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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Where We Belong in Books
May 10, 2018
What happens when you give birth to a child and give her up for adoption? You never tell the father that you are even pregnant, in fact you don't tell anyone but your mother. Eighteen years later, this child shows up at your doorstep eager to find out about the parents who couldn't keep her How do you explain what happened so long ago and how do you go back and correct the wrongs?
Marion and Kirby tell the story from their own perspectives describing the emotions they go through in order to deal with their present circumstances. Kirby is at a pivotal point in her life. She is about to graduate high school and is unsure about what the next step should be. Her adoption allows her to contact her birth mother once she reaches eighteen and she doesn't hesitate to do just that. Marion, a show creator living in New York City is doing exactly what she dreamed. She's dating an amazing man and things in her life seem to be going just right, but when Kirby arrives at her doorstep her whole life is put into perspective and she is forced to analyze her world to see if it's really as great as it appears.
Throughout their journey, the two women will discover the true soul of themselves and find a more secure place in their own lives as well as in each others.
Marion and Kirby tell the story from their own perspectives describing the emotions they go through in order to deal with their present circumstances. Kirby is at a pivotal point in her life. She is about to graduate high school and is unsure about what the next step should be. Her adoption allows her to contact her birth mother once she reaches eighteen and she doesn't hesitate to do just that. Marion, a show creator living in New York City is doing exactly what she dreamed. She's dating an amazing man and things in her life seem to be going just right, but when Kirby arrives at her doorstep her whole life is put into perspective and she is forced to analyze her world to see if it's really as great as it appears.
Throughout their journey, the two women will discover the true soul of themselves and find a more secure place in their own lives as well as in each others.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Better Than I Know Myself in Books
Apr 3, 2019
Did you ever have a friend who was more like family? For Regina Foster, Jewel Prescott, and Carmen Webb this is exactly true. Better Than I Know Myself starts in the late 70's when the girls are seniors in high school and making the decision on where to go to college. Three different girls from three very different backgrounds. Jewel, a former child star. Regina, the daughter of two college educated parents and little sister to older brothers who had all attended and graduated from college. And Carmen whose parents had left her at a young age.
The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.
This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.
I listened to this book through the iPod and Overdrive. The audio was read by Lisa Renee Pitts.
The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.
This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.
I listened to this book through the iPod and Overdrive. The audio was read by Lisa Renee Pitts.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Best Possible Answer in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Viviana is under an immense amount of stress. It's the end of junior year and her future is in the balance. The goal was always to get perfect grades, rock her exams and attend Stanford. Then a distraction, and by distraction I mean boy, sets her off balance. They break up and he does something that sends her world spinning off its axis. Vivi starts having panic attacks and feels that she's not doing anything right in her life. To make it worse, her dad goes on a business trip to Singapore and doesn't come back. She puts every blame and burden on her overworked shoulders.
The characters in the book are very believable and relatable, even if you haven't experienced the same life events that they have. You can feel the friendship between Sammie and Vivi, with all of its ups and down. How much they love each other and do their best to protect one another.
The novel is about believing in yourself, learning to trust and rely on others even when you think you can do it all by yourself, and doing your best. Vivi must learn about herself and realizes that not everything in her life is as it seems.
Highly recommended to teens and young adults who enjoy contemporary ya fiction books about life, loves and high school. (With maybe a little family drama thrown into the mix.) Great, quick, enjoyable read!
The characters in the book are very believable and relatable, even if you haven't experienced the same life events that they have. You can feel the friendship between Sammie and Vivi, with all of its ups and down. How much they love each other and do their best to protect one another.
The novel is about believing in yourself, learning to trust and rely on others even when you think you can do it all by yourself, and doing your best. Vivi must learn about herself and realizes that not everything in her life is as it seems.
Highly recommended to teens and young adults who enjoy contemporary ya fiction books about life, loves and high school. (With maybe a little family drama thrown into the mix.) Great, quick, enjoyable read!
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated Lies You Never Told Me in Books
Jul 20, 2018
A tale of two narratives, in Lies You Never Told Me, debut novelist Jennifer Donaldson deftly flips back and forth between the first person points-of-view of high school students Gabe (in Austin) and Elyse (in Portland).
An addicting work of romantic suspense, although it opens with an air of mystery followed by the bang of a hit-and-run, the book slows down enough to carefully build the characters and effectively develop their alternating storylines to the point that – to the author's credit – there's no easily mistaking one for the other.
Nicely balancing the intrigue of a Gabe chapter with the drama of an Elyse (and vice versa), the book's pace quickens with each chapter to the point that I found myself nearly unable to put it down.
And despite the fact that I was able to piece together precisely how and why the two characters were connected roughly a quarter of the way into the novel, thanks to certain context clues, the book is so well written that I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Of course, that being said, the less you know going in the better.
Reminiscent of a great character driven '80s thriller from the Hollywood heyday of Fatal Attraction, in spite of a slightly contrived climax, Lies You Never Told Me is a terrific stay up all night summer read you'll definitely want to recommend to a friend.
An addicting work of romantic suspense, although it opens with an air of mystery followed by the bang of a hit-and-run, the book slows down enough to carefully build the characters and effectively develop their alternating storylines to the point that – to the author's credit – there's no easily mistaking one for the other.
Nicely balancing the intrigue of a Gabe chapter with the drama of an Elyse (and vice versa), the book's pace quickens with each chapter to the point that I found myself nearly unable to put it down.
And despite the fact that I was able to piece together precisely how and why the two characters were connected roughly a quarter of the way into the novel, thanks to certain context clues, the book is so well written that I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Of course, that being said, the less you know going in the better.
Reminiscent of a great character driven '80s thriller from the Hollywood heyday of Fatal Attraction, in spite of a slightly contrived climax, Lies You Never Told Me is a terrific stay up all night summer read you'll definitely want to recommend to a friend.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated G.O.A.T. in Books
Oct 31, 2019 (Updated Oct 31, 2019)
Tessa and Nash met when they both had just finished high school. She was off to Harvard and he was off to the military. In that one night, they lost their virginity to each other. She gave him her number, but he never called. For Nash, that was the best night of his life and for the past few years, he hasn't been able to get Tessa out of his head, no one can compare. So when she comes back into his life, will they be able to pick up where they left off, or is all hope lost?
Thank you to Frankie and Chantel for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I am loving this new Get Some series from the Quickie Queens. These novellas will grab you from the start and you won't be able to put them down until the very end.
What would you do if you met a guy and he rocked your world and then you never heard from him again? Is there something wrong with him or with you? Then all of a sudden, you're out one night with your friends, and there he is. Will you ever find out what happened all those years ago, or will it remain a mystery.
Nash and Tessa, Tessa and Nash. These two were made for each other, but will old hurts and new wounds be able to heal in order for them to be together.
Thank you to Frankie and Chantel for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I am loving this new Get Some series from the Quickie Queens. These novellas will grab you from the start and you won't be able to put them down until the very end.
What would you do if you met a guy and he rocked your world and then you never heard from him again? Is there something wrong with him or with you? Then all of a sudden, you're out one night with your friends, and there he is. Will you ever find out what happened all those years ago, or will it remain a mystery.
Nash and Tessa, Tessa and Nash. These two were made for each other, but will old hurts and new wounds be able to heal in order for them to be together.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away, #1) in Books
Jan 26, 2019
Something good emerges from the wreckage
THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY has the makings of an excellent series. Book one, of the same name, builds some of the background but focuses in on Liv and Finn. The characters, both main and side are survivors of a high school trauma and remain affected into their 30s.
The book started off with an intense bang and slowly but surely lost a bit of traction, leaving a lull. I have still rated it four stars because by 40% it had grabbed by attention fully. The story built and built to an emotional and impactful ending.
Finn and Liv have a second chance story to tell and it was believable. I found their feelings for one another powerful and feverish which fit with their traumatic past. Both characters were well developed and I liked them. Finn, in particular, made for some serious hero swoon. That cover, well let’s just say that’s brought to life. The side characters of Rebecca, Kincaid and Taryn have me intrigued from their stories.
So, I guess I wanted this to blow me away following the beginning but I did really like it. I think some of the background to build the series might have impeded the flow but I’ll be reading the next in the series and generally checking out Roni Loren’s other books.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
The book started off with an intense bang and slowly but surely lost a bit of traction, leaving a lull. I have still rated it four stars because by 40% it had grabbed by attention fully. The story built and built to an emotional and impactful ending.
Finn and Liv have a second chance story to tell and it was believable. I found their feelings for one another powerful and feverish which fit with their traumatic past. Both characters were well developed and I liked them. Finn, in particular, made for some serious hero swoon. That cover, well let’s just say that’s brought to life. The side characters of Rebecca, Kincaid and Taryn have me intrigued from their stories.
So, I guess I wanted this to blow me away following the beginning but I did really like it. I think some of the background to build the series might have impeded the flow but I’ll be reading the next in the series and generally checking out Roni Loren’s other books.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated Fantasy Island (2020) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
Guilty pleasure...
399. Fantasy Island. It's pretty amazing, no not the movie. It's pretty amazing when you go into something with low expectations they are usually met. And this was no different. With that mindset, I enjoyed it. I remember watching the show as a kid, but it somehow gets meshed with The Love Boat, so I remember Tattoo saying 'de plane, de plane' and Mr Roarke saying 'Welcome to Fantasy Island' that's about it. Minus Tattoo, Mr Roarke welcomes this group of 5 people to the island and explains the rules. Live out your fantasy until it's natural conclusion. Natural conclusion heh? We get two brothers on the Island simply wanting to have it all. Another guy's big dream is to enlist in the military like his daddy. Another guest's fantasy is to get revenge on her high school bully, and the final guest wants to say yes, instead of no at her wedding proposal. And everything is pretty freakin sweet for awhile until they realize that the fantasies are a little too real. Whats wrong with that? Small example: The guys that simply wanted it all. When you have it all, other people usually want to take it from you, including armed masked men! Fantasies with consequences, whats up with that??? I'd want a refund! A movie so bad, it's good. Maybe, maybe not. Guilty pleasure, sure! Filmbufftim on FB
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Please Send Help (I Hate Everyone But You #2) in Books
Jul 31, 2019 (Updated Aug 1, 2019)
Sequel to I Hate Everyone But You
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
The story of Ava and Gen continues. In I Hate Everyone But You, the friends are in high school. Please Send Help follows the girls and their friendship after they graduate. They move on with their lives but remain committed to always being there for each other.
The authors, Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin, "perfectly capture the voice of young adults looking to find their place in the world, proving no matter how desperate things seem, your best friend is always there to reboot your life and send help." This quote might sound familiar because it is the description used to promote the book. It describes the book perfectly and, if you read my reviews, know I do not like to copy and paste. In this case, it did not make sense to reinvent the wheel.
The format of the book is similar to reading a play. However, there are no stage directions or aside descriptions, The book relies completely on the dialogue and is written as an email conversation between the two friends. I hope to see Ava and Gen's friendship to continue in future books.
FYI, if you listen to the audiobook, the authors are also the narrators.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/01/19.
The story of Ava and Gen continues. In I Hate Everyone But You, the friends are in high school. Please Send Help follows the girls and their friendship after they graduate. They move on with their lives but remain committed to always being there for each other.
The authors, Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin, "perfectly capture the voice of young adults looking to find their place in the world, proving no matter how desperate things seem, your best friend is always there to reboot your life and send help." This quote might sound familiar because it is the description used to promote the book. It describes the book perfectly and, if you read my reviews, know I do not like to copy and paste. In this case, it did not make sense to reinvent the wheel.
The format of the book is similar to reading a play. However, there are no stage directions or aside descriptions, The book relies completely on the dialogue and is written as an email conversation between the two friends. I hope to see Ava and Gen's friendship to continue in future books.
FYI, if you listen to the audiobook, the authors are also the narrators.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/01/19.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated McFarland USA (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The new Disney movie, McFarland USA, is based on a true story.
I didn’t recognize any of the actors in it, except Kevin Costner, but that didn’t take anything away from the movie for me.
I really enjoyed the film a lot.
I laughed, I cried, I held my breath, and it had me on the edge of my seat in some parts too.
Costner plays Coach Jim White, who, due to an outburst of temper at his previous position, has had to take on a teaching and assistant coaching job in an out of the way tiny town called McFarland, CA.
He has a slight run in with the head coach, and gets demoted.
Discovering the untapped potential in a handful of the McFarland high school boys, Coach White petitions the principal for permission to start a cross country track team.
The principal gives his consent, and the story unfolds.
The kids help the Coach on his ‘life journey’ as much as he helps them.
He helps them realize their potential, and teaches them how to dream big and never give up, and they teach him about the importance of community, that ‘bigger’ isn’t always ‘better’, and that sometimes having the heart and desire to do something means more than a fat paycheck.
I wouldn’t bring very young kids to this movie, but children from maybe 9 and up should appreciate and enjoy it.
I would give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars.
I didn’t recognize any of the actors in it, except Kevin Costner, but that didn’t take anything away from the movie for me.
I really enjoyed the film a lot.
I laughed, I cried, I held my breath, and it had me on the edge of my seat in some parts too.
Costner plays Coach Jim White, who, due to an outburst of temper at his previous position, has had to take on a teaching and assistant coaching job in an out of the way tiny town called McFarland, CA.
He has a slight run in with the head coach, and gets demoted.
Discovering the untapped potential in a handful of the McFarland high school boys, Coach White petitions the principal for permission to start a cross country track team.
The principal gives his consent, and the story unfolds.
The kids help the Coach on his ‘life journey’ as much as he helps them.
He helps them realize their potential, and teaches them how to dream big and never give up, and they teach him about the importance of community, that ‘bigger’ isn’t always ‘better’, and that sometimes having the heart and desire to do something means more than a fat paycheck.
I wouldn’t bring very young kids to this movie, but children from maybe 9 and up should appreciate and enjoy it.
I would give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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