Parabellum

 Parabellum

by Greg Hickey

Synopsis: A shooting at a Chicago beach leaves several dead and dozens injured. In the year before the attack, four individuals emerge as possible suspects.

An apathetic computer programmer.
An ex-college athlete with a history of head injuries.
An Army veteran turned Chicago cop.
A despondent high school student.

One of them is the shooter. Discover who and why.

Review: First off, thank you to the author, Greg Hickey, who generously gave me this book in return for a honest review. I appreciate it!

The story starts off on a beach along the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago at the scene of a horrific shooting spree. This is a difficult subject to read about in light of all the shootings that happened recently and I was disturbed enough to put the book down for a while. I picked it back up a month or so later to continue reading and skimmed past the prologue to get to the meat of the story where we meet 4 different characters-one of which is the shooter.

We get to know the 4 characters through pronouns and descriptors (ex-athlete, student, veteran, computer programmer) only. We never know their names and, to be honest, that threw me off as I didn't connect with the characters. But, perhaps, the point was for us not to connect to them because ultimately, should we connect with the shooter? But not connecting with characters makes it hard to become engaged in the book. I wish I knew the reason for not including the main character's names.

After many chapters, I finally became engaged in the book and really wanted to keep reading. You learn both backstories about each character and also what happens in the present day. At times it was difficult to keep track of what happened to which character in the past and not having names may have exacerbated my confusion. Part way through the book, I was able to eliminate 2 of the characters as the shooter (I would have been incredibly surprised if one of those 2 ended up being the shooter!). I did end up connecting with one of those characters and ended up rooting for that person to move on with his/her life (I'm not going to spoil it!) I suspected 2 of the other characters but I did sympathize with one of them more than the other. I could have seen one of them driven to a mass shooting but was hoping it was not that character.

Even after reading the whole story and reflecting on it, I'm not sure I understand why the character chose to shoot up random people at a beach. Even though I had predicted the right character as the shooter, I don't think I understand the motivations and I wish I understood more. Even though this book is long, the shooting seemed rushed. A lot of time was spent building the characters up but then all of a sudden the shooting is upon us and I didn't know what the trigger was for the shooter to commit this act.

The end was pretty heartbreaking when we meet the people who were at the beach by name and then read about them trying to flee the spraying bullets. That was definitely hard to read and frankly I skimmed it because it was just too realistic. Overall, I rated this book a 3. The beginning for me was 2 stars as I really had a hard time getting into it but once I got to know the characters, this book was 4 stars for me.

Thank you again to the author for giving me a copy of this book.

Rating: 3 stars

Every Note Played

Every Note Played

by Lisa Genova

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago.

Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.

He knows his left arm will go next.

Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall and hung a mirror there instead. But she still hasn’t moved on. Karina is paralyzed by excuses and fear, stuck in an unfulfilling life as a piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman, blaming Richard and their failed marriage for all of it.

When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. As Richard’s muscles, voice, and breath fade, both he and Karina try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.

Poignant and powerful, Every Note Played is a masterful exploration of redemption and what it means to find peace inside of forgiveness.

From GoodReads

Review:  I've read all of Lisa Genova's books and really love how she ties in medical issues to each of her books.  I generally find them very intriguing.  This one wasn't as compelling as her other books to me.  I don't know if that is because I am more familiar with ALS than the other diseases she has written about and have read other books about ALS.  Or perhaps it was because I didn't find Richard a relatable or sympathetic character.  He was very arrogant and selfish.  While he did want to change later in the book, it almost came too late.  I also found Karina, Richard's ex-wife, to be fairly unlikable as well.  The story moved slowly even though the disease progresses quickly.  Because the disease robs Richard of control over his muscles, he isn't able to do much which makes the book slow.  We are in his thoughts much of the time which makes the book drag.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Girls at 17 Swann Street

The Girls at 17 Swann Street

by Yara Zgheib

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:  The chocolate went first, then the cheese, the fries, the ice cream. The bread was more difficult, but if she could just lose a little more weight, perhaps she would make the soloists’ list. Perhaps if she were lighter, danced better, tried harder, she would be good enough. Perhaps if she just ran for one more mile, lost just one more pound.

Anna Roux was a professional dancer who followed the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. There, alone with her biggest fears – imperfection, failure, loneliness – she spirals down anorexia and depression till she weighs a mere eighty-eight pounds. Forced to seek treatment, she is admitted as a patient at 17 Swann Street, a peach pink house where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live. Women like Emm, the veteran; quiet Valerie; Julia, always hungry. Together, they must fight their diseases and face six meals a day.

Yara Zgheib's poetic and poignant debut novel is a haunting, intimate journey of a young woman's struggle to reclaim her life. Every bite causes anxiety. Every flavor induces guilt. And every step Anna takes toward recovery will require strength, endurance, and the support of the girls at 17 Swann Street.

From GoodReads

Review:  This book was beautifully written even though it deals with a topic such as anorexia.  This is my first book about an eating disorder and I didn't know what to expect.  I didn't expect to be brought to tears several times and have to put the book down because I just couldn't keep reading because of how emotional it was.  My heart broke for the characters at 17 Swann Street and the hopelessness they felt at needing to eat.

Anna is  a former dancer and develops body image issues.  She falls into a trap of eating less and less and can't get herself out of the hole she has created.  She and her husband move to the United States from Paris and she falls into a deep depression.  She doesn't see what has happened to her and her husband doesn't know what to do.  Eventually Anna enters an inpatient treatment center at 17 Swann Street where she meets other young women who are like her.  Some have been battling eating disorders for years.

The book is written alternating between the present and flashbacks to things that happened earlier in Anna's life that lead to her issues.  We get a glimpse into how her eating disorder came about but yet the cause isn't pinpointed exactly.  Maybe that was done intentionally because perhaps there isn't just one defining moment.  During therapy, we are able to hear Anna's thoughts which she does not voice to the therapist.  We know that tragic events happened in her childhood.  Personally I felt that Anna's transformation comes a little too easily.  She didn't seem to deal with all her issues, her past, her depression, etc while at the treatment center.  I felt like there were a lot of unresolved issues and that her improvement couldn't have happened without dealing with all her issues.  The end seemed to come too quickly.  This is why I couldn't rate this book with 5 stars.

I still very much enjoyed reading this book even though it was highly emotional.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing my book club complementary copies.  We will enjoy discussing this book!

Rating: 4 stars

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

by Chris Grabenstein

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis:  Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.

from GoodReads

Review:  This book was enjoyable for readers of various ages.  My children enjoyed this book as much as I did.  The story is about a game inside a library where the goal is to find a secret exit.  There are many kids in the book who show what good teamwork is and how you can achieve more with cooperation.  The story is full of various puzzles that are fun trying to figure out as the characters are trying to figure them out.  The kids who are locked in the library sure know more about the library system and authors than most adults!  This book is fast paced and keeps the reader in suspense throughout the book.  Definitely a book that kids will love!

Rating: 4 stars

The Circuit

The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child

by Francisco Jimenez

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Memoir

Synopsis:  These independent but intertwined stories follow a migrant family through their circuit, from picking cotton and strawberries to topping carrots-and back again-over a number of years.  As it moves from one labor camp to the next, the little family of four grows into ten.  Impermanence and poverty decline their lives.  But with faith, hope, and back-breaking work, the family endures.

from the back of the book

Review:  This book tells the story of Francisco and his family as they cross the border and move into their migrant worker life in California.  The family has hope that their life will be better in the United States.  Francisco tells an honest story about what it was like to move from one farm to another and live in tents or run down buildings.  He talks about attending school but being uprooted all the time and not being able to understand the language. But he also talks about the bond among his family members.  This book is eye opening to what migrant workers both adults and children live through.  I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and I want to know what happened in the rest of Francisco's childhood.  There are 2 more books so I may have to pick them up!

Rating: 4 stars

Baseball in April

Baseball in April and Other Stories

by Gary Soto

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Short Stories

Synopsis: In this unique collection of short stories, the small events of daily life reveal big themes-love and friendship, youth and growing up, success and failure.  Calling on his own experiences of growing up in California's Central Valley, poet Gary Soto brings to life the joy and pain of young people everywhere.

The smart, tough, vulnerable kids in these stories are Latino, but their dreams and desires belong to all of us.

from the back of the book

Review: This book is made up of a collection of short stories about Latino kids in California.  The kids are mainly early teenagers which makes this book a hard one to figure out what is the appropriate age for the reader.  The reading level is not too complex but the characters are mature so I would recommend this book for junior high age kids.  None of the stories really grabbed me but as I've mentioned in other reviews, I'm not a fan of short stories.  The characters and language seemed a little dated which makes sense as this book is copyrighted in 1990.  I'm not sure that kids today would relate to the stories.  Some books are written in a way that make the book timeless but this one was not.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone

by Morgan Matson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Synopsis: It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting.  But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears.  All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try.  But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night?  Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn?  Sure.  Why not?

Kiss a stranger?  Um...

Emily now has the unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list.  Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny-dipping?  Wait...what?
from the book jacket

Review:  After rereading the synopsis of this book, I'm not sure what drew me to this book as it seems very teenager-y to me.  I have read young adult fiction books before and enjoyed them as some are able to span generations but this was one that I shouldn't have picked up.  It was just far too young for me.  Emily is a painfully shy main character who is so brokenhearted by her best friend Sloane's disappearance without any warning.  It was hard for me to relate to her.  Frank on the other hand seemed to be less of a teenager.  He was very mature and outgoing.  The secondary characters were more teenage like and immature.  I should have just abandoned this book but I needed to know if Emily found Sloane again and if anything happened between Emily and Frank.  I don't think this book was badly written, I just think I wasn't the right audience for it.

Rating: 3 stars

Salsa Stories

Salsa Stories

by Lulu Delacre

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Salsa music blares from the stereo.  One by one, friends and family, who come from all around Latin America, arrive at Carmen Teresa's house to cook, dance, gossip, and play dominoes.  And the New Year's Day celebration begins...

When a neighbor gives Carmen Teresa a blank notebook as a holiday present, she doesn't know how she will fill it.   The guests all have ideas of what she should do with her book.  They decide she should fill it with stories about their childhoods.  And everyone has a story to tell.  But Carmen Teresa, who loves to cook, surprises everyone with how she will use her beautiful new present.

With energy, sensitivity, and warmth, Lulu Delacre introduces readers to a symphony of colorful characters whose stories dance through a year of Latin American holidays and customs.  And readers will also be treated to recipes for the irresistible foods that appear in each story.

from the book jacket

Review:  This book is tied together by the introduction and final chapter about Carmen Teresa and her family together at a party.  The stories that are in between are about her grandparents and a few other people.  Most of the stories are about their childhoods growing up in various countries.  Perhaps short stories are not my cup of tea or I'm not the target audience but I did not find these stories particularly captivating.  I wanted more out of most of the stories.

Rating: 3 stars

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

by Eleanor Coerr

Illustrated by Ronald Himler

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Hiroshima-born Sadako is lively and athletic--the star of her school's running team. And then the dizzy spells start. Soon gravely ill with leukemia, the "atom bomb disease," Sadako faces her future with spirit and bravery. Recalling a Japanese legend, Sadako sets to work folding paper cranes. For the legend holds that if a sick person folds one thousand cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her healthy again. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the extraordinary courage that made one young woman a heroine in Japan.

from GoodReads

Review:  I've read this book a couple times before, once when I was growing up and once as an adult.  This was my third read of the book but I still enjoyed it as much as I did the first two times.  This book tells the story of Sadako, who unfortunately gets leukemia as a result of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.  She is a healthy girl who is full of energy and life and then sadly gets sick.  This story allows kids to read about the effects of the bomb on the people of Japan and get a look into Japanese culture.  The book is very sad but eye opening.  One thing I really like about this book is that it is about a serious topic and about a 12 year old girl but written at a low level.  This makes a perfect book for older students who are reading at a lower level.

Rating: 4 stars

Riding Freedom

Riding Freedom

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Charlotte Parkhurst never acted like most other girls.  She climbed trees and fought with boys and worked in a stable.  She had a way with horses that was like nothing folks had ever seen.

In the mid 1800s, some people didn't think it was proper for a girl to behave like Charlotte, and they tried to stop her.  But Charlotte was smart, and she came up with a plan that would let her live her life the way she wanted-a plan so clever and so secret that almost no one figured it out.

A top-notch horse rider, a legendary stagecoach driver, the first woman to vote in the state of California and probably the United States, Charlotte Parkhurst, known as Charley, was a real person with a larger-than-life story.

from the book jacket

Review:  This historical fiction book gives readers a look at a character who most people would not know anything about.  The story starts with Charlotte growing up in an orphanage where she finds an outlet in caring for and riding horses.  She wants to be free from the unfair treatment at the orphanage so she decides to run away.  Charlotte turns into Charley and learns to drive a stagecoach.  Charlotte is portrayed as a very strong girl and woman who knows her own mind and follows her dreams.  I really enjoyed reading about her life and I wish that this book could have been longer so we would have known more about her!  This is definitely a great book for kids to read!

Rating: 4 stars

Before We Were Yours

Before We Were Yours

by Lisa Wingate

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize that the truth is much darker. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together—in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions—and compels her to take a journey through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation . . . or redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

from GoodReads

Review:  This book broke my heart so many times but yet I really enjoyed listening to it.  The story is told in alternating perspectives between Rill and Avery.  Rill, a twelve year old girl who grew up with her young parents on the Mississippi River, has such an emotional voice in this story.  Avery is a strong, confident woman who knows her duty to her family.  Rill's story of being torn away from her home and sent to live with her siblings in a horrible orphanage was so difficult to read but yet her love for her siblings shines through.  The fact that this story is based on real events was shocking as it unbearable to think about the treatment of children under Georgia Tann's direction.  My heart broke for all of the children who were victims of this so called adoption agency and the horrors that they endured.  There were many times that I was almost brought to tears thinking about these children.  There is not much that the author explicitly says as to what happened but the reader is left to infer what happens and that might even be worse!  Avery's story is not quite as interesting but she is the person who is trying to discover a connection between her family and a story she hears from a woman at a nursing home, May Crandall.  Avery is persistent in digging through her family's history as she discovers that she may not want what her family wants for her.  I feel that Avery's story was there as a means to end for the reader to figure out how her family is connected to Rill's story.  While my review may make this book sound too depressing or horrific, this book is not that!  This book is eye opening to something that happened in our history.  It's compelling and well written.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Harmony

Harmony

by Carolyn Parkhurst

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: How far will a mother go to save her family? The Hammond family is living in DC, where everything seems to be going just fine, until it becomes clear that the oldest daughter, Tilly, is developing abnormally--a mix of off-the-charts genius and social incompetence. Once Tilly--whose condition is deemed undiagnosable--is kicked out of the last school in the area, her mother Alexandra is out of ideas. The family turns to Camp Harmony and the wisdom of child behavior guru Scott Bean for a solution. But what they discover in the woods of New Hampshire will push them to the very limit. Told from the alternating perspectives of both Alexandra and her younger daughter Iris (the book's Nick Carraway), this is a unputdownable story about the strength of love, the bonds of family, and how you survive the unthinkable. 

from GoodReads

Review: This book appealed to me because of Tilly and her "undiagnosable" condition. Right from the beginning you can tell that Tilly sees the world differently than other people.  Her language can be quite crude just to give you the head's up.  You see the family's world mainly from Iris's perspective who tells the story of the present day.  She is Tilly's younger sibling who is a more typical child.  You also get the perspective of the mother, Alexandria, but only as to what happened before the family decided to move to the family camp.  There are a few chapters from Tilly's perspective but her chapters don't tell the story of what was currently happening.  Her chapters are more about the future.  Generally I don't care for books that change first person perspectives because the voices generally aren't that different but I didn't care for the change from first person to second person perspective in this book.  The voices were totally different but all of Alexandria's chapters use the pronoun "you" which confused me.  It just didn't work.  As for the plot, I liked the premise of the story but Scott Bean creeped me out quite early on.  There was something off about him as we kept getting hints about him that showed he wasn't all sunshine and rainbows and we knew that something happened in the middle of the summer but we didn't know what.  My mind went a different direction that what actually happened (which actually is a good thing).  The climax was anything but.  I just didn't buy into what happened.  This was just not the right book for me.

Rating: 2 1/2 stars

The Confusion of Languages

The Confusion of Languages

by Siobhan Fallon

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:  Both Cassie Hugo and Margaret Brickshaw dutifully followed their soldier husbands to the U.S. embassy in Jordan, but that's about all the women have in common. After two years, Cassie's become an expert on the rules, but newly arrived Margaret sees only her chance to explore. So when a fender-bender sends Margaret to the local police station, Cassie reluctantly agrees to watch Margaret's toddler son. But as the hours pass, Cassie's boredom and frustration turn to fear: Why isn't Margaret answering her phone, and why is it taking so long to sort out a routine accident? Snooping around Margaret's apartment, Cassie begins to question not only her friend's whereabouts but also her own role in Margaret's disappearance.

from GoodReads

Review:  I am greatly interested in how people live in other countries and cultures so I thought I would enjoy this book about women living abroad in Jordan and what their experiences were.  I had different expectations from what this book was about.  This book really only focuses on Cassie's and Margaret's relationships with each other and a few other people.  Cassie expects the worst from everything and things everyone is dangerous.  Margaret tries to experience life in Jordan but is too carefree and doesn't consider cultural ramifications.  I didn't really like any of the characters in this book especially Margaret's husband.  I found this book a bit dull at times but also I wanted to know what happened to Margaret.

Rating: 3 stars

Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors

by B.A. Paris

Genre: Thriller

Synopsis:  Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace.

He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance.  He's a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she's a flawless homemaker and a masterful gardener and cook, and she dotes on her disabled younger sister.  Though they're still newlyweds, they seem to have it all.  You might not want to like them, but you do.  You're hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw.  You'd like to get to know Grace better.

But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.

Some might call this true love.  Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn't work.  How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim.   Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen.  Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.

Some might wonder what's really going on once the dinner parties are over and the front door has closed.

from the book jacket

Review:  I'm going to be honest...I could not put this book down and read it all in one day!  At first I was a little put off by the first chapter because there was something off about Jack and Grace but we didn't know what and they seemed too perfect.  But that was all part of the ruse.  We quickly learn that all is not what it seems and Grace is being held prisoner by Jack.  It takes a while to figure out exactly what happens but we are kept in suspense to find out if/when/how Grace is going to free herself and her sister Millie, who has Down Syndrome, from Jack's clutches.  The book alternates between present and past so we can get a glimpse as to how Grace and Jack met and what happened in their relationship and marriage early on.  Towards the end I was a little thrown off by how the past and present seemed to catch up to one another and the present jumped ahead in time so that the past was just a few days prior.  That transition seemed to come out of nowhere.  I also thought that the ending wasn't dramatic enough.  I was waiting for this really suspenseful moment and it didn't come. a little anticlimactic.  Thrillers are generally not my genre but this one I liked because I could see inside the people to see what motivated them and this was more psychological rather than action.  Jack was unlikable but Grace was likable albeit a little weak.  Overall this was a good thriller, not action packed, but one that will keep you reading all day and night.

Rating: 4 stars (although I really wanted to give it 3.75 stars)

Close Enough to Touch

Close Enough to Touch

by Colleen Oakley

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Synopsis:  Love has no boundaries...

Jubilee Jenkins has a rare condition: she's allergic to human touch.  After a nearly fatal accident, she became reclusive, living in the confines of her home for nine years.  But after her mother dies, Jubilee is forced to face the world-and the people in it-that she's been hiding from.

Jubilee finds safe haven at her local library where she gets a job.  It's there she meets Eric Keegan, a divorced man who recently moved to town with his brilliant, troubled, adopted son.  Eric is struggling to figure out how to be the dad-and man-he wants to desperately to be.  Jubilee is unlike anyone he has ever met, yet he can't understand why she keeps him at arm's length.  So Eric sets out to convince Jubilee to open herself and her heart to everything life can offer, setting into motion the most unlikely love story of the year.

from the book jecket

Review:  This book had such an interesting premise that I had to put it on my to read list!  I loved Before I Go by Colleen Oakley that I had high expectations for this book due to the author's ease of writing and ability to make the reader feel for the characters.  Unfortunately this book did not grab me and tie me in with the emotional connection I wanted to have.  I found Jubilee's condition absolutely fascinating and was intrigued by how she dealt with it by becoming a hermit but I was not as interested in Eric's story.  The chapters alternated between Jubilee's and Eric's points of view.  I spent the early chapters of Eric's story skimming through trying to get back to Jubilee's life.  Eric really seemed to struggle connecting to people whether it be Aja, his adopted son, Ellie, his biological daughter, or Jubilee (once they met).  As the story moved along I became more invested in Eric's story because he connected with Jubilee.  I really started enjoying the story more and wanted to see Eric and Jubilee get together.  The ending was not satisfactory in my mind and was much too rushed. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Light We Lost

The Light We Lost

by Jill Santopolo

Genre: Romance

Synopsis:  Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice.  But before she can make her decision, she must start her story-their story-at the very beginning.

Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes them forever.  Together they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter.  When they meet again a year later, it seems fated-perhaps they'll find life's meaning in each other.  But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York City.

What follows is a thirteen-year odyssey of dreams, jealousies, and ultimately, of love.  Lucy will begin a new life with handsome and reliable Darren, while Gabe will travel the world.  Their journey will take Lucy and Gabe continents apart but never out of each other's hearts. And Lucy will find herself asking: Was it fate that brought them together?  Is it choice that has kept them away.

Lucy's powerful voice brings to life the universal truth of first love, of being completely understood for the first
from the book jacket

Review:  This is a love story between Lucy and Gabe that spans over many years and across countries.  Lucy and Gabe first met in college but didn't start dating until a year later.  They really only dated for a few months before life took them in different directions but somehow they continued to love each other while being with other people and being far apart from each other.  While I enjoyed their love story and the passion they felt for each other I had trouble liking Lucy because of how she treated Darren, her husband.   I felt that Lucy wasn't being fair to Darren who truly was a great guy who loved her.  Lucy clearly couldn't get over loving Gabe even though she knew she needed to and Darren was her fall back and not her true love.  I felt bad for Darren the whole book.  I also wondered the whole time of how much Lucy and Gabe really loved each other if they weren't willing to sacrifice anything for each other.  If their love was truly all consuming and burned like a wildfire (a metaphor that the author uses), then why wouldn't they have given up careers for each other?  All that aside the story captured my attention and I needed to know why Lucy was writing this whole story to Gabe.  We know something happened but we don't know yet until the very end.  I'm going to be honest, half way through I almost skipped to the end to find out what happened but I restrained myself!  This story definitely pulls at your heart.

Rating: 4 stars

The Compound Series

The Compound Series (#2-4)

Mother Before Wife, Just Keep Sweet and Prophet Take All

by Melissa Brown

Genre: Fiction, Suspense

Synopses:

Mother Before Wife: Secrets. 

So many secrets. Nothing but secrets.

I started another life with a new husband, thirteen new sister wives and a new place to call home.
But the secrets weigh on me, on all of us.
And every secret leads back to the Prophet the, self-proclaimed, mouthpiece of God.
The man I’ve worshiped since childhood, the man we obey without question.
And he’s the man who will destroy us all.

I must reveal his secrets. 
Prove his betrayal, his lies and his deceit.
I will not be silenced, no matter how hard he tries.

And I will never give up. Ever.  

Just Keep Sweet: Obstacles.

So many obstacles. Nothing but obstacles.

Months ago, I agreed to help Aspen Black take down the Prophet of the FLDS—to prevent her daughter from being married at an early age, and to save innocent lives from systemic abuse on the compound.

The obstacles in this case are mounting, as are my feelings for Aspen. The tension between us is palpable and I know there’s more to our connection than the increasingly difficult case at hand. But, she’s not only married to the Prophet’s brother, she’s equally devoted to her faith. Two obstacles that just may be insurmountable.

But, no matter what happens, I will close this case. 
Even if it kills me.

Prophet Takes All: Fools.

So many fools. Nothing but fools.

That worm of a detective, my mother, Paul. Fools—all of them. But Aspen, oh Aspen…she was the biggest fool of all.

Aspen Black, a seemingly ordinary woman of the compound, transformed into the utter bane of my existence in just a matter of months. She had the gall to question me, to seek the counsel of an outsider, and to disobey my word.

To add to her list of transgressions, Aspen recruited my own brother in the crusade against me. For this, they must both be punished. And their daughter, Ruthie, is the key to their retribution.

Aspen and Paul will pay for their crimes against the one true prophet. If it’s the very last thing I do. 

from GoodReads

Review: First of all I just need to point out that I'm rating these three books with 1 rating and reviewing them as one because I read them back to back and even though there is an end to each of the books that doesn't mean that the story is over.  The story isn't finished until the end of Prophet Takes All.  If you don't have all of them in your hands, you'll be left in suspense.  Don't say I didn't warn you!  I could have seen these three books compiled into one longer book as the story flowed directly from one book to the next.

These three books are so much more than the first book in this series, Wife Number Seven.  They are not romance novels although there is a sex scene or two scattered in the books, the most being in Wife Before Mother.  There is drama, suspense, mystery, conflict and more.  I was so drawn to these stories and needed to know how the situation would be resolved.  I was sickened by what was revealed in Just Keep Sweet and became increasingly angry with the prophet.  Each book has a different narrator with a different voice, Aspen in Mother Before Wife, Jonathan, a police detective, and Paul, Aspen's husband, in Just Keep Sweet, and Clarence, the prophet, in Prophet Takes It All.  It was hard to read a story from the prophet's perspective as he was such a unlikable man.  My blood boiled by the end and I was so disappointed by the turn of events.  Thankfully the story finished as I wanted it to!

The writing style remained the same from Wife Number Seven to these three books so the same issues I had with the writing were present in the next three books.  There were chapters that were third person narratives scattered in between the first person narratives which were disruptive.  I do feel that the writing improved by the end (there were no flashbacks with ellipses!) which kept me engaged in the books.

Overall this is a good series and you could skip the first in the Compound series if you are not a fan of steamy romance novels.  Brinley and Porter do appear in future books and we do realize why Porter had the issues that he had but if you haven't read Wife Number Seven there is enough explanation that you would be fine.

Rating: 4 stars

Wife Number Seven

Wife Number Seven

by Melissa Brown

Genre: Romance

Synopsis:  Lipstick. Bright, red lipstick. Nothing but lipstick. 

Even though it’s against our faith to wear a color that screams of sexual promiscuity and deviant behavior, I’m not allowed to protest. 
But, I want to. 
So badly. 

You see, there’s more to me than the braid that spills down my back. 
More to me than the layers of heavy fabric that maintain my modesty. 
And so much more than the oppressive wedding band that adorns my finger--the same band that each of my sister wives wear. 
So much more. 
To protest would be sinful. 
I must keep sweet, that is my duty. 

So I’ll wear the lipstick. I’ll do as I’m told. 
And I’ll do my best to silence the resistance within me, to push him from my mind. 
If only my heart would do the same.

from GoodReads

Review:  First off I have to start by saying that this is not my typical genre although I do rarely read light sexy romances.  My review and rating will be based on my limited knowledge of this genre.  I found this book because I recently became friends with someone and discovered that she is an author.  I was curious to see what she writes so I purchased this whole series.  To be honest, stories about polygamous sects in the FLDS church really intrigue me and I am drawn to reading them.  I read this book throughout the course of a day so clearly it was engaging!  

This is the story of Brinley who is in her very early 20s and is the seventh wife to a much older man.  She lives a submissive life in an FLDS compound with an occasional trip to the outside world.  At the beginning she is somewhat accepting of her lot in life, except for one rebellion, but then changes happen in her family and she starts to think about what more there is in life.  She comes across a man who used to be part of her church but is now a drug addict and things escalate from there.  The relationship between Brinley and Porter seems to come out of nowhere but romance novels work that way!  I got caught up in the story of Brinley trying to figure out what she wanted to do.  This book is full of drama, passion, sex, and romance.  The story leaves you wanting to know more about some characters and hoping that they are the subjects of the next books in the series (which I will be reading but not sure if I will be reviewing or not)!

Based on the storyline, I would rate this book a 4 but there were some quirks with the writing style that made me lower my rating.  These were things that bothered me as a reader but may not bother other readers.  This book was written from the first person point of view of Brinley but there were a couple chapters that were from a third person point of view and were about side characters.  The information that was presented was necessary to the book but having chapters that changed perspectives was distracting.  There were also times where there were flashbacks and we knew they were coming because of the ellipses.  Those could have been left out!  There was a fair amount of swearing from one character which I don't like but other people may not mind.  Overall this was a good read for a sexy romance novel.  There were steamy moments but not too many where the book was only about that.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Orphan's Tale

The Orphan's Tale

by Pam Jenoff

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  Sixteen-year-old Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier and being forced to give up her baby. She lives above a small rail station, which she cleans in order to earn her keep… When Noa discovers a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp, she is reminded of the child that was taken from her. And in a moment that will change the course of her life, she snatches one of the babies and flees into the snowy night. 

Noah finds refuge with a German circus, but she must learn the flying trapeze act so she can blend in undetected, spurning the resentment of the lead aerialist, Astrid.  At first rivals, Noa and Astrid soon forge a powerful bond.  But as the facade that protects them proves increasingly tenuous, Noa and Astrid must decide whether their friendship is enough to save one another-or if the secrets that burn between them will destroy everything.
from GoodReads

Review:  This was a good book but not a great one.  I'm having a hard time pinpointing what didn't work for me though.  I liked the premise of the story how people who were Jewish were taken in by the circus but Astrid's and Noa's relationship didn't work.  Astrid was clearly resentful of Noa but I couldn't figure out why she was so mean and unwilling to help.  Noa was such a meek girl who somehow changed to being a strong woman willing to stand up to people.  I felt like this transition and growth in Noa was unrealistic and came out of nowhere as was the development in the relationship between Astrid an Noa.  At times this book was slow moving.  I appreciated the look at WWII from a different perspective but the book fell a little flat for me.

Rating: 3 stars

The Ebb Tide

The Ebb Tide

by Beverly Lewis

Genre: Christian Fiction

Synopsis:  Sallie Riehl has dreamed of traveling at least once before settling down to join church, so she is thrilled at an unexpected summer opportunity to nanny in Cape May for a well-to-do family.  However, saying even a temporary good-bye to Paradise Township means forgoing baptism another year, as well as leaving behind a wood-be beau.  Yet the weeks in Cape May soon prove unforgettable as Sallie meets a Mennonite young man whose friendship she quickly begins to cherish.  Has she been too hasty with her promises, or will she only find what her heart is longing for back home?
from the back of the book

Review:  I thoroughly enjoyed this light fiction book about Sallie discovering what life is like outside of her Amish village and what the world has to offer her.  All the characters in this book were so sweet and caring that it made the book so heartwarming.  I felt like the book was a bit predictable but it was still enjoyable nonetheless.  I've read some Christian fiction books where the religious aspects of the book don't fit in but this book was so well pieced together and flowed so well.  There's not much more to say than this is a nice, quick and easy read!

Rating: 4 stars