This book is very sweet, a nice story about a young girl coming of age with the help of people who love her.

I found this book very difficult and slow! I had heard a lot about this book, but didn't really like it. The end got much better, but I really had to struggle to get to the best parts.

What happens when 2 people are psychologically intrigued with each other? Who is the scarier one? Brilliantly written, Gone Girl will have you wondering "WHAT are they thinking???" You might shudder once or twice, too!!! Diabolical!

Likely one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Intertwined story of one French girl and one German boy and their lives and how WWII affects them.

Beautifully written, moving story of 2 sisters and their struggles during the war. What happens during the war changes them, and this book depicts their lives very well.

** spoiler alert ** I loved this book - I loved the descriptive writing, the relationships, the intricate story.
Kya Clark is a young girl who lives in the marsh in North Carolina, and becomes known as The Marsh Girl. The story begins when Kya's mother walks out on the family, abandoning Kya and her siblings, due to their father's drinking and abusive nature. One by one, the siblings also abandon young Kya, and she is left alone to fend for herself, as her father only comes home sporadically. Kya learns to search for food, and to sell what she can. The black townspeople look after Kya, protecting her and providing her with food.
Kya's brother's friend, Tate, befriends Kya, and teaches her to read. With his help, Kya blossoms and although she has no formal schooling, is able to publish books on marsh life. Yet, when Tate betrays Kya, she feels she can no longer trust him.
Kya takes up with Chase, the local boy who is a hero to the town. Chase woos Kya, promising her a future. But, eventually Chase betrays Kya as well.
The story is told between 2 time frames, from when Kya was a young girl, to when Kya is in her 20s. Chase is found dead, and Kya is arrested, but she claims innocence. The trial takes its toll on Kya.
The story is beautifully told and is haunting. It is amazing to read about all of Kya's observations about the marsh and about the relationships we have.
The novel has a stunning ending.
Wonderful novel!
#WhereTheCrawdadsSing #DeliaOwens

Intriguing story of 2 women, one elderly, one a teen. Both were "orphaned" and now the elderly woman tells her story of her life, traveling on the orphan train, to the younger one. Beautifully written.
Reread 3/24/19 - 3/25/19 - I enjoyed this book more the 2nd time I read it! Molly is a "juvie" in a foster home. Because she tried to steal a copy of Jane Eyre - she was sentenced to 50 hours of community service. She is assigned to Vivian, who wishes to clean out her attic. While doing so, Vivian recounts her life. Molly and Vivian both grow as part of this, and lean on each other. Molly helps Vivian to face things from her life, and Vivian helps Molly to be accepted.
The writing is just beautiful and this is a very easy, quick read.
#OrphanTrain #ChristinaBakerKline

An heiress to a hotel company, Nina Gregory is hoping that she has longer to figure out her life before her father dies of cancer and she is forced to take over the company. Her life seems perfect, she is dating her best friend, Tim, and she is enjoying work as a speechwriter on a campaign for the next NYC mayor. However, as her father gets sicker, he alludes to some secrets that she may find when she reviews information about the company. Her attraction to her boss, Rafael, the mayoral candidate grows stronger, and she starts to have doubts about her relationship with Tim.
This is a contemporary romance with dilemmas about life and choices. I enjoyed it, but the opulence of Nina's life was a bit much to handle. Of course, most everything in Nina's life was wrapped up nicely at the end of the book, a bit too perfectly.
#MoreThanWords #JillSantopolo

Wild Card is a continuation of the previous book - A Delicate Touch - continuing the storyline of the Thomas family seeking revenge against Stone and his current girlfriend, Jamie Cox, a NY Times reporter who broke a story about them. This is a quick read and all is resolved in the end. It has the usual assortment of Stone and Dino and their friends escaping dangerous situations, also traveling to many locales, and eating at fine restaurants. The Thomas family is also throwing their support behind Sen. Joe Box of FL, a Republican buffoon running for president. They intend to use him to destroy the Republican party, so that Hank Thomas can step in and take over.
There are a few new characters that have been added to the group, and I imagine we will be seeing more of them in future novels.

#WildCard #StuartWoods

This was a heartbreaking whodunit, and an amazing debut novel. I loved how Christina McDonald told the story of Olivia, a good girl teenager, who suddenly changes and is pushed over a bridge and left for dead. Now Olivia is brain dead, and her mother, Abi, tries to figure out why.
So many possible people are suspect in this novel. Abi struggles with how she raised Olivia, and what mistakes she made. She uncovers some things about Olivia which were kept secret from her, and explain why Olivia changed so much in the previous months. But, Abi also finds answers.
I really loved this book - all the possibilities, all the nuances, all the people who had reasons to be suspects, and the surprises! Well done!!
#TheNightOliviaFell #ChristinaMcDonald

Wow - that was a thrill ride! Completely unexpected and terrifying.
This is a story of a fictitious apartment building in Manhattan, which is very luxurious. People are being asked to apartment sit, and are paid handsomely for it. However, when Jules accepts the job, her friend, Chloe is very anxious and worried. Chloe tells Jules that many strange things have happened at The Bartholomew, and begs Jules not to take the job. Jules needs money, and since The Bartholomew job pays well, she accepts the job.
Jules then begins to notice some bizarre things about the building and its inhabitants. When someone goes missing, Jules begins to investigate, and then things turn really sinister.
My heart was racing at one point during this book, the tension is high and the story is gripping. If you like thrillers, this one fits the bill!
I have enjoyed each of Riley Sager's books, and this one is a winner, his best one yet!
#LockEveryDoor #RileySager

This is a story of one journalist's thirst for a story, how her aggressive and unflagging investigation into an innocent man ruins his life, and how his vengeance ruins hers. Constance, a young girl, goes missing one night. She has a very close relationship with her uncle Karl, but Karl doesn't know what happened. Amanda, a reporter, digs into Constance's relationship with her uncle, and puts a sinister tone to it. Based on her insinuations in her reporting, Amanda turns public opinion against Karl. Amanda is unscrupulous, and stops at nothing to get what she wants. Her reckless behavior causes her to ruin Karl's life. But, later, Karl exacts his revenge.
The story was good, but it went on for too long. I think it could have been better if the story was about 100 pages shorter. It would have heightened the intensity of the novel.
This story certainly did make one thing clear to me - and that is, do not automatically assume something about someone, and check and recheck what you read!
#Guilty #LauraElliot

Cute, but predictable romance. When Ami and her new husband, Dane, can’t go on their honeymoon, they beg Olive and Ethan to take their place. The problem is that Olive and Ethan don’t like each other- or do they?
There were moments in this book when I laughed out loud, but other times I thought the authors were trying to make every sentence funny. It seemed they were trying a little too hard at times. I also thought that about 25-50 pages could have been cut.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and when I want to read something light, I may look for another of their books.
#TheUnhoneymooners #ChristinaLauren

Thanks to Edelweiss.plus and abovethetreeline.com for the ARC of this book. I am leaving an honest review.
I read this book because it was on a bunch of lists of books to read. I read that if you loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you would love this book. Not the case, not even comparable.
What I did like about the book - I liked that Nina was a book nerd and a trivia buff. I can relate to those 2 things, although I can't remember trivia the way she could. What I didn't like - the way she fell for Tom so completely, then pushed him off so quickly. I also thought her claims to be an introvert didn't ring true.
I never felt invested with Nina. The concept of the new family and how easily she integrated with them seems quite odd. Her bullet journals were often funny and quirky, but not spectacular.
It was an OK book in my opinion, I was a bit disappointed as I expected much more from the reviews I had read prior to reading this.
#TheBookishLifeofNinaHill #AbbiWaxman #Edelweiss #Abovethetreeline

I believe this is a book written for young adults, since the characters are primarily high school students. I thought it was well done, very complicated, and dealt with a lot of issues very deftly. Five students are in detention one afternoon when something goes terribly wrong. The students are then thrust into a terrible situation, with many people turning on them as their secrets are revealed.
It is a story of the difficulties of teenage years, high school, relationships, drugs, parenting, expectations, pressure, friendships, suspicion, social media, and more.
I really enjoyed reading about these characters, and what they were dealing with in their lives. I liked reading about their relationships and how they struggled to cope. I am looking forward to the next book by this author!
#OneOfUsIsLying #KarenMMcManus

A very interesting back story of the people behind the making of the royal wedding gown for Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II. The story centers mainly on Ann and Miriam, 2 women who work to embroider the wedding dress. Ann, a poor Londoner, befriends Miriam, an immigrant from France. They quickly become friends and work together embroidering the dress each day.
Ann is lonely, as her sister-in-law, Milly, left after being widowed and moved to Canada. Miriam has horrible memories of what happened to her family during WWII. Ann encourages Miriam in her art.
Now, 60 years later, Ann's granddaughter, Heather, wants to find out more about her grandmother and goes to England to see what she can uncover.
Lovely story of friendship, betrayal, art, and kindness.
#TheGown #JenniferRobson

I enjoyed this sweet summer read of Adie Lou and her reinvention of herself. When her marriage crumbles into divorce, and Adie Lou is faced with selling her summer cottage with all its memories, she can't do it. So, instead, she plans to open a B&B and change her life.
This is a sweet story of understanding the importance of family and true friendship. It is about being kind to others and going the extra mile. It is about 14 rules which help to make life easier.
This novel was a delightful read! Things work out, with a happily ever after, and we need that sometimes!

#TheSummerCottage #ViolaShipman

Cute novel continuing the story of Travis McKinley, who is in danger of losing his spot on the senior tour. What happens, how does he deal with it, does he use it as an opportunity? Well, he ends up on vacation with his family in Scotland, the birthplace of golf. Sweet novel about family, friendships, integrity.
#MiracleatStAndrews #JamesPatterson

Jude Deveraux is usually my guilty pleasure, with a lot of sass, sexy, and fun in her books. This novel definitely had these elements, but the ending killed me. I was extremely disappointed in it.
I also didn't understand why the 3 girls "confessed" when they were near the 2 boys. I didn't understand why the "book club" confessed so easily either. It just didn't ring true to me. The ending was totally unsatisfactory to me.
I will continue to read Jude Deveraux, but this one did not do it for me.

#AJustifiedMurder #JudeDeveraux

I read Karen M. McManus's first book and was excited to read her second novel. This one follows some high school students in a small town, Echo Ridge, VT. The town has known tragedy multiple times. First, Sarah Corcoran goes missing, then Lacey is found dead, and now there is a threat for a 3rd girl to go missing.
Malcolm has recently moved with his mother to a big house, since Malcolm's mom has remarried, to the town's successful lawyer, Peter. Peter's daughter, Katrin, is one of the most popular girls at school. She is part of a trio-Katrin, Brooke, and Viv.
Malcolm's older brother, Declan, has been under suspicion for the murder of Lacey, but never charged. Malcolm doesn't know what to think. His only friend is Mia, an edgy girl in his class. Two new teens arrive in town - Ellery and Ezra Corcoran, who are twins, and the niece and nephew of the missing Sarah. Sadie (their mother) and Sarah are twins, and Sadie isn't able to bring herself to talk to her children about Sarah. Sadie is in rehab, so the twins were sent to live with their grandmother. The teens, Malcolm, the twins, and Mia, become friends and try to tackle the mystery of the missing girls.
I suspected the killer pretty early on, but wasn't prepared for the explosive last page. Wow. I also wasn't sure about the vandal, and why, but it made sense.
I am looking forward to more from Ms. McManus!
#TwoCanKeepASecret #KarenMMcManus

Quick read about a small, poor town in Kansas and a few of the families that live there. Sadie, a social worker, is concerned about the death of her brother, Shane. Additionally, she is concerned about her friend, Hannah, who has a daughter and husband that are missing and presumed dead. The town has been devastated by the opioid crisis and many of the residents have drug issues.
Sadie isn't convinced that Shane's death was a heart attack, and she is trying to get answers from Shane's wife, Crystal, as well as the local detective. She doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. Crystal's family is not the most trustworthy group. They deal drugs while running an auto shop. Henley, a member of the family, is struggling to get by when her mother goes off the wagon and gets back into drugs. She is torn between her feelings for her best friend, Charlie, and Jason - the son of the wealthy grain elevator operator. Henley desperately wants to leave the town and make a better life for herself.
Sadie discovers a connection between Charlie and Shane, and as she digs deeper, uncovers the truth.
This was a quick read, and I wanted to like the book more than I did. It was well written, but I found parts of it confusing and difficult to follow. I think some of it could have been crisper, but I appreciated that the author kept the book well under 300 pages.
#TheWolfWantsIn #LauraMcHugh

This is a heartbreaking and beautiful novel of a young woman struggling with loss. She feels lonely and abandoned. She struggles to make sense of things.
Marin Delaney lives with her grandfather, as her mother, Claire, died years earlier. Marin and Gramps respect each other's privacy and live companionably. Then, something happens, and Marin abandons everything and leaves for college. Now it is December, and all her classmates have gone home for break, and Marin is alone again. Her best friend, Mabel, comes to visit her from California, and they rediscover their friendship, their feelings, and try to work through her loneliness.
This is a story of family, love, depression, sadness, and relationships. Beautifully written.
Thanks to BookMovement.com for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#WeAreOkay #NinaLaCour #BookMovement

Evie Clarke worms her way into the arms of Mark North, a famous photographer. His wife, Mia, had died two years earlier, and he is a bit of a recluse. Evie meets Cleo, Mark's sister, and convinces Cleo that Evie wants to commission some photos from Mark.
Everything is not as it seems. Mark is madly in love with Evie, or is he? Evie seems to be abused by Mark, but is she? Who should you believe? What really happened to Mia? Can Evie be trusted?
This is a story told in 3 parts. The first part is the story of Mark and Evie, the second part is mainly a trial, and the third part is after the verdict.
This is a novel that keeps you guessing until the end. I enjoyed it, but I did have my suspicions, however, I didn't have everything completely solved. I think this was a very complex story with a lot of planning in its storyline!
#AndSoItBegins #RachelAbbott

This was a heart-wrenching tale of two families. Two officers meet at training school and then begin their careers together. Then, the Gleesons, Francis and Lena, along with the Stanhopes, Brian and Anne, move next door to each other. They begin to raise their families, but behind closed doors, things are not always perfect.
Peter Stanhope and Kate Gleeson have always been best friends, from the time they were toddlers. Tragedy strikes one night when they are in 8th grade, and the rest of their lives revolve around how they and their families come to cope with this moment in time.
This is a very sad tale of mental illness, of healing, of redemption, of love, of forgiveness. Very moving.

#AskAgainYes #MaryBethKeane

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Runaway by Hollie Overton in exchange for an honest review.
This novel begins with Ash getting a tattoo from a group of homeless people called The Tribe. Ash is in love with Nate, a member of the makeshift family that calls themselves The Tribe. Once a runaway, Ash is being fostered by Becca a therapist with the LAPD. Ash is still not quite sure if Becca’s love for her, as she is torn by her love for Nate and being with him. Becca has a complicated past herself, having lost several babies by miscarriage, a divorce from the love of her life Christian, and the death of her brother Robbie. She has a fractured relationship with her mother. Sometimes, Becca has a tough time keeping a grip on reality. As Ash and Nate become more involved, Ash witnesses a beating by a member of The Tribe on another member, Eli. When Ash is turned away, the tribe feels that they need to take care of Ash in a menacing manner. From here on, Ash realizes that Mo, the leader of The Tribe is dangerous.
The book is mainly about Becca’s race to find Ash after she and Nate ran away, and to take Mo into custody. Becca makes some very poor decisions, which causes her friends to question her ability to be rational.
I thought the book was a little long, and also had some very unlikely situations. However it does deal with a lot of issues, namely mental health, homelessness, and trouble with fertility, which are all important issues. I thought much of this was a bit far-fetched. For example, I don’t know If a doctor trained in mental health, would take as many chances as she did. I was also a little frustrated by the ending, but I do feel that it was pretty realistic that Mo still had a following.
#TheRunaway #HollieOverton

This is an incredibly powerful novel. As someone who was only 8 years old in 1968, and not a person of color, much of this book described situations that were unknown to me. But, this story brought to life the racial tensions of 1968, and the fear that blacks had as they tried to live normally, but were in danger from prejudice, racism, and blind hatred from others. There were also bright spots of kindness from people who saw beyond the color of the skin, and treated them as human beings, as they should have been treated all along.
This is the story of 3 women, college friends, who decide to drive back to Georgia for their final year at Spelman College. Zelda is resistant at first, but her friends, Daphne and Veronica convince her to return with them, and make special memories. Zelda's stepfather sends the son of one of his military buddies, Daniel, to go with them. Zelda is hesitant about Daniel as she despises her stepfather. But, as the trip goes on, she and Daniel forge an easy friendship, which quickly turns to romance. Daphne reveals a troubling secret to her friends, and Veronica describes the plans her father has for her after graduation. Zelda is still very angry over the death of her father, 5 years earlier, at the hands of the police. Her anger comes out as frustration with the system, and how black people are treated.
Zelda is so strong and brave in this book, and her story is powerful. The racial tension is palpable in this novel. The romance between Daniel and Zelda is sweet. The impetuousness and poor character of another classmate, Mazie, is the cause of a tragic event which forever changes the lives of the 4 who traveled to Georgia that night.
So powerful, I believe this book will stay with me for some time.
Thanks to Edelweiss.plus for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#OneNightInGeorgia #CelesteONorfleet
#Edelweiss.plus

Blossom in Winter is an erotic novel about a relationship between a 17 year old (turns 18) and a 40+ year old man, who is her godfather. The sex scenes are extremely explicit and very passionate.
Petra is a naive 17 year old who doesn't drink, do drugs, or have a boyfriend. She wears very modest clothing and her father is very protective of her. Petra has a best friend, Emma, who is quite wild but also protective of Petra. Roy is Petra's dad, Tessa is her mom, Alex is her godfather. Roy and Alex are best friends. Roy and Tessa have been divorced for years, and Tessa now works with victims of abuse. When Alex and Petra are reunited after 10 years, their mutual attraction is electric. Though they try to stay apart, it is inevitable that they will be together. However, Alex has a past that is unknown to Petra, and Tessa does not want them involved in any way.
The book moves quickly, and the sex scenes between Alex and Petra are very descriptive, so be warned if you don't like that type of reading. I was a bit uncomfortable about the relationship between someone so young and inexperienced, and an older much more experienced man. There were many times I thought that Petra's responses were immature, but then I remembered that she is only 17, and then 18, in the book. Her sexual forays were more mature than her years, so that was a bit at odds with her behavior in the real world.
I am interested in reading the next book to see what happens to this group of characters, and how their relationship will develop.
Thank you to Melanie Martins for an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
#BlossomInWinter #MelanieMartins

Shari Lapena's writing has greatly improved since her first novel. In her latest book, a suburban community is upturned by the recent disappearance of a young, beautiful woman, reported missing by her husband. Not only is Amanda Pierce beautiful, but she is a flirt and has come on to many of the neighborhood men.
Olivia and Paul Sharpe are best friends with Gloria and Keith Newell. The Sharpes discover that their teenage son, Raleigh, has been breaking into houses in the neighborhood. The Newell's son, Adam, has lately struggled with alcohol, becoming drunk on many occasions. The two women confide in each other.
When Amanda Pierce's body is found, her husband becomes the main suspect. When it is found that he has been having an affair with a neighbor, the suspicion ratchets higher. Then, it is determined that other neighbors have also been having affairs, and there are many secrets in this quiet neighborhood, where everyone thought their lives were idyllic, but truthfully, they are a mess. Everyone becomes a suspect, no one knows who they can believe, and it all comes crashing down in the finale.
I do think the ending was a bit rushed - and the crime, while understandable, is also a bit extreme. I think most people will be surprised at the ending, as everyone could easily have been the murderer. Ms. Lapena does a good job of throwing a lot of suspicion on all the characters.
This was a very quick read, I read it in just a few hours one afternoon.
#SomeoneWeKnow #ShariLapena

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of The Family Upstairs in exchange for an honest review.

The Family Upstairs is a thriller / mystery told from different voices. We meet Libby, who has just turned 25, and inherited a large house in a posh neighborhood. Since she was adopted as a baby, she knows nothing about her birth family. We also meet Lucy, the daughter of the people whose house Libby inherits, as well as Henry, the son of the people.
As Libby goes to view the house, she wants to know more about the family and the past. And so, we are told the story of the parents, the children - Henry and Lucy, and the people who came to live in the house with them. First it was Birdie and Justin, a pair of musicians, and then the family who came to live in their home and slowly take it over - The Thomsens, David and Sally, and their children, Clemency and Phin.
What is revealed is how and why the Lambs were found dead, along with David Thomsen, and what happened to the rest of the family. It is quite sinister indeed, and the ending is eerie, but not unexpected.
What I liked - the novel was a quick read, and the mystery was good.
What I didn't like - I felt that Libby was too accepting of the family, even after hearing all of the back story. However, the ending made it clear as to why the family was accepting of her.
Creepy!
#TheFamilyUpstairs #LisaJewell