Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
2.5 stars rounded down. No real twists or surprises, but the characters were interesting and the pace was pretty good.
challenging
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Took me a while to get into this one, but then the over-the-top craziness kind of won me over!
Last year I read JT Ellison for the first time and I knew instantly that she would be one of my top go-to authors! Her thriller Lie To Me was so beyond my expectations, and when I heard she had a new release this year, I jumped on the chance to read it! I had heard it wasn’t quite what many were expecting, and it differed quite a bit from Lie To Me, but her writing is top notch so I wanted to try it out regardless. And I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest!
When I first decided to read Tear Me Apart, I wanted to take it slow. I started off by reading about an hour a day, trying to savor the story and let it unfold. Tear Me Apart is a bit of a slow burn in the beginning, so it was easy to read like this at first. Then everything started happening all at once, and I finished the rest of the book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down!
Tear Me Apart opens with the Wright family – Lauren, Jasper, and their ski star daughter Mindy. Mindy is competing in a skiing event that will qualify her for the Winter Olympics, but something happens. She crashes and falls solidly into the packed snow, breaking her leg. When in the hospital, the doctors soon discover she has a rare form of leukemia, and she needs a stem cell transplant as soon as possible to save her life. Her parents are immediately tested to see if they match, but they uncover the viscious truth – Mindy is not their biological daughter.
This raises a lot of questions about their family. Who is Mindy’s biological family? How did Mindy come to be in the custody of Lauren and Jasper? Who has been lying all of these years? Many of these questions and more are answered as you read page after page.
Many reviews of this book prompted readers to claim that they figured out the end of the book pretty early on. I did as well, but I want it to be known that this doesn’t take away from the novel itself. Just because you know how it’s going to end doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth the trip. There is no shocking ending, no surprise reveal that will make you gasp and jump up and down. But the ending will reveal a lot about the ties of a family and the toll that mental illness has on a person.
There are so many aspects of the plot that take the reader on a wild ride through to the end of Tear Me Apart. I almost felt that, from the moment Mindy crashed on the slopes in the first few chapters, Ellison took me on a crazy ride down the side of a ridiculously steep mountain. That one early incident incites so much drama and I loved every minute of it!
One thing I do want to mention is that if you’re going to read Tear Me Apart, I suggest sticking around for the Author’s Note at the end. Ellison touches on how she went about writing this book with all of the issues she tackled, and it was definitely worth the read. I HIGHLY recommend Tear Me Apart for any reader and I’m SO GLAD I got the chance to read it myself!
When I first decided to read Tear Me Apart, I wanted to take it slow. I started off by reading about an hour a day, trying to savor the story and let it unfold. Tear Me Apart is a bit of a slow burn in the beginning, so it was easy to read like this at first. Then everything started happening all at once, and I finished the rest of the book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down!
Tear Me Apart opens with the Wright family – Lauren, Jasper, and their ski star daughter Mindy. Mindy is competing in a skiing event that will qualify her for the Winter Olympics, but something happens. She crashes and falls solidly into the packed snow, breaking her leg. When in the hospital, the doctors soon discover she has a rare form of leukemia, and she needs a stem cell transplant as soon as possible to save her life. Her parents are immediately tested to see if they match, but they uncover the viscious truth – Mindy is not their biological daughter.
This raises a lot of questions about their family. Who is Mindy’s biological family? How did Mindy come to be in the custody of Lauren and Jasper? Who has been lying all of these years? Many of these questions and more are answered as you read page after page.
Many reviews of this book prompted readers to claim that they figured out the end of the book pretty early on. I did as well, but I want it to be known that this doesn’t take away from the novel itself. Just because you know how it’s going to end doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth the trip. There is no shocking ending, no surprise reveal that will make you gasp and jump up and down. But the ending will reveal a lot about the ties of a family and the toll that mental illness has on a person.
There are so many aspects of the plot that take the reader on a wild ride through to the end of Tear Me Apart. I almost felt that, from the moment Mindy crashed on the slopes in the first few chapters, Ellison took me on a crazy ride down the side of a ridiculously steep mountain. That one early incident incites so much drama and I loved every minute of it!
One thing I do want to mention is that if you’re going to read Tear Me Apart, I suggest sticking around for the Author’s Note at the end. Ellison touches on how she went about writing this book with all of the issues she tackled, and it was definitely worth the read. I HIGHLY recommend Tear Me Apart for any reader and I’m SO GLAD I got the chance to read it myself!
Things I didn’t do because I could not put Tear Me Apart down tonight until I finished it: put away three loads of laundry, wash my well beyond in need of washing hair, go to Target, pack for a four day weekend, clear off the dining room table, write up a contract, go to bed when I should have - most of which now need to be done in a very short window of time after work tomorrow but it was worth it. It sucked me in that much.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 Intensely Engrossing Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 This book was no bunny slope, it was a black diamond run all the way! This was a book that left you exhilarated and a little cold... filled with twists and turns with many bumps along the way.... there were many high flying moments as well as some close crashes.... so strap on those skis fasten those goggles, and get ready for an intense ride down the slope with this book....
Mindy Wright is a skiing prodigy on the brink of Olympic glory until.... a major crash, a broken leg,and an unforeseen diagnosis, changes everything.... while in the hospital with her broken leg Mindy is diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia... in need of a bone marrow transplant both her parents are tested, and when not only are they not a match they are not genetically related to Mindy.... Mindy’s perfect run at Life is now a perfect nightmare, and it isn’t only her bone that is shattered.... how is this possible? Was Mindy switched at birth? Or is the answer more dark and complicated than that? How many secrets run through this family and what have they done to protect them?
Oh what a tangled web we weave.... and the untangling of this web was quite the thrilling ride.... I was probably suspicious of every single character in this book at one time or another with the exception of Mindy.... told from the perspective of multiple characters... you really saw this scenario unfold from every angle.... I thought this was such an impactful way to tell the story it kept me completely engrossed until I reach the finish line.... secrets leading to lies, lies leading to secrets, nobody ever knowing who to believe.... and in the middle of this crazy storm a girl who is fighting for her life!
An engrossing book that will keep you turning those pages well after the ski lift closes.... with a ending that was both haunting and perfect....
Absolutely recommend to fans of thrillers with complicated characters and a compelling plot.... this was definitely a gold medal read!🥇
*** many thanks to Harlequin-Mira for my copy of this brilliant book ***
Mindy Wright is a skiing prodigy on the brink of Olympic glory until.... a major crash, a broken leg,and an unforeseen diagnosis, changes everything.... while in the hospital with her broken leg Mindy is diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia... in need of a bone marrow transplant both her parents are tested, and when not only are they not a match they are not genetically related to Mindy.... Mindy’s perfect run at Life is now a perfect nightmare, and it isn’t only her bone that is shattered.... how is this possible? Was Mindy switched at birth? Or is the answer more dark and complicated than that? How many secrets run through this family and what have they done to protect them?
Oh what a tangled web we weave.... and the untangling of this web was quite the thrilling ride.... I was probably suspicious of every single character in this book at one time or another with the exception of Mindy.... told from the perspective of multiple characters... you really saw this scenario unfold from every angle.... I thought this was such an impactful way to tell the story it kept me completely engrossed until I reach the finish line.... secrets leading to lies, lies leading to secrets, nobody ever knowing who to believe.... and in the middle of this crazy storm a girl who is fighting for her life!
An engrossing book that will keep you turning those pages well after the ski lift closes.... with a ending that was both haunting and perfect....
Absolutely recommend to fans of thrillers with complicated characters and a compelling plot.... this was definitely a gold medal read!🥇
*** many thanks to Harlequin-Mira for my copy of this brilliant book ***
Thanks to Netgalley & Harlequin for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Easily one of my favorite books I've read this year!
Mindy, a professional young skier, wrecks on an Olympic trial run, and what was supposed to be a broken bone leads to a discovery of cancer. Aggressive treatment options are set into motion, but a blood test quickly determines that her parents are not actually her parents. Who are Mindy's biological parents, & can they find them in time to save her life?! As the search for answers begins, a web of lies is spun- the reader tries to piece together the truth, all the while knowing that things aren't quite adding up.
The plot's element of suspense, combined with family drama (love!), made for an "unputdownable" book. I especially loved this because while I was trying to figure out what the heck was going on, I was also rooting for Mindy, a character I became very found of. Ellison definitely tugs at the heartstrings throughout this novel & creates several lovable characters.
This is one that will give you "all the feels", while also keeping you on the edge of your seat! Whether you're a fan of thrillers/suspense or family dramas, I would definitely recommend this one.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Easily one of my favorite books I've read this year!
Mindy, a professional young skier, wrecks on an Olympic trial run, and what was supposed to be a broken bone leads to a discovery of cancer. Aggressive treatment options are set into motion, but a blood test quickly determines that her parents are not actually her parents. Who are Mindy's biological parents, & can they find them in time to save her life?! As the search for answers begins, a web of lies is spun- the reader tries to piece together the truth, all the while knowing that things aren't quite adding up.
The plot's element of suspense, combined with family drama (love!), made for an "unputdownable" book. I especially loved this because while I was trying to figure out what the heck was going on, I was also rooting for Mindy, a character I became very found of. Ellison definitely tugs at the heartstrings throughout this novel & creates several lovable characters.
This is one that will give you "all the feels", while also keeping you on the edge of your seat! Whether you're a fan of thrillers/suspense or family dramas, I would definitely recommend this one.
At almost 500 pages, I was worried that this would be one of those long drawn out boring thrillers (like say…Woman In The Window..) but wow, it was good! It wasn’t overly shocking but the character development and tangle of lies and deceit were so well done. I shouldn’t have doubted, I’ve read 3 books by J.T Ellison and she hasn’t disappointed me yet.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes