Novel Escapes

When She Was Gone by Gwendolen Gross

2013-05-21T18:44:00.000-04:00

3.5 Star

Seventeen-year-old Linsey Hart disappears the day before she’s due to leave for college. As her neighbors piece together what they saw and what they think they know about the missing girl, their long-held secrets, prejudices, and entanglements become rudely evident.

There’s Linsey’s mother, Abigail, whose door-to-door searching makes her social outcast status painfully obvious; stay-at-home mom Reeva, whose primary concern is covering up the affair she’s been having with the Starbucks barista; Mr. Leonard, a reclusive retired piano teacher—and the last person to see Linsey alive; George, an eleven year-old gifted loner who is determined to find out what happened to Linsey; and Timmy, Linsey’s ex-boyfriend, who is left grieving as he embarks on his own college career.

A keenly observed portrait of a small town under duress, When She Was Gone is a searing portrayal of the bonds that hold a community together—and the secrets and lies that threaten to rip it apart.

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Jen - 3.5 Star

What does a novel have to accomplish in order to keep my attention? Apparently, do exactly what Gwendolyn Gross did in her novel, When She Was Gone, because I was riveted from beginning to end.

Linsey Hart is being watched. By her mother, by her boyfriend and by a strange neighbor who keeps a keen eye on everyone in Linsey’s neighborhood from the safety of his piano dress, where he plays for hours, wearing his late mother’s dresses.

So when Linsey slips into the night, leaving a note tucked into the door and disappears, questions start arising through the cracks of the fences that separate the neighbors’ yards. What Linsey doesn’t plan on is that her note gets carried away in the wind where her parents will never find it.

If they had read the note right away, her mother wouldn’t be sick with worry and dealing with the loss of another child. Or the boy next door wouldn’t be overcome with curiosity and a yearning to help. Linsey’s disappearance sets the neighborhood into an interesting tailspin. Everyone is watching, waiting and wondering.

When She Was Gone is about Linsey’s disappearance, but for me, that wasn’t the most important part of the story. What was, however, were the other characters. Gross has done a phenomenal job creating these complex and passionate people. I wanted to meet them, hug them, tell them to relax. I almost forgot I was supposed to be worried about where Linsey was because I was so involved with the individual storylines of her neighbors.

If you are looking for a mystery thriller, this isn’t what I would recommend, as Linsey’s situation isn’t as complex as most missing children cases are. I would recommend this book to someone who loves strong character development and more than one element and point of view in a story.

Thank you to Gallery Books for our revew copy. All opinions are our own.

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Table For Seven by Whitney Gaskell

2013-05-16T19:29:00.000-04:00

4 Star

On New Year’s Eve, Fran and Will Parrish host a dinner party, serving their friends a gourmet feast. The night is such a success that the group decides to form a monthly dinner party club. But what starts as an excuse to enjoy the company of fellow foodies ends up having lasting repercussions on each member of the Table for Seven Dinner Party Club.

Fran and Will face the possibility that their comfortable marriage may not be as infallible as they once thought. Audrey has to figure out how to move on and start a new life after the untimely death of her young husband. Perfectionist Jaime suspects that her husband, Mark, might be having an affair. Coop, a flirtatious bachelor who never commits to a third date, is blindsided when he falls in love for the first time. Leland, a widower, is a wise counselor and firm believer that bacon makes everything taste better.

Over the course of a year, against a backdrop of mouthwatering meals, relationships are forged, marriages are tested, and the members of the Table for Seven Dinner Party Club find their lives forever changed.

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Kaley - 4 Star

Table for Seven is one of those books that leaves you feeling happy as you turn the last page. Does that mean everything ends with a perfect happily ever after? Not necessarily. Whitney Gaskell has written a lovely novel about friendships and relationships and how important those things are in life.

This was a really good ensemble novel. I got to take a peek into several different lives and I felt like I really got to know the characters. I think the alternating perspectives helped me enjoy the novel more than I would have had the story only focused on one person or couple. That being said, as is the case with most ensemble books, there were characters that seemed to be at the centre of the novel. In this book that couple was Fran and Will. Unfortunately, Fran drove me a little crazy. She seems to think Will doesn’t care about her or their marriage anymore so she embarks on an emotional affair. It was frustrating because she didn’t have any reason to doubt Will’s feelings for her. This was one of those cases of a couple being too comfortable and not bothering to communicate. Even though I liked getting the insight into all of the couples’ lives, I wanted more focus to be put on Audrey and Coop. Also, Leland was such a fun character but he didn’t play a huge part in the novel. The only time I really got to read about him was when he was at one of the dinners and I felt like he had more to offer to the story.

The monthly dinner parties provided a unique element to the novel. It was a fun way to get all the characters together and allowed personalities to be exposed a little more. For example, we can tell how important the dinner is to Jaime and she wants to make sure everything is perfect. Her husband, on the other hand, can’t usually be bothered to show up on time. It’s telling and gives a hint to the others, and the reader, that everything is not always as it seems.

I finished Table for Seven with a smile on my face. I was really happy with the journey that all the characters went through and how they dealt with the issues they faced and how they changed because of those issues. If you’re looking for a feel good novel with heart, pick up Whitney Gaskell’s latest novel. As for me, I’m going to keep an eye out for her next novel as well as taking a look at her previous books.

Thank you to Bantam for our review copy! All opinions are our own.

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Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

2013-05-12T07:51:00.000-04:00

3 Star

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence—creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

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Lydia - 3 Star

Where'd You Go Bernadette has received wonderful reviews since its release and has been on my want-to-read list for a while. So, when I knew I was going on vacation, I decided to take a break from my ever-expanding, must-review pile and picked up a few novels I’ve been wanting to read for a while. Sadly though, Where Did You Go Bernadette disappointed me and I found myself speed reading through it so I could finish and move on. I suspect this in part is due to the fact that I had no idea I was going to be reading a satire, so my expectation of a serious read left me confused and by the time I figured it out, I wasn’t as interested as I might have been.

When I first read the description of Where'd You Go Bernadette, I thought the novel was about a girl searching for her mother who disappeared. This is true, but I became confused when I found myself reading Bernadette’s emails without an explanation about why we were privy to them. Narrative was sparse in this novel, and the majority of the book was correspondence via emails, letters and even articles, interviews and reports. It took me some time to figure out what was going on, and by the time I was told that this was what Bee pieced together after her mother disappeared, I was kind of over it. Once I clued in that I was reading a satire I could sit back and enjoy it a little more, but I still remained disappointed.

There were a few surprises and some character growth, but I never really warmed to any of the characters and found Bernadette to be really whiny and very negative. The intense dislike of Canadians the author portrayed, satirical or not was disheartening. Again, this is all probably because I wasn’t expecting the novel to be humourous. Sometimes Bee seemed much younger than her age to me, but I’ve seen some less mature fifteen year olds, so it didn’t surprise me, but at times I wondered about it and it then her real age would confuse me. The few scenes I really enjoyed were the actual scenes, the ones between Bee and her parents.

Pick this one up if you're looking for something a little different.

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What a Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

2013-05-09T19:08:00.000-04:00

5 Star

An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can't find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

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Sabrina-Kate - 5 Star

I really enjoyed What a Mother Knows for it's unpredictability. The story flowed very well, yet I couldn't figure out what was going to happen next especially the ending which really came from out of nowhere but tied a lot of things together very nicely.

The main character definitely had a lot of struggles following her car accident and what I found to be probably very realistic yet very sad was the fact that people around her felt it alright to hide truths from her or to change details about what had happened in her past. Easy to do with someone whose has lost part of their memory and I wonder if it is a natural reaction for others to do that if given the opportunity.

The novel was full of suspense, very emotional and well thought out. It really held my interest very deeply and made me long to keep going to find out if Michelle would ever find out what really happened and find her daughter, two things that may or may not be connected and if so, how.

I loved the cover of What a Mother Knows, finding it absolutely gorgeous and I also loved the title, however I don't find that either one represented the contents very well, which seemed a bit darker and nefarious. Despite that little hiccup, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes a good suspenseful plot twisting read.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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The Bad Girls' Club by Kathryn O'Halloran

2013-05-08T06:56:00.000-04:00

5 Star

Three girls unite in their realisation that keeping themselves nice has got them nowhere. It’s time to take action. It’s time to rebel. It’s time to become Bad Girls.

Imogen wants to get laid but how can she be a bad girl until she loses a few kilos and gets her body into order? Beth is happy to be a bad girl - so long as no one else finds out and so long as she is in control. Juliette’s not really sure what she’s doing there, but it sure beats another Saturday night gaming with her geek boyfriend.

They band together to form the Bad Girls Club, a support group for recovering nice girls, and through a series of brazen dares, push the limits of their sexuality.

But are the girls ready to finally take the final leap that will have them branded as bad girls for real? To save the club, and each other, they each have to publicly acknowledge their darkest secrets.

The Bad Girls’ Club – it’s about sex, it’s about dares but most of all, it’s about friendship.

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Sabrina-Kate - 5 Star

The Bad Girls' Club by Kathryn O'Halloran is exactly the type of chick lit book I adore when I want a fun and uncomplicated fully enjoyable read. From the first page, I found myself devouring the book though it did get a bit racy at times. But let's be honest, most of us have thought about this stuff if not having done it.

The three friends involved were so realistic to real life that it was easy to relate to them, their hang ups, issues and problems. I enjoy books like this where the characters have problems and make mistakes. A lot of times I found myself groaning out loud, thinking something like "I have done that before". The story did get a little farfetched at times but I think it was more due to the author exaggerating the circumstances a bit so it still remained plausible if not likely.

All in all, I did really like The Bad Girls' Club a lot for the easy read that it was, and I really enjoyed that it alternated chapters between different characters' viewpoints. I always find that enjoyable versus one person relating the entire tale. It's nice to have the different perspective and reactions of different characters in my opinion as it helps to make a more rounded story.

Thank you to Kathryn O’Halloran for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A.Tucker

2013-05-07T20:50:00.002-04:00

5 Star

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

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Lydia - 5 Star

I loved this book and read it in a day at the beach. Ten Tiny Breaths is a fabulous novel that falls under the ‘new adult’ genre that has recently emerged and I’ve found now, after a couple of these, that I appreciate this new genre more than Young Adult novels. Unpredictable and shocking, yet uplifting and heartfelt, Ten Tiny Breaths is a compelling, compulsive read.

Kacey and her younger sister, Livvie, have run across the country to escape their aunt and dodgy uncle who had been raising them since the car accident that took not only their parents but Kacey’s boyfriend and best friend. The same car accident Kacey survived-physically. Emotionally though is another story. She is plagued with nightmares and guilt and has walled off her heart forever-with one exception, her little sisiter, Livie.

Unable to let anyone but Livie in, Kacey is left to cope with raising her younger sister and starting a new life with a just handful of cash. Determined to remain distant, she eventually consents to Livie’s pleading to be nice to their new neighbours, to at least try. Kacey reluctantly agrees and finds her life shifting, not only by Storm and her adorable daughter, but by another, much sexier neighbor-one that Livie didn’t even ask her to be nice to. Both change her life in ways she never imagined possible.

I love how Tucker blasts away the stereotypes of dodgy apartment complexes, strippers and strip clubs and I loved the support and friendship Kacey finds in that world. I loved watching Kacey come into her own and find her place in the world. There are some unforgettable, quirky characters in this novel, and I enjoyed reading about them all, particularly Livie and Storm.

I really felt for Kacey. I felt awful for what she had to go through, what she was still going through. I was desperate for her to work through the emotional trauma she carried with her, to heal, and to turn her life around. I loved watching her let down her guard and banish the barriers she’d built around herself. I thought the past was portrayed perfectly as we are not overburdened with it, but it is always there, lurking.

I think Ten Tiny Breaths would make a fabulous movie and I can’t wait for the sequel, One Tiny Lie, which is Livie’s story when she goes off to college!

Thank you to Atria Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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The Mystery Of Mercy Close: A Walsh Sister Novel by Marian Keyes

2013-05-04T08:07:00.002-04:00

5 Star

Helen Walsh doesn’t believe in fear – it’s just a thing invented by men to get all the money and good job – and yet she’s sinking. Her work as a Private Investigator has dried up, her flat has been repossessed and now some old demons have resurfaced.

Not least in the form of her charming but dodgy ex-boyfriend Jay Parker, who shows up with a missing persons case. Money is tight – so tight Helen’s had to move back in with her elderly parents – and Jay is awash with cash. The missing person is Wayne Diffney, the ‘Wacky One’ from boyband Laddz. He’s vanished from his house in Mercy Close and it’s vital that he’s found – Laddz have a sell-out comeback gig in five days’ time.

Things ended messily with Jay. And she’s never going back there. Besides she has a new boyfriend now, the very sexy detective Artie Devlin and it’s all going well, even though his ex-wife isn’t quite ‘ex’ enough and his teenage son hates her. But the reappearance of Jay is stirring up all kinds of stuff she thought she’d left behind.

Playing by her own rules, Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world, where her worst enemy is her own head and where increasingly the only person she feels connected to is Wayne, a man she’s never even met.

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Kathryn - 5 Star

This installment about the Walsh Sisters has been long- awaited (not that I haven’t enjoyed every novel Keyes has put out since the last Walsh Sister novel!) but I’ve been hoping we were going to get another in-depth peek into one of the siblings. The last one I read personally was Rachel’s Holiday which looked at Rachel’s substance abuse issues. Keyes is a wonderful story teller and can weave heart breaking issues into a novel with compassion and laughter so I was intrigued instantly about The Mystery of Mercy Close being focussed on Helen, a little bit of a dark horse from the previous books.

The plot surrounding Helen’s personal struggle is light and slightly off-the-wall and so the voice of Helen is a stark contrast to the quirky storyline. I was a teeny- tiny bit bored by the plot itself unfortunately as I found it took a long time to get going (although the characters were in themselves interesting). The fact that I found Helen intriguing was certainly the crux of the book. At this point in her life she appears to be so in control in many respects but suffering financially sends her into a state of depression that she’d struggled to put behind her once before. The fact that she’d already experienced depression made it much more interesting for the reader as we got her thoughts from a place of knowledge rather than of abject fear of what was happening to her. I loved that Keyes clearly spelled out that no one person can just pull someone back out of depression- that sometimes it takes someone unknown or unlikely to help a person who is suffering and that sometimes in can even take years of trying different things to reach a solution.

I’ve got be honest that this book does indeed read differently from other Keyes’ novels- not at first, but definitely once I got into the story, and I think I appreciated Helen’s thought processes more because it truly felt like they were being fuelled by someone real. I have no basis of comparison personally for depression and of course I don’t know if Keyes own biography slipped occasionally into Helen’s but I truly felt the honesty in her writing. I know some people may feel that the writing seemed detached but that to me was Helen’s voice and not a reflection of Keyes’ own skill.

While the subject matter is difficult, I think Keyes once again has made education in a difficult subject seem natural, and the Walsh Sisters will always be favourites of mine.

Thank you to Viking for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Something About Sophie by Mary Kay McComas

2013-05-03T19:44:00.001-04:00

3 Star

Clearfield, Virginia, is a sleepy, idyllic hamlet where residents welcome its comfortable, familiar routines. But when a newcomer arrives in town, long-buried secrets threaten to surface and destroy their haven . . .

Answering a call that summons her to a stranger's deathbed, a reluctant Sophie Shepard is too late to hear what he was so anxious to tell her. What was so important that a dying man would think of her in his final moments? With the help of Dr. Drew McCarren, Sophie begins to dig into her past, setting off a chain of events that chills the quiet town of Clearfield, Virginia, to its roots.

With part of her wanting nothing more than to put Clearfield behind her and run back home, Sophie knows she won't rest until she discovers the truth. But growing closer to the residents also means uncovering their dark secrets--secrets about the woman who gave Sophie up for adoption, the mysterious part these strangers played, and the life she never knew she nearly had.

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Jen - 3 Star

The general idea of Something About Sophie by Mary Kay McComas is promising. Stories about adoption are always endearing to me. I understand Sophie’s curiosity about where her story began. The first half of Something About Sophie was great; it really grabbed my attention.

Sophie is a great protagonist, plus she has red hair, so everything is a little more interesting with her around. There’s just something about brave redheads that makes for a great story. And what is more brave than leaving your home to search for answers about your birth parents, especially when the answers seem to be coming from a man on his deathbed?

When Sophie hears that a man she doesn’t know has left something to her in his will, she assumes he holds the key to her unknown past, including her birth parents. So she makes the trip alone to find out why, who and what is behind this man’s story.

With any great story, the main character gets much more than she was expecting, including a handsome doctor, an endearing caretaker and mysterious murders that seem to be anything but coincidental. The questions Sophie must answer pile up faster than the chapters can answer but I liked the fast pace element of the story.

Where Something About Sophie lost some of its steam for me was in the second half of the book, where many of the characters and connections to Sophie’s story got confusing to me. Keeping track of names is sometimes a struggle for me, especially if I am trying to connect those names to their parts in a mystery. There are also some loose ends that didn’t seem to get tied up at the end.

Sophie’s story and character stays strong though, and her blooming relationship with Dr. Drew McCarren kept me interested in the book for the most part. My only criticism in that area would be the steamy factor, but maybe passionate scenes are just my taste and the lack of them didn’t take away from the story.

Something About Sophie is worth a read if you like action and mystery and a brave, likeable red head.

Thank you to William Morrow for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Market Street by Anita Hughes

2013-05-01T20:06:00.000-04:00

3.5 Star

Cassie Blake, heiress to Fenton's, San Francisco's most exclusive department store, has been married to Aidan, a handsome UC Berkeley professor, for ten years. But when she discovers Aidan allowed himself to be seduced by one of his students, she moves into the third floor of her best friend Alexis's Presidio Heights mansion. Aided by the hilarious and high-spirited Alexis, Cassie has to decide if she can forgive Aidan and give their marriage one more chance.

Saving her marriage is not the only choice Cassie has to make. Cassie's mother is eager to have her oversee Fenton's new Food Emporium, destined to be San Francisco's hottest gourmet shopping destination. Her true passion has always been food, and Cassie suspects her mother might be trying to lure her into the Fenton's fold by entrusting her with such an exciting opportunity. And then there is James, the architect designing the Emporium, who is quietly falling in love with her.

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Lydia - 3.5 Star

Market Street has all the ingredients for a fun chick lit novel: plenty of shoes, shopping and fashion, a main character in crisis, a slightly crazy best friend, and an overbearing mother. I enjoyed the glimpse into the lives of the glamorous and filthy rich, but unfortunately the novel didn’t grab me as much as I had hoped.

Rather than gawk at the fashion (something that doesn't really appeal to me), Market Street did entice me into running out to my local gourmet store to peruse the shelves and select delectable treats. I found this aspect of the novel so much fun to read about, but I sadly found it too short. I’ve never been one who loves to read about the infamous chick lit heroine and her shoes. Instead, I crave something more than descriptions of designer clothes and, as much as I know this type of escapism can be enjoyable at times, lately it grates on me. So if you love fashion, you may very well have a much different opinion of this novel.

I might have been able to overlook the overabundant descriptions of what everyone was wearing with a heroine I loved, but unfortunately I had a difficult time with some of the choices Cassie and her best friend made regarding the men in their lives. I loathed that her bestie, Alexis, was so worried about what her husband would think about her ‘working’ and doing something she loved when he was off traipsing all over the world, leaving her at home. Cassie was in a similar boat with her husband keeping her tethered to their home and never encouraging her to do more. I hated both these men and it made me wonder about the women who loved them. I needed some scenes with Alexis’s husband to understand him and their relationship more. I think I would have been happier if Cassie had decided about her husband’s infidelity and assinine behavior instead of wavering. If she had moved one sooner and then come into her own with the food emporium, I probably would have appreciated and related to her character more. The love interest did feel a bit forced to me, but maybe that was because Cassie could never seem to make up her mind about her husband and whether she was in or out of their relationship.

There were a few laugh out loud moments, and I’m sure if you’re into fashion and shoes, you’ll enjoy Market Street and maybe even if you're not.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for our review copy.

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Studio Saint-Ex by Ania Szado

2013-04-30T20:30:00.000-04:00

3 Star

Set in Manhattan and Quebec City in 1943, Studio Saint-Ex is a fictionalized account of the love triangle among Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, his mercurial wife, Consuelo, and a young fashion designer. Mignonne Lachapelle leaves Montreal for New York to make her name, but is swept away by the charms of France’s greatest living writer. Nothing about their relationship is simple—not Antoine’s estranged wife who entangles Mig in her schemes to reclaim her husband, not his turmoil, and certainly not their tempestuous trysts or the blurring boundaries of their artistic pursuits. Yet the greatest complication comes in the form of a deceptively simple manuscript: Antoine’s work-in-progress, The Little Prince, a tender tale of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss in the form of a young prince fallen to earth.

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Sabrina-Kate - 3 Star

Despite excellent descriptions and writing, I really had trouble getting into the book. I think that perhaps it was because I didn't find the story itself that appealing. Despite that, the dialogue and descriptions in Studio St. Ex are rich and full of incredible detail. For anyone interested in modern historical fiction and fashion, this will probably be a book you will very much enjoy.

Ania Szado has created a very intriguing novel full of lots of realistic and factual details that any history buff will lap up. There is an interesting story entwined between the two women and the author of Le Petit Prince that is the focus of this literary tale that made me long to read that book again since it has been since I was a child since I have last read it.

The story is a deft look at ambition, passion and desire that shows just to what lengths someone might go to get what they want. The story is something that is quite epic in its own way and will stay with you long after having been read.

Thank you to Penguin Canada for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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The Very First Bite by Cynthia Langston

2013-04-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

3.5 Star

The Very First Bite chronicles the toils and triumphs of Lanie Albers, who has just ten weeks to mentally and physically prepare for the ultimate day of reckoning: her high school class reunion.

With twenty pounds of extra weight, a dead-end job and a boyfriend who won’t commit, the prospect of revisiting old classmates has Lanie reeling with panic. Not to mention the loose ends she’ll finally have to face, like Chad, her first love, for whom she suspects she might still have feelings. And Candace, her lifelong best friend, who abruptly ended their friendship seven years ago with no explanation.

By examining the ghosts of her past, Lanie begins to prepare for the revelations and confrontations of the big night. She also launches a desperate campaign to lose weight: an uproarious battle with fad diets and disastrous workouts, most of which lead her right back to the cookie jar.

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Kaley - 3.5 Star

Have you ever read two books back to back that had very similar storylines? One was probably better, right? And I’d guess that there was a very good chance that the lesser of the two would have been more enjoyable had you not also experienced the other. This was the case for me with The Very First Bite by Cynthia Langston. I was listening to an audiobook of another novel that was very similar to this plot and I couldn’t help but compare the two. Why am I telling you this? Partly in case you’ve read Langston’s novel and are thinking, “Why didn’t she love this book like I did?” And partly because I really do think I would have liked this one more had I not been listening to the other book. I did enjoy reading this novel, it was just unfortunate timing.

The only other, teeny, thing is that Lanie kind of drove me crazy. She’s not exactly overweight but she wants to lose about twenty pounds. Cool, that’s great for her. What bothered me was her total cluelessness when it came to dieting. I don’t think this should be a big deal but it bugged me. All she needed to do is put down the Pop Tarts, pick up the vegetables, and put in some gym time. Not try every fad diet there is. Not only was it silly but it also got a bit repetitive.

I really liked the storyline with Candace, Lanie’s estranged best friend from childhood. Candace isn’t in Lanie’s life in the present day so the stories we get are all told in flashbacks. Not only did we get to find out more about their friendship but also what Lanie was like as a child, teen, and young adult, which gave more depth to her character. Exploring friendships is always enjoyable for me and this was the part of the novel I liked the most.

I wasn’t sure what would happen at the end of this novel and I loved that. It’s not often that you get a really unpredictable chick lit story. I didn’t know how her romantic life would play out or if Candace would come back into her life. I liked that there were just enough twists and turns to keep me guessing but not confused.

The Very First Bite by Cynthia Langston was a fun and enjoyable chick lit read. There were crazy character quirks, romantic issues, and entertaining adventures with friends. If you’re looking for an amusing read for the weekend, I suggest checking this one out.

Thank you to Cynthia Langston for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge

2013-04-24T19:15:00.000-04:00

5 Star

Who is Lucie Walker? Even Lucie herself can’t answer that question after she comes to, confused and up to her knees in the chilly San Francisco Bay. Back home in Seattle, she adjusts to life with amnesia, growing unsettled by the clues she finds to the selfish, carefully guarded person she used to be. Will she ever fall in love with her handsome, kindhearted fiancé, Grady? Can he devote himself to the vulnerable, easygoing Lucie 2.0, who is so unlike her controlling former self? When Lucie learns that Grady has been hiding some very painful secrets that could change the course of their relationship, she musters the courage to search for the shocking, long-repressed childhood memories that will finally set her free.

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Sabrina-Kate - 5 Star

Love Water Memory is exactly the type of book that I just LOVE. And yes, that needed capitals. Everything about this book was just fantastic. The story was entirely captivating and well paced. I didn't want to put the book down but of course had to but the story stayed so fresh in my mind that I didn't hesitate for a moment to remember where I was at and what was going on.

The story is a bittersweet one of a woman who has lost her memories. All of them. I cannot even begin to imagine what this might be like. I imagine it would be very frustrating but perhaps also liberating. I am pretty sure that the author did a great job in portraying Lucie's reactions and actions both in realistic ways.

The story is a wonderful one of a woman losing everything to gain everything back. It was a book that gripped me and captured my emotions. The character was often on an emotional rollercoaster and therefore so was I. This was definitely the greatest strength of the book. That I got so completely lost in it that I felt like I was living it along with Lucie. It is rare that a book so completely grips me like this but it truly did.

I also quite enjoyed the fact that I did not expect or figure out a lot of the things that occurred in Love Water Memory ahead of time, like what had happened to Lucie or to her parents in the past. Shortridge did a great job of weaving this story together in a believable and shocking way.

Thank you to Gallery Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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The Best Of Us by Sarah Pekkanen

2013-04-24T09:19:00.000-04:00

4 Star

Following a once-in-a-lifetime invitation, a group of old college friends leap at the chance to bring their husbands for a week’s vacation at a private villa in Jamaica to celebrate a former classmates' thirty-fifth birthday.

All four women are desperate for a break and this seems like a perfect opportunity. Tina is drowning under the demands of mothering four young children. Allie needs to escape from the shattering news about an illness that runs in her family. Savannah is carrying the secret of her husband’s infidelity. And, finally, there’s Pauline, who spares no expense to throw her husband an unforgettable birthday celebration, hoping it will gloss over the cracks that have already formed in their new marriage.

The week begins idyllically, filled with languorous days and late nights of drinking and laughter. But as a hurricane approaches the island, turmoil builds, forcing each woman to re-evaluate everything she’s known about the others—and herself.

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Lydia - 4 Star

There is something about a once in a lifetime vacation at a private villa that includes a personal chef and pristine empty beaches with a bunch of old friends that conjures up a dreamy feelings. I couldn’t wait to get started on this one as I’ve loved every Pekkanen novel I’ve read. Escapism at its best, Pekkanen delivers a treat with The Best of Us full of wonderful characters, a twisting plot, a few secrets, and a setting I’m sure anyone would be envious of.

This is a perfect beach read and I wish I could have devoured it on my honeymoon, but Netgalley doesn’t often allow the luxury of waiting long to read their review copies. I finished it a few weeks before the wedding and as soon as we decided to rent a private villa for our honeymoon I wanted to wait to post my review so I could briefly discuss the novel from personal experience. Pekkanen nailed it.

The tight quarters of a house, particularly when there is strife and secrets among certain individuals in the group, was perfect. You’re relaxed, your guard is down on vacation and these characters are old friends that had kept loosely in touch over the years and were all at different stations in life. You can only imagine what comes to the surface. I was surprised and shocked several times and appreciated the unpredictability.

I enjoyed all the characters and what they brought to the table, even though I didn’t love them all – or agree with all of their decisions. They were all so different and it was easy to grasp who was who from the first pages which I loved as sometimes this can be difficult when multiple characters are involved. I thought the interactions between them were realistic and there were some intense moments that raised the stakes for all involved and I found myself rapidly flipping pages to see what would occur.

The Best of Us didn’t carry quite the same weight for me as the more intimate stories such as Skipping a Beat did for me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Pekkanen vaults us right into the heads of her characters so we know their motivations, fears and goals. There is something for everyone in this one.

As a side note - If you’re searching for a vacation and think this is out of reach, just Google it. It may not be as exorbitant as you think. You don’t have to have a private chef and if you’re going with friends you can all pitch in with the cooking – and share the costs of the villa. If you don’t mind being a five minute walk to the beach or go off season, the prices are even better. You’ll have more privacy and won’t be on a resort’s timetable. You wouldn’t have to listen to the incessant poolside music and activities. Or maybe it’s just me and the hubs. We’re older now and aren’t looking for a party vacation. Or it could be that we don’t have children we might like babysitters for which resorts offer. Anyhow, just consider it if you’re interested. I’m not sure I would ever return to a resort again.

Thank you to Washington Square Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Margaret From Maine by Joseph Monninger

2013-04-23T08:24:00.001-04:00

3 Star

Brought together by war, separated by duty, a love story for the ages.

Margaret Kennedy lives on a dairy farm in rural Maine. Her husband Thomas—injured in a war overseas—will never be the man he was. When the President signs a bill in support of wounded veterans, Margaret is invited to the nation’s capital. Charlie King, a handsome Foreign Service officer, volunteers to escort her. As the rhododendron blossoms along the Blue Ridge Highway, the unlikely pair fall in love—but Margaret cannot ignore the tug of her marriage vows.

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Jen - 3 Star

Margaret From Maine didn’t speak to me as much as I thought it would after reading its description. The beautiful cover photo did enough to pique my interest and I wish I could say my interested didn’t stop there. Luckily, Joseph Monninger knows what elements make a great love story, so it has high points that made many points of the story enjoyable.

Maybe it was the dairy farm, where Margaret lives with her father in law and young son, Gordon. Maybe it was Margaret’s matter of fact, vague descriptions of the setting and people around her. But I just couldn't connect with this twenties something military wife who lived on a dairy farm.

The disconnect continued when I read about Margaret’s husband, Thomas, who has been left in a vegetative state after being wounded in fighting overseas. It’s been six years since he was injured and I think six years is too long of a gap for Margaret to still be on the dairy farm, going every day to see her husband. She doesn't seem that connected to Thomas but at the same time, she’s still there, taking care of his father and their family business.

It’s only when Margaret flies to Washington to witness the President sign a bill for wounded veterans that the book picked up pace for me, because in walks Charlie King, a handsome officer who volunteers to escort her to the White House and around D.C. Charlie and Margaret’s love affair that follows saved the story from that point on for me. He pulls a “Cinderella story” on her, complete with a beautiful borrowed dress and a night out to a ball. It was enchanting to read about a young woman who has been virtually asleep on a dairy farm come alive again in the arms of a handsome stranger.

It’s their love story that spoke the most to me in this story, even though the strongest bond throughout Margaret’s life is her marriage to Thomas. I won’t tell you how the story ends or even what happens in the second half of the book. There are some really great points in this book like dedication to loved ones, standing your ground and doing what you feel is right even when it hurts, being a good mother, and being kind to others. With those common themes as the story’s backbone, it still goes right in the long run.

Thank you to Plume for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Tapestry Of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg

2013-04-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

3.5 Star

Cecilia Ross is looking for a change. She has decided to take time off from her job as a successful motivational speaker and sell her home. She moves in to a beautiful old house in St. Paul, Minnesota, complete with a big front porch, a wild garden, a chef's kitchen-and three roommates. The four women are different ages, but all are feeling restless, and want to take a roadtrip to find again the people and things they miss. One woman wants to connect with a daughter she gave away at birth; another wants to visit her long-absent ex-husband; a third woman, a professional chef, is seeking new inspiration from the restaurants along the way. And Cecilia is looking for Dennis Halsinger, the man she never got over, who recently sent her a postcard out of the blue.

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Kathryn - 3.5 Star

Cece’s life isn’t in a happy place- the recent loss of her best friend has left her sad and contemplating what she ought to be doing with the second half of her life. I immediately felt connected to Cece’s thoughts and situation but didn’t feel the warmth I would have expected from her. I truly didn’t see her as a motivational speaker either- this could just be me though.

I was, however, really in the right mood for the idyllic nature of Tapestry of Fortunes. Cece’s move from the house she lived in next door to her lost friend to a house full of women she doesn’t know at all appeared hasty but worked out just fine and everything seemed to flow easily and perfectly into place. Maybe everyone’s life has a moment or two when everything goes just according to plan? It was nice to drift along with Cece in this perfect progression and I absolutely loved each one of her new roommates- they were realistic and hopeful and certainly what Cece needed to bring her back into the future. I wish this for us all when we need it the most- great friends who bring clarity!

Cece’s mother was a bit of an odd persona and I’m not sure what her purpose was and how she fit in- especially with her own dating agenda- that was a bit peculiar- but I liked some of the bit players, the little girl on the airplane was extremely colourful- not sure of her purpose in the plot but she was great!

Although I loved the hope, Berg’s writing and even the storyline I’m not sure I am in love with this book- I enjoyed Tapestry of Fortunes but it didn’t fill me with passion and there lacked main character development and some depth of the back story.

Thank you to Random House for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes

2013-04-09T09:10:00.000-04:00

5 Star

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

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Lydia - 5 Star

I somehow knew straight off that Me Before You was going to rip my heart out with a grapefruit spoon. I barely knew anything about it other than the rave reviews, and when it popped up on Netgalley, I snatched up the opportunity and crammed it into my busy reading schedule. And am I ever glad I did. This novel is an unforgettable roller coaster ride, one which I devoured in a few short days.

I sobbed for a half an hour after finishing this book. I NEVER do this. I may leak a few tears, sometimes even have some streaming, but sobbing, streaming and blubbering for thirty minutes? Never. I can only say that at no time could I predict the outcome of this one, which was fantastic. No more will be said, but just that this book is probably not for the faint at heart or for people that do not like to feel things because this one make you feel everything.

Me Before You tackles heavy subject matter, which I loved, yet there are humourous moments which keep it easy to read, and Moyes manages to keep an overall lighthearted feel, the effect of which is marvelous. This could have been a depressing, difficult read, but Moyes humanizes this controversial subject matter by making it relatable with two incredible characters. Regardless of which side of the issue you stand on, and what outcome you want in the end, Me Before You is eye opening and definitely makes you think.

Lou and Will are two of the most fantastic characters I have had the honor to read about in ages. I grew attached to Lou instantly. A simple girl - you won't find any Louboutins in this book - her heart steals the show. How selfless she is accepting a job she didn't want to help save her family home and how compassionately she looks after Will is almost overwhelming. I wanted her to stick up a bit more for herself, but at the same time, I didn’t want her to change that much because she was so kind, caring, and compassionate. I was desperate for her to ditch her icky boyfriend and find her path in life, particularly hoping it would wind around to Will. Ahhh, Will. Insert huge sigh here. I loved him, and I grew desperate for him to accept his new position in life and move on – and prayed it would be with the lovely Lou. I adored watching their relationship blossom. These are two characters I will never, ever forget.

Oh, just go get this book now. You won’t regret it. Promise.

And please, someone make this one into a movie - because I’d like to have my heart shattered all over again.

Thank you to Viking for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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The Perfect Ghost by Linda Barnes

2013-04-08T19:52:00.000-04:00

2 Star

Mousy and shy to the point of agoraphobic, Em Moore is the writing half of a celebrity biography team. Her charismatic partner, Teddy, does the interviewing and the public schmoozing. But Em’s dependence on Teddy runs deeper than just the job—Teddy is her bridge to the world and the main source of love in her life. So when Teddy dies in a car accident, Em is devastated, alone in a world she doesn’t understand. The only way she can honor his memory and cope with his loss is to finish the interviews for their current book—an “autobiography” of renowned and reclusive film director Garrett Malcolm.

Ensconced in a small cottage near Malcolm’s Cape Cod home, Em slowly builds the courage to interview Malcolm the way Teddy would have. She finds Malcolm at once friendlier, more intimidating, and much sexier than she had imagined. But Em soon starts hearing whispers of skeletons in the Malcolm family closet. And then the police begin looking into the accident that killed Teddy, and Em’s control on her life—tenuous at best—is threatened.

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Sabrina-Kate - 2 Star

The premise of The Perfect Ghost did not appeal to me from the start but I started reading this book hoping to be pleasantly surprised and I wish I could say that I was but unfortunately that didn`t end up being the case. This book was a rambling account of a story that was all over the place and not in any places that I found to be appealing or interesting.

The main character was agoraphobic, allegedly anyway, but those characteristics weren`t obviously apparent in how she was portrayed. I would classify her as more neurotic perhaps than anything. Her monologue to a dead colleague and apparent former lover throughout the book was distracting and didn`t follow any kind of logical sequence. The story seemed to have too many elements in it that the character would describe and was left wondering why the author would make the story so unnecessarily complex.

I mention that because Barnes does have an incredible strength with her descriptions which are the only reason that I made it through this book at all. I feel that if she would have toned down all of the things that happened in the book and just focused on a cleaner more simple story but kept the amazing prose that The Perfect Ghost might have been a better read and much more enjoyable.

Thank you to St Martins Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Bristol House by Beverly Swerling

2013-04-05T08:23:00.000-04:00

5 Star

In modern-day London, architectural historian and recovering alcoholic Annie Kendall hopes to turn her life around and restart her career by locating several long-missing pieces of ancient Judaica. Geoff Harris, an investigative reporter, is soon drawn into her quest, both by romantic interest and suspicions about the head of the Shalom Foundation, the organization sponsoring her work. He’s also a dead ringer for the ghost of a monk Annie believes she has seen at the flat she is subletting in Bristol House.

In 1535, Tudor London is a very different city, one in which monks are being executed by Henry VIII and Jews are banished. In this treacherous environment of religious persecution, Dom Justin, a Carthusian monk, and a goldsmith known as the Jew of Holborn must navigate a shadowy world of intrigue involving Thomas Cromwell, Jewish treasure, and sexual secrets. Their struggles shed light on the mysteries Annie and Geoff aim to puzzle out—at their own peril.

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Kathryn - 5 Star

I had no idea what to expect on starting Bristol House and was happily engrossed after a few chapters in a fascinating novel of historical intrigue. It tied into things I’ve been interested in for years- The Knights Templar, anything Tudor and religious history and as far as I could tell, the story was balanced on a great base of historical accuracies and accepted truths.

Swerling has interwoven a present and a past storyline to meet in a vortex of another plane- I think I was a bit lost for a while with the ghostly monk visiting Annie and wasn’t really sure what to make of his presence. It was eerie and creepy and though I have to say I’m not so much a believer in ghosts as such- this monk was definitely as real to me as he could be. His purpose is absolutely essential to the plot.

Annie herself was a bit dry - I didn’t get a very good feel for her and seeking acceptance as an academic because of her past as an alcoholic didn’t bring me much more warmth. She was just a bit one-dimensional but I accept that it was important for this to be her history so that she is the perfect person to do the research. I relied on Geoff and his mother Maggie to bring warmth to the book when it was lacking elsewhere. They were larger than life and quite a fascinating pair- as were the various rabbis involved.

Swerling has written a novel full of points of interest and I’m still trying to absorb all the information she managed to cram into it- saying that though, Bristol House was well written and fast paced and not at all slowed down by the details.

Thank you to NAL for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Three Good Things by Wendy Francis

2013-04-04T08:03:00.000-04:00

4 Star

Ellen McClarety, a recent divorcée, has opened a new bake shop in her small Midwestern town, hoping to turn her life around by dedicating herself to the traditional Danish pastry called kringle. She is no longer saddled by her ne’er-do-well husband, but the past still haunts her—sometimes by showing up on her doorstep. Her younger sister, Lanie, is a successful divorce attorney with a baby at home. But Lanie is beginning to feel that her perfect life is not as perfect as it seems. Both women long for the guidance of their mother, who died years ago but left them with lasting memories of her love and a wonderful piece of advice: “At the end of every day, you can always think of three good things that happened.” Ellen and Lanie are as close as two sisters can be, until one begins keeping a secret that could forever change both their lives.

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Jen - 4 Star

This is book is the perfect read for a rainy weekend at home. It’s comfy, cozy and makes you feel good. Wendy Francis created a story that every woman would enjoy in Three Good Things. The story has a talented main character, Eleanor, who I wish I could sit down to coffee with, she is so lovable! I liked her because she was relatable, a hard worker and she's talented in her craft. She’s got everything a great main protagonist needs: interesting family members, an ex husband, a great job and a fun home town.

Eleanor owns a bakery, and it’s not just any bakery. It’s a kringle bakery, which pretty much just means my mouth was watering the whole time I read about her job. Luckily , Wendy Francis included recipes for the fluffy pastries in the book so one of these days, I am going to try and makes some for myself!

A unique thing about Three Good Things is that Eleanor has two love interests and with most romances there’s usually a clear winner. But in this story, I actually liked both men who were vying for Eleanor’s heart and would have probably been happy for her if she ended up with either one.

The pastry shop, the quaint town and setting and the additional story lines of the other characters all combine to make this a book any reader would enjoy. Even with all these parts that matched up so perfectly, Three Good Things still had unpredictable moments and a surprising ending. At times, I thought I had I pretty good idea about what was going to happen and the next moment, the characters surprised me. They are faced with problems that many in real life face too: divorce, loss of a parent, motherhood, infidelity, and more. It’s human nature to be unsure of decisions or a desire to turn back the clocks...and it’s comforting to read about characters going through the same things you have.

If I had to give a little criticism about Three Good Things, I would say there were a couple situations and story lines that were left at loose ends for me, but that’s probably just because I was so invested in their stories and just wanted to know more.

When real characters come to life like in this book, it reminds me why I love reading so much: reading about people I would love to meet in real life and learning more about myself by meeting them.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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The Power Trip by Jackie Collins

2013-03-31T09:15:00.000-04:00

4.5 Star

A Russian billionaire and his state of the art yacht. His beautiful and sexy supermodel girlfriend. And five dynamic, powerful and famous couples invited on the yacht's maiden voyage. A senator and his lovely but unhappy wife. A very attractive movie star and his needy ex-waitress girlfriend. A famous black footballer and his interior designer wife. A male Latin singing sensation and his older English boyfriend. And a maverick writer with his Asian journalist female friend.

Could this be the trip of a lifetime? Or could this be the trip from hell?

Whatever happens on the high seas doesn't necessarily stay there.

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Sabrina-Kate - 4.5 Star

The Power Trip is typical Collins. Absorbing in its fantastic descriptions of a life most of us will never lead, it truly is her usual style of story. Like savoring a guilty secret, I read this hefty tome in two days which was very easy to do despite being more than 500 pages as each chapter was short but packed full of action and interesting descriptions and yes, the signature sultry sex scenes she is also known for. The story rolls along at a rocking pace with alternating chapters focusing on all of the characters within, keeping things interesting and diverse throughout. The descriptions are amazing with no detail left untold.

I think that The Power Trip appealed to me as it gave a glimpse, whether realistic or not, into the lives of the rich and famous. To see how life could be, what some people are privy to and how they are spoiled by circumstance is something that most of us are curious about in one way or another. I am not sure how realistic the lives portrayed within are but I am sure that there is at least a modicum of truth to them. And if not, it certainly is entertaining to think that there is.

Collins truly does excel at what she does but this should come as no surprise as she has a lot of experience with these types of tales. I only have to wonder how much of these types of scenarios she might have personally been part of. For any Collins fan, or for someone that wants a great beach read or has a weekend to while away while escaping reality, this is definitely a read for you.

Thank you to Get Red PR for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Thin Rich Bitches by Janet Eve Josselyn

2013-03-30T09:09:00.000-04:00

2 Star

Leaving her cheating husband in Boston with the paralegal he impregnated, Pippin Snowe and her son move to a ramshackle farmhouse that she inherited in the exclusive community of Dover, Massachusetts. Pippin finds employment with a local architect, designing kitchen renovations for wealthy Dover women who treat her as they treat the rest of the hired help. Concluding that social climbing is just another sport that she is no good at, Pippin opens a country club for dogs that offers services that the Dover women didn’t know they wanted until they found out that admission was required and spaces were limited.

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Lydia - 2 Star

Thin Rich Bitches started out so promising but then fell dramatically short for me. I just couldn't connect with the main character, Pippen, beyond the first third of the novel. Her constant grumbling and comparisons about how poor she was (even though she had just inherited a huge amount of land and a large home, regardless of the state of it) and how rich everyone that lived in her new area was, eventually grated on me. She wasn't that poor. She still shopped. She just couldn't afford designer stuff anymore. It was almost offensive, particularly in this economy. Maybe the book would have been better ten years ago in the chick lit shoes and shopping heyday. Or maybe it's just me.

I really enjoyed Pippen's character at first. She was funny, bubbly and down - the perfect chick lit heroine. Unfortunately though, over time, her humour became jadded - or maybe it is not just my kind of humour. There were some amusing and laugh-out-loud moments, but about a third of the way in, I grew tired of how she constantly judged and loathed the people she was suddenly lumped together with in her new community. So, sell the house then, and move on. But she didn't. She stayed. And I have no idea why because she hated them all. Except how rich they were going to make her.

Speaking of which, the idea of starting the kennel? The way out of her financial doghouse? It was pretty much the end of the novel which frustrated and saddened me because I anticipated much doggie fun. Instead the majority of the novel was spent observing the rich and grumbling about it with Pippen not doing much to move on with her life. Somewhere in the middle I began glossing over pages with the repetitive descriptions of the rich, waiting for something to happen - preferably the kennel as was promised in the synopsis.

Unfortunately it never came. There were some interesting glimpses into the lifestyle of the rich and fabulous and some laughter in the beginning, but sadly I found myself rolling my eyes near the end. I suspect this novel might have worked better for me if the main character was slightly more sympathetic or three dimensional or less grouchy about her new position and more willing to move on.

Thank you to Janet Eve Josselyn for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Fast Forward by Juliet Madison

2013-03-29T08:47:00.000-04:00

4.5 Star

Aspiring supermodel Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her 25th birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.

Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband, and hideous support underwear forever?

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Lydia - 4.5 Star

Fast Forward is a charming debut! I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. A fun, fast, fresh, and funny read, Fast Forward introduces us to Kelli, a self absorbed model who suddenly awakes a couple of decades later in a life she would never have willingly given herself, complete with cellulite and...children.

From the first page, I wasn’t sure whether I would like Kelli, but then, a couple of pages in, one simple gesture makes her loveable, and her boyfriend, not so much. It made her much more than the cliché model and I warmed to her instantly. I knew the road ahead from supermodel to saggy-breasted, middle aged woman, would be tough on her and I couldn't wait to see how she would handle it.

I loved that Madison doesn’t take the future too far. I thought her portrayal of the future was realistic and not too far advanced. Not everyone was flying around in their own personal space crafts, but there was enough advancement to make it realistic. I loved the epads! I want one! And I’m sure it’s something we’ll see if our technology keeps progressing as it has been, so I thought it was fitting.

I loved her future family, and particularly Will. They were all so real, so genuine and so loveable! I was actually a smidgen jealous of her future-self. I thought her progression was realistic and how she slowly comes to realize how different her life could be and how much she actually liked the people she was suddenly surrounded by was really well done.

Kelli's’s reaction to landing in the future was amusing, had some laugh out loud moments and I loved seeing her eyes gradually open to the possibilities life held as opposed to the limited ones she was pining away for when she first landed in the future. I was even touched to tears.

I really enjoyed this one. Who wouldn’t love a glimpse into the future?

Thank you to Escape Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are own own.

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Secrets Of The Tides by Hannah Richell

2013-03-28T09:21:00.000-04:00

5 Star

Every family has its secrets. Some are small, like telling a white lie or snooping through a private drawer. Others are more serious like infidelity and betrayal. And some secrets are so terrible they must be hidden away in a deep, dark place, for if they ever came to light, they would surely tear a family apart.

The Tides are a family full of secrets. Returning to Clifftops, the rambling family house high up on the Dorset coastline, youngest daughter Dora hopes for a fresh start, for herself and the new life she carries. But can long-held secrets ever really be forgiven? And even if you can forgive, can you ever really learn to love again?

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Kathryn - 5 Star

The cover of this novel doesn’t even hint at the strong dramatic story within the pages! I picked Secrets of the Tides up on whim on my last visit to the UK and am so pleased that I did.

We begin with a young woman taking a solitary train journey to London and then throwing herself into the river so for the first half you’re trying to determine who this woman is and how it ties into the story. While you’re busy trying to work that part out you’re slowly exposed to a fairly normal family starting to fray at the edges when they move to the country. Their disintegration entrenches when they experience the worst possibly tragedy a family could ever face.

Richell successfully gets into the headspace of both teenager and adult and keeps their inner thoughts and characters consistent as we bounce from present day to the past. I was brought back to being a teenager and all the inner voices that that brings but also found some affinity with the mother- as that’s the voice that speaks to me now.

Richell writes with a great amount of tension- I was quite literally tense reading the majority of the novel because I desperately wanted the tragic events that unfolded not to have happened at all. The exploration of guilt and how it can destroy ones’ life was fascinating and true- guilt is a powerfully tortuous emotion for oneself and for ones relationships.

The ending did seem a bit rushed but I was so hoping they would come together regardless. I don’t think anyone would read Secrets of the Tides without feeling the gut wrenching horror of the family’s circumstances. In her notes at the end of the book Richell mentions the power of childhood memories - it made me think and hopefully made me a more patient mother the next day.

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Learning to Stay by Erin Celello

2013-03-27T08:53:00.000-04:00

4.5 Star

Elise Sabato is proud of her husband, Brad, for serving his country...and grateful when he returns home to her. But the traumatic brain injury he suffered in Iraq has turned him from a thoughtful, brilliant, and patient man into someone quite different....someone who requires more care and attention than Elise can give while working in a demanding law firm. And when Brad ends up on his family’s farm, hundreds of miles away, she wonders where their marriage is headed.

Elise must decide between the life she always wanted and the life she seems to be living…until she finds inspiration in the most unlikely of places: a lovable dog named Jones who teaches her that when the best-laid plans take unexpected turns, sometimes you end up right where you were meant to be.

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Jen - 4.5 Star

In Learning to Stay, I learned so much about a side of war that I haven’t seen before. We see a lot of touching videos online of dads coming home from Iraq by surprising their children at school, or weeping wives holding signs up to welcome their husbands home from war. But what happens when they get home? What happens when the men and women aren’t the same people they were when they left?That’s the story Erin Celello tells is this moving story about Elise Sabato and her husband, Brad.

My first impression of Elise was that she was a strong character, a good wife and a faithful friend. The fact that Elise is a lawyer proves she’s tough and intelligent, but at the same time, she’s also emotional and unaware of the complications many soldiers face after coming home from war.

The book begins with Elise witnessing her friend experience the one thing military wives pray will not happen to them. I appreciated the author’s risk at making Elise feel raw emotions that were so honest that most people probably do feel, but never share. It made the story so real to me. That same raw emotion weaves itself throughout the entire book, making it impossible not to feel the sadness Elise goes through.

The events that unveil the trauma Brad has suffered in Iraq are harrowing and hard to read. Elise explains how smart, capable and charismatic he was before he went to Iraq, making the contrast between the man he was and the man who is now smashing the mirrors in their home stark and foreboding. Celello does an amazing job of showing the scary side of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but at the same time, Brad is a lovable character and you understand Elise’s yearning to bring her husband back.

Elise sets out to help her husband survive the grips of his disorder and the obstacles she has to go through are unimaginable. What’s even more unbelievable is her strength and composure, even when you think she’s given up, she finds another way to keep her marriage together.

The end of Learning to Stay is as satisfying as endings go. Loose ends get tied up and the characters find answers, but there are still surprises and the characters grow in ways they never imagined possible.

Thank you to NAL for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany

2013-03-26T09:10:00.000-04:00

4 Star

When a young mother dies under mysterious circumstances, those she leaves behind begin looking for answers in the past—and find a long-buried secret they could have never imagined. Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be?

At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been the one taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again.

But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances—and soon, Grace and Ava discover there was much more to Kelli’s life than either ever knew.

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Lydia - 4 Star

Heart Like Mine was my first novel by Hatvany and I definitely enjoyed it. It was a heartfelt, gripping, and compelling read about family, love and motherhood and what happens when the life you expected is suddenly ripped away.

This novel explores a family squashed together when they so desperately want a different version of the family they’ve been forced to settle into. Grace is thrown into motherhood when she never wanted children in the first place. She settled for the title of part-time step mom after falling in love with Victor, but when his ex-wife is found dead, she’s vaulted into the role of full time mom when all she wants is the quiet life she imagined with the man she loves. Her step daughter, Ava, is desperately pining for her mother and her old life. Even in her flashbacks, she wants her father back in their lives permanently. And finally, told in flashbacks prior to her death, Ava’s mother, Kelli, desperately wants her husband and family of four back. None of their wishes come to fruition, and Heart Like Mine explores whether they will be able to accept and unite their newfound family.

Initially, I didn’t quite latch on to the characters as I wanted to. While I understood Grace’s situation and her doubts about suddenly being thrown into the role of full time step mom when she never intended to become a mother herself, her questioning the situation made her less endearing to me. I’m not even sure why because it was a perfectly realistic apprehension on her part and is very likely something anyone in her shoes would feel, even if they wanted to become a mother. I think I might have needed to see another, softer side to her – maybe some interactions with her clients at the women’s shelter would have helped to ground her personality and show she’s not heartless, which she completely is not. But for some reason, seeing her fears without knowing her (because this all happens rather quickly at the beginning of the novel) made her a smidgen less likeable to me straight out when I wanted to love her. Over time, I grew to enjoy and love her character though.

The alternating points of view were done well. I did think – as I have with some other novels lately with younger characters – that at times Ava’s point of view was a bit wordier than I would have anticipated a thirteen year old girl speaking or thinking, regardless of how mature Ava was or had to become with her mother’s inabilities. At times it popped me out of the story as I sat back and wondered if the thirteen year olds I knew would say something like Ava did or have the words she did to think that way. Overall though, her reaction at her mother’s death, her anguish, and her questioning felt realistic.

The scenes with the kids were so heart wrenching that I had a difficult time reading some of them. The honesty of these characters was refreshing, even with my concerns about Grace at the beginning. The suspense of Kelli’s death and her history were woven through this story expertly. I was desperate to find out what happened to her, as well as to find out whether the family she left behind would splinter and fall apart or rebound strong and survive.

Hatvany’s writing is easy to read, her characters flawed, but relatable, and the issues she explores are contemporary, realistic, and poignant to our times. I will definitely be seeking more from this talented author.

Thank you to Washington Square Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

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