BOOK REVIEW: YOU BY CAROLINE KEPNES

About

When a beautiful aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyper-connected digital age.

My Thoughts

Finally finished this title. Great psychological thriller. This was my October book club pick and while I know most people including myself watched the series on Netflix, I was actually curious about the book. One thing I should have read the book before watching the series because in my opinion the book was very different. I wonder if anyone else thinks so.

Joe, a bookstore clerk, meets aspiring author Guinevere Beck and becomes obsessed. He wants to control her life using any means necessary even if it means eliminating anyone who gets in his way. 

The most interesting character for me was Beck. I think while Joe was clearly disturbed, she had a lot of issues too. In fact, there was a point in the story that I became really confused as to what her deal was. While she was for the most part painted as Joe's victim (which she was), somehow I think that she in a way put herself in a lot of crazy situations. And what's with these men she had affairs with? Dr. Nicky, Benji?? Her friends were not real friends either. 

But Joe was hands down a well written character. I kept hearing the guy from the series talking in my mind while I was reading though Lol. That's what you get for watching the series before reading the book. 

All in all this was a great book and I hope to read Hidden Bodies next.

 

SECRETS WE KEPT: THREE WOMEN OF TRINIDAD BY KRYSTAL A. SITAL

 

SYNOPSIS:

There, in a lush landscape of fire-petaled immortelle trees and vast plantations of coffee and cocoa, where the three hills along the southern coast act as guardians against hurricanes, Krystal A. Sital grew up idolizing her grandfather, a wealthy Hindu landowner. Years later, to escape crime and economic stagnation on the island, the family resettled in New Jersey, where Krystal’s mother works as a nanny, and the warmth of Trinidad seems a pretty yet distant memory. But when her grandfather lapses into a coma after a fall at home, the women he has terrorized for decades begin to speak, and a brutal past comes to light.

In the lyrical patois of her mother and grandmother, Krystal learns the long-held secrets of their family’s past, and what it took for her foremothers to survive and find strength in themselves. The relief of sharing their stories draws the three women closer, the music of their voices and care for one another easing the pain of memory.

Violence, a rigid ethnic and racial caste system, and a tolerance of domestic abuse—the harsh legacies of plantation slavery—permeate the history of Trinidad. On the island’s plantations, in its growing cities, and in the family’s new home in America, Secrets We Kept tells a story of ambition and cruelty, endurance and love, and most of all, the bonds among women and between generations that help them find peace with the past.

MY THOUGHTS

My favourite quote from the novel:

" The mantra of house, lan and motohcah that echoed from one generation to the next was achieved, but at what cost?"

This book was a heavy story, but spoke to a topics that families in Trinidad even now in the 21st century sweep under the carpet in the name of keeping up appearances and holding the family together in spite of the violence, betrayal and confusion.

This story begins with the patriarch of the family Shiva Singh at death's door. As his wife and daughter Arya deal with everything that comes with sickness, they both at different intervals recount their lives to Shiva's granddaughter Krys. As the story of Shiva is revealed to his favourite granddaughter, she is shocked to know that her beloved grandfather meant something different to both her grandmother Rebecca and her mother Arya.

I felt  every emotion while reading about both Rebecca and Arya's struggles. I felt sad, angry and hopeful that things would get better for them and that they would find the peace that they were both seeking to get out of life.

What I liked especially about this story is the representation of the culture of the island of Trinidad. The language, the food, the culture was really depicted in a skillful way so while the topics were serious it also gave the reader a view of the way of life on the island and this I appreciated the most.

I do not want to give the story away but I would highly recommend this book.

**Trigger Warning*** Domestic Abuse

BOOK REVIEW: BLACK GIRLS MUST DIE EXHAUSTED AND BABY MAKES TWO BY JAYNE ALLEN

 

Synopsis

For Tabitha Walker, her grandmother's old adage, "Black girls must die exhausted" is becoming all too true. Discovering she's pregnant--after she was told she may not be able to have biological children--Tabitha throws herself headfirst into the world of "single mothers by choice." Between her job, doctor's appointments, and preparing for the baby, she's worn out. And that's before her boss at the local news station starts getting complaints from viewers about Tabitha's natural hair.

When an unexpected turn of events draws Marc--her on and off-again ex-boyfriend--back into her world with surprising demands, and the situation at work begins to threaten her livelihood and her identity, Tabitha must make some tough decisions about her and her baby's future. It takes a village to raise a child, and Tabitha turns to the women who have always been there for her.

Bolstered by the fierce support of Ms. Gretchen, her grandmother's best friend, the counsel of her closest friends Laila and Alexis, and the calming presence of her doula Andouele, Tabitha must find a way to navigate motherhood on her own terms. Will she harness the bravery, strength, and self-love she'll need to keep "the village" together, find her voice at work, and settle things with Marc before the baby arrives?

My Thoughts

This book was a nice sequel to Black Girls Must Die Exhausted. 

I was actually in a reading slump and this book  got me right back on track. In this installment of the series we meet Tabitha again, navigating pregnancy by choice and the challenges she had to face. I love how the book continues to depict key issues that black women face through Tabitha and her friends.   Women of all races may face struggles, this book reminds us of struggles that are unique to black women, from deciding to have a baby out of wedlock, to decisions about whether our natural hair will make us less professional or accepted. 

I am really excited to read the other book "Black Girls Must be Magic." I recommend this one. 

BOOK REVIEW: THE PACT by JODI PICOULT

 

About

For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty—they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.

So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet—a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.

My Thoughts

This is the third I've read by Jodi Picoult book. So far I read My Sister's Keeper and Nineteen Minutes and now the Pact. I really like Jodi's writing because of the messages that I somehow manage to take away from her stories. The Pact followed teens Emily and Chris, neighbours, friends and eventually lovers. One midnight their parents were awakened by the news that Emily had been shot and Chris injured. When Emily succumbs to her injuries and dies, Chris reveals that him and Emily had a suicide pact as they both planned on killing themselves. This revelation led to a chain of events that land Chris, a model student in jail and cause their parents The Golds and The Hartes (Once very close drift apart).

What I liked about the story were reading about Emily and her struggles. Most teenagers do struggle in silence and being unable to deal with trauma and everything that goes with it may end it all. IT shows that no matter how perfect someone's life may seem, they can also be dealing with trauma. Like Nineteen Minutes, another point that Jodi Picoult emphasized quite well in this story was how little parents really know their children. Melanie and Gus (the mothers) were both convinced that they knew what their kids were capable of without really knowing them at all.

People like different things about books and writers,  honestly I really liked the court room and jail scenes in this book. I find it added not only a dramatic element but so many lessons came out of it. And let us not forget the closing argument of lawyer Jordan Mc Afee on "truth".  

This is a really good book. I thought initially it would have been more of a romance but it was that and so much more. I'm glad I a finally read this.

This was my book club pick for August 2022.  Join Between the Pages Book club on Goodreads by clicking the sidebar and join the discussion.

BOOK REVIEW: THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE BY ABI DARE'

 

About

The unforgettable, inspiring story of a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself, The Girl with the Louding Voice is a simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant tale about the power of fighting for your dreams.

Despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in her path, Adunni never loses sight of her goal of escaping the life of poverty she was born into so that she can build the future she chooses for herself - and help other girls like her do the same.

Her spirited determination to find joy and hope in even the most difficult circumstances imaginable will “break your heart and then put it back together again” (Jenna Bush Hager on The Today Show) even as Adunni shows us how one courageous young girl can inspire us all to reach for our dreams...and maybe even change the world.

My Thoughts

"Your schooling is your voice, child. It will be speaking for you even if you didn't open your mouth to talk. It will be speaking till the day God is calling you come."

This book was very emotional and meaningful to me in so many ways. Adunni represented so many girls, not only in Nigeria but worldwide who because of where they come from even in the 21st century have no access to education. This was a work of fiction, yes, but it taught me so much. People often see you reading a novel and think you just reading for entertainment only, but what books like this do for me is to allow me to understand a world that I cannot even imagine.

The prose was outstanding. I loved that the most. It was very original and as a lover of Nigerian films made it very easy to read. I like how Dare' added elements of humor in the story as well because it helped to have the comic relief interwoven with all the emotional things going on.

The cast of characters all were significant in the book, Adunni, Kofi, Tia, Big Daddy but honestly it was Big Madam that stood out for me. Yes she was abusive and downright evil but there was a sadness within her that was presented beautifully I think and it made me feel for her. I would have loved to discuss this book face to face with someone who has read it because there are so many issues that one can discuss.

In all this was a great book.

BOOK REVIEW: ENVY (Seven Deadly Sins #2) by Victoria Christopher Murray

 

Now a Lifetime movie event!

From the NAACP Image award winner and national bestselling author of The Personal Librarian comes a novel inspired by the seven deadly sins about a woman who wants more than just a relationship from her newly discovered​ half-sister—she wants her life.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Gabrielle Wilson has the perfect life: a Beverly Hills mansion, a loving family, and a massively successful PR firm. When her father admits that an affair he had years before resulted in a daughter, Gabrielle is shocked, but is actually happy. Could this be the sister she has been praying for all her life?

Keisha Jones’s life is a struggle. Her late mother worked on the streets, and school was its own nightmare. When Gabrielle offers to fly Keisha out of Arkansas to meet the family, Keisha instantly agrees. But Gabrielle doesn’t realize that Keisha has known about the Wilsons for years. Keisha is determined to have everything she has always envied, and nothing can stand in her way.

Includes a reading group guide with an author Q&A and discussion questions for book clubs.

".....attacks of envy, attacks of jealousy cannot be fought with the flesh. It's spiritual warfare, and you have to know which fight you're having before you get into the battle."

Envy is in my opinion the deadliest of sins. Reading this book reminded me of that. Sometimes people hate you for no other reason but that they envy you. Having been on the receiving end of that I know. Keisha's envy in this book however was due to lack and loss. Having lost her those important to her, having been taken advantage of, she became envious of her new found sister Gabrielle who had it all; the husband, the daughter, the thriving business. 

I think this story was also a reminder of how you have to be careful who you let into your life and home affairs, no matter what. I felt that Gabrielle and Elijah should have been more wary about letting Keisha into their lives. I didn't like that Gabrielle was so trusting even when Regan was trying to warn her about Keisha's motives.

The ending was really difficult for me, very emotional....(I will stop because if I go on I will spoil it) But I will say though that this book really made me believe that there are people who are willing to put animosity aside.

I really liked this book. It was an easy read but with many life lessons. I went out and got the rest of the books in the series to see what I would like best.

BOOK REVIEW: CEREUS BLOOMS AT NIGHT BY SHANI MOOTOO

 

Synopsis

Set on a fictional Caribbean island in the town of Paradise, Cereus Blooms at Night unveils the mystery surrounding Mala Ramchandin and the tempestuous history of her family. At the heart of this bold and seductive novel is an alleged crime committed many years before the story opens. Mala is the reclusive old woman suspected of murder who is delivered to the Paradise Alms House after a judge finds her unfit to stand trial. When she arrives at her new home, frail and mute, she is placed in the tender care of Tyler, a vivacious male nurse, who becomes her unlikely confidante and the storyteller of Mala's extraordinary life. In luminous, sensual prose, internationally acclaimed writer Shani Mootoo combines diverse storytelling traditions to explore identity, gender, and violence in a celebration of our capacity to love.

My Thoughts

Shani Mootoo is most definitely a talented author after finishing the story I needed a few days to digest it before I could write a review. Mala Ramchandin ( the main character) is said to be crazy and responsible for the death of her father. The story starts with Mala being admitted to a home and cared for by Tyler, a misunderstood nurse who cares for Mala in a way that stuns his peers.

As we learn about Mala's life we are taken on an emotional journey, one full of hurt and disappointment. What I found interesting about the story was the setting, i think the author blended very well the flora and fauna of the environment with the situation. This book would really make a rich book club discussion. 

This was quite a heartbreaking and emotional story and while I didn't love it I would recommend it.

Afro Bougie Blues; A Collection of Short Fiction by Lauren Wilson

 

Synopsis 

Afro-Bougie Blues is a collection of twelve original, engaging, and occasionally edgy short stories that dig into the souls of ordinary black women and men meeting life’s challenges with courage and care. A newlywed considers her past abortion after having a miscarriage. An Army veteran subdues his war memories with alcohol. A woman who loses weight watches her marriage crumble around her. A single father reflects on his pre-teen daughter’s complicated questions about love. A married woman falls in love with a jazz singer. Watch as the protagonists find their way, find love, or find themselves amid the chaos. Explore the world of Afro-Bougie Blues. An extraordinary assortment of stories awaits you. Dig in.

My Thoughts

This short story collection was a quick enjoyable read. The stories delved deep into the everyday lives and struggles experienced by people of colour. Although I am of Afro Caribbean descent, I can agree that the struggles emphasized in this book depict the struggles we all face world wide in terms of relationships, dealing with mental health, addiction, loss. 

All the stories spoke to me in a different way and while I enjoyed them all there were a few favourites.

These were:

Transformations (My fav)

Me and Mrs. Matthews

Confessions of an Adulteress and

Alone with my Nightmares.

This was quite enjoyable and it is one of those books that I can see myself really picking up again and rereading these stories. I highly recommend this.

BOOK REVIEW; MALIBU RISING by TAYLOR JENKINS REID

 

Synopsis.

Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them... and what they will leave behind.

My Thoughts 

This has been my second time reading a book by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Before Malibu Rising I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and though I really enjoyed that book, somehow I liked this one more. I went into this book blindly, (not sure why I thought it would be a nice summer romance). Instead of a romance, what I found was a deeply emotional story about a famous music star Mick Riva and his tumultuous relationship with his four children Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit.

Not wanting to spoil the book too much in this review, I would mention just the general things that I loved about the book. First, I loved the time period, the book starts from around the 1960s up to the eighties, I loved reading about that era and of course Malibu. The story was told from the point of view of Mick's first daughter Nina Riva, and what I loved about Nina is that she represented strength and the reality is for many broken homes is that the eldest child, does in fact sacrifice a lot. Mick Riva represented a man who never dealt with his demons of the past, I really felt sorry for him though cause he never got that closure.

Can I talk about the party??? Wow the cast of characters all beautiful and equally flawed made for excellent reading. I am going to definitely read more of her books. 

NOTE: THIS WAS A BETWEEN THE PAGES BOOK CLUB PICK FOR JULY

TO JOIN THE BOOK CLUB DISCUSSIONS FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1176278-between-the-pages-book-club

BOOK REVIEW: IT ENDS WITH US BY COLLEEN HOOVER

 Synopsis

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

MY THOUGHTS

I am at the point where I can say that Colleen Hoover is a master storyteller. This story took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I am not sure why I was expecting a typical romance book though. Lily and Ryle's relationship was really interesting. I loved Atlas for obvious reasons but it was Ryle that I connected with the most in this book. He was not the typical profile (*MINI SPOLIER) of an abuser. He was a neurosurgeon, handsome with a great family all in all a good catch. I believe Ryle's character was a deliberate and brilliant choice by the author. In the beginning I could not help but fall in love with Ryle Kincaid and then everything just changed.

The turn of events was in one word "BRILLIANT." I also liked Lily's journal entries her letters to Ellen. It was a clever way, I think to talk about her past life. And OMG how could you not love Atlas I mean he is just floored and perfect. The only thing I think is that Lily took a bit too long to come to a decision about Ryle and it left me guessing too much. In a way it just made me want to read faster.

Prior to this book I read Verity and Ugly Love (both were equally good), however I think this one was the best for me so far. On to the next one. I may try "Layla". 

BOOK REVIEW : HER PERFECT LIFE by EMILY SHINER

Synopsis

Millie has just served a long sentence for a murder she didn’t commit. It’s her identical twin sister Eve who was the killer – and the person who framed Millie.

Millie is willing to forgive Eve and hopes they can still be loving sisters. But when she is released, instead of welcoming her, Eve coldly rejects her. Now Millie only wants one thing – revenge.

Eve seems to have the perfect life – plenty of money, a beautiful house. So Millie’s plan is simple – she’ll kill Eve and step into her shoes.

But Millie soon discovers her sister’s life is anything but perfect. She had become involved with a dangerous man – controlling, possessive, ruthless.

And now he owns Millie. Caught in a deadly web of deceit, she must continue playing the part of Eve. Her life depends on it.

Can she find the strength to escape this new prison? Or will she be trapped forever in… her perfect life?

Her Perfect Life – the stunning psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Secret Wife

My thoughts

Millie was thirsty for revenge. After being framed by her twin sister Eve for the murder of Eve's husband (a murder she didn't commit), Millie was out for blood. Upon her release from jail, Millie saw that Eve has the perfect life, a beautiful home, friends and spa days. Millie. feeling robbed of having a life by being wrongfully accused and serving a jail sentence, wants Eve's perfect life. Except, everything that glitters is not gold and Millie is getting more than she bargains for when she tries to infiltrate' Eve's life.

This book was such a page turner. I enjoyed it very much and was eager to see how it ended.. The ending however was such a surprise that I think that this has to be one of the best endings I have read in a long time as I did not expect that at all. I do not want to go into too much details about the book because I do not want to spoil it.. I must say though that Emily Shiner did a great job in creating Gareth and Mya. These two were really sinister and evil. I really enjoyed reading them. While reading about Millie I was really curious to see how she ended up. Readers you would not expect it at all. 

In all this was a great thriller / crime novel and I would highly recommend this title.

 

BOOK REVIEW: ZEITOUN BY DAVE EGGERS

 

Synopsis

The true story of one family, caught between America’s two biggest policy disasters: the war on terror and the response to Hurricane Katrina.

Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun run a house-painting business in New Orleans. In August of 2005, as Hurricane Katrina approaches, Kathy evacuates with their four young children, leaving Zeitoun to watch over the business. In the days following the storm he travels the city by canoe, feeding abandoned animals and helping elderly neighbors. Then, on September 6th, police officers armed with M-16s arrest Zeitoun in his home. Told with eloquence and compassion, Zeitoun is a riveting account of one family’s unthinkable struggle with forces beyond wind and water. 

My Thoughts

This book gave an account of Hurricane Katrina from the yes of the Zeitouns a Muslim American family living in New Orleans at the time of the disaster. This account was really well documented because it was my first time, really stopping to think about the extent of the disaster, the destruction and lives lost. What was most interesting was the government's response to the crisis.

I always heard from the media, people talking about the injustices that took place and how they felt somewhat neglected in the aftermath of the storm. What also struck me was the events before, during and after Abdulrahaman's arrest. That part of the book was surreal to me.

I will give this book two stars because while I liked it, I didn't love it. I will say though that it piqued my interest and also made me more vigilant to hurricane warnings. Living in Trinidad and Tobago during rainy season we sometimes get these hurricane warnings and ignore them saying "God is ah Trini". But if Katrina has taught the world anything is that it pays to be prepared for any eventuality.

BLOG TOUR : NO SUCH THING AS GOODBYE by Karmen Spiljak (BOOK FEATURE)

  

Hi readers,

On the blog today I am happy to present this intriguing title "No Such Thing as Goodbye" by Karmen Spiljak. 

No Such Thing as Goodbye

A spy with a criminal past. A dark family secret. Freedom at the cost of betrayal.

To escape her mobster family, Toni fakes her own death, but before she can start anew in Mexico City, she’s pulled into a world of spies and deadly secrets. Her new life crumbles when she discovers her boss is keeping secrets of his own.

When word gets around that Toni’s brother is on his way to Mexico, she fears the worst -  he wants to hunt her down. Cornered and with nowhere to turn, Toni must decide: will she run once more, or will she risk her life for a chance of freedom?

Sounds interesting?
Click the links below to purchase

 General Purchase Link / AMAZON / APPLE / GOOGLE / KOBO  / BARNES AND NOBLE

Author Bio –

Karmen Špiljak is a Slovenian-Belgian writer of suspense, horror and speculative fiction.

Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her thriller, ‘No Such Thing as Goodbye’, was shortlisted and received an honourable mention at 'The Black Spring Crime Fiction Prize 2020'.

She lives in Sao Paulo with her husband, two mischievous cats and an undefined number of literary characters.

Find out more on www.karmens.net

Social Media Links –

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/karmenseeta

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/karmens

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karmenspiljak

BLOG TOUR: DEAD DRIFT BY KELLY ROMO @rararesources

Dead Drift

Two teenage girls on the run with fake IDs and a beater car…what could go wrong?

 Emmy has always been impulsive. She is no longer a minor and has aged out of foster care. When her best friend, Amber, is the target of a perverted uncle who lives in the basement of her group home, they plan her escape.

 They head for Canada, where Amber will be safe, and the foster care system can no longer control their lives. When they come across a whitewater rafting brochure, they decide to take a detour for one last adventure before leaving the country. Emmy and Amber have no idea it will be a decision that will forever change their fates.

 The rafting town is so far in the middle of nowhere that Emmy’s car radio catches nothing but static. They consider turning around until a truck pulls up, loaded with hot whitewater rafting guides and rubber rafts--just the fun they were looking for. Ignoring every instinct, they turn off the pavement and follow the truck down an isolated dirt road. They end up in Lodell, the town where a girl went missing the previous summer…and she will not be the last. 

My Thoughts 

Reading this book had me on edge from the very beginning because to me it was a nice mix of thriller, action and horror all rolled into one. Emily and Amber had a plan, ESCAPE and start over. And this is what they were doing when they left that day with new names and made their way to Canada. But this trip was interrupted for a whitewater rafting adventure. Emily, fueled by her need to experience new adventures and Amber's wanting to get away from it all, they end up in Lodell. 

Now what was great about Lodell at least for me was that it is no ordinary town by any means. I am from Trinidad and Tobago so reading about places like this , makes me very excited because it really works my imagination. When you read this book, you very early on become interested in the characters and you get a sinking feeling that something is not right about Emily and Amber's adventure. Imagine me reading in the middle of the night on my kindle and saying "TURN BACK". (NO I am not crazy just enjoying the book).

All in all this was a page turner. I enjoyed it.

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW TO PURCHASE

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Drift-Kelly-Romo-ebook/dp/B09XZYY7XJ

US - https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Drift-Kelly-Romo-ebook/dp/B09XZYY7XJ

 

Author Bio –

Kelly Romo grew up in California but has lived in Oregon for over twenty-five years. She teaches writing, literature, and social studies. She is the mother of three grown children: Brittany, Brennan, and Ryan. She is an avid outdoorswoman who loves to kayak, hike, and fish. DEAD DRIFT is Kelly’s third novel. She also has two historical fiction novels; WHISTLING WOMEN (2015) and WHEN SORROW TAKES WING (2021).

Social Media Links –

www.kellyromo.com

https://www.facebook.com/kellyromoauthorpage

https://twitter.com/KellyAnneRomo

https://www.instagram.com/kellyromo.author/

https://www.kellyromo.com/blog

FOLLOW THE TOUR 

BOOK REVIEW: BLACK CAKE by CHARMAINE WILKERSON

Synopsis

We can’t choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor’s true history, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right”? Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.

My Thoughts

This book has been on my radar for a while and this is why I decided for the month of June (Read Caribbean Month) it would be one of my book club picks. Where should I start with this review? This book exceeded my expectations because I went into it blindly, not really delving into what it was about. I also found the title 'Black Cake' interesting, because for Caribbean people and especially in my family black cake is something we have for Christmas, and yes we soak fruits in rum for months before to get the right texture, so a book about black cake?

Anyway this story was so rich, it spoke to black cake as a symbol of a life lived and a past beginning in the Caribbean, then the UK and a future in California. The black cake represents a mother Mathilda who one day leaves an island seeking a better life in a foreign land leaving behind Covey her daughter with her father Lin (who addicted to drink and gambling, loses his daughter). I love how the author tells Covey's story through a recording upon her death where her two children Benny and Byron (who are both struggling in different ways).

Covey's story was so full of surprises, some of which I admit made me sad and reflective at times because while reading, I asked myself if indeed people keep secrets to the extent that they go to their graves with them. I liked this book a lot because it was so very well executed. Charmaine Wilkerson is an author to watch.