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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
“Everyone needs to believe they would have seen it sooner, that they would've been able to help her. People need this lie to feel certain that nothing like this could ever happen to them, that the Clearys are the stuff of horror movies, rather than ordinary life. The truth is, nothing can prepare you for something like Penny.”
I read this because it was the "Bad on Paper Podcast" book club pick for November. Honestly? I was way more interested in the flashback story line with Penny than I was in the Buenos Aires story line. And I figured out pretty early on what was happening with the Penny story line, so then I just felt like I was reading waiting for certain things to happen. On the podcast it seemed like the hosts were more surprised by some of the twists and turns than I was, so your mileage may vary if you are no a cynical bitch that can sniff out certain plot lines a mile away. I did like the Buenos Aires plot line included so many people getting away/trying to forget and how that manifested.
I read this because it was the "Bad on Paper Podcast" book club pick for November. Honestly? I was way more interested in the flashback story line with Penny than I was in the Buenos Aires story line. And I figured out pretty early on what was happening with the Penny story line, so then I just felt like I was reading waiting for certain things to happen. On the podcast it seemed like the hosts were more surprised by some of the twists and turns than I was, so your mileage may vary if you are no a cynical bitch that can sniff out certain plot lines a mile away. I did like the Buenos Aires plot line included so many people getting away/trying to forget and how that manifested.
Katie is a young Olympic skier until her life falls apart. She runs away to Buenos Aires where she meets a group of expats and friendships quickly grow.
I really enjoyed this book. In full disclosure, I’m at a super intense two weeks of training for my new job, so this book took me a while to read, but I really liked it. My heart broke for Katie and her family, but I also was dying to know what Penny had done.
I really enjoyed this book. In full disclosure, I’m at a super intense two weeks of training for my new job, so this book took me a while to read, but I really liked it. My heart broke for Katie and her family, but I also was dying to know what Penny had done.
4.25. I couldn't put this book down! The writing was compelling, the story equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful. I am not always one for flashbacks as a story line but I loved them in this story.
I went into this story with medium level expectations; it seems much of women's fiction is being touted as a dark thriller these days, and when those stories fail to deliver on the promise of a stomach churning plot, readers are disappointed. Not so here-Dunlop has weaved together a wholly emotional tale that packs a wallop of a punch right where it counts. There are certainly dark themes dispersed in the narrative, but the weight of this book rests on its ability to deliver the reader a connection with this perfectly imperfect cast. My only reason for the 4 star rating as opposed to a 5 was my desire to have not had the epilogue included; I think the way the book finished before getting to that point left a delicious sense of ambiguity that leaves the reader prone to pondering and deciding what happens after on their own.
*Thank you Atria Books for providing my review copy.
*Thank you Atria Books for providing my review copy.
#partner @atriabooks @netgalley
This one wasn't even on my radar until a trusted source mentioned it. As a former college athlete, I was immediately intrigued with the main character, Kate/Liz, as a former Olympic downhill skier. While the story talks about her skiing career a little bit, it definitely wasn't the focus of the story.
After something horrific happens, Kate/Liz is forced off the mountain. On a whim, she buys a plane ticket to Buenos Aires and escapes her current life to recuperate mentally. The story slowly unfolds in small pieces of the overall puzzle, and I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and emotion presented. The mystery element of the story had me hooked!
There are two timelines to the story, and I definitely preferred one (the past) over the other (the present). Because of this, it wasn't quite a 5-star read for me, but it was still well done and worth reading.
This one wasn't even on my radar until a trusted source mentioned it. As a former college athlete, I was immediately intrigued with the main character, Kate/Liz, as a former Olympic downhill skier. While the story talks about her skiing career a little bit, it definitely wasn't the focus of the story.
After something horrific happens, Kate/Liz is forced off the mountain. On a whim, she buys a plane ticket to Buenos Aires and escapes her current life to recuperate mentally. The story slowly unfolds in small pieces of the overall puzzle, and I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and emotion presented. The mystery element of the story had me hooked!
There are two timelines to the story, and I definitely preferred one (the past) over the other (the present). Because of this, it wasn't quite a 5-star read for me, but it was still well done and worth reading.
Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for a copy of We Came Here To Forget by Andrea Dunlop for review. Available July 2.
We Came Here to Forget is told completely from Katie’s point of view but it’s really a story about sisters and notoriety. Katie is a young Olympic skier who runs to Buenos Aires when a story about her sister threatens her career. She changes her name and tries to forget her old life. With have the book taking place in such a gorgeous foreign location and the other half flashing back to her memories of her sister, this book is perfect for a summer escape.
The reason Katie runs is kept alluding to but never explained to the end and that kind of narration keeps me reading and also slightly annoys me. The sister’s story of course ended up being the one I wanted to read so sometimes the slower pace of the scenes in Buenos Aires were not my favourites.
We Came Here To Forget explores some interesting issues and I loved how the relationship between the sisters was discussed and how it lead to the discussion of why she had to run if it was her sister who did something horrible.
We Came Here to Forget is told completely from Katie’s point of view but it’s really a story about sisters and notoriety. Katie is a young Olympic skier who runs to Buenos Aires when a story about her sister threatens her career. She changes her name and tries to forget her old life. With have the book taking place in such a gorgeous foreign location and the other half flashing back to her memories of her sister, this book is perfect for a summer escape.
The reason Katie runs is kept alluding to but never explained to the end and that kind of narration keeps me reading and also slightly annoys me. The sister’s story of course ended up being the one I wanted to read so sometimes the slower pace of the scenes in Buenos Aires were not my favourites.
We Came Here To Forget explores some interesting issues and I loved how the relationship between the sisters was discussed and how it lead to the discussion of why she had to run if it was her sister who did something horrible.
Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my review. I liked this contemporary novel very much, all the way up to the very end. Then I still liked it, but I was disappointed by the author’s choice of ending. Oh well, different strokes and I won’t explain further or I’d spoil the plot. The book is a mystery to some extent and a character study with a smidgen of love story mixed in. Unfortunately I figured out the mystery part pretty early on although I don’t think everyone will. I found the characters mostly credible and interesting with their similar objectives of running away from something, but completely different reasons for wanting to do so. I would recommend this for readers of the (hate this characterization) “women’s” fiction and contemporary fiction.
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes