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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Triangles in Books

Apr 27, 2018

Triangles

Ellen Hopkins | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry

8.7

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

The thing about Ellen Hopkins is she writes about the stuff that everyone knows happens, but nobody is willing to admit to. She gives emotion and reason to why people make the choices we do, and what they feel like in the middle of a messy hurtful situation. She is the opposite of happyland syndrome. She tells it how it is.

I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.

If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.

It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.

Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.

Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+

Kudos

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Gray Mountain in Books

Feb 13, 2018

Gray Mountain

John Grisham | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry

6.7

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

It's a little unfair to John Grisham, but I probably would have rated this book 4 stars if he didn't write it. It was a pretty good book, but I kept waiting for the typical Grisham-flair to pop up - a huge courtroom battle, an epic good versus evil duel, etc.

Instead, the battle and storyline I would have really wanted to read about goes on in the background as a secondary storyline. The main plot follows Samantha Kofer, a young law associate at a powerful firm in New York City. However, when the recession hits in '08, Samantha finds herself furloughed and in order to keep her health insurance, and to potentially get her old job back, must intern at a rural legal aid clinic in Brady, Virginia.

There Samantha meets a cast of characters, including Mattie, who runs the clinic; her nephew, Donovan, also a lawyer; Donovan's shady brother, Jeff; and a host of other rural townsfolk. She also gets her first taste of real law. We, the reader, learn about the atrocities of Big Coal and strip mining, including Black Lung Disease, which the book goes into in great detail (and which personally, makes me want to become a lawyer or social worker, as it's all awful).

It's interesting to have Grisham write in the voice of a young female. It takes me back to Darby Shaw (of "The Pelican Brief" - one of my all-time favorite Grisham novels), though Samantha is *no* Darby Shaw, by any stretch of the imagination. She's a bit spineless, though, really, she's not given much story to work with. The first 3/4 of the book I mostly enjoyed and then the last 1/4 just sort of tapers off. It almost seems as if a sequel is in order, but who knows.

Again, I think I might have liked Samantha and her story a bit more if it wasn't Grisham, as I might have expected a bit less. It's a good read, but leaves you wanting more.

Kudos

Merissa (12594 KP) rated Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1) in Books

Aug 14, 2019

Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1)

Jay Hogan | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

10.0

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1) by Jay Hogan

Digging Deep is the first book in the series of the same name, and it goes off with an exceptional bang!!! Due to my work history, I have a good amount of knowledge to do with Crohn's Disease, and how they may end up with ostomy bags in particular. However, this story made it all so much more real! No more dry text books for me. I was able to relate on a much more personal level, seeing the impact it had on both Drake and Caleb respectively.

Both of these characters stole my heart. From the sassy yet oh-so-prickly midwife, to the caring and considerate ex-man-whore who wants to try this "romance shit" with the guy who's gotten under his skin. There was only one issue that was never fully answered to my satisfaction (😉), and that was Leanne. Why was she 'off', as Caleb put it? I understand how the review because of the child would affect her, but that was sorted, and she was still not right? I'm not sure if I missed anything or not, but this is just a minor point, which has absolutely nothing to do with my total enjoyment of this book.

Excellently written, with enough detail for you to sympathise with the main characters without it taking over the whole story. I don't think there were any editing or grammatical errors in this book, but to be honest, I was too engrossed with the story. I was intrigued by the blurb, and simply fascinated by the story itself. Absolutely recommended by me, and I really can't wait to continue with the series!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!