I read this several years back during one of the infamous "Winter Reading Challenges" inFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I read this several years back during one of the infamous "Winter Reading Challenges" in order to score a free coffee mug, but ended up kind of ripping all of the library's suggestions to shreds (including another by this author) so I never posted a review (you don't insult the people who help supply your addiction, after all). This past week my social media has become the Land of All Things Beauty and the Beast and I (once again) started questioning just how abnormal I am being that I am super creeped out by nearly everything Disney - especially middleaged women with no children who are obsessed with it. Right when I was wondering if I'm missing a chromosome or have some sort of terminal case of not enjoying anything everyone else in the entire world does, this movie came on HBO or Showtime or some such and I was too lazy to flip the channel. And then??????
Everyone else in the world probably hated this movie in addition to hating the book, but oh my lort I ate it up and I'm so excited the 14-year old girl inside of me really hasn't shriveled up and died. I've now watched it twice in less than 24 hours and I can't wait for my family to go to sleep or get involved with the big sportsball tournament so I can watch it again. It also has a cameo by Colin Jost and well, there ain't NUTTIN' wrong with dat . . . . .
1 Star for the book, but 5 Stars to the writers who polished that turd into something sparkly (much like what they did with He's Just Not That In To You (another real shitfest co-written by Turillo)!...more
This was the turning point. Where the books ceased to be books and instead became a lifesFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
This was the turning point. Where the books ceased to be books and instead became a lifestyle. Where not only did I laugh, but also cried my eyes out. Where the Hogwarts students became MY friends. MY family. This was when I knew there was no going back and I was committed to the end.
"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be."
Joe, stuck in a dead-end job selling vacuum cleaners, spends most of his days perfecting Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Joe, stuck in a dead-end job selling vacuum cleaners, spends most of his days perfecting his masturbatory fantasies. In an effort to “build a better mousetrap,” Joe comes up with an ingenious method of eliminating sexual harassment claims in the workplace. The idea? Lightning Rods. Women, who on the surface appear to be perfectly capable/qualified support staff, but are also willing to take one for the team, if you will.
I love good satire. A little darkness, some taboo – I feed on books like that every once in a while. Sadly, Lightning Rods missed the mark. The idea behind the book is one of sheer genius and there are brilliant moments when you hear a snippet of what became of characters or ideas that were laugh out loud funny. Unfortunately, they were literally moments. Ms. DeWitt gets so bogged down in the invention process that she fails to develop a main character that you know much of anything about and the remaining cast of characters are nearly as invisible as the converted bathroom stalls from which they emerge to serve their purpose as Lightning Rods. ...more
Salvage the Bones follows the Batiste family through 12 days in August of 2005 aFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
Salvage the Bones follows the Batiste family through 12 days in August of 2005 as they prepare to ride out what starts as a tropical depression, but ends up turning into Hurricane Katrina. As the impoverished family attempts to scrape together enough scrap wood to board the house and a stockpile of food and water to last them a few days, they are also forced to come to terms with their past, present and future. The past is a mother who died giving birth to Junior, the youngest sibling, leaving the family to be raised by an alcoholic father. The present is a litter of puppies born by Skeetah’s prize fighting pit bull who could sell for enough money to change their lives for a bit, but who are instead dying one by one. The future is 14-year old Esch’s baby that she hasn’t been brave enough to tell anyone about.
One of the most beautifully written books I’ve read all year and I’m finding it so hard to review. This is a book that is about nothing, yet about everything at the same time. I found myself completely hypnotized by the prose, waiting for the crescendo of Hurricane Katrina. Although this book isn’t free of problems, Jesmyn Ward is a master of language and honest, believable, bleak, brutal, gritty, characters. A very "book clubby" book that will spark great conversation over a glass (or three) of vino. ...more
Cricket Cherpin (seriously) has lived in an orphanage ran by nuns for the past 8 years. NFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Cricket Cherpin (seriously) has lived in an orphanage ran by nuns for the past 8 years. Now 8 months away from timing out of the system, he is contemplating his future. Cricket sees three options for himself: (1) move up from being an assistant to his drug-dealing best friend to being a full-fledged dealer himself; (2) take all of his mentor, “Caretaker’s”, training and start boxing for money; or (3) step off a cliff.
If you fall into the category of “I can’t stand YA books that take this not-really-that-intelligent lead character but yet give him the voice of a genius” you probably aren’t going to like Dear Life, you Suck. Cricket’s voice is brilliant. Foul-mouthed and filled with a vocabulary straight of a thesaurus, he’s not your average 17 year old. If you fall into the category of “I can’t stand YA books that have an oh-so-traumatic event that happened upteen years ago that the lead character is struggling to get over”, you might not like it either. Cricket suffered trauma, he tells you he’s f’d up and you know he is either going to have to come to terms with it or just end it all. I generally fall into Category #2, but somehow Scott Blagden produced a novel that didn’t make me want to pull my hair out waiting for the moment where Cricket’s past is finally revealed.
While there are other YA “trauma” books that, in my opinion, are better – this one held its own pretty well. Recommended for older teens for vulgar language, drug/alcohol use and heartbreaking reality. ...more
A year ago Sara’s life was turned upside down when a car accident stole her husbFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
1.5 Stars
A year ago Sara’s life was turned upside down when a car accident stole her husband. Since the accident, she has not been able to move on … or really move at all. Spending her days locked in her house and contemplating if she should end her own life. Her husband’s brother, Lincoln, is the only person who finally gets fed up enough to drag Sara out of her depression. His life was also changed, but he will fight with everything he has in order not lose two people he loves.
If you are a fan of the Lifetime Television for Women movies, you are probably going to LOOOOOOOOOVE Take Care, Sara. It is syrupy sweet and filled with romance. It is also extremely predictable and drones on and on and on and on and on forever rather than just cutting to the chase. Although this was not my cup of tea (it was recommended to me by a fellow Goodreader and I picked it up on the Kindle when it was free), I’m sure there are millions of others out there who just swoon at the mere mention of the title. If you are a lover of romances that are light on plot, this is a good way to kill an afternoon. ...more
Bea has a bit of a problem. A stalking problem. She doesn’t spend her time stalkFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
Bea has a bit of a problem. A stalking problem. She doesn’t spend her time stalking her maybe/maybe not boyfriend, Beck. They just attend group therapy for OCD together. No, Bea spends her time stalking Austin, a man who happens to attend couple’s therapy with his wife in the timeslot right before Bea’s individual therapy sessions. But really, what Bea does isn’t stalking, is it? It’s not her fault that she gets to therapy an hour early and happens to sit in a chair next to a vent that allows her to hear what goes on during Austin’s therapy session, is it? And, it’s not really her fault that she happened to follow Austin and his wife home one day and now knows where they live, right? And, I mean, could it really be her fault that she finds out Austin and his wife are local celebrities in a band and she just happens to buy their CD and knows about their upcoming concert????
I can’t remember the last time a book made me so uncomfortable while I was reading it. I mean, I was literally squirming with anxiety for Bea. I wasn’t 100% sold on the idea that OCD could make someone a stalker, but Corey Ann Haydu made me a believer (or at least made me say who gives a crap and just enjoy the story). Poor Bea! Such a tragic mess. This was a book I wanted to put down the entire time I was reading it due to my anxiety level (solid 7 for the duration), but somehow could not. Although not an “easy” reader, Haydu’s voice is so completely fresh that I was reeled in hook, line and sinker (maybe I have a bit of book-reading OCD????). ...more
THAT AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN SHELBY TELLS YOU TO READ THIS IMMEDIATELY AND YOU REALIZE YOU ALREADY DID. OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT THE BRAINS IN OUR FRIENDSHIP ; ) ANYWAY, IT'S FREE RIGHT NOW (MARCH 2ND) ON NETGALLEY SO GO GET YOU SOME
3.5 Stars
Six weeks ago angels fell upon the Earth and changed human life forever. Unfortunately, the angels were not there for the rapture of the “saved” – they were there to take over the world and eliminate the people. Penryn, her mentally ill mother, and her crippled little sister Paige have survived the new world order of angel attacks and newly formed street gangs by hiding in their abandoned condominium complex and scrounging up whatever meager food rations they can find. When supplies run out and the three ladies are forced to relocate, the unthinkable happens – Paige is kidnapped by a band of angels. Penryn will do anything in her power to track her down, even if it means teaming up with an angel.
Angels and resistance movements and frankencreatures, oh my!
I had never even heard of this book, but with the release of World After there was a crap-ton of hype surrounding the series so I bumped it to the forefront of my “to read” list. What can I say?
I also made a statement after finishing the Divergent series (only to realize I had wasted waaaaaay too much of my time on what ultimately culminated in an utter poo-fest), that if I chose to read a second book in a dystopian series ever again people could punch me in the face. Well, line up kids 'cause it’s Slapsgiving. I will definitely be reading World After and will accept any cyberpunches that you want to throw my way.
Although it may not have lived up to alllllllllll of my fangirly-freaky-outy expectations, this was a tasty little book. Just the right length with a gruesome touch that I haven’t seen in YA books. Of course, there are moments that are completely far-fetched. Most people, while on a time sensitive hunt to find a lost sibling, would not find themselves distracted and lusting for the rippling abdominals of one of their arch enemies. However, in times like these I find it best to follow the sage advice of Adam Sandler and “just go with it”. I’m fairly certain Susan Ee didn’t expect to win a Pulitzer – she just wants her audience to have fun. Plus, all the cool kids are reading it ; ) ...more
I can't believe it's been 15 years since I last touched these pages. "It was the best [re-read of my] life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls . . . [I will] never, ever forget."...more
With a three year age difference between them, Dinah has always been there to be a neighbFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
With a three year age difference between them, Dinah has always been there to be a neighbor and best friend to her cousin, Claire. When Dinah’s parents moved across the country at the end of the last school year, Claire ventured into her first relationship without the helpful advice from Dinah and things went way too far. Not able to cope, Claire cut her wrists and is in a coma. Now Dinah has moved back to home, changed her image, registered at Claire’s private school and is ready to seek revenge on the boy who stole Claire’s innocence.
Okay, not really. I don’t think you have to be particularly goooooooood at puzzle solving in order to figure this one out. Hence, the low rating. The fact that I was 99.99999% positive I knew whodunit IMMEDIATELY left me continually calculating how many pages were left before my thoughts would be confirmed and took away much of the entertainment value.
Probably a 1.5 Star book (for real, I knew what was going down WAAAAAAY too early). Thank goodness for a fast-flowing story that made me only waste a couple hours of my life and a cover that caught my eye (1/2 Star bump 'cause, seriously, I picked it up for the cover)....more
Then I sit around for a week (or two, or twelve) because I have no idea how to write the review.
It only seems fitting that someone like me (who clearly has an undiagnosed mental disorder) would flag the holy hell out of a book about a fellow with a mental disorder. It also seems fitting that I should let Matthew do most of the talking when it comes to telling you what this book is about.
Matthew has been raised by a mother who “is thin and pale, with cold hands. She has a broad chin that she is very self-conscious about. She sniffs the milk before she drinks it. She loves me. And she is mad.” And a father who “is tall and broad, and stoops a little. He wears a leather jacket because he used to ride a motorbike. He calls me mon ami. And he loves me.” He lived with a brother named “Simon. I think you’re going to like him. I really do. But in a couple of pages he’ll be dead. And he was never the same after that.”
Matthew was never quite the same after that, either. He’ll tell you that “you notice it when he isn’t there anymore. You notice so many of the places where he isn’t, and you hear so many of the things he doesn’t say. I do. I hear them all the time.”
Matthew will have to confront those demons of the past in order to come to terms with the reality of the present. Generally I find cover blurbs to be wholly inaccurate, but “rare and brilliant” is a very fitting description for Where the Moon Isn’t. Filer really knows how to get you into a character’s soul. ...more
Celeste Price has everything a girl could dream of. She’s model-gorgeous with an equally Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Celeste Price has everything a girl could dream of. She’s model-gorgeous with an equally attractive husband who also happens to have a significant trust fund. He works as a police officer, she is a middle-school teacher. He worships the ground his trophy wife walks on and she????? Well, she fantasizes about banging 8th graders.
Okay kids, get ready to hate me because I freakin’ LOVED Tampa. Please, don’t misunderstand – I agree that the subject matter is 100% cringe-inducing. Hell, I remember expressing my amore for this beautiful little werewolf:
I spent the next several years watching the various Twilight films and contemplating whether I should register myself on the national sex offender list for my impure thoughts.
With Tampa, however, Alissa Nutting keeps her tongue so firmly planted in her cheek throughout the book it somehow makes it possible to put your mind past the pedophilia. I found Tampa to be deliciously dark. Reminiscent of American Beauty and Lolita – the tale of ultimate taboo finds a balancing counterpart with a vicious wit. Absolutely NOT for the faint of heart, but if you dare to venture out of your comfort zone you will discover one of the most well written books of the year.
Here’s to a follow-up story in 25 years giving us an update on Frank Rossitano and Lynn Onkman .... errrr, I mean Jack Patrick and Celeste Price.
EDIT: This has moved from the world of FanFic and is now an actual book: Innocents. I'm going to repeat the sins of my past and read it like I did during "my summer of Twilight" so I can give it an actual rating this go 'round. (Yay for Amazon birthday giftcards that make me not feel so bad about wasting $$$$$ on shit I already read.)
After reading Fangirl, I became curious about the world of fan fiction. Like almost every woman with a pulse, I have read the 50 Shades debacle, but I had never read real fan-fic. When this popped up on the Goodreads feed I figured what the hell.
I’ve decided not to give this a rating for a couple of reasons:
(1) I read it wrong. I realize I should have perused various websites until I found a story/author I connected with and then read their story as a work in progress. Instead, I read all 1143 pages over a weekend; and
(2) After reading this I'm pretty sure I still don’t “get” fan-fic.
Although I’ve opted to not give a rating, I do have a few things to say about Dusty. This soooooo was not a Twilight ripoff – the use of character names was pretty much the only connection. The storyline was actually much better than the inspiration. The downward spiral into drug addiction and a toxic love captured my attention and held it for quite awhile.
Unfortunately, Dusty could be used as Exhibit A in a presentation of why editors are a vital part of the writing process. Cut this down to a 350 page book and it’s a winner. Instead I felt like I had Rhianna’s “Hopeless Place” on an endless loop – it was great the first 50 times I listened to it, but by the eleventy billionth I wanted to pull my hair out.
I also must forewarn all that this book also has the potential to create the most RAGING case of literary blue-balls in the history of writing. We’re talking like 500 pages of unnecessary dry-humping rather than plot development. I left my horny teen years behind me ages ago – get it on/don’t get it on, I don’t give a shit, but PLEASE get on with the story.
I did love the use of song lyrics as inspiration for various chapters. I tend to create a soundtrack in my head while reading certain books - Dusty put “Demons” by The Imagine Dragons on my internal playlist all weekend:
When you feel my heat Look into my eyes It’s where my demons hide It’s where my demons hide Don’t get too close It’s dark inside It’s where my demons hide It’s where my demons hide
Being gay isn’t a choice, but being out definitely is. Raised by some seriously hippie-diFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Being gay isn’t a choice, but being out definitely is. Raised by some seriously hippie-dippie parents, Rafe’s coming out was a breeze. We’re talking the school held a special celebration, his mother became the president of the local PFLAG and Rafe began traveling to different schools in the area to mentor other kids. It was wonderful – until Rafe became JUST the gay guy. No one except his best friend, Claire Olivia, was interested in just knowing HIM – they always wanted to know the GAY him. In an effort to shed all labels, Rafe transfers across the country to an all-boys boarding school. There he will play soccer, study hard in hopes of getting accepted to an Ivy league college and have a chance to just be Rafe. The plan of being “openly straight” and not discussing his sex life works out great, until he starts developing deeper feelings for one of his teammates.
“Did you know that LGBT kids are 8.4 times more likely than straight kids to attempt suicide? And 50 percent of LGBT kids are rejected by their parents? That between 20 and 40 percent of homeless teens say they’re gay, lesbian, or transgender, and that up to 50 percent of the guy teens have sold their bodies to support themselves?”
I have no idea if the above statement is true or not. It’s a quote from the book and the stats seem realistic. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to come out – to be labeled by many without them even getting to know you. That’s why books like Openly Straight resonate so deeply with me. This book pushes no agenda – it’s just what a romantic comedy YA book should be. It shows that characters are just like people and come in all varieties – gay, straight, funny, sympathetic, even vile. People are just people, a memorable character is a memorable character, a good author is a good author, and a good book is a good book. This is a good book. It was adorably funny and made me have some feely-feels too.
“Perhaps the best answer is not to tolerate differences, not even to accept them. But to celebrate them. Maybe then those who are different would feel more loved, and less, well, tolerated.” ...more
EDIT: I NEVER change my rating, but this one deserves all 5 and I don't know what assholeFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
EDIT: I NEVER change my rating, but this one deserves all 5 and I don't know what assholery I was up to when I first reviewed it and knocked it down half a star. Also, THIS (http://www.buzzfeed.com/danieldalton/...) was a thing a couple of weeks ago and Jesse Andrews already did it for realsies with Earl. Also #2, I used to write non-giffified reviews. How lame.
Greg has managed to make it to his senior year by being an acquaintance to all and a friend to none one. When you’re a rodent-faced, chubby kid growing up in a not-so-great area and attend a high school of cliques that run the gamut of nerd to criminal, it’s probably best to just blend in so you never get singled out. His only friend has always been Earl – a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, vertically challenged, roundhouse-kicking kid from a broken home, who has pretty much raised himself in a house filled with drug dealing, gangbanging brothers. After Greg decided to give up on having other friends (or ever getting a girl), he and Earl spent all their free time making their own versions of their favorite movies. That is, until Greg’s mother tells him he has to rekindle a friendship with Rachel, a girl from his Hebrew classes ages ago, who is now battling leukemia. Begrudgingly following his mother’s demand request, Greg (and Earl) do as told, eventually letting Rachel in on their secret and sharing their movies with her. Rachel’s dying wish of her new two friends is for them to make a new movie for her. Unfortunately, said movie ends up being the "Worst Film Ever Made" and Greg finds himself in the spotlight he has hidden from all his life.
How can I even describe how much I liked this quirky little novel. After realizing he has made the “Worst Film Ever Made”, Greg has taken to paper to write his tale rather than put it on film. His self-deprecation (i.e., “I can’t believe you’re still reading this. You should smack yourself in the face a couple of times right now just to complete the outstandingly stupid experience that is this book”) and complete honesty about being an awkward teenager (“He has just gotten home from school and is trying to read “A Tale of Two Cities” for class, but it is difficult for him to maintain focus, because inside his pants he has AN INEXPLICABLE BONER”) made me have a “you had me at hello moment”. I am always reeled right in by the loveable loser. (And cover art. God am I a cheap date for a good cover.)
Although nearly 100% certain I would like this book right from the get-go, I never imagined what would happen when Earl entered my life. Earl is one of my favorite characters of the entire year. He gives you zero time to pity the poverty and drugs he has been raised around – instead he is just a constant ball of hilarity and brilliance and I remain smitten.
If you’re concerned about this being a replay of “A Fault In Our Stars” and turning into a huge boo-bag because you’re reading a book that flat out tells you it’s about a dying girl, have no fear. Yes, there is a dying girl, but she is really more of an accessory to the story. Andrews doesn’t let you in Rachel’s life so far as to rip your heart out at her suffering. He just gives you enough info to get you a little misty.
If you’re a fan of John Green or Matthew Quick or Stephen Chbosky, you should not be disappointed with Jesse Andrews. I can’t wait for him to write more. ...more
A 17-year old boy wakes up at Penn Station with no memory. All he knows is he has $10 in his pocket, along with a copy of Thoreau’s Walden. Rather than confessing his bizarre story, he chooses to introduce himself as Henry David when he meets a kid named Jack who seems to know his way around the train station. Venturing out to the mean streets, he is nicknamed “Hank” by Jack and his sister, Nessa. The three soon run into trouble and “Hank” decides to leave the city and go to Walden Pond. He can think of no reason for him to be carrying the book unless that was his initial destination and the way to find an answer that will cure his amnesia.
The idea behind this novel is decent and original. Something horrible has happened and “Hank” is suffering from amnesia. The journey to Walden Pond is good, the piecing back together of his memories is interesting. Unfortunately, it’s just reeeaaaaaaally far-fetched in that “Hank’s” memories return, but luckily he has been taken in by an ultra cool hipster who is more than willing to let him continue to hang for a few days before figuring out how to get him back to his real life. Really, brother? That would be called kidnapping. There’s also a girl storyline (of course there’s a girl, right?) which is fine, but then we add in a random talent show and it all gets a bit convoluted. You can definitely do worse when it comes to YA novels, but you can do a lot better too.
Oh, if by chance you’re wondering the answer to “What Would Henry David Do?” – apparently he would sing “Blackbird” at a talent show rather than deal with reality.
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these sunken eyes and learn to see All your life You were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly Blackbird fly Into the light of the dark black night.”
When Hannah watched her parent’s marriage fall apart, it tainted the idea of a happily-evFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
When Hannah watched her parent’s marriage fall apart, it tainted the idea of a happily-ever-after. Seeing your mother became a raving lunatic, frantically searching through pockets, desk drawers, etc. for clues to an affair that may or may not be happening could do that to a person. Rather than focusing on love, Hannah has always been career driven. She’s made somewhat of a name for herself in advertising and has managed building a life for herself across the pond in New York quite successfully. When mutual friends introduce her to a fellow Londoner on a weekend getaway, Hannah has no idea that she will end up not only in love, but married – giving up her career, apartment and life in New York in order to move back to London with her new husband. Mind you, her new lifestyle is quite comfortable compared to most – a mini-mansion in an up-and-coming neighborhood and a husband who owns a company that he is contemplating selling for millions of dollars should make any girl happy. Unless said husband doesn’t return from a business trip when he says he will and clues to the fact that he hasn’t been 100% truthful about many things during their marriage start to surface.
As always, I am extremely grateful that NetGalley gave me an ARC of this book. However, I find myself in a pickle. Before We Met was a fine book – it was well written, the right length and a quick read. It also was super predictable. I like mysteries to be . . . well, mysterious. Once again (I’ve experienced this reaction way too many times this year) I felt like I was reading a book about what can make a marriage fall apart or how much is too much before you just throw in the towel - not a whoisbad/whoisgood/whatistruth/whatislie that I wanted to read : ( ...more
Dr. Nadine Lavoie is a doctor in a psychiatric unit. She has always found comfort in her Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Dr. Nadine Lavoie is a doctor in a psychiatric unit. She has always found comfort in her work – being able to help those who have run astray. Especially since she was not able to help her own daughter, whose drug addiction led her to a life on the streets. When Heather, a suicidal patient is admitted to the hospital, Nadine realizes they share a similar story. Now, raather than healing others, Nadine has to look into her own past to uncover an awful truth she has repressed for decades.
Before I even really begin, let me offer a piece of advice. Read EVERYTHING by Chevy Stevens before you read her novel, “Still Missing”. There is just no comparison to the sheer terror Stevens is able to provoke in that book. I can’t help but judge an author’s works against each other (especially when said author does not deviate from the psych-thriller genre) and fear Stevens might have hit her high note with “Still Missing”. Now THAT is a book that continues to give me the heebie-jeebies whenever I think about it. Sadly, “Always Watching” was not able to do the same.
This book has some problems. My main issue was my dislike for the heroine. It thought she was kind of an idiot. Her approach to solving the mystery of her past is to tell EVERYTHING about EVERYONE she’s ever interacted with (excluding her own personal history, of course). Obviously the bad guy is going to figure out what a moronic blabbermouth she is. It also didn’t help that the police tell her to go ahead and investigate the case herself since they don’t have enough evidence to do anything. Really? Then we have the fact that she underwent hypnosis therapy YEARS ago with no results, but all of a sudden she starts remembering horrible things from her past and WHOOOOSH the memories just start flooding in.
Now that I’ve just lambasted this poor novel, let me backtrack a bit and say it was not nearly as horrible as the last paragraph makes it sound. There’s a pretty good chance that I’m the asshole in this scenario and everyone else will find Nadine to be a perfectly suitable lead. One thing I know for certain - Chevy Stevens knows how to write a readable book. I saw a couple of the twists and turns coming (note: I’m not allowed to watch any type of “CSI” program with my family because I always know who is the bad guy), but was also surprised by some. The plotline flowed and the action at the end got my ticker pumping a little faster.
My final two cents: With another book already scheduled to be published (making the total 5 books in 4 years by a pretty much unheard of author), it’s time for a break. Slow down, Chevy. We are faithful readers. We will be here (im)patiently waiting for your next book, crossing our fingers that you take us back to those dark corners of your mind again. ...more
Carey has spent 10 years of her life living in a broke-down, cockroach infested camper buFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Carey has spent 10 years of her life living in a broke-down, cockroach infested camper buried deep within the woods. She has been responsible for caring for her 6 year old sister, Jenessa, and her meth-addicted, mentally unstable mother – being made to use any means necessary to keep drugs in her mother’s system and a little food in their bellies. That all changes when a man and woman find their hiding place and take them back to the normalcy of real beds to sleep in, more than one outfit to wear and school in an actual building rather than self-teaching around a campfire from yard sale scraps. As Carey and Jenessa begin to settle in to their new world, Carey will be forced to confront the facts of what happened to her in the woods – secrets that might separate her and her sister forever.
Wowza! What a debut novel. I picked this up since Jennifer Brown wrote the cover blurb and I’m glad I did/she did. Talk about a powerful storyline. This is NOT for youngsters. Murdoch deals with a plot that, scarily, does not seem that far-fetched and some horrible truths that happen to girls being raised by a mother who cares only about her next fix. I look forward to reading more by this author. ...more
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