Audiobook review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Narrator: Jorjeana Marie
Story rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Audio rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Overall rating: 5 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

MY THOUGHTS

Sometimes you open a book and know right away that you would fell in love with it. For me The Distance Between Us was perfect. It had all points that make a good contemporary for me.

• Realistic and likable heroine, which I instantly connected with. Caymen was one of the reasons why I loved this book so much. Her voice was so genuine. I also loved her sarcastic sense of humor.

• Hero, who was not only handsome and rich, but also kind and caring. I’ve told this before, but I repeat myself: there are a lot of books in YF genre where the love interest is a rude and arrogant jerk and much lesser books with caring and kind guys. Bad boys are definitely in trend. I personally don’t mind bad boys, but it’s good to have a “normal” hero, who treats heroine kindly. And Xander was just awesome.

• Swoon-worthy romance. Caymen and Xander’s relationship developed gradually (instant-love haters, you shouldn’t worry). The romance was so sweet. And “rich guy fell in love with poor girl” is one of my favorite kind of romances.

• It was a coming of age story at heart. Both Caymen and Xander dealt with family pressure and expectations. They both were at that point of their lives when they were not sure where they wanted to go from there. I’m sure many readers would relate, I sure did.

• Present family. I always prefer books that are not only all romance, but books where family plays a significant role. I liked Caymen’s relationship with her mother and we also see glimpses of Caymen’s family.

• Friends. Though Caymen’s relationship with her best friend was not main focus of the book, she was still very present.

• Kasie West writing is easy-flowing and engaging. It was my first book by this author and I’m looking forward to read more.

• The cover is gorgeous. I’m in love with it!

My thoughts about the audiobook

If you follow me, you probably know that this year I fell in love with Jorjeana Marie. She is my favorite female narrator for YA. Her narration is amazing and I can’t praise her enough. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Review: The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS

"You never know when it’s going to be the last time. That you hug someone. That you kiss. That you say goodbye."

These past few years there has been a “death trend” in YA. A lot of books about death, suicide, grieving have been released. I wasn’t tempted to read them. Partly it was because this type of books requires some emotional strength from reader; being busy and tired in real life I tend to read more light and fluffy books. But the main reason was that I have a feeling that some authors just use these serious topics to “spice up” their stories, skipping past important things.

But I made an exception for this book. Why? Was it this simple, but instantly grabbing my heart cover? Or was it this beautiful haunting title? I don’t know, but I’m so glad I’ve read it.

This story is about Lex, a girl who’s trying to come in terms with her brother Tyler’s suicide. This is one of those stories that sneak up on you. It is sad in a quiet way, it doesn’t make you emotional wreck at once, but drop after drop it fills your heart with sadness.

This book focuses more on the consequences of suicide for those left behind. While Tyler was present throughout the book in Lex’s memories and her thoughts about him, this was mostly her story.

I’m lucky, and I haven’t lost anyone I loved, but I feel like Lex’s grieving was portrayed very authentically. She misses her brother, they were very close, and she loved him so much. But at the same time she feels anger, resentment and guilt over what he had done. There’s also the fact that people treat her differently. She’s now “the girl whose brother killed himself”.

I appreciate that it was her own story, it wasn’t “a boy saved her” story (which I see a lot in YA). We become witnesses to how Lex is trying to come in terms with what happened, how it finally all come to forgiveness.

"Forgiveness is tricky, because in the end it’s more about you than it is about the person who’s being forgiven."

I also want to mention Cyntia Hand’s writing style: beautiful, easy-flowing, not too flourish. It worked for me perfectly.

This book made me appreciate what I have in my life. It made me want to hug my loved ones and don’t let them go for a while. The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a heartbreaking and beautiful story; it’s not easy to read but I highly recommend it.

Cynthia Hand lost a loved one. She wrote a heartbreaking author note. I’m very grateful that she was brave to raise this very sensitive for her topic and wrote this emotional and thought provoking book.

Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Crimson Bound
Author: Rosamund Hodge
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY
When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

MY THOUGHTS

Like Rosamund Hodge’s first novel Cruel Beauty, Crimson Bound was very atmospheric. The author created rich, full of lore world.

I love that she doesn’t just write retellings. She uses the original fairy tale as an inspiration and creates her own unique and alluring story. There were short chapters of legends throughout the main story and they added this dark edge.

"she wasn’t like any of the heroines in those stories"

Rosamund Hodge like no one can write unlikable angry heroines, full of guilt and self-loathing. Heroines that make bad and unmoral things. But I love them. I loved Nyx from Cruel Beauty and I fell in love with Rachelle. My friend Keertana had an amazing guest post with Rosamund Hodge on her blog. If you want to know why the author wrote such female characters, check it out here.

The aspect of the book that had the strongest impact on me was the unthinkable choice in front of Rachelle. She did an awful thing; yes she was tricked, but a person died because of her. Now she faces consequences.

"Every day for the last three years, she had thought she deserved to die.
She still didn’t want to. She wanted to live with every filthy, desperate scrap of her heart."

I loved the dynamic of Armand and Rachelle’s relationship. At first she considered him a fraud and despised him for that. Later they formed an untrusted partnership which transformed into friendship and finally love. They are very different persons, but somehow they complement each other.

"Armand was the one who knew how to speak, anyway. He smiled and turned his words into knives that sliced out answers and distinctions. She was just the girl who plunged blindly ahead and doomed herself doing it."

The romance wasn’t the main focus of the story, but it was unique. I’m in owe of Rosamund Hodge. To create a love interest who doesn’t have hands! I hope she would write NA or Adult. There were so many alluring possibilities in all her books which were not explored because of YA limitations. Though, in comparison to Cruel Beauty this book was surprisingly sensual and steamy.

"And then she felt it again: the sudden, sharp awareness of wanting to touch him, of the space between them as an open wound, of her own body being jumbled and awkward and far too separate when she could be pressed against him, waist to waist and chin to shoulder and her fingers sliding into that pale brown hair"

Rosamund Hodge created very interesting second characters. Erec was such a complex character. I can’t fully discuss him without spoilers, I just say that he intrigued and fascinated me. Despite his choices and his acts I couldn’t hate him, just like Rachel.

This book was surprisingly action packed. I expected something like Cruel Beauty in this aspect: a lot of mental battles, but nonexistent physical ones. But in Crimson Bound Rosamund Hodge gave the reader a lot of fighting scenes. I’m sure many readers will be thrilled. Since I’m not actually a big fan of action-packed books, this aspect was just ok for me.

Writers creating fantasy and retellings have to choose between romance and plot. More often than not they choose the latter and write plot-driven action-packed books. But I prefer romantic stories. I know, I know, they are criticized for shaky world-building or lack of action, but I love them. I will choose romantic story to action-packed book every time. Rosamund Hodge in Crimson Bound managed to deliver both aspects. Plot is very engaging; there are a lot of action scenes and the romance is wonderful.

The author created an original story with dark atmosphere and complex characters facing impossible choices. It’s beautifully written, thought-provoking and very entertaining. I loved this unique book and can’t wait what Rosamund Hodge comes up with next. Highly recommended.

Review: Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Title: Rites of Passage
Author: Joy N. Hensley
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY
Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty... no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust... and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

MY THOUGHTS

Rites of Passages is one of those books that stayed on my to-be-read list for a long time, buried under newer releases and more hyped books. And what a shame! I loved this book! From the first page it sucked me in and didn’t let go until I closed the last page. Joy N. Hensley’s writing flows easily and has this addictive quality. I’ve read this book in two sittings which is rare for me.

I don’t think I’ll write a full review on this book. I didn’t make one single bookmark or highlighted anything, because I was so engrossed in the story. But I’ll tell you this:

• Rites of Passage is enjoyable and addictive read.

• Plot is interesting; there wasn’t a dull moment in this book.

• Sam McKenna was a strong-willed likable heroine. I’m sure many readers will connect with her and relate to her.

• Love interest is amazing! He goes on my “awesome-hero” shelf.

• While the romance took back seat to the main story, it was absolutely swoon-worthy.

• The book feels very authentic. The author went to a military school on a dare and her personal experience is evident throughout the book.

• There is strong message in this book, that every girl can accomplish so much in male-dominated world.

My only complaint is the ending romance-wise. Romantic in me couldn’t be satisfied with it. That’s why I gave it 4.5 Stars.

I loved this book. Highly recommended.

Audiobook review: One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Title: One Plus One
Author: Jojo Moyes
Narrators: Elizabeth Bower, Ben Elliot, Nicola Stanton, Steven France
Story rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Audio rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Overall rating: 5 of 5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve read this book two months ago and it still stays in my thoughts. Not in a way “this book broke my heart, and I’m still picking up pieces”, but in a way “this book made me happy and put a smile on my face”.

One Plus One is the most lighthearted and funniest book by Jojo Moyes I’ve read so far. It reminded me of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty in that sense that Jojo Moyes manages to tell us about sad, depressing things in such light, full of hope manner that reader never feels overwhelmed by negative emotions.

But this book is not all fun. Yes, there were many comical moments, but there also were heartbreaking scenes, which made me tear up.

What this book is about? Two years ago Jess’s husband suffered depression and went to live with his mother. She raises their daughter Tanzie and her stepson Nicky alone, working low paid jobs and trying to meet ends. Now her Goth stepson is bullied and her math genius daughter has a chance to go to a private math school on a scholarship, but Jess can’t afford even this small payment. Their last desperate chance is a Math Olympiad where Tanzie can win needed sum of money. The only problem, it takes place in Scotland, and they need to get there. This is where Ed comes to rescue; he offered to ride them to Olympiad. Ed is a technology millionaire, whose life recently came apart. He faces major legal problems. This is how this road trip for Jess, Ed, Nicky, Tanzie and Norman (their big and stinky dog) begins.

As all Jojo Moyes’s books, One Plus One is very character-driven story. The author brought to life such interesting complex characters. Jess, Ed, Nicky, Tanzie, each of them has their own personality, their own voice, and the audio format only added to this difference. They are so imperfectly real.

Jess was such a sunny and full of life heroine. Her motto was "Good things happen to good people. You just have to keep faith." Her life was hard but she was so optimistic. It was heartbreaking to see how she at one point lost her believe in goodness. I wanted to hug her and I was happy that Ed was with her.

What surprised me the most was the romance. It was sweet, touching and unexpectedly full of eroticism and passion.

“As they drove she kept stealing looks at him. She found she couldn’t see his hands without picturing them on her skin, that soft mop of hair travelling slowly down her bare stomach. She thought about the smell of him, the tough muscle and the smooth skin of him.”

Despite wonderful romance, One Plus One is more family and character’s growth book. Jojo Moyes masterfully pictures different types of relationship here: Jess and Tanzie, Jess and Nicky, fantastic sibling bound between Tanzie and Nicky, Ed’s relationship with his family, with his father. I was especially touched by Nicky and Tanzie, there were so much love, caring and support between them.

My thoughts about the audiobook

Narration was very good. It’s been a while since I’ve listened to a multiple narration and I forgot how wonderful it is when each character has their own voice. There were four narrators, each for Jess, Ed, Nicky and Tanzie and they’d done a great job bringing these characters to life. I also liked that Nicky and Tanzie sounded like a teenage boy and a girl. I find it very annoying when a young character is performed by a narrator with an “old” voice.

One Plus One ended up on my favorite shelf. I highly recommend it to those who love character driven stories about family and love.

Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There
Author: Heather Demetrios
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

MY THOUGHTS

My life is very different from Skylar’s, but we have at least two things in common: our love for dancing and paper crafting. When I went to college I used to dance. Not professionally, it was just a hobby, but for several years dancing was a big part of my life. So I relate to Skylar in this. There was a wonderful scene in the beginning of the book where Skylar went to a salsa club with her friend Chris. I can notch up a star just for this scene. The author so well captured Skylar’s emotions on the dance floor. This rush, energy, lightness, this freedom, when you don’t need to think, you can get lost in the music. When it’s just you and your partner, your hand in his and you just need to follow his lead.

"For a while, I just let the music have its way with me. The beats soaked into my skin and filled me up. I tilted my head back and laughed into the rainbow-colored lights, my body slick with sweat."

I know many readers probably won’t give this scene a second thought, but because of my personal experience it tugged at my heartstrings and made me nostalgic. I remember when I had an awful day or a bad week I would go to club and dance. Like Skylar said: “I just wanted to dance it all away”, and it actually went away. All bad staff evaporated when I was on the dance floor.

"When I was out there dancing, it was like anything was possible."

The second thing that resonated with me was Skylar’s love for paper crafting. I love everything paper related: collages, scrapbooking, projects with my kids. I’m familiar with this special state of mind when the world fell away and it’s just me and my project.

"As I worked… my world whittled down to the feel of the paper under my fingers"

I relate to Skylar’s need to express her emotions and life events in paper and just let it all go.

"I needed to collage, get my hands dirty with glue and scissors and paper that melted under my skin. I’d take all our bills and receipts and tear them up into tiny pieces. Then I’d turn the pieces into a kite, flying up into the sky. Or I could collage a cheeseburger with a thick, creamy shake. Maybe a train, heading out of Creek View."

I'll Meet You There is mostly Skylar’s story and is written from her perspective, but there are short chapters told from Josh POV between Skylar’s chapters. I really liked them.

I loved romance in this book. It was beautiful and slow, moving initially to friendship. While at first I thought there wasn’t a lot of chemistry between them, later there were a couple of absolutely swoony scenes. I found both Sky and Josh so real. Josh, cocky player in high school, had lost in Afghanistan not only his friends and his leg, but part of himself. He is lost and angry and alone in his guilt. Skylar desperately wants to leave her hometown behind. Suddenly her well planned future is not so sure and she is lost too. But together they will find their way to the happiness.

"I had to tell him we were like a collage. Pieces that could be put back together in a new way, a better way."

There is also a great cast of secondary characters in this book. I loved friendship between Chris, Dylan and Skylar. And of course there was Marge.

However several things bugged me. Characters used words w*tback, f*ggot and made offensive statements. It was always a joke, or a character was drunk and later apologized, but it bothered me.

The other aspect of the book that grated on my nerves was Skylar’s relationship with her mother. This woman made awful things and treated Skylar badly. In the end all their issues were quickly and conveniently resolved. And there was also Skylar’s aunt; this plot line was just dropped. I didn’t buy it. In my opinion this book could make all its points without this whole situation with the mother. Skylar and Josh had a lot on their plate as it was: Josh’s PTSD, disability, and unclear future; Skylar’s poverty, her graduation and plans to leave her hometown and friends behind. There were a lot to work with and Skylar’s mother only added unnecessary drama; this made my experience of reading, I don’t know, cheaper.

Another topic that the author addressed in this book is poverty. At first sight it takes the back seat to Josh’s PTSD and Skylar’s situation with her mother, but it always there in details and small moments. It’s like a background to the whole picture. Heather Demetrios made great job here and deals with this topic authentically and in not in your face way.

“I wanted to tell her that poverty wasn’t catching”

I'll Meet You There is a solid YA which tackles several important topics. Despite some flaws I think it’s a great story and I recommend it.

Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

Title: The Girl You Left Behind
Author: Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
In The Girl You Left Behind, two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for what they love most - whatever the cost.

Whatever happened to the girl you left behind?

France, 1916. Sophie Lefevre must keep her family safe whilst her adored husband Edouard fights at the front. When she is ordered to serve the German officers who descend on her hotel each evening, her home becomes riven by fierce tensions. And from the moment the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie’s portrait – painted by Edouard – a dangerous obsession is born, which will lead Sophie to make a dark and terrible decision.

Almost a century later, and Sophie’s portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before he died. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and its troubled history. A history that is about to resurface and turn Liv’s life upside down all over again...

MY THOUGHTS

"All that really matters is who you love."

I finished this book a while ago. Life went on; I started reading other books, but The Girl You Left Behind doesn’t want to let me go. It lingers and I have flashbacks to some scenes or phrases from the book. It’s so wonderful! It was a long time since a book made such a lasting impression on me.

The Girl You Left Behind is two stories in one. The first story set in France, 1916. Sophie lives in a small town under occupation. Her husband Edouard went off to war and one of very few things that she has of him is his portrait of her. The second story set in England, 2006. It is Liv’s story. Her husband, a talented architect, died four years ago. She continues to grieve, and the only thing that keeps her going on is the portrait of a young girl, which her husband gifted her on their honeymoon. When the heirs claimed that the portrait was stolen during WWI, Liv refuses to let it go without a fight. As confrontation escalates and facts about portrait’s past revealed it began to threaten Liv’s hopes for new love and happy life.

About first 30 % of the book is Sophie’s story and then we abruptly thrown into Liv’s life. I was so shocked and frustrated. I was invested in Sophie’s story, and I wanted to know what happened to her. So it took me a while to connect with Liv. At first I thought that this was all I’ve had of Sophie and I would only see glimpses of her in letters, newspapers, and memoirs; and I was really angry, because Sophie became a real person to me. Fortunately this wasn’t the case here. There were more of Sophie’s POV weaved in Liv’s story. Actually there were more time jumps than that, because Sophie’s parts were interrupted by her memories about her husband. Though it was at times frustrating I think this structure of the book made a perfect sense. It reflects the atmosphere in which people lived during the WWI. Person didn’t know what would happen tomorrow. He could be abruptly torn away from his familiar life and his loved ones, his future unknown.

So, back to Liv’s story. As I’ve said before, at first it was difficult to connect with her. But it’s the kind of story that sneaks up on you. One moment I was annoyed and frustrated because I wanted to know what happened to Sophie, the next I’m consumed by Liv’s grieve and loneliness. The author made such an amazing job here. Liv’s loneliness was such a palpable thing, it broke my heart.

When Liv’s story started I thought that it can’t be as emotional as Sophie’s story, that I wouldn’t be so invested in Liv’s life as I was with Sophie. After all what all our contemporary mundane problems are contrary to the problems of people during WWI? I should’ve known better. Jojo Moyes made me feel, made me cry and I became so immerse in Liv’s story that at some point Sophie’s chapters became interruptions.

And I loved the romance between Liv and Paul. There was something in their relationship that squeezed my heart and wouldn’t let me go. Was it their tenderness and hope or heartbreaking revelation what they are to each other, their longing and broken hearts, their desperation, their love, strength and faith? I don’t know. I just know that I wouldn’t forget this romance for a long time.

Despite my love for Liv, my heart belongs to Sophie. It was like I was with her on every step of her heartbreaking journey. She is such a strong and purposeful heroine. There was one scene that nearly broke me

(the scene where Sophie brought the portrait to the Kommandant)

And another one left me in despair and anger

(when Sophie was brought to the camp)

"Do you know how it feels to resign yourself to your fate? It is almost welcome. There was to be no more pain, no more fear, no more longing. It is the death of hope that comes as the greatest relief."

We don’t really know Edouard. At the beginning of the book he had already gone to the front, so we only see glimpses of him in Sophie’s memories. But Jojo Moyes wrote these short chapters amazing, Edouard became a real man and their romance with Sophie was beautiful. It made me felt her loneliness, longing and desperation even more.

When we hear the word “war” we often picture explosions, injured soldiers and think about their courage and self-sacrifice. But how often do we think about the women they left behind? Women which lived in occupation, which also made sacrifices. This wonderful book brings light to this side of the war.

Sophie and Liv had more in common than just the portrait. Both women kept going on because of their absolute faith in what they were doing. In Sophie’s case she believed that she will be with her husband again no matter what happened, and Liv was willing to risk everything to save the portrait.

"Sometimes life is a series of obstacles, a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes… it is simply a matter of blind faith."

The Girl You Left Behind is a heartbreaking story about love and loss and hope. Now I can’t wait to read another book by Jojo Moyes and lost myself in her characters and their life.

Audiobook Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Title: Big Little Lies
Author: Liane Moriarty
Narrator: Caroline Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
My rating of Narration: 5 of 5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS

I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to read a book by Liane Moriarty. Big Little Lies is brilliant. The author brings to life these amazing complex characters and masterfully dissects marriage, motherhood, friendship and many other important topics. It doesn’t matter if you are married, divorced, or single; if you have children or not; if you work full time or you are staying at home; you will find something for you in this book. Read it.

I’ve listened to an audio version and I highly recommend it. The narrator Caroline Lee made such an amazing job here. I think she added a lot to the story. The only downside of audio was that I couldn’t highlight passages I loved; and believe me there were plenty of them.

I loved Liane Moriarty’s writing style and audio format allowed me to appreciate it more. She writes about serious things (it’s a book about a murder after all), but her writing is easy and funny.

Big Little Lies follows lives of three women, who live in one small town and those children attend the same kindergarten. Madeline is a force of nature. She deals with her ex-husband, teenage daughter and school politics with a smile. Gorgeous Celeste has a life from a magazine cover: handsome rich loving husband, two little sons, and big beautiful house. But nothing is like it seems from the first sight. Jane is a quiet and shy young single mother whose past hides painful memories. These three women couldn’t be more different but they form a friendship.

My favorite character is Madeline. She is such an energetic optimistic person. She is strong and honest, she thrives on fights and never back down. She is so caring and loyal to her friends. I wish I had such a friend in my life. Raising a teenager is not an easy task on its own, but having your ex-husband and his new family living in the same area, and trying to be civil and supportive when he participates in their daughters life despite that he abandoned them? Not an easy task.

Celeste’s storyline was like watching a wreck. You know what’s coming but can’t look away. It also made me question how much I really know about people around me, even my close friends. We all are so quick to post our smiling photos and happy updates on social networks, but who knows what happens behind the closed doors?

Jane was another story. It’s obvious that something happened to her in the past. She is broken and lonely. As her story revealed, I sympathized with her. I was so happy to see how she gradually changes.

Big Little Lies is a very character-driven story. Little happens in terms of plot. The pace is slow and there is a lot of mundane life of characters. For me the beauty of this book was in these everyday events and thoughts.

So many things in this book resonated with me. I connected with these heroines on so many levels. There were sad and ugly things like Jane’s past and Celeste’s present and there were happy and filled with hope moments like Jane’s new love and Madeline’s relationship with her husband. Like in real life.

I was especially punched by this whole suburban community scene. All this judgment, talking behind someone’s back. Community expectations and community pressure. How often does a woman, a mother make her decisions thinking about what her neighbors would say, not what is best for her and her family? Though I live in another country in the big city I recognized so many patterns in my life.

The structure of this book is unusual. Between the parts of main story we have the parts where neighbors and witnesses are questioned. At first it was a little confusing and overwhelming, all these short comments from so many people, but as the story progressed I begin to like it. It’s a great illustration on how community thrives on rumors.

The author keeps the readers glued to the pages not only with the fascinating and complex characters, but also with the mystery and suspense elements. We don’t know what happened with Jane, why she is the way she is. At first we have no clue what is wrong with Celeste. And finally there was a murder. From the start we know that there was a murder at the school Trivia Night, but we don’t know what happened and even who was murdered. The author gives the readers little snippets of information and gradually we can see the big picture. Big Little Lies is not a murder mystery in its classic meaning, this aspect made the book more interesting.

I’m not sure I can make this wonderful book any justice. I highly recommend it. Especially in audio.

Review: The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes

Title: The Distance Between Lost and Found
Author: Kathryn Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS

Last year we all here in Russia were shocked by tragedy happened in the Irkutsk region. Three teenagers who lived in the rural area got lost in the forest. That day after school they decided not to wait for the bus but to go home on foot. Next morning one was found dead and two others were taken to the intensive care unit with severe frostbite. I forgot to mention that it was winter and temperature was about - 30 °C (-22.0 °F). So when I started The Distance Between Lost and Found I was acutely aware that this could happen in real life. People make stupid choices and get lost in the forest and die.

Oh, well, back to the book. Main character Hallelujah (Hallie) is a pariah in her school. She is constantly bullied and subjected to ridicule by classmates. Their leader is Luke, the preacher’s son. We don’t know why she is in this situation. The book starts with Hallie coming on a youth group retreat in the Smoky Mountains. This part is only a short introduction to the main story, but the author made a great job picturing this situation. I felt Hallie’s humiliation, her anger, her fear to open up. The only person who is willing to speak with Hallie and show her kindness is Rachel, new girl from the different area, who knows nothing about Hallie’s past.

The main story however begins when Hallie, Rachel and Jonah (Hallie’s ex-friend) after one bad decision are lost in the forest.

The Distance Between Lost and Found is a survival story. Hallelujah, Jonah and Rachel had a lot to overcome: thirst, hunger, exhaustion, cold, injuries, and storm. It felt real to me (especially because of the tragedy I’ve mentioned earlier). But also it is a Hallelujah’s story of self-discovery, of finding her voice figuratively and literally.

As the story progressed we are given information piece by little piece about what happened to Hallie. It’s emotional and heartbreaking story. Through the course of the book Hallie became stronger, she opened up to Rachel and Jonah and it’s wonderful to witness changes in her.

I tend to avoid religious books. If I knew about this aspect of the book I would probably skip it. I’m so glad I didn’t. I never felt like I was preached. Even the name Hallelujah made sense. For me the message was: you need to believe in yourself in the first place. You are much stronger then you think you are. Sometimes a person needs to be put in extreme circumstances to understand what’s important and what’s not, that it is your choice to be silent or not and finally find strength to speak up, to fight back.

There is a hint of a romance in this book. But don’t expect much, the characters have more serious things on their agenda, like survival. The romance gives us hope that everything can be different, can be ok.

All in all The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes is a good book which raises a number of important topics.

Review: This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

Title: This Shattered World (Starbound #2)
Author: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

MY THOUGHTS

First of all I want to say that I love the covers to this series. Not only they are gorgeous, but they are true to the story.

Secondly I really like this concept of three companion novels set in one universe and featuring different characters.

When I started reading This Shattered World I hoped that I would see more of Lilac and Tarver. And I did. And it wasn’t a short meaningless appearance just to please fans. Lilac and Tarver played big and important role in the second book. I like how the authors did such a great job incorporating characters from the previous installment.

The structure of the second book is similar to the first. We have main chapters and there are short chapters between them. These short chapters are about a little girl, her dreams or memories. It looks like the authors tried to mimic the structure of These Broken Stars where we had short chapters of Tarver’s interrogation between the main ones. But it didn’t work here the way it had worked in the first installment. Tarver’s interrogation chapters added suspense, little girl’s chapters only added confusion and were jarring interruptions. At the end I don’t see what the point of them was.

I couldn’t help but compare This Shattered World to the first installment. In These broken stars it was just Lilac and Tarver for the most part of the book and readers didn’t actually see much of this huge world. One of my complaints was lack of world building. In This Shattered World we see more of it and I’m very glad about it. In the first book rebellions were only mentioned, in the second Installment we are in the middle of the war.

What This Shattered World was lacking was suspense. While reading These Broken Stars I was constantly on the edge, asking myself questions, guessing and second-guessing everything. With the second installment – not so much. Probably it was because the big revelation have been made in the first book and for me there wasn’t questions who and why.

These Broken Stars was a love-story. In These Shattered World the romance between Flynn and Jubilee took back seat to the rebellion and war.

As for the main characters the authors continue to bring to life amazing couples. Jubilee is such a kick-ass heroine. But she also has a vulnerable side that no one can see. Until Flynn. He is one of my favorite heroes. He is caring, honest, loyal and brave.

I liked Sofia, town girl who helped Flynn. I was intrigued by her and wanted to know more about her. So now I’m really excited about the next installment, because apparently it would be Sofia’s book.

All in all This Shattered World was a great mix of fast-paced sci-fi, mystery and romance. I highly recommend it.

Review: Send by Patty Blount

Title: Send
Author: Patty Blount
Publication date: August 1st 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
My rating: 3 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
It’s been five years since I clicked Send.
Four years since I got out of juvie.
Three months since I changed my name.
Two minutes since I met Julie.
A second to change my life.

All Dan wants for his senior year is to be invisible. This is his last chance at a semi-normal life. Nobody here knows who he is. Or what he’s done. But on his first day at school, instead of turning away like everyone else, Dan breaks up a fight. Because Dan knows what it’s like to be terrorized by a bully—he used to be one.

Now the whole school thinks he’s some kind of hero—except Julie. She looks at him like she knows he has a secret. Like she knows his name isn’t really Daniel...

MY THOUGHTS

There are things that I liked in Send and things that I didn’t.

I liked

1. Send by Patty Blount takes a different approach on bullying than books I’ve read previously. Rather than centers on a victim, it tells the readers about the bully himself. We see that bullying affects not only victim but also bully, as well as their families.

2. Dan. He is a great main character. When I begin to read this book I wasn’t expecting to like Dan as him being the bully. But I couldn’t help but sympathize with him. There so much guilt and pain inside him, that it difficult to watch. He can’t forget his past, he thinks he should suffer. He makes a big journey trying to forgive and learning to love.

3. Kenny. Kenny is thirteen years old Dan. Nobody, but Dan can see and hear him. Kenny lives in a room inside Dan’s head. It sounds bizarre but Patty Blount makes a great job here. Actually Kenny is my favorite character in this book. He helps understand Dan better. And I liked their banter, arguing and their tender moments.

4. Mystery element. We don’t know what exactly happened with Dan in the past. The author gives us only snippets of information. Though the mystery aspect is not mind-blowing, I guessed early in the book, it makes this book more interesting.

I didn’t like

1. Send wasn’t as emotional as I expected. I wanted it to be grittier, more heartbreaking.

2. Romance. It didn’t work for me. In my opinion there wasn’t any chemistry between Dan and Julie.

3. This disturbing violent scene.

The scene where Julie’s father beats Dan

I don’t see the purpose of it. While Send deals with such a serious topic as bullying and its aftermath, this book is told in rather light tones. So such graphic description of beating was unexpected and unnecessary.

4. Secondary characters. Brandon is a guy at Dan’s new school, whom he tries to befriend. Brandon is bullied by Jeff. I think both Brandon and Jeff were underdeveloped. I also find the ending of this subplot rushed and unfinished. Also I have some issues with how Dan’s parents were portrayed. Dan is very close to his parents, he shares with them his problems, and they are understanding and loving. Actually they are unrealistically understanding. Is it possible that the guy with such a past as Dan has this kind of relationship with his parents?

Send by Patty Blount is not a perfect book, but it deals with this serious topic in a unique way. If you interested in reading a book about bullying and its consequences you should give it a try.

Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent (Divergent #1)
Author: Veronica Roth
Publication date: February 28th 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

MY THOUGHTS

I'm probably the last person on earth to read Divergent. With all the hype surrounding this series I was a little skeptical about reading Divergent. But I liked it. I liked it a lot. Many readers complained that Divergent doesn’t deserve so much attention. I disagree. Several past years had so many bad dystopia releases, and Divergent is really good, especially in comparison to many others in the genre.

Action-packed books are not my thing, but I couldn’t put this one down. It was fast-paced, one scene was constantly replaced by another, but I never grew bored, I kept turning pages, anxious to know what happens next.

One of the reason I liked this book was Tris. She was a kick-ass heroine. She was courageous, strong, selfless and loyal to those she loved. She’s not ideal, she had her flaws, but she was an amazing heroine.

Another thing I liked in Divergent was romance. Tris and Four’s love story was such a beautiful one. Their relationship developed gradually and realistically. And I couldn’t help but fell hard for both of them.

I can’t say that Divergent is a book without flaws, it has some of them. Mild spoiler ahead. There were several deaths at the end of the book, which happened very quickly. Then the scene immediately moved to the next and reader did’t have time to process what happened. Because of the rush, these deaths didn’t have necessary emotional impact. But despite some flaws I give Divergent five Stars. Maybe I’m too generous, but I enjoyed this book a lot and it deserved them.

I’m really looking forward to the second book. Also I’m so glad I picked this series after all three books have been released.

Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)
Author: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Publication date: December 10th 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

MY THOUGHTS

First of all I want to say that the cover is stunning. I absolutely love it! Though lately beautiful covers often accompany bad books I still can’t walk away from a gorgeous one.

These Broken Stars is a book that I’ve been dying to read for months now. In truth I began to read this book with a little apprehension. After all the high ratings and amazing reviews I had read my expectations were very high. I was afraid to be disappointed, but disappointed I was not. This was a really good book.

Though These Broken Stars is the first book in Starbound trilogy, it reads as a stand-alone. Dear authors, I appreciate it very much. I hate when the first book ends with a cliffhanger and I don’t have the second one and have to wait for months to know what happened next. In Starbound trilogy there will be 3 companion novels, about different people in the same world.

The world in These Broken Stars is huge and has great possibilities. Unfortunately the world building is rather scarce and this is my only complaint about this book. I want to know more about this society. But the authors give us only the outline in the first book. I hope to see more in the next one.

The story was told in the POVs of Lilac and Tarver. And I really liked these little parts of Tarver’s interrogation between the chapters.

Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen are the only survivals after crash of a spaceship Irarus. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver is a young war hero; he came from middle-class and is treated like the lowest among society. To survive on an unknown planet they have to work together.

One of the great aspects of this book was mystery. It kept me turning pages. I could barely put the book down; I just needed to know what was going on with Lilac and Tarver. Voices? Is Lilac going crazy? Why Tarver is interrogated? What has happened to them? Where is Lilac? Endless questions were in my head. I don’t get answers for all my questions. There are some loose ends. I get the feeling that the authors made this deliberately and we’ll get more information in the next installment.

This book is not sci-fi, it is romance driven. If you don’t like romance and want sci-fi, spaceships and so on, maybe this book is not for you. If you want beautiful romance with sci-fi entourage, grab These Broken Stars.

I really liked the romance here. I loved the dynamic of Lilac and Tarver’s relationship: from distrust and prejudice into reluctant partnership into friendship and trust and later love. I wanted more steam, but I understand that they had more important things like survival.

This book is a perfect mix of sci-fi, romance, survival and mystery. I highly recommend it!