Short story- I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it.
Long story- I wanted this to be a life altering, perception changing, empowering book, but it just wasn’t that for me.
I’m not a self-help/memoir reader, so maybe I’m not the target audience for this book, but I had to read this empowering, feminist piece of work everyone on bookstagram was raving about. Im always up for a feminist tirade!
The first 1/4 was great! It was interesting, the stories pulled me in, and it felt relevant and real….after that it all went downhill for me. It was fluff peppered with cute motivational quotes.
This was not a memoir or self help book, it was a book of short stories about Glennon’s life, a book about how she CHOSE to be gay, how she has life figured out, and to achieve the best life you must be selfish, always choosing yourself over everyone else. If you’re not choosing you and your truth, are you even living? Sometimes I like to put my kids or husband first, and that feels good to me and my heart. It doesn’t make me a martyr. Sorry Glennon.
Im probably not the target audience for this book, but I gave it a good solid college try.
If you’re into motivational quotes and want a fast, feel-good read, you’ll love this book!
Flora Dane is a victim. Flora Dane is a survivor. Flora Dane is reckless. . Lisa Gardner has an exquisite way of storytelling that puts you directly into the mind of Florence Dane, kidnapping victim. Florence has been a survivor for 472 days. She was the girl who fed the foxes, loved the sunshine on her face, the girl who grew up playing on her momma’s farm in Maine. Flora is the girl who was abducted from a Florida beach while on spring break from college. 472 days ago.
This is my first Lisa Gardner book, and I just have one question- where have these books been all my life? I have read a lot of mysteries and psychological thrillers and I tend to figure them out pretty early on. This book was anything but predictable, and even though I did figure out the culprit near the end of the book, it didn’t take away from the story for me at all. This book was a beautiful unraveling with so many symbolic references that complimented the story perfectly. If you like psychological thrillers, and a good, solid mystery you will love this book. This is the 8th book in the Detective D.D. Warren series, who, by the way is a badass, strong female protagonist, which I can’t get enough of! I’m still wondering how I missed the first 7 books, but now I have something to catch up on, because I’m officially a Lisa Gardner fan girl, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Get this book. Read this book- and let’s talk about this book! It’s a fantastic story that is relevant and beautifully told.
My Bookstagram is something that brings me a lot of joy. The people I have met through my insta and blog have been so lovely, positive and supportive. I have made a lot of friends on this journey. I love being able to show support for emerging authors, and those that have been in the game awhile and may not need it, but have an amazing piece of work that deserves nothing less than a blast on social media! I love hearing from authors and it humbles me when an author reaches out to me with kind words and would like me to help promote their work. Honestly, you won’t find a more positive place on social media than Bookstagram, so if you’re feeling down, (hello 2020🙄) go check out all the wonderful bookstagrams on insta, I promise it will brighten your day!
Since we have been spending more (Ugh, all ) of our time at home, I have had plenty of time to look up all of the new and exciting goings-on in the literary universe…….And I am going to share a few of them with you!
There are a lot of books coming out that I am excited about, (By a LOT of great authors) and I hope, by the end of this list, you are excited about a few too!
The Silent Wife
“Atlanta, Georgia. Present day. A young woman is brutally attacked and left for dead. The police investigate but the trail goes cold. Until a chance assignment takes GBI investigator Will Trent to the state penitentiary, and to a prisoner who says he recognizes the MO. The attack looks identical to the one he was accused of eight years earlier. The prisoner’s always insisted that he was innocent, and now he’s sure he has proof. The killer is still out there.
As Will digs into both crimes it becomes clear that he must solve the original case in order to reach the truth. Yet nearly a decade has passed—time for memories to fade, witnesses to vanish, evidence to disappear. And now he needs medical examiner Sara Linton to help him hunt down a ruthless murderer. But when the past and present collide, everything Will values is at stake . . . “
The Silent Wife will be released on July 28, 2020
Home Before Dark
“What was it like? Living in that house.“
“Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and skepticism.
Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in House of Horrors, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous thanks to Maggie’s father. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place filled with relics from another era that hint at a history of dark deeds. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote was more fact than fiction.”
Home Before Dark will be released on June 20, 2020
The Waffle House On The Pier
Run away to Sea Salt Bay, where the sand is warm and soft, the sea is a perfect blue, and a candy-coloured waffle house is about to change Sadie’s life…
For as long as she can remember, Sadie’s grandparents have run the waffle house on the pier at Sea Salt Bay. With its pretty painted chairs, sweet smells, and the warm advice of her beloved grandparents, the waffle house is like a second home.
But when Sadie’s grandfather dies, leaving her grandmother without an anchor, Sadie must make a difficult decision. She quits her job and moves back home, determined to keep things going. The trouble is, she knows nothing about running a business, and learning at a million miles an hour with a shop full of hungry people isn’t easy. When she nearly burns the waffle house down, she has to admit she needs to get some help.
Her ex-boyfriend Declan promises to be there for her but Sadie worries that getting too close is a mistake – especially as he has a new girlfriend now. And anyway she’s just met newcomer Luke, with his gorgeous suntan and mellow voice…
Sadie’s family have always loved Declan and they’re not too sure about Luke, leaving Sadie unsure which way to turn. A terrible accident at sea forces her to look into her heart, but what if it’s already too late to tell the right man that she loves him?
If you love stolen kisses under the pier, walking along spray-capped shores eating ice cream, and books by Lucy Diamond, Jill Mansell and Jenny Colgan, you will fall in love with this romantic, heart-breaking read.
The Waffle House on the Pier will be released on June 25, 2020
The Guest List
A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the author of The Hunting Party.
The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
The Guest List will be released on June 2nd, 2020
Invisible Girl
ONDON:On a fine avenue of grand houses, big cars and electronic gates, lies a neglected urban wasteland
It is nearly midnight, and very cold. Yet in this dark place of long grass and tall trees where cats hunt and foxes shriek, a girl is waiting…
When Saffyre Maddox was ten something terrible happened and she’s carried the pain of it around with her ever since. The man who she thought was going to heal her didn’t, and now she hides from him, invisible in the shadows, learning his secrets; secrets she could use to blow his safe, cosy world apart.
Owen Pick is invisible too. He’s thirty-three years old and he’s never had a girlfriend, he’s never even had a friend. Nobody sees him. Nobody cares about him.
But when Saffyre Maddox disappears from opposite his house on Valentine’s night, suddenly the whole world is looking at him. Accusing him. Holding him responsible.
Because he’s just the type, isn’t he? A bit creepy?
INVISIBLE GIRL: A story of secrets and injustices, and of how we look in the wrong places for the bad people while the real predators walk among us in plain sight.
Invisible girl will be released on August 6, 2020
One By One
Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them?
When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?
One By One will be released on September 8, 2020
Magic Lessons
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s is here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.
Magic Lessons is a celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
Magic Lessons will be released on October 6, 2020
Mark your calendars and set your alarms so you don’t miss any of these awesome summer/fall releases. I hope you find a few that you are excited about, and if you do, let me know!
Amazon first reads is pretty awesome. If you are an Amazon Prime member you have early access to editors picks, one FREE kindle book each month (Chosen from a selection of books each month) and you can shop select print editions for $9.99 or less in participating months.
ANYWAY, I wanted to share with you my February pick! I’m pretty excited about this one, and after reading a few contemporary YA books recently, I am SO READY for a good thriller.
DRUMROLL PLEASEEEEEEE- I present to you, my February pick, “A Killer’s Wife” By Victor Methos.
From the bestselling author of The Neon Lawyer comes a gripping thriller about a prosecutor confronted with the darkest part of her past and the worst fears for her future…
Fourteen years ago, prosecutor Jessica Yardley’s husband went to prison for a series of brutal murders. She’s finally created a life with her daughter and is a well-respected attorney. She’s moving on. But when a new rash of homicides have her ex-husband, Eddie, written all over them—the nightmares of her past come back to life.
The FBI asks Jessica to get involved in the hunt for this copycat killer—which means visiting her ex and collaborating with the man who tore her life apart.
As the copycat’s motives become clearer, the new life Jessica created for herself gets darker. She must ask herself who she can trust and if she’s capable of stopping the killer—a man whose every crime is a bloody valentine from a twisted mastermind she’s afraid she may never escape.
Okay, Yes, yes and yes. I am all for a good thriller. This book has great reviews on Goodreads, and sounds absolutely delicious. Have you read A Killers Wife? Let me know!!
“I love seeing this.” I curl my gloved hand around his. “Thank you.” Is this what life with Jonah means? Will he whisk me away to remote places and show me awe-inspiring wonders? Things I had no idea about and things I may have heard about but but never realized how much I would appreciate? Because if that’s the case, I’ll never get enough of this new life with him.
It’s fine. I’m fine. I just have the most head -pounding book hangover of all time….but I’ll be fine.
Wild at Heart was my most anticipated read of 2020, and when you get the ARC of your most anticipated book of the YEAR, you throw everything else away and read it!
Have you ever moved to a new place and felt so lost, amazed, alone, happy, confused, homesick, and every other emotion possible for your heart to feel? That is how I felt reading this book. KA Tucker has done it again. She has captured the pristine beauty of the Alaskan frontier with such poetic ease that it made my mouth water, and consumed my heart with wanderlust.
I was wondering as I started this book if any newly introduced characters could live up to Wren,(who I miss, by the way, because, YES, it IS possible to fall in love with a fictional man!) Agnes and Mabel, but I found myself falling in love, yet again, with them all. The Curmudgeon was my favorite, he captured my heart with his mean, stubborn personality, and found that he was easily my favorite character in the book.
Wild at Heart is a slow burn, with delicious morsels of love, adventure, and new family scattered throughout so perfectly, that it had me wanting more. I finished this book in ONE DAY, I could not put it down, and I have the WORST book hangover of all time, wondering if there will be a novella sequel soon, so we can catch up on Jonah and Calla’s new life they have built together.
It is rare that I find a book that elicits such feelings within my heart, and I found myself laughing, crying, and on edge more than once throughout this book, especially when it came to the BEARS! I love that Calla has found her own voice, strength and purpose within Alaska and her new home!
Wild at Heart is just as amazing as The Simple Wild with complex, fun, lovable characters, a beautiful setting, and a love story that will make your heart swell as you realize you have fallen in love with everyone in the book…..again!
I 100% recommend this book, It will leave a lasting impression on your heart that is not easily shaken.
Wild at Heart will be available on 2-18-20. I hope you pick up this book, and I hope you love it as much as I did! Let me know, I would love to talk about it with you….or ANYONE! Yes, it was that good.
*YAY- this is a re-issue of Cracked Up to be, with an added forward from the author**
Parker Fadley is a high school senior dealing with some pretty heavy stuff! Parker’s story starts at her boyfriends party, a night she will never forget, and never forgive herself for.
Parker was the captain of the cheerleading squad, the most popular girl in school, and a better than straight-A student before that night. The flashbacks she has weave into the storyline so effortlessly, and they continue building until the very end.
Parker is not a very likable protagonist, she is an asshole full of teenage angst….but I found myself heartbroken over and over agin while reading her story, and I completely fell in love with her.
The new forward from the author is beautiful and poignant; it is so raw, and fits this story so perfectly that I thought about it a lot during the course of the book. While this is a YA novel, it deals with heavy subject matter- rape, suicide, sex, and drug & alcohol abuse.
While the book builds and builds up to the climax, it came so suddenly, and poof it was over. I would have liked to have seen the story play out more in the end. I felt like the story was a long fuse building to this very short, abrupt end.
*I originally gave this book 4 stars, but after some thought I am giving it a solid 5 stars. I gave it 4 stars because of the abrupt end, but I keep thinking about this book, and how I’m only sad about the ending because I wanted more!*
This book is a fantastic read, I enjoyed it so much that I devoured it in two sittings, and I’m already looking forward to reading the authors other books as this was my first!
I hope you all love Parker Fadley as much as I did! Happy reading, friends!
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book!
The Literary Wife 