Time to Say Goodbye Book Review

Time to Say Goodbye by S. D. Robertson

Click here for the Amazon product page.

Blurb:

Will Curtis's six-year-old daughter, Ella, knows her father will never leave her. After all, he promised her so when her mother died. And he's going to do everything he can to keep his word.

What Will doesn't know is that the promise he made to his little girl might be harder to keep than he imagined. When he's faced with an impossible decision, Will finds that the most obvious choice might not be the right one.

But the future is full of unexpected surprises. And father and daughter are about to embark on an unforgettable journey together.

Review by Brittany:

Both the cover and the description of this novel intrigued me and prompted me to request to read it through NetGalley.

The first thing I'll say is that blurb does not indicate what happens in the very first two pages - Will's death. When I started reading this book, I was shocked and revisited the blurb to see if I had missed something big, but the blurb does not indicate that this is a bit of a "ghost" or "spirit" story.

That being said, although that's not really my type of book, I enjoyed this one. I liked the humor of it, and Will's constant shock and struggles with his newfound existence were at times really amusing. He also meets a lot of people who help guide him through this purgatory he's found himself in.

What I wasn't prepared for is how brutal this book gets at times. As Will works through his feelings and tries to connect with his daughter from his new plane of existence, he watches life unfold around him. He sees his family grieve and the ways in which that grief starts slowly tearing them apart. Throughout this tragedy, more befalls the family, and the novel got pretty intense at times. There were moments when I felt myself near to tears for these poor people.

I did enjoy getting a chance to read about a father and daughter having a positive, lasting relationship. I haven't come across a lot of novels that cover that quite as well as this one did. I also really liked the supporting characters; Will's family steps in to take care of Ella, and they all play an important part in the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Although the blurb was a bit misleading, I'm glad I picked it up. I would definitely recommend this heartfelt read.

We Need to Talk About Kevin Book Review

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Click here for the Amazon product page.

Click here for the Barnes and Noble product page.

Click here for the Books-a-Million product page.

Blurb:

Eva never really wanted to be a mother - certainly not of the boy who murdered seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker and a teacher who tried to befriend him.

Now, two years after Kevin's horrific rampage, it is time for her to try to come to terms with her son's actions - and her fear that she may be in part responsible.

Review by Brittany:

Whoa. I first decided to read this book after it was recommended to me, with the warning that the book was brutal. That's not an exaggeration.

The book is written in letter format, all from Eva to her husband Franklin. She begins by describing her feelings about having a baby and goes through Kevin's childhood up through adolescence, interspersing bits of the present in with her recollections of Kevin's past.

This book is hard to read. The subject matter is intense for sure, but I wasn't prepared for some of the hard confessions that Eva makes regarding Kevin and her feelings about him. From the beginning, she doesn't feel connected to him like she thinks she should. Throughout the book, as she revisits incidents that she now sees as precursors to Kevin attacking his classmates, her negative feelings about him were difficult to read. There's also an element of this book that plays on the natural fears and worries that all women have about becoming mothers, which added to the intensity of the subject matter.

The book also outlines the breakdown of Eva's marriage, which was almost as difficult to read about as her relationship with Kevin. I really just felt so sad for all of them. Eva loved Franklin so much, but the difference in each of their relationship with Kevin was enough to pull them apart slowly. The author did a fantastic job with detailing the decline of the relationship, so much so that I could almost feel Eva's frustration and sadness.

The end of the book finally breaks down the day of Kevin's school massacre. It was painful to read and so difficult to imagine how a human could do that to someone else. Because the book is from Eva's point of view, the reader gets skewed insight into Kevin's mind, so there is no clear indication of why Kevin did it. The ending also provides a bit of insight into Kevin and Eva's relationship as it stands now, two years after the incident.

Overall, this book is just tough. It is well-written and a fantastic read, but it's a hard one to swallow.

The Girl You Lost Book Review

The Girl You Lost by Kathryn Croft

Click here for the Amazon product page.

Blurb:

Eighteen years ago, Simone Porter's six-month-old daughter, Helena, was abducted. Simone and husband, Matt, have slowly rebuilt their shattered lives, but the pain at losing their child has never left them.

Then a young woman, Grace, appears out of the blue and tells Simone she has information about her stolen baby. But just who is Grace - and can Simone trust her?

When Grace herself disappears, Simone becomes embroiled in a desperate search for her daughter and the woman who has vital clues about her whereabouts.

Simone is inching closer to the truth but it'll taker her into dangerous and disturbing territory.

Review by Brittany:

This is the second novel I've read by this author, and I enjoyed this one as much as the first.

The reading experience on this one was a bit more complex, both because the plot gets complex and because of the sheer number of characters that Croft uses in this novel. During Simone's investigation into Grace and Helena, Simone comes across loads of people that the reader has to remember. There were occasional points in the story where I had to stop and try to remember who some of the people were.

That being said, by the end of the novel, it all ties in nicely. The reader understands how all of these characters tie together and what dismal secret it is that has tied them all together. I think Croft did a fabulous job of making all of the plot points reach an explanatory ending, without making everything happy and neat.

This book does not have a happy ending. It isn't always an easy read, although the suspense of it keeps you turning pages. There are some themes explored in this book that are tough, so sensitive readers may want to think twice before picking them up. Lives are lost, marriages are put to the test, innocence is destroyed, and some of the bad guys don't get what you feel like they deserve. But there's something appealing about that because it resembles reality.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was suspenseful and interesting, and it kept me turning pages, trying to figure out what happened to Grace and Helena. The twist ending was also intriguing, and while I had an inkling of what it might be, I couldn't predict it. I recommend this book to those who love thrillers and are looking for a good, affordable read.

Notable quotes:

It is the only way you will be able to sleep at night: to feel there is a clear distinction between human and monster, a line so wide that you will never meet anyone who has crossed it.

How is it that someone so fucked up, someone capable of such atrocities, can still have love in their hearts?

Timeless Book Review

Timeless by Gail Carriger

Click here for the Amazon product page.

Click here for the Barnes and Noble product page.

Click here for the Books-a-Million product page.

Blurb:

Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly.

Until, that is, she receives a summons that cannot be ignored. With husband, child, and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?

Review by Brittany:

As a standing fan of the Parasol Protectorate series, I knew I was going to love this one.

My favorite thing about this book was Prudence. As a toddler, she has become quite the precocious character. Her powers were also interesting, allowing her to take over the supernatural state of anyone she touches, with Alexia being the only known antidote to it. The author explores other limitations to her abilities and limitations to Alexia's abilities as well.

I also enjoyed learning more about Alexia's father and her domestic help, Floote. There was a relationship there that the author explores a bit more in this book than in previous books, but I would still like to learn more about those characters. Floote is extremely intriguing. Professor Lyall also got a bit more exploration in this novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed as well.

In the end of the book, certain characters are going through major changes. Ivy embarks on a great new adventure, and Biffy's role in the pack is altered as well. I would love to read more about these things and see how the future develops for these characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It made a great addition to the series, and I'm sad that it's the end! I am planning to continue with this series by reading Carriger's spin-off that includes Prudence as the main character. If you are already a fan of Carriger's, obviously you'll want to pick this one up! If you aren't already a fan, you should become one!

The Cuckoo's Calling Book Review

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Click here for the Amazon product page.
Click here for the Barnes and Noble product page.
Click here for the Books-a-Million product page.

Blurb:

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

Review by Brittany:

I'm a little late to the party on this book, despite looking forward to reading it for a long time, and I loved it.

Strike is a bit unprofessional and disorganized, but his skill level for the job he is doing is made evident throughout the story. The prosthetic leg adds a bit of background and personality to Strike that aids in his character development. I also thought it was interesting how much focus was put on his relationship with Charlotte that ended at the beginning of the book. I liked this added bit of story and character development. Robin, Strike's temp, was also a great character. She added some humor to the story, and she was quick-witted and invested in her job working with Strike. She made a good addition to the story and I'm hoping that she gets an opportunity to be a major character in further books.

The story itself was intriguing to me. I enjoyed Strike's conversations with people and the little ways in which he would extract information from him. There were often times he would catch a detail that I missed, and I was impressed with the way the story was written and with how Strike managed to fill in those little pieces. I thought there was enough to information to infer what had happened, but I still didn't know the whole ending until the climax of the story. I had it narrowed down to two suspects, so I was on the right track but it wasn't immediately obvious.

I think this one is a good example of a subtle detective story that isn't too much in the reader's face but gives just enough information. I enjoy J.K. Rowling's writing and will most definitely be continuing with this series.

Notable quotes:

But the lies she told were woven into the fabric of her being, her life; so that to live with her and love her was to become slowly enmeshed by them, to wrestle her for the truth, to struggle to maintain a foothold on reality.

But they had already tried, again and again and again, and always, when the first crashing wave of mutual longing subsided, the ugly wreck of the past lay revealed again, its shadow lying darkly over everything they tried to rebuild.

There, in that first night, had been everything that had subsequently broken them apart and pulled them back together...

"He's not sane. Which isn't to say he's not a clever fucker."

The Hypnotist's Love Story Book Review

The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty

Click here for the Amazon product page.
Click here for the Barnes and Noble product page.
Click here for the Books-a-Million product page.

Blurb:

Ellen O'Farrell is a professional hypnotherapist who works out of the eccentric beachfront home she inherited from her grandparents. It's a nice life, except for her tumultuous relationship history. She's stoic about it, but at this point, Ellen wouldn't mind a lasting one. When she meets Patrick, she's optimistic. He's attractive, single, employed, and best of all, he seems to like her back. Then comes that dreaded moment: He thinks they should have a talk.

Braced for the worst, Ellen is pleasantly surprised. It turns out that Patrick's ex-girlfriend is stalking him. Ellen things, Actually, that's kind of interesting. She's dating someone worth stalking. She's intrigued by the woman's motives. In fact, she'd even love to meet her.

Ellen doesn't know it, but she already has.

Review by Brittany:

As a fan of Moriarty, I have collected all of her books to read, so I anticipated enjoying this one. What I didn't expect was to find it to be one of the most honest insights into an ending relationship that I've ever read.

The author really made me empathize with Patrick's stalker, Saskia. She does this in part by making Saskia's sections of the book first person and Ellen's sections of the book third person. This helped me relate to Saskia on a certain level at which I didn't with Ellen. Saskia is also written as a heartbroken character, one who felt completely blindsided by the ending of her relationship, and she felt as if her whole life was snapped away from her when Patrick left her and took his toddler son with him.

Ellen finds herself dying to know more about Saskia. Instead of viewing this woman as a threat, she looks at her as a fascination. Even with her relationship with Patrick progressing, she finds herself unable to focus on how Saskia's behavior is affecting him. As a reader, I found this incredibly interesting because I had the same struggle. I think this also comes down to the way the novel was written, as if the author intended for readers to relate to Saskia instead of feeling sympathy for Patrick.

Although the book deals with these heavy themes, it was still light-hearted at times. There were moments that made me laugh and roll my eyes, despite the intensity of the focus of the novel. I think there's something to admire about an author who creates a villain that readers can relate to and even sympathize with.

Overall, I adored this book. I think it gives an amazingly accurate view of the feelings a breakup can cause and the crazy things we all think about doing when we are the ones left behind. I also thought the writing was beautifully done, and all of the characters were interesting. This is a fab example of women's literature that I definitely recommend.

Notable quotes:

For a while, each had been the person who knew her best, who spoke to her every single day, who knew where she was at any particular time, who would have sat in the front row at her funeral should she have tragically died.

"That's what I hate most about this thing with my ex. She's in control. She affects my life and I don't get any say in it and there's not a thing I can do about it."

This was the way the world worked. Relationships ended.

The birth of a first baby. One of those everyday events that only seem incredible to the people involved.

The oddest things came out of her mouth when she was feeling awkward.

It's strange how I still feel like I'm the mother of a toddler, even though he's a schoolboy now and he doesn't belong to me anymore. It's like I'm frozen in time.

Heartless Book Review

Heartless by Gail Carriger

Click here for the Amazon product page.
Click here for the Barnes and Noble product page.
Click here for the Books-a-Million product page.

Blurb:

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines, Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

Review by Brittany:

This is the fourth book in the Parasol Protectorate, a series that I am still enjoying.

In this book, Alexia and Conall move forward with their plan to "live" with Lord Akeldama, trying to appease the vampires by removing the threat that Alexia's child may cause. Because I love Lord Akeldama as a character, I'm fine with this turn of events and am interested in seeing more of him. I also liked how this book touched on his strained relationship with Biffy. There's something about those two that I just adore, and I enjoyed reading more about them.

This book also touches on Madame Lefoux's feelings as a mother to Quesnel and in dealing with the aftermath of Angelique's death. Her latest mechanical invention is a physical manifestation of all of the feelings she has and the revenge she wants to take on those she feels took something from her in Angelique's death. This invention is also pretty cool, and I loved reading about all of the elements that Madame Lefoux had incorporated. As the story plays out, Madame Lefoux's future totally changes from what she's used to.

At the end of the book, Alexia finally gives birth to Prudence, her "infant inconvenience". I'm interested to see how Prudence changes things for Alexia and Conall and how this might affect her relationship with Lord Akeldama.

Overall, I'm still loving this series. This author has a way of writing these stories that keeps me hooked. I'm excited to read the last book, but I'm not sure I'm ready to be done!