At the Edge of the Universe by Shaun David Hutchinson
Tommy and Ozzie have been best friends since second grade, and boyfriends since eighth. They spent countless days dreaming of escaping their small town—and then Tommy vanished.
More accurately, he ceased to exist, erased from the minds and memories of everyone who knew him. Everyone except Ozzie.
Ozzie doesn’t know how to navigate life without Tommy, and soon suspects that something else is going on: that the universe is shrinking.
When Ozzie is paired up with new student Calvin on a physics project, he begins to wonder if Calvin could somehow be involved. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is for him to deny the feelings developing between them, even if he still loves Tommy.
But Ozzie knows there isn’t much time left to find Tommy–that once the door closes, it can’t be opened again. And he’s determined to keep it open as long as possible.
Omg this book shook me. It was my first book by this author and I wanted so much more. I didn't want it to end at all. I was hesitant to read it at all I guess just because of the title prompt that I used it for...book with a LGBT character. But once I started reading it I totally forgot about that. I had to know what happened to his boyfriend Tommy. I liked the way that the author used the shrinking of the universe to convey his message. I genuinely liked all the characters which almost never happens. I liked that they all had something that made them jacked up. Like his best friend that wasn't sure if he wanted to be a girl or a guy and how everyone still accepted him. How he tried to help Calvin when he realized what had happened to him for him to be doing what he was doing. I liked as the universe shrunk and the concept of the world ending made since for what he was going through. I definitely recommend this book for anyone to read, by far one of my favorites this year!
Tommy and Ozzie have been best friends since second grade, and boyfriends since eighth. They spent countless days dreaming of escaping their small town—and then Tommy vanished.
More accurately, he ceased to exist, erased from the minds and memories of everyone who knew him. Everyone except Ozzie.
Ozzie doesn’t know how to navigate life without Tommy, and soon suspects that something else is going on: that the universe is shrinking.
When Ozzie is paired up with new student Calvin on a physics project, he begins to wonder if Calvin could somehow be involved. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is for him to deny the feelings developing between them, even if he still loves Tommy.
But Ozzie knows there isn’t much time left to find Tommy–that once the door closes, it can’t be opened again. And he’s determined to keep it open as long as possible.
Omg this book shook me. It was my first book by this author and I wanted so much more. I didn't want it to end at all. I was hesitant to read it at all I guess just because of the title prompt that I used it for...book with a LGBT character. But once I started reading it I totally forgot about that. I had to know what happened to his boyfriend Tommy. I liked the way that the author used the shrinking of the universe to convey his message. I genuinely liked all the characters which almost never happens. I liked that they all had something that made them jacked up. Like his best friend that wasn't sure if he wanted to be a girl or a guy and how everyone still accepted him. How he tried to help Calvin when he realized what had happened to him for him to be doing what he was doing. I liked as the universe shrunk and the concept of the world ending made since for what he was going through. I definitely recommend this book for anyone to read, by far one of my favorites this year!
Stiff The Secret Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries and tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them
I read this book for my Micro History book. I went through a few books before I found that I wanted to read and still this one I had to trudge through. It was interesting but it took me longer to read than most just because I wasn't interested in reading it. I liked some things that I learned but it's not one that I will be reading again anytime soon.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy."
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.
This book I used for the allegory prompt. I absolutely love this book. I read it to my students when I taught. I love Shel Silverstein. I use to read his poems as a child. This story is about a tree and a boy. How the boy depends on the tree for everything and the tree willingly gives the boy what he needs from her. It depicts how we depend on society for everything.
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires. The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.
The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?
I used this book for book with favorite color in the title prompt. I loved this book, I can't wait to read the rest of them. I haven't found a vampire book that I liked since I read The Morganville Vampires and House of Night series. This one may make the list behind them.
Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier
With planning the town's annual Halloween Party, the drought wreaking havoc on her garden, and her brood of four children, Lucy Stone's got her hands full this fall. As the air turns crisp and the trees blaze red and gold in the tiny town of Tinker's Cove, Maine, a newcomer arrives who seems to suit the Halloween season. Diana Ravenscroft has just opened Solstice, a charming little shop featuring candles, crystals, jewelry, and psychic readings. But after an unnervingly accurate reading by Diana, Lucy starts to get more than a little spooked.
Then there's the dead body Lucy finds, way up on one of the old logging roads behind her house. The deceased is identified as Malcolm Malebranche, a seemingly harmless magician who worked at children's birthday parties. When it turns out that Diana knew the murder victim, Ike Stoughton, a prominent local businessman, starts a campaign against Diana, blaming 'the witch' for everything from the unseasonal dry spell to his wife's illness and his pumpkins' lack of plumpness. But Lucy's not so sure that Ike himself is innocent. Still, as the town Halloween party approaches, Lucy's more concerned about the costume competition, pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin, and baking three dozen orange cupcakes and Beastly Bug cookies. But as the October moon rises, a killer plans a lethal celebration of his own and Lucy's the guest of honor.
I used this book for my about or set on Halloween prompt.
The Woman in the Window by A.J Finn
Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.
Then the Russell's move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.
What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.
I read this book for the book published in 2018 prompt. This book was so good. I loved it. I wasn't sure what was happening and I questions everyone in the story. I really didn't believe the ending was actually the ending, I mean it was probable but I didn't see that twist coming at all. I liked but at the same time didn't like Anna. She seemed off for sure, I mean who spends their days spying on their neighbors and drinking the day away; especially after she says that is one of the reasons that her husband and daughter moved out. I thought that the neighbor that lived in her basement was weird too. I mean why wouldn't he give the info that he knew to the cops??
This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03 a.m. The auditorium doors won't open.
10:05 a.m. Someone starts shooting.
Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.
This book was okay as well. It wasn't like the other books that I have read about school shootings, and with this prompt I have read quite a few not meaning too. I started this book with high hopes, it was okay, but I really only finished it, to see who the was doing the shooting. The characters didn't really have a lot of depth like one would have if it was involved in a school shooting, I mean I see where each of them were coming from but still. I would say that it is definitely YA for a reason and yes some kids should probably read it for that reason, to know what being a bully really does to a person. I read this book for the prompt on death and grief for the challenge.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.
I read this for the prompt about feminism. I remember buying this book after I watched 10 Things I Hate About You, because Kat was reading it. I never got around to reading it I mean I tried a few times but never could get into it. After reading it I had a few questions, I mean I understand that she was deeply depressed and that that's what caused her to feel like she was in the bell jar but I think that at the end when she got the electroshock therapy and all a sudden she was better that seems a little off to me. She only had the shock treatment a few times and then they let her go home and live her life and she was completely normal again. I don't see how it worked that quickly when she was so deeply depressed s she was. I mean I also understand that this was a glimpse into the real life of Plath and at the age of thirty she ends up taking her own life.
Don't Close Your Eyes by Carlene Thompson
Nestled on the shores of Lake Erie, the small town of Port Ariel, Ohio, is a welcome haven for Natalie St. John. Back home for the first time in years, she plans to visit old friends, mend a broken heart, and take a break from her busy veterinarian practice. But her peace is shattered her first night back, when she discovers the murdered body of her friend, Tamara Peyton.
Was it a random act of violence...or something personal? The answer becomes clear as Natalie is stalked by the voice of "Tamara," whose terrifying phone calls warn her that she too, is going to die.
One by one, the people closest to Tamara are being savagely murdered. But neither Natalie nor Sheriff Nick Meredith recognizes the face of the devious killer who walks among them, hiding behind a well-crafted lie. Now, a murderer's deadly act of vengeance demands one more sacrifice-and Natalie has been chosen to pay the price...
This one wasn't bad, it kept me drawn in from the beginning all the way to the end. I will be reading more from her for sure. There were a lot of people that could have been the murderer and I think that she set it up perfectly in the end. I think my favorite characters were the kids in the book, that were trying to solve the mystery.
Still Mine by Amy Stuart
Clare is on the run.
From her past, from her ex, and from her own secrets. When she turns up alone in the remote mining town of Blackmore asking about Shayna Fowles, the local girl who disappeared, everyone wants to know who Clare really is and what she's hiding. As it turns out, she's hiding a lot, including what ties her to Shayna in the first place. But everyone in this place is hiding something from Jared, Shayna's golden-haired ex-husband, to Charlie, the charming small-town drug pusher, to Derek, Shayna's overly involved family doctor, to Louise and Wilfred, her distraught parents.
Did Shayna flee? Was she killed? Is it possible she's still alive?
As Clare uncovers the mysteries around Shayna's disappearance, she must confront her own demons, moving us deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of lies and making us question what it is she's really running from. Twisting and electrifying, this is a get-under-your-skin thriller that will make you question what it means to lose yourself and find yourself in the most unlikely places.
This was an okay book too, I didn't care for that way that is ended at all, but I now know that there is a sequel coming out and it should answer all the questions that I was left with. But I still didn't understand why she was there to begin with I mean I do but I don't, if that makes sense. I mean why instead of just bringing her back to her husband did the bounty hunter of sorts send her on a wild goose chase????
When We Were Friends by Elizabeth Joy Arnold
Lainey Carson and Sydney Beaumont were the closest of friends—until they reached high school and Sydney’s burgeoning popularity made it easy for her to leave the contemplative, ungainly Lainey behind.
Eighteen years later, Lainey, who lives at home caring for her mother, is an artist who’s never found the courage to live her dreams. When Sydney shows up on her doorstep with her infant daughter, insisting that Lainey is the only friend she can trust, Lainey reluctantly agrees to take temporary custody of the baby to protect her from an abusive father.
But that very night, Sydney appears on the evening news—claiming that her daughter has been kidnapped. Unsure of whom she can trust, Lainey is forced to go on the run with a child who is not her own—but whose bond with her grows stronger every day they spend together. In search of a safe place to stay, Lainey befriends a man who, concerned for their welfare, offers them a home. But as the two grow closer she starts to realize that he may be harboring his own secrets.
This book just made me mad. I didn't like that way that Sydney treated her. This book too me longer to read than normal, I guess because it felt drawn out to me. I mean why did she have to go through all that if she just wanted to leave her husband? And the fact that she meets a random guy and goes to stay with him at his house is kind of unrealistic. I mean no one these days just goes to live with some guy that they have just met. This book was not my favorite at all.
What She Knew by Gilly Mcmillian
Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes.
Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.
As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.
This book also gave me some anxiety I think just because it involved a missing child. I don't know why I read books like this but I like them, so I guess that's why. This book made me not like pretty much everyone in it but the mother. I actually had thought it was someone completely different until I read a little further into the book. I mean with the blurb saying that its always someone close to you that is the kidnapper basically. I am really confused on the title though, I mean who is the SHE in What She Knew? Is it Rachel, Nicky, Emma or Joanna. I also felt that there was an unresolved issue with that Clemo was telling his therapist about what happened with his father and sister, I know that he play a role in her other books, so I am assuming that its a continuing story line for him. I didn't understand that she was so bad mouthed about letting him run ahead of her a little ways, it wasn't like she let him run ahead to the swings and she ran back to the car to get something, she as right behind him. I would like to read more about Clemo in her other books.
The Gift by Louise Jensen
Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets…
Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.
Jenna knows that Callie didn’t die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.
This book was really good, I read it in one day. I didn't really care for her friends that made her feel like she shouldn't be trying to reach out to the parents of the heart that she received. I mean I would want to know about the girls life that gave me a chance to live again. I really didn't like Linda the Vet, either and I thought what she was doing was petty, I mean it wasn't Jenna's fault what happened. I was a little concerned with the uncle and I thought that he had done something. I really didn't like that she got involved with the boyfriend either. I definitely want to read more by her, I wish my library had her books but they don't :(
The Outsiders by S.E Hinton
The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc, The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.
I read this book for my last prompt for the Popsugar challenge; A female author who uses a male pseudonym. I can't believe that it took me as long as it did to read this book! It was so good, I don't remember having to read it in school either and you would think I would have considering I live in Oklahoma and only about an hour or so away from Tulsa. This book brought things in to perspective for me about the way that things use to be. IT made me realize that family isn't always blood too, if you have a group that has your back no matter what that's what count for family. After reading this I want to watch the movie to see that words come alive as I read them in my head. I know that pain affects everybody and also affects them differently and at the same time the same way, it doesn't matter if you are white, black, yellow, or brown, tall short, or round or thin, in the end we all deal with pain no matter what.
Liar by K.L Slater
Single dad Ben is doing his best to raise his children alone, with the help of his devoted mother Judi. Life isn’t easy, but Judi’s family means everything to her and together, they manage.
Then Ben meets Amber. Everyone thinks this is a perfect match for Ben but Judi isn’t sure … there’s just something about Amber that doesn’t add up.
Ben can’t see why his mother dislikes his new girlfriend. And Amber doesn’t want Judi anywhere near her new family. Amber just wants Ben and the children.
The further Judi delves into Amber’s personal life, the closer she gets to shocking secrets that could change everything. And Judi must make a decision that could lead to the most disastrous consequences.
Wow I devoured this book in one sitting, it gave me anxiety while reading it thought just because I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I didn't like Amber at all, and questioned Judi for sure. I really didn't like Henry, Judi's husband, just because of the way he treated her, didn't stand behind her and I found out some things about him that really made me not like him. I felt bad for the boys in the book. I really liked the twist at the end, I am glad things worked out for the best considering what she did. I wont say who, Amber or Judi. The way that the author started with the last chapter first made me really think about which one did it, and how it was going to end, even though you know how it will end they flat out tell you in the beginning of the book, you just have to read to figure it out. I will be reading more by this author for sure.
Our Little Secret by Roz Nay
They say you never forget your first love. What they don't say though, is that sometimes your first love won't forget you...
A police interview room is the last place Angela expected to find herself today. It's been hours, and they keep asking her the same inane questions over and over. "How do you know the victim?" "What's your relationship with Mr. Parker?" Her ex's wife has gone missing, and anyone who was close to the couple is a suspect. Angela is tired of the bottomless questions and tired of the cold room that stays the same while a rotating litany of interrogators changes shifts around her. But when criminologist Novak takes over, she can tell he's not like the others. He's ready to listen, and she knows he'll understand. When she tells him that her story begins a decade before, long before Saskia was in the picture, he gives her the floor.
twenty-something young professional, Angela claims to have no involvement. How could she? It's been years since she and H.P., Mr. Parker that is, were together. As her story unfolds, it deepens and darkens. There's a lot to unpack... betrayal, jealousy, and a group of people who all have motives for retribution. If Angela is telling the truth, then who's lying?
I received this book as an ARC, I was super excited to read it and be able to post a review for the author. I devoured this book. It was really good. I liked how the author told you a whole life story in one sitting and based on the story timeline in a matter of 12 or so hours. I kind of felt bad for Angela and the way that her and HP ended things in the beginning of their relationship but for things to end like they did really blew my mind. I liked how her mom and her friend came to be by her side and tried to help fix things. I have a few questions but if I ask them I will spoil the ending so I wont. I can not wait for others to read this book. I am also looking forward to reading more from Roz Nay for sure. Thanks again for the ARC!
The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.
One of them is hiding a secret.
And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Wow, I read this in one sitting, I had to know what was going on. It starts out with four friends going on a girls weekend way and ends in murder, that is my kind of book. I mean they all had their issues with each other that's for sure. I had the who did it picked out about half way through but I was still sorting out the why. I have never read anything by Sue Fortin before but I will be finding more of her books that's for sure, she sends you on a wild ride and them ties everything up nicely with a bow at the end of the book. I liked that it was from Carys point of view also I liked the voice over that is thrown in for extra added mystery, you don't know who is doing the talking but they seem to know what is going on at the cottage. like I said I will be looking into her other books for sure.
It's Always the Husband by Michelle Campbell
Kate, Aubrey, and Jenny. They first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, even though they are as different as three women can be. Twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge . . and someone else is urging her to jump.
How did things come to this?
As the novel cuts back and forth between their college years and their adult years, you see the exact reasons why these women love and hate each other—but can feelings that strong lead to murder? Or will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband?
I really liked the premise of the book and had wanted to read it since it came out. My library didn't have it so when I found it on Facebook I snatched it up. I liked the story and at the same time I didn't. I didn't care for how it went back and forth past and present. I did like how it turned out. I mean it tied things up nicely. I wouldn't say that they were still friends after what happened in college, maybe acquaintances. Their lives intertwined, but there was a lot of hostility in the air. I thought that I had it pinned down to what happened but nope my guess was wrong. In the end is it the friends or it is the husband?
Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig
Flynn's girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?
Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can't answer, and her friends are telling stories that don't add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January's boyfriend, he must know something.
But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.
This book had been in my TBR pile for awhile and I got lucky and found it on Facebook and bought it. I kinda wish I hadn't spent my money on and waited until I found it at the goodwill or library. The book had its ups and downs, and I liked the ending just knowing that it worked out, but getting there seem to take forever. I knew his secret before the author even outted it. I could definitely see this as a YA book, and it might be I am not sure. I didn't really care how the friend freaked out on him, he could have been a little more supporting of what was going on. All in all it was okay also.
In a Cottage in a Wood by Cass Green
A strange encounter
Neve comes across a troubled woman called Isabelle on Waterloo Bridge late one night. Isabelle forces a parcel into Neve’s hands and jumps to her death in the icy Thames below.
An unexpected gift
Two weeks later, as Neve’s wreck of a life in London collapses, an unexpected lifeline falls into her lap – a charming cottage in Cornwall left to her by Isabelle, the woman on the bridge. The solution to all her problems.
A Twisted secret
But when Neve arrives, alone in the dark woods late one night, she finds a sinister-looking bungalow with bars across its windows. And her dream home quickly becomes her worst nightmare – a house hiding a twisted secret that will change her life forever…
This book I received in my book exchange group that I am in on Facebook. I had been wanting to read it for a while and when I got it I was so excited, until I read it. It is definitely not in my top favorite reads for this month. I mean it was good, but I just didn't care for it. I wanted too and maybe that's why it was a let down. I didn't really care for Neve, or her sister and brother in law they seemed to be snotty people who couldn't stand to have Neve around at all. I didn't like her new neighbors either once she got into the cottage. They seemed to be hiding something from everyone, and just gave me a weird vibe. I did like how she learned things and found things out. I guess it was an okay book.
The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
Emily thinks Adam’s perfect; the man she thought she’d never meet.
But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves. Family chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.
Wow this book took me on a wild spin of a ride for sure. I wasn't sure what I was going to be reading going into it, I wasn't sure how things were going to go and I sure as heck didn't see that twist that got me at the end. I received this book as an ARC from the author, this book comes out in August. I was so concerned with Pammie and what she was doing I was missing something else. I think everyone should read this book when it comes out. I had questions about James, the brother and I didn't really care for Adam at all. I didn't like the way that he talk to Emily. I was definitely surprised when the twist came.
Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier
With planning the town's annual Halloween Party, the drought wreaking havoc on her garden, and her brood of four children, Lucy Stone's got her hands full this fall. As the air turns crisp and the trees blaze red and gold in the tiny town of Tinker's Cove, Maine, a newcomer arrives who seems to suit the Halloween season. Diana Ravenscroft has just opened Solstice, a charming little shop featuring candles, crystals, jewelry, and psychic readings. But after an unnervingly accurate reading by Diana, Lucy starts to get more than a little spooked.
Then there's the dead body Lucy finds, way up on one of the old logging roads behind her house. The deceased is identified as Malcolm Malebranche, a seemingly harmless magician who worked at children's birthday parties. When it turns out that Diana knew the murder victim, Ike Stoughton, a prominent local businessman, starts a campaign against Diana, blaming 'the witch' for everything from the unseasonal dry spell to his wife's illness and his pumpkins' lack of plumpness. But Lucy's not so sure that Ike himself is innocent. Still, as the town Halloween party approaches, Lucy's more concerned about the costume competition, pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin, and baking three dozen orange cupcakes and Beastly Bug cookies. But as the October moon rises, a killer plans a lethal celebration of his own and Lucy's the guest of honor.
I used this book for my about or set on Halloween prompt.
The Woman in the Window by A.J Finn
Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.
Then the Russell's move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.
What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.
I read this book for the book published in 2018 prompt. This book was so good. I loved it. I wasn't sure what was happening and I questions everyone in the story. I really didn't believe the ending was actually the ending, I mean it was probable but I didn't see that twist coming at all. I liked but at the same time didn't like Anna. She seemed off for sure, I mean who spends their days spying on their neighbors and drinking the day away; especially after she says that is one of the reasons that her husband and daughter moved out. I thought that the neighbor that lived in her basement was weird too. I mean why wouldn't he give the info that he knew to the cops??
This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03 a.m. The auditorium doors won't open.
10:05 a.m. Someone starts shooting.
Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.
This book was okay as well. It wasn't like the other books that I have read about school shootings, and with this prompt I have read quite a few not meaning too. I started this book with high hopes, it was okay, but I really only finished it, to see who the was doing the shooting. The characters didn't really have a lot of depth like one would have if it was involved in a school shooting, I mean I see where each of them were coming from but still. I would say that it is definitely YA for a reason and yes some kids should probably read it for that reason, to know what being a bully really does to a person. I read this book for the prompt on death and grief for the challenge.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.
I read this for the prompt about feminism. I remember buying this book after I watched 10 Things I Hate About You, because Kat was reading it. I never got around to reading it I mean I tried a few times but never could get into it. After reading it I had a few questions, I mean I understand that she was deeply depressed and that that's what caused her to feel like she was in the bell jar but I think that at the end when she got the electroshock therapy and all a sudden she was better that seems a little off to me. She only had the shock treatment a few times and then they let her go home and live her life and she was completely normal again. I don't see how it worked that quickly when she was so deeply depressed s she was. I mean I also understand that this was a glimpse into the real life of Plath and at the age of thirty she ends up taking her own life.
Don't Close Your Eyes by Carlene Thompson
Nestled on the shores of Lake Erie, the small town of Port Ariel, Ohio, is a welcome haven for Natalie St. John. Back home for the first time in years, she plans to visit old friends, mend a broken heart, and take a break from her busy veterinarian practice. But her peace is shattered her first night back, when she discovers the murdered body of her friend, Tamara Peyton.
Was it a random act of violence...or something personal? The answer becomes clear as Natalie is stalked by the voice of "Tamara," whose terrifying phone calls warn her that she too, is going to die.
One by one, the people closest to Tamara are being savagely murdered. But neither Natalie nor Sheriff Nick Meredith recognizes the face of the devious killer who walks among them, hiding behind a well-crafted lie. Now, a murderer's deadly act of vengeance demands one more sacrifice-and Natalie has been chosen to pay the price...
This one wasn't bad, it kept me drawn in from the beginning all the way to the end. I will be reading more from her for sure. There were a lot of people that could have been the murderer and I think that she set it up perfectly in the end. I think my favorite characters were the kids in the book, that were trying to solve the mystery.
Still Mine by Amy Stuart
Clare is on the run.
From her past, from her ex, and from her own secrets. When she turns up alone in the remote mining town of Blackmore asking about Shayna Fowles, the local girl who disappeared, everyone wants to know who Clare really is and what she's hiding. As it turns out, she's hiding a lot, including what ties her to Shayna in the first place. But everyone in this place is hiding something from Jared, Shayna's golden-haired ex-husband, to Charlie, the charming small-town drug pusher, to Derek, Shayna's overly involved family doctor, to Louise and Wilfred, her distraught parents.
Did Shayna flee? Was she killed? Is it possible she's still alive?
As Clare uncovers the mysteries around Shayna's disappearance, she must confront her own demons, moving us deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of lies and making us question what it is she's really running from. Twisting and electrifying, this is a get-under-your-skin thriller that will make you question what it means to lose yourself and find yourself in the most unlikely places.
This was an okay book too, I didn't care for that way that is ended at all, but I now know that there is a sequel coming out and it should answer all the questions that I was left with. But I still didn't understand why she was there to begin with I mean I do but I don't, if that makes sense. I mean why instead of just bringing her back to her husband did the bounty hunter of sorts send her on a wild goose chase????
When We Were Friends by Elizabeth Joy Arnold
Lainey Carson and Sydney Beaumont were the closest of friends—until they reached high school and Sydney’s burgeoning popularity made it easy for her to leave the contemplative, ungainly Lainey behind.
Eighteen years later, Lainey, who lives at home caring for her mother, is an artist who’s never found the courage to live her dreams. When Sydney shows up on her doorstep with her infant daughter, insisting that Lainey is the only friend she can trust, Lainey reluctantly agrees to take temporary custody of the baby to protect her from an abusive father.
But that very night, Sydney appears on the evening news—claiming that her daughter has been kidnapped. Unsure of whom she can trust, Lainey is forced to go on the run with a child who is not her own—but whose bond with her grows stronger every day they spend together. In search of a safe place to stay, Lainey befriends a man who, concerned for their welfare, offers them a home. But as the two grow closer she starts to realize that he may be harboring his own secrets.
This book just made me mad. I didn't like that way that Sydney treated her. This book too me longer to read than normal, I guess because it felt drawn out to me. I mean why did she have to go through all that if she just wanted to leave her husband? And the fact that she meets a random guy and goes to stay with him at his house is kind of unrealistic. I mean no one these days just goes to live with some guy that they have just met. This book was not my favorite at all.
What She Knew by Gilly Mcmillian
Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes.
Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.
As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.
This book also gave me some anxiety I think just because it involved a missing child. I don't know why I read books like this but I like them, so I guess that's why. This book made me not like pretty much everyone in it but the mother. I actually had thought it was someone completely different until I read a little further into the book. I mean with the blurb saying that its always someone close to you that is the kidnapper basically. I am really confused on the title though, I mean who is the SHE in What She Knew? Is it Rachel, Nicky, Emma or Joanna. I also felt that there was an unresolved issue with that Clemo was telling his therapist about what happened with his father and sister, I know that he play a role in her other books, so I am assuming that its a continuing story line for him. I didn't understand that she was so bad mouthed about letting him run ahead of her a little ways, it wasn't like she let him run ahead to the swings and she ran back to the car to get something, she as right behind him. I would like to read more about Clemo in her other books.
The Gift by Louise Jensen
Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets…
Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.
Jenna knows that Callie didn’t die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.
This book was really good, I read it in one day. I didn't really care for her friends that made her feel like she shouldn't be trying to reach out to the parents of the heart that she received. I mean I would want to know about the girls life that gave me a chance to live again. I really didn't like Linda the Vet, either and I thought what she was doing was petty, I mean it wasn't Jenna's fault what happened. I was a little concerned with the uncle and I thought that he had done something. I really didn't like that she got involved with the boyfriend either. I definitely want to read more by her, I wish my library had her books but they don't :(
The Outsiders by S.E Hinton
The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc, The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.
I read this book for my last prompt for the Popsugar challenge; A female author who uses a male pseudonym. I can't believe that it took me as long as it did to read this book! It was so good, I don't remember having to read it in school either and you would think I would have considering I live in Oklahoma and only about an hour or so away from Tulsa. This book brought things in to perspective for me about the way that things use to be. IT made me realize that family isn't always blood too, if you have a group that has your back no matter what that's what count for family. After reading this I want to watch the movie to see that words come alive as I read them in my head. I know that pain affects everybody and also affects them differently and at the same time the same way, it doesn't matter if you are white, black, yellow, or brown, tall short, or round or thin, in the end we all deal with pain no matter what.
Liar by K.L Slater
Single dad Ben is doing his best to raise his children alone, with the help of his devoted mother Judi. Life isn’t easy, but Judi’s family means everything to her and together, they manage.
Then Ben meets Amber. Everyone thinks this is a perfect match for Ben but Judi isn’t sure … there’s just something about Amber that doesn’t add up.
Ben can’t see why his mother dislikes his new girlfriend. And Amber doesn’t want Judi anywhere near her new family. Amber just wants Ben and the children.
The further Judi delves into Amber’s personal life, the closer she gets to shocking secrets that could change everything. And Judi must make a decision that could lead to the most disastrous consequences.
Wow I devoured this book in one sitting, it gave me anxiety while reading it thought just because I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I didn't like Amber at all, and questioned Judi for sure. I really didn't like Henry, Judi's husband, just because of the way he treated her, didn't stand behind her and I found out some things about him that really made me not like him. I felt bad for the boys in the book. I really liked the twist at the end, I am glad things worked out for the best considering what she did. I wont say who, Amber or Judi. The way that the author started with the last chapter first made me really think about which one did it, and how it was going to end, even though you know how it will end they flat out tell you in the beginning of the book, you just have to read to figure it out. I will be reading more by this author for sure.
Our Little Secret by Roz Nay
They say you never forget your first love. What they don't say though, is that sometimes your first love won't forget you...
A police interview room is the last place Angela expected to find herself today. It's been hours, and they keep asking her the same inane questions over and over. "How do you know the victim?" "What's your relationship with Mr. Parker?" Her ex's wife has gone missing, and anyone who was close to the couple is a suspect. Angela is tired of the bottomless questions and tired of the cold room that stays the same while a rotating litany of interrogators changes shifts around her. But when criminologist Novak takes over, she can tell he's not like the others. He's ready to listen, and she knows he'll understand. When she tells him that her story begins a decade before, long before Saskia was in the picture, he gives her the floor.
twenty-something young professional, Angela claims to have no involvement. How could she? It's been years since she and H.P., Mr. Parker that is, were together. As her story unfolds, it deepens and darkens. There's a lot to unpack... betrayal, jealousy, and a group of people who all have motives for retribution. If Angela is telling the truth, then who's lying?
I received this book as an ARC, I was super excited to read it and be able to post a review for the author. I devoured this book. It was really good. I liked how the author told you a whole life story in one sitting and based on the story timeline in a matter of 12 or so hours. I kind of felt bad for Angela and the way that her and HP ended things in the beginning of their relationship but for things to end like they did really blew my mind. I liked how her mom and her friend came to be by her side and tried to help fix things. I have a few questions but if I ask them I will spoil the ending so I wont. I can not wait for others to read this book. I am also looking forward to reading more from Roz Nay for sure. Thanks again for the ARC!
The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin
When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting.
One of them is hiding a secret.
And Joanne is planning to reveal it…
A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.
Wow, I read this in one sitting, I had to know what was going on. It starts out with four friends going on a girls weekend way and ends in murder, that is my kind of book. I mean they all had their issues with each other that's for sure. I had the who did it picked out about half way through but I was still sorting out the why. I have never read anything by Sue Fortin before but I will be finding more of her books that's for sure, she sends you on a wild ride and them ties everything up nicely with a bow at the end of the book. I liked that it was from Carys point of view also I liked the voice over that is thrown in for extra added mystery, you don't know who is doing the talking but they seem to know what is going on at the cottage. like I said I will be looking into her other books for sure.
It's Always the Husband by Michelle Campbell
Kate, Aubrey, and Jenny. They first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, even though they are as different as three women can be. Twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge . . and someone else is urging her to jump.
How did things come to this?
As the novel cuts back and forth between their college years and their adult years, you see the exact reasons why these women love and hate each other—but can feelings that strong lead to murder? Or will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband?
I really liked the premise of the book and had wanted to read it since it came out. My library didn't have it so when I found it on Facebook I snatched it up. I liked the story and at the same time I didn't. I didn't care for how it went back and forth past and present. I did like how it turned out. I mean it tied things up nicely. I wouldn't say that they were still friends after what happened in college, maybe acquaintances. Their lives intertwined, but there was a lot of hostility in the air. I thought that I had it pinned down to what happened but nope my guess was wrong. In the end is it the friends or it is the husband?
Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig
Flynn's girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?
Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can't answer, and her friends are telling stories that don't add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January's boyfriend, he must know something.
But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.
This book had been in my TBR pile for awhile and I got lucky and found it on Facebook and bought it. I kinda wish I hadn't spent my money on and waited until I found it at the goodwill or library. The book had its ups and downs, and I liked the ending just knowing that it worked out, but getting there seem to take forever. I knew his secret before the author even outted it. I could definitely see this as a YA book, and it might be I am not sure. I didn't really care how the friend freaked out on him, he could have been a little more supporting of what was going on. All in all it was okay also.
In a Cottage in a Wood by Cass Green
A strange encounter
Neve comes across a troubled woman called Isabelle on Waterloo Bridge late one night. Isabelle forces a parcel into Neve’s hands and jumps to her death in the icy Thames below.
An unexpected gift
Two weeks later, as Neve’s wreck of a life in London collapses, an unexpected lifeline falls into her lap – a charming cottage in Cornwall left to her by Isabelle, the woman on the bridge. The solution to all her problems.
A Twisted secret
But when Neve arrives, alone in the dark woods late one night, she finds a sinister-looking bungalow with bars across its windows. And her dream home quickly becomes her worst nightmare – a house hiding a twisted secret that will change her life forever…
This book I received in my book exchange group that I am in on Facebook. I had been wanting to read it for a while and when I got it I was so excited, until I read it. It is definitely not in my top favorite reads for this month. I mean it was good, but I just didn't care for it. I wanted too and maybe that's why it was a let down. I didn't really care for Neve, or her sister and brother in law they seemed to be snotty people who couldn't stand to have Neve around at all. I didn't like her new neighbors either once she got into the cottage. They seemed to be hiding something from everyone, and just gave me a weird vibe. I did like how she learned things and found things out. I guess it was an okay book.
The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
Emily thinks Adam’s perfect; the man she thought she’d never meet.
But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves. Family chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.
Wow this book took me on a wild spin of a ride for sure. I wasn't sure what I was going to be reading going into it, I wasn't sure how things were going to go and I sure as heck didn't see that twist that got me at the end. I received this book as an ARC from the author, this book comes out in August. I was so concerned with Pammie and what she was doing I was missing something else. I think everyone should read this book when it comes out. I had questions about James, the brother and I didn't really care for Adam at all. I didn't like the way that he talk to Emily. I was definitely surprised when the twist came.
I really enjoyed all the books that I read this month, and loved all the ones that I received as ARC's. I received Bring Me Back by B.A Paris today in the mail as an advanced copy as well, I cant wait to dive into it.
I have also finished the 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge. All 50 prompts. I am now working on my TBR pile, which is dwindling down slowly.
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