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Echoes of Us
Echoes of Us
S.H. Timmins | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
110 of 200
Kindle
Echoes of us
By S.H. Timmins

What happens if your life begins on the wrong side of right?
What will you sacrifice when secrets and money are the weapons of choice?
How do you combine memories and dreams to reshape the future?
You place your trust in the innocence of love, embrace the passion it offers, and never let it go.

Jolene and Cruz are childhood friends who were ripped apart by tragedy, tearing Jolene from her home and everything she knew. Now, in their senior year of high school, Cruz finds Jolene in her new life - a life she never wanted and will do anything to escape from. Together, they need to discover the secrets that forced them apart, to save Jolene from the dangers of her new family. Along the way, they find that a friendship born in childhood can become the love of a lifetime.



This is a new author for me and I have to say I enjoyed this book so much! Her writing style is so comfortable to read, the story is really good and you’re rooting for Jolene all the way through! It’s so sweet and endearing. I would definitely love to see another book following these characters!
  
Where the Crawdads Sing
Where the Crawdads Sing
Delia Owens | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
8
8.9 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
The imagery in this book is phenomenal. I can't begin to describe the beauty in Owens' words, the scenery she implants straight into your head - it's incredible.
Kya, also known as the Marsh Girl by the local town residents, is an unbearably shy and skittish young lady who grows up within the deep recesses of the marsh (hence her name), abandoned - one by one - by her entire family and left to fend for herself. For over 10 years, she lives off the land, exploring and learning by watching life in the wild. Through different circumstances, she encounters a few acquaintances along the way, most of whom disappoint her enough that she's permanently convinced life is better alone, despite the yearning to be with someone who will never leave her.
I feel as if Kya can be understood and empathized with by just about anyone. She's relatable in so many ways, especially as she navigates the discoveries of new emotions, of life and love in general. You can't help but hurt for her, root for her, cheer her on and wish to physically defend her honor against the prejudices she endures. I loved this book so very much, and I think I loved Kya even more.
  
How Much Of These Hills is Gold
How Much Of These Hills is Gold
C. Pam Zhang | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is not your typical Western, although it set in the old Wild West. Lucy and Sam, two Chinese-American children, set off on their own to bury their father and to find the life that their mother wanted for them. Their father had gold fever and gambled their money away, their mother wanted an education and choices for her children - as well as somewhere safe to live. The fact that this story is based on two children alone is enough of an indicator that their parents wishes weren’t successful.

There are flashbacks to the life that they had prior to the death of their parents, and these really showed what a hard life gold prospecting and coal mining was - particularly if you weren’t seen as true Americans.

I loved this book - the descriptions of the landscape were stunning, the story of the difficult, uncertain lives the main characters experienced was at times heart-rending. I liked that we weren’t involved in the thought processes of their persecutors - we see everything from Lucy, Sam and their parents perspectives. We get a glimpse into the world of an immigrant family and of how little it seems to have changed with regards to attitudes.

I’d really recommend this book - it was a rewarding, if sad, read.