I am grateful to the publisher who shared a digital advanced reading copy through Netgalley to me in exchange for my honest review.
All The Light We CaI am grateful to the publisher who shared a digital advanced reading copy through Netgalley to me in exchange for my honest review.
All The Light We Cannot See is a gorgeously written literary achievement. It is so much more than just a story and although fiction, it reads more like a memoir.
Marie-Laure is French, a child whose bad eyesight has recently degenerated into blindness. Her Father is the key master at the huge museum of Natural History. Werner and his younger sister Jutta are German orphans, living a bleak but happy existence in a home for children with the French born Frau Elena as their house mother.
The story introduces us to these main characters and follows them in alternate sections throughout their lives. Their stories begin in the early years between the world wars and then into and through the second world war in its entirety. It continues, carrying us past WWII's aftermath and finally to the end of Marie Laure's life in modern day France.
The care with which each character is portrayed allows us to read such a bleak story without spending the entire time drowning in tears. It is matter of fact about the realities of the time, never self-pitying or overly dramatized. These were characters who had an entirely different perspective and experience of that war. For me, the German side of the story was particularly of interest, since it is rarely told, in my experience.
The writing is concise and lovely. Clearly, the author is passionate about the subject and has taken great care to humanize his story with compassion and an intelligent narrative that refuses to pick sides or generalize suffering.
This is a long book, but well worth the time. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in WWII, history, science or humanity in general. It is not a light read, and at times made me so sad, but it is important and necessary to remind ourselves of this tragic time in history....more
Byrd is a book that you must read without expecting anything specific. It will likely resonate, or not, with each reader based on the individual readeByrd is a book that you must read without expecting anything specific. It will likely resonate, or not, with each reader based on the individual reader's own life experiences.
Byrd, as a book, is a compilation of scenes told from the viewpoint of a variety of characters who are connected simply because Byrd, the boy, exists. The scenes begin with the main characters as students in school and proceed in a meandering fashion to lay out the map of how each one is intertwined. Throughout the pages, we are given the before and after of Byrd's birth and how this event has affected his Mother and all the people she came in contact with as a result.
The book does not have a plot, no real linear timeline, or a distinct ending. What it does contain is the lovingly written journal-like story of a mothers life that she hopes will one day explain to the son she gave up for adoption, how he came to be and who she was, if he ever should happen to want to know. It is spare in detail but filled with the unspoken weight of emotion that she carries each moment for her unknown son.
It is calm and matter of fact, intelligent and thought-provoking, lovely to read, prompting wonder at the hidden and deep channels of love we humans can secretly harbor.
I received this as an advanced digital edition through Netgalley in exchange for my review....more
*I read this as an advanced digital copy kindly provided to me through Netgalley*
Prenna is part of a group of people who have time traveled back from *I read this as an advanced digital copy kindly provided to me through Netgalley*
Prenna is part of a group of people who have time traveled back from a future time to our current one. They have secretly arrived in the hopes that they can discover how to prevent the terrible plague that has affected so many of their own people in this future. This plague, which they have no cure for, has left them no choice but to return to a period before it existed in order to have a chance at surviving and eradicating it before it wipes out the entire population.
Prenna and her Mom are the only survivors of what used to be her family. Now they try to achieve normalcy in a world that is so different from the one they used to know. In order to achieve invisibility and not attract attention or discovery from the "time natives" - those who originate from this previous time, they must strictly adhere to a list of 12 rules created by the very first time traveler from their world to this, and strictly reinforced by the leaders of their group. These rules prohibit them from actually creating a new life here, but demand that they integrate enough to remain above suspicion.
Prenna was observed upon entry into the past by a boy, Ethan, who never forgot her strange sudden appearance in the woods and has spent the past two years watching for her to reappear in his life. When she finally does, sophomore year of High School in pre-calc, he calmly sets about befriending her. As the story begins, things are beginning to happen that make Prenna doubt the rules are actually there to "protect" them. She defiantly starts to search for answers to her many questions and despite warnings from her group counselors, begins to discover information that threatens all she has ever believed or known. With help from Ethan, and a strange homeless man, Ben, Prenna defies the rules and risks everything she has for a chance to learn the real truth and perhaps gain a chance for her own happy ever after.
While this book involves time travel and a future generation, it is also full of the classic themes of coming of age and finding the truths of the world around you.
This is a shorter novel, that while ambitious, does not live up to its potential at all. The emotion is missing as well as a lot of explanation or reason for so much of the actions in the story. While it could have been exploring some of the more timely themes it introduces, it chooses to focus on the overriding ambition of the heroine to defy the rules and find love with her hero. I am all for a good love story, but making it more important than all of the other events that would have seemingly been magor to any other heroine in this situation was ludicrous. The story was never cohesive or relatable and lacked the ability to pull me as a reader into it's world or to care enough about what was happening and how or why.
I am still waiting for a sequel to My Name Is Memory from this author so this felt disappointingly like a total waste of time that she could have much better spent on that long-overdue, promised story! ...more
Above is not exactly what I expected and that is a good thing. It is described as a blended version of Room and The Road, which I will admit is prettyAbove is not exactly what I expected and that is a good thing. It is described as a blended version of Room and The Road, which I will admit is pretty spot on, however it is really much more than that. Above begins immediately with the abduction of Blythe by a man named Dobbs, a librarian whom she is familiar with, as she is walking home from a fair in their small Kansas town. Blythe is 16 and can not fathom what Dobbs true intentions may be. Dobbs is very certain that the end of the world as they know it is in eminent danger of ending and he has been planning for this eventuality for years. Blythe holds a particularly important role in his plans. After the major disaster that will engulf the modern civilization, it will be up to he and Blythe to helm the reproduction portion of his end-of-the-world survival plan. To that end he brings Blythe to an abandoned silo once outfitted for nuclear survival and bombing, and now tricked out as a long term living facility with enough supplies to outlast the years needed to get beyond a nuclear burnout.
Calmly and with conviction enough for both of them, Dobbs refuses to release Blythe, assuring her that he is doing her a favor and she should be thankful he chose her. Meanwhile Blythe barely maintains her sanity as months then years pass and she is made to realize there will be no way out of her prison. It is only when she conceives and delivers a son, Adam, and must create a life that he can be safe and happy in, does she accept her situation. It is no longer possible or her to resist living or to fight Dobbs. For her sons sake she must forget her old life and attempt to make the best of her current tragic circumstances.
She succeeds admirably until years later, a chance at freedom is presented and she and Adam manage to escape. What they find, upon emerging into the real world, is absolutely nothing as she remembers and far too close to the world Dobbs had always warned her about.
Above is a curious mix of cautionary tale and apocalyptic imaginings layered upon the foundation of a kidnapper and his innocent victim. It explores the thin lines between love and hate, reality and delusion; and truth and lies.
I did not expect the path that Above took. It was dark and desperate but also full of resilience and the power of love to transcend the despair of reality. In the end, Blythe must reconcile what she has spent years believing with a truth that is very hard to acknowledge.
I felt this story was adept at hovering between two themes that are often hard to manage, the tenuous balance between sci-fi and reality. I never felt suspended too far into disbelieving territory, yet it was distant enough from our present truth to keep me comfortably aware it was a fictionalized world. Morley has written a provocative and thoughtful novel that will give you shivers while also instigating contemplation of our current environmental issues....more
I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful story! It was well written, intelligent and very readable. The author is excellent at communicating her characteI thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful story! It was well written, intelligent and very readable. The author is excellent at communicating her characters emotions and thoughts without actually boring us with the details in that introspective way that so many authors seem to love.
I didn't realize this would be the third in a series when I requested it from Netgalley but I was able to enjoy it and had no trouble getting up to speed. Keye Street is an engaging and uniquely drawn character who I found smart and funny but not cookie cutter.
If you have a chance, read this. Or better yet; start at the beginning of the series, read her backstory then come back and read this winner!...more
Stella is divorced, a mom, and hasn't had a date in years. Her 16 year old son needs her less and less and her ex has remarried and happily moved on. Stella is divorced, a mom, and hasn't had a date in years. Her 16 year old son needs her less and less and her ex has remarried and happily moved on. However that's all great because a couple of Fridays a month, Stella puts on a disguise and hops a flight to wherever she can travel and be back by Monday.
Sometimes, having reached her destination, she never makes it further than one of the airport hotels. Stella isn't traveling for the sightseeing or the tourist tours. She has one purpose and she's extremely good at taking care of business. All she needs is a handsome fellow traveler who craves a no strings attached adventure as much as she does. She has few requirements. She's perfected her seduction skills, along with a great body that lets her well chosen clothes and lingerie do their work. She has her demons and a deep but managed grief that fuels her need for no questions and no commitments. At the end of a satisfying weekend she heads back to her life, content with her independence until the desire to fly comes around again.
She never counted on Matthew, however, and before long she's taking all her flights to be with him. Is this a chance to change her life, or is she too scared to let someone try? All she knows is that he makes her happy and when her "real" life begins to get more complicated, he gives her the love and connection she needs.
Matthew has his own demons, though, and when they eventually all come out, he and Stella have to decide if what they have is worth fighting for.
This is not for everyone due to graphic portrayals of adult "relationships" but if that doesn't stop you, it's a pretty good story. My only real complaint is the last few pages. There is a pretty serious conflict that is suddenly resolved with no lead-up and no real explanation or conclusive details. This just didn't strike me as good storytelling and I felt a little put out. Overall, though, the novel flows fairly fast with very little unnecessary bits, a tight plot, and a cast of relatable and likable characters....more
The Fever is a thrill ride into the lives of a group of high school girls who are unexpectedly struck by an undetermined illness. Once the mysterious The Fever is a thrill ride into the lives of a group of high school girls who are unexpectedly struck by an undetermined illness. Once the mysterious "fever" strikes, Deenie, Gabbie, Lise and Skye are propelled into a strange string of events that will forever change who they are and how they see each other. Secrets, loyalty and desire are all explored in Abbotts distinctive way.
The story is both lyrical and titillatingly delicious. Descriptions take on a 3D quality in the hands of this author. She can make you feel, see and experience what would merely be a hair color or emotion in others words. The story is exciting, immersive and totally addictive, making it hard to stop until the very last page.
I enjoyed this story. It was fast paced and fresh and certainly worth my time. Perfect for a quick read with its fascinating characters and suspenseful plot....more
When I read the synopsis for this book, I made the mistake of forming an idea about what this story would be about. Unfortunately, for me, the actual When I read the synopsis for this book, I made the mistake of forming an idea about what this story would be about. Unfortunately, for me, the actual story was totally different than my imagined one. For that reason, it isn't entirely the fault of the author that I found this to be rather lackluster. My idea was just better ;-)
This is the what-could-have-been harrowing story of a family, The Glasses, that is held hostage in their own house for a few days by a couple of thugs intent on getting their hands on as much of the money in the Glass's considerable savings as they can. While they pursue this criminal goal, they make many rookie mistakes and manage to become at odds with each other over how to treat and hold their hostages. Kid gets lost, shots are fired, desperation ensues on both sides and tragedy is inevitable. Of course, there is a back story, though I was never really satisfied that the explanation for who these random thugs were was made clear.
Quick read but can't say I was ever invested....more
Invisible City is a very appropriate name for this novel!
Rebekkah, formerly from sunny Florida, has recently moved to New York city and is freezing heInvisible City is a very appropriate name for this novel!
Rebekkah, formerly from sunny Florida, has recently moved to New York city and is freezing her butt off on an assignment from the Tribune, a tabloid paper, where she works as a stringer/reporter. A woman's corpse had been discovered earlier that morning in a scrapyard and she has been given the task of ferreting out the who, why, by whom, and when. It's not long however, before she realizes this isn't going to be quite as easy, nor as straightforward as it would seem.
After noticing that the event is not progressing in the normal way a crime scene would be handled, Rebekkah learns that both the dead woman and the owner of the scrapyard are members of the nearby huge sequestered community of Hasidic Jews. This resonates with her on a unconscious and not entirely welcome level. As an infant, Rebekkah's mother, who had been a young questioning Hasidic Jewish woman when she had met Rebekkah's father, had abandoned her lover and newborn daughter without leaving behind any information as to her intent or plans. She had been silently absent from their lives since. Now an adult, Rebekkah was unsure whether she wanted to continue to forget she had a mother or attempt to locate her, if only to ask why or learn whether she was even still alive.
Rebekkah uses this thin connection to the group to pose as a insider and glean information regarding the dead woman. When Saul introduces himself to her as a liaison between the NYPD and the Jewish community she learns he also knew her mother. Unsure how to deal with this information she focuses on his willingness to help with her investigation and is able to uncover the disturbing beliefs and practices of the religious sect that has prevented the truth of the murder from being revealed.
Invisible City is both an exploration of how Rebekkah has been shaped by her motherless past and a murder mystery set within a unique sub-culture of New Yorkers. It gives readers a glimpse into the practices and daily life of modern Hasidic Jews, presents engaging characters and a steadily-moving intelligent plot, and offers a suspenseful mystery that is refreshingly un cookie-cutteresque.
I was intrigued by the premise of a murder happening within the confines of a culture that is clearly defined by strict rules and customs. I was also curious to learn how such an event might be perceived by an outsider who was unaccustomed to the religion yet had some sort of personal tie to it. It was also of interest to see how the delicate border between religious freedom and human injustice was handled.
Overall this was a worthwhile read that entertained as well as informed. ...more
This is the fourth book in this series and although I like to read series in order, this was offered by Netgalley for my review, it sounded like sometThis is the fourth book in this series and although I like to read series in order, this was offered by Netgalley for my review, it sounded like something I would enjoy, so I went for it. After having read it, I can say I did enjoy it. I may have had a clearer image of the recurring characters and some of their motivations, actions, etc. if I had of read the previous books , but this is not the fault of the author so I will not take away points for that reason. The story features a 12 year old handicapped boy who witnesses something he feels needs to be investigated yet has no way to do it himself and is prohibited by his handicap from communicating his suspicions properly. Enter Liv and her fellow FBI agents for a fast paced and tightly suspended action story that is page turning, and enjoyable. Noah was my favorite character by far and really made this story so likable for me. Some of the interactions between the FBI agents were a little shaky for me and their action weren't always sensible to their characters, but I was able to overlook these little things for the parts where Noah was front and center and was so satisfying to read. This is a good mystery story that isn't too terrifying or heart-racing to read before bed :-)...more
I had read and enjoyed Setterfield's previous work, The Thirteenth Tale, and so was greatly anticipating a new book from her after such a long time. HI had read and enjoyed Setterfield's previous work, The Thirteenth Tale, and so was greatly anticipating a new book from her after such a long time. However, this did not hold any of the appeal I was expecting. I read more than half of the book....nearly to page 200...then in the interest of keeping sane....gave myself permission to skim the rest rather than continue reading each minute, boring word. As a review, I will say that this book had potential but it was just not realized in a way that I could enjoy. The author obviously did what she wanted to do, but as a reader, I could not remain invested in characters for whom I felt almost nothing. This is a gothic, ghost tale. Black and dark. Morbid and depressing. Unfortunately, there is very little to care about at all, almost everyone we are introduced to dies and by the time I started skimming, I wished ALL the characters were dead so I could reach the end and move onto something that was less sleep inducing....more
This is a story that I both loved and disliked. The aspects that I loved were the fact that it is intelligently written with a main character that is This is a story that I both loved and disliked. The aspects that I loved were the fact that it is intelligently written with a main character that is both easy to like and root for. The mystery is not straightforward....it meanders in and out, leading us this way and that, teasing us with clues until the very end. I enjoyed being surprised, thinking I might know where the trail was leading only to be spun around to a entirely different scenario. It also held my interest throughout a hectic holiday season when I would have normally spared little time to read had it not been so darn addictive turning the pages of this story. The parts I found annoying and frustrating are also a tribute to the author in that he managed to bring out strong emotion in me as a reader even though they were negative ones. Religious zealots are a type of people that I find contemptible, mainly because they tend to do despicable things in the name of this religion, or sanction actions that are ultimately not in their followers best interests but are for their own. Reading about these types drive me crazy with the need to reach into the book and whack them over the head. It also compels me to mutter angrily and attempt to talk some sense into the stupid characters they are duping, which lets face it, is a crazy thing to do and since it accomplishes nothing....isn't worth the pitying stares I receive from those who may have the misfortune of being within hearing distance of my muttering, scowling self.
Overall this book was well worth my time and was an engrossing read. I recommend it to anyone looking for a entertaining murder mystery with a strong female lead character and a satisfying conclusion. I received a digital advanced reading copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review....more
I was offered this book to read in exchange for a review from Netgalley.
When a local girl's body is found, butchered up and stuffed in the hollow of aI was offered this book to read in exchange for a review from Netgalley.
When a local girl's body is found, butchered up and stuffed in the hollow of a tree it raises many questions that Lucy Dane seems to be the only one interested in finding the answers to. Cheri had been missing for over a year, but no one was still looking for her. Lucy had been her only friend, and not a very good one at that. Cheri had been developmentally slow, no father that any one knew of and a Mother who was never going to win any Mom award. It wasn't any surprise she had run off, but Lucy sometimes wondered if that was really what had happened. Maybe she was paranoid...her own mother had left when she was barely a year old and she had always wondered why about that too. But now, it looked like Cheri had been a tragic victim. Guilt from not doing more to find Cheri in the past year, prompts Lucy to begin digging around for answers. What she finds points not only to something more disturbed and horrendous than she could have imagined, but opens up long closed doors into her own family's secrets.
Lucy, her Mom and Cheri are all intertwined in a way that readers may suspect early on but will need to keep reading to discover exactly why. I relished delving into these characters lives, learning their stories...their town...their secrets. The writing was taut, drawing the reader into caring about the why's and the who's, slowly revealing clues and hints, letting us slowly unravel the twisted tangle of lies and fear. Some of the situations are hard to read, though there is no gratuitous violence or scenes that were unnecessary.
I enjoyed this story for the most part. I was somewhat peeved at the end because it seemed a bit rushed and did not spend as much time as I would have liked on the emotions of those involved, the why's or how some of the situations occurred or would be resolved. That is a personal opinion, however, and did not distract from the overall story. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys becoming engrossed in a mystery that is not a cookie cutter crime or detective novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to the world of Dr Sam Owens, Xander, Fletch and Agent Baldwin. This is not the first in the series, but I was uI thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to the world of Dr Sam Owens, Xander, Fletch and Agent Baldwin. This is not the first in the series, but I was unaware of this author until this opportunity was presented to read an advanced digital edition from Netgalley and I am so glad I did. The writing is tight and intelligent, expertly allowing us to tag along as the main characters are given a mystery and set out on the winding and treacherous path to its resolution.
Dr. Sam Owens has had some really rough events knock her down in the couple of years before this story begins. She is still a bit fragile and suffering from PTSD, but she has managed to get back up and attempt to make another go at leading a normal happy life. Leaving the stress of being a forensic pathologist behind, she accepts a professors position at Georgetown, teaching a new generation of doctors hoping to follow her footsteps into a career as forensic pathologists.
Xander, her retired-from-special-forces mountain man is the reason she can feel safe, the reason she has hope for the future and all that keeps her from totally losing it sometimes. Lieutenant Fletch still can't stop wishing she was more than a friend and Agent Baldwin is trying to convince her she should leave the safe college professorship job behind and join the FBI who could really use her knowledge and expertise.
As the story begins, a young girl goes missing and on the same day, Dr. Sam Owens receives a letter from a man whom she has never met requesting her to investigate his murder. Knowing she shouldn't let herself become involved but being unable to resist puts Sam in the thick of the action and running full steam ahead as she and the team scramble to discover how much each event is connected and what the real motive for the murder and kidnapping is.
While they race to solve the mystery, people who can give them answers are being picked off deliberately by a ruthless killer. Meanwhile a seemingly unrelated development begins to break open the whole case and its a frantic rush to find the answers and save the innocent before its all too late.
Tightly paced, believable action, and very human characters set this in a class of books from authors I turn to for a engrossing page turning escape. I highly recommend this book and plan to delve into the previous offerings in this series....more
When I read the summary for this story I was intrigued. How does one live a lifetime in prison? No hope for release, no freedom, the fear of prison viWhen I read the summary for this story I was intrigued. How does one live a lifetime in prison? No hope for release, no freedom, the fear of prison violence, the utter futility of continuing to repeat each day until the mercy of your death? In Inside These Walls, we are introduced to Clare Mattingly who is serving the 25th year of a life sentence for murder. This story explores the life she has lived in such a way. The minutiae of everyday life lived in imprisonment. The small ways Clare found to make life bearable and to bring meaning and purpose to her existence. It also slowly reveals her backstory. The whys and hows of why she is there and how she feels about it from the distance of time. And it answers the questions I had about what life one could have when life is the sentence. I took a while warming up to Clare. She has learned to be blank and unemotional in order to survive and it is a while before I saw a glimmer of softness. It is there though, in her dancing along the bars of her cell, finding beauty in the raised textures of her Braille art, seeking friendship from a mangy cat and in the caring of her blind cell mate. And it is also there in the slow progression of the unraveling of her story. It is a slow story, yet full of reasons to continue reading. It would be enjoyable to those who prefer a character driven mystery.
I enjoyed this latest work by an author I have come to rely on for good suspense. This one was no different and I am pleased to have had the opportuniI enjoyed this latest work by an author I have come to rely on for good suspense. This one was no different and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to read a digital ARC, kindly provided by NetGalley.
That Night has a steadily building tension that keeps a reader involved and turning pages to see what may be revealed next. It isn't intense or mind blowing, yet it keeps your interest. The mystery at the core of the story plays out with well placed secrets and reveals that add a great deal to the readers experience. I was suspicious of some of the characters and their motives only to realize they were clever foils and was pleasantly surprised when the mystery was solved towards the end and I hadn't really suspected how or why.
I always want a story that makes me feel. Whether the emotion is pleasant or not, the ability to persuade me to become emotionally involved is one I admire and wish to achieve from a novel. This particular story made me feel frustrated and sad.
The two main characters are young and claim innocence when they are blamed for a girl's horrible murder yet no one believes them. It is just too easy to nail them for the crime and stop looking for anyone else. Innocent or not, they serve their time and while imprisoned, learn very quickly that they must be tough to survive. This attitude and way of living defines them even after they are released. Automatically judged guilty until proven innocent in any situation where their involvement is suspected makes it difficult for them to believe they will ever be able to live down their alleged crimes and lead a normal life. Determination to avenge the murdered girl and prove their own innocence only heightens their troubles and lands them back in prison. The suspicions they have raised are viable, however and soon the whole case is blown open to reveal just exactly what happened and why.
I liked these characters. I thought the story was entertaining and it certainly held my attention. The plot was predictable, yet contained enough surprises to retain the page turning urgency. This is recommended!...more
I was given an opportunity to read this book, in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley.
Hadley Dun, when presented with the opportunity to study I was given an opportunity to read this book, in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley.
Hadley Dun, when presented with the opportunity to study abroad in Switzerland for a semester of college, is at once hesitant and ecstatic. She is very young, barely 19 and still living at home with her loving Mum and Dad, and little brother Sam. Lausanne is an adventure, one she would never have ventured to want or even hope for, yet when it is offered, is an escape from all that is mundane in her simple life. Once in Lausanne, which she finds to be just as lovely and exotic as she had hoped for, she is thrown into a fresh life full of new friends, possibilities of romance and eventually the heartbreaking loss of a dear, new friend. The death is surrounded by mystery, just as the life she realizes, had been. Hadley is determined to unravel it all and with the unlikely help of an elderly French writer, the professor she shouldn't be falling for but is, and very few clues, she does just that. In the end though, nothing is as it seems and she finds herself struggling to bring sense out of the tragedy.
As with her first book, Hall has brought a foreign locale to startling life. It is rich with color and beauty, giving one a warm feeling of belonging. I was not as connected to the characters, or the meandering plot as I had hoped to be, but it was still a rather enjoyable read. It did keep me reading to discover how it all panned out, though the ending and how it did turn out was entirely unsatisfactory for me, but then, I am partial to a certain type of closure.
I was offered this book as a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my opinion/review.
Many, many readers on Goodreads, Amazon...wherever....have raved aboI was offered this book as a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my opinion/review.
Many, many readers on Goodreads, Amazon...wherever....have raved about the wonderfulness of this book. It is part of a book trend going on now, called "New Adult". As I understand it, this genre offers young adult/new adult characters with themes this age group experiences or is interested in, but with more mature relationships, descriptions and language. I have given this genre a fair chance, kept an open-mind and tried not to let my age deter me while reading books in this category. However, it is evident that this type of book is just not one I can enjoy. I am too aware of the triviality of most plots within this genre. Characters act in ways that are silly and immature, unrealistic, and basically inspire massive amounts of eye rolling and dumbfounded incredulity on my part. Not that I am too cool for school or whatever, I just can not relate at all to the scenarios and characters pervading these books.
This story was a good case-in-point. We have a girl who has had just too many bad things transpire in her short life. From a boyfriend dying - in a car crash, no less -,parents divorcing, a best friend suddenly becoming her worst enemy after said best friends boyfriend hits on our girl....right after rescuing her from a almost assault and rape attack when she is careless enough to go off alone with a guy she just met, and this is just the opening chapter! Girl leaves on a impromptu Greyhound bus trip....meets guy, who we will later find out has some serious bad luck as well,..... and after days getting to know each other on the road, decides to join forces on a epic road trip.
I did manage to finish the book, but when all was said and done, the story, though a decently written one for the most part, had absolutely no redeeming factors for me. I never connected emotionally with the main players, never felt their story was "authentic" -if you will- to reality, and had no opinion regarding how the story turned out or what happened to the characters. ...more
The synopsis for this story was intriguing, but never portrayed some of the themes that are explored. I did try this story. I persistently read until tThe synopsis for this story was intriguing, but never portrayed some of the themes that are explored. I did try this story. I persistently read until the 100th page ...which is my personal rule for giving a book a fair shot before I give up. It's not badly written, in fact, the descriptive imagery created as well as the emotions the author is able to elicit are very well done. I just felt very unconnected to the main characters and the plot line that was being created. I could imagine where the story was headed and just could not read further.
I was provided a digital arc by NetGalley for my honest opinion....more