 18 year old Daniel Gingerich has found himself in his families barn expecting a late night hook -up. Only for Daniel, this is the end.

It's Four O'Clock in the morning, Chief Burkholder receives a phone call from the dispatcher notifying her of a barn fire on the property of a local Amish family. During the same phone call, she learns that the teen son of the barn owners is missing, one Daniel Gingerich.

Chief Burkholder soon learns the firefighters located a body inside the fire, locked and barricaded inside the tack room.  Based off descriptions given by the Amish teen boys family,the key being his beloved pair of cowboy boots A preliminary guess leads Chief Burkholder to believe it is Daniel.  Shortly after, Daniels remains are properly identified and proper notifications are made.

Thus, the investigation begins. But the lingering question remains, who would want to murder a young Amish boy. 

While conducting investigation interviews, Chief Burkholder is told by nearly all who knew Daniel Gingerich that he was an upstanding Amish boy and a strong, good worker, leaving her clueless as to how he ended up in such a position.

Chief Burkholder finally breaks through some barriers little by little and begins to learn that Daniel, being of Rumspringa age, is quite the wild-boy who loves the ladies. A new image of Daniel begins to form as Chief Burkholder starts wondering if his girl chasing has anything to do with his untimely death.

The closer Chief Burkholder gets to figuring out the killer, the more she is hit with barriers and less information. Finally, the investigation gets so close that it could, and almost does, cost Chief Burkholder her life. First she is shot at after being lured to a staged accident, then she is nearly met with the same fate as Daniel Gingerich.

Believing that the killer has been found Chief Burkholder feels like she can finally take a breath. Until she visits a local Amish store front and comes face to face with a piece of evidence she can't ignore.

While a large part of the book is Chief Burkholder providing bits of memory of what ultimately caused her to leave the Amish community, insights into Amish and their beliefs, as well as the Police procedural investigative elements.  You are taken through the entire investigation, which is highly interesting and fairly accurate.


*** Mentions of rape and violence that may be triggers for some people****

Our Kind of Cruelty

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall 

ISBN: 978 - 0374228194

Publish Date: May 8th 2018

Read Date: 06/17/2018 - 06/27/2018 

 I received  Our Kind of Cruelty as part of a Goodreads giveaway. My honest review is not required.

When does love meet obsession?

Mike Hayes had  the worst childhood one could imagine. An alcoholic mother with a parade of abusive men in and out of her home. It stands to reason that Mike may not fully understand love and treatment of a loved one.

After being removed from his mothers care, Mike entered foster care. His foster parent tried very hard to teach him how to love, and be loved in return. They thought they had done a decent job.  They got Mike through school, and even got him into college.

During college Mike met Verity, (V).  There was an instant attraction, as Verity is that girl that every boy wants to date, and every girl wants to be.  Mike became deeply devoted to V.  He worked until he had the successful career meant to support V. The physique one would expect of a partner of a woman such as V. Created the perfect home he believed V to belong in.

Mike and Verity had a very sexual relationship, even creating a game of sorts out of it. The couple would enter a bar separately, and Verity would use her striking good looks to entice an unsuspecting man to flirt with her.  She would then signal mike, using a secret code only they knew and he would swoop in to her rescue.

Then Mike agreed to take a job in New York, leaving V in England.  During his time in NY he kept in constant contact with V, wanting to know every part of her day. Then he ran into Carly, and Mike had an affair. Deeply disturbed by what he had done, he returned to V during Christmas and revealed his shamless act to her.  Thus prompting V to end their years long relationship. Little did Mike know, V had secrets of her own.

Mike receives an invitation to Vs wedding in the mail.  Mike is in denial about the wedding and has convinced himself that this V has started up their old game. Mike decides he is all in. He is willing to play.

What Mike doesn't understand is this is no game. Verity is deeply in love with her new fiancee, wanting no more than a friendship with Mike.

Mike is not willing to let Verity go.

One night, it all comes to a head when Veritys new husband arrives at Mikes house, highly drunk. An altercation occurs leaving  Verity to arrive to witness one of the men dead.

** Large amounts of sexual content, may not be appropriate for younger readers**

Mapping the Bones

 Mapping the Bones by Jane Yolen

ISBN:  978 - 0399257780
 
Publish Date: March 6th 2018

Read Date:01/19/2018 - 01/24/2018
 
**** Apologies for the repost, I accidentally deleted this review****

Thank you to Jane Yolen, Goodreads, Penguin Teen and Philomel Books for an advanced uncorrected galley of Mapping the Bones. I received my copy of this book as a giveaway, and my honest review is not required.

Normally a 413 (ish) page book takes me around 2 days to get through. This book however, took me a couple more days. It was a hard, albeit good read. The subject matter is a hard one to stomach.

This fictional story based in 1940s during the Holocaust follows the life of 4 children, Chaim, Gittel, Sophie and Bruno.

This book is basically split into 2 parts.

The first half of the book is the story of the 4 children and how they were forced from their homes into a Polish Ghetto by the Nazis, where they lived in squalor waiting for their " wedding invitation" to relocate them once again and their escape to the Polish border.

The second part of the book follows the childrens capture by German soldiers and their placement in a labor camp where the children try to survive unclean water, spoiled food and the inhumane experiments done by the Doctor. (The Doctor is modeled off of Dr Mengele)

While it was a very good read there were parts that i could have done without. Throughout the book, Chaim doesn't speak due to a severe stutter and uses hand signs that only his sister knows to communicate, but is able to proficiently speak through poetry. Because of this there is quite a bit of randomly placed poetry. Bruno has a superiority complex, which renders him rather annoying. I am not certain this was not done purposefully. The way the children are written rather annoyed me, because i felt a bit of their story was added mush, that could have been left out.

My general annoyance with the children did not take away from the book as a whole, as i still gave it 4 stars.

There is minor graphic explanations of the experiments performed at the camp.

Marketed as a Young Adult Fiction genre for ages 12-18, I felt uncomfortable reading parts at 36. I would allow and encourage my teenagers to read this book, but provide them with a word of caution.

Something in the Water

 Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

ISBN:  978 - 1524797188

Publication Date: June 5th 2018

Read Date: 06/05/2018 - 06/17/2018


I received an ARC of Something in the Water from Goodreads as part of a giveaway. My honest review is not required.

Erin and her new husband Mark are on a dream honeymoon to Bora Bora. They do all of the touristy things one would do on their honeymoon, scuba diving, sightseeing, shopping.

While on the honeymoon, a large storm hits the island forcing them to change their scuba plans. Now, rescheduled for a nice sunny day after the storm, the two set out. During their dive they locate the remains of a recently downed plane, and a large heavy suitcase.

Convinced it is better to turn in the suitcase rather than open it, they leave it with the front desk upon their outing return. However, a miscommunication lands the suitcase back into the newlyweds possession.

One drunken night, the pair decide to open the suitcase and to their astonishment find a bag of loose diamonds and a large sum of money.  They make the choice to keep the money and the diamonds and use it to begin their mew married life together.

This badly thought out decision set of a chain reaction of events putting both newlyweds in danger.

Erin finds out she is being followed shortly after depositing the money in a off shore bank account, and attempting to sell the diamonds. Mark attempts to convince her that she is not being followed and everything is fine.

Eventually the person hired to follow her, and the person who hired him is revealed. But, it is not what Erin was expecting.

The Woman in Cabin 10

The Woman in Cabin 10  by Ruth Ware

ISBN: 978-1501132957

Publish Date: July 19th 2016

Read Date: 05/03/2018- 05/05/2018

If you thought you witnessed a murder, how far would you go to solve it? What if no one listened?

Small-time journalist Laura (Lo) Blacklock, is handed the opportunity of a lifetime when her pregnant boss gives her the chance to cover the maiden voyage of the expensive and exclusive cruise ship, 'The Aurora'. With only 10 cabins on board, The Aurora is set to give you most of the experiences of a luxury cruise line with more privacy.

Without sleep and hungover, Lo finds herself on board the Aurora and being ushered to her cabin. The first night on board, Lo is desperate to network but realizes that in her hasty packing she failed to bring every girls make up best friend, mascara. She decides to take a chance and pop over to the cabin next to hers to see if she can borrow some. After knocking on the door the woman in cabin 10 (hey there look at that !!!) answers the door seemingly surprised to see Lo. The woman practically throws the mascara at her and rushes her away. 

Sometime throughout the night Lo is awakened by what she believes was a scream and a splash. Confused by the noise, Lo goes out to the veranda to take a quick look. She sees no one so she checks the veranda of the cabin next door where she doesn't see any people, but she does see a blood smear on the sliding door. Now convinced a murder has taken place, Lo is on the hunt for answers. She advises the head of security of what she saw and heard. He seems puzzled because Cabin 10 is supposed to be empty. The guest assigned to that cabin, did not make the trip.

Determined to prove she was right and something happened in that cabin, Lo is traipsed around the entire ship going person to person on board to find her mystery mascara giver. After everyone on board has been checked, and mystery woman still not found, security begins trying to poke holes in Lo's story. Still slightly hungover, Lo begins to wonder if it was in fact all in her head. 

Then, the mascara goes missing.. Has Lo gone crazy, is the mixture of her depression/ anxiety medication and alcohol making her imagine things? Unknown to Lo at the time, her story is just beginning. 

Lo begins to have strange occurrences around her, strange writing on a steamed bathroom mirror and everyone trying to convince her she is wrong. Ultimately, convinced she is not going crazy, she tells her story to anyone who will listen. Someone has to know about the missing girl after all. Right? Lo makes the decision to notify the police at the first docking stop. 

The evening before the Aurora is scheduled to dock for the first stop of the trip, Lo believes she sees her mystery woman. She exits her cabin to follow her, only she doesn't find her. Lo is knocked out and awakens in an all white windowless room at the bottom of the ship, under the water line. She soon realizes that she is unable to escape the room, the only contact with anyone is the hand opening the door just enough to shove her food tray inside. 

While trying to fight her way out, her captor is revealed. She learns her captor isn't alone. Still, Lo is determined to make it out alive. 

With the discovery of 2 bodies in the water, will we finally know who was murdered? And will Lo make it out alive?

The Wrong Sister

The Wrong Sister  by T.E. Woods

ISBN: 978-1496712745

Publish Date: February 27th 2018 

Read Date: 05/29/2018 - 05/30/2018

Everyone has a doppelganger somewhere in the world. Isn't that the saying? What would you do if you saw yours, on a street, in your hometown. 

Told in a series of present day and flashbacks, Wisconsinite Tess Kinciad stumbles across her doppelganger. Tess Kincaid lives a quiet, single life in Madison Wisconsin. She works at the local library, and she takes care of her alcoholic father, something she had done since her mother left them when she was a teenager.

 Tess was mindlessly driving home one evening, when she sees a woman who looks like her coming out of a local hotel.  Nothing thinking much of it, Tess continues the drive home. Later, she begins to think about the woman she saw, and she finds herself in the hotel for a quick stop to use the restroom.  While in the restroom, the woman she saw exits a stall and they both stare in amazement at the mirror. It's like looking in the mirror, except they are looking at each other.  

The woman introduces herself as Mimi. The women take a seat on the patio of the hotel and begin talking, seated on the outdoor patio. Mimi becomes instantly invested in Tess. Due to the amount of the things they have in common,their looks, they share a birthday, their mannerisms, Mimi becomes convinced they are long lost twins. Tess isn't buying it.  Believing they were separated at birth, Mimi begins sharing stories of her childhood. Tess remained hesitant to share the details of her mother and father. 

Mimi, in Wisconsin for a job interview, worms her way into Tess' life.  Mimi tries her hardest to convince Tess to believe as she does, but Tess pulls away.  Mimi begins to impersonate Tess at work, and even in town to people she knows. Eventually, tired of the pressure and the uncertainty of Mimi,  Tess tries to push Mimi out of her life. Once again, almost right on cue, Mimi shows up again. This time she comes baring a DNA test.  The results are shocking, and confusing.

Tess finally gives in to Mimis encouragement and agrees to investigate the women's life and separation. What they discovers is more than Tess can bear. They discover affairs and secrets that would change Tess forever.

Tess finds herself in the depths of a Wisconsin police interrogation room being questioned about a body that was found in a local marsh.  While being questioned by Sally and Andy, Tess rediscovers secrets she has had locked away since her younger days. 

Will the secrets of Tess' parent and her childhood catch up to them? Will the police reveal who the killer is?

It's Always the Husband

It's Always the Husband by Michelle Campbell 

ISBN:  978-1595547163

Publish Date: May 1st 2018

Read Date: 05/23/2018 - 05/27/2018

This book is written in 2 parts. During college and after college.

This is the story of 3 friends, Jenny, Kate and Aubrey. Kate is the beautiful rich girl, Jenny the smart determined girl and Aubrey the mousey timid girl. Jenny, Kate and Aubrey met when they became roommates their first year at the Ivy League, Carlisle College. As different as they all are, they soon became inseparable. If you found one of the girls, you found the other two.

Being on her own for the first time, Aubrey looks up to Kate for everything. She feels that she is lucky to be allowed into Kates circle of wealth and connections. Jenny being the "local" girl, knows all the good hangouts and secret spots.

One of those secret spots is the boat launch near the bridge at the river.

Kate and her current boyfriend, Lucas, (who just happened to be Jennys ex also) had just had a huge fight at Scheckys, a local burger joint. The two of them left the diner and went to the boat launch to continue their fight. Once Lucas decided to break off his relationship with Kate, she became enraged and began to attack Lucas. Somehow during the fight, Lucas lost his footing and went into the icy cold river, falling to his death. Both Jenny and Aubrey know what really happened that night, but they aren't telling.

Fast forward years later, the girls have graduated college, gotten married and become successful in their lives. Aubrey married a doctor and now owns a Yoga studio. Jenny married another local boy and is now the Mayor of their little college town. Kate married Griff, another wealthy boy she knew growing up.

It is Kate's 40th birthday, and a resident out walking her dog found her body washed up from the river.

During the investigation all of the secrets the girls have harbored all of these years, as well as their recent ones are brought to light. Will they find the true killer of Kate?



**** THERE IS MENTIONS OF SEX AND VIOLENCE ******

Fireproof

Fireproof by Eric Wilson

ISBN:  978-1595547163

Publish Date:  September 1ST 2008

Read Date: 05/22/2018 - 05/23/2018

Marriage is a complicated thing. It requires constant work and patience. How far would you go to make a failing marriage work? Would you be willing to turn to faith?

Firefighter Caleb and his Hospital Public Relations person wife, Catherine, has been married for 7 years. The marriage has become increasingly hostile and now, Catherine wants out. Caleb isn't ready to give up yet.

After an explosive argument, Catherine tells Caleb that she wants out, she just wants out.

Caleb talks to his firefighter co- workers and his father about his failing marriage, looking for advice and wisdom. Catherine talks to her female coworkers and begins to notice, and be noticed by a new young doctor, Gavin, at the hospital she works at.

During the talks with Calebs father, he is asked to hold of the divorce for 40 days and to try a Love Dare that saved his marriage to Calebs mother. 

This love dare requires Caleb to do 1 thing a day for 40 days to show his love his for his wife. 

Hesitant at first, and doing barely enough to get by Caleb begins the love dare. Al the while, Catherine slips slowly away from Caleb and towards Gavin. Catherine does notice the slight change in caleb and that he is being nicer to her. however, her friends convince her that he is just buttering her up to make the divorce easier. 

Going through the motions of the day by day exercises, Caleb prepares a nice dinner for Catherine in the hopes this will begin to get her back. Catherine comes home, finds the nicely set table and a nicely dressed Caleb awaiting her. Catherine, having no interest in this tells Caleb that She no longer loves him. 

Ready to give up, Caleb talks to his father again who convinces him to press on. Caleb presses on finds not only his faith but a new found love for Catherine. This leaves him even less willing to give her up. 

The fight for his marriage continues. 

While it is a love story, it is also a heavily religious read.

WHEN

When by Victoria Laurie

ISBN:  978-1484700082
 
Publish Date:  January 13th 2015

Read Date: 05/21/2018 - 05/22/2018

 If you could look at someone and see the date they would die, what lengths would you go to save them.

For Maddie, that is life. Maddie has a gift, she can see the dates someone is going to die just by looking at them. She sees their numbers, small black numbers just hanging over their foreheads. She can read it on someones forehead in person, on tv and even in a picture. She has been able to see them since she was a small child. She knows this much, because she saw her fathers number. As she grew up, Maddie began to keep a notebook with all of the death dates she saw in it, she believed this help her to cope with her "gift".

Maddies father, a police officer, was gunned down on the date she had predicted as a small child. Her fathers death had sent her mother into a alcohol fueled depression, causing her to lose her nursing job, and the families income.

As a teenager to help out with the lack of income from her mother, Maddie began charging customers to read their death date. One of the customers has asked Maddie to read the death date of her young daughter, currently in the hospital battling cancer, but instead what catches maddies attention is the looming upcoming date of another child, a male, in the photograph the customer brought. Maddie made the choice to advise her customer of what she had seen. This naturally upset the customer, who stormed out and left.

As predicted on the date Maddie had given her customer, the young male disappeared. After a search returned the boys remains, the FBI began their investigation . With the date connection that maddie had given the murdered boys mother, Maddie was rocketed to the front line of suspects.

During the boys investigation, another teenager goes missing, this one a popular cheerleader from a town over. Maddie had also seen the cheerleaders death date. She had also been correct. She had also tried to warn the cheerleader. This lead to another investigation with Maddie front and center once again. Only this time, she had her best friend, Stubby, with her. Stubby knew what Maddie could see, he also knew the death date of the cheerleader because Stubby had a crush on her.

During the investigation of Stubby, the FBI agents found damning evidence to point to Stubby leading to his arrest.

Following Stubbys arrest, maddies secret makes it way out. The FBI seems to be intent on putting the murders on Maddie and Stubby.

The remaining chapters reveal who is at fault for the murders and the connection to Maddie. Not much can be further explained without spoilers.

Its a great read, at just over 320 pages it is also a fairly quick read !!!!!

Appropriate for teen readers also.