Shocking and emotional. Heartbreaking and eye-opening. Thought-provoking and inspiring.
Want to meet chara5+ stars! Outstanding!
2022 Favourites List!
Shocking and emotional. Heartbreaking and eye-opening. Thought-provoking and inspiring.
Want to meet characters you’ll never forget? Read this book. Want to open your mind and heart? Read this book. Want to challenge your thoughts and pre-conceived judgements? Read this book. Want to explore current, relevant, important worldly topics? Read this book. Want to educate yourself and challenge bias? Read this book. Want to feel something? Read this book. Want to be forever changed? Read this book.
Jodi Picoult is a long time favourite author of mine. When I heard she was co-authoring this latest novel, I was somewhat hesitant as I felt it couldn’t possibly be a seamless piece of work and completely live up to her standard. Lucky for me, a gorgeous gifted finished copy landed in my mailbox from the publisher which gave me the push I needed to read it. Two words: Life changing!
I’ve read all of Jodi’s books and can honestly say, this is one of my top 3 of hers. I’m forever changed after reading this. Thank you to Jodi and Jennifer for writing this important and informative book. Thank you for challenging my thoughts and biases. Thank you for putting me in others shoes to explore and form more educated opinions. Thank you for pulling my heart into this story and making me ‘feel’.
I won’t comment on anything to do with the synopsis other than bees and beekeeping are a subtopic. The beekeeping world held very little appeal to me before reading this, so if you feel similar to me, please don’t let that deter you from this highly impactful and truly unforgettable story. In true Jodi Picoult style, I was fascinated by the beekeeping facts and amazed at how it could be related to many life topics. My suggestion to you is DO NOT READ REVIEWS before picking this up as I fear you may see spoilers which will take away from your reading experience. There are several heavy and sensitive topics explored within these pages but these topics need the reader to be unaware going in. Not for shock factor, but simply so the reader can grow with the characters in the story instead of knowing what to expect.
Upon finishing this novel, my heart is full, sad, open, hopeful. I didn’t want this story to end. Bottom line: this is a must read book that is a top 2022 read for me. It’s a highly controversial and incredibly important read.
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted physical copy!...more
1904: Ruby is a Norland nurse with an impeccable reputation. She is sent to a new placement at an isolated f4.5 stars! Loved it!
Gothic and mysterious!
1904: Ruby is a Norland nurse with an impeccable reputation. She is sent to a new placement at an isolated family estate in the English countryside. She has an immediate connection with the four children and finds herself drawn into the mysterious relationship between her employers, Mr. and Mrs. England. Ruby becomes wrapped up in the mysterious happenings and questionable circumstances within the dark and eerie mansion.
This was highly enjoyable from start to finish. I am always drawn to stories involving nannies and the children they care for. This novel included everything I love in a historical mystery. It carried a constant air of foreboding tension and suspense. The pace and flow kept me fully engaged and invested. The atmosphere was palpable and had me consumed and engrossed. I loved the family estate and forested lands that surrounded it - the author did a phenomenal job making the setting part of the intensity of the story. The characters were fantastic! I was curious and had my suspicions about each of them. I especially loved Ruby who I connected with immediately.
This is my second book by this author and I can confidently say I love her writing!
Thank you to the publisher for my physical review copy!...more
One of the most impactful, eye-opening, informative and inspiring memoirs I’ve ever read! A powerfully phenomenal book that supports and stren5 stars!
One of the most impactful, eye-opening, informative and inspiring memoirs I’ve ever read! A powerfully phenomenal book that supports and strengthens the LGBTQ+ community. I am forever changed after reading this.
This is Amanda’s family story. It is a heart wrenching, raw, emotional, eye-opening look at her life during some very difficult years centring around LGBTQ+ rights and education. Amanda openly shares her family’s experiences while they go through some big transformations that drastically change their family dynamic. I applaud Amanda and thank her for sharing this intimate look at her life as a mother of a transgender child and the wife of a transgender spouse. This book challenged my thinking. I believe that all who read this could learn a lot from Amanda and how she processed and moved forward with the major changes in her family. She CHOSE LOVE, KINDNESS AND ACCEPTANCE each and every time she was faced with a challenge and she fought for her family. She teaches the importance of promoting love, support and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community rather than simple ‘tolerance’. There is a HUGE difference between the two.
Not only did I find the content of this book extremely intriguing, informative and unforgettable, but I found the writing truly mesmerizing! The way Amanda wrote touched my heart repeatedly and never felt preachy. She narrated the audiobook herself and I often felt as though I was simply having a conversation with her, learning from her and feeling true connection with each and every word. Amanda is such an inspiring person!
This book challenged my thinking, my opinions, my biases, my naivety. It’s truly a life changing book that I highly recommend to everyone.
Amanda - thank you for sharing your story and teaching me.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
Jaw dropping. Unsettling. Disturbing. Haunting. Devastating. These are just a few more of the words I w5 frightening and fascinating true crime stars!
Jaw dropping. Unsettling. Disturbing. Haunting. Devastating. These are just a few more of the words I would use to describe this unforgettable book and serial killer case.
Never have I been so completely terrified yet addicted to a book! True crime is a genre I find myself becoming more and more interested in. This book was written so extremely well! It didn’t feel bogged down by facts and dates. I was quite literally hanging on every single word of this horrific story.
The author, Michelle McNamara, was a true crime researcher and journalist whose career largely focused on hunting down the Golden State Killer. McNamara gave the “Golden State Killer” this name after piecing together that he was the same perpetrator of several rape and murder cases that weren’t originally linked. She spent years dedicated to tracking this serial rapist and killer down through extensive online research, interviews and revisiting crime scenes. She became a well known and respected resource for police detectives who were haunted by this case for decades. The Golden State Killer was responsible for 50 rapes and 10 murders in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Sadly, Michelle McNamara passed away before this book was published and before the world discovered the real name behind this masked man.
The writing was excellent! I was completely consumed. I had no knowledge of this sickening serial killer and found myself in a constant state of shock while discovering all that he got away with FOR DECADES before being caught. I was equally terrified and fascinated by the words I was reading. The book kept me on edge from start to finish.
I found myself in awe of McNamara when I began to truly understand her dedication and determination in solving this decades old cold case. The constant ups and downs she faced throughout her meticulous research was a roller coaster of emotions for her. Just when she thought she was on the right path, a road block would send her right back to the start, and yet she never gave up.
It goes without saying that this is an extremely tough read. There are countless gruesome and highly uncomfortable details presented but all are necessary in order to present all the facts to the reader.
Overall, this was a compulsively readable, well written account of one of history’s worst villains. Though I may be sleeping with my light on for a while longer, I’ll definitely be adding this to my 2022 Favourites shelf!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!...more
An old isolated mansion hiding plenty of dark family secrets.
This book had so many elements that I love!4.5 stars!
Suspenseful, mysterious and gothic!
An old isolated mansion hiding plenty of dark family secrets.
This book had so many elements that I love! Dark foreboding atmosphere. Thick palpable tension and suspense. Deeply buried family secrets waiting to be discovered. Unique and mysterious characters that I felt invested in from page one.
Solhoga is the family mansion that encompasses this unforgettable tale. The house was like a character of its own! I loved the dark and gothic atmosphere. The wintry weather added another layer to the isolation, paranoia and overall locked room mysterious atmosphere.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for my review copy!...more
True crime writer, Wylie Lark, is spending a few months living in a remote farmhouse cottage focused on wr4.5 stars!
Packed with tension and suspense!
True crime writer, Wylie Lark, is spending a few months living in a remote farmhouse cottage focused on writing her new book. She is researching two murders that happened in the same cottage which involved the disappearance of a teenage girl. A wintry storm adds to her isolation until she discovers a small child stranded at her doorstep…
This was an intense thriller! I was anxious and on the edge of my seat for the majority of this novel. Every single page was gripping, atmospheric and suspenseful. This was one of the most binge-worthy, unputdownable books I’ve read in a while!
There are several storylines introduced in chapter one. Seeming random at first, each storyline flowed smoothly and fit together seamlessly by the end. The way this novel unfolds is a brilliant and perfectly paced puzzle that kept me hanging on every word. Each character and storyline added an intriguing amount of tension and kept me guessing as to how it would all come together.
My one small issue was that the conclusion was overly dramatic and not as gripping or believable as the remainder of the story. It took my enjoyment down just a tiny bit as it didn’t fit with the amazing-ness of the rest of the book.
Overall, an amazing read that I highly recommend to thriller fans. This will be on my 2022 Favourites List! Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!...more
Dr Gwen Moore is a psychiatrist who specializes in treating people with violent tendencies. She is an expert on killers and is hir5 stars! Loved this!
Dr Gwen Moore is a psychiatrist who specializes in treating people with violent tendencies. She is an expert on killers and is hired by a defence attorney to create a profile on a serial killer who has been abducting and mutilating local teenage boys.
This book completely consumed me from the first to the last page. The pace and flow were perfect. I am always drawn to stories involving therapy sessions and this one was done so very well. The storyline was gripping, unique, clever, gut-wrenching, shocking and twisty. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough!
The main characters were PHENOMENAL! They were flawed, emotional, complicated people with mysterious, secretive sides that kept me curious and invested. I loved rooting for them. I wish this was a series so I could get more of these amazing characters!
As you can see, I super loved this book and highly recommend it. It’s a MUST READ for all psychological thriller fans! ...more
4+ stars for this riveting, twisty and shocking courtroom domestic drama!
Leila and her sister are close. One morning Leila’s brother-in-law calls last4+ stars for this riveting, twisty and shocking courtroom domestic drama!
Leila and her sister are close. One morning Leila’s brother-in-law calls last minute to ask if she can bring her nephew to school. She rushes over to pick him up on her way to work. After picking him up, she gets a frantic call from her office and forgets he is in the backseat of her car.
This storyline is GUT WRENCHING. This centres around an extremely upsetting and intense family tragedy. My stomach was in knots for the first half of this gripping and emotional book. It’s a tough read but one I couldn’t pull myself away from. The writing is sharp and powerful. The characters are endearing and intriguing. The pace and flow of the book is strong but it did let up a little in the second half. Perhaps the intensity of the storyline was stronger at the start because of the shock of it. Regardless, this was a fantastic read from start to finish that kept me engaged and invested throughout.
I have read one of this authors previous books, Take It Back, and while that remains my favourite, this was a brilliant novel that I highly recommend!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!...more
Complex relationship dynamics. Provocative and forbidden love. Undeniable family bond. Palpable atmosphere.
A central the5+ stars!
2022 Favourites List!
Complex relationship dynamics. Provocative and forbidden love. Undeniable family bond. Palpable atmosphere.
A central theme of this beautifully written, character-driven, slow burn novel is love. At the very core, it is a love story. A family love story. A love story with nature. A secret illicit love story.
The bulk of the book explores a unique and complex family dynamic that had me consumed and engrossed within the various relationships. The author did an outstanding job pulling me into feeling extremely invested in these characters intimate lives. I simply cannot pick my favourite character or relationship as there are so many engrossing and thought provoking layers to each one. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it.
The main plot point happens before the novel even starts with the main character reminiscing about the night before. Even though I didn’t experience the event alongside the main character, I was consumed and invested immediately within the first chapter. This is a true testament of powerful writing!
I am surprised by just how much I loved this love story. Love stories are generally not my thing, yet I was 100% invested and rooting for this one from the first to last page. The relationships within this book felt so real.
While love is the main theme, this book is much darker than I expected. There are several heavy and uncomfortable topics that shocked and upset me but they were critical to the plot. Be warned that this isn’t an easy read and with the pace being slower, it is one you have to be ready for.
The atmosphere is tangible throughout and plays a large role in the overall storyline. The plot centres around a cluster of secluded cottages near a pond and forest that hold deeply buried family secrets.
The novel takes course over one day but is fleshed out with bits and pieces of the characters pasts which are slowly revealed. I loved the way the author presented the story and kept me feeling the burn of curiosity in how it would all come together.
As you can see, this was a winner for me. Easily makes it on this years Favourite Shelf. I can understand the mixed reviews as this is a heavy book that the reader must be ready for and luckily it came at the perfect time for me. Highly recommend!...more
Best book I’ve read in a long time! All time favourites shelf!
This is a unique and captivating genre mash up. Part true crime, part memoir, part psychological horror. This was insanely brilliant and refreshing! This was a large step outside of my usual reading genres and I LOVED EVERY SINGLE PAGE of it! I was quite literally addicted to this book from start to finish. When I had to stop reading (life really gets in the way sometimes!), I was counting down the minutes until I could pick it back up again. I have not felt so obsessed with a book in years.
This isn’t an easy read - there are plenty of gruesome and highly uncomfortable scenes. I was hanging on every single word even if I found myself cringing and holding my breath at times.
Bottom line — READ THIS BOOK!! I promise it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!...more
There is a lot to unpack and process while reading this multi-layered family drama. I will be thinking of t5 stars!
A much heavier story than expected.
There is a lot to unpack and process while reading this multi-layered family drama. I will be thinking of this book and characters for a long time. I know I’ll never forget it. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you, with it’s heart-heavy, tragic tone. The family issues keep unfolding and festering causing endless ripples and waves throughout this family dynamic. The overall impression is dark, heavy and depressing, but presented in an undeniably engrossing way that I simply couldn’t turn away from. I was completely gripped and consumed by this family and all that happened to them from the first word to the last one. Tragedies unfold starting one Easter Sunday morning. The devastating event spirals into lifelong consequences for all family members who each process it in their own quiet way, never quite accepting the full depth of the situation.
Told in several timelines, the writing was terrific, as I’ve come to expect from this prolific author. Letters from the family matriarch are interspersed throughout the plot bringing the reader to the last days of her life which I enjoyed as a way of breaking up the storylines.
Overall, a fantastic novel that I highly recommend but do caution that is it extremely heavy and somber.
Audio rating: 5+ stars! The audio narrator was outstanding and definitely enhanced my overall experience. Loved all that she added to this story! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan.
Warnings: hoarding, isolation, suicide, neglect, childhood trauma, infidelity, divorce, death of a child/sibling, death of a spouse/partner....more
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