Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert

Release Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Penguin Group/NAL
Author Website: http://emilyliebert.com/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Sloane possessed the perfect life. She lived in a great neighborhood, married to a successful husband and had a beautiful daughter. However, she felt something missing after the passing of her sister that nothing seemed to fill. Needing time away to think, she and Hillary, her best friend, took the offer to stay a few weeks at Lake George where Sloane's aunt kept a house.

When Sloane's oldest and closest friend from college invited herself along for the vacation, old wounds and new hurts came out. These left the women broken from the weight of their own secrets and seeking healing comfort from whatever source they could find. Would these three women be able to pick up the pieces of their lives? Would others pay the price for their decisions?


Review:
I tend to search through NetGalley's offerings whenever I can't sleep at night.  That was how I found the latest offering by the author. Something about the premise of women not happy with having the security that most crave tugged at my mind. When I read the first chapter, I related with Sloane's quest to fill the gaping hole that recent events created in her life. Not because I have a beautiful daughter or a great husband ready to do anything I asked, but because the sting of losing someone closest to me turned my own life upside down.

Most of the book centered around Sloane and her two best friends, Hillary and Georgina. Each women carried the weight of a secret on their shoulders as they joined together for two weeks at a beautiful vacation home in St. George. Interestingly enough, both Hillary and Georgina embodied the attributes that Sloane desired most. Hillary was calm, rational and provided guidance whenever the events of the book spiraled out of Sloane's control. On the other hand, Georgina was carefree, wild and ambitious - everything that Sloane thought was missing in her life. As the story went on, the women found that their similarities tied them together much more than their differences. The author didn't let the women hog the spotlight. The men in their lives also spent part of the time coming to terms with their own issues and inadequacies while the women were at the vacation home. This introspection on the men's part helped give the book a balanced feel.

There was a smooth buildup in the book's pacing, easing me into the middle of Sloane's life. By setting the book in modern times, the author created a seamless transition from the reader's reality to the that of the Sloane and her friends. Using the natural settings of the shoreline, rocky alcoves, and lush green areas also brought the story to life and added a sense of calm though much of the women's lives fell apart. As the secrets bubbled to the surface, they became characters themselves and drove the story forward until the women were forced to deal with the secrets or run. What the women couldn't outrun were the consequences of their secrets and their choices. Whether they came clean or chose to harbor the secrets longer, the payment for that choice was clearly laid out for them.

Overall, I liked this story because it was easy to put myself into Sloane's, Hillary's or even Georgina's shoes and carry their respective secrets. While I can't imagine making the same choices, I could understand why the women did with the way the author structured the timing of the book. The contrast between the perceived reality of Sloane's perfect world and the true reality of her crumbling world view drove home the point that a person can never really know another person simply by looking in from the outside. People are truly complex creatures that always find a way to surprise a reader by doing the opposite of rational thinking when emotions and beliefs are put into play as well. This book should definitely be on your TBR if you're looking for an examination of friendship, love and relationship or simply love a great story about longing in all its forms.

Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert is currently available in either paperback or digital (Kindle) forms at several online retailers. The following link provides the book's Amazon page for purchase.
Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert

The Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft

Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Author Website:  http://www.kathryncraft.com

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
With two young boys weighing on her mind, Ronnie Farnham fought to keep her marriage together despite how bad things continued to get. She reached her breaking point when his downward spiral began impacting the children, and forced her husband, Jeff, to pick a day to move out of the family home. Her anxiety grew as the day arrived. What she didn't expect was for Jeff to barricade himself inside their barn with a shotgun.

For 12 nerve-wracking hours the community of their small town waited for a resolution. The police secreted Ronnie, her two boys and her mother away as they surrounded the barn in order to talk Jeff from the barn without harming himself. As they waited, Jeff's mother arrived and joined the women in their vigil. Can the women come together as secrets unveil themselves? Will the police be able to bring Jeff out safely?


Review:
After reading the author's previous book, I was excited to receive an invitation to read this book through NetGalley. Events in the characters' lives took place within a twelve hour period of time, beginning with Ronnie waking and getting the kids ready for school until the final chapter. As each hour passed, the story became more complex and the characters delved deeper into their own fears and relationships. I found it very interesting when the pressure began to weigh heavily on each woman the longer the standoff continued. No matter the various differences, they were all mothers who had children that she wanted to protect from bad things the world would bring to their doorsteps.

Ronnie was the typical middle-aged woman who wanted nothing more than to be successful, married and to complete the picture with a few kids. She rediscovered a connection to Jeff when she went out on the town with her mother. Seeing an older man fall for a younger woman wasn't out of the ordinary, but the subtle ways Jeff would shift Ronnie into their own little world made the story more than an ordinary tale. The author made sure each of the characters were well-rounded and had their own set of flaws. These made them all easy to relate to - including Jeff. Not only did the author present how the characters viewed themselves, but as the story went along, each character was given a chance to know how others saw them as well.

The book opened with a typical setting and ordinary things to do. All that made the beginning chapter a little slow for me. However, the pace picked up by the next few chapters and kept steadily revealing things that hadn't been said for years. Hour by hour fears, feelings, and accusations created walls of anxiety and hurt between Ronnie, her mother and Jeff's mother. Even as their concern for Jeff and the two little ones swirled around them, they had to find a way through all the muck in order to come together. Now, what I didn't expect was the author shining such a light on Jeff's depression, how it drove him to do and say things that he might not have otherwise, and how easily he sunk to a point where there seemed to be only one way out of his particular situation.

Overall, the book quickly became one that I couldn't put down. The author didn't create a world for me to settle in while I read what the characters said or did. She used the world around us and slipped these characters inside everyday situations instead. After I finished reading the book, I discovered that portions of this book were inspired by the author's own real life experience with a standoff involving her husband at the time. It was no wonder that she could bring so many emotions and accusations to life. I have to admit that my own emotions got away from me a time or two (okay, many times). This book is on my to-buy list. If you're looking for an interesting examination of family dynamics or a peek into the darkness of depression, this book is one you need to consider.

The Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft is currently available at several online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in a variety of formats including paperback, audio-book and digital (Kindle) from the book's Amazon link below.
The Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft

My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel by Tanya J. Peterson

Release Date: June 1, 2014
Publisher: Inkwater Press
Author Website:  http://www.tanyajpeterson.com

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Brian Cunningham knew he was the worst of everything - the worst employee, the worst son, the worst pet owner, the person alive on the planet. Whenever he attempted a simple task such as a five minute conversation with a coworker, his world tilted, chest tightened and his heart nearly beat out of chest. Working as a night shift janitor as a local school allowed him the freedom to ready the classrooms with pride but without all the interactions.

Without warning his whole world shifted. His best (and only) friend in the world left him. New management at the school watched his every move and added responsibilities were placed upon his shoulders. As the walls close in and left him floundering, a small hand pulled him from the edge. Can a child with so many problems of her own help Brian with any of his? Will he be able to save her at the moment she needed it most?

Review:
This book was one of those chance findings when I was looking through the various selections offered at NetGalley. I don't know exactly what pulled me toward this book, but I was glad I ended up reading it. Maybe it was because I identified with the main character to a certain degree. Maybe it was because I wished to see someone triumph over adversity. Whatever the reason, I can say with certainty that I was definitely intrigued and couldn't wait to discover what awaited me between the book's cover.

Told through Brian's eyes and experiences, the author gave a voice to all the worrying and the character's  anxious thought processes as he encountered various situations. From the very first chapter the high level of anxiety that Brian experienced on a daily basis was front and center. I could tell right away that he was painfully shy on top of all the other worries he admitted to within the first chapter. The bombardment of his thoughts could be off-putting for some readers. I can understand that as they were almost too much for me to continue reading because I could emphasize with Brian. So much so that I felt the anxiety and sadness roll off his character in waves. As the story continued and more characters were introduced, an increase in anxiety was evident and expected. For Brian the only reason to get up in the morning despite the exhaustive panic attacks he endured was a little girl who seemed more lost than he was.

The rest of the characters were well fleshed-out, giving a voice to different concerns and misconceptions as the story unraveled. In fact their behavior or dialogue affected the pace of the story. During some of Brian's panic attacks, the pace was fast and bordering on frantic. When other characters appeared with a calming presence, the pace slowed to allow time to breathe and process what happened. I could guess some of the events to be uncovered by the way Brian and his coworkers reacted, but I was also pleasantly surprised when a few didn't go the way I thought they would. My heart ached when pieces of Abigail's story came to light. She was the little girl who captured everyone's attention with her bright eyes, desire to fit in and the gut-wrenching history. Her small voice broke through defenses of many characters and brought needed change in all their lives. One character really annoyed me by her treatment of Brian despite the fact that she professed to do it out of love.

All in all, this book wasn't something I was looking for, but was one I needed to read. Anyone experiencing anxiety or other such disorders will be able to relate to what Brian's going through. In fact much of the book stayed with me long after I finished the final chapter. The whole journey felt overwhelming in the beginning. By the time I reached the end, I felt hope and happiness as some issues were completely resolved. Others needed more time, but I have no doubt they would be resolved as well. The author tapped into something that I think many people in today's world felt at one time or another. Even with technology connecting the world, people feel more alone and lost than ever before. If you're looking for a book with characters to root for or something that wraps its words around you and doesn't let go, this is a book you need to have on your list.

My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel by Tanya J. Peterson is currently available at a number of online retailers and local bookstores. This book can be purchased in either paperback or digital (Kindle) versions. Below is a link to the Amazon page for the book.
My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel by Tanya J. Peterson

Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer

Release Date: September 8, 2014
Publisher: Open Heart Press
Series: Broken Bottle series, Book 2
Author Website:  www.pamelataeuffer.com/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Nicky Young thought she had her life after high school planned out. First, she'd graduate and attend Stanford. Second, she'd be free to explore all that college life had to offer. Yet, right before she put the plans into motion, she found herself torn between two men, Ryan and Jerry. As she explored the feelings that being with each bring out, her emotions range from pure bliss to reluctance and foreboding.

Spending time with either of them brought a sense of vulnerability to the fore of her mind. Nicky felt her walls immediately seal around her heart whenever either asked her to love them. Seeing the dysfunction of her parent's marriage and the phoenix-like revival of her sister's life after a devastating rape, Nicky wasn't sure that she could be intimate with anyone. Her newly-found feelings drove her forward, leaving her to decide which man will have her heart and where her future would led her.

Review:
Getting an email from NetGalley alerted me that both this book and the first, Shadow Heart, were available for reading. I took a step from my comfort zone of mysteries and thrillers to see what these two titles held. The first book left Nicky after a confusing and exhilarating night at a beach bonfire with Jerry while Ryan was away on a game tour. Today's book picked up the day after the events of that night and chronicled all the emotions on either end of the spectrum that both men brought out of her. Word of warning for this book - there was a large amount of information concerning sexuality and keeping oneself safe while engaging in adult activities. The information was very pertinent to a young adult in today's society, written to inform and empower both young men and women about their bodies. While the intimate situations between the young lovers weren't graphic, the instructional information was very much in the open between Nicky and her sister.

Once again, Nicky related her story through her point-of-view. The reader received a front row seat to the warring emotions and feelings that filled her mind and journal. Much of the cast of characters which made up the first book also appeared in this sequel. Both love interests, Ryan and Jerry, made her decision to choose very difficult by opening themselves up to her. Ryan allowed her to meet part of his family and revealed more of his own dysfunctional family. Jerry made his own attempts to capture her heart, but his focus was divided between Nicky and his budding baseball career. Nicky's family were more prominent in this particular book, especially her older sister. A few new characters made their way into the story and brought out some hidden secrets and set up future conflicts.

Much of the pacing seemed slow but steady for the entire book. For me, the only time events picked up speed was when Nicky was invited to go to L.A. with a girlfriend and that happened for a weekend. The slow pace did allow for a softening of Ryan's character and a deepening bond between Nicky and her sister, Jenise. The constant shift between still being a child and becoming an adult showed up many times in both dialogue and her thoughts/feelings as they appeared in the book. As with many confused young adults, she could wear the clothes and makeup, appearing much older than her eighteen years, but she still had the thought processes and feelings of a young teen. Without experiences to judge which direction to turn, she was smart enough to go to someone older for advice.

Overall, I thought the book was okay. It was a quick read that expanded on the themes and circumstances which began in the first book. I did like how Nicky grew stronger as the book progressed. While still low, her confidence level shifted and allowed her to voice her opinion more often, especially toward the end of the book. Dialogue filled a large portion of the character's interactions and provided most of the information necessary to move the story forward. The way the dialogue was broken into many paragraphs did distract me at times. It became easy to forget which speaker was talking. Some of the characters spoke in such a similar manner that it also contributed to the feeling that one person was speaking when the book showed two characters. All that aside, it was an okay sequel to the first book and set up a number of questions to be answered in the next book. This book should be on your TBR shelf if you've read the first book or if you're a lover of people overcoming dysfunction in order to find love again.

Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer is currently available at all major online retailers in either paperback or digital (Kindle) formats. Below is a link to the book's page at Amazon for purchase.
Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer

Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer

Release Date: February 26, 2014
Publisher: Open Heart Press
Series: Broken Bottle series, Book 1
Author Website: www.pamelataeuffer.com/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Dark secrets were found in many families, and Nicky's family was no different. Adapting to her father's condition, she and her sister adapted to the volatile ways of their home. Nicky became obsessed with her job of leaving home and attending Stanford, pushing aside all other distractions - especially boys. To help her application to Stanford look more enticing, she put together a business plan for the local baseball team to have a cheer squad. She worked hard to perfect the cheers, connect with the fans and hit each of the goals she'd put into the plan.

What she didn't count on was a popular player, Ryan Tilton. He kept his distance from her, guarding his own dark secrets and his feelings for her as much as she hid her own awakened desires. As they struggled with their respective demons, life kept bringing them into the path of the other. Nicky must make several decisions despite her confusion. Can she maintain a relationship with anyone and achieve her goal of attending Stanford? Will letting go destroy everything including her level of control on her life?

Review:
To be honest I might not have given this book a second glance if I hadn't received a promotional email from NetGalley. The romance genre wasn't always one I delved into, but I decided to take a chance to step out of my reading comfort zone and give them a chance when I read that the books were inspired by actual events from the author's life. From the very beginning scene, there was a raw grittiness to the memories of what the main character, Nicky, and her sister, Jenise, went through as children living in a home where alcohol reigned supreme. Not every scene was filled with the turbulence of home life as Nicky navigated the world while carrying the weight of her father's "condition" and wanting to achieve her lifelong goal of leaving the town behind by attending Stanford.

Written in first person point-of-view, the book followed Nicky through the strange, double-sided childhood that she and her sister endured before her junior year of high school. It was easy to understand how she could be such a conflicted character when it came to the way in which the world really worked. Her father was a severe alcoholic that didn't think twice about enforcing his version of discipline when he was drunk. Her mother struggled to work in order to provide for the family, protect her daughters when she was home, and find a way to endure her own hell with the man she married. Since you can't have a romance novel without romance, in walked Ryan Tilton, the ruggedly handsome baseball player, and Jerry, the boy she'd known for her entire childhood. Each of these guys made a dent in her walled-off heart, but Nicky struggled to choose between them. I think that stemmed from the duality of her home life as well because she tried to push them away whenever they attempted to break through the walls she put up around her heart.

A steady pace pushed the story from event to event, making this novel a fairly quick read. Though this was a romance novel, there wasn't an overabundance of sexual scenes. Many times the characters found themselves in compromising positions, but the author didn't cross the boundary into a sex scene. That allowed Nicky to retain her steadfast control on when, where and to whom she would delve into that world. Due to the father's battle with alcohol, or liquid candy as Nicky referred to it, domestic violence was commonplace in their home. Some of these scenes were very hard to read and I wanted to get through them as soon as I possibly could. Not only did these moments make the story darker, but they left lasting marks on the lives of everyone involved and led some down a dark path.

Overall, the book was pretty enjoyable despite the darker scenes that were sprinkled throughout it. The author did a good job balancing the cold, dark truth about growing up with a parent who fought with alcoholism and keeping comedic, light moments in between to lighten the book. At some points the dialogue between Nicky and Ryan seemed a little off to me, mostly from Ryan's side. I could understand why Nicky said and did the things she did, but things he said sometimes distracted me from the story itself. I was glad to read the book and definitely glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. If you're looking for coming of age story with a dash of romance or a book which explores how someone with a dysfunctial childhood finds her footing in the world, this is one series that does those two things and more.

Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer is currently available in either paperback or digital (Kindle) formats. It can be found at many online retailers including Barnes & Noble as well as Amazon. Below is a link to the book's page at Amazon.
Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer

Lucky Us by Amy Bloom

Release Date: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Random House


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
In the midst of turmoil between WWI and WWII, Eva Acton was dropped off on her father's doorstep after his wife passed away. She soon learned that all the illusions she held about her father were simply those - illusions. Combining her love of literature and her half-sister's acting talents, the girls struck out for Hollywood. It wasn't long before they find themselves on the wrong end of the stick and back to the East Coast.

As the years passed the family's paths diverged and left each in a different part of life as well as the world. Eva did whatever she could to survive in years following WWII when her little area of New York changed with the flood of returning soldiers and immigrants looking for their own better life. Trials and tribulations came in all shapes and sizes, but it's sweetness and kindness of life's moments that made it worth continuing.

Review:
NetGalley had this title for request. I decided to step out of my comfort zone a little and requested the title for review. From the outset of the story, it was evident that this wasn't going to be your usual coming-of-age story set in the time period between the WWI and the end of WWII. Much of the novel followed the lives of Eva Acton and her rag-tag family through the years. When I said her family wasn't the typical family of that generation, I meant it. Her father had two families, keeping Eva's a secret until the moment his first wife passed away. Even after she joined the family, her true identity was kept away from inquests for fear of shaming Iris, her half-sister.

In my opinion Eva was the main character of the book despite the letters from other characters or portions of chapters from another character's point-of-view. She may not have been in the middle of all the events that took place in the book, but they definitely impacted her life. These events had more of an impact on her than those directly involved. For every person that left her, another came along with the love, support, or whatever she needed at that time. The reader was shown what happened to the other characters including Iris, her half-sister; Edgar, her father; Fransisco, make-up artist extraordinaire; and Danny, her one saving grace.

There were lots of descriptions about the time, place and events in this book that brought the era to life for me. The opulence of Hollywood came through the author's words as Iris and Eva struggled to make Iris a movie star. Just as striking was the poverty and hard climb back to middle class that the family endured when they moved to New York in order to start their lives over. As wonderful as those parts were, I felt some of the story was slow moving, although they moved the entirety of the story along. At times the passages seemed a bit disjointed but ultimately came together in the end.

Overall, I liked this story more than I thought I would. There are a number of layers in this story from a girl who struggled to find her true place in a world trying to do the same to the harsh reality of a country frightened by war and spies. I was a little surprised to find so many characters present in the story that would be considered "outsiders" during this particular generation. From being black, Jewish, lesbian, or from German heritage, there were a lot of differences that still managed to bring people together in the end. If you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary or want to read about a girl's unique journey to womanhood and beyond, I would recommend putting this book on your TBR list.

Lucky Us by Amy Bloom is currently available online and local bookstores. It can be purchased in either hardcover or digital versions. Clicking the link below will take you to the book's page at Amazon.
Lucky Us by Amy Bloom

All We Had: A Novel by Annie Weatherwax

Release Date: August 5, 2014
Publisher: Scribner


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Rita and Ruthie Carmichael have always known hunger and homelessness, but they've always kept their dreams of a big house with a pool and a full scholarship to Harvard alive. After breaking off a disaster of a relationship, the two set off on a cross-country drive with their eyes set on the East coast. Best laid plans often went wrong and for Rita and Ruthie, their plans go haywire before they could get close to their destination.

Stranded in a small town called Fat River, Ruthie and Rita find a sense of stability that they'd been missing for as long as they could remember. Their life took them on a new path, leaving them both scared and excited all at once. But a series of events test their long-held beliefs and the very relationship between mother and daughter. Will they be able to get through the tough times together? Will they find their paths going separate directions after all?

Review:
I found this book on NetGalley while I was browsing for something out of my comfort zone to read. The description provided by the publisher intrigued me. The book sounded like a mix of a down-on-your-luck type of story and a coming-of-age novel. Much of the book surrounded a portion of Rita and Ruthie's life that brought profound change and put them each on a path that they least expected.

Though the story is told through Ruthie's point-of-view, both Ruthie and Rita are the main characters in this memoir-like retelling of their lives. For as long as Ruthie can remember, life with her mother was always a series of jobs with low pay, men with hidden secrets or horrible qualities, and the ever-present dream for Ruthie to attend Harvard. The author set the story in recent times but with the struggle the gals are going through, it almost seemed as though they were living in an earlier decade. A small group of characters, which included a married diner/gas station owner, a transgender waitress, and a head waitress with powerful hot flashes, played crucial parts within the story. I think they had more of an affect on Ruthie than Rita, but there were plenty of moments where the secondary characters had their time in the spotlight as well. These added more depth to the story and the small town of Fat River itself.

One of the things I liked about this story was the pacing. Not only did the story start out with a decent pace and a bit of truth and action, but the pace of the story stayed steady until the end. The author didn't allow the story to become stagnate by recounting each and every detail of the hard life that the characters were living. Time did pass while Ruthie and Rita lived in Fat River, but the routines of their lives were acknowledged without overwhelming the main incidents. I can't say that I could relate to everything that the characters went through, but the feelings of worthlessness and dreams of becoming something more are something I believe most people can understand.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book and the way it looked at the American dream. It's not hard to look around and see people in our neighborhoods that resemble Rita and Ruthie (or any of the other characters, for that matter). The hard part would be in doing something to ease the burden for those whose weights are too much. Though it's not a book I would read over and over, I'm very glad to have gotten a chance to see life through Ruthie's eyes. The relationship between mother and daughter provided both comfort and conflict, which truly made for really good reading. If you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary in a small town with a flavor all its own or a story about overcoming the odds, this is the one you should be reading.

All We Had: A Novel by Annie Weatherwax is currently available at many online retailers as well as local bookstores in your choice of Kindle or hardcover format. The link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
All We Had: A Novel by Annie Weatherwax

Fifty Million Reasons (Toronto #13) by Heather Wardell

Release Date: November 28, 2013
Publisher: Holly Leaf Press
Series: Toronto series, Book #13

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Who hasn't dreamed about hitting the big jackpot of a lottery drawing and what he or she would do with the winnings? Angela played the same numbers for years, never winning more than a few bucks here or there. When she least expected her life to change, she became the winner of Toronto's largest jackpot - fifty million dollars.

From the moment her winning ticket was confirmed, her life changed. People she didn't know and others she trusted were among those with their hands out. It was clear from the beginning that the plans she'd always dreamed of weren't the best in reality. Would she be able to whether the storm of such an affluent life? What would she be willing to sacrifice in the process?


Review:
After reading a previous title offered at NetGalley (Everybody's Got a Story: Toronto #12) by the same author, I was really happy to see this title available as well and eagerly put it on my TBR list. Because I enjoyed the previous book, my expectations for this title were a little higher than usual. However, I'm happy to report that this book fulfilled those expectations with ease. Though the book was part of a larger collection concerning the city of Toronto, it stood well on its own while including a bit of the history from the previous titles.

The book opened with the main character, Angela, sharing a secret with her neighbor's son, Zack, as they pay the bill for a person behind them in the drive-thru lane. This interaction revealed a lot about Angela's character and the easy-going relationship that she shared with a number of the supporting characters in the story. As events began to take place, it wasn't hard to see how easily a person's life and thoughts can change when presented with such a life-altering situation. Throughout her struggles with coming into a vast sum of money, Angela tried to not let it change who she was at her core. A lot of the incidents in the book between she and strangers, even some family members, were pretty close to what I would expect from the world in which we currently live. I was a bit surprised at how far a few people went to get at her money but not completely shocked.

It was such a wild ride from the moment Angela realized that she was a winner to the very end when many of the issues were resolved. For me this book was one that I could have read all the way through in a matter of hours if it weren't for prior obligations. I really felt for Angela who seemed to be a good-hearted person that only wanted to do right for the people in her life. There were a few moments were I was beating my head against the wall because of the stubbornness of a few characters. Without spoiling the book, let's just say that there were a time or two where a slap upside the head may have done the trick to wake him or her up a bit. Despite these feelings of mine, the book moved smoothly from chapter to the chapter and left the story at a natural conclusion.

Overall, I really liked the book. I could relate to Angela in her everyday life before the big win and often found myself doing the same type of daydreaming about spending the jackpot. The way in which she did spend the money was really a smart way to go about it and I'll have to keep it in mind if my numbers ever do win. The author did a great job of presenting strong female and male characters in this story which made it better, in my opinion. Not your usual romance, this book gives you a real world glimpse of what happens when the blue-collar struggling type suddenly becomes Ms. Multi-millionaire. If you're looking for an almost real romance with a few million tossed in for excitement, pick up a copy of this book today!

Fifty Million Reasons (Toronto #13) by Heather Wardell is now available at many online retailers and local bookstores. You can find a copy in either paperback or Kindle formats. Click the link below to visit the book's Amazon page.
Fifty Million Reasons (Toronto #13) by Heather Wardell

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

Release Date: May 27, 2014
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (Random House LLC)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
After their parents divorced, Nell and Layla Golden only had one another for support and constant companionship in the ever-changing world. They could always count on each other to fill whatever voids in their lives. Once Nell began her freshman year at the same high school Layla attended, the bond between them was tested in ways they couldn't imagine.

Nell tried to wrap her head around the secret her sister revealed, but the weight of it all became too much. When lines were crossed, there came time for a decision to be made. Could Nell keep the secret and let Layla continue down a path towards harm? Or would she find the courage to do what she knew in her heart was right?

Review:
When I was a child, my brothers and I shared a similarly strong bond as reflected by the two teens in this story. We went everywhere together and experienced a lot of the same highs and lows in life with each other for support. It made weathering the bad times much easier to have them at my side. But then life took over as it did within the story and things shifted, tearing or stretching the bonds thin enough that they've broken a time or two. So when I read the description of the book as it was offered at NetGalley, I felt that I could relate to Nell on a certain level.

The book was presented from Nell's point-of-view. It was almost as though Nell was writing a long letter or journal entry to her sister, Layla, to explain her motivation behind her decision at the end of the book. She poured her heart into the missive, including her feelings and conflicted notions of betrayal and trust, as she recounted what was to be the start of a happy year in her life. As other characters were woven into the story, simple conversations or actions became much more complex and the consequences dire. As I read to the end, I sensed the heaviness of the secrets on Nell's shoulders and felt awful that she was being placed into such a position.

I nearly devoured this book entirely in one sitting. If it weren't for other obligations, I would have finished it within a few hours. Though it was a fairly quick read, the pacing of the book wasn't so quick that it neglected situations or characters in the process. There seemed to be a natural, steady flow to the action from the first chapter to the last. At one point in the book, Nell became overwhelmed with everything happening all at once and even commented on how life seemed to always be that way. We tend to think life happens in stages when the events that happen are constantly overlapping one another. So many adults have problems coping with this fact, it was interesting to see how a young, teenage girl would react to similar burdens.

Overall, I liked this book more than I thought I would. The book was definitely geared toward the young teen demographic, especially with the ups and downs of life in high school and with siblings. While it's geared toward a younger crowd, I suspect that many adults will relate to events in the book as well. At times I thought the book was a little all over the place, but that fit with the way a young person's mind works. Without spoiling the end, I will say that I was a little disappointed that a few doors were left open but I'm also very glad that a stand was taken. Honestly, this book could be used as a discussion or teaching tool for teens and parents. I would recommend this for readers in their mid-teens and up.

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores. You can purchase a copy in formats such as hardcover, Kindle or audio-book. Click the link below to visit the book's Amazon page.
We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Bantam

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Everyone has a secret. Some are darker than others. Eve Lattimore rarely gave any thought to how well she knew her children. They were her life - especially after her son was diagnosed with a rare disease. Each day was a battle between keeping him alive and allowing him to live a normal life.

Then everything changed. A young girl, one of her son's only friends, went missing. As the search for her continued, secrets began working their way to the surface. It became apparent that the idyllic life everyone knew wasn't very idyllic after all. Will Eve be able to protect her children from the fallout? Will anyone's life be the same?

Review:
I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. In the beginning the reader was given the layout of the neighborhood, showing who lived in which house and some of the residents quirks were offered. The novel largely revolved around the Lattimore family, Eve and David as well as their two children, Melissa and Tyler, and the way they dealt with Tyler's disease. He was diagnosed with XP, or Xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare disease where the person has a severe sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

Besides the Lattimore, several neighbors were introduced as the story progressed. Many were long time residents of the little cul-de-sac and everyone felt they knew the other quite well. This assumption became the basis for a whole host of problems and kept me turning the pages. Because the neighbors interacted with one another so closely, the story had more depth and layers than I anticipated. While I expected some dreadful revelations, there were a bunch of moments when I was really didn't want to turn the page. I didn't want to know if my guesses were correct or not, but I felt compelled to know the entire story.

I found the beginning of the story a little slow, but it picked up within a few chapters. I should say sub-chapters as the book was divided into days, noting the sunrise, sunset and other astrological information, and then into chapters denoting which character was the main focus of the pages that follow. Once the devastating events began, tough decisions and irrational fears came crawling out of the woodwork. With so many possible perpetrators to so many crimes, large and small, it's hard to see the world in black and white terms of right and wrong.

Overall, this story captivated me and really left me wondering what I would have done in each of the scenarios presented. It was easy to slip into any of the characters and see their point-of-view because the author was able to make them realistic and empathizing with them was easy. Heart-breaking as much of the story was, I still enjoyed how well the author explored the darkest secrets that a neighbor, a wife or husband, a brother or sister, or a stranger held and how it affected the bigger picture. If you're looking for a completely engrossing and soul-grabbing type of story, this is the one I would recommend. You will have trouble putting it down once you start.

The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley is now available at many retailers including those online. It can be purchased in harcover, Kindle and audio-book. Click the link below to get a copy from Amazon.
The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson

Release Date: February 11, 2014
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
After her father is killed during a coup in their homeland, teenage Laila arrives in the United States alongside her mother and brother. Once thought of as royalty, they each face their own difficulties in this new life. It's a life full of glaring contradictions from what they've always known, making it harder for Laila to adjust to the people around her.

As she begins to form a life in this new world, old partnerships from the homeland threaten to tear everything away from her. Ordinary events in an American teen's life prove overwhelming for someone dealing with all that Laila carries. She must do something to alleviate the torment within. But what can she do when lies and secrets surround her? Which life does she long for the most?

Review:
I began this book after receiving an invitation from NetGalley. I was definitely intrigued by the premise and thought I had a clear picture in mind of how the story was going to unfold. When I began reading the book, what I pictured was far from what the pages actually held. Told through Laila's point-of-view, the story was presented in a journal-like fashion and often recounted her thoughts, feelings and accusations as well as experiences both in her homeland and here in the United States after being rescued.

Along with Laila, a small cast of characters helped the events play out and many were beyond her control. Her mother and brother were central to her world, before and after the move, and often became points of contention as she tried to find her place within American society. Once the culture shock wore off, the dark truth behind the family's move became apparent. I really felt for Laila as she tried to find a place in school until it began to overwhelm her as well. By the middle of the book, even those who warmed to her in the beginning backed away from her. Of course, people from her homeland, also transplanted here by the disruptions, wanted more than her family could give. They also became a place of hurt and despair for her.

The author did a great job of looking at life through a young woman's eyes and allowing us to see what it might be like for someone new to this land. It wasn't hard to empathize with them as they became bombarded by many of the things we find common here. I'd never thought of something as simple as a school assignment or a football game as possibly being a trigger for bad memories. It was really eye-opening to experience it through the author's descriptions of events happening both around and inside Laila.

I found the book to be a quick read with short chapters that were very much to the point. The story is broken into three parts. The first part was slow to build but maintained a steady pace into the second and most of the third part. I thought the tension was high during the first part of the book but it too increased as events came to a head. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the author deftly revealed secrets that I, through Laila, wasn't privy to which changed the course of the ending. Sometimes I like being wrong about endings and this was one of them.

Overall, the book was a good read that has a good message that I hope young people will discover. It's not a watered-down teenage book about political intrigue or high school, but it does include those things and forces a person to the other side of something from which they may have been hiding. If you're looking for a well-written political drama featuring a teen too smart for her own good, then this is the book for you.

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson is now available at many retailers. It can be purchased in a variety of formats including hardcover, Kindle or audio-book. You can click the link below to get a your copy from Amazon.
The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson

Everybody's Got a Story (Toronto #12) by Heather Wardell

Release Date: July 4, 2013
Publisher: Heather Wardell
Series: Toronto Series

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
For two years, Alexa battled the stigma of being a victim after she was confined and brutally assualted over a thirty-six hour period by her boyfriend, Christophe. She held strong during the trial, but the weight of the memories grew too strong. With the help of her boss, Alexa took a chance for a new life in Toronto and began the process of reclaiming her life one step at a time.

But she soon found herself facing down the very thoughts from which she ran. Everywhere she turned, something brought a newer dimension to the hurt and terror she felt. With few places to turn, she was able to find one source of strength, but can she really trust again? Can she ever love again?


Review:
I requested this title from NetGalley for two reasons. One, the premise of the story really hooked me from the description provided. Two, it involved someone who loved books almost as much as I do. What I thought was going to be a run-of-the-mill type of inspirational, overcoming type of story turned out to be so much more. This was my first time reading a book in this series or by the author, something I am going to rectify quickly.

The moment I read the first word, I knew that I was in the thick of it and would only know as much as Alexa, the main character would allow me to know. In complete contrast to how she felt throughout the story, she delivered the facts, feelings, reactions and more in her own time. Once you combine this with the trauma she suffered at the hands of someone who professed to love her to death (and it nearly was), the growth the character underwent was that much more spectacular, in my opinion. I can't really say that there was the usual slow build in pacing with this story because it started right out of the gate and kept the pace it set until the end. Yes, there were quite a few twists and points at which I actually felt for the characters. These kept the story moving instead of weighing it down.

Alexa wasn't the only character that I was rooting for by the end of the book. Some of her coworkers, new friends and even family were written well. Many of their reactions and personalities seemed so real that I could pick out people from my own life that reminded me of them. There were a few that grated on my nerves and I know they were meant to be that way. I still wanted to reach through the page, smack some sense into them, and maybe get a different outcome by the last word. It was the sincerity and honesty from the characters that put this novel on another level for me.

I was surprised to see that this book was a part of a series. I've said before that jumping into the middle of a series wasn't always pleasant because the reader can feel out of place without knowing what went on before. This novel stood on its own pages from the very beginning. I must admit that I'm now curious to know how the other books play into a series around the city of Toronto.

Overall, this novel really moved me from one emotion to the other. I was wondering a lot of the same things Alexa was over the course of the book. There wasn't a realistic way to get all of the answers but I was happy to see her get many by the end. Although the book had a growth/feel-good type of energy to it, there were also a number of educational moments that I applaud the author for writing. It was written many times that people only have as much power over us as we let them have. To witness someone, even a fictional character, regaining that power and making decisions was really awe-inspiring. If you're looking for a book that takes you from one side to the other of the emotional scale with everything in between, then this is the book for you.

Everybody's Got a Story (Toronto #12) by Heather Wardell is available at a number of retailers as well as online. It can be purchased in either paperback or Kindle forms. You can pick up a copy from Amazon by clicking the link below.
Everybody's Got a Story (Toronto #12) by Heather Wardell

The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft

Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
From her earliest memories, Penelope Sparrow's life centered around dance. When she awoke in a hospital bed, bound by injuries and doctor's orders, she began to wonder if her life would ever regain the momentum it once had. All she had ever known was ripped away from her in one moment.

Fighting to regain her footing in the world, Penelope must deal with both her physical and mental wounds caused by her accident and the events leading up to it. Along the way she meets a group of people who will offer her help - if she can conquer her demons. The main question on her mind is will she ever dance again?

Review:
I requested permission to read this book at NetGalley because both the cover and description intrigued me. What I thought would be a mystery turned into something more by the time I was a quarter of the way through the book. The cover is beautiful in its simplicity and portrays the feeling of weightlessness perfectly. In a sense it mimics what we can feel when we let go of the chains that bind us and do what is in our hearts.

The story affected me a lot more than I had anticipated. Not only was the story about a woman triumphing over adversity, in this case a pretty severe accident that she was lucky to live through, but it was also a story about healing in nearly every aspect of the word. Having watched someone close to me suffer through a chronic illness and then leave this mortal world, I could picture everything Angela was going through and then some. In a way, I was Penelope in some moments.

Because I connected with the story, the characters seemed more alive to me. At first I couldn't understand some of the reasoning behind the actions of a few characters. Once the story progressed, the ideas behind the worries and the reactions became clear. To me, it made them seem as real and flawed as we all are. But I'll be honest. There were a number of times I wanted to smack Penelope to get her to open her eyes. Still, she had to learn in her own time - exactly as we have to in this life.

From the first word to the last, the story moves at a steady pace. The minor characters and actions support the main characters and storyline perfectly. It all adds up to a very compelling and illuminated story on a number of levels. The author manages to tackle issues from life and death to battling one's self-degradation. She is able to do this in a thought-provoking and caring manner which disarms the reader and pulls them further into the characters world.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. Even though I need a few tissues at specific moments, it was well worth the snubby nose. If you're looking for an engaging and uplifting, educating story, this book is one to put at the top of your list.

The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft is available in either paperback or Kindle form. It can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking the link provided below.
The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft

Ten Tiny Breaths: A Novel (Ten Tiny Breaths #1) by K.A. Tucker

Release Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Kacey Cleary thought she had it all figured out. Four years after a devastating crash took the lives of her parents, best friend and boyfriend, she held herself together in order to care for her younger sister, Livvie. They made the move to Miami to bury the past and start a new life.

Within weeks the carefully constructed facade began to crumble as Kacey noticed chinks in her armor. People began to worm their way into her heart. For Kacey, that can only spell trouble, but she can't stop herself from falling. Can she survive without facing the past? What will she do when the past no longer wants to stay buried?

Review:
Okay, I'll confess. I heard the buzz about this book while surfing around on Goodreads. When NetGalley had the book available, I requested to read it and was accepted. Truthfully, I was a little nervous of what to expect because I have only read a handful of YA and NA titles to date. Despite my reservations, this book turned out to be dramatically good book.

Firstly, all of the characters were flawed. Not just the main characters, as one expects in many books nowadays, but each and every one of them had their own pronounced flaw. We, the readers, knew right away that Kacey was intensely troubled by the events of her past and the issues that surround her in the present. Her sister, Livvie, took a little longer to show her flaw - her goodness. She was so caring, trustworthy and good that it becomes a fault. She needed the connections with others in order to thrive. Some were too intense, too superficial, too unconventional or simply made bad choices.

Coming in under 300 pages, the book is a quick read. It was hard to stop reading at the end of the page, or even a chapter, when the events of the book kept pushing forward to the climax of the story. By the time I hit the twist in the book, I was already caught up in the emotions of Kacey that I felt anxious for her. When the truth was revealed, my heart sank. I wanted to help make things better but all I could do was turn the page to see what else was coming her way. Needless to say, if you have important things to do, wait until you have them finished before picking up this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It felt like the story had a grip on me that wouldn't ease until I reached the epilogue. Though the ending was about what I had expected, it still provided the perfect ending to the whole of Kacey's story. Buried beneath and within the words of the story was the cautionary tale of not drinking and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. Period. I have to give the author much respect for pointing out the damage done to each side when an event such as an accident happens. If you're looking for something to sink its claws into you and lead you through a roller coaster of emotions, I would most definitely buy this book.


Ten Tiny Breaths: A Novel (Ten Tiny Breaths #1) by K.A. Tucker is currently available at many retailers in paperback, Kindle or audiobook editions. You can purchase a copy from Amazon by clicking the link below.
Ten Tiny Breaths: A Novel (Ten Tiny Breaths #1) by K.A. Tucker

A Promise to Remember (Tomorrow's Promise Collection Book #1) by Kathryn Cushman

Release Date: October 1, 2007
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Series: Tomorrow's Promise Collection

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
When an accident claims the lives of two boys, the town of Santa Barbara is split down the middle as each side rallies one of the mothers. Andi has it all when her son is taken too soon - money, prestige and all the luxuries afforded to the wealthy class. Melanie has always been hardworking and doing what she could to make ends meet while raising her children.

In the aftermath of the fatal accident, both women saw their lives transformed and yet they couldn't see the pain in each other. When their decisions begin impacting the world around them, both women have a choice to make. Can each of the women find solace only in the anger and frustration bubbling beneath the surface? Will the town survive the rippling effect that the actions of one has on the other?

Review:
While I have mixed feelings about this book, I have to say that the story touches the heart of the reader in many ways. I purchased the book from Amazon because I could relate to the feeling of losing someone special in my life. The characters in the story seemed real to me and their reactions were those I have either experienced or seen someone close go through in their own grieving process.

Though the cast of characters is large, the author does a great job of keeping the focus on the main characters and allowing their struggles, thoughts and feelings come across with honesty. The supporting characters do add to the story in helpful ways that keep the story moving. I admit that there were more than a few times that I felt a connection with both mothers, the sister and even the kids in the youth group.

Even though the issue of faith and Christianity is present throughout the book, it doesn't seem to be forced in any way. The role it plays in the characters' lives is realistic and shows how deeply it affects the person and in the various ways. The message of forgiveness runs throughout the story in a positive manner which I think makes the story better and more real. Having been to similar churches, I could identify with the various members.

The only drawback that kept me from truly enjoying the story was the pacing in various chapters. There were parts that seemed long to me. I felt that I had already heard the same thing at a different part of the chapter and repeating the issue was merely keeping the story from moving without adding anything else to the plot.

Overall, I did enjoy the story because of the realness of the characters. Their anger, hurt and finally being able to see through those issues made it a very worthwhile read. If you are looking for a good story about faith, love and family, then I would give this book a definite chance.

A Promise to Remember (Tomorrow's Promise Collection Book #1) by Kathryn Cushman is available in various forms including Kindle, hardback or paperback. You can find more information at Amazon.com by clicking the link below.
A Promise to Remember (Tomorrow's Promise Collection Book #1) by Kathryn Cushman

Where We Belong by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Release Date: June 2013
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Wise beyond her years, Angie spends many of her days being the adult she wished her mother would be. In the years following her father's death, their family faced obstacles and challenges that would have broken many others. For a short while, all seems to be going well until they're forced to move with their Aunt Vi. But that doesn't last long, thanks in large part to her little sister's Autism-like disorder which causes the little girl to shriek. 

The only thing to keep her quiet for more than a few minutes just happens to be the dog next door. When the neighbor decides to move, all hell breaks loose. Angie's mother is forced to make an irrational decision to save their sanity without putting Sophie, the little girl, into a facility - they follow the neighbor. Will the decision be a good one? What ultimately happens when the neighbor finds out?

Review:
Without much fanfare or introduction, the reader is thrust into Angie's world, one filled with chaos and uncertainty that should be left in the adult world. The constant shrieking and overwhelming despair would be enough to crumble anyone, much less a fourteen year-old girl. Being familiar with having a chronically ill sibling, I could relate to many of the things Angie expressed in the book and how she dealt with the people around her. My heart went out to her and to her family because I've seen some of the heart-wrenching decision making situations first hand.

The characters were very much distinct and brought with them a different and yet similar set of flaws. It truly made them seem more real that they could see the flaw in the other and then recognize it within themselves. A lot of truths were spoken or discovered by the character taking time to reflect on the conversations, making the reader feel a part of the process as well. I really liked the level of honesty between two of the characters because it was a reminder that we don't have to go through life closed off from others.

Made of three parts, the story flowed at a pretty steady pace with plenty of monotony-breaking moments courtesy of Sophie. Each of the three parts had their own surprises for the reader which also helped to keep me turning the pages. It struck me near the middle of the book that a lot of the story was about the connections we make with one another and how when a connection is broken, the people were once connected had to find a way to deal with that loss of connection. They had to find their own way of reestablishing the connection. That's also something that I know all too well and the story made me do a lot of thinking about my own connections.

Overall, I really liked this story. It definitely had those moments where you wanted to smack someone for being stupid. But it also had the moments that were heartfelt and touching. Having gone through similar situations, the story make me feel like someone out there who actually understood - even if it was a fictional character much younger than myself. If you love coming-of-age stories with an enduring twist or just want an uplifting read, you should definitely check this one out.

Where We Belong by Catherine Ryan Hyde is available for purchase in either paperback or e-book format. To purchase from Amazon.com, please click the link below.
 Where We Belong by Catherine Ryan Hyde

The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic

Release Date:  May 28, 2013
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Rating: 3 out 5 stars.

Synopsis:
For some, the island of Rosmarina is a heaven and forever calling to their spirits. For others, the island is a prison, unable or unwilling to change or adapt. Two sisters were born on the island and called it home for many years through political upheaval, wars and a dangerous time to believe anything other than what was feed to them.

Stories about a traumatic event in their family history propel the younger of the sisters to leave Rosmarina for the United States. The closeness of the sisters' bond is tested when the younger sister goes missing. Hellbent on finding her, the oldest follows the path to the United States where dark truths are unearthed and mysteries unraveled. Will either of them survive the unmasking? Or are they lost to the island forever?

Review:
This book was another that I was fortunate to win from a free giveaway at Goodreads.com. The blurb on the book's page intrigued me and I couldn't wait to dive into the world of Rosmarina. The cover is brilliantly beautiful. As I delved deeper into the book, I understood why the author chose the title.

It is a multi-generational story that takes the reader back and forth in time as the story progress. We're made privy to the war that destroyed so many Croatian family as well as the aftermath of being labeled an informer. The first part of the book was a little difficult for me to follow bits of the timeline. At times little warning was given before leaving a present day scene and entering something from the past. It was easy for me to become a little lost, go back and read the previous paragraphs to regain my footing.

Further parts of the story were arranged differently and flowed really well. I didn't have any trouble with these sections of the book. In fact, I thought these were the most intriguing parts of the book. Of course, they laid bare all of the secrets and what-ifs that had been following both of the sisters for the entire lives. I truly didn't expect some of the twists that the author threw into the story.

All in all, the story of the two Croatian sisters was captivating. I really felt for them as the world they knew tilted and they had to find themselves once again. This is a book that you will have to pay attention to what you read. Otherwise, you will get lost and have to backtrack. Maybe that's another moral taught by the book.

The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic is now available in hardback or Kindle versions at Amazon.com and other retailers. It can be purchased by clicking the link below.
The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic

The Conditions of Love by Dale M. Kushner

Release Date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Growing up fast in the last part of the 1950s wasn't easy for the likes of Eunice. The first decade of her life had been spent wondering who her father was and why he was never around. It was only when he unexpectedly showed up one morning that she began to think her life could be as normal as the way it was in the movies or for the kids she went to school with. Life's never that easy as she would soon find out as he left them for a second time, leaving more devistation and heartache in his wake.

Though she tried, Eunice never really received the affection she wanted from her mother. When they moved from their small hometown to start anew, Eunice began questioning everything she had ever been taught by her mother and reached within herself to find some semblance of belief. After a flood ravage the town, Eunice was left on her own, her mother taking off with the local deli owner to California, and began to cultivate a life in the forest with the kindness of a stranger. But even that love wasn't meant to last.

Being a minor, she was forced into a foster home until Fate itself intervened and sent her a sign that she belonged somewhere else. Following the direction of love's compass, she left the foster house and made her way into the arms of the only person who wanted her as much as she wanted in return. With all the secrets she carried, could she ever really find peace among the rows of crops or bleating of the sheep? Will she finally find the true Eunice buried underneath all that she had been told for so many years?

Review:
I'm very glad to have won this book from a Goodreads.com giveaway. It's not the normal type of book that I would have picked up but I was intrigued by the blurb on its page. I'm very thankful that I entered. Once I began to delve into the world of Eunice, I didn't want to come out until I had reached the very last page in order to know everything that I could.

The life of Eunice is broken into three parts or the three acts of love. Each one shows both us, the reader, and Eunice the perils and joy that love can bring in its many forms. From silly, childish love of her parents and those around her to the pitfalls of adolescent attraction, Eunice has to gauge everything in the scope of what she knows. That in and of itself is very little thanks to her mother who is caught up in her own wants and needs while often daydreaming of finding someone to swoop in and make everything better with the snap of his fingers. Somehow, Eunice seems to find some sort of strength within her to make peace with everything and do what needs to be done for those who have given her the most of what she sought - love.

To say that I got lost within some of these characters would be an understatement. The author chose to set the book within a time when the world was on the brink of extraordinary change and I do believe it works well within the story. I don't believe the story would have been quite as believable if it were set in more recent history. The world was very much a different place in the late 1950s/early 1960s. People were much different then, as well, and the story reflects that difference with beauty and respect.

Many times I forgot that Eunice was still a young adult because she had been thrown into situations where she had to grow up fast to deal with what was happening around her. She still had her moments of childish behavior but by and large, she was a woman before she needed to be. I think that's a large portion of why the character has stuck with me after reading. Each of the characters come with their own backgrounds, secrets and quirks that add to the atmosphere of the story.

I had no trouble at all the pacing of the story. It was quick enough to keep me engaged in what was going on while slow enough to allow me to absorb the surroundings and the consequences of what happened to the characters. In the end, I would have never have guessed that this was the author's first novel. It is very well written. If you're looking for a good book to cool up to and get lost within, this is definitely the one you need to pick up!

The Conditions of Love by Dale M. Kushner is available in both paperback and Kindle forms. It can be purchased at Amazon.com in either form by clicking the link below.
The Conditions of Love by Dale M. Kushner

The Suburban Abyss: A Novel by Cathryn Grant

Rating:  3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
When construction begins on the new medical center directly behind their homes, the residents of the neighboring cul-de-sac find their lives flipped upside down. Each has their own way of coping with the intrusion. Some choose to ignore the monstrosity. Others try to fight back in the small ways they know how. Yet others wait, plot and plan - just in case.

While the construction gives the individual residents a reason to come together, each one begins to realize just how little they knew about their neighbors. Secrets, no matter how deeply buried, have a way of creeping through the muck and revealing themselves for all to see. These residents begin to learn this the hard way as an unnerving discovery is made within the dirt pit of the construction site. They feared the outside intrusion but how well can they trust their neighbors?

Review:
After winning this book from a free giveaway at Goodreads.com, I couldn't wait for it to arrive so that I could delve into this neighborhood and discover what may be lurking under the shiny, pleasant exterior of those facades. I have to say that if I could give the book a half rating, then my final rating for this would be a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The author does a wonderful job of describing both the area in which the characters live and the characters themselves. Each one has a distinct personality with varied reactions to the threat of urban development lingering near their backyards. It was easy to tell how the person was going to react once they were established in your mind. I also liked how varied the backgrounds of the characters were. Yes, they had some similarities as neighbors sometimes do but in large part, they each brought some kind of different angle to the picture of the whole cul-de-sac.

While the story was engaging and the characters intriguing, the amount of time spent building up to the action was more than I expected. The action itself felt a bit rushed toward the end as everything came to a head and then resolved in a few chapters. To me, it felt like a ride building up steam and then jerking to a stop suddenly. I would have liked to either had the action begin a little earlier or more insight added to the conclusion.

Overall, I really liked the plot and the characters did remind me of some people that I've met along the way. The very fact that they resembled real people with real flaws brought the story a little too close to home a few times. It certainly makes you wonder who might be sleeping in the house next to you. If you're looking for a story that will draw you in and peel back the shiny layer of appearances to show you the dark side of reality, then this book is right up your alley. Better make sure you lock those doors first. You wouldn't want the neighbors to know your secrets.

The Suburban Abyss: A Novel by Cathryn Grant can be bought in either paperback or Kindle form. The book was originally published in paperback in January 2013 by D2C Perspectives. It can be purchased from Amazon.com by following the link provided below.
The Suburban Abyss: A Novel by Cathryn Grant

Last Train to Omaha by Ann Whitely-Gillen

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
In a person's lifetime, there is at least one moment that changes everything. Nothing is ever the same, experiences forever tinged with the haunting memory of what could have or should have been. This is especially true for James Milligan and those who care about him.

James was shy, introverted as a young boy until the summer he met his friend, Stephen. From that moment, his life was forever changed. It was changed again the night that Stephen was killed. For nearly two decades after his best friend's death, James wandered the world doing only what he had to do in order to get by and very rarely allowing anyone to see the real James beneath his hardened shell. The only small glimpses of his true self are revealed when he sits with the Veterans during their last moments on the earth at the Veterans Hospital, built and named after his own father.

Life has a funny way of teaching us the most basic principles. When it's time for a lesson, there is no stopping the education from happening. James learns this the hard way as a series of events calls up the horrible night in which he lost his best friend and forces James back into the world of emotions, love and simply living.

Review:
Having won this book from a free giveaway at Goodreads.com, I was a little apprehensive to begin reading it. Much like the main character in the book, James, I suffered the loss of someone very close to me and I wasn't exactly sure that I could read this book and review it in the way that it truly needed to be done. After taking a deep breath and settling into the first few chapters, it became apparent that I needed to read this book.

The story is truly tragic, uplifting, maddening and heart-wrenching at the same time. Just like traveling by train, the speed of the beginning was a little slow as we're introduced to James and the characters most important to him, his world of obligations and the emotions he constantly tries to avoid. And just as train begins to pick up speed, the story moves forward at pace that both James and the reader finds baffling at times. Once the destination nears, the story does exactly what it was intended to do - not only entertain for a few hours but to impart a bit of life's wisdom to each and every one of us.

The message in the book is crystal clear that we should never take a moment or a person for granted. The characters in the book teach this lesson to the reader in their own separate ways that will leave a lasting impression upon the reader long after the last word's been read and the cover closed. The book is full of love, laughter, tears, fears, brotherhood and life lessons. If you're looking for a story that is both heartwarming and tragic, this is definitely the book for you. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Last Train to Omaha by Ann Whitely-Gillen is currently available for purchase in either paperback or Kindle form. The book was originally released in February 2013 by Ann Gillen Books. It can be bought at Amazon.com by clicking below.
Last Train to Omaha by Ann Whitely-Gillen