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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Don't You Cry in Books

Feb 13, 2018  
Don't You Cry
Don't You Cry
Mary Kubica | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Quinn and Esther are roommates trying to get by in Chicago. When Esther disappears without a trace, Quinn is confused and worried. It's not like her friend to just vanish. As Quinn starts looking into things more, she finds some disturbing papers and items among Esther's things. Quinn begins to wonder: how much did she really know her roommate? Was she really the sweet, kind person she thought her to be? Meanwhile, in a Michigan town on the outskirts of Chicago, Alex is working his life away while his high school friends live theirs miles away. Saddled by caring for his alcoholic father, Alex feels trapped by his job washing dishes in this small town. However, his life becomes more interesting when a lovely young woman appears in town and catches his attention. Alex watches her and names her Pearl, due to the bracelet she wears on her wrist. As Quinn becomes increasingly worried about Esther, Alex simultaneously gets drawn more into Pearl's web.

Kubica's novel catches your attention right away, but for me, it really picks up about halfway through. The second half is a thrilling roller coaster ride full of suspense and plot twists. It keeps you guessing and surprised. The beginning dragged a bit; I found Quinn frustrating and was irritated by her lack of initiative in finding Esther. Why doesn't she call Esther's cell phone immediately? Or look at the whiteboard the roommates share that details their comings and goings? Combined with some of that, her jump to conclusions about Esther's personality seem a bit implausible.

However, the second half really does make up for a lot. Alex and Pearl's story is pretty mesmerizing, as it weaves in a ghost story from his small town, passed on through the townsfolk. By alternating between Alex and Quinn's point of view, Kubica does an excellent job of constructing her story, while still drawing out the twists and turns. I kept thinking I'd figured out parts of the plot, only to be surprised or proved wrong. The last half of the book will keep you up reading, desperately wanting to find out what happened to Esther. Overall, 3.5 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 5/17.
  
GS
Grave Secret (Harper Connelly, #4)
6
5.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'd say that wraps it up for this series. No, I won't tell you why I'm saying that, or it'll ruin the book for you.

The Harper Connelly series hasn't ever been as strong as the Southern Vampire series, in my opinion, but it wasn't too bad in comparison to some of her earlier work, like the Aurora Teagarden and Shakespeare mysteries. She seemed to be experimenting with something darker this time around. I haven't looked at the Amazon rank or any other figures for the series, but it's my gut feeling that they never took off in comparison to the Sookie Stackhouse series, especially since True Blood has gotten so much attention with the television series. I have to wonder what that feels like for Ms. Harris, as this really was a decent concept with some promise, and it doesn't seem to have been given that much of a chance to blossom.

In any case, Harper and her brother are prickly characters and not very easy to relate to, and they don't get any easier in this book. They are back in their home town, and we get to now a lot more about their origins this time around. We finally get the whole story about their missing sister, and we meet the two little sisters who live with an aunt and uncle.

The portrayal of the devout blue-collar people with their working-man's faith is absolutely smack on. I came from those people, and I could taste the sweet tea and see the linoleum and the absolutely clean Formica dinette, feel the cracked chairs the characters sat on and look around at the carefully kept house. Harris did a great job with that town and those people, so much so that I'm sure she either came from a similar place or has spent plenty of time in one.

There isn't as much new magic/plot stuff as there are answers this time. The sexy gypsy boy-almost-man is back, to my delight. Harper's love interest is still a bit of a squick, but I suppose it makes sense for the characters. I have to wonder how many authors would stick with that kind of decision, knowing the backlash they'd get from their readers?

If you've read the other Harper Connelly books, read this one for closure. If you haven't, this isn't the place to start!
  
The Rules of Magic
The Rules of Magic
Alice Hoffman | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.6 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
So I actually didn't know that Practical Magic the movie was based on a book. But when I saw The Rules of Magic billed as the prequel to a movie I had loved, I knew I had to read it. And I'm so glad I did. The Rules of Magic is, well, magical. Magical and nostalgic and spell-binding. Most book worlds feel different than their respective movie-worlds, but this felt like a logical prequel. (It may be because I haven't seen the movie in some time - I intend to remedy that soon, and I might just have to read the book as well.)

Practical Magic, the well known movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, centers around the two girls and their elderly aunts. The Rules of Magic is the aunts' story. And what a story. It begins in New York, as the older of the two aunts is turning 17. On an Owens' girl's seventeenth birthday, they receive an invitation to spend the summer at the Owens home in Massachusetts. Frances, the older of the two girls, receives the invitation, and her two siblings won't let her go alone, so all three of them (yes, three, the movie doesn't mention their brother that I recall, though I suppose Bullock and Kidman's characters had to come from somewhere!) pack up and head to Massachusetts, where they meet their Aunt Isabelle. Over the course of the summer, they learn their family history, and get verification that they are indeed witches. (They'd had certain powers throughout childhood, though their mother tried to deny it.)

It was Vincent's storyline that intrigued me, since I knew where Frances and Jet ended up. There was an unexpected curveball that I won't spoil here, but I enjoyed it. It was Jet and Frances' storylines that had me crying at the end of the book, though. Not the very last chapter - it ended on a hopeful note - but the few chapters preceding it had me in tears. (It was midnight, and everyone else was asleep, so I had myself a good cry over my book, and then had to try to sleep on a wet pillow.)

If you enjoyed Practical Magic the movie, you should read this book. It's a perfect prequel.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
Not If I See You First
Not If I See You First
Eric Lindstrom | 2015 | Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
3.5 Stars

<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

Eric Lindstrom’s ironically named <i>Not If I See You First</i> is a story narrated by a blind teenaged girl, Parker Grant. Parker has had to deal with a lot in her short life - the accident that killed her mother and left her blind; the recent death of her father; however she seems to be coping fine. But there is one incident she will never get over, one person she will never forgive.

Being blind, Parker has memorized voices, the number of steps to get from one place to another and the layout of the areas she frequents. So when her high school merges with another there is a lot of unfamiliarity to get used to. What she is not prepared for is the reappearance of Scott, a boy who broke her heart a couple of years ago.

Parker’s coping mechanisms, both with blindness and grief, result in a hardened personality, unfeeling and caring. She has become unintentionally selfish. Literally and figuratively blind to everyone else’s emotions. Realising this, Parker tries to turn things around, but can her friends forgive her? Can Scott?

It is interesting reading from the point of view of a blind person. For a start there is a lack of physical description. It is difficult to conjure up a complete image of the various settings, almost as if the reader is blind as well. It also challenges stereotypical ideals. Just because someone is blind does not mean they cannot look after themselves.

Despite her hostile demeanor, Parker is an admirable character. She does not let her disability hold her back and sticks with the things she is passionate about, for instance running.

The problem I had with this novel is that Parker seemed to care more about her history with Scott than she did with her father’s death a couple of months previously. I am aware there was a point to this, but even after Parker’s emotions begin to flow she is still more focused on romantic relationships than anything else.

Targeted at young adults, <i>Not If I See You First</i> will appeal to those that enjoy contemporary romance. Nevertheless, be aware that it has an ambivalent ending, rather than the happily-ever-after that you may be yearning for.
  
The Outsider (A Broken World #5)
The Outsider (A Broken World #5)
Dean Murray | 2019 | Dystopia, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Outsider (A Broken World #5) by Dean Murray
The Outsider sees Skye reunite with Brennan, Jax, and the rest. However, things have changed - not just between Skye and Brennan, but the whole situation. There is a lot that needs to be said before the air can be cleared between them all. Skye still has her own secrets, and now it looks like she is carrying one inside her that no one knew about! Brennan has changed in the time that Skye hasn't been there, he's made decisions that are not easy, and has had to live with the consequences that he has hidden from others, so they don't have to have it on their conscience. Jax has been carrying a lot of the weight and it is starting to wear him down. Add in the fact that Skye is his daughter, and there is a whole minefield between them.

I have to say that the flow of this story was better for me. Although I thoroughly enjoyed The Founder, this one I could disappear in. Whether or not it's the relationship that Skye and Brennan have, or that Jax and Brennan have, or Jax and the soldiers, or what, I honestly couldn't say. All I can say is that once I started this book, I was hard-pressed to put it down. The time flew and I was lost once again in this dystopian world, wanting and hoping for Skye to get her HEA.

This is a long book that will draw you in, although I would recommend that you read this as a series, otherwise you just won't understand all the nuances that have occurred up to this point. That being said, it doesn't read like a long book. I did not realise how long I'd been reading until I had to put it down! There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and the characters continue to grow. With their own problems and circumstances, this is an intricate story full of characters to enjoy or despise. Either way, you'll never be bored. Highly recommended by me.

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Chloe (514 KP) Jan 26, 2019

Hey this looks good I'm guessing its part of a series what's the name of the first book i would really like to read it ?

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Merissa (12894 KP) Jan 29, 2019 (Updated Jan 29, 2019)

Hey @Chloe

The other books are listed below, and I rated them all as 5-stars, apart from one which was 4-stars.

A Broken World Series
The Society (A Broken World Volume 1)
The Destroyer (A Broken World Book 2)
The Warlord (Broken World, #3)
The Founder (A Broken World Book 4)
The Outsider

WF
Wilde's Fire (Darkness Falls, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
WOW! My reading list recently has comprised of paranormal (romance or otherwise) and contemporary romance, so I decided to go back to my first love and read a fantasy book that had been on my t-b-r list for nearly a year. WHY did I wait so long to read this? This is fantasy as it's best. I was hooked in from the start and am now desperate to read the next two in this trilogy. How would you react if you meet the man you've been dreaming of for the past 6 years? Throw on top of that that you're in a whole new world with new rules and new... erm... demons!

Kate is a good main female. She is strong and independent but also has her close circle of her sister and her BFF, Brad. She accepts the new world quite well but does have a minor breakdown when things start becoming clear. To be honest, I don't blame her at all. Even with Arland to soften the blow, she's dealing with a lot and she doesn't even know how Arland feels for her. Flanna joins Kate's close circle as her friend and confidante and helps ease some of the transfer over. Kate is very impressive with a sword even though she has no training but she can't shoot an arrow to save her life! It's nice to have a main female that isn't perfect at everything!

Arland is wonderful. He is doing everything he can to protect Kate from things that she is not even aware of yet. He is proud of her and is already having feelings for her. But there is a lot of pressure on him as the leader of the Watchers Hall and also with undercurrents of power.

The ending is so in tune with the rest of the book. This book does not follow the 'normal' set pattern and instead breaks a new trend within it's pages. I thought the ending finished this book and set up the next book brilliantly. It gives you an idea of what Kate is up against and why. Now I need to read the second book to see 'how'. I loved this book and will definitely be reading the next two. Highly recommended.
  
    Arkas

    Arkas

    Book and Entertainment

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Afterlove
Afterlove
Tanya Byrne | 2021 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
*thank you to NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review* You can also read my review at my blog - roamingthroughbooks@wordpress.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://roamingthroughbooks@wordpress.com

Afterlove is the story of Ash and Poppy and so powerful is their love for each other that it can transcend everything, even death!

I have mixed feelings about this book.

Ash and Poppy were likeable characters who Byrne depicts authentically with gorgeous, small details which helped to bring them to life. However, there were aspects of them that were opaque and I felt that some of the events they shared needed to be explored in more depth as sometimes I felt it made them seem a little shallow. For example, their family lives are explored in certain parts of the book but it felt to me like they were ignored when it was convenient for the author.

Their relationship was at times beautifully depicted, yet I also felt it had a tinge of Romeo and Juliet to it where it felt a little bit too all-consuming, too tragic and didn't reflect the other parts of who Ash and Poppy really were. I think love stories that constrict the meaning of a person's life to this one relationship can feel a little unrealistic and over-simplistic. I would have preferred to have the complexity of the grief the characters must have felt for the the loss of life explored more broadly than just how it related to the love of each other.

It was obvious that Byrne had a lot to say about grief and loss in this book and this was handled well, exploring their pain with tenderness and the emptiness loss leaves with hope. However, whilst the device of Ash becoming a grim reaper was novel I felt it left me a little dry and, along with the conclusion of the novel it did not adequately cover the depths of loss or what it can feel like to be left alone when someone dies.

I'm sure that there are many readers who will enjoy this YA book both for its exploration of teenage lesbian romance and for the way it grapples with grief and loss. Overall, I found the book enjoyable and engaging, but with a few flaws which led to the plot not quite melding with the themes it was trying to explore.

You can also read my review and others at https://roamingthroughbooks.wordpress.com/
  
Ballad Of The Insolent Pup by Thee Headcoatees
Ballad Of The Insolent Pup by Thee Headcoatees
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Bikini Kill was on tour and we went to this club in Brighton under the pier and the fucking coolest looking girls in the whole universe walked in. They were the band, and they just started singing and they were the Headcoatees. They were just the coolest thing and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Then I got the record and really liked their version of the song 'When You Stop Loving Me' that's on that album. I always liked garage rock and I felt like they did it so well – it was the kind of music I could listen to all day and be happy. That record is more about personal stuff and I was getting really burnt out. I don't want to just listen to stuff that's about politics all the time. I want to have my guilty pleasures and I'm not feeling guilty about finding them pleasurable. They made me think I want my music to be enjoyable, not just hard all the time. I want there to be moments where it's like: "This is really fun." I always say Bratmobile was a better band than Bikini Kill, partially because I had that anger to propel me forward and also protect me, whereas they have this sort of, "Hey we're at this summer party and we don't care that you don't even know what a summer party is, fuck you." It was like they were having a summer party on stage and I'm invited. They would literally get up, just Molly [Neuman] and Allison [Wolfe] before Erin [Smith] joined the band, and just sing stuff like, "Girl germs, no return", like childhood rhymes. They're doing it in a room full of predominantly men who are, like, Melvins fans and I was just like, "Man, that takes fucking guts." I heard people in the audience say, "I want to do this and this to the singer, we should fucking murder them" and meanwhile I was having my life changed: "This is the most incredible thing I've ever seen." I use that in my performance partially based on them and I definitely saw their vulnerability as a strength instead of a weakness. I wanted to be able to flash between characters that were very traditionally female and have a macho persona as well, so I try to have both and not just be like the Henry Rollins of riot grrrl."

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