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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Therapist in Books
Jul 29, 2021
An average locked neighborhood thriller
Alice and Leo have been in a long distance relationship for eighteen months when they finally move in together and buy a house in the The Circle, a development in the middle of London. It's a gated estate made up of twelves house designed to be especially safe and secure. But Alice soon discovers a horrible secret about her new home and becomes obsessed with Nina, the therapist who lived there before her. She starts trying to figure out what happened to Nina--at the expense of her relationship with Leo and her neighbors.
"It's only as I stand there, shrouded in perfect stillness that a thought slams into my head. I don't like this house."
This thriller was slow to start and was one of several locked neighborhood books I've read lately. I'm sort of over the trend of average folks up in everyone's business thinking they can solve murders. I didn't quite buy why Alice cared so much, even though there's supposed to be a "reason" for her attachment to Nina (she shares a name with Alice's late sister).
As with many of these types of thrillers, there's a cast full of mostly unlikable characters and a bunch of somewhat interchangeable neighbors. Alice forms an odd bond with a Private Investigator, Thomas, who is quickly added to the mix. She seems fast to accuse basically everyone she meets of nearly anything, so I suppose that added to the suspense/red herrings. The book does have a slightly ominous feel, though I think many of her problems would have been solved by simply changing the darn locks!
There are some good twists and the story held my interest once it picked up the pace. However, I'm afraid it will get lost in the swirl of recent locked neighborhood books and not stand out in a few months. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
"It's only as I stand there, shrouded in perfect stillness that a thought slams into my head. I don't like this house."
This thriller was slow to start and was one of several locked neighborhood books I've read lately. I'm sort of over the trend of average folks up in everyone's business thinking they can solve murders. I didn't quite buy why Alice cared so much, even though there's supposed to be a "reason" for her attachment to Nina (she shares a name with Alice's late sister).
As with many of these types of thrillers, there's a cast full of mostly unlikable characters and a bunch of somewhat interchangeable neighbors. Alice forms an odd bond with a Private Investigator, Thomas, who is quickly added to the mix. She seems fast to accuse basically everyone she meets of nearly anything, so I suppose that added to the suspense/red herrings. The book does have a slightly ominous feel, though I think many of her problems would have been solved by simply changing the darn locks!
There are some good twists and the story held my interest once it picked up the pace. However, I'm afraid it will get lost in the swirl of recent locked neighborhood books and not stand out in a few months. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated On the Come Up in Books
Apr 4, 2019
This was an excellent follow-up to THE HATE YOU GIVE. Man, Angie Thomas can just flat out write, and the characters and worlds she creates are second to none. This book occurs in the same neighborhood as THUG, picking up a year after the riots. The neighborhood is still reeling, and nothing is quite the same.
"I'm a hoodlum from a bunch of nothing."
Bri is a wonderful character--a realistic teenager struggling with her love life and school, as well as the systematic issues of poverty, racism, drug dealing, and more facing her neighborhood, peers, and family. She's severely affected by what happened to her parents: the death of her father, who is famous in the Garden, and her mom's past drug use. The book does a great job of showing the pressures on everyone in Bri's family--her older brother went to college, but is back, living at home and working in a pizza shop, trying to help his mom out. Her mom is still paying for her past sins: trying to get a job isn't easy, nor is it easy to keep the faith of your teenage daughter, who calls her mom by her first name. And Bri--well she wants to become a rapper and earn money to get her family out of poverty. As such, she doesn't always make the best choices. And, to her, it almost seems like rapper is the only choice for freedom.
"That's how it goes though. The drug dealers in my neighborhood aren't struggling. Everybody else is."
Don't get me wrong, though. While this book is beautiful and does such a great job at showing so many of the challenges facing Bri and the Garden's community, it's also an engaging and funny read. As I said, Thomas is such an amazing writer. The church scenes in this novel are priceless: I was laughing at loud at some points. And Bri is just so vivid in her characteristics. She's a self-proclaimed "nerd" who loves things like Star Wars and some of her references and jokes in the books are just hilarious.
The supporting cast in this one is great--Bri's brother, her friends (including a gay BFF!), Aunt Pooh, the church biddies, and more. They all jump off the pages just like Bri. Much like THUG, this is a story of family at its core and even if you'll want to shake Bri for some of her bad decisions, it's pretty much impossible not to love her, her family, and her friends.
Overall, I really liked this book. It's well-written, tackles some serious topics in a great way, and yet is funny and poignant as well. I highly recommend it. 4+ stars.
"I'm a hoodlum from a bunch of nothing."
Bri is a wonderful character--a realistic teenager struggling with her love life and school, as well as the systematic issues of poverty, racism, drug dealing, and more facing her neighborhood, peers, and family. She's severely affected by what happened to her parents: the death of her father, who is famous in the Garden, and her mom's past drug use. The book does a great job of showing the pressures on everyone in Bri's family--her older brother went to college, but is back, living at home and working in a pizza shop, trying to help his mom out. Her mom is still paying for her past sins: trying to get a job isn't easy, nor is it easy to keep the faith of your teenage daughter, who calls her mom by her first name. And Bri--well she wants to become a rapper and earn money to get her family out of poverty. As such, she doesn't always make the best choices. And, to her, it almost seems like rapper is the only choice for freedom.
"That's how it goes though. The drug dealers in my neighborhood aren't struggling. Everybody else is."
Don't get me wrong, though. While this book is beautiful and does such a great job at showing so many of the challenges facing Bri and the Garden's community, it's also an engaging and funny read. As I said, Thomas is such an amazing writer. The church scenes in this novel are priceless: I was laughing at loud at some points. And Bri is just so vivid in her characteristics. She's a self-proclaimed "nerd" who loves things like Star Wars and some of her references and jokes in the books are just hilarious.
The supporting cast in this one is great--Bri's brother, her friends (including a gay BFF!), Aunt Pooh, the church biddies, and more. They all jump off the pages just like Bri. Much like THUG, this is a story of family at its core and even if you'll want to shake Bri for some of her bad decisions, it's pretty much impossible not to love her, her family, and her friends.
Overall, I really liked this book. It's well-written, tackles some serious topics in a great way, and yet is funny and poignant as well. I highly recommend it. 4+ stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated My Sunshine Away in Books
Feb 13, 2018
One evening, on a quiet suburban street in Baton Rouge, fifteen-year-old Lindy Simpson is raped. Her rape changes the fabric of her neighborhood, as narrated by her fourteen-year-old male neighbor, who had a huge crush on the lovely Lindy, a popular track star. He takes the readers through the various suspects--all members of the neighborhood--and one of whom is himself. We meet the many members of this quiet block, where not everything is as perfect as it seems. What really happened to Lindy that night? And is our narrator truly to blame?
I really wanted to like this book, as I'd heard such good things, and was really excited to finally to read it. But honestly, I found it disappointing, tedious, and slow. It was a real let down after all the rave reviews. Our narrator does a good job, I suppose, of highlighting the self-centeredness of teenage boys, but oh my goodness. He talks and talks and talks - endless diatribes about this and that. Pontificates about everything while trying to tell us the meaning of life. I found my eyes glazing over as I skimmed paragraphs, just wanting to find out what happened to poor Lindy, who is basically forgotten in his story -- she's just an object of lust -- not a real person.
This book had the potential of being a love story in many ways -- that of the love between a son and his mother, between teenagers, etc., but it just seemed to flounder. Moments of brilliance poked through, but most of the time, I found myself frustrated and wondering what the point was. Instead, it seemed to be a treatise on how boys and men should *not* treat girls and women. It is at it's best when looked at as a story of neighborhood - the sad side story of a neighborhood family will hurt your heart in many ways - but it gets lost in the narrator's endless rants and discussions. At one point, we get a whole chapter on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Baton Rouge. All well and good, I suppose, except the majority of this book takes place in the late 80s/early 90s. Why are we hearing about something take place decades later?
Overall, I wanted to like this one, and I spotted moments of good peeking out, but I was mostly just frustrated and waiting for it to end. Definitely a disappointment.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for purchase everywhere. You can read this review and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
I really wanted to like this book, as I'd heard such good things, and was really excited to finally to read it. But honestly, I found it disappointing, tedious, and slow. It was a real let down after all the rave reviews. Our narrator does a good job, I suppose, of highlighting the self-centeredness of teenage boys, but oh my goodness. He talks and talks and talks - endless diatribes about this and that. Pontificates about everything while trying to tell us the meaning of life. I found my eyes glazing over as I skimmed paragraphs, just wanting to find out what happened to poor Lindy, who is basically forgotten in his story -- she's just an object of lust -- not a real person.
This book had the potential of being a love story in many ways -- that of the love between a son and his mother, between teenagers, etc., but it just seemed to flounder. Moments of brilliance poked through, but most of the time, I found myself frustrated and wondering what the point was. Instead, it seemed to be a treatise on how boys and men should *not* treat girls and women. It is at it's best when looked at as a story of neighborhood - the sad side story of a neighborhood family will hurt your heart in many ways - but it gets lost in the narrator's endless rants and discussions. At one point, we get a whole chapter on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Baton Rouge. All well and good, I suppose, except the majority of this book takes place in the late 80s/early 90s. Why are we hearing about something take place decades later?
Overall, I wanted to like this one, and I spotted moments of good peeking out, but I was mostly just frustrated and waiting for it to end. Definitely a disappointment.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for purchase everywhere. You can read this review and many more at my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Bailey's Day in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Bailey's Day by Robert Haggerty, illustrated by Bobbi Switzer
Genre: Kids
Rating: 1
I loved reading Bailey's Day, it was really cute and funny, had fun illustrations, and fun animals. I loved Bailey's character. She was a perky little dog who spent all day running around the neighborhood with her friends and having a good ol' time… until the end.
At the end of the story… Bailey get's scolded for going out and running around the neighborhood all day. I expected her to be sad and say "yes master" to her owner, and then realize that having fun wasn't worth it if she disobeyed her "daddy," or maybe that obedience was more important… or something... she didn't. She laid down on her bed, perfectly at ease, and knew her "daddy" (owner) was a "softie" and that he'd get over it, and that she'd have fun tomorrow too. My jaw dropped as I read that last page.
This totally ruined an adorable story. Kids fiction should have good examples to follow, and bad examples to learn from with the lesson clearly stated, but this one makes it look like disobedience and disregard and disrespect are perfectly ok if you can get away with it. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend it to anyone for this reason.
Genre: Kids
Rating: 1
I loved reading Bailey's Day, it was really cute and funny, had fun illustrations, and fun animals. I loved Bailey's character. She was a perky little dog who spent all day running around the neighborhood with her friends and having a good ol' time… until the end.
At the end of the story… Bailey get's scolded for going out and running around the neighborhood all day. I expected her to be sad and say "yes master" to her owner, and then realize that having fun wasn't worth it if she disobeyed her "daddy," or maybe that obedience was more important… or something... she didn't. She laid down on her bed, perfectly at ease, and knew her "daddy" (owner) was a "softie" and that he'd get over it, and that she'd have fun tomorrow too. My jaw dropped as I read that last page.
This totally ruined an adorable story. Kids fiction should have good examples to follow, and bad examples to learn from with the lesson clearly stated, but this one makes it look like disobedience and disregard and disrespect are perfectly ok if you can get away with it. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend it to anyone for this reason.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2103 KP) rated A Stolen Child in Books
Jun 21, 2023
Murder and Kidnapping
Maggie D’arcy has completed her training and has officially joined the Garda in Ireland. While she waits for an opportunity to be promoted to detective, she is on patrol and is called to the scene of a murder. Not only does Maggie recognize it as an address she had been to a few days before after a domestic disturbance call, she also realizes that the victim had a toddler who is now missing. On loan to the detectives for this case, can Maggie find the child in time? Will her knowledge of the neighborhood help?
Maggie has been on quite a journey in this series, and it’s nice to see this natural step in her career. The plot starts strongly. While it does get a little uneven in the middle, things pick up when we get to several logical twists at the climax. I liked how Maggie’s knowledge of the neighborhood where the crime took place played an important part of the plot. The suspects come to life, and it is nice to see Maggie’s relationships grown, both personally and professionally. As a police procedural, this is a bit darker than the cozies I typically read, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a solid police procedural set in Ireland, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
Maggie has been on quite a journey in this series, and it’s nice to see this natural step in her career. The plot starts strongly. While it does get a little uneven in the middle, things pick up when we get to several logical twists at the climax. I liked how Maggie’s knowledge of the neighborhood where the crime took place played an important part of the plot. The suspects come to life, and it is nice to see Maggie’s relationships grown, both personally and professionally. As a police procedural, this is a bit darker than the cozies I typically read, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a solid police procedural set in Ireland, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Four Brothers (2005) in Movies
Jan 13, 2021
Revenge and Vengeance
Four Brothers- is a good movie. It has action, suspense, thrills and chills.
The plot: When an inner-city Detroit foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is murdered in a botched holdup, four of her now-grown adopted children suspect it was no random killing. Rising musician Jack (Garrett Hedlund), former-Marine Angel (Tyrese Gibson), hotheaded hockey player Bobby (Mark Wahlberg) and settled-down husband and father Jeremiah (André Benjamin) go on the hunt for neighborhood criminal kingpin Victor Sweet (Chiwetel Ejiofor) while being trailed themselves by the local beat cops.
The cast is good, the action is good, the suspense is good and its a good thriller.
The plot: When an inner-city Detroit foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is murdered in a botched holdup, four of her now-grown adopted children suspect it was no random killing. Rising musician Jack (Garrett Hedlund), former-Marine Angel (Tyrese Gibson), hotheaded hockey player Bobby (Mark Wahlberg) and settled-down husband and father Jeremiah (André Benjamin) go on the hunt for neighborhood criminal kingpin Victor Sweet (Chiwetel Ejiofor) while being trailed themselves by the local beat cops.
The cast is good, the action is good, the suspense is good and its a good thriller.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Things We Wish Were True in Books
Apr 9, 2019
The Things We Wish Were True takes place in a small town in North Carolina during the summer of 2014. It's a very close knit community and most residents have lived there most of their lives. From Zell, the neighborhood matriarch to Jancey the "prodigal" daughter returning after making a quick escape after high school. Each character has their own story and each story intertwines with each character. It includes twists and turns that will make you need to find out what is going to happen next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I will admit that at the beginning of the book, there was a little confusion with all the different characters, but after getting into the story, everything soon became clear. Each character carries a secret. Some secrets are small and others could be catastrophic.
Zell - has been limping around all summer and has stopped running, why/
Cailey - is growing up faster than she wants to or should, but with a single working mother is there anything that can stop that.
Bryte - doesn't want to have a second child, the first time was so difficult, she doesn't want to go through that again.
Jencey - Returns home after being away for so long. Will she stay for good this time, or will she run again like she did in the past.
Lance - has recently become a single father, but how long will that be the case?
Everett - Married to Bryte and ex of Jencey has a few of his own secrets that could tarnish his relationships.
There is one story about a summer in North Carolina, told from each persons point of view. Each character has their own side to the story centered around the neighborhood pool. It dives into the past which helps to progress the present. At the end of this summer the whole neighborhood will be changed from the secrets that are revealed.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I will admit that at the beginning of the book, there was a little confusion with all the different characters, but after getting into the story, everything soon became clear. Each character carries a secret. Some secrets are small and others could be catastrophic.
Zell - has been limping around all summer and has stopped running, why/
Cailey - is growing up faster than she wants to or should, but with a single working mother is there anything that can stop that.
Bryte - doesn't want to have a second child, the first time was so difficult, she doesn't want to go through that again.
Jencey - Returns home after being away for so long. Will she stay for good this time, or will she run again like she did in the past.
Lance - has recently become a single father, but how long will that be the case?
Everett - Married to Bryte and ex of Jencey has a few of his own secrets that could tarnish his relationships.
There is one story about a summer in North Carolina, told from each persons point of view. Each character has their own side to the story centered around the neighborhood pool. It dives into the past which helps to progress the present. At the end of this summer the whole neighborhood will be changed from the secrets that are revealed.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her books.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Apr 3, 2019
Starr Carter lives in Garden Heights, which is the ghetto. She goes to the predominately white private school, Williamson, where she has to pretend to be someone she is not. When she witnesses the murder of one of her closest friends, Khalil, from the neighborhood, by the hand of a white police officer, she has to take a closer look at herself, her neighborhood, and the friends she chooses to hang with.
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. Now, that it's a movie, I had to get it in before I went to see it.
This book really resonates with the times we are now living in. For people of color in this country, every day is a reality that your life can be cut short, by one wrong move. Even if that move is not going to harm another person.
For Starr Carter, being the only witness comes with a lot of pressure to speak about what happened or to keep it inside. Speaking out can mean trouble for her family and herself. Keeping it inside, means that Khalil will never get justice for his death. While Starr decides what to do, life must go on. She examines her relationship with her friends at Williamson, she reflects back on her life with Khalil, and she grows closer to her family.
This is a great book for everyone to read. Please read it and see the movie.
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. Now, that it's a movie, I had to get it in before I went to see it.
This book really resonates with the times we are now living in. For people of color in this country, every day is a reality that your life can be cut short, by one wrong move. Even if that move is not going to harm another person.
For Starr Carter, being the only witness comes with a lot of pressure to speak about what happened or to keep it inside. Speaking out can mean trouble for her family and herself. Keeping it inside, means that Khalil will never get justice for his death. While Starr decides what to do, life must go on. She examines her relationship with her friends at Williamson, she reflects back on her life with Khalil, and she grows closer to her family.
This is a great book for everyone to read. Please read it and see the movie.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Great Shelby Holmes (The Great Shelby Holmes, #1) in Books
Jun 18, 2018
The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg was a wonderful story that I enjoyed. At the beginning of the story the reader is introduced to John Watson who recently moved with his mother to 221 Baker Street in Harlem, New York. John's parents recently divorced. John's mom finished her tour of duty as a military doctor and is recovering from a wound she received in Afghanistan. Mrs. Hudson, new landlady, introduced John to the girl, Shelby, who lives in apartment 221B. John is use to moving around and making friends easily as a military brat but this is the first non-Army post. John's mom selected an apartment to move to in order to be near her new john and a great school for John.
School has not started yet and John does not know anyone or his way around the neighborhood. However, with Shelby as his guide, John learns his way around town soon. He discovered that Shelby knows everyone in their area. Shelby is a talented child who solves mysteries around the neighborhood, but this is an annoyance to Detective Lestrade for the NYPD. John and Shelby friendship causes the reader to be pulled into the story. I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out the answers to my questions and the mysteries.
I give this book a 4 out 5 stars.
I received this book from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
School has not started yet and John does not know anyone or his way around the neighborhood. However, with Shelby as his guide, John learns his way around town soon. He discovered that Shelby knows everyone in their area. Shelby is a talented child who solves mysteries around the neighborhood, but this is an annoyance to Detective Lestrade for the NYPD. John and Shelby friendship causes the reader to be pulled into the story. I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out the answers to my questions and the mysteries.
I give this book a 4 out 5 stars.
I received this book from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, #3) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Three to Get Deadly was my favorite book in the Stephanie Plum series so far. As usual it was unpredictable & didn't try too hard. I found myself laughing out loud at several points in the book. My favorite was when all her elderly neighbors came out carrying handguns, shotguns, & assalt rifles when they heard a gunshot come from Plum's apartment. That would be quite a sight!
This story line was the most interesting in the series to this point. There were lots of twists & turns. The secret life of the neighborhood ice cream & candy man being the most interesting. Just goes to show that you never truly know what someone does behind closed doors! UGH!
This story line was the most interesting in the series to this point. There were lots of twists & turns. The secret life of the neighborhood ice cream & candy man being the most interesting. Just goes to show that you never truly know what someone does behind closed doors! UGH!