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simplystacie's reviews
165 reviews
Arranged by Catherine McKenzie
4.0
I became a fan of Catherine McKenzie after reading her debut novel, Spin and was excited to dive into her newest book, Arranged. The book follows the main character, Anne Blythe, as she leaves another failed relationship and feels down in the dumps because she is alone. All her friends are either married or are getting married and she is concerned that she won’t ever met the right guy. As she is walking on the street feeling self-pity, she finds a business card for something called Blythe & Company which she discovers is an Arranged Marriage service! She ends up giving them a call and making an appointment and that’s when all the fun begins!
Anne does all the testing required by Blythe & Company and pays a hefty fee for their services. When they find a match for her, she goes to Mexico to meet her new husband and tie the knot. She clicks with Jack and things seem to be going really good for her and she is happy. Of course, the story does end there and the author threw a twist into the story when Anne discovers a big secret about her new husband and Blythe & Company. It’s a big shocker so I don’t want to ruin it for you and I was completely hooked and had to find out what was going to happen.
I really liked Anne as a character and thought it was neat how her mother named her after Anne of the Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maud Montgomery (These are Canadian books based on a spunky young girl named Anne who lives with her aunt and uncle in PEI). I enjoyed all the references to Anne of Green Gables and how the character from Arranged even physically resembled Anne with her trademark red hair.
The book made me laugh especially when Anne was down in Mexico going to meet her husband and she met some of the other clients of Blythe & Company. Margaret was a real nut and her choice of clothes put a smile on my face!
I wasn’t too crazy for Jack, Anne’s match and new husband. I am not even sure if I can pinpoint exactly why I didn’t like him either. Maybe it was his personality or I sensed that he wasn’t being entirely honest with Anne? In any case, I didn’t like him and wasn’t really feeling the “connection” between him and Anne. However, it could be that the whole arranged marriage idea is completely foreign to me and I just don’t really understand how a person could marry someone they never even met.
My favourite parts were learning about Blythe & Company and how the matchmaking works. I found it fascinating that they could do all these detailed tests and find the perfect match for their clients. The best part was at the end when Anne makes her last trip to Blythe & Company with a few choice words. I was rooting for her all the way.
I definitely recommend you give this book a read. It was both fun and entertaining and worth picking up!
Anne does all the testing required by Blythe & Company and pays a hefty fee for their services. When they find a match for her, she goes to Mexico to meet her new husband and tie the knot. She clicks with Jack and things seem to be going really good for her and she is happy. Of course, the story does end there and the author threw a twist into the story when Anne discovers a big secret about her new husband and Blythe & Company. It’s a big shocker so I don’t want to ruin it for you and I was completely hooked and had to find out what was going to happen.
I really liked Anne as a character and thought it was neat how her mother named her after Anne of the Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maud Montgomery (These are Canadian books based on a spunky young girl named Anne who lives with her aunt and uncle in PEI). I enjoyed all the references to Anne of Green Gables and how the character from Arranged even physically resembled Anne with her trademark red hair.
The book made me laugh especially when Anne was down in Mexico going to meet her husband and she met some of the other clients of Blythe & Company. Margaret was a real nut and her choice of clothes put a smile on my face!
I wasn’t too crazy for Jack, Anne’s match and new husband. I am not even sure if I can pinpoint exactly why I didn’t like him either. Maybe it was his personality or I sensed that he wasn’t being entirely honest with Anne? In any case, I didn’t like him and wasn’t really feeling the “connection” between him and Anne. However, it could be that the whole arranged marriage idea is completely foreign to me and I just don’t really understand how a person could marry someone they never even met.
My favourite parts were learning about Blythe & Company and how the matchmaking works. I found it fascinating that they could do all these detailed tests and find the perfect match for their clients. The best part was at the end when Anne makes her last trip to Blythe & Company with a few choice words. I was rooting for her all the way.
I definitely recommend you give this book a read. It was both fun and entertaining and worth picking up!
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
5.0
This book was amazing and changed my entire perspective on my current situation living with chronic pain. It reminded me that it could always be worse. The main character, Sarah, is an extremely busy woman. The book starts out with her getting her kids up in the morning and ready for the day. Talk about chaos! This woman is the queen of multi-tasking doing a million things at the same time. Then she heads to her extremely stressful job as a powerful executive for a Boston consulting firm. This lady doesn’t even have time to eat lunch and can type and email AND talk on the phone. That’s one talent I have not been able to master yet!
Sarah’s world as she knows is changed forever that fateful day she is heading to work on the Mass Pike and looks away to use her cell phone. She crashes her car and is left with a brain injury. When she awakens, she is confused wondering what happens and like a dedicated career woman that she is, worries about the work she missed.
She is diagnosed with a brain injury called Left Neglect where she is basically unaware of the left side of everything. This includes the left side of the room, the page of a book, and even the left side of her own body. She doesn’t even realize it though as her brain compensates so she thinks she is seeing the whole picture while in reality half is missing. I had never heard of Left Neglect until I read this book and I have to say it sounds really scary. To not be able to read or use my left hand to type or even to see the left side of my screen makes me shudder. Even when she puts makeup on she only puts it on the right side of her face.
Sarah is told by doctors that she has a long road ahead and she may never fully recover. I love her fighting spirit and optimism and she was bound and determined she would recover and get her life back. Sarah’s mom comes to stay with her and is with her constantly in the hospital. She helps her with her treatments, going to the bathroom and doing those little things that we all take for granted. My heart ached to read how this strong independent woman struggled asking for help with things that I never think twice about like brushing my teeth or putting on a bra. It really opened my eyes and made me look at my life differently.
When Sarah is released from the hospital after her insurance deemed her “recovered”, I couldn’t believe it. She was not nearly back to functioning and still required help for everything. She couldn’t be left alone in the house or take care of her children. There was one part where she was thirsty and was trying to get a coke out of the fridge and wasn’t able to. She tried everything and even sticking her head in the fridge and grabbing it with her mouth. I couldn’t even imagine what her life was like. It sounded like everything she did was a big challenge.
When Sarah said she was ready to go back to work and actually went in for the interview to talk to her bosses, I knew there was no way she would ever be able to go back at the same level as before. She was trying to appear like she was better, but really she was trying to mask that she was falling apart. Her old fast paced way of life was gone.
The book touched me very deeply and made me cry. It was beautifully written and I felt very connected to both Sarah and her mom. I would probably even read this a second time because I liked it that much. Highly recommended!
Sarah’s world as she knows is changed forever that fateful day she is heading to work on the Mass Pike and looks away to use her cell phone. She crashes her car and is left with a brain injury. When she awakens, she is confused wondering what happens and like a dedicated career woman that she is, worries about the work she missed.
She is diagnosed with a brain injury called Left Neglect where she is basically unaware of the left side of everything. This includes the left side of the room, the page of a book, and even the left side of her own body. She doesn’t even realize it though as her brain compensates so she thinks she is seeing the whole picture while in reality half is missing. I had never heard of Left Neglect until I read this book and I have to say it sounds really scary. To not be able to read or use my left hand to type or even to see the left side of my screen makes me shudder. Even when she puts makeup on she only puts it on the right side of her face.
Sarah is told by doctors that she has a long road ahead and she may never fully recover. I love her fighting spirit and optimism and she was bound and determined she would recover and get her life back. Sarah’s mom comes to stay with her and is with her constantly in the hospital. She helps her with her treatments, going to the bathroom and doing those little things that we all take for granted. My heart ached to read how this strong independent woman struggled asking for help with things that I never think twice about like brushing my teeth or putting on a bra. It really opened my eyes and made me look at my life differently.
When Sarah is released from the hospital after her insurance deemed her “recovered”, I couldn’t believe it. She was not nearly back to functioning and still required help for everything. She couldn’t be left alone in the house or take care of her children. There was one part where she was thirsty and was trying to get a coke out of the fridge and wasn’t able to. She tried everything and even sticking her head in the fridge and grabbing it with her mouth. I couldn’t even imagine what her life was like. It sounded like everything she did was a big challenge.
When Sarah said she was ready to go back to work and actually went in for the interview to talk to her bosses, I knew there was no way she would ever be able to go back at the same level as before. She was trying to appear like she was better, but really she was trying to mask that she was falling apart. Her old fast paced way of life was gone.
The book touched me very deeply and made me cry. It was beautifully written and I felt very connected to both Sarah and her mom. I would probably even read this a second time because I liked it that much. Highly recommended!
Choker by Elizabeth Woods
5.0
I read this book in a matter of a couple days staying up late one night because I just had to finish it. It started out with Cara, a socially awkward teenage girl, having lunch in her high school cafeteria. She feels very out of place and alone even though she sits with a group of girls. She always has the feeling that she never fits in. As she quietly eats her lunch of carrot sticks, one gets lodged in her throat and she begins to choke. Thankfully, her crush comes to her rescue and gets her breathing again, but the damage has been done. The whole school saw her choking and making noises because she couldn’t breath and instead of being sympathetic, they are mean and cruel. I felt so bad for poor Cara and it angered me to see how awful these group of girls were to her.
I related to Cara because I know how she felt being an outsider in school. I always felt the same way myself so this book really hit home for me. The author captured the feeling of feeling like you don’t belong and always second guessing yourself. Cara life takes a different turn when she discovers her best friend Zoe in her room when she returns home. She is ecstatic because Zoe is the one person who accepts Cara and who she feels comfortable with.
The story moves quick and I don’t want to give too much away to ruin it for you because this is one book you need to read without knowing what happened. It blew me out of the water with the twist in this one! I was reading and was thinking “no way!”. I’m still thinking about this book and I finished reading it a few days before.
I hope Elizabeth Woods writes more books. She is an amazing writer, storyteller and I could easily imagine all the multi-dimensional characters. If you like YA or books like The Pretty Little Liars series, then pick this one up for sure!
I related to Cara because I know how she felt being an outsider in school. I always felt the same way myself so this book really hit home for me. The author captured the feeling of feeling like you don’t belong and always second guessing yourself. Cara life takes a different turn when she discovers her best friend Zoe in her room when she returns home. She is ecstatic because Zoe is the one person who accepts Cara and who she feels comfortable with.
The story moves quick and I don’t want to give too much away to ruin it for you because this is one book you need to read without knowing what happened. It blew me out of the water with the twist in this one! I was reading and was thinking “no way!”. I’m still thinking about this book and I finished reading it a few days before.
I hope Elizabeth Woods writes more books. She is an amazing writer, storyteller and I could easily imagine all the multi-dimensional characters. If you like YA or books like The Pretty Little Liars series, then pick this one up for sure!
The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher
5.0
I had the pleasure of reading the first two book of the Lancaster County Secrets Collection, The Choice and The Waiting and I was greatly anticipating this next book. It did not disappoint. In fact, it was my favourite of the three I’ve read so far!
This story follows 15 year old, Bess, who is visiting her Mammi for the summer and Lainey, a 25 year old woman who is new in town and comes back to the area for a specific reason that is revealed a little ways into the book. I don’t want to give spoilers here, but let’s just say it is a BIG secret that affects many of the characters in the novel.
Bess was put to work right away on her Mammi’s rose farm and was working alongside an older boy, Billy, whom she has a huge crush on. At first he doesn’t notice her in that way, but as the book progresses, his feelings change. I enjoyed reading the parts when they were together and seeing how Bess got so excited everytime he came around. Even though she’s Amish, she is still a regular teen girl who likes boys. I guess that doesn’t change whatever religion you are.
My favourite character was Mammi (Bertha Riehl) hands down. She comes across as an abrupt woman who says it like it is, but really she is an old softie with a big heart and lots of love to give. She cracked me up though with some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth and her antics. I especially liked the scenes where Bertha and Bess drove the Sheriff’s police car down the road and then Bertha dared the Sheriff to arrest an old lady!
Their was a lot of different storylines with the various characters in the book, but they all flowed well together. The love story between Jonah, Bess’s dad, and Lainey as well as Bertha’s brother, Simon, dying of cancer and needing a donor match in order to survive. I loved reading about the Amish way of life from their hardworking ways, feeling of community and how they lived (without electricity, cars and pretty much any modern conveniences).
This is a powerful story which left a lasting impression on me. It made me laugh in parts and I was actually crying in one scene of the book because it was just so sad. I know its a good novel when it evokes those kinds of real emotions from. This book can standalone so you can go ahead and read it even if you haven’t read any others in the series. I can’t wait for Suzanne Woods Fisher’s next book!
This story follows 15 year old, Bess, who is visiting her Mammi for the summer and Lainey, a 25 year old woman who is new in town and comes back to the area for a specific reason that is revealed a little ways into the book. I don’t want to give spoilers here, but let’s just say it is a BIG secret that affects many of the characters in the novel.
Bess was put to work right away on her Mammi’s rose farm and was working alongside an older boy, Billy, whom she has a huge crush on. At first he doesn’t notice her in that way, but as the book progresses, his feelings change. I enjoyed reading the parts when they were together and seeing how Bess got so excited everytime he came around. Even though she’s Amish, she is still a regular teen girl who likes boys. I guess that doesn’t change whatever religion you are.
My favourite character was Mammi (Bertha Riehl) hands down. She comes across as an abrupt woman who says it like it is, but really she is an old softie with a big heart and lots of love to give. She cracked me up though with some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth and her antics. I especially liked the scenes where Bertha and Bess drove the Sheriff’s police car down the road and then Bertha dared the Sheriff to arrest an old lady!
Their was a lot of different storylines with the various characters in the book, but they all flowed well together. The love story between Jonah, Bess’s dad, and Lainey as well as Bertha’s brother, Simon, dying of cancer and needing a donor match in order to survive. I loved reading about the Amish way of life from their hardworking ways, feeling of community and how they lived (without electricity, cars and pretty much any modern conveniences).
This is a powerful story which left a lasting impression on me. It made me laugh in parts and I was actually crying in one scene of the book because it was just so sad. I know its a good novel when it evokes those kinds of real emotions from. This book can standalone so you can go ahead and read it even if you haven’t read any others in the series. I can’t wait for Suzanne Woods Fisher’s next book!
The Memory Palace by Mira Bartók
1.0
I know this book has received raved reviews, but it wasn’t one of my favourites. I had high hopes when I started reading it, but I failed to really get into it and found it at times a bit tedious to read. It told the story of Mira Bartok’s life and how she grew up with a mentally ill mom and her journey into adulthood and how she had to literally hide from her own mom. It was very sad actually to see how the system failed her mom, who was a schizophrenic. I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t more support for her and for Mira and her sister. What they had to deal with was heartbreaking and sad.
Despite these poignant moments in the book, I felt like it was incredibly wordy and way too detailed for me. The author goes into minute detail about all her memories and I just found it to be a little too much for me. I found my mind wandering and having to read the page over a few times. There’s pages and pages of her describing art work, folk tales and dreams that didn’t engage me at all. Maybe her writing style just wasn’t for me. I forced myself to continue reading, but had I not had to do this review, I probably would have just gave up on the book.
Despite these poignant moments in the book, I felt like it was incredibly wordy and way too detailed for me. The author goes into minute detail about all her memories and I just found it to be a little too much for me. I found my mind wandering and having to read the page over a few times. There’s pages and pages of her describing art work, folk tales and dreams that didn’t engage me at all. Maybe her writing style just wasn’t for me. I forced myself to continue reading, but had I not had to do this review, I probably would have just gave up on the book.
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
5.0
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received my copy of Lauren DeStefano’s new dystopian romance, Wither because it didn’t look like anything I have read before. I figured what the heck and I’ll give it a try and I am so glad I did. I was completely blown away by this book and and cannot wait to read more in this trilogy.
The book follows Rhine Ellery, a 16 year old girl who is taken captive and forced to become a wife of a rich young man, Linden. Two other girls were also kidnapped and became Linden’s wives as well as the book delves into the world of teenage polygamy. Don’t forget this book is set in the future where males die at age 25 and females die at age 20 so that’s why these brides are so young.
The characters were rich and multi-dimensional for the most part. I adored Rhine and how she was so strong and brave even in the horrible circumstances she was in. She was loving and caring towards her fellow sister wives, Cecily and Jenna. Cecily was a little fireball and there were parts in there that she got on my nerves. I definitely wouldn’t have been as cool and calm as Rhine was when dealing with her!
Rhine meets one of the house servants, Gabriel and they feel a mutual attraction towards each other. I wished there would have been a little more with them in terms of romance, but I guess I will have to wait to see what happens in the next book.
This book does have some scenes that might not be appropriate for younger teens (ie. violence, teenage pregnancy, sexual content, polygamy). It is dark and some parts are sad and I did cry in one part. I guess that’s the sign of a good book when it can bring out that raw emotion!
Wither is released this month so if you want to see what it’s all about and see why I loved it so much, then go pick up a copy!
The book follows Rhine Ellery, a 16 year old girl who is taken captive and forced to become a wife of a rich young man, Linden. Two other girls were also kidnapped and became Linden’s wives as well as the book delves into the world of teenage polygamy. Don’t forget this book is set in the future where males die at age 25 and females die at age 20 so that’s why these brides are so young.
The characters were rich and multi-dimensional for the most part. I adored Rhine and how she was so strong and brave even in the horrible circumstances she was in. She was loving and caring towards her fellow sister wives, Cecily and Jenna. Cecily was a little fireball and there were parts in there that she got on my nerves. I definitely wouldn’t have been as cool and calm as Rhine was when dealing with her!
Rhine meets one of the house servants, Gabriel and they feel a mutual attraction towards each other. I wished there would have been a little more with them in terms of romance, but I guess I will have to wait to see what happens in the next book.
This book does have some scenes that might not be appropriate for younger teens (ie. violence, teenage pregnancy, sexual content, polygamy). It is dark and some parts are sad and I did cry in one part. I guess that’s the sign of a good book when it can bring out that raw emotion!
Wither is released this month so if you want to see what it’s all about and see why I loved it so much, then go pick up a copy!
The Healing Codes, Unlocking the Cellular Sequence of Life by Alexander Loyd
1.0
I’ve suffered from chronic pain since the end of 2005 and I have tried literally EVERYTHING to rid myself of this horrendous pain. When I saw this book, I thought I’d give it a try and see what The Healing Code was all about.
Most of the book is spent exploring the Seven Secrets of Life, Health and Prosperity and most of it did resonate with me. The basic concept that I took away from these secrets was that stress is the root of all illness. Your body can only take so much stress and when it becomes too much to handle, the weakest part of you breaks. I KNOW this is what happened to me because I can remember the stress going on in my life back in 2005 when my current health issue began.
I found the book to drag a little bit and feel somewhat repetitive. As I was reading, I wanted it to pick up a little bit so I could discover what these Healing Codes were! I had to wait until Chapter Ten on page 217 to learn the 6 Minute “Universal Healing Code“. I was a little disappointed. It’s definitely unconventional and more on the metaphysical side. They ask you to focus on a traumatic memory and heal it. I felt overwhelmed at picking just one and wouldn’t even know where to start. I guess that’s why I didn’t bother trying the Healing Codes.
The testimonials in the books detail people experiencing miraculous healings after using the Healing Code. I just need to think about it more and decide if I want to invest my time and energy into yet another treatment. I’d be curious to hear if any of you have tried it out and what the results were for you. If you have, leave me a comment and let me know!
Most of the book is spent exploring the Seven Secrets of Life, Health and Prosperity and most of it did resonate with me. The basic concept that I took away from these secrets was that stress is the root of all illness. Your body can only take so much stress and when it becomes too much to handle, the weakest part of you breaks. I KNOW this is what happened to me because I can remember the stress going on in my life back in 2005 when my current health issue began.
I found the book to drag a little bit and feel somewhat repetitive. As I was reading, I wanted it to pick up a little bit so I could discover what these Healing Codes were! I had to wait until Chapter Ten on page 217 to learn the 6 Minute “Universal Healing Code“. I was a little disappointed. It’s definitely unconventional and more on the metaphysical side. They ask you to focus on a traumatic memory and heal it. I felt overwhelmed at picking just one and wouldn’t even know where to start. I guess that’s why I didn’t bother trying the Healing Codes.
The testimonials in the books detail people experiencing miraculous healings after using the Healing Code. I just need to think about it more and decide if I want to invest my time and energy into yet another treatment. I’d be curious to hear if any of you have tried it out and what the results were for you. If you have, leave me a comment and let me know!
Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer
4.0
This wasn’t my first time reading an Amish Fiction novel, but it was my first time reading any of Tricia Goyer’s work. Beside Still Waters was amazing and I was drawn into the story from the very first page. Tricia Goyer is a gifted writer and I was able to visualize vividly in my mind’s eye as the story unfolded. Her characters were all believable and I felt very connected to them especially Marianna, the main character.
The book follows Marianna as she prepares to move across the country from her home in her Amish community in Indiana to Montana and a town that had more of an English influence than she was accustomed to. Marianna didn’t want to leave Indiana because of the relationship with Aaron Zook, that was just finally beginning to take shape. Another reason was her older brother Levi still lived there among the English after leaving the Amish community months before. I could literally feel what Marianna was going through. She wanted to please her parents, but was upset to leave her life behind in Indiana. She is a girl who puts others first before her own wants and needs and didn’t make much of a fuss when she realized she was going to move. I know I wouldn’t have been that calm if I was Marianna! It just shows you the kind of character she is putting everyone else above herself.
The book is full of emotion and is sad in parts especially when Marianna is reflecting back on the night she was born and her two sisters dying in the buggy accident. She grew up always feeling inadequate and that she wasn’t good enough to replace her two sisters lost. She always felt her mom’s sadness and I could feel Marianna’s pain when it came to her relationship with her mother.
When Marianna gets to Montana, she meets an English man named Ben and you could feel the immediate connection between the two of them. I was rooting for them to get together and forget Aaron back in Indiana. However, I knew Marianna’s devotion to the Amish community and that it wouldn’t be proper for her to be with an Englisher. The book ended with the story not completely unfolded so I’m excited that there will be a sequel coming out in October 2011. I am so buying that book!
The book follows Marianna as she prepares to move across the country from her home in her Amish community in Indiana to Montana and a town that had more of an English influence than she was accustomed to. Marianna didn’t want to leave Indiana because of the relationship with Aaron Zook, that was just finally beginning to take shape. Another reason was her older brother Levi still lived there among the English after leaving the Amish community months before. I could literally feel what Marianna was going through. She wanted to please her parents, but was upset to leave her life behind in Indiana. She is a girl who puts others first before her own wants and needs and didn’t make much of a fuss when she realized she was going to move. I know I wouldn’t have been that calm if I was Marianna! It just shows you the kind of character she is putting everyone else above herself.
The book is full of emotion and is sad in parts especially when Marianna is reflecting back on the night she was born and her two sisters dying in the buggy accident. She grew up always feeling inadequate and that she wasn’t good enough to replace her two sisters lost. She always felt her mom’s sadness and I could feel Marianna’s pain when it came to her relationship with her mother.
When Marianna gets to Montana, she meets an English man named Ben and you could feel the immediate connection between the two of them. I was rooting for them to get together and forget Aaron back in Indiana. However, I knew Marianna’s devotion to the Amish community and that it wouldn’t be proper for her to be with an Englisher. The book ended with the story not completely unfolded so I’m excited that there will be a sequel coming out in October 2011. I am so buying that book!
Altar of Bones by Philip Carter
3.0
This was quite the book! It literally grabbed me from the first page right until the very end. This book is very fast paced and there’s action on every page. It was not a slow read at all!
It reminded me a little of The DaVinci Code with the hidden icons, conspiracies and all the jet setting to exotic locales. Of course add to that a dash of intrigue and danger and you are in for a wild ride as a reader. There was a lot going on with the plot but the author weaved the story so that it was easy to keep up and know what was going on. I liked that I was left in suspense trying to figure out what would happen next and what everything meant. I could definitely see this book turned into a movie.
My favourite parts were when the main characters Zoe and Riley were in Europe and I was able to live vicariously and feel what it would be like to travel to that part of the world. Mind you I wouldn’t want someone after me trying to kill me!
I would love to know who the author, Philip Carter really is. All I could find out is that he/she is an International Bestselling Author. I googled but came up with nothing. If you know who he/she really is, please let me know!
Read Altar of Bones if you like action and excitement and want a book that will keep you reading into the wee hours of the night!
It reminded me a little of The DaVinci Code with the hidden icons, conspiracies and all the jet setting to exotic locales. Of course add to that a dash of intrigue and danger and you are in for a wild ride as a reader. There was a lot going on with the plot but the author weaved the story so that it was easy to keep up and know what was going on. I liked that I was left in suspense trying to figure out what would happen next and what everything meant. I could definitely see this book turned into a movie.
My favourite parts were when the main characters Zoe and Riley were in Europe and I was able to live vicariously and feel what it would be like to travel to that part of the world. Mind you I wouldn’t want someone after me trying to kill me!
I would love to know who the author, Philip Carter really is. All I could find out is that he/she is an International Bestselling Author. I googled but came up with nothing. If you know who he/she really is, please let me know!
Read Altar of Bones if you like action and excitement and want a book that will keep you reading into the wee hours of the night!
The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain
5.0
This book was absolutely amazing and I would say it’s now on my list of favourite books of all time. It was my first time reading Diane Chamberlain and I will definitely be picking up more of her books. Her writing reminds me of Jodi Picoult, another of my favourite authors.
The book starts out with Noelle taking her own life although we aren’t sure why at this point. It got me intrigued though as to why this person felt she needed to kill herself and wondered what had happened. The story is told from various character’s points of view. Tara and Emerson are two of Noelle’s best friends and are heartbroken when they learn about their friend. Most of all they want to know why.
I connected with both Tara and Emerson and felt like I was right there with them as I was reading along. The author gives us small clues throughout but I don’t know understand fully the situation until towards the end of the book. It just keeps building and building until I am just beside myself and NEED TO KNOW what happened.
Noelle was not the person whom her friends thought she was. She wasn’t a bad person though and even though I didn’t agree with everything she did, I still didn’t dislike her character. She’s complex like most of us are and the author portrayed each personality so believably.
There’s a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming at all and I was left with my mouth wide open in shock. This is one book I will be telling all my friends and family about.
The book starts out with Noelle taking her own life although we aren’t sure why at this point. It got me intrigued though as to why this person felt she needed to kill herself and wondered what had happened. The story is told from various character’s points of view. Tara and Emerson are two of Noelle’s best friends and are heartbroken when they learn about their friend. Most of all they want to know why.
I connected with both Tara and Emerson and felt like I was right there with them as I was reading along. The author gives us small clues throughout but I don’t know understand fully the situation until towards the end of the book. It just keeps building and building until I am just beside myself and NEED TO KNOW what happened.
Noelle was not the person whom her friends thought she was. She wasn’t a bad person though and even though I didn’t agree with everything she did, I still didn’t dislike her character. She’s complex like most of us are and the author portrayed each personality so believably.
There’s a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming at all and I was left with my mouth wide open in shock. This is one book I will be telling all my friends and family about.