LaReyna
Motherhood can be really rough and this book takes us to the harder side of that.
Blythe was raised by a man who longs for a wife who left after deciding being a mom wasn't what she wanted in life. Due to this rough upbringing Blythe is concerned immensely as to how she'll be as a mother now that she is expecting her first child with her college sweetheart Fox.
When Violet arrives into this world Blythe is not ready for the harsher side of parenting and lack of freedom she now encounters. Violet isn't keen on Blythe either even from a very young age, she just knew her mom wasn't happy to be a mom. Blythe has a really hard time liking Violet when she sees just how not normal she is. Violet is an odd child and seems to always be scheming on ways to torture Blythe. All that changes when Sam enters the world, he is everything that Blythe dreamed a child could be. When tragedy strikes Blythe must face her past demons head on.
I enjoyed this book, but there are spots I felt were a bit slow. I found the internal struggle of being a mother and not meeting expectations to be relevant. I'm happy to see that discussed considering how taboo it is for a mother to have moments of not wanting the job. There are aspects of the book I felt should have been a tad bit more elaborate, such as a quick view point from Violet's pov and how she is with her new life. Overall I recommend this book but do be prepared for a slow burn read.
This book is so good and exciting!! I read this on the tail of The Housemaid since supposedly they're suppose to be the same story. The premise is the same I'll give them that but the stories are vastly different and I actually enjoyed this one more.
Daphne, a poor girl from a small town, was swept off her feet by the rich and powerful Jackson Parrish. Within months they are set to be wed, unfortunately as soon as Daphne says “I do” her life is forever changed for the worse. Jackson's true character and agenda is revealed and Daphne feels more alone than she ever has in her life, she knows she'll never escape this horror but luckily Amber a new woman in town seems to be her way out.
Amber is running from her past and has her eyes set on Mr. Jackson Parrish. When Amber finds a ton in common with Daphne she realizes that her life could possibly be as blessed and lavish if she is the new Mrs. Parrish. Little does Amber know just how quickly that dream can be a reality when Daphne makes the one decision that can forever set her free.
This story comes with some major trigger warnings of emotional abuse. However, this story is gripping and I've never been made to hate a character more than I now hate Jackson Parrish! I highly recommend and have dubbed this my favorite read of 2023!
Wow Wow Wow!! This book was fantastic and had so many twists!!
Millie is newly out of prison and is seeking employment with the hopes of turning her life around. She interviews for the Winchester family in the position of maid, Nina the matriarch is kind at first but once Millie starts working for her she starts to show her true colors. Andy, Nina's husband, seems to relate to Millie and they begin to make some strong bonds on their concern for Nina's behavior.
This book is not what I expected in the least, there's so many underlying secrets that I didn't see coming! There's really no way to explain this book without giving away pivotal plot points. If you love a fast paced thriller I highly recommend this book!
I was influenced by BookTok to read this book. All the reviewers said it was gut wrenching and extremely sad but I didn't get any of those emotions from this book.
Autumn and Finny are best friends from birth and we are taken on the journey of their friendship during high school. This is your typical friendship to relationship story and the plot was very predictable. I gave this book three stars because it kept my interest but Autumn's character frustrated me, she was so oblivious to such blatant clues from her friends and family and it was very unrealistic and off putting. Finny's POV isn't given too much and I understand there's a second book with his POV but I'm not sure I'll read it. The ending was rushed and I wish the story focused more on what happens after we get the twist.
All in all if you're looking for a cute love story with some harsh realities that are tossed in as an afterthought then I recommend this book.
What a beautiful story of love, loss, and finding happiness.
Ernt and Cora Allbright embark on finding new happiness in Alaska with their daughter Leni. Ernt has never been the same since coming home from Vietnam and Cora bears the brunt of his agony. In the 70's Alaska is barren with only a handful of homesteaders present who are able to tackle The Great Alone. Leni soon finds herself in love with a local boy who's family established the town they live in. Soon Ernt can no longer bear the isolation and in a tragic turn of events Cora and Leni have a hard choice to make.
This story of love and loss is gut wrenching and well developed. I only gave it four stars solely based on pace, there were a few times I wanted to give up because plot progression was inching along. I'm glad I stuck it out though, the strong female characters are important and their story was told very thoughtfully.
Not what I expected at all, I thought this was going to be your run of the mill Romance novel but I was mistaken. This story is a lot darker than I anticipated and very emotionally raw. I like that the story is not wrapped up in a nice little bow at the end.
Lily Bloom comes from an abusive household where she witnesses more than once her father attacking her mother. She never understood why her mother endured all those years of abuse and quite frankly felt that her mother was weak. When Lily meets Ryle Kincaid in Boston after the death of her father she is immediately smitten and they get entangled in a whirlwind romance. When Lily realizes that this relationship is not what she expected she has two choices to make, stay where she's at and be like her mother or make a change for the better and do what her mother could never do.
In the midst of this whirlwind romance we gets a glimpse into the youthful relationship Lily had with homeless teen Atlas Corrigan from years ago. Lily takes Atlas under her wing and takes many risks to make sure that Atlas is cared for, fed and showered. When Atlas is finally able to find a stable roof to live under Lily cannot fathom living without him in her life but she knows it's for the best and lets Atlas go.
In her new life Lily stumbles upon Atlas as an adult and soon finds that she still has a deep love and affection for him. Atlas has never stopped loving Lily and when Lily needs help the most he is sure to be there to save her life as she saved his so many years ago.
This book gets a strong 4 stars from me, this story has a ton of domestic violence triggers so do be cautious but open to understanding what we as outsiders may never get.
Such a thrilling ride!! Loved every aspect of this book and did not have one disappointment.
Jamie was a shy do gooder all her life, she gets accepted to Duquette University where she becomes fast friends with the popular kids who deem themselves the East House Seven.
She returns to the college 10 years after the unsolved murder of one of the East House Seven, Heather Shelby, whose younger brother Eric is set on finding out who murdered his sister and suspects each member of the friend group.
It's soon discovered that each friend harbors a horrible secret that sheds suspicion on each of them.
This story kept me on my toes!! Every time I thought I'd figure it out another revelation turns everything upside down. I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed.
Hazel Sinnett is set to be married to her cousin Bernard Almont but has dreams of being a surgeon. In a time where women are meant to be quiet and strive to be suitably married Hazel's dream may not be possible. When Hazel stumbles upon Jack Currer, a resurrection man, her dream begins to come to fruition. Hazel starts to do good for the poor when she stumbles upon a horrific scheme involving her beloved mentor Dr. Beechum. When Hazel confronts Dr. Beechum she is not prepared for the truth of the matter. A small vial that Dr. Beechum carries turns out to be the biggest medical secret that Hazel has ever encountered.
I was not expecting such a twist of an ending and I'm glad that this wasn't one of those novels that was tied up in a pretty bow. I learned terms I had never heard of before and was quite surprised that bodies were dug up after burial to be given to medical students, I never truly believed this was something that occurred in history. I love that Hazel stands firm in her beliefs and desires and doesn't succumb to societal pressures. I am looking forward to eventually reading the sequel to this story so I can see where Hazel ends up.
What a fantastic thrilling ride this book was!! I love Ashley Flowers and her love of all things true crime shows ever present in this debut novel.
1994: Krissy Jacobs is a young mother to twins January and Jace, one morning she wakes to find January laying at the bottom of the basement stairs with red spray paint on the wall spelling out “FUCK YOUR FAMILY...THAT BITCH IS GONE...THIS IS WHAT YOU GET” Krissy now has to deal with past secrets and new secrets to protect her family. Will the killer ever be found?
2019: Journalist Margot Davies has returned to her hometown to watch over her uncle Luke who is suffering from early onset dementia. When a young girl is found murdered it dredges up the past unsolved murder of her childhood friend January Jacobs. In her pursuit to find January's murderer she uncovers secrets that she is not sure she can stomach. With Margot on the case can she solve a murder that happened 25 years ago?
I absolutely loved this book! The writing was excellent and I felt I was listening to Ashley and Brit telling this story on one of their Crime Junkie's episodes. The characters are well developed and the twists and turns made my head spin. What a great way to start off 2023!
This is a very cute Christmas romance story! I'm glad I opted to read it when it came up on my Kindle deals page.
Evergreen Inn is a quaint Vermont hotel owned by Jeanne and Tim who left the corporate life after buying the inn from sweet little old Louis. Unfortunately with a new large lodge that opened up the road their business may go under if they can't book reservations as soon as possible. It's Christmas week and as Jeanne prepares for a guests wedding miracles start to happen. We get to meet several characters who are all at the inn due to a severe blizzard that doesn't allow them to make it to the lodge for their Christmas reservations.
The love stories these guests have are so wonderful and gave me all the Hallmark movie feels!
The Sea of Lost Girls is about a Tess a woman who has spent most of her adult life trying to hide her sordid past and protect her teenage son. When a young girl, her son's girlfriend, ends up dead Tess can no longer keep her past a secret.
I enjoyed the plot and characters but the execution of the storyline fell a little short for me. Characters who were an afterthought in the beginning of the story end up being pivotal towards the end with hardly and character development. Aside from this critique the book is thrilling and exciting!
I did not dislike this book but it was not my favorite. I gave it three stars because the idea of a home having ghosts from the past who are actively dealing with their past trauma and watching the current tenants deal with their trauma was a very interesting concept.
The entire book is from several points of view, from characters that are living to characters that are ghosts. We get the stories of each character (alive or dead) and we watch them come to grips with their past and the decisions they each made in life that has lead them to their current situations. Everything is neatly wrapped up in the end but the pace was very slow and it took me some time to finally get into this book.
What a fantastic story, I reread this book and fell in love!
AJ Fikery was such a lovable character despite his tendency to be pretentious and awkward. I love the evolution his character goes through and was rooting for him the entire book! The idea of living above a bookstore and owning it is so magical and made me desire the quaint town living.
I highly recommend this book not only for all the literary components but for the fantastic character development.
What a fantastic read, an idea that we could potentially see our own alternate life based on one decision or event was fun and creative.
Annie Byers was a strong female character that knew despite what she was being told that her life was not what she was currently living. I could not imagine being told that the memories you hold are all false and that the marriage and family you had was a figment of your imagination and hearts desires. When Annie finally gets things to line up the way they should be I was all smiles, this is a great heartfelt story and made my mind whirl with the idea that maybe just maybe there are alternate lives we are living.
I highly recommend this book and am so glad I picked it to read!
I enjoyed this story very much but was not amazed by the plot line and felt I wanted more from it.
This story is about the struggles families of mixed races endures and especially in the 60's and 70's, the story revolves around the Lee family and their children who suffer in such silence which eventually leads to the end of life for one of them. I'm not of Asian decent but I can relate to the struggles of not fitting in as I grew up a Mexican child in a predominately Caucasian education system. The Lee's have three children Nath, Lydia, and Hannah who endure so much racism in their every day life without their parents even realizing their struggles. Their mother Marilyn, who is Caucasian, wants them to be successful whether that means they have a social life or not. Lydia can no longer take the pressure and starts to make questionable decisions that the parents have no clue about. This really resonated with me, as a child and teen I was able to keep my life pretty private from my family because I did not want to disappoint them. If I would have gone missing, such as Lydia does in this story, my parents would have had a difficult time accepting the life I was leading outside our home. In the end the Lee family has to come to grips with the truth whether they want to accept it or not.
Again, this story was good but I wanted more from Lydia's point of view. I felt the truth of her disappearance was rushed and really didn't give me the ending I wanted and really needed.
Five Stars hands down!! What a fantastic thriller...highly recommend.
Synopsis: Thursday is married to Seth who also has two other wives. The marriage arrangement between Thursday and Seth is that none of his wives will ever cross paths and other than knowing of each others existence there is absolutely no questioning the arrangement. That is until Thursday stumbles upon Monday's personal information and her world is completely turned upside down by a man she really doesn't even know.
Trigger Warning: Discussions of miscarriages, domestic violence, and institutionalization due to mental health concerns
I absolutely loved this story and the characters the author created. Thursday is so wrapped up in being this private detective to find out more information about the other wives that she can't seem to really grasp what's right in front of her eyes. Seth is a real jerk and is a master manipulator, when his character spoke I wanted to throw my kindle across the room! The way in which he preyed on poor Thursday's weaknesses was disheartening and even more so when Thursday began to question her own reality. When we finally get the full truth to the life that Seth has created for himself and his wives I was so taken aback and I really really didn't want Thursday to be portrayed as the bad guy. The ending was a punch to your gut but was exactly what I was hoping to see happen.....sorry not sorry!
The Secrets We Keep was a great book but I felt the characters were quite annoying so I therefore I gave this book 4 stars.
Synopsis: Two woman who know nothing of each other embark on a summer alone with their children to escape the reality of their lives. Tessa has recently lost her mother and and her marriage is suffering so she has decided to take her children Katherine and Ben to the lake for the summer to rethink and regroup. Rebecca is battling some pretty harsh demons and has decided to also escape her lavish New York life with her three children Charlotte, Zoe, and Max for the summer. When the women's paths cross they become instant friends, or so it seems.
Trigger Warning: Discussions of self harm and molestation
I found the character of Tessa to be the classic overbearing mom who needed a wealthy best friend to bring her out of her shell and “find herself”, for most of the book she was really just a follower and extremely predictable. I was not a fan of her character and how weak she came off.
Rebecca is exactly what we are sold when we see rich wealthy woman fighting inner demons but still wanting to keep up appearances. I feel Rebecca was at least a strong character who was able to, despite her social status, be introspective and make changes in her life.
The story pace is really well done and the ending really was surprising and not at all what I expected. It was a full circle type of story line and I did shed a tear. There are some heavy discussions about self harm and molestation but it was not graphic and did not make me uncomfortable. By the end of the book I was rooting for these women to finally grasp their realities and make amends where needed. The descriptions of the locations were not to detailed but if you've ever seen a Lifetime movie set on the East Coast you know what setting they are in. I'm glad I read this book and stand by my 4 stars.
Fantastic read, I give this book five well earned stars.
Call Your Daughter Home is a story about three women who should not have a thing in common but they do and they band together to change the course of their own futures. Retta is a loving house maid who has suffered so many losses but chooses to do the best by others. Gertrude suffers immense abuse at the hands of her husband and finally makes a change for the benefit of her daughters. Ms. Annie Coles is the matriarch of her family and despite the loss of a child and the distance set between her and her daughters she finds a way with the help of Retta and Gertrude to make things right.
I loved the writing style of this story, you feel so empathetic and you really get a sense of the struggle each woman faces despite their social status. It's always refreshing to see that behind every man is a woman who has worked harder than one can imagine to keep her family thriving. The love told in this story is palpable and I shed tears when the characters finally see justice for the wrongs that have been done to them.
I appreciate that even though there are some really triggering issues in this book, such as molestation and domestic abuse, the writing is done in a classy way and not at all in a crude manner. You know wrong is being done and you see the flip side of the abusers getting their day in court so to speak.
Just a fantastic book and a touching story.
Five Stars!!
Wow, what a page turner. This book was such a thrilling ride, so many twists and just when you thought you had it figured out...bam....another twist.
Anne and Marco have just had baby Cora seven months when one terrible decision cost them their beloved child. Anne and Marco attend a dinner at the neighbors house, their babysitter cancelled last minute and they decide to leave baby Cora in her crib with a baby monitor and would check on her every half hour. When they get home at a little after 1am they are devastated to find baby Cora missing. Will they find Cora in time? One terrible decision brings forth numerous secrets that the family and extended family have attempted to keep quiet but can no longer when an investigation into the kidnapping of baby Cora is opened.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a thrilling thriller! I am looking forward to reading more of Shari Lapena's books!
Five stars!! My goodness this was a touching story.
Morgan and her younger sister Jenny were a foursome with best friends Chris and Jonah in high school. One evening Morgan, who was only 18, realizes she is carrying Chris's child and life takes a drastic turn. Seventeen years later a tragic car accident turns Morgan's life upside down leaving her to raise her daughter Clara alone and battling deep dark secrets she is blindsided by.
Clara is on the verge of turning 17 and doesn't seem to relate to her mother Morgan at all. She is devastated with a tragic loss and thinks the her world is completely done for. With the help of her new love interest Miller she learns that maybe she's more similar to her mom than she ever thought.
This book was absolutely gripping and tragic but in the end made me so happy!
A disappointing read, my first of 2022.
Zodiac Academy is extremely disappointing and disheartening. The main characters are teenage girls who are having their blood sucked in a sensual way when male characters need it, coerced into humiliating tasks at the will of others, and made to feel dominated and objectified by male staff. The characters are all entitled and egotistical and Tory and Darcy (the teenage twins) are orphans that had it tough growing up so they just grin and bear it....uh yea no thank you.
The story line is predictable and the characters have absolutely no depth. The book did not answer any questions and I finished not sure where the story was leading or why Tory and Darcy are even thrust into this egotistical male dominated world.