2016 Book #51 – People Who Knew Me by Kim Hooper

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Women's fiction by rebeccabook17

Title: People Who Knew Me
Author: Kim Hooper
Date finished: 5/24/16
Genre: Fiction, women’s fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: May 24, 2016
Pages in book: 294
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: The Reading Room NOTE: I received this book for free from The Reading Room in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Everything was fine fourteen years after she left New York.
Until suddenly, one day, it wasn’t.
Emily Morris got her happily-ever-after earlier than most. Married at a young age to a man she loved passionately, she was building the life she always wanted. But when enormous stress threatened her marriage, Emily made some rash decisions. That’s when she fell in love with someone else. That’s when she got pregnant.
Resolved to tell her husband of the affair and to leave him for the father of her child, Emily’s plans are thwarted when the world is suddenly split open on 9/11. It’s amid terrible tragedy that she finds her freedom, as she leaves New York City to start a new life. It’s not easy, but Emily—now Connie Prynne―forges a new happily-ever-after in California. But when a life-threatening diagnosis upends her life, she is forced to rethink her life for the good of her thirteen-year-old daughter.
A riveting debut in which a woman must confront her own past in order to secure the future of her daughter, Kim Hooper’s People Who Knew Me asks: “What would you do?”

My rating: 4.5 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. Reading the description of this book I was intrigued, and while not dying to read this book at first, I definitely wanted to know more. This book hooks you right from page one though and sucks you in for the rest of the story, only spitting you out at the end feeling lost and a little heart-broken. I couldn’t put this book down, the story line really progresses masterfully by alternating between the past and the present, consistently only giving the reader enough of a glimpse so that you’re dying to learn the rest of what happened. This book was about Emily Morris, who disappeared from New York a week after the tragedy of 9/11 without telling any of her family or even her husband that she was still alive. As a reader, when I first heard that she had done this I was appalled. How could she abandon her life and her loved ones without a word? What about the pain she was causing them? These are questions, I have to be honest, I struggled with through most of the book. As we learn more about Emily/Connie’s background, there is a certain understanding of why she took the path she did, but it is still heart-breaking. When Emily/Connie learns that she has cancer though, she has to start thinking about where her thirteen year old daughter Claire would go if she died. And with these thoughts come the realization that she must tell her daughter Claire the truth about her past and Claire’s parentage.
Overall I liked this book a lot. Like I said, I couldn’t put it down and I was hooked on the story from the very beginning. Some of the subject matter was tough for me since I could not at all imagine myself doing what Emily/Connie did. At the same time though, put in that extreme situation I couldn’t help but wonder, who can say what I would actually do? Emily had to deal with way too much stress on her young marriage and its no wonder that her unhappiness from that situation manifested in such an extreme way and that she walked away without looking back. That is one of the things that I ended up really liking about this book: even though some of the decisions that Emily/Connie made really turned my stomach, I couldn’t help but really think about what I would have done put in the same situation. It is easy to say I would be noble and honest when I’m not faced with making that choice and dealing with the consequences of that choice. But it is hard not to wonder if I might end up taking the easy way out. Who can say what any one of us would have done in Emily’s shoes.

The bottom line: This book had a couple of great plot twists included and even beyond the excitement of those I just couldn’t put this book down. It was like when you’re watching a video of a car crash and you know the crash is coming but you want to see really just how much the car caught on fire in the end. This book was heart-wrenching, scandalous and for me was really thought provoking psychologically. I would say this one is a must-read for this summer!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

23May2016

2016 Book #50 – Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Bridgerton family series, Historical Romance by rebeccabook17

Title: Because of Miss Bridgerton
Author: Julia Quinn
Date finished: 5/22/16
Genre: Historical romance
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: March 29, 2016
Pages in book: 375
Stand alone or series: Part of the Bridgerton series but not sure where it falls exactly. I think that this may be a spin-off from the original series. Goodreads says it is a new series, Rokesby series #1.
Where I got the book from: The Reading Room NOTE: I received this book for free from The Reading Room in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Sometimes you find love in the most unexpected of places…
This is not one of those times.
Everyone expects Billie Bridgerton to marry one of the Rokesby brothers. The two families have been neighbors for centuries, and as a child the tomboyish Billie ran wild with Edward and Andrew. Either one would make a perfect husband… someday.
Sometimes you fall in love with exactly the person you think you should…
Or not.
There is only one Rokesby Billie absolutely cannot tolerate, and that is George. He may be the eldest and heir to the earldom, but he’s arrogant, annoying, and she’s absolutely certain he detests her. Which is perfectly convenient, as she can’t stand the sight of him, either.
But sometimes fate has a wicked sense of humor…
Because when Billie and George are quite literally thrown together, a whole new sort of sparks begins to fly. And when these lifelong adversaries finally kiss, they just might discover that the one person they can’t abide is the one person they can’t live without…

My rating: 4.25 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. I hadn’t yet read anything by Julia Quinn but I had heard a lot of good things about this book over the last couple months. I’ve definitely always been interested in reading something by her but hadn’t picked anything up yet so I was excited when I won this book on The Reading Room. This book is about Billie Bridgerton and her neighbor George Rokesby. While its not 100% clear based on the family tree listed on Quinn’s website, I think that Billie is the sister of the patriarch of the Bridgerton family featured in the books thus far (Billie’s brother Edmund is mentioned though he is at school during this book). Billie and George have been neighbors their whole lives and have always found each other insufferably annoying. Until one day a strange encounter where George has to rescue Billie from a rooftop shifts something within both of them.
Overall I liked this book a lot. As I mentioned I hadn’t read anything by Quinn before this book but if all her other books are as witty and funny and sweet as this book was then I have a new back list of books I need to start working on! Billie and George were very entertaining characters and their story was tension filled but sweet. The reader can really feel the emotions of the characters coming off the pages of the book, which is a mark of success to me. I’m interested to see what other books will come of this series after this one (I’m hoping for one about Edward). This was a good read and I would definitely recommend!

The bottom line: I thought this was a quite story with great characters and entertaining dialogue. While I’m a little confused as to how it relates to the Bridgerton series (I think that the Edmund listed as the head of the family tree on the original series is Billie’s brother but am unsure), I liked the book a lot and would definitely recommend. I am looking forward to reading some of this author’s backlist when ever I have time.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

20May2016

2016 Book #49 – The California Wife by Kristen Harnisch

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Historical fiction by rebeccabook17

Title: The California Wife
Author: Kristen Harnisch
Date finished: 5/19/16
Genre: Hisorical fiction
Publisher: She Writes Press
Publication Date: May 10, 2016
Pages in book: 416
Stand alone or series: Sequel to The Vintner’s Daughter
Where I got the book from: Author/publisher NOTE: I received this book for free from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

It is 1897, and Sara and Philippe Lemieux, newly married and full of hope for the future, are determined to make Eagle’s Run, their Napa vineyard, into a world-renowned winemaking operation. But the swift arrival of the 20th century brings a host of obstacles they never dreamed of: price wars and the twin threats of phylloxera and Prohibition endanger the success of their business, and the fiercely independent Sara is reluctant to leave the fields behind for the new and strange role of wife and mother.
An invitation to the World’s Fair in 1900 comes just in time to revive the vineyard’s prospects, and amid the jewel-colored wonders of Belle Époque Paris, Sara and Philippe’s passion is rekindled as well. But then family tragedy strikes, and, upon their return to California, a secret from Philippe’s past threatens to derail their hard-won happiness in one stroke.
Sara gains an ally when Marie Chevreau, her dear friend, arrives in San Francisco as the first female surgery student to be admitted to prestigious Cooper Medical College. Through Marie, Sara gets a glimpse of the glittering world of San Francisco’s high society, and she also forges friendships with local women’s rights advocates, inciting new tensions in her marriage. Philippe issues Sara an ultimatum: will she abandon the struggle for freedom to protect her family’s winemaking business, or will she ignore Philippe and campaign for a woman’s right to vote and earn a fair wage?
Fate has other plans in store in the spring of 1906, which brings with it a challenge unlike any other that the Lemieux family or their fellow Northern Californians have ever faced. Will the shadow of history overwhelm Sara and Philippe’s future, despite their love for each other? In The California Wife, Kristen Harnisch delivers a rich, romantic tale of wine, love, new beginnings, and a family’s determination to fight for what really matters―sure to captivate fans of The Vintner’s Daughter and new readers alike.

My rating: 4.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. I read The Vintner’s Daughter last year, which was Harnisch’s debut novel, and just loved it. Sara’s story was compelling and I was so glad that she found someone she loved to spend the rest of her life with. And this book, The California Wife, picks up right where the last book left us and continues on with Sara and Philippe’s story. Honestly I think that this was one of the things I loved most about this book. Even though I wouldn’t call The Vintner’s Daughter a true romance novel, there was a happy ending. And usually that is where the reader is left, with the characters walking off into the “happily ever after” fog of dawn. But this book takes the story past that point and shows what love really is. Its fights and struggles and sometimes its being the strong partner and sometimes the weak. Its not always pretty and its not always fun but it is real. And the marriage in this book felt real to me, more than most I’ve read before.
Sara and Philippe encounter a number of struggles in this book but they manage to work together to overcome their many obstacles. Interwoven with their story is Marie’s story after she moves to San Francisco to attend surgical school. Marie was also in the first book, she housed Lydia and Sara when they first arrived in New York and was working as a midwife in the city. Marie has to overcome a lot of prejudice and judgement when she decides to attend surgical school in San Francisco, but there is nothing else she wants more that to be able to help/heal people and save lives, so she pushes through and excels. It is at school that she meets Matthew Donnelly, a skilled surgeon who encourages Marie in her studies. There are many dramatic events included in the story, all of which are dealt with by Sara and her family.
Overall I really liked this book. I did not want to put it down, every time I thought that we were about to settle into a lull in the story something else would happen to keep me on my toes. Harnisch does a great job of making the plot line flow together even with months/years between events and alternating story lines. I loved Sara’s character and I loved how real her marriage was with Philippe. And I loved seeing the insights into medicine and surgery at that time through Marie’s schooling, those scenes were very interesting! All in all this was a great read and I can’t wait to see how the story continues in the next book.

The bottom line: This was a great continuation of Sara and Philippe’s story. I was a huge fan of Harnisch’s first novel, The Vintner’s Daughter, and I loved being able to continue seeing Sara’s journey. This book is poignantly raw and emotional, not sugar-coating anything for the reader but instead being true to the struggles of life after the initial “happily-ever-after.” A great read, I would most definitely recommend!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

16May2016

2016 Book #48 – Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Posted in 2016, Book Clubs, Book reviews, Fiction, Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2016 checklist, Reading Challenges, Terryville - Fiction Lovers by rebeccabook17

Title: Tell The Wolves I’m Home
Author: Carol Rifka Brunt
Date finished: 5/16/16
Genre: Fiction, literary fiction
Publisher: Dial Press Trade
Publication Date: 2012
Pages in book: 355
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: Terryville Public Library

Blurb from the cover:

In this striking literary debut, Carol Rifka Brunt unfolds a moving story of love, grief, and renewal as two lonely people become the unlikeliest of friends and find that sometimes you don’t know you’ve lost someone until you’ve found them.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED A FAVORITE READ BY GILLIAN FLYNN • WINNER OF THE ALEX AWARD
1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life—someone who will help her to heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.
At Finn’s funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this unexpected friend, he just might be the one she needs the most.
An emotionally charged coming-of-age novel, Tell the Wolves I’m Home is a tender story of love lost and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again.

My rating: 4.0 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I read this book for the Terryville Library’s Fiction Lover’s Book Discussion group discussion for this month (May). Also, this book will count towards my “PopSugar 2016 Checklist” reading challenge, marking off the “a New York Times bestseller” square since based on the author’s post it was a bestseller in July 2013. This book tells the story of June Elbus, who befriends her Uncle Finn’s boyfriend Toby after Finn dies of AIDS. June’s sister Greta and their mother also play important roles in this story, as they are also struggling with their own issues. I found it interesting that jealousy was the main emotion that drove the actions of these three characters in the book.
Overall I really liked the book. It was sad but it was also moving and heart-felt and really just a powerful story. June’s feelings for her uncle kind of creeped me out a little bit but I thought it was interesting what Toby said at one point, about how he knows what that strange kind of love feels like. Being gay in the 1980’s was very frowned upon and I thought it was an interesting parallel that the author created between June’s love and how society at the time made Toby feel about his love for Finn. There were a lot of emotions in this book but I like to think that the love between characters really stood out above all the rest. Even when people were acting out of jealousy it was still tinged with love. There were some situations in the book that I found somewhat frustrating but I still very much enjoyed reading this novel.

The bottom line: I liked this book a lot. It was extremely moving and touching. It definitely wasn’t something I would have picked up on my own (without having to read it for book club) but I’m really glad that I read it. I would definitely recommend.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

15May2016

2016 Book #47 – Troublemaker by Linda Howard

Posted in 2016, Book reviews, Bout of Books 16, Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2016 checklist, Reading Challenges, Romantic suspense by rebeccabook17

Title: Troublemaker
Author: Linda Howard
Date finished: 5/14/16
Genre: Romantic suspense
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 10, 2016
Pages in book: 400
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: Edelweiss NOTE: I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

For Morgan Yancy, an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group, nothing comes before his job. But when he’s ambushed and almost killed, his supervisor is determined to find out who’s after the members of his elite squad—and why. Due to worries that this unknown enemy will strike again, Morgan is sent to a remote location and told to lay low and stay vigilant. But between a tempting housemate he’s determined to protect and a deadly threat waiting in the shadows, keeping under the radar is proving to be his most dangerous mission yet.
The part-time police chief of a small West Virginian mountain town, Isabeau “Bo” Maran finally has her life figured out. She’s got friends, a dog, and a little money in the bank. Then Morgan Yancy shows up on her doorstep. Bo doesn’t need a mysterious man in her life—especially a troublemaker as enticing and secretive as Morgan.
The harder they fight the intense heat between them, the closer Morgan and Bo become, even though she knows he’s hiding from something. But discovering the truth could cost Bo more than she’s willing to give. And when Morgan’s cover is blown, it might just cost her life.

My rating: 4.25 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This is my fourth book that I’ve finished during the Bout of Books 16 read-a-thon and was the fourth one on my goals list. Also, this book will count towards my “PopSugar 2016 Checklist” reading challenge, marking off the “a book that’s guaranteed to bring you joy.” Linda Howard is one of my all-time favorite authors and this is the first book she’s published in a while so I knew I was going to to love it and since it was by my favorite author, that it would bring me joy. This book is about Isabeau “Bo” Maran, who is the chief of police in a very small town in West Virginia.She is surprised when she arrives home one day to discover a recently wounded man waiting in her driveway, Morgan Yancy. Bo’s jerk of a stepbrother, Axel, decided the best place to hide his best operative (Morgan) was in the middle of nowhere, which just happens to be where Bo lives. Bo is not exactly excited about having a house guest but she feels too bad for Morgan in his extremely weak state to send him away. So she lets him stay and recuperate at her house with her and her dog, Tricks.
Overall I really liked this book a lot! I haven’t seen anything new from this author in the last couple years so I was screaming like a fan girl when I found out about this release. They say that Linda Howard is the master of romantic suspense and I think that title still holds true. I was engrossed in this book and didn’t want to put it down. While it was suspenseful, it was also so very sweet. Bo’s small town is so welcoming to Morgan and so loving and supportive to Bo. There were a lot of really touching moments. Tricks was honestly one of the coolest pieces of the book, she was Bo’s dog and was a very interesting character. Bo and Morgan were great characters to get to know better and had great chemistry and tension in the book. I am so very glad that Linda Howard published a new book this year!

The bottom line: I am a huge fan of Linda Howard, she is probably one of my all-time favorite authors. This book was suspenseful and thrilling, I didn’t want to put it down. I would definitely recommend!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

13May2016

2016 Book #46 – Every Bride Has Her Day by Lynnette Austin

Posted in 2016, Book reviews, Book series, Bout of Books 16, Contemporary romance, Magnolia Brides, Reading Challenges by rebeccabook17

Title: Every Bride Has Her Day
Author: Lynnette Austin
Date finished: 5/12/16
Genre: Contemporary romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablance
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Pages in book: 416
Stand alone or series: #2 in the Magnolia Brides series
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE:I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Second in the Magnolia Brides series of charming, heartfelt Southern contemporary romance
Can love revive a wilting heart?
Cricket O’Malley can’t wait to plant roots back home in Georgia, where she’s returned to restore an abandoned flower shop to its former glory. The only blemish? Her neighbor’s house is even more neglected than her old flower shop, and its occupant seems as surly as he is darkly handsome.
Devastated body and soul after a tough case went south, New York City detective Sam DeLuca thought he’d have no trouble finding solitude in the quiet Georgia town of Misty Bottoms, but his bubbly neighbor seems determined to shine happiness into Sam’s life. Sam is equally determined to close himself off, but his heart says otherwise…

My rating: 4.0 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This is my third book that I’ve finished during the Bout of Books 16 read-a-thon and was also the third one on my goals list. This book is about Cricket O’Malley, who is replacing the catastrophe that was the last florist to grace the town of Misty Bottoms. Cricket recently moved to town after her cousin, Beck, told her there was a job opening for a florist. Also recently arrived in town is Sam DeLuca, who conveniently inherited a house from his aunt across the street from Cricket. Sam has recently experienced some traumatic events back in his detective job in New York City. Cricket sees the sadness in Sam and wants to help him in any way she can. They begin to develop a fondness for each other, and though Sam tries to keep Cricket outside his walls, for some reason he can’t seem to keep her at arm’s length.
Overall I really liked this book. I enjoyed the first book in the series and when I saw that the second in the series was available on NetGalley I knew I wanted to read it. Cricket as a character was immensely sweet and had a never-ending wealth of cheer that was very endearing. Sam as a character was a tad too cranky/belligerent for my tastes but he turned it around in the end. Misty Bottoms is an endearing, if somewhat infuriating, town and all the secondary characters really make the story glow with warmth. I loved seeing Cricket’s business be built and flourish in the book, and Sam’s background story with regards to his aunt was touching. This book was really a light and romantic read and I greatly enjoyed it.

The bottom line: I really enjoyed this book and this series. This is a light read and just perfect for summer. It is heart-warming and romantic. I would definitely recommend this book as well as the first in the series, The Best Laid Wedding Plans.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

11May2016

2016 Book #45 – Kill or Be Kilt by Victoria Roberts

Posted in 2016, Book reviews, Bout of Books 16, For the love of books, Historical Romance, Reading Challenges by rebeccabook17

Title: Kill or Be Kilt
Author: Victoria Roberts
Date finished: 5/11/16
Genre: Historical romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablance
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Pages in book: 352
Stand alone or series: #3 in the Highland Spies Series
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE:I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

It’s been three years since Lady Elizabeth Walsingham ended her childish crush on Laird Ian Munro, the fierce Highlander who scared everyone but her. She’s a grown woman now, heading to London to find a proper English gentleman. But when the wild Highland laird walks through the door, she’s that breathless youth all over again.
Ian tries hard to avoid the young lass who’s confounded him for years. But now that they’re attending court, he must keep watch on her night and day. Danger is at every turn and advisors to the Crown are being murdered. Ian soon realizes the girl he’s been protecting is a beautiful lady who needs his help, almost as much as he needs her.

My rating: 3.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This is my second book that I’ve finished during the Bout of Books 16 read-a-thon and was also the second one on my goals list. This book tells the story of Elizabeth Walsingham, who lives with her sister and the rest of her family at her brother-in-law’s house in the Highlands. Elizabeth and her sisters receive the news that their Uncle has died, and they travel with the Highlander men to England to grieve with their aunt. While in England, Elizabeth decides that she would like to be presented at court to see if she can find a suitable husband.Laird Ian Munro is not too keen on this idea. Even though Ian doesn’t think he wants Elizabeth for himself, he doesn’t seem to want her flirting with anyone else either. Through their experiences though, Ian comes to realize that the reason he’s so jealous over Elizabeth’s suitors is that he is in love with Elizabeth himself.
Overall I liked this book. The hero was clueless and arrogant but also ended up being charming and chivalrous. .The heroine was a little naive but she was younger so that wasn’t overly surprising. I liked that this book can be read as a stand alone, though it does reference things from the previous two books. The book itself doesn’t need to be read as part of the series though and can be read on its own. It was a good book and I liked it but nothing really grabbed my attention as overly exciting. This wasn’t one of my all time favorites but it was a good romance read. I would especially recommend to historical romance and Highlander fans.

The bottom line: I liked this book, it was a nice and interesting story. I wouldn’t say there was anything overly interesting or thrilling but it was a definitely a good read. I thought it was a sweet story and I would recommend it!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

10May2016

2016 Book #44 – Wilde Lake by Laura Lippman

Posted in 2016, Bout of Books 16, Fiction, Reading Challenges, Thriller by rebeccabook17

Title: Wilde Lake
Author: Laura Lippman
Date finished: 5/10/16
Genre: Fiction, suspense
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Pages in book: 368
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: Edelweiss NOTE: I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

The New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed standalones After I’m Gone, I’d Know You Anywhere, and What the Dead Know, challenges our notions of memory, loyalty, responsibility, and justice in this evocative and psychologically complex story about a long-ago death that still haunts a family.
Luisa “Lu” Brant is the newly elected—and first female—state’s attorney of Howard County, Maryland, a job in which her widower father famously served. Fiercely intelligent and ambitious, she sees an opportunity to make her name by trying a mentally disturbed drifter accused of beating a woman to death in her home. It’s not the kind of case that makes headlines, but peaceful Howard county doesn’t see many homicides.
As Lu prepares for the trial, the case dredges up painful memories, reminding her small but tight-knit family of the night when her brother, AJ, saved his best friend at the cost of another man’s life. Only eighteen, AJ was cleared by a grand jury. Now, Lu wonders if the events of 1980 happened as she remembers them. What details might have been withheld from her when she was a child?
The more she learns about the case, the more questions arise. What does it mean to be a man or woman of one’s times? Why do we ask our heroes of the past to conform to the present’s standards? Is that fair? Is it right? Propelled into the past, she discovers that the legal system, the bedrock of her entire life, does not have all the answers. Lu realizes that even if she could learn the whole truth, she probably wouldn’t want to.

My rating: 3.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This is my first book that I’ve finished during the Bout of Books 16 read-a-thon and was the first one on my goals list. I haven’t read anything by Lippman yet but I have heard good things about her books and they have sounded interesting as well, so when I saw her new release was available on Edelweiss I decided to give it a try! This book is about Luisa Brant, who followed in her father’s footsteps and became the state attorney for Howard County, Maryland. While settling into her new job, she is given reason to re-examine something that happened to her brother in his senior year of high school, when she was only ten. Since she was so young, her memories of the events have many holes and once she starts filling them in, she begins to realize that things may not have happened as she always had been told.
Overall I thought this was a good book. There were a number of good plot twists and the story line held my interest through the whole book. While I thought it was an interesting book, I wouldn’t say that it thrilled me but it did keep me in suspense. There are some questions that don’t get answered by the end of the book due to unforeseen circumstances, and while I would have been ok with getting the questions answered it didn’t detract from the book for me that they were left unanswered. Lu isn’t an easy character to connect with, but I think that was in line with her character to be honest. She was raised by a widower with her older brother, who was 8 years her senior. There wasn’t an over abundance of affection in their house, Lu as a character is slightly cold and calculation, but she loves her family fiercely and will do whatever it takes to protect them. This was a good book; I especially thought it was interesting to see the court process that was included as part of the story line. I would give this one a try!

The bottom line: I liked this book. It held my interest and had a number of good plot twists. I didn’t feel a real connection to the characters and the ending left some questions for the reader but other than that I enjoyed the book. I would recommend it, it was a good read.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

7May2016

2016 Book #43 – Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Historical fiction by rebeccabook17

Title: Everyone Brave Is Forgiven
Author: Chris Cleave
Date finished: 5/7/16
Genre: Fiction, historical fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Pages in book: 432
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE:I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

London, 1939.
The day war is declared, Mary North leaves finishing school unfinished, goes straight to the War Office, and signs up.
Tom Shaw decides to ignore the war—until he learns his roommate Alistair Heath has unexpectedly enlisted. Then the conflict can no longer be avoided.
Young, bright, and brave, Mary is certain she’d be a marvelous spy. When she is—bewilderingly—made a teacher, she finds herself defying prejudice to protect the children her country would rather forget.
Tom, meanwhile, finds that he will do anything for Mary.
And when Mary and Alistair meet, it is love, as well as war, that will test them in ways they could not have imagined, entangling three lives in violence and passion, friendship and deception, inexorably shaping their hopes and dreams.
Set in London during the years of 1939–1942, when citizens had slim hope of survival, much less victory; and on the strategic island of Malta, which was daily devastated by the Axis barrage, Everyone Brave is Forgiven features little-known history and a perfect wartime love story inspired by the real-life love letters between Chris Cleave’s grandparents. This dazzling novel dares us to understand that, against the great theater of world events, it is the intimate losses, the small battles, the daily human triumphs that change us most.

My rating: 2.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book was about a group of young people and how their lives were affected by World War II. Mary North was born into a life of privilege, but when England declares war on Germany, she decides to sign up with the War Office to be put to good use. They assign her a teaching position, where she befriends a black student. It is through this teaching position that she meets Tom Shaw, who is an administrator for a school district. She falls in love with Tom but then she meets Tom’s friend Alistair while he is home on leave from the military for one night. Alistair stirs feelings in Mary that Tom doesn’t necessarily stir. But Mary is pretty sure that Tom is the one so she ignores her feelings for Alistair.
As we all know, war tends to bring many casualties and these young people’s story is no different. Mary and her friends both face many traumatic events, and Mary even has a sad morphine situation for a while. There were a lot of different story lines merging in this book, including the treatment of colored people in England during this time period and drug addiction and the effects of war. There was a lot going on and all of the story lines were really interesting but it almost felt for me like there was too much going on. I couldn’t really connect with the characters personally and it was just hard for me to get into. The description of Alistair’s experience during war time seemed very real and I thought that was one of the most interesting pieces of the book.

The bottom line: I found this book a little wordy but the story line was interesting. The book just wasn’t really for me, but it would definitely appeal to people who like historical fiction centered around World War II.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

4May2016

2016 Book #42 – The Blue Bath by Mary Waters-Sayer

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Women's fiction by rebeccabook17

Title: The Blue Bath
Author: Mary Waters-Sayer
Date finished: 5/3/16
Genre: Fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Pages in book: 320
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE:I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Kat Lind, an American expatriate living in London with her entrepreneur husband and their young son, attends an opening at a prestigious Mayfair art gallery and is astonished to find her own face on the walls. The portraits are evidence of a long-ago love affair with the artist, Daniel Blake. Unbeknownst to her, he has continued to paint her ever since. Kat is seduced by her reflection on canvas and when Daniel appears in London, she finds herself drawn back into the sins and solace of a past that suddenly no longer seems so far away.
When the portraits catch the attention of the public, threatening to reveal not only her identity, but all that lies beyond the edges of the canvases, Kat comes face to face with the true price of their beauty and with all that she now could lose.
Moving between the glamour of the London art world and the sensuous days of a love affair in a dusty Paris studio, life and art bleed together as Daniel and Kat’s lives spin out of control, leading to a conclusion that is anything but inevitable.

My rating: 4.25 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. Also just as a side note, I did an author interview with Mary Waters-Sayer (author of The Blue Bath) which you can check out here! This book was about Kat Lind, who is currently living in London with her husband Jonathan and her son Will. The book alternates between present day and Kat’s memories of what happened 20 years ago when she was studying abroad in Paris. There were a few different interwoven topics being dealt with in this book: unconditional love of mother and child, death and loss, and, of course, overall there was a great deal of love. Kat hasn’t seen Daniel Blake since she left him in Paris twenty years ago but when she sees him again at his gallery show, it is almost like no time has passed. Kat had an intense and almost violent passion for Daniel, one that encompassed her whole life. Since leaving him though, she has moved on and found a new love with Jonathan and her son Will. But can anything really replace that first young love? Kat discovers that even though they have aged since, her and Daniel still have a reckless passion that can not be ignored. But how much is she really willing to sacrifice to be with him again?
Overall I really enjoyed this book a lot. The writing was in itself almost like a painting, the author strung the words together in a way that painted a vivid picture for the reader and made me feel like I could almost reach out and touch the scene. The chemistry between Daniel and Kat is tangible and the description of Kat’s love for Will is everything I would expect, unconditional and as encompassing as her (different kind obviously) love for Daniel once was. I had a few questions pop up as I got towards the end with some of the goings-on, but it didn’t hinder the story for me, instead it almost added to the feeling of being in a haze that Kat must have felt at those times. I felt as if I was really able to put myself in Kat’s character. And there was a twist ending that was indeed satisfying. Great read and definitely one that should be on everyone’s TBR!

The bottom line: I found this story captivating, I couldn’t put it down. I was trying to read it during every second of free time I had. Vivid imagery brings the story alive for the reader, the words are strung together in an almost lyrical prose that surrounds the reader with beauty. A must read!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page