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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated In the Company of Secrets (Postcards from Pullman #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
(There are some spoilers in this review)
What happens when you build an entire life on a foundation of lies? Consequences!
Olivia travels to Pullman, Illinois from England with the Lady Charlotte. Charlotte is unmarried and pregnant. In order to be hired for a position as the assistant chef at the Hotel and to protect Charlotte's honor, they fabricate a pack of lies and stories about who they are. As time progresses, Olivia's closest friends Fred and his mother, Mrs. DeVault, as well as her cousin Albert and his girlfriend Martha are all deceived by who they are. In the end Olivia realizes the importance of honesty and seeks the Lord's forgiveness for what she has done. She tries to begin a fresh in her walk with the Lord. However, she keeps the truth about the lies hidden. She is eventually found out and has to face the consequences.
I am very baffled by this book. It drove me crazy at parts and I wanted to stop reading it, but I was also intrigued to see how it would all play out. I was disappointed in the end that the loose ends were not tied up. I understand that it is a series, however it felt very confusing at the close of the book. The two main characters were the reasons why I wanted to put the book down. Charlotte has her baby and neglects him and eventually abandons him. I know that this happens in the real world, but Charlotte's snobbery is the main reason behind her poor attitude towards the baby. Being a mother of 2 small children, this made me quite upset. Olivia is extremely naive when it comes to men and seems to be quite spineless when it comes to standing up for herself. She constantly lets herself get walked over and lives in complete fear that someone will find her out. I read for enjoyment and I prefer to read about women who are strong, truthful and stand up for what is right. I did enjoy the historical side of this book. Although, I am not quite sure where the "Postcards" come into play, learning a little about Pullman and the railworks in 1892 was quite interesting.
Even though I have conflicting feelings regarding this book, I am curious to see how Olivia's character progresses. Seeing as how the library does not yet have this series in electronic form though, I will not be continuing. I was able to purchase this book for free at Barnes & Noble.
Bethany House Publishers
What happens when you build an entire life on a foundation of lies? Consequences!
Olivia travels to Pullman, Illinois from England with the Lady Charlotte. Charlotte is unmarried and pregnant. In order to be hired for a position as the assistant chef at the Hotel and to protect Charlotte's honor, they fabricate a pack of lies and stories about who they are. As time progresses, Olivia's closest friends Fred and his mother, Mrs. DeVault, as well as her cousin Albert and his girlfriend Martha are all deceived by who they are. In the end Olivia realizes the importance of honesty and seeks the Lord's forgiveness for what she has done. She tries to begin a fresh in her walk with the Lord. However, she keeps the truth about the lies hidden. She is eventually found out and has to face the consequences.
I am very baffled by this book. It drove me crazy at parts and I wanted to stop reading it, but I was also intrigued to see how it would all play out. I was disappointed in the end that the loose ends were not tied up. I understand that it is a series, however it felt very confusing at the close of the book. The two main characters were the reasons why I wanted to put the book down. Charlotte has her baby and neglects him and eventually abandons him. I know that this happens in the real world, but Charlotte's snobbery is the main reason behind her poor attitude towards the baby. Being a mother of 2 small children, this made me quite upset. Olivia is extremely naive when it comes to men and seems to be quite spineless when it comes to standing up for herself. She constantly lets herself get walked over and lives in complete fear that someone will find her out. I read for enjoyment and I prefer to read about women who are strong, truthful and stand up for what is right. I did enjoy the historical side of this book. Although, I am not quite sure where the "Postcards" come into play, learning a little about Pullman and the railworks in 1892 was quite interesting.
Even though I have conflicting feelings regarding this book, I am curious to see how Olivia's character progresses. Seeing as how the library does not yet have this series in electronic form though, I will not be continuing. I was able to purchase this book for free at Barnes & Noble.
Bethany House Publishers
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Possibility of Everything in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The Possibility of Everything was amazing. I was instantly wrapped up in Hope’s story, and fell in love with her little girl Maya. It was absolutely impossible to put down.
Hope had to go through so much to heal her daughter—she had to be brave and learn to accept things that she was afraid of, and things that just don’t match up with common sense. Hope is someone who does not believe in magic, spirits, or God, yet she’s taking her daughter to a healer who “communicates with the spirit world,” and she hates the idea… but people will do anything for the ones that they love. “Because what mother wouldn’t do anything for her child?”
As a person who loves and adores children myself, seeing Maya in the state that she was in was heartbreaking. There were parts of this book that I didn’t “enjoy,” because they were scary and sad, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t good. It was painful to watch Maya and her parents suffer—but it was also an amazing story, and one that needs to be read by everyone.
Recommendation: Ages 14+
**Thank you to Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book for supplying my review copy!**
Hope had to go through so much to heal her daughter—she had to be brave and learn to accept things that she was afraid of, and things that just don’t match up with common sense. Hope is someone who does not believe in magic, spirits, or God, yet she’s taking her daughter to a healer who “communicates with the spirit world,” and she hates the idea… but people will do anything for the ones that they love. “Because what mother wouldn’t do anything for her child?”
As a person who loves and adores children myself, seeing Maya in the state that she was in was heartbreaking. There were parts of this book that I didn’t “enjoy,” because they were scary and sad, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t good. It was painful to watch Maya and her parents suffer—but it was also an amazing story, and one that needs to be read by everyone.
Recommendation: Ages 14+
**Thank you to Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book for supplying my review copy!**
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Gwendy's Button Box in Books
Mar 18, 2019
Wanted more
I’m a massive Stephen King fan and often find that his books fall into two categories; so brilliant that you can’t put them down, or stilll good but somehow lacking his usual brilliant magic.
For the most part, Gwendy’s Button Box falls into the first category. Admittedly this is only a novella, but I couldn’t put it down. It was such an easy read with an intriguing plot and a well developed and likeable main character. There’s just enough intrigue to keep you reading yet it doesn’t explain too much and still leaves you with questions at the end. Any story set in Castle Rock is always a safe bet too. Gwendy is a very likeable character and King always manages to write his child characters well without them seeming too young and childish, which is often a frustration with other books that feature children (especially YA).
My only criticism is that I think this story was far too short. The button box is a great idea and i think they’ve not done it as much justice as it deserves. This could easily have made for a much longer and detailed novel, and would’ve been all the better for it.
For the most part, Gwendy’s Button Box falls into the first category. Admittedly this is only a novella, but I couldn’t put it down. It was such an easy read with an intriguing plot and a well developed and likeable main character. There’s just enough intrigue to keep you reading yet it doesn’t explain too much and still leaves you with questions at the end. Any story set in Castle Rock is always a safe bet too. Gwendy is a very likeable character and King always manages to write his child characters well without them seeming too young and childish, which is often a frustration with other books that feature children (especially YA).
My only criticism is that I think this story was far too short. The button box is a great idea and i think they’ve not done it as much justice as it deserves. This could easily have made for a much longer and detailed novel, and would’ve been all the better for it.
ClareR (5906 KP) rated The Hunting Party in Books
Jan 7, 2020
I. Absolutely. Loved. This. Book.
I thoroughly appreciate a book that keeps me guessing at who both the victim and the murderer are right up to the end! And to be honest, it couldn’t have happened more deservingly to a group of such thoroughly unlikeable people. They’re all entitled, self absorbed, spoilt, oversized children. Can you tell I don’t like them? I’ve come to realise that really horrible characters are my crack. The more deviant they are, the more I enjoy the book. This delivered in spades. I LOVED to hate them. The staff at the remote Scottish lodge that they spent New Years at, had my complete sympathy.
Everyone in this novel has a secret, and some of them are huge. They were all so cleverly revealed, and the suspense was immense! This is one of my top books of 2019(the list is hovering around the 20 mark) - it just snuck in as I read it over Christmas!
Oh, and I’m not saying that this book was necessarily responsible, but we’re going to stay in a (much smaller) lodge in Scotland for our summer holidays. Just no snow and/ or murders please!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, and Lucy Foley for reading along!
I thoroughly appreciate a book that keeps me guessing at who both the victim and the murderer are right up to the end! And to be honest, it couldn’t have happened more deservingly to a group of such thoroughly unlikeable people. They’re all entitled, self absorbed, spoilt, oversized children. Can you tell I don’t like them? I’ve come to realise that really horrible characters are my crack. The more deviant they are, the more I enjoy the book. This delivered in spades. I LOVED to hate them. The staff at the remote Scottish lodge that they spent New Years at, had my complete sympathy.
Everyone in this novel has a secret, and some of them are huge. They were all so cleverly revealed, and the suspense was immense! This is one of my top books of 2019(the list is hovering around the 20 mark) - it just snuck in as I read it over Christmas!
Oh, and I’m not saying that this book was necessarily responsible, but we’re going to stay in a (much smaller) lodge in Scotland for our summer holidays. Just no snow and/ or murders please!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, and Lucy Foley for reading along!
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