The Women Review

The Women 

By: Kristin Hannah

5/5 Stars

This book is one of the best books I have ever read in my life.  I haven't read any other Kristin Hannah novels but her reputation sure precedes her so I had high expectations for this book.  Well,  I can report that every expectation was met and I was still blown away by how phenomenal this book was.  Her writing 100% deserves all the love and hype it gets.  I am so in awe of authors who write historical fiction books, or really any book that requires a great deal of research to write.  Because these authors not only have to have the ability to construct a good story, but they also have to know their facts.  So I was extremely impressed with Kristin Hannah and this book.  I went into this book totally blind to the subject, and once I began reading I realized how ignorant I was to the subject.  This book is about the women who were there in Vietnam during the war.  It is a gripping, captivating read that will have you thinking about things and places and events in history that you've never thought of before.  I had a paradigm shift while reading this book and I"m grateful for the insights it brought me.

I loved the characters in this book.  I realize more and more that I'm easily annoyed by female protagonists in books.  But I adored Francis, the main character in this book, and I loved her friends as well.  I was dying to figure out what happened and where everyone ended up, but I also didn't want to read too fast and sacrifice being able to savor the story.  

I think everyone needs to read this book.  Dare I say I think this book should be considered as one that schools require students to read?  It covers such important parts in American history that are usually not discussed.  I had no idea women played such an important role in war, and I'm now going to be diving down rabbit holes to learn more about the women that aren't talked about enough.

I really can't say enough good things about this book or author.  I am now officially on the Kristin Hannah train and I probably will be forever.  I don't know how her other books can beat this one, as I already know this book will have a lasting affect on me, but I'm excited to read them.

Thank you, Kristin Hannah, for the years of research and for all the effort you put into constructing this masterpiece.  It was time well-spent for this book is one of the best I will ever read.

*A huge thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to review and advanced copy of this book.  I loved it.*

She's Not Sorry Review

 She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica

4.5/5 Stars

*Thank you so much to netgalley and to the author for allowing me to review such a page-turner!*

Mary Kubica has written some of my very favorite books, and this one did not disappoint.  You know those books that have you sneaking out your phone at any moment of free time, just so you can sneak in even one page?  This book had that affect on me.  I didn't guess the plot twist or ending and I loved that it has several "holy cow" moments throughout.  It's definitely a book to add to your list next year when it comes out.  

Expiration Dates Review

Expiration Dates

By: Rebecca Serle

3/5 stars

*Thank you so much to netgalley and the author for allowing me to read and review this book.*

I love love love the concept of this book and think the author is genius for coming up with the idea behind this book.  But after reading the last page it was hard not to have the thought, "really? so what was the point?"  I feel like the whole book had us investing in certain characters for no reason.  And I continue to have unanswered questions behind the expiration dates the main character received.  I liked this book and I would definitely recommend it to people who are looking for a romance with a unique plot.  But I was let down and feel like the whole book and storyline led to nothing.  To sum up my thoughts I'd have to say that it's a fantastic idea but a flat ending.

Darling Girls Review

 Darling Girls

By: Sally Hepworth

5/5 Stars

*Thank you so much to the author and to Netgalley for allowing me to review such a captivating read!*

I've liked Sally Hepworth for a long time but this book really won me over and solidified her as one of my favorite authors.  Wow, can she write!  Each book I've read from her has consisted of a unique storyline and it seems like no matter the heaviness of the content, her writing still contains a great deal of, dare I say, charm?  I really enjoy the way she writes and I get sucked in quickly.  

This is my favorite book from Hepworth.  I wasn't able to read it all in one sitting due to daily demands, but I found myself sneaking glances at the book whenever I got a free few minutes.  I devoured it.  I loved it.  I wish I could read it again with fresh eyes.  

The way Hepworth just gives you a little info at a time has you guessing until the very end about what actually happened.  I don't know what else to say without spoiling parts of the plot so I"ll leave it at this... do your future self a favor and pre-order this book.  You'll be completely engrossed in it the second it arrives at your doorstep and it will give your mind a much-needed escape into the Australian world of Sally Hepworth.  And know this: I'm quite jealous you get to read it for the first time!

The Locked Door Review

 The Locked Door

By: Frieda McFadden

4.5/5 stars

* Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. *

Oh dear Frieda, you've done it again! No one writes thrillers that hook me more than McFadden.  I read this book in one sitting... and that says a lot considering I'm a new mom and sleep is everything to me right now.  But I couldn't put it down and stayed up far too late just to get to the last page.  I can report taht it was 100% worth the missed sleep.  The writing is fast-paced and I stayed engaged and fully engrossed the entire time.  I will say that I had partially figured out the "twist" by the end of the book, but that didn't take away from how riveted I was while reading.  I forever will be the biggest Frieda McFadden fan and this book is one of my favorites by her.

The Stranger Upstairs Review

 The Stranger Upstairs

By: Lisa M. Matlin

4.5/5 stars

* Thank you to the author and to netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. *

I love love love this author.  I can't believe this is her debut novel because her writing style is so developed and mature.  I love the way she writes.  In fact, I even enjoyed reading her "acknowledgements" section at the end of the book- that's how much I love her mind and how she expresses herself.

Now, on to the book and its contents... This book is a true thriller in my eyes.  It doesn't have the typical twists that I've been reading in a lot of the thrillers that are popular right now.  And to be honest with you, I didn't even need a twist at the end of this.  Sometimes I persist through thrillers just to be blown away by the last fifty pages of the novel.  But this thriller blew me away with every page.  I was actually spooked by this book.  I made the mistake of reading during 2am baby feeds, and I often found myself looking behind me and making sure doors were shut and locked.

I feel like this book is a hard one to review without spoiling it, so I'll stop while I'm ahead.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will definitely be following this author and looking forward to more novels.

The Guest Review

 The Guest

By: B.A. Paris

*Thank you so much to the author and to netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.  I was thrilled to receive this arc.*

Let me start by saying that I love B.A. Paris.  She wrote one of my all-time favorite books.  I think she's brilliant and has the best way of crafting her novels.  With all that said, I did find myself a little disappointed in this one.  I loved the way it started and I enjoyed the way it ended.  But I was not captivated or interested in the "in-between".  I found it to be a bit boring and the only reason I continued to read was because I knew I'd find an exciting twist at the end (which I did!) and because I adore the author and her other works.  But it just fell a little short for me.  I wasn't in love with any of the characters and it seemed like it was the same conversation/situation repeated over and over again until the final scene.  Granted, Paris may have done this on purpose in order to mirror how the main characters felt as they were experiencing the same conversations/situations over and over again.  But as I said, I grew a little bored and found myself wanting to skim to get to the impending plot twist.  I also found one storyline to be a little bit neglected.  (Again, it's possible Paris did this on purpose - perhaps to create reader subjectivity or to set up for a sequel.).  This book wasn't a bad book by any means.  I think I just have this author so high up on a pedestal that I was just hoping for and expecting a little bit more.  It wasn't a story that I found enthralling but I could definitely see others enjoying it.  If you take anything from this review, take my advice to read some of Paris' other works.  Or go ahead and read this one!  It certainly isn't a waste of time and you'll find yourself enjoying elements of it.

Race to Kindness Review

 Race to Kindness 

By Orion Jean

5/5

*Thank you to the author and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this masterpiece of a book.*

Wow!  Color me impressed!  I was immediately taken by this book and the mature message it shares, along with the intelligent and clever way it is written.  But now that I know the author is 11-years-old I'm even more blown away by it.  This book is, dare I say, the best execution I've ever seen of successfully teaching a principal (i.e. kindness).  Let's start at the very beginning, shall we?  (...a very good place to start.)  I love that the first page of this book is a form that children can sign that invites them to join the "race to kindness".  Physical invitations like this are, in my opinion, the best way to evoke action.  I truly think that children will take this invitation seriously as they sign their name and write the date.  The next thing I love about this book is that it rhymes.  I have heard book publishers mention that rhyming books are slowly becoming less appealing for them to publish, but as a pediatric speech therapist I understand and can attest to the value of books that rhyme.  Rhyming is a pre-literacy skill that children need to learn in their pathway to reading.  Not to mention that rhyming books are fun to read and a sure way to make a book's message memorable.  The highlight of this book for me is the fact that the author made an acronym out of the short phrase, "BE K.I.N.D.".  What better way for children to remember how to be be kind than through an acronym that they can easily memorize?  As an adult, I struggle sometimes with knowing how I can help others and the specific things I can do to show my love through service.  So, I especially appreciate that this book gives specific examples of things we can all do to "be kind".  The "D" in the acronym "K.I.N.D." was my favorite thing to read about because it encourages people to get up and to take action.  It's so easy for us, especially as adults, to reach out to the people who we know need assistance with a text that simply says, "Let me know if there's anything I can do for you."  So often we don't take the initiative to help without someone asking for it.  But this book makes it clear that there are so many ways to serve and to show kindness, and that we should do so without waiting for someone to tell us what to do.  To sum up my views on this book I'll say one thing- I wish this book wasn't categorized as "children's literature" because I think everyone, and especially adults, should read this book and learn from it's beautiful and powerful message.

Shapes and Shapes Review

Shapes and Shapes

By Ivan Brunetti

5/5

*Thank you to the author and netgalley for allowing me to read and review such a work of art.*

Okay, take it from me... this book should be added to every preschool and kindergarten's curriculum as a required book.  Kids of all ages, from toddlers to elementary-aged students, will adore this book and the way it teaches shapes.  I am a pediatric speech therapist and find that kids love to play around with shapes.  I've never known how to channel their interest in shapes until reading this book.  So, this book aimed towards young children actually taught me a thing or two, (and I'm not ashamed to admit it!)  I think this author/cartoonist is absolutely brilliant.  Not only does he teach children about less common shapes (e.g. octagons, half circles, etc.), he also introduces 3-dimensional shapes like cubes and cones.  What I love most is that Brunetti teaches how to identify shapes in everyday things- from glasses to planets to baseball diamonds... he points out that everything is a shape.  And just like the children in his book, I continued to look for shapes in everyday objects after reading.  (Sidenote: I love that he includes a mini space lesson in this book.  Kids will love to review the planets as they read those pages...because what child doesn't love space?) I also think this book will inspire children to experiment with drawing and with putting shapes together to create what they want.  It sure helped me learn how to draw a simple car by using common shapes (something I'm thrilled to know how to do as my 2-year-old constantly asks me to draw him a "caw").  Overall, I'm really excited about this book.  I'm glad it is supposed to released soon as I want to buy a copy for my own 2 children.  

Roy Is Not a Dog

Roy Is Not a Dog

By Esme Shapiro; Daniel Kaufman

5/5

*Thank you so much to the authors and netgalley for allowing me to read and review such a darling book.*

This might be one of my favorite children’s books that I have ever read, and let me tell you, I’ve read a lot of them.  I think I find this book so charming because there’s nothing else like it.  It’s completely unique and that’s rare to find in a children’s book.  I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for any book that involves a dog, but the story behind this one is just darling.  I think children of all ages will enjoy this book- while toddlers may be too young to understand the words, they’ll enjoy the whimsical illustrations and the abridged story that can be told.  I love the way the author wrote this- it’s clever and quirky and so fun to read.  Each word seems like it was perfectly chosen to make this the delightful read the author intended.  And don’t even get me started on the ending!  I adored the last page… I was surprised by the ending and how perfectly it tied everything together. This book has, perhaps, the cutest (and most important) message a children’s book can have… the message that there is always more to learn about the people around us.  We think we know someone, but we really don’t… there is always more to discover and understand.  I will 100% be pre-ordering this book and giving it to all of my friends as gifts.  In true Oprah style I’ll be throwing these books at everyone, “You get a book, you get a book, you get a book!”  I truly loved it that much.

This book is currently planned to be released on April 22, 2024.

Shine Review

Shine 

By Bruno Valasse

3/5

*Thank you to the author and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this adorable book.*

This book is perfect for any little ones that may be demonstrating some anxieties or newfound fears.  The moral is so powerful and so sweet- we all have a light within us and as we face our fears and let our shine, we’ll light the way for others, too.  I thought it was so clever to make the main character of the story a moth- a creature that fears the dark and wants to be where it’s bright and lit.  The 3 star rating is due to the fact that I felt like the book jumped to the end too quickly.  I like short children's books but it almost seems like this one could use an extra few pages in the middle to make the message even more compelling.  Nevertheless, it's the cutest concept and I’ll absolutely be looking for more from this author.  

This book is currently planned to be released on April 29, 2024.