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The Drowning Sea
5.0
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For the first time in her adult life, former Long Island homicide detective Maggie D’arcy is...
Small Mercies
10.0
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'Mrs. Fennessy, please go home.' 'And do what?' 'Whatever you do when you're home.' 'And then...
Historical fiction Literary Fiction
ClareR (6062 KP) rated The Silence In Between in Books
Dec 2, 2024
The Silence In Between is a dual timeline story. In 1961, Lisette takes her sick baby to a West Berlin hospital for treatment. She returns to her home in the East of the city to wash, change clothes and have some sleep, and the next morning she wakes to find the Wall has been erected overnight. She can’t go back for her baby. This traumatic event causes her to lose her voice - which takes her back to the war and the last time she lost her voice.
Lisette lived in Berlin with her mother, and during the last days of WW2, she experienced what many women did at the hands of the Russians. This is brutal, and explains a lot about why Lisette is the mother she is to her daughter Elly.
Elly knows that the only way to make her mother happy is to get the baby back - no matter the cost. She’s a brave, resourceful young woman, who takes death defying risks for her mother.
There’s a lot of hope in this book of survival and loss. Elly is a symbol of determination - she never gives up, and her family is at the heart of all her actions.
The two female characters, mother and daughter, are exceptional women. The history behind their lives has been well researched and is believable, and their story has stayed with me well after finishing this book.
Highly recommended.
Lisette lived in Berlin with her mother, and during the last days of WW2, she experienced what many women did at the hands of the Russians. This is brutal, and explains a lot about why Lisette is the mother she is to her daughter Elly.
Elly knows that the only way to make her mother happy is to get the baby back - no matter the cost. She’s a brave, resourceful young woman, who takes death defying risks for her mother.
There’s a lot of hope in this book of survival and loss. Elly is a symbol of determination - she never gives up, and her family is at the heart of all her actions.
The two female characters, mother and daughter, are exceptional women. The history behind their lives has been well researched and is believable, and their story has stayed with me well after finishing this book.
Highly recommended.
Merissa (13765 KP) rated Frozen (Dark Faeverse #2) in Books
Dec 8, 2025
FROZEN is the second book in the Dark Faeverse series, although you don't need to have read book one first. The previous characters are mentioned, but not in a way that you need to know more about them.
Elise is the spoiled daughter of a merchant who is up to his neck in debt. So of course he sells his daughter. That's how the Frost Court planned it. Once Elise is there, her latent omega qualities come out, along with some brainwashing. Atarus gets what he wants, but isn't satisfied.
I am giving the three stars for the premise of this story. I liked the idea, even though I didn't find Atarus or Elise particularly likeable. What this book needed, though, was a massive edit! Even being read through by a beta reader should have picked up the plot holes, repeated (again and again!) questions and events, and the constantly changing personalities. And I'm not disrespecting beta readers at all! I won't list all the occasions, but they had me frequently scratching my head.
I have read quite a few by this author, and while I generally like them, I was disappointed in this book. However, after reading the last chapter, which introduces the next couple, I would still like to continue with the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dec 8, 2025
Elise is the spoiled daughter of a merchant who is up to his neck in debt. So of course he sells his daughter. That's how the Frost Court planned it. Once Elise is there, her latent omega qualities come out, along with some brainwashing. Atarus gets what he wants, but isn't satisfied.
I am giving the three stars for the premise of this story. I liked the idea, even though I didn't find Atarus or Elise particularly likeable. What this book needed, though, was a massive edit! Even being read through by a beta reader should have picked up the plot holes, repeated (again and again!) questions and events, and the constantly changing personalities. And I'm not disrespecting beta readers at all! I won't list all the occasions, but they had me frequently scratching my head.
I have read quite a few by this author, and while I generally like them, I was disappointed in this book. However, after reading the last chapter, which introduces the next couple, I would still like to continue with the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dec 8, 2025
The Tudor Queens’ Midwife (The Tudor Queens’ Midwife #1)
Book
In the glamorous, glittering and dangerous court of king Henry VIII and his queen Katherine of...
Historical Fiction The Tudors English Kings and Queens
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Therapy: A Novel in Books
Sep 24, 2017
Twist after twist in this gripping thriller
There have been a few spoilers out there comparing this book to a certain film which unfortunately ruins the ending for some who make the connection. As a result I was aware of the major plot twist from the beginning. That being said, Sebastian Fitzek's thriller is gripping, as we're unable to separate psychosis from reality. A well known psychiatrist has taken some time off to grieve his missing daughter. Out of no where a mysterious woman named Anna Glass turns up on this remote island getaway. But is she trustworthy?
The ending has a twist on top of the climax which leaves you spiralling. An eerie but good mystery.
The ending has a twist on top of the climax which leaves you spiralling. An eerie but good mystery.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Swimming Lessons in Books
Jul 24, 2017
Great series of letters let down by monotony
Claire Fuller's writing is poetic and haunting in this novel especially as we read a series of letters left by a wife who has been missing for 12 years.
The story surrounds Ingrid, and her horribly destructive relationship with her writer husband Gil. Her youngest daughter Flora has to come to terms with these revelations, after idolising her father for so long.
My only concern is while the back and forth narrative between Ingrid's letter and the present day is well laid out, the story itself becomes lacklustre and the epilogue is a little misleading leaving a question mark over her death. Good writing but plot could be more rich.
The story surrounds Ingrid, and her horribly destructive relationship with her writer husband Gil. Her youngest daughter Flora has to come to terms with these revelations, after idolising her father for so long.
My only concern is while the back and forth narrative between Ingrid's letter and the present day is well laid out, the story itself becomes lacklustre and the epilogue is a little misleading leaving a question mark over her death. Good writing but plot could be more rich.
Wittsend (43 KP) rated The Girl in the Red Coat in Books
Aug 2, 2017
This was such a richly crafted novel! I'm still taking everything in. When Beth's eight-year-old daughter vanishes without a trace right before her eyes, it feels as though her world has surreptitiously turned on its axis. How does a parent recover from something so tragic? When the leads fizzle out and time goes on, The author paints a loving and endearing portrait of a mother struggling to stay alive, and to put one foot in front of the other day after day. She refuses to give up hope or to ever stop looking for her little girl.
The author's skillful use of alternating perspectives between chapters, and a totally unexpected plot twist, made this thrilling to read.
The author's skillful use of alternating perspectives between chapters, and a totally unexpected plot twist, made this thrilling to read.
Micah Ulibarri (79 KP) rated The Week Of (2018) in Movies
May 6, 2018
Adam Sandler has been pretty prolific recently thanks to a contract with Netflix. This most recent film involves a team up with long time collaborator Chris Rock as fathers of the bride and groom, respectively.
Obviously, based on the actor choice, this is a comedy. So the question is: Is it funny? Answer: YES! It actually is. Frankly, I've been pretty down on Sandler recently, but he still has some decent jokes to pull out. I laughed out loud hard about 5 times and chuckled or smiled quite a bit throughout.
The film was very well acted and the big scene between Sandler and his daughter is particularly touching.
It's not a masterpiece, but a decent Netflix only film.
Obviously, based on the actor choice, this is a comedy. So the question is: Is it funny? Answer: YES! It actually is. Frankly, I've been pretty down on Sandler recently, but he still has some decent jokes to pull out. I laughed out loud hard about 5 times and chuckled or smiled quite a bit throughout.
The film was very well acted and the big scene between Sandler and his daughter is particularly touching.
It's not a masterpiece, but a decent Netflix only film.
Ruth Frampton (577 KP) rated Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare Children's Stories) in Books
Apr 10, 2018
Shakespeare can be a challenge for anyone to read and understand and this book fits in with most readers in enabling us all to get an understanding of the basic story before attempting the more challenging 16th Century English. In this version of Macbeth, the author has retold the story in an easily accessible way that will allow all ages to follow along. Illustrated throughout, the plot is covered with parts of the dialogue showing the original language, introducing that element of Shakespeare to the reader. For me, this book will be perfect for introducing my daughter to the themes in Shakespeare before she is ready to challenge the language, I great idea well presented.