The Fall of Lisa Bellow | 
so-soPoignant. This YA novel is a journey through the minds of family members tainted by tragedies--how they persevere as individuals and stick together as a family. This book had so much potential in the beginning but left me hanging in the end.
As a teacher, this made me roar, "The library period was a fake period during the day, as far as she could tell, that allowed teachers to go to the teachers' lounge and drink Red Bull." In this year of 2020, there never was a truer statement ?
Anyone want either of these two books (or both)? Top one I got as an ARC and never read it so they are practically brand new.
so-soThis another YA novel that fell a little short. The premise is very good, but it just not take me home. With that send the last chapter was quite lovely.
Next up!
so-soWhat if you were involved in a robbery and out of you and the popular girl in your class, SHE was the one kidnapped? How would you feel? Your family? This book explores the points of view of a mother and daughter, and through their eyes, a traumatic event that has ramifications through their family and their town. The girl's PTSD from the event and how she mentally coped was heartbreaking. I gave it 3 stars.
pickI'm not sure how I feel about this. I really enjoyed it while I was reading it but it wasn't exactly what I expected. If you are looking for a thriller this isn't it because it deals with the after effects of trauma. I think I am unsure of how I feel because I really didn't like the characters especially the mother.
pickI'm not sure how I feel about this. I really enjoyed it while I was reading it but it wasn't exactly what I expected. If you are looking for a thriller this isn't it because it deals with the after effects of trauma. I think I am unsure of how I feel because I really didn't like the characters especially the mother.
pickTwo eighth grade girls and a gunman walk into a sandwich shop. This the story of the girl left behind & the hole left by the one taken. I love the back & forth of the voices of the girl & her mother as a family tries to find the way back from the edge of almost taken...is it a blessing or an almost blessing? What do you do when your daughter is still there, but not? How does a girl move on when all she can do is stare into the hole left behind?
so-soThis is one of those books that ends in the wrong place and resolves the wrong conflict. Very disappointed in where it ended but others might be more open to a crime book that only sort DEALS with the crime but ultimately only cares about inner conflict. 😌
Hi friends! Let's have a bit of fun! Use #ReadingChairs #jenniferasks and let's show our favorite reading spots!! Comment if you're playing along! Here's mine: comfy chair and sunshine!! @Liberty @Kd_reads @Reviewsbylola
A cold Friday evening at a junior high track meet. Planning on reading this until my daughter's race.
Lying in bed sick but with a good book and company. Thank you @SimonSchuster for sending me the book am really liking it so far!
The cover is gorgeous and when I'm healthy and it stops snowing, I'll head out to snap a pretty cover shot.
This gem is on my #TBR!! Now someone give me 2 extra days of the week so I can get to reading all these books!!
pickI really liked this story of the girl NOT taken. Perabo did a beautiful job of getting in the mind of an 8th grade girl, Meredith, and her mother. Both struggled mightily to navigate a new normal after Meredith witnessed the kidnapping of a classmate. This is not a suspense novel, but a character study rooted in family. Full review here: http://www.novelvisits.com/fall-lisa-bellow-susan-perabo-review/
pickTwo middle school girls of very different social standing in school are at a deli when it is robbed. One is taken, the other left. How do you deal with the guilt, the pain.... The fact that you didn't even really like her. What happens to the girl that got left.
I loved this, but feel like there were some glaring plot holes. I would have liked more info on the kidnapped girl, though I know it isn' t the point of this book. 4☆'s
This cover caught my eye – the plot synopsis sounds like it could be pretty interesting too!
so-soAlthough not typical for me, I read the Litsy reviews as I was starting this book. I'm so glad I did. The resounding theme was disappointment. Lisa Bellow is touted by the publisher as a novel of suspense. The reviews claimed this was false, so I went in knowing not to expect suspense. The reviews were right. Although the story of an abduction, it focuses on the aftermath for the witness Meredith. The book became convoluted for me and was just ok.
pickBeen a slow reading week for me as I've been busy with classes, lesson planning, and I had to get my daughters back on schedule after taking an extended Chinese New Year break (homeschool/online schooling). I did finally finish this one though, finally. It will pull at your heartstrings and affect you deeply. I look forward to more from this author in the future. 👍😌#NetGalleyReads
#LitsyPartyOfOne
Stopped an hour into my party to get some dinner with the kids and hubby, then grabbed some groceries. Now kids are hanging out in the living room, hubby's gone off to see his dad for a bit, and I'm back to my party of one. Cozied down in my reading nook, aka the foot of our bed 😸, with two cats (not pictured because they're huddled under the covers). Got my toesocks, Weebeast (for company, LoL), banana apple juice, and water.
#LitsyPartyOfOne @Ambrosnazzy
The party has begun! 🎉🎈
Starting this evening off with a light snack of seaweed and a new book I just got invited to review. 🙂📖
"This is me. This is my real life"
so-soThis is an engaging and thought-provoking read- hard to categorize, but definitely bound to incite good discussion amongst its readers!
I'm about 1/4 of the way through and the book has managed to keep me captivated enough to continue reading. I do feel like it is somewhat slow moving with the story line since most of what I've read has been character building. I also feel like some of the character building has left me confused as I'm not sure how it is prevalent to the rest of the story. Interested to see how quickly it picks up and how successfully the books ties together.
so-soI was completely into this book until the last few pages. What started out as a page-turning look into the minds of the people left behind when a teenage girl is kidnapped ended as kind of a disappointment.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Based on writing and depth of characters, I can give this a higher rating. That is without any biases; however, this book is not what it is advertised as. There is nothing suspenseful about the book. It is a coming of age novel, and that's about it. Thanks #netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc.
Full review: http://www.theghastlygrimoire.com/2016/10/16/book-review-the-fall-of-lisa-bellow...
so-soYA story about a young girl who was involved in a crime but was spared the fate of one of her classmates. The plot and drama in the book relate to living with having been spared. My biggest issues relate to the blurbs which say that this is a book of suspense (it is not) and relating it to Room (nope). Also, is not being promoted at YA, but that's the genre that it fits into IMHO. The disconnect threw me off. a #netgalley read
About halfway through this one. Took a few days to myself for some gaming, and in the meantime I started getting a few more NetGalley requests approved. Time to start hacking away again.
pickI saw some reviews that complained about this book not being very suspenseful. This novel is *not* a thriller and ROOM shouldn't really be used as a comp title as it's not as much about a kidnapping as it is an intimate moving portrait of a family in crisis. A beautiful searing story.
Time to wind down and snuggle with my number one #cuddlebuddy and read a book! #catsoflitsy #littenkitten #kittenlitten #OtistheCat
so-soThe publisher describes this book as "suspenseful," but I disagree. Meredith is an eighth grade girl who witnesses a classmate's abduction in the midst of a crime being committed. This book is about how Meredith, her family and the people around them cope with the personal trauma and the tragedy of the kidnapping. Not suspenseful, but it is an interesting perspective.
I was able to snag an advanced reader copy of this one. So far, it's shaping up to be YA, but I'm willing to give it a chance.
