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TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated The Kissing Tree: Four Novellas Rooted in Timeless Love in Books
Feb 24, 2021
<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/10/26/the-kissing-tree-lonestar-lit/">Travelers Wife 4 Life</a>
From 1880 to present day, Regina Jennings, Karen Witemeyer, Amanda Dykes, and Nicole Deese create a world so inviting and relatable you will wish you were right there with characters. This four-story anthology is weaved together seamlessly and has hints of the previous story in each successive one. It has definitely been one of my favorite 2020 reads.
<b>Broken Limbs, Mended Hearts </b> by Regina Jennings was a beautiful story of love, second chances, and the innocence of first your first kiss. I loved the way Bella Eden and Adam interacted with each other, it was a does he like me/does she like me type of feeling to their relationship that I found very realistic as I think everyone goes through those emotions when falling in love. They were a beautiful couple that just needed a nudge in the right direction. Regina Jennings ends the story with how the Kissing Tree came to be in 1871, in a cute way we see reflected in the stories to come
<b>Inn For A Surprise </b> by Karen Witemeyer is the second book and continues 20 years later in 1891. In this book we see Karen Witemeyer’s signature sense of humor interwoven beautifully with Phoebe and Barnabas’s story of opposites attract. Karen Witemeyer shows the beauty of working together for a common goal and the give and take needed to make any relationship work by using each other’s strengths and weaknesses to work together. I think I loved it more because of it. Beautifully written. I also enjoyed the cameo that tied in from the first book as well, plus Phoebe and Barnabas’s journey to finding the perfect romantic spots was rather cute too!
<b>From Roots to Sky </b>by Amanda Dykes sees the Kissing Tree again 54 years later (roughly) in 1945 right after WWII. Much has changed around the Kissing Tree Inn and the town of Oak Springs, TX. In this story, we learn about Hannah and Luke’s story and their story is probably the hardest to describe. It is thought provoking, deep, and full of a sense of wonder. I loved this sweet, sweet love story with real life conversations, emotions, and yearnings mixed in. I thought Hannah was a close reflection of who I am as a person, and I loved that Luke kept up and loved her even more for it.
<b>Heartwood</b> by Nicole Deese in the fourth and final book in the series, and while no date is given, I am given to believe that it is a present-day setting. Again, change has come to Oak Springs, TX, and threatened the Kissing Tree. Abby feels responsible while Griffin her ‘former’ love comes back into the picture to add to her confusion. I loved the second chance at love theme in this book and I thought Nicole Deese did a great job with the ebb and flow of the storyline building it up from the beginning. I loved how Nicole Deese wrapped up the story and really brought home the moral for the whole story. <i>“Without the heartwood, there would be no tree in any town that could outlive a single generation, much less multiple.”</i>
Overall, this book was touching, compelling and the best anthology I have read to date. I LOVED how the authors interwove all their stories together to create the beautiful legacy of The Kissing Tree and I hope that everyone who reads it takes away the lessons that each of the authors presented in their stories. 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you, Regina Jennings, Karen Witemeyer, Amanda Dykes, Nicole Deese, and Bethany House, for thinking up and seeing this idea though I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to read it.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
From 1880 to present day, Regina Jennings, Karen Witemeyer, Amanda Dykes, and Nicole Deese create a world so inviting and relatable you will wish you were right there with characters. This four-story anthology is weaved together seamlessly and has hints of the previous story in each successive one. It has definitely been one of my favorite 2020 reads.
<b>Broken Limbs, Mended Hearts </b> by Regina Jennings was a beautiful story of love, second chances, and the innocence of first your first kiss. I loved the way Bella Eden and Adam interacted with each other, it was a does he like me/does she like me type of feeling to their relationship that I found very realistic as I think everyone goes through those emotions when falling in love. They were a beautiful couple that just needed a nudge in the right direction. Regina Jennings ends the story with how the Kissing Tree came to be in 1871, in a cute way we see reflected in the stories to come
<b>Inn For A Surprise </b> by Karen Witemeyer is the second book and continues 20 years later in 1891. In this book we see Karen Witemeyer’s signature sense of humor interwoven beautifully with Phoebe and Barnabas’s story of opposites attract. Karen Witemeyer shows the beauty of working together for a common goal and the give and take needed to make any relationship work by using each other’s strengths and weaknesses to work together. I think I loved it more because of it. Beautifully written. I also enjoyed the cameo that tied in from the first book as well, plus Phoebe and Barnabas’s journey to finding the perfect romantic spots was rather cute too!
<b>From Roots to Sky </b>by Amanda Dykes sees the Kissing Tree again 54 years later (roughly) in 1945 right after WWII. Much has changed around the Kissing Tree Inn and the town of Oak Springs, TX. In this story, we learn about Hannah and Luke’s story and their story is probably the hardest to describe. It is thought provoking, deep, and full of a sense of wonder. I loved this sweet, sweet love story with real life conversations, emotions, and yearnings mixed in. I thought Hannah was a close reflection of who I am as a person, and I loved that Luke kept up and loved her even more for it.
<b>Heartwood</b> by Nicole Deese in the fourth and final book in the series, and while no date is given, I am given to believe that it is a present-day setting. Again, change has come to Oak Springs, TX, and threatened the Kissing Tree. Abby feels responsible while Griffin her ‘former’ love comes back into the picture to add to her confusion. I loved the second chance at love theme in this book and I thought Nicole Deese did a great job with the ebb and flow of the storyline building it up from the beginning. I loved how Nicole Deese wrapped up the story and really brought home the moral for the whole story. <i>“Without the heartwood, there would be no tree in any town that could outlive a single generation, much less multiple.”</i>
Overall, this book was touching, compelling and the best anthology I have read to date. I LOVED how the authors interwove all their stories together to create the beautiful legacy of The Kissing Tree and I hope that everyone who reads it takes away the lessons that each of the authors presented in their stories. 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you, Regina Jennings, Karen Witemeyer, Amanda Dykes, Nicole Deese, and Bethany House, for thinking up and seeing this idea though I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to read it.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Merissa (12926 KP) rated The Past Comes Homes (Ames Bridge #2) in Books
Oct 24, 2017
The Past Comes Home (Ames Bridge #2) by Silvia Violet
The Past comes Home is the second book in the Ames Bridge series, and we reunite with Pax, who we met in the first book when he supported Beck and Cal. In this book, we start off when he is a teenager. He is watching his older brother and his brother's best friend, and realises that what ticks his boxes is NOT the female anatomy. The years pass, and tragedy strikes Pax's family, but his feelings towards his brother's best friend remain the same. So when Brad comes back to town for a school reunion, Pax has to try and keep it cool being as Brad is straight... except that he isn't and he has had the same feelings for Pax and for pretty much the same amount of time.
With the same wonderful cast of characters, and yep, the not-so-wonderful are still there too, it was a pleasure to come back to this series. With a different set of circumstances and dilemmas, Pax and Brad's story is different from Beck and Cal, and I'm happy to announce that they show up in this one too.
One of the things that Silvia Violet does so well is to keep the tension and attraction going between her main males. The circumstances might not be right, but the attraction simmers. That means that when they DO get together, that attraction explodes into some of the steamiest, sensual, and sexy, reads I have had the pleasure of reading.
I was a fan of Silvia Violet's after reading Professional Distance (Thorne & Dash #1), and the Ames Bridge series has just compounded my love of her writing style. As expected, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I read this book in a single sitting - the world (and my children) having to wait until I had reached the end of Pax and Brad's story. An excellent addition to the series, and 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 the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
With the same wonderful cast of characters, and yep, the not-so-wonderful are still there too, it was a pleasure to come back to this series. With a different set of circumstances and dilemmas, Pax and Brad's story is different from Beck and Cal, and I'm happy to announce that they show up in this one too.
One of the things that Silvia Violet does so well is to keep the tension and attraction going between her main males. The circumstances might not be right, but the attraction simmers. That means that when they DO get together, that attraction explodes into some of the steamiest, sensual, and sexy, reads I have had the pleasure of reading.
I was a fan of Silvia Violet's after reading Professional Distance (Thorne & Dash #1), and the Ames Bridge series has just compounded my love of her writing style. As expected, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I read this book in a single sitting - the world (and my children) having to wait until I had reached the end of Pax and Brad's story. An excellent addition to the series, and 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 the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Festival in Books
May 16, 2018
A fast and entertaining read is always a plus for busy readers. Aaron J. French's Festival is just that: a quick, fun read, even if it does not appear so at first glance. Totaling 142 pages, I completed the book within 24 hours. Because of my current health issues, that's pretty impressive.
Festival begins on the slower side of things with flashbacks to Steve's abusive childhood with an alcoholic mother. His present-day girlfriend, though pretty, isn't much better. In a desperate bid to save their failing relationship, the two take an impromptu outing in search of a romantic vacation. They end up at Serenity Sanctum, a small campground and hot springs resort run by two women. The two quickly learn that they aren't alone. What begins as a dreadfully boring, typical last resort for a failing relationship quickly culminates in an action packed ending that fans of horror films like Teeth will love.
Though the plot is fairly intriguing, I must admit that the characters aren't anything special. At least, not the protagonist and his girlfriend. Cherie is far from perfect, as stated previously. Her alcoholism and her penchant for putting herself in risky situations undoes her, but Steve is no better. His misogynistic attitude justifies his blaming of Cherie for a past incident, which I won't go into detail. I don't like to give out spoilers, after all.
When I read books, I do it mostly for entertainment. On occasion, I may read something in hopes of gleaning something educational (such as non-fiction). Because of that, I don't tend to spend time looking for themes in a piece of material. That said, I would like to point my readers in the direction of <a href="https://vaguevisages.com/2017/05/08/book-review-gender-and-genre-in-aaron-j-frenchs-festival/"; target="_new">this excellently written review by Mike Thorn.</a>
Though I wouldn't place Festival among my favorite reads, it is definitely a book to look into. It's perfect if you only have a short amount of time and has enough of the occult in it to appease readers like me. I would like to thank Unnerving for providing me with a free copy for the purpose of unbiased review.
Festival begins on the slower side of things with flashbacks to Steve's abusive childhood with an alcoholic mother. His present-day girlfriend, though pretty, isn't much better. In a desperate bid to save their failing relationship, the two take an impromptu outing in search of a romantic vacation. They end up at Serenity Sanctum, a small campground and hot springs resort run by two women. The two quickly learn that they aren't alone. What begins as a dreadfully boring, typical last resort for a failing relationship quickly culminates in an action packed ending that fans of horror films like Teeth will love.
Though the plot is fairly intriguing, I must admit that the characters aren't anything special. At least, not the protagonist and his girlfriend. Cherie is far from perfect, as stated previously. Her alcoholism and her penchant for putting herself in risky situations undoes her, but Steve is no better. His misogynistic attitude justifies his blaming of Cherie for a past incident, which I won't go into detail. I don't like to give out spoilers, after all.
When I read books, I do it mostly for entertainment. On occasion, I may read something in hopes of gleaning something educational (such as non-fiction). Because of that, I don't tend to spend time looking for themes in a piece of material. That said, I would like to point my readers in the direction of <a href="https://vaguevisages.com/2017/05/08/book-review-gender-and-genre-in-aaron-j-frenchs-festival/"; target="_new">this excellently written review by Mike Thorn.</a>
Though I wouldn't place Festival among my favorite reads, it is definitely a book to look into. It's perfect if you only have a short amount of time and has enough of the occult in it to appease readers like me. I would like to thank Unnerving for providing me with a free copy for the purpose of unbiased review.
Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Orderly Affair, Hearts and Health #6 in Books
May 3, 2018
the warm and fuzzies are back!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Book six in the series, but they are all stand alone novels with pop ups from previous characters. All 4 and 5 stars reads from me, bar book one, which I STILL haven't got to read yet!
Ian is only just, at his 38th year, finally finding it in himself to find himself. A hook up app seems the best option. Finding Callum answering his message was a surprise, but both men run with it.
I found myself fully engaged with both Ian and Callum. Ian, experimenting with his sexuality, and Callum, already fully embraced in his. Their chemistry is hot, and burns bright, even before they decide to date properly. Ian does tend to jump in with full force once he makes his mind up, and his mind is made up that he wants Callum.
Callum's independent streak is a mile wide and causes some problems, he just needs to let Ian in. While Ian is still in the closest, though, Callum won't utter those three little words Ian already said, not until he knows he has a future with Ian.
I loved that Callum waited for Ian, he could easily have gone off on one and forced the issue but he didn't. Ian's son forced the issue, in a spectacular way! Loved though, that after his blip, Liam comes around.
I read this in one sitting. I even took the kindle to the kitchen to make tea and feed the natives so I didn't have to stop reading!
No idea who is next, or even if there IS a next book. I'll read it, regardless.
The first book in this series is a cross over with another series, and I'd like, at some point, to go back and read those books too. I'll add them to my pile, and maybe get round to them some time in 2025!
I love this series, I really do. They leave me with that warm and fuzzies feeling that lasts for days!
5 warm and fuzzies stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Book six in the series, but they are all stand alone novels with pop ups from previous characters. All 4 and 5 stars reads from me, bar book one, which I STILL haven't got to read yet!
Ian is only just, at his 38th year, finally finding it in himself to find himself. A hook up app seems the best option. Finding Callum answering his message was a surprise, but both men run with it.
I found myself fully engaged with both Ian and Callum. Ian, experimenting with his sexuality, and Callum, already fully embraced in his. Their chemistry is hot, and burns bright, even before they decide to date properly. Ian does tend to jump in with full force once he makes his mind up, and his mind is made up that he wants Callum.
Callum's independent streak is a mile wide and causes some problems, he just needs to let Ian in. While Ian is still in the closest, though, Callum won't utter those three little words Ian already said, not until he knows he has a future with Ian.
I loved that Callum waited for Ian, he could easily have gone off on one and forced the issue but he didn't. Ian's son forced the issue, in a spectacular way! Loved though, that after his blip, Liam comes around.
I read this in one sitting. I even took the kindle to the kitchen to make tea and feed the natives so I didn't have to stop reading!
No idea who is next, or even if there IS a next book. I'll read it, regardless.
The first book in this series is a cross over with another series, and I'd like, at some point, to go back and read those books too. I'll add them to my pile, and maybe get round to them some time in 2025!
I love this series, I really do. They leave me with that warm and fuzzies feeling that lasts for days!
5 warm and fuzzies stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson: Homecoming in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Hmm...how to start? The first graphic novel featuring Mercy Thompson is a mixed bag; the story as a whole is perfectly fine, it may not be great but it's serviceable. The illustrations are very good and attractive, however Mercy herself is not. Well, okay, the girl(s) is actually drawn well, but she's not Mercy. My first thought was, "When did Mercy go from being Native American/white to Hispanic?" Even though there are different artists and styles of Mercy used in this book, like many graphic novels employ, none of them come close to matching her description. Save the cover illustration which is done by the same artist who does the full-length novel covers, Dan Dos Santos. Since she is the main character, I really think that is vital and hope the artists work on that for the next book. As for the dialogue, it's rather mediocre, sometimes choppy, and a few times didn't follow a logical sequence. I'd be reading along, then a sentence or statement would pop up that made me think I missed something somehow, so I'd proceed to go back, then find out I didn't miss anything after-all, and it just didn't make sense with everything around it. My last complaint has to do with how the book reads and the panel progression. The way the panels and speech balloons were set led to much confusion, I'd read one panel, move on to the next just to find out I should have read that one first. I have read graphic novels before and never had as many problems with them as I did with this one. I felt that more panels would have helped tell the story and there wouldn't be so much confusion as to what had actually happened. Still, the book isn't totally bad, it's a good starting place, but hopefully everyone involved will learn from this first graphic novel so the next will be better executed. I'd say that if you're not into graphic novels, that you should give it a pass unless you absolutely must read everything Mercy Thompson related.
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated Saving Meghan in Books
May 10, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Although this is billed as a thriller, I personally saw it as more of a family/medical drama/mystery. That said, it was still an excellent read, and all I wanted to know was WHAT IS WRONG WITH MEGHAN?
**WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD**
If you don’t want certain things ruined for you, please read no further.
First things first: I figured out pretty early on that, if indeed Meghan was being poisoned – though I wasn’t yet convinced of that – the poison was obviously in the chicken soup. Every time the soup was mentioned, I’d say out loud “It’s in the soup!” and not once did I doubt myself. ? It’s not revealed until very close to the end of the story, but it was definitely my “I knew it!” moment.
As for whether or not I chose to #BelieveBecky or #ProtectMeghan, I’d say it was equal parts both throughout the story. I pretty much believed Becky right from the beginning, while simultaneously wanting to protect Meghan. I honestly thought Becky’s father Carl was the one poisoning her. Aside from the fact that he’s a total dick, he just seemed to jump on the “her mother must be hurting her” train pretty quickly for someone who’s Becky’s HUSBAND. We find out later that he was cheating on her anyway – and with one of Meghan’s doctors – so, douchebaggery confirmed.
What did surprise me was who the perpetrator turned out to be: Dr. Amanda Nash, the GI doctor who began the whole process of removing Meghan from her home because she suspected “medical child abuse,” or Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. ? I mean, I knew something was off about her, but I couldn’t figure out what. Turns out she was banging Carl and wanted both Becky and Meghan out of the way. I was not sad when Carl got what he absolutely deserved, nor when Dr. Nash got hers.
Saving Meghan kept me engaged, and was topped off with a pretty satisfying ending, which is something that has been missing from some of my more recent reads.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARE, and the awesome holographic bookmark!
**WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD**
If you don’t want certain things ruined for you, please read no further.
First things first: I figured out pretty early on that, if indeed Meghan was being poisoned – though I wasn’t yet convinced of that – the poison was obviously in the chicken soup. Every time the soup was mentioned, I’d say out loud “It’s in the soup!” and not once did I doubt myself. ? It’s not revealed until very close to the end of the story, but it was definitely my “I knew it!” moment.
As for whether or not I chose to #BelieveBecky or #ProtectMeghan, I’d say it was equal parts both throughout the story. I pretty much believed Becky right from the beginning, while simultaneously wanting to protect Meghan. I honestly thought Becky’s father Carl was the one poisoning her. Aside from the fact that he’s a total dick, he just seemed to jump on the “her mother must be hurting her” train pretty quickly for someone who’s Becky’s HUSBAND. We find out later that he was cheating on her anyway – and with one of Meghan’s doctors – so, douchebaggery confirmed.
What did surprise me was who the perpetrator turned out to be: Dr. Amanda Nash, the GI doctor who began the whole process of removing Meghan from her home because she suspected “medical child abuse,” or Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. ? I mean, I knew something was off about her, but I couldn’t figure out what. Turns out she was banging Carl and wanted both Becky and Meghan out of the way. I was not sad when Carl got what he absolutely deserved, nor when Dr. Nash got hers.
Saving Meghan kept me engaged, and was topped off with a pretty satisfying ending, which is something that has been missing from some of my more recent reads.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARE, and the awesome holographic bookmark!
TheBookMother (105 KP) rated All That She Can See in Books
May 11, 2019 (Updated May 11, 2019)
As light and pleasant as one of Mary Berry's bakes!
I had some doubts about this book when I picked it up in a charity shop recently but hands up now, I was pleasantly surprised and did enjoy it.
I am a bit of a fan of the Fletcher's and find them to write some quite charming books which I tend to think of as my guilty pleasure!
They are the ones that have a heart warming tail or romantic fairy tale twist that gives you the warm fuzzies.
They are what I turn to in-between some heavy reads for some light relief.
It started off in a fairly standard way but I was very taken aback to where the story did lead and in fact end!
There is a sci fi and almost paranormal element that reminded me of something you can imagine watching on Netflix a bit like The OA. It was similar to The Book of Tomorrow by Celia Adhern.
It was very emotive which was to be expected when alot of the story is about feelings.
There is alot of very imaginative text which really does draw you in and you want to carry on reading.
I did devour this book in a couple of days. Some areas are a tad predictable but all in all it is a pleasant read.
It isn't a literary masterpiece per se but I don't think it's pretending to be either.
It may not change your life but it will stay with you for a little while afterwards and what it did do was help one mum escape the chaos of raising two young boys for a little while!
If you like Celia Adhern, Joanne Harris and of course Giovanna Fletcher then you will no doubt enjoy this read too.
I am a bit of a fan of the Fletcher's and find them to write some quite charming books which I tend to think of as my guilty pleasure!
They are the ones that have a heart warming tail or romantic fairy tale twist that gives you the warm fuzzies.
They are what I turn to in-between some heavy reads for some light relief.
It started off in a fairly standard way but I was very taken aback to where the story did lead and in fact end!
There is a sci fi and almost paranormal element that reminded me of something you can imagine watching on Netflix a bit like The OA. It was similar to The Book of Tomorrow by Celia Adhern.
It was very emotive which was to be expected when alot of the story is about feelings.
There is alot of very imaginative text which really does draw you in and you want to carry on reading.
I did devour this book in a couple of days. Some areas are a tad predictable but all in all it is a pleasant read.
It isn't a literary masterpiece per se but I don't think it's pretending to be either.
It may not change your life but it will stay with you for a little while afterwards and what it did do was help one mum escape the chaos of raising two young boys for a little while!
If you like Celia Adhern, Joanne Harris and of course Giovanna Fletcher then you will no doubt enjoy this read too.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2352 KP) rated The Big Kahuna in Books
Jun 5, 2019
The Big Letdown
Unlikely duo FBI agent Kate O’Hare and former (maybe) conman Nick Fox have been asked to look for a tech billionaire known to pretty much everyone as The Big Kahuna. He disappeared a few days ago, but Kate and Nick are shocked to find that both his wife and his business partner are already hoping to have him declared dead. Kate and Nick aren’t willing to declare him dead yet; they think he might be hiding out in Hawaii. With Kate’s father and Cosmo, another FBI agent, tagging along, they set out to see if they can find him. However, it appears someone wants The Big Kahuna dead. Can they find him in time? Or will they lead the killers right to him?
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Everything, Everything in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon is such a powerful story, especially for her debut novel. It tackles the tough topic of living your life with a disease that affects absolutely everything. Maddy has SCID, a disease that essentially makes her allergic to the world. She doesn’t know what all of her triggers are, but she knows that if she is exposed to other people, spicy food or even nature outside – she could become severely ill and even die.
Her life has gone by, day by day, with no change. Her nurse Carla takes care of her, checks her temperature and blood pressure and she eats exactly three meals and two snacks a day. Every Friday, she has a special French food night with her mom but her meals are less than authentic with her allergies. But despite all that, she never gives up. She takes classes, reads books and is happy, despite the huge thing looming over her life and unlikelihood that she would ever be allowed outside in the real world.
But everything changes when a new family moves into the house near hers. Normally, she would just let the sound wash over her, ignore the beeping of the moving truck, but not today. For some reason, she goes to the window and her entire world changes. She makes a new friend, one she won’t allow to pity her, and his name is Olly. He opens up her world and before long, they’re messaging one another long into the night.
Their story together was so precious, that you couldn’t help but fall in love with each of them. The strength that Maddy had to live, cheerfully, day by day and the heart that Olly had to love and want to protect his family no matter what. The tale was heartbreaking and lovely, and to my surprise, it was not predictable.
I would highly recommend this book to young adult/teen readers who enjoy character-driven plots and unique contemporary book. This novel really delves into Maddy’s head and gives you a glimpse into her thoughts through a variety of mediums.
Her life has gone by, day by day, with no change. Her nurse Carla takes care of her, checks her temperature and blood pressure and she eats exactly three meals and two snacks a day. Every Friday, she has a special French food night with her mom but her meals are less than authentic with her allergies. But despite all that, she never gives up. She takes classes, reads books and is happy, despite the huge thing looming over her life and unlikelihood that she would ever be allowed outside in the real world.
But everything changes when a new family moves into the house near hers. Normally, she would just let the sound wash over her, ignore the beeping of the moving truck, but not today. For some reason, she goes to the window and her entire world changes. She makes a new friend, one she won’t allow to pity her, and his name is Olly. He opens up her world and before long, they’re messaging one another long into the night.
Their story together was so precious, that you couldn’t help but fall in love with each of them. The strength that Maddy had to live, cheerfully, day by day and the heart that Olly had to love and want to protect his family no matter what. The tale was heartbreaking and lovely, and to my surprise, it was not predictable.
I would highly recommend this book to young adult/teen readers who enjoy character-driven plots and unique contemporary book. This novel really delves into Maddy’s head and gives you a glimpse into her thoughts through a variety of mediums.