The story follows Carol who is struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event that has left her grappling with grief and the profound emptiness it brings. When Carol‘s ex-husband shows up at her office with yet another trauma to add to her plate, they escape on a journey of the past and healing of old traumas. The level of love and forgiveness throughout these pages is heart wrenching. The storyline is unique and the character growth is strong

"Long After We Are Gone" by Tara Shelton Harris is a poignant exploration of grief, love, and the complex tapestry of human relationships. The narrative delves into the aftermath of loss, capturing the emotional turmoil of those left behind. Harris crafts deeply relatable characters, each grappling with their own pain while seeking connection and understanding amidst their struggles.

"The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett is a powerful exploration of identity, race, and the complexities of familial bonds. The novel centers on the lives of twin sisters, Stella and Desiree Vignes, who grow up in a small, Southern Black community. When Stella chooses to pass as white, it sets the stage for a profound rift between the sisters, leading them down starkly different paths.

I‘m glad I could get to the end of this story. Again I think it was not a well written book but cute. Definitely a cute love story! The ending was pretty good. I am super happy for Thayer and Salem and will carry their story with me for some time. First book was the best of the three. I think I was most impressed with Caleb‘s growth- the rest remained mostly unchanged.

I have to finish this series just to see where it ends. It‘s really a cute story but very cheesy. The constant references to how short life is and live everyday yada..it‘s sort of annoying or how he calls her sunshine. One minute she has an engagement ring then they got new rings since they didn‘t have any- did she forget what she wrote a chapter back? Overall cute story second book not as great!

18 year old Salem‘s life has been full of trauma. When her 30 year old neighbor, Thayer moves in her whole world is turned upside down. This definitely has some open door activity and some SA triggers. I am into the next one now because I need to know what happens with this couple. It‘s more of a YA read but still good and easy!

I adored this story. The tragedy, betrayal, lies- yet all the love and healing and compassion. What a roller coaster ride. Clara was by far my favorite character- followed closely by Miller and Morgan. Jonah I felt was a filler and had no real depth. I ate this up in a day! Quick easy read with quite an unusual situation that sets everything in motion.

I wasn‘t sure what to think of this story at first. A lot of the time I felt as if there was a lot of fluff, but once I got to the grit of the book it all made sense. There is some PPD- which I have not read a lot of and I enjoyed this being a part of the story. There is mystery, secrets and a lot of lies. Didn‘t see the ending - I was not able to call out the ending/didnt see it coming.

What did I just read! When the mayors wife is murdered, Mason, who is on the autism spectrum (or is he??) is found next to her body. What you think is a clear cut case isn‘t- as it never is what you suspect in Berry‘s novels. The deceit and lies in this book are shocking and the end I never saw coming!! Characters were good, some I felt added no value -but overall good read!

Tricia and Ethan head out to see a showing for their potential forever home. What happens when stuck inside after a snowstorm strands them is anything but shocking. The twists and turns made me need to find out what was happening! I annotated this book in the beginning with my thoughts and boy I was off base! Good quick thriller about lies and deceit and the consequences. Characters did not have much growth and Tricia annoyed me but good read!

"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara is a profound and emotionally wrenching novel that follows the lives of four young men—Jude, Willem, Malcolm, and JB—over several decades in New York City. The narrative delves deeply into themes of friendship, trauma, and the enduring scars of the past, centering primarily on Jude St. Francis.

I cried but not to the extent everyone else did -geesh. It was a touching story and I‘m glad it‘s done!

Jones masterfully weaves tension and suspense, creating an atmosphere filled with unpredictability. The characters are well-developed, especially Pammie, who embodies the archetype of the manipulative mother-in-law with chilling intensity. Readers are drawn into Emily's plight, as she navigates her growing unease and the increasingly sinister dynamics at play. I never saw it coming!

I loved every character and the entire story- I did not like my tears at the end. The story revolves around a 39-year-old woman named Solene, who unexpectedly becomes involved with a much younger man, a 20-something pop star. Lee skillfully navigates themes of age, maturity, and societal expectations, creating a compelling narrative that challenges conventional notions of romance. Now onto the movie ❤️

The story follows seven-year-old Elsa, a bright and imaginative girl who has a unique relationship with her eccentric grandmother. When her grandmother passes away, Elsa is tasked with delivering her grandmother‘s apologies to various people in their community. The end of this book had me in tears thinking of how horribly I miss my own grandmother. This book was a journey!

The Inmate is a gripping psychological thriller. The story follows single mom Brooke Sullivan who suffered a horrific tragedy in her teenage years. The twists and turns in this book had me reeling and I saw none of it coming- when I thought I did I was proven wrong. Well played McFadden- well played!

The story centers around an unassuming protagonist who finds herself entangled with a charismatic but enigmatic coworker. As the plot unfolds, McFadden skillfully weaves tension and suspense, revealing dark secrets that challenge loyalty and trust. When I thought I knew what‘s happened - turn the page and I‘m somewhat blindsided. Quick fast paced read! Now onto The Inmate!

Following the journey of Santiago, a young shepherd who dreams of discovering his personal legend—a quest for self-discovery and fulfillment. As he travels from Spain to Egypt in search of treasure, he encounters a series of mentors and challenges that impart profound life lessons about destiny, love, and the interconnectedness of all things.

My favorite quote “it‘s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary.”

"Three Weeks With My Brother" is a heartfelt memoir co-written by bestselling author Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah Sparks. The book chronicles a transformative journey they undertook together, blending personal anecdotes with reflections on family, love, and loss. Through their travels, the brothers navigate the complexities of their lives, including the challenges brought by the many deaths in their family. Must read! ❤️

The story follows a couple, Erin and Mark, who embark on a dream honeymoon but stumble upon a shocking discovery while scuba diving. There was too much left unfinished or explained. This was mediocre at best, the writing was all over the place, at times massive unnecessary detail that should have gone into explaining what happened- I would not recommend.

I was not horribly impressed with this book or the ending.

A gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of truth, trust, and betrayal within a friendship dynamic. This story follows a group of girls who attended camp as young girls and committed a horrendous act. Now some 20 years later they are back together and once again nothing good comes from them being together. A lot of stuff was quickly wrapped up but not completely.

A poignant and emotionally charged novel that explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring impact of war. The story follows the intertwined lives of two main characters, Chaos and Ella-each grappling with their past and the scars of their experiences. The gut wrenching ending had me having to wipe my tears so I could see thru my teary vision! Must read!!

That was intense- we never really know someone do we! When a girl goes missing her new young crush is assumed to be responsible, but did Liam really do it. I could not put this down and I did not see the end. I had a completely different thought. Thanks Freida!

5th book of 2022!

I hope this is a good one!!

Moving on to the next read. I‘m crushing through my tbr pile BUT keep adding to it as well 🤷🏼‍♀️😆

Next on the tbr shelf- that shelf keeps growing 😀

I‘m excited for this one!!

She just tugs at my heart. Her imagery is intense- love her books!

Next on the list

Up next!!

Trying to reach my reading goal a lot quicker this year!! 9 of 35

Onto the next...

Not the best book I‘ve read in a while

Absolutely loved this book!
Best quote “Soul objective. Begin with the end in mind. What‘s your story.”

Nervous about the reviews on this!

Next! I kinda love her books so I‘m excited!

Super excited to finally start this book!

Next book- work and school set up included! Getting thru this book by book❤️

Next during isolation...can‘t wait to be able to go to the library or book store again :(

Quarantine means reading thru my piles...can I order books online you think? I mean that is an essential need 😆