Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (5000)

Content

Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Three Hours in Books

Jan 1, 2020

This was an intense book dealing with some deep issues.

Covering a three-hour time span where a siege of a school in England occurs I fell short of getting as emotionally invested as I think I should have been.

The book jumps between multiple POVs with students, staff, police, and parents all focused on the unimaginably terrifying scenario of a school on lockdown and under attack. For a book that jumps straight into the action and only covers a short time period I really struggled to get into this one, it’s never good when I keep finding myself updating the shopping list mid-chapter…... Although the jumps in POVs were clear and well written I just failed to become invested (or particularly interested in the characters.) I liked the mother of one of the students and her internal dialogue with her teenage son, it felt very genuine; but most others fell flat for me.

I’m glad I persevered though as the second half picked up for me with more on the police and their investigation. The set up of such an attack in England that just happens to be when a snowstorm hits never quite jelled as a setting for me despite attempts to explain it all.

I feel this book tried to deal with too many hard-hitting topics, without managing to pull me in with the story leaving a feeling of having a slightly preachy tone.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGallry for the ARC.

Kudos

Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated A Stolen Life: A Memoir in Books

Feb 5, 2020

A Stolen Life: A Memoir

Jaycee Dugard | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry

8.1

(9 Ratings)

Book Rating

I don't remember the first time I read this book. I think it was some point after Jaycee Lee Dugard had been found, but I was probably in late middle school, early high school - though I could be entirely wrong. I remember reading it the first time and having to stop every once in a while because it was so much. What she went through was so grueling and heartbreaking and to read her words, unfiltered, with all of her raw emotions, it's hard. That doesn't even feel like a good enough word for it.

More than anything, this memoir gives you hope. It gives you strength. It pulls your heart out to be reminded that there are these people in this world - the kind that could do this to people, let alone an 11-year-old girl. But despite all that, Jaycee remains somewhat positive. She knows that she has work to do on herself, on her relationships with her family, with the world, with life, but she also knows that she's going to be okay. I love that she never thinks that the recovery process is done and while this book was written several years ago, I can't imagine that mindset has changed much.

I think this book is phenomenal. Her story is insane, but her triumph is what wins you over in the end. I'm eager to read her other book and see where she is now and how she's doing. I would 1000% recommend this book.