It’s that time of year again! It’s time for the spring 24-Hour Read-a-thon and I couldn’t be more excited! Starting tomorrow morning, thousands of readers around the world will be reading to their hearts content!
It’s also Bookstore Day! What perfect timing, right? I’ll start off reading a bit at home and then will head to my favorite independent bookstore, One More Page Books!
Today, I spent the day stocking up on snacks and finalizing my read-a-thon stack! I’m sticking to my tried and true snacks:
It's been nearly two decades since the attack that shattered Claudia Bishop life and marriage. Now divorced, she and her teen daughter have fled the city and have moved in to a crumbling old house she inherited. Claudia hosts a home restoration blog, where she also shares details of her life since the attack. Little did she know that the very home she will help restore her sense of safety and security has a dark and deadly history.
Zoey Drake's life-altering moment was the murder of her father and mother in her childhood home. Zoey didn't go unscathed, she was horrifically tortured before being rescued. Rather than succumbing to her pain, she's spent the last decade training in marital arts, preparing herself for the moment when she confronts those who destroyed her life.
Two women, very different backgrounds, their lives converging. The very house that Claudia hopes will be her salvation was the source of Zoey's pain and grief.
This is one of those books that is so intense, so captivating, that you’ll want to read it in one sitting. The author has crafted two incredibly unique and well-fleshed out characters, both having survived individual attacks that have forever altered their worlds. What is different is how that one act has changed their lives forever. In Claudia’s case, her attacker was apprehended and has since died, Zoey is still trying to uncover buried secrets regarding her family’s attack. Claudia has a constant reminder of her attack, and uses her blog as a method of healing, whereas Zoey becomes a vigilante of sorts. A question that resonates throughout this novel is the difference between justice and revenge.
Without sounding cliche, this is the type of book that will make you lose track of space and time; Never is there a resting moment, the intensity carries throughout the entirety of the book. While I thought I’d figured it out several times throughout my read, I was completely stumped and ultimately shocked at the end. This is a true test to Unger’s writing brilliance! Highly recommended.
Ashford, Vermont was once a booming industrial town. Now, riddled with shells of abandoned mills and factories, it has been nicknamed "Burn Town."
Eva Sandeski, now known as Necco, was once part of a typical family. That was all destroyed when her father, a respected professor, drowned in a flood. Miles was also known to tinker with elaborate machines; it was rumored that he had created one that allowed you to speak with the dead. This machine, drawn from plans said to be stolen from Thomas Edison's workshop, may have been the true impetus for his death and the destruction of the Sandeski family.
When Necco's boyfriend is murdered, she worries that the past is coming back to haunt her. Her grief-struck mother warned her of a man called "Snake Eyes," the very man who she believes is responsible for Miles' death. With the aid of Theo, a high schooler caught up in the drug world and Pru, a cafeteria worker with a secret life of her own, the misfit trio help Necco get the answers she needs to tame the beasts that rage from her past and finally uncover the identity of the man who has haunted her all this time.
Jennifer McMahon is one of my “go to” authors. Each time she publishes a new book, it’s a given that I’m going to read it as soon as I can get my hands on it.
This most recent title is a bit of a departure from her previous titles. It certainly has more of a supernatural feel to it than her previous titles, but the one constant that remains is a young, strong, female protagonist who is forced to undergo a journey of self-discovery.
The cast of characters is quite quirky; Necco herself is part of a group of women who are called “fire eaters.” Add the supernatural element and this feels remarkably like an episode of “Strange Things.” Don’t let the strangeness turn you away, this was certainly a quick and addictive read! Highly recommended.
Alice is a single mom, living alone with her children in a small British seaside town. One day, she notices a man sitting on the beach outside her home. He remains there for hours, even after a storm-front comes cross, pelting him with rain. Resisting all common sense, she invites him into her home.
Young Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. New to the country, she's completely alone when he heads out to work. Yet he dotes on her so intensely, it makes up for all feelings of loneliness and unfamiliarity. One day, he fails to come home from work. Attempts to reach him go unanswered. When she files a report with the police, they inform her that her husband never existed.
Two decades ago, Gray and Kirsty are on their annual summer holiday to a summer seaside town with their parents. Gray is protective of his younger sister, especially when a young man catches her attention. He seems interested in Kirsty...far too interested.
Transcending time, all three stories are connected: man with no memory, a husband with a fake identity, and the horrific acts following one innocent summer party. Only in connecting the stories will the painful secrets come undone, allowing a sense of healing and recover for those who survived.
I’m quite a fan of twisty storylines based on dark old secrets. This title is certainly rich with twists and turns. They were so captivating that it allowed to me overlook the fact that I couldn’t find any of the main characters to be likeable or endearing. I don’t have issues with character flaws in general, yet something about each character felt like we weren’t getting the full picture, even when all was revealed.
The overpowering sense of lack of trust in general is a key theme to this title, exuding from the pages into the reader’s experience. I consider myself quite good at figuring out a “whodunit” but this one had me stumped. I mean, the premise leads you to one direction, but what is actually revealed couldn’t be furthest than the truth.
Yes, this title is riddled with implausible details and revelations. A reader’s ability to suspend disbelief is a requirement to get the full impact of this read. It’s not mindblowing or life-altering, but would certainly be an engaging, suspenseful vacation read. Recommended.
I received this book for free from personal copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When the Second American Civil War breaks out in 2074, Sarat Chestnut is just six years old. This war, however, it isn't over race, but fossil fuels. The country is a shell of what it used to be: Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia have seceded, forcing their citizens to form refugee camps. The entire state of South Carolina is walled off, whatever remaining citizens are victims of a weaponized virus. Her parents are desperate to flee Louisiana, now largely under water, by obtaining visas to work in the North.
Sarat's world is further upended when her father is killed. They leave what semblance of home they've retained and head to Camp Patience, a camp for displaced persons. There, in the years that follow, Sarat is introduced to a faction that ultimately molds and transforms her into a deadly killing machine, a shadow of the vibrant young girl she used to be.
The acts she participates in not only challenges and influences her future, but that of her family and future generations to come.
Though likened by other reviews to The Road by Cormac McCarthy, I’d like to dispel that link. The only similarities lie in a journey embarked upon an attack or epic devastation. That’s it.
In this novel, we follow Sarat’s path from a young six year old to a war-hardened young woman, essentially a terrorist in the making. She joins the resistance in a battle against the Northern military. As we witness her evolution (or, as some referred, her devolution) into this vessel of war, we also follow the goings on of the country through news reports, speeches, and excerpts from textbooks. This grants the reader a fully formed and incredibly detailed reading experience. Thought it may seem that, in a large part, this is dark and harrowing read. While it is, a sense of hope and recovery are also felt, albeit not nearly as quickly as we would like.
Sarat’s path/journey is wholly transformative; her future is molded by the experiences she endures, from the death of her father to the attack of the very place she holds dear. She becomes vengeful; desperate to end the lives of those playing puppeteer in her life, controlling her every move. The end result of her transformation is certainly not surprising, given the life she was forced to endure.
There are many that didn’t enjoy this book because it seemed implausible. To see that this premise is, in fact, completely plausible only requires you to watch the news; the political climate of our nation, and the world, is highly caustic. This novel doesn’t serve as another means of bringing us down in a society riddled by war, but instead as a warning of what is to come.
Wholly moving, incredibly well-written, this is a book that can’t be ignored. Highly, highly recommended.
I received this book for free from personal copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter lives two different lives. First, she's Starr Carter, daughter of the local shop keeper who lives in the hood. She's also the Starr Carter who attends a suburban prep school, one her parents chose to send her to to avoid the danger of going to public school closer to home. Her friends at the prep school have no inclination of her life at home; she's one of two black students. One of her closest friends has started to ignore her on social media; the content she posts is "too black" for her tastes.
The two worlds collide when Star witnesses the shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil,at the hands of police. The shooting instantly hits the news. Though Khalil was unarmed, he's been labeled as a drug dealer and gang member. Protests line the streets. Though Star was initially not identified as the sole witness to the shooting, her identity is eventually revealed and she and her family are victims of intimidation by not only the police, but a local drug lord.
Starr is the only individual with the knowledge to say what happened that night. He's in a constant battle about how much to share. Is her own safety more important than the memory and reputation of her childhood friend?
I knew I had to own this book the moment I read about it. Though this is a young adult novel, this is a book that MUST be read by people of all ages. Starr’s experience mirrors much of what we have seen on the news. Thomas gives us a glimpse of what transpires beyond the news, with the family and friends of those that fall victim to such events. She uses fiction to showcase a world that is all too real, a world that many would rather ignore than embrace and deal with reality.
As a mother of two African American boys, my husband and I have instilled in them the advice that Starr’s friends and family shared when it comes to being pulled over by police: place your hands on the steering wheel, speak with respect, do what they say, do not move unexpectedly. It angers me tremendously that this is the sort of thing we have to teach our children, boys of brown skin. I never had to face this as a child; I grew up as your typical, suburban white girl. That entire generations of children had to be taught this, and continue to teach it, for fear of losing their lives enrages me.
Despite the tragedy that looms throughout this novel, the message that stands out is resounding, one that goes beyond the Black Lives Matter movement that inspired it: black lives deserve the freedom, happiness and respect that so many of us have taken for granted. This isn’t a movement that should divide us, but one that should unite us.
This is the book that everyone is talking about, with good reason. Read it. Don’t ignore it. It will change you, transform you. For those already experiencing these acts in their lives, it give voice and wings to the very things you’ve been pursuing your entire life. Highly, highly recommended.
As a young girl, Rose Franklin discovered something that would forever change the world's outlook on alien beings: she fell upon a giant metallic hand buried underground. Since then, she's dedicated her life to studying it, and the rest of the pieces eventually discovered.
Her study is put on a dramatic halt when a second robot, far more massive than the first, suddenly appears in London. At first, its lack of movement indicates peace yet, within seconds it lashes out with devastating and deadly force.
When others appear throughout the world, Rose and the rest of the team at the Earth Defense Corps realize they must become more familiar with the alien technology they have in their possession in order to save not only the country, but the entire planet.
Why yes, that is a very general summary of this book. It was done intentionally, for there is SO MUCH learned and revealed in this second book. I do recommend reading the first title, Sleeping Gods, first, however. Not only was it one of my favorite books the year it was released, it gives a phenomenal amount of back history and character development.
In this second title, so much is uncovered about the history behind these massive robots, specifically the one that was left on Earth centuries ago. The purpose behind it, it’s ties to modern civilization, is mind-blowing.
When I reviewed the first book, I commented on how this should be made into a movie. The sheer volume of potential visual effects is overwhelming; I really do believe we need to witness this on the big screen.
Bottom line, this is a must read for fans of science fiction, apocalyptic fiction, or simply fans of truly phenomenal writing. Highly, highly recommended.
Judge Scott Sampson has the ideal job. As a federal judge, he can set his own schedule, allowing him to devote precious time to his six-year-old twins. Just as he's about to set out on his Wednesday swim date with the kids, his wife texts him to say they have a doctor's appointment and she'll be picking them up instead.
Yet when she arrives home a few hours later, she doesn't have the twins and she denies sending the text. Within minutes of her arrival they receive a call that will haunt them forever: their children have been kidnapped. In order to guarantee their safe return, Scott must promise to rule as they request on an upcoming trial he is to preside over. If he opts not to do exactly as they request, his children's lives are in imminent danger.
Thus begins a downward spiral of events. Scott's marriage is threatened, every alliance and friendship is questioned. He must put his own career, his reputation, life and marriage at risk in order to bring his children home.
I’ve been a fan of Brad Parks’ writing for some time now. I devoured his Carter Ross series and was quite intrigued to start reading this one. Parks himself said it is quite different, a departure from his previous series. I obtained a pre-publication electronic review copy and, just as I started to read, it expired and was wiped from my iPad.
Now, one might get angry should something like this transpire. Ok, fine, I was pretty furious. I wanted to read this book before Brad’s visit to my favorite independent bookstore, One More Page Books in Arlington, VA.
Instead, I took it as a sign. For those of you new to this author, or perhaps you haven’t had the chance to attend one of his book events, Brad is one of those authors who is completely open to his readers. He doesn’t go on and on about how easy it was to get his book published. He shares the dark and gritty sign of publishing to his fans.
Therefore, I knew Brad would go into detail about his experience in writing this most recent release. Given that it was so new, so different, I decided I wanted to hear the background story, Brad’s experience in writing it, before I read it myself.
Now, typically I want to go into reading a book without any preconceived notion of what may transpire, without any spoilers regarding the storyline. Yet, in this case I gave it a completely unique insight into the creation and evolution of this book, and the several (yes, several) books Brad threw away before arriving at this end result. I was prepared, yet not spoiled, as to what I was about to embark upon.
The end result? I was completely taken away by the sheer level of emotion, deeply personal and vulnerable, that Parks put into this novel. His passion for this story and what transpired cannot be ignored. He stated he wrote the story he was afraid to write, one that involved the loss of his children.
This isn’t a short read; at nearly 450 pages it’s truly an investment of your time. Without sounding cliche, I lost all track of time and space and completely devoured this in a matter of a few sittings.
The ordeal Scott and his family are forced to face is heartbreaking. On many occasions, it left my core shattered, wounded, seemingly unable to recover. That this author put so much effort into a book to cause such a reaction is pure evidence of his extreme talent.
I’m still reeling after finishing. Though I was a bit wary after Brad announced he was stepping away from the Carter Ross series, any inclination of doubt or concern were completely wiped away after reading this truly awe-inspiring read.
Now, this wouldn’t be a Brad Parks post unless I shared a sampling of his visit to One More Page. In addition to be a truly talented writer, Brad Parks can sing. A song from Hamilton, nonetheless!
What a crazy month this has been! We were teased with summer-like weather, then snow, and now endless rain. That said, it is kind of perfect reading weather, isn’t it?
My life hasn’t calmed down in the slightest, yet I’m finding more time to read somehow. It’s so crazy that I forgot this blog’s birthday on March 8th! It’s 9 years old! My, how the time has flown by!
Marianne von Lingenfels is the widow of a man murdered after a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in July of 1944. Upholding her promise to those who conspired with her husband, she tracks down their wives, to provide them and their family a place of safety and refuge. She brings them to a castle that can be traced back to her own past, a once grand stone fortress now nearly a ruin after years of war.
Among those rescued are Martin, the six-year old son of her childhood friend, from a Nazi reeducation home. Following is his mother, Benita, who finds herself in the hands of Red Army soldiers. Next are Ania and her two boys, refugees in on the many refugee camps. Marianne hopes that their shared pain and loss will bring them all together. Rather, secrets and complicated pasts actually do the reverse. Each of them are forced to face decisions they made before, during, and post-war that have altered their lives forever if they are ever to successfully face the future.
What an incredibly remarkable and moving novel. Shattuck revealed a bit of history completely unknown to me, and I suspect, many others. She weaves rich historical detail with well developed characters, making the setting and the emotions the characters experienced so alive and genuine. It isn’t difficult to become immersed in this book; you instantly form a connection with the characters, despite their past and the actions they took part in to survive.
Ultimately, each of the women are forced to ask themselves, and one another, the following question: Can you love someone despite their past actions? Can you overlook the actions of war? This questions more easily answered by some of the women than others, but definitely a theme that ran throughout the entirety of this book.
Overall, this is a timely novel of love, loss and recovery. It sheds light on what happened in Germany during the war from the inside, from the viewpoint of ordinary, average Germans, a viewpoint we often doing get to experience. This will, without a doubt, make quite the perfect book for book club discussion, for though I read it over a week ago, my thoughts and feelings continue to simmer within me. Highly, highly recommended.
