The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
This is a love story gone horribly wrong. Jodi and Todd have been together for 20 years although they are not married Jodi is the perfect "wife". She caters to Todd's every need. Both have successful careers and appear to be happy, Jodi is a part time psychologist and Todd is an architect. Jodi loves to stay home and play the happy homemaker while Todd likes to step out and doesn't care who knows it. Jodi turns a blind eye to Todd's philandering- that is, until she kills him. What would make Jodi do such an awful thing? Did she snap or just say enough.
The characters are not very likeable but you're not supposed to like them. They are materialistic and shallow. We learn of Todd's murder at the beginning of the book and both Jodi and Todd alternate telling their story. This is a quick read and I found it entertaining although Jodi did get on my nerves.
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
I loved this book!! It was inspirational, after I finished reading it I felt like I could do anything.
It follows nine poor boys from the University of Washington on a journey that will change their lives forever and gives a country hope at a time where there wasn't a lot to be found. There is not more I can say but watch the book trailer and be inspired.
Winger by Andrew Smith
Ryan Dean West is 14, on the varsity rugby team and a junior in high school. This comes with its own set of problems, add a skinny wise guy, rooming with the
biggest bully on the rugby team and you have a very funny book. These are not Ryan's only issues. He is in love with his best friend Annie who only thinks of him as a little kid. This doesn't stop him from creeping on the other girls in school. The trouble Ryan gets into is laugh out loud funny. He handles it with humor and sarcasm. Ryan makes some bad decisions along the way but that's what makes him so likeable.
With all the buzz about this book I just had to read it and I was not disappointed. A coming of age story told by a 14 year old junior in high school. I will say the ending was unexpected and I'm not sure what it had to do with the rest of the story.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
This has to be one of the strangest books I have read. The premise of reincarnation is not a new but the story of Ursula Todd truly is a unique one. Ursula Todd is born on a snowy night in London in 1910. This is the story of her many lives and deaths. I say deaths because how she dies is just as important and how she lived. She is truly a unique and strong character. Ursula dies and is reborn so many times you need a score card to keep up but it is not until she enters adulthood that we really get to know the character. Each time she dies and comes back she changes something in her life and we see how different choices have different outcomes. Some of the ways she dies are brutal but the most disturbing part of the book was her life during WW II. It was brutal and the horrors she endured left nothing to the imagination.
This book is beautifully written but can be confusing at times. Do I recommend it? Yes but it is not for everyone.
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
This is a story of choices; the right one is not always the easy one. The year is 2083 and 16 year old Anya's dad is the head of Balanchine Mafia. He deals in the illegal sale of chocolate and coffee. After her parents are killed Anya is sent to live with her 80 year old grandmother. She is determined to keep her brother and sister out of the life they grew up in but fate it seems has other ideas. She is falsely accused of trying to kill her ex-boyfriend and the people she is running away from may be the only ones who can save her.
I loved this book. The idea that the two things I just gotta have are illegal intrigued me. Anya is strong but conflicted and at times might seem a little to good but that doesn't keep you from caring about her and hoping she chooses the right path.
Smashed by Lisa Luedeke
Katie is about to enter her senior year in high school and life is looking pretty good. She already has a full scholarship to college but she also has a dark secret. If she tells anyone it will turn her life and plans upside down, that is, if it doesn't destroy her first.
Smashed is a cautionary tale about teenage drinking and the consequences. It reminded me of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Told by Katie you feel her pain and just want to give her a hug and let her know she is not alone.
Shine by Lauren Myracle
Don't be fooled by the beautiful book jacket. This is a very tough book to read. Cat and her best friend Patrick are close but lately Cat is pulling away and spending more time on her own. Patrick is openly gay and has paid for it many times in this small North Carolina town. But after he is found brutally beaten and left for dead Cat must come out of her self imposed exile and try and find the person or persons who did this to Patrick. As the story unfolds we find that Cat also has a dark secret.
This is a tough read and deals with some even tougher subjects; bullying, gay bashing, rape and bigotry. I think this is a must read. It will leave you feeling angry and drained but Myracle's writing is so beautiful it is well worth it.
The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon
Thirteen year old Reggie is a little awkward and is struggling to build a relationship with a mother who has no interest in her daughter's life. This is only the beginning of her problems. A serial killer has come to her hometown leaving a severed hand as a calling card and a posed body for the police to find 4 days later. As Reggie tries to find her way, her mother falls victim to the killer but her body is never found. Jump ahead a couple of decades and successful Regina gets a phone call, her mother has been found and is living in a homeless shelter but she is dying of cancer. Regina puts her life on hold to take care of her. Unfortunately for Regina her mom is not the only one to re-enter her life, the serial killer is back and Regina's mom and best friend are in the cross hairs. She only has 4 days to find the killer and save them both.
This was a great book. It had lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing.
