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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Maureen Joyce Connolly has written a page turner with characters I couldn’t help but root for, despite their flaws. It is a story of redemption, and of forgiveness of oneself as well as others. It examines what it means to be a mother under the worst possible circumstances. This is Connolly’s debut. I look forward to more of her work.
I actually didn’t finish reading this because the story line was just too sad and I couldn’t keep reading without imagining the tragedy happening to my own two young daughters. I’m sure it is a great book for people who like grim story lines would love it. Just not for me.
It really is every mother's worst nightmare...Claire is violently ill and needs to pull off the road before she passes out. She rolls into a gas station in the shadiest part of the city to use the bathroom and while she is passed out on the floor her car, with her two young girls sleeping inside, is stolen.
There were times I literally cringed for the sadness of this story. While other parts were uplifting and beautiful. Only the "large print" version was available and I blew through it. This was one of the very few books I read where I REALLY wanted to know what happened next and was so disappointed when I turned the last page - hoping for another chapter.
I especially enjoyed the exploration of the Irish Traveler culture and the legends of the Lakota Indians woven through the storyline.
There were times I literally cringed for the sadness of this story. While other parts were uplifting and beautiful. Only the "large print" version was available and I blew through it. This was one of the very few books I read where I REALLY wanted to know what happened next and was so disappointed when I turned the last page - hoping for another chapter.
I especially enjoyed the exploration of the Irish Traveler culture and the legends of the Lakota Indians woven through the storyline.
Claire, a married mom of two young girls, is in training to be a radiologist. She is having a reaction to her recent vaccination, but needs to keep her schedule so she loads her two young daughters in the car and dashes out the door. On the way to drop the girls off her reactions becomes worse. She pulls over to a gas station with a bathroom at the back of the building. She leaves the car running with the AC on to keep the girls from overheating and keeps the bathroom door open with a view of the car before becoming sick. She passes out on the floor and when she comes to the bathroom door is closed. She makes it outside even though she is disoriented but the car is gone, and so are her daughters.
Throughout the rest of the book we understand what happened that morning and to the girls.
This book is a tale of heartbreak, a families worst nightmare come to pass, but also about fighting your way back from the brink of despair. The characters in the book are well developed and you gain an understanding of their pasts and where they are coming from.
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t an on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of book until closer to the end, but the story lines were engaging and kept you interested and wanting to read more.
Throughout the rest of the book we understand what happened that morning and to the girls.
This book is a tale of heartbreak, a families worst nightmare come to pass, but also about fighting your way back from the brink of despair. The characters in the book are well developed and you gain an understanding of their pasts and where they are coming from.
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t an on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of book until closer to the end, but the story lines were engaging and kept you interested and wanting to read more.
4.25 stars rounded down to 4?*
Admittedly drawn in by the title and cover art, I chose Lovely Little Things expecting a decent mystery with predictable plotlines and characters.
I was pleasantly surprised and completely impressed! Lovely Little Things isn't your garden variety missing-kid thriller. Firstly, it is beautifully written. Maureen Joyce Connolly has a gift with words and can turn a gorgeous phrase with the best of them. She writes with emotion but isn't overly emotional. She doesn't rely on any gimmicks nor try to trick her readers.
Lovely Little Things is an upsetting story- it opens with Claire Rawlings rushing to get her young daughters ready and dropped at daycare so she can get to the hospital where she is finishing her residency. Her husband left before she did and so although she feels terrible and is concerned that she is suffering from an extremely adverse reaction to the vaccination she received at work the day before, she has no choice but to soldier on and get the girls to daycare. On the road, the girls fall asleep and Claire struggles to ward off her fever and feels like she might black out or vomit. She makes a split-second decision to pull off into a gas station and run into the restroom, leaving the girls asleep in the car. She passes out in the bathroom and wakes to find her car, and her children gone.
The tale progresses across the next 3.5 years, as Claire & Glen seek answers to the questions of who took their daughters and what happened to them.
Kidnapping stories are never fun for mothers to read, but I enjoyed this tale and really appreciated Ms. Connolly's writing. Bravo for this debut novel! I will definitely look for more by this author!
*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Admittedly drawn in by the title and cover art, I chose Lovely Little Things expecting a decent mystery with predictable plotlines and characters.
I was pleasantly surprised and completely impressed! Lovely Little Things isn't your garden variety missing-kid thriller. Firstly, it is beautifully written. Maureen Joyce Connolly has a gift with words and can turn a gorgeous phrase with the best of them. She writes with emotion but isn't overly emotional. She doesn't rely on any gimmicks nor try to trick her readers.
Lovely Little Things is an upsetting story- it opens with Claire Rawlings rushing to get her young daughters ready and dropped at daycare so she can get to the hospital where she is finishing her residency. Her husband left before she did and so although she feels terrible and is concerned that she is suffering from an extremely adverse reaction to the vaccination she received at work the day before, she has no choice but to soldier on and get the girls to daycare. On the road, the girls fall asleep and Claire struggles to ward off her fever and feels like she might black out or vomit. She makes a split-second decision to pull off into a gas station and run into the restroom, leaving the girls asleep in the car. She passes out in the bathroom and wakes to find her car, and her children gone.
The tale progresses across the next 3.5 years, as Claire & Glen seek answers to the questions of who took their daughters and what happened to them.
Kidnapping stories are never fun for mothers to read, but I enjoyed this tale and really appreciated Ms. Connolly's writing. Bravo for this debut novel! I will definitely look for more by this author!
*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You can find this review and others on my blog SleepySamReads!
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This started out pretty good. I was drawn into it very early on and enjoyed Claire's narrative.
Unfortunately, the more I read the more I started disliking it.
I didn't like how often it switched narratives.
I really really disliked Moira. I know that was the point, but she literally had no redeeming qualities.
My biggest problem with the book is the ending. It was so abrupt and didn't explain anything and I just really really hated that. I have more questions finishing the book then I had reading it and that irks me so much. With novels like this I want a satisfying ending. This did not have one.
It wasn't the worst book, wasn't the best. Can't really say much more than that.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This started out pretty good. I was drawn into it very early on and enjoyed Claire's narrative.
Unfortunately, the more I read the more I started disliking it.
I didn't like how often it switched narratives.
I really really disliked Moira. I know that was the point, but she literally had no redeeming qualities.
My biggest problem with the book is the ending. It was so abrupt and didn't explain anything and I just really really hated that. I have more questions finishing the book then I had reading it and that irks me so much. With novels like this I want a satisfying ending. This did not have one.
It wasn't the worst book, wasn't the best. Can't really say much more than that.
A compelling and addictive story that will keep you glued to those pages all night long!
Maureen Joyce Connelly has crafted a compulsive story. Perfectly paced, vividly told, and emotionally charged, this is one remarkable debut! A book that will make you think about every Little thing you do, and how it could possibly alter the course of your life.
Claire is the mother of two and a medical intern. One day Claire is suffering from what she believes is an allergic reaction, on her way to work with the kids in the car she feels as though she’s going to pass out so she pulls over to a gas station. Frantic to get to The bathroom she leaves the girls in the car where she believe they are safe. However, when she comes back she finds the car and the girls missing. One little innocent decision and Claire is living every parents worst nightmare. How will Claire’s already rocky marriage survive? Who took the girls? And why? And will Claire ever see them again?
A gut wrenching story taut with tension. A book about how Claire and husband Glenn dealt with the aftermath of this tragedy. How they tried to puzzle the pieces of their lives back together again. The story is told from multiple perspectives giving you a vivid and insightful look at the events as they unfold. All the characters were extremely well drawn. You could really feel Claire and Glenn’s pain seeping through the pages, and you could not help but completely sympathize with them. There are several other very colorful quirky characters in this story that I think added that little extra something something to this book. There are many missing children stories out there, but this one was a little unique and very cleverly crafted. Absolutely recommend!
*** A big thank you to Source Books for my copy of this book ***
Maureen Joyce Connelly has crafted a compulsive story. Perfectly paced, vividly told, and emotionally charged, this is one remarkable debut! A book that will make you think about every Little thing you do, and how it could possibly alter the course of your life.
Claire is the mother of two and a medical intern. One day Claire is suffering from what she believes is an allergic reaction, on her way to work with the kids in the car she feels as though she’s going to pass out so she pulls over to a gas station. Frantic to get to The bathroom she leaves the girls in the car where she believe they are safe. However, when she comes back she finds the car and the girls missing. One little innocent decision and Claire is living every parents worst nightmare. How will Claire’s already rocky marriage survive? Who took the girls? And why? And will Claire ever see them again?
A gut wrenching story taut with tension. A book about how Claire and husband Glenn dealt with the aftermath of this tragedy. How they tried to puzzle the pieces of their lives back together again. The story is told from multiple perspectives giving you a vivid and insightful look at the events as they unfold. All the characters were extremely well drawn. You could really feel Claire and Glenn’s pain seeping through the pages, and you could not help but completely sympathize with them. There are several other very colorful quirky characters in this story that I think added that little extra something something to this book. There are many missing children stories out there, but this one was a little unique and very cleverly crafted. Absolutely recommend!
*** A big thank you to Source Books for my copy of this book ***
Overly verbose writing (too descriptive, even for me), derogatory words (“wifebeater” tshirt, “druggies”) I don’t mind these topics but appreciate more mature and appreciative descriptions
I had to table this book- just couldn’t get into it and I didn’t like the characters at all.
I remember this book from time to time (writing review in 2024, read in 2019) and can't remember what it's called. It's like the author took her worse nightmare as a parent and explored the fall-out to create this book - and it worked for me.