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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Playing Nice in Books

Sep 17, 2020

Playing Nice

J.P. Delaney | 2020 | Crime, Thriller

8.0

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

Fast-paced thriller that plays on your emotions

Pete Riley, his wife Maddie, and young son Theo have their lives upended one day when two strangers show up on their doorstep. One claims to be Theo's biological father, Miles Lambert. He tells Pete that Theo and another baby, David--whom the Lamberts have been raising--were switched at the hospital and sent home with the unsuspecting families. Suddenly Pete and Maddie have been raising "the wrong" child for the past two years. The families form a friendship based on their shock, agreeing not to upend the children's lives. But as the Lamberts prepare to the sue hospital, questions are raised, and soon Pete and Maddie start to wonder how much they can trust Miles and his wife, Lucy. What are they hiding--and how far will they go to get Theo back?

"'I'm sorry to have to tell you that Theo isn't your son. He's mine.'"

Delaney's latest is a fast and compulsive read. Told in alternating perspectives from Maddie and Pete, with some flashes to the past, the book is stressful and makes you think. What would I do in this situation? And what a terrible situation to be in. With both boys being two-years-old, they are already comfortable in their family lives. At first, each family is determined not to switch the children back. But it soon becomes clear that Theo is progressing better than David, who requires more specialized care. Is that what's affecting Miles out-sized affection for his newfound son? His constant, unannounced appearances on Pete and Maddie's doorstep? Meanwhile, Maddie feels wracked with guilt at leaving David behind. The emotions and decisions are clearly complicated.

I myself was fascinated that Delaney brought up a "baby switch" case in Charlottesville, VA at the hospital where I was born, though far earlier. If I had known about this case, I must have forgotten; I would have been in my mid-teens and probably not caring about such things at the time. Anyway, it was intriguing to hear a local reference, and it totally pushed me down the rabbit hole of researching that case (which is completely tragic).

It's hard to truly like any of these characters, even Maddie and Pete, who are initially sympathetic. Let's not even get started on Miles, who truly plays the villain well. But I appreciated that the characters and their feelings are complicated and well-portrayed here. While much of the story is character-driven, it's also a mystery, unraveling what happened when the boys were switched, and it's quite interesting.

The plot in this one moves quickly, escalating fast. I predicted the ending, but it didn't do much to diminish my enjoyment of the book. If you're looking for a different and fast-paced thriller, which also gets you thinking about emotional family dilemmas, definitely recommend. 3.5 stars.

Kudos

Merissa (12934 KP) rated Memories of the Heart (Memories, #1) in Books

Dec 17, 2018

I received this book from Enticing Journey Book Promotions in return for a fair and honest review.

This book doesn't pull any punches as it takes you along for the ride. Both Josh and Micah have things to learn to make their own lives better. Along the way, their grandmothers are there to help, just as they always have been. But what happens when life gets in the way and rushes by. Before you realise it, a year has gone past. Is it too late to reconnect? This is what Micah has to learn and decide as the book starts. He is a tool at the beginning and his attitude sucks. However, as the story progresses, you understand more and more about the whys and wherefores and it actually helps make him a more rounded character.

Felice Stevens has once again brought to life some amazing characters and circumstances - enough angst to make it seem real and yet not over the top. Her writing style is excellent and well paced to keep you turning the pages and wanting the next part RIGHT NOW!

Definitely recommended for all fans of the M/M genre.

Kudos

Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated You Were Never Really Here (2018) in Movies

Nov 7, 2019

You Were Never Really Here (2018)

2018 | Drama, Mystery, Thriller

7.4

(16 Ratings)

Movie Rating

286. You Were Never Really Here. One intense movie! Intense soundtrack, intense action, intense subject matter. We meet a guy named Joe, sure he looks homeless, but in reality he's a war veteran that lives with his aging mother. The audience gets just a few glimpses of Joe's background and they aren't pretty. Now he's dedicated his life to rescuing missing and exploited children, and more importantly for those that hire him, he punishes those responsible, very brutally, weapon of choice: ball-peen hammer. And the one case the film focuses on, turns out to be very sinister indeed. Joaquin Phoenix is intense as Joe, a man unafraid of violence, but extremely tormented by his past. Definitely worth a watch. (Side note: If you watch it, towards the beginning of the movie Joe exits his house, you can hear in the background a small dog barking like crazy. Joe pauses for a moment, twitches just a bit, camera cuts to his mom watching him out the front window, you hear the dog bark one final time, yelps as in pain and goes silent... Do you think Joe killed the doggy???) Filmbufftim on FB