Book Review: Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson
Reviewer: Terry I received a copy of Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson in exchange for an honest review. Oh who wouldn’t like to capture a…
Book Review: Sweet Nothings by Janis Thomas
Reviewer: Allie I received a copy of Sweet Nothings by Janis Thomas in exchange for an honest review. The last few books I’ve read have…
Book Review: The Back-Up List by Miriam Brady and Amber …
The book was given to me in exchange for an honest review
When I begun this book, the first chapter really threw me…I recall thinking-great another mushy novel about a perfect women that ends up with a perfect non-realistic life with a rock star. I was determined not to like it after that first chapter…….
And then I was introduce to Maddy and Kinley….In all honesty my heart broke and I cried….and cried…and cried throughout this book. The ability to capture and describe grief without minimizing or making less of the experience is not often done well, in this book they did so well that as I not only could relate I truly felt the grief written. It was moving to read how the accident affected Kinley and her family and I was pleased that this was not left out of the story. Often times when someone passes, we don’t get to really experience how many lives they touched and how many are truly affected by their death…Especially when taken so unexpectedly and tragically.
This story is a unique surprising story about recovering…or at least surviving a terrible tragedy. It was so well written that I grieved and hurt with the character’s all throughout the story and I celebrated with them as well. I felt like I was very much apart of this unique family and all that is their sweet quirky clan.
I won’t go in to many details, because I feel that I can not do justice to this story. However, I will tell you this story has it all! It has grief, happiness, scandal, an amazing story about how friendship can replace family, and of course it was what ever story needs…Rock stars!
Through the story you see a dynamic between Maddy and her friends, something every girl should have in her life, and I am feeling slighted that my and my girlfriends have never thought to create validation cards. It will now be done, actually the friendships between the ladies in this book lighten my heart and have reminded me how important it is to treasure those unique friends that support your highs and lows in life. Lifetime friends as I would call what these 4 have, is never to be taken lightly nor should one ever live without having at least one.
The ending of the story was a fun happy way to end a story and I am looking forward to book 2 and the twists that Kinley will add to the next in this series.
Rarely am I surprised by a novel quite like I was with this one…If I could give this higher then 5 stars-I would! It was a pleasure and privilege to read this story and I will be reading it again.
Book Review: Unfinished Business by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
I was giving this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic read! I couldn’t put it down! I had to keep reading just to see what twist life was going throw out at Angela next!
The book starts with the death of Angela’s terminally ill mother…But is soon lifted by her mom coming to visit her from the other side….I love how well developed and strong the character’s are-especially Angela’s witty Italian mother, the images of her vibrant personality show through even in death. The characters and the story itself make it so easy to be right there with Angela throughout her story!
Her mother, in true Italian mother form, and who is far from ready to be dead comes back to help Angela with some unexpected experiences. Not only does she guide her through adjusting through her death, but also through the adjustment of discovering her unusual “Gift”, as well as navigating through murky waters with her not so easy teenage daughter. As a mother of a teenager and a preteen, I laughed through many of the mom experiences. I love how down to earth and easy to relate Angela is! She is a witty, fast on her feet mom, who handles both her kids and her husband much like I do! It was like this book was written off of my own parenting whoa’s! Carolyn really allows you to see the dynamic’s between a mother and her teenage daughter. While reading one conversation between the Angela and her daughter I shared it with my husband, because it truly sounded just like myself with my own daughter!
This book was also an eye opener about the bizarre things teens involve themselves in and after reading it, I actually had to read up on the subject of these pill parties. It is frightening to read how many of them fall for peer pressure and enlightening to read that good parenting can really help in scary situations like that. My heart broke for Em at the tragic loss she suffered due to the poor choice of her friend, and I cried for Taylor when she lost her life….The grief shared in the book by her parent’s was portrayed so read that I hurt for them.
Angela’s relationship with her best friend was also very fun, every girl needs a friend like Mel to get through the good and bad in their life. Through out the book I found myself crying and laughing, two signs that I am loving what I am reading! All in all this book gets my vote! I love it and hope to see a second one written!
