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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Pivotal in Books

Aug 14, 2021  
Pivotal
Pivotal
Nikki Vallance | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting concept (0 more)
Unnecessarily confusing (1 more)
Still unsure what actually happened
Confusing
Quite a confusing read, and one that I’m still not sure about what happened after finishing it!
We follow four women Dulcie, Elizabeth, Annie and Liza after they get a summons from a solicitor about a potential inheritance they have to decide whether they are going to accept or not. It is stipulated that whilst deciding they can’t speak to their family otherwise they forfeit the inheritance. We follow the women as they try to make their decisions as well as following them through their day to day lives, which are all extremely different. One is a potter, one a dancer, one a head hunter and one a teacher. Their way of making the decisions although different and more in keeping with their personalities, were also similar in some ways.
Although I enjoy the idea behind the whole book, I spent the majority of it confused. Even at the end, I was still confused and it was only because I was reading along on Pigeonhole and had the pleasure of Nikki Vallance answering questions that fellow readers had that I understood what had happened, but without that I’m not sure that I would have completely understood the ending.
The writing was beautiful, but maybe in order to be less confusing the chapters for each character could have been slightly longer and with more obvious time frames.
I want to thank pigeonhole and Nikki Vallance for allowing me to read this book for free, and I want to thank Nikki for trying to answer all of the questions that everyone had without giving away any of the plot, and for explaining it to those of us who were still confused at the end!
  
This book throws some new twists into the series with the introduction of Gregor, Cat's almost-first husband, whom has been conveniently erased from her memory by Mencheres. Mind-boggling, I know. This book kind of revived the series for me, as it answered a few questions and finally forced Cat to make a monumental decision about her future. It's hard for me not to say that I loved everything about this book, but it comes pretty darn close. I especially liked Vlad's role in this as Cat's platonic support system, despite how it ticks off Bones. Of course, the big lesson for the book is how important communication is - if Cat and Bones had just bothered to talk to each other, much of the conflict could have been avoided. I'm all ready to read the next book, This Side of the Grave.
  
SB
Spilled Blood
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Olivia Hawk is 16 years old and has been accused of killing Ashland Steele. Ashland is the daughter of Florian Steele. Mr. Steele is the largest employer in the small town of Barron, Minnesota. Olivia lives in the neighboring town of Croix and these cities have been at each other's throats for quite some time. The reason, Florian Steele's company.

This is another new author for me. This book was very shocking and pulled at my heart strings. It's a story of loss, revenge, sacrifice, love, sickness, family. Makes you asks questions like: What am I willing to do to save my child? what will I do for my brother's love? What will I do to save my company? What will I do without my wife? Who is killing all these people? To find the answers you have to read the book.
  
40x40

Kaileb Bryant (3 KP) rated Jane Eyre in Books

Jun 11, 2019  
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë, Stevie Davies | 2006 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.1 (57 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting plot development (1 more)
Quirky and complex characters
Questionable ending (some may argue) (0 more)
Phenomenal read
If you are searching for a book you can forever return to as a firm favourite, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is that book. This is the kind of read which asks you questions, and you ask them back. With each read you learn something new, uncover something further, connect with a different character.

When reading, it is interesting to pay attention and watch out for references of fire and ice - this can add layers to your understanding and add a depth of interest.

Also, watch out for gothic tropes such a doubles, and see how these add to the plot.

Overall a fantastic read, though the ending may seem anti-climatic to some, I personally find it charming.

Enjoy this Victorian novel!
  
TH
The Hole in the Middle
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway and somehow never received it. I contacted the author and she was sooo very gracious to send me out another copy, thank you so much!! You are Awesome!!! :)

From the moment I started reading, I was drawn into the story. The chaotic life of a working Mom and her crazy work life! The anxiety of trying to balance kids, husband, a horrid boss, meeting after meeting, added job duties and then an old flame from the past that she still has unanswered questions about. Sophie was a likable and easily understandable character. I have felt the same way sometimes in regards to certain things.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and cannot wait for a new book, Kate Hilton is a very talented and wonderful author!! Please keep them coming!!
  
Lee’s former step-son, Jeff, comes back to Warner Pier for the noir film festival. He’s anxious to spend some time with Lee, but just a few hours later, he’s vanished. What has happened to him?

The book starts off with a bang and never really lets up until we reach the end. When we do get answers, they just leave us with more questions. The characters are in top notch form, and I think we get to know Lee a bit better over the course of this book. This series is always light and fun, and this book is no exception.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-review-chocolate-falcon-fraud-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Reading Up a Storm focuses more on characters outside of the library staff than the first two novels in the series, and Lucy has a new friend in this one who is accused of murder. Of course she doesn't trust that the police will see past her friend Stephanie's apparent motive for the crime, and is soon getting herself into trouble asking questions and trying to solve the case by herself. She probably figured it out long before I did, but it was gratifying to find that the killer was the person I suspected, for once.

And for those of you who enjoy a little romance with your cozy mystery - I love where the author has taken the romantic triangle that was developing in the first two books. I can't say anything more without spoilers, but I was very pleased with the outcome.
  
This is such a powerful, yet heartbreaking, book about the effects of bullying and how it can ultimately lead someone to commit suicide, or "bullycide". It also has wonderful resources at the end, including discussion questions about the book, as well as statistics about bullying and suicide and hotlines/websites for those who are being bullied or contemplating suicide. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved in education, especially at the middle/high school levels, as well as those who have children at that age, but I also think everyone could benefit from seeing this perspective. It'll make you think twice (or, it *should*, anyway) before using that derogatory term to refer to your friends when they do something stupid, or before laughing at someone because they're different than you. Five stars.
  
SL
Separate Lives
8
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I absolutely loved Separate Lives! I was hooked from page one by the writing style. The characters were well developed and relatable in a lot of ways, tho I wasn't fond of Pippa and her intentions toward Alex. I could also identify with Susie quite a bit tho I wish she'd had more backbone in dealing with Alex at the end of their relationship. The entire time I was reading this book I was so engrossed that it almost felt like the characters were friends of mine. The ending answered a few questions but it left me wanting to know how things wound up with Susie and Will. Overall I truly enjoyed my time with these great characters and will be looking forward to more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!