Review: Still Me by Jojo Moyes

Still Me

by Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Viking

Pages: 400

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the superrich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world. 

Before she knows what's happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets--not all her own--that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places? 


Kritters Thoughts:  The third installment in this series and although this book could be somewhat self contained, I absolutely suggest starting at book one - Me Before You.  Below, I will talk about the book which could be spoilerie if you haven't read book one or two, so you have been warned!

There are some controversies over the first book, but with book two and three, they are completely sweet romantic comedies, perfect for a beach bag or a rainy weekend!

Still Me takes Louisa Clark to New York City where she will care for a woman in a wealthy family.  She goes to the city with little details and is thrust into New York City elite.  This seems to be a perfect job for her, but you know with previous books with Louisa that hijinks must ensue!

I loved the ups and downs of the book.  It was a sweet ride with a character that I completely love.  I will admit that I saw the movie after reading the first book and I will now always picture Louisa Clark as the actress who plays her in that movie and I am fine with that.  I can picture her doing all these crazy things in New York and in the fancy and quirky clothes that she is known for.  

I wonder if this is the end of Louisa Clark, I wouldn't mind one more after this one to maybe take her beyond where this story concludes.  


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Penguin Viking.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Story of Our Lives by Helen Warner

The Story of Our Lives

by Helen Warner

Pages: 400

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  A moving, unputdownable novel about four lifelong friends, the milestones they've survived...and the one thing that might change everything. 

There are certain events you'll always remember where you were and who you were with...and the friends who have commiserated and celebrated every amazing first date, bad breakup, dubious haircut and dream job along the way. Sophie, Emily, Amy and Melissa have been best friends since they were girls. They have seen each other through everything--from Sophie's private fear that she doesn't actually want to be a mother despite being mom to two kids, to Amy's perfect-on-the-outside marriage that starts to reveal troubling warning signs, to Melissa's spiraling alcoholism, to questions around the paternity of Emily's son. But could a lie that spans just as long as their friendship be the thing that tears them apart? 

Four friends. Twenty years. One powerful secret.


Kritters Thoughts:  Four friends from college get together every year.  And over the twenty year span in this book these friends all have ups and downs and share them all with each other.

One thing I loved about the book was how the chapters were grouped a few per year as time was progressing and she gave a historical marker to signify that year.  It helped me get in the mindset of that year.  It made me think about how often we mark our lives by historical events that are around use, whether they affected us personally or not.

I also appreciated that within each year one of the four girls was a little more prominent and their individual storyline moved forward more than the other girls within each year and they took turns with ease.  

This book was all around plotted well.  I loved the way it was presented and loved that each girl had a bit of drama, but nothing felt over the top.  

To send a warning, this book is sent in England and Ireland, but if you are like a few readers I know I wouldn't stay away from this one.  There are a few English terms and such throughout, but this book could be set anywhere!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

As Bright As Heaven

by Susan Meissner

Publisher: Berkley NAL

Pages: 400

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters—Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa—a chance at a better life.

But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without—and what they are willing to do about it.

Kritters Thoughts: It is 1918 Philadelphia and this family moves from the country to the city for an opportunity that could change their life greatly for the better.  They will become the local undertaker and operate and live in a funeral home.  With three daughters and a recently deceased baby son, this family is in need of a change of scenery.

One of the things that made me adore this book was that all three sisters and the mother narrated this book.  Divided in small chapters, even the youngest was given an opportunity to tell the story from her point of view.  I love when there are multiple narrators, but taking it to the next level and giving space to a young child was just fun.

A thing that I love about historical fiction books is when I learn something new without reading a text book and this one checked the box completely!  I didn't know about the flu epidemic and to read about how it impacted families who are already being impacted by the war made it feel even more devastating.  

I am a fan of Susan Meissner and will now basically read anything she writes, don't need to know time or place, I will be ready for her next book to come my way!


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

So with Super Bowl last Sunday, I didn't get organized to report my reading, so this post is two weeks worth of reading.  Two weeks ago the list of books finished was sad, but this week was quieter and rainy so got quite a bit of time curled up with books!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
Trouble the Water by Jacqueline Friedland
As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
Delancey by Molly Wizenberg
She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop
Off: Your Digital Detox for a Better Life by Tanya Goodin
You're Not That Great by Elan Gale
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeymoon

Currently Reading:

Still Me by Jojo Moyes

Next on the TBR pile:

The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin

Review: She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop

She Regrets Nothing

by Andrea Dunlop

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Pages: 400

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When Laila Lawrence becomes an orphan at twenty-three, the sudden loss unexpectedly introduces her to three glamorous cousins from New York who show up unannounced at her mother’s funeral. The three siblings are scions of the wealthy family from which Laila’s father had been estranged long before his own untimely demise ten years before.

Two years later, Laila has left behind her quiet life in Grosse Point, Michigan to move to New York City, landing her smack in the middle of her cousins’ decadent world. As the truth about why Laila’s parents became estranged from the family patriarch becomes clear, Laila grows ever more resolved to claim what’s rightfully hers. Caught between longing for the love of her family and her relentless pursuit of the lifestyle she feels she was unfairly denied, Laila finds herself reawakening a long dead family scandal—not to mention setting off several new ones—as she becomes further enmeshed in the lives and love affairs of her cousins. But will Laila ever, truly, belong in their world? Sly and sexy, She Regrets Nothing is a sharply observed and utterly seductive tale about family, fortune, and fate—and the dark side of wealth.

Kritters Thoughts:  Laila Lawrence has grown up a semi normal midwestern life.  When she becomes an orphan with the death of her mother she has three people enter her life quite abruptly and turned it upside down.  She learns of family that she never knew of and this if family that live in New York City and have a ton of money to live the best life.  

After a few misturns, she goes to live with these cousins and from the beginning the reader wonders if this was a good decision at all!  You can see this life like a tidal wave completely overwhelm her and then maybe she gets her feet on the ground and then another wave takes her out.  There were a few moments where I may have rolled my eyes because I think it went a little overboard, but overall I loved the story.  

This was a completely character driven book.  If you can't appreciate some crazy people than this book will drive you nuts.  I like character antics and don't mind if it is character on character drama instead of major plot, so I liked this one.  I have to admit to letting out an audible gasp when something really throws all the characters for a loop - it was so good!

If you are a fan of rich people problems, this is the perfect book for you.  If you like major character stories, then you should pick up this book next.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2018 Challenge: 17 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Atria Books.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Next Year in Havana

by Chanel Cleeton

Publisher: Berkley NAL

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity--and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution...

Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba's high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country's growing political unrest--until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary...

Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa's last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth. 

Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba's tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she'll need the lessons of her grandmother's past to help her understand the true meaning of courage.

Kritters Thoughts:  Cuba is on the short list of places I want to visit and after reading this book, it completely remains there.  A country that almost had the pause button pushed on innovation and infrastructure and has survived through many a men with differing opinions on how to move the country forward.  I have never read a book set in Cuba and after reading this one, I am going to seek out more!

A dual narrative with one taking place in our current day of 2017 and the other 60 years ago when Fidel was coming to power and the people of Cuba were wondering if this change of power would be a good move.  I loved the reason that Marisol goes to Cuba, but I wish her grandmother had left her more than a box of letters.  I didn't love that I was reading the full story of Eliza while Marisol was getting a very edited version, I had to remind myself that Marisol didn't know everything I did, wish we were discovering things together.  

All in all, I completely adored this book.  I would love to read more fiction that takes place in Cuba to learn more about this country both in the time frames presented here and more.  Have you read any really good fiction set in Cuba?  What is a country that you would love to dive into a fiction story of?


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2018 Challenge: 15 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Bowl with Gold Seams by Ellen Prentiss Campbell

The Bowl with Gold Seams

by Ellen Prentiss Campbell

Publisher: Apprentice House Press

Pages: 215

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  During the summer of 1945, the State Department selected the resort to serve as the detainment center for the Japanese ambassador to Berlin, his staff, and their families.

The novel tells Hazel Shaw’s story of unexpected personal transformation — both as a young woman working at the hotel among the Japanese, and the further story of the reverberating lifelong consequences of that experience. The final events of the war challenge Hazel’s beliefs about enemies and friends, victory and defeat, love and loyalty. In the ensuing years she remains haunted by memories. Long after the end of the war, an unexpected encounter causes Hazel to return to the hotel and she must confront her past, come to terms with her present life, and determine her future.

Kritters Thoughts:  In the midst of the war there was very extreme feelings about Japanese people and the government decided that sending them away to a camp and then eventually to Japan would help the situation.  So a nice hotel in Bedford Springs, PA was a stopping ground before they made their way to Japan.

I was confused for a bit with the prologue taking place in current day and where it fit in the story and even after finishing the book, I am not sure of the inclusion, but quickly you leave that set up for the true heart of the story.  

I loved the heart of this story.  I loved going into the community that surrounded this hotel and read and feel the pluses and minuses that they felt when these people were moved into their small town.  Even though the book was solely from Hazel's point of view, I still felt she shared the impact that more than she just felt internally, but also of those around her.

What made this book even more interesting for me was that I had recently read a book about the hotel in Pennsylvania being a Japanese interment, but from the point of view from the captive and it was such an interesting read.  So reading this book from the viewpoint of a local who worked at the camp really made it a full circle moment for me.  

Please disregard the cover and title, just read the synopsis, this book is an indie worth reading.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2018 Challenge: 14 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Killer Choice by Tom Hunt

Killer Choice

by Tom Hunt

Publisher: Berkley Books

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  To save the one you love, is there any price you wouldn’t pay?

His wife is sick.
He needs $200,000 to save her.
A mysterious man offers to give him the money with just one catch: He has to murder someone to get it.

Gary Foster’s life is finally heading in the right direction. After years of trying, his wife, Beth, is pregnant, and he recently opened a business with his brother. But one phone call changes everything.... 

After collapsing suddenly, Beth has been rushed to the hospital. Tests reveal a devastating diagnosis: an inoperable brain tumor. Their only hope is an expensive experimental treatment available abroad, with a cost that’s out of their reach. And Beth’s time is running out.... 

Then a strange man approaches Gary and offers the money he needs, on one condition: that he kill someone, no questions asked. End one life to save another.

In this nail-biting debut novel of domestic suspense, one man makes a choice that forces him to confront the darkest reaches of his soul and betray those closest to him. As he’s swept up in a nightmare of escalating violence, he must question his own morality—and determine just how far he’s willing to go to save the woman he loves.

Kritters Thoughts:  Have you ever had to make a decision that feels like the biggest decision of your life?  Gary Foster has to decide between saving his wife and murdering someone, what does he decide to do and how will it all end?

Rarely do I suspend belief when I read.  Yes, I read fiction, but its usually fiction that could really happen and yes this story could happen, but the chances are the slimmest of slim!  So if you suspend all things, this book can be really entertaining.  It even made me think of the decisions that I have had to make that could have sent my life down another path.  Obviously my decisions were not as life threatening as in this book, but there are still big decisions that we each make that are a big deal.  

I enjoyed this book.  It was a fun, quick read during a winter weekend and I would even suggest as an addition to your beach/pool bag for a holiday or vacation.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2018 Challenge: 13 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Just Between Us by Rebecca Drake

Just Between Us

by Rebecca Drake

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 384

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Alison, Julie, Sarah, Heather. Four friends living the suburban ideal. Their jobs are steady, their kids are healthy. They’re as beautiful as their houses. But each of them has a dirty little secret, and hidden behind the veneer of their perfect lives is a crime and a mystery that will consume them all. 

Everything starts to unravel when Alison spots a nasty bruise on Heather’s wrist. She shares her suspicions with Julie and Sarah, compelling all three to investigate what looks like an increasingly violent marriage. As mysterious injuries and erratic behavior mount, Heather can no longer deny the abuse, but she refuses to leave her husband. Desperate to save her, Alison and the others dread the phone call telling them that she’s been killed. But when that call finally comes, it’s not Heather who’s dead. In a moment they’ll come to regret, the women must decide what lengths they’ll go to in order to help a friend.

Kritters Thoughts:  Four suburban moms.  Some have jobs, some stay at home with their kids and at a school drop off they connect and start a friendship.  This friendship will alter all their lives completely.  

There is a prologue at a funeral and fortunately the reader finds out soon enough who has died and what happens, but that is just the start of it!  If you are new here, this book has one of my favorite things - multi character narratives.  I love it when an author writes from more than one character's viewpoint so the reader gets a full story from all angles.  

If I could describe this book, I would call it a companion to Desperate Housewives, the tv show.  You have suburban moms, you have a dead body and antics and such.  This is a book where if you are a major fan of mystery/thriller you may roll your eyes at the antics, but I was thoroughly entertained by the entire thing.  

I always love when I read an author and like them and they have a blacklist that I can dive into.  I may have to tee up another Rebecca Drake to read soon!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from St Martin's Press.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: DIY Rules for a WTF World by Krista Suh

DIY Rules for a WTF World

by Krista Suh

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 256

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  On January 21, 2017, millions of protestors took part in the Women's March, and many of them created a "sea of pink" when they wore knitted pink "pussyhats" in record numbers. The pussyhat swiftly found its place on the cover of TIME and the New Yorker, and it ultimately came to symbolize resistance culture. Creator of the Pussyhat Project, Krista Suh, took an idea and built a worldwide movement and symbol in just two months. But like so many women, Krista spent years letting her fears stop her from learning to live by her own rules. 

Now in DIY RULES FOR A WTF WORLD, Krista Suh shares the tools, tips, experiences, "rules," and knitting patterns she uses to get creative, get bold, and change the world. From learning how to use your own intuition to decide which rules are right for you to finding your inner-courage to speak up fearlessly; from finding what your passions are (this might surprise you!) to dealing with the squelchers out there, DIY RULES FOR THE WTF WORLD not only inspires you to demolish the patriarchy, but also enables you to create your own rules for living, and even a movement of your own, all with gusto, purpose, and joy.


Kritters Thoughts:  From the creator of The Pussyhat Project, Krista Suh and this is almost the guide book for women to become not an activist but more active in their lives in their own little worlds.  I like that she gives advice that you can use on a personal level, that she isn't saying that everyone should create a movement, but instead should move in their own neighborhood!

I love that in the intro of this book, the author suggests to the reader to read it as they wish.  Cover to cover, in fits or spurts or just as they want.  That was exactly how this book should be read.  I read almost half in one sitting and came out with some homework and then read a few chapters every night for a week - it was perfect.  There was so much in this book to digest that I liked sparsing it out over a week.  

There were honestly some assignments out of this book that I will write down and periodically in the future.  One of the big things that stuck out was her thought that you try something for 6-8 weeks, whether it be structure your life more by going to sleep earlier or unstructure your life and plan less, but try something for 6-8 weeks and after that period it is either a habit that you will keep or you can abandon, but you haven't committed that much time to fee like anything is wasted.  

I love this book and I loved that I read it over the anniversary of the Women's March.  It made me nostalgic of last year and the impact this march made on the US and the world.  This was a great book to inspire any reader a year later.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Grand Central Publishing.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

January - the start of a new year!

source

What a productive and fun start to the new year! I read beyond what my goal was and I loved that my reading took me out of the US quite a bit for the first month. I hope that starting 2018 this way will be indicative of how it will go! Fingers crossed!

1. That's Not My Suitcase by Laina Turner
2. After You by Jojo Moyes
3. The Promise Between Us by Barbara Claypole White
4. Funeral Platter by Greg Ames
5. A Wedding at Two Love Lane by Kiernan Kramer
6. Sounds Like Me by Sara Bareilles
7. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
8. This Love Story Will Self Destruct by Leslie Cohen
9. I Know My Name by CJ Cooke
10. The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley
11. The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley
12. Becoming Mrs. Smith by Tanya E Williams
13. Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan
14. The Power by Naomi Alderman
15. The Expendable Man by Dorothy B Hughes
16. DIY Rules for a WTF World by Krista Suh
17. The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley
18. Killer Choice by Tom Hunt
19. A Bella Flora Christmas by Wendy Wax
20. The Bowl with the Gold Seams by Ellen Prentiss Campbell
21. Just Between Us by Rebecca Drake
22. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
23. LA Candy by Lauren Conrad

Total pages read, clicked and flipped:  7,545

Where having I been Reading?:

Bahamas
London (2)
North Carolina
Charleston, SC
China
New York City
Norway
South Dakota
Arizona
Australia
Michigan
Florida
Pennsylvania (2)
Havana Cuba
Los Angeles, CA

Review: I Know My Name by CJ Cooke

I Know My Name

by CJ Cooke

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 384

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  …But what if that’s the only thing you can remember?

Komméno Island, Greece: I don't know where I am, who I am. Help me.

A woman is washed up on a remote Greek island with no recollection of who she is or how she got there.

Potter’s Lane, Twickenham, London: Eloïse Shelley is officially missing.

Lochlan’s wife has vanished into thin air, leaving their toddler and twelve-week-old baby alone. Her money, car and passport are all in the house, with no signs of foul play. Every clue the police turn up means someone has told a lie…

Does a husband ever truly know his wife? Or a wife know her husband? Why is Eloïse missing? Why did she forget?


The truth is found in these pages…

Kritters Thoughts:  With alternating chapters, this thriller keeps the reader guessing from the beginning to nearly the end with many questions that get answered in the last few chapters.  

A woman washes up on shore in Greece and is rescued by four people.  With not knowing her name they can't help her find out where she belongs.  In London a husband comes home from a work trip because the neighbor reports his wife missing and his two young children left home alone.  

It is hard to talk about this book without giving major spoilers so this review will be somewhat vague and quick.  I thought this one was interesting solely because I couldn't for the life of me figure anything out.  Being an avid reader, I can guess the ins and outs of a book sometimes too quickly, but this one kept me wondering for the longest time.  

The sole plot point of this book and the thing that connects the story didn't completely work for me.  I just didn't like it.  Its hard to say more because I really don't want to spoil a thing.  

The writing was fantastic and I loved that there were two stories and the reader had to find how they connected; I was just disappointed by what that connection ended up being.  

I think I would read another book by this author, but I would definitely have to check the synopsis and would maybe even check a few reviews before diving in.


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2018 Challenge: 6 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Grand Central Publishing.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.