The Secret No One Knows

The Secret No One Knows

Nov 25, 2013

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig

Release Date: April 9, 2013
Publisher: Macmillan | St. Martin's Press
Pages: 358 pages
Source & Format: Bought; Hardcover
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)
As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she's been working towards - but now she's not sure it's enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at thirty-four, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie's ninety-ninth birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything...

What follows is a potent story that spans generations and continents, bringing an Out of Africa feels to a Downton Abbey cast of unforgettable characters. From the inner circles of WWI-era British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfurl.

Thoughts on The Ashford Affair
I'd never read anything by Lauren Willig before, but this cover caught my eye as soon as I spotted in online. As a lover of historical fiction, I'm always drawn to generational sagas. Plus, I was sold the minute I realized that part of this was set in Africa. During college, I spent six weeks in South Africa and my love for that continent has just grown ever since. I believe this is a departure for Willig as far as setting/time period, but I hope it's representative of her writing style. I just loved so much about this book!

The Ashford Affair follows two women: Clementine Evans and her grandmother Addie. The chapters alternate between the past (with the focus on a younger Addie) and the present (with the focus on Clementine), and the way these two women are linked. The family secrets, long buried, are finally coming to light as Addie approaches the end of her life.

A young Addie arrives at Ashford Park as an orphan. She's come to live with her extended family, but she's not prepared to enter this new world of wealth and privilege. She befriends her cousin, Bea, and the two become fast friends. Even when Addie is made to feel as though she's an outcast, Bea always draws her back into the fold.

In the modern day, Clementine is an attorney in New York whose focus on work has hurt her personal relationships. At a birthday celebration for Addie, Clementine realizes that her grandmother's health is truly failing… and that there are so many things about her grandmother that she doesn't know. And this sets up the action to come: Clementine begins to dig deep into the family's history and her grandmother's story.

The book moves really quickly - each chapter revealing another piece of the puzzle and a new layer to the story. Addie's relationship with her cousin Bea is at the heart of the story. I loved these characters, and I thought their friendship was so believable. I could see their love for one another, but I could also sense the tension underlying their relationship.

I really enjoyed the way this story was written! I don't always like having multiple main characters and time periods, but it really worked in this case. I did prefer the historical chapters since that's where the meat and mystery of the story is, but Clemmie's story was still interesting to me. The setting was so rich and detailed. I would loved to see more of Addie's time in Kenya, but I also understand why the book ended at the point that it did. You don't see all of Addie's life - just a pivotal sliver that changed the course of her family's story.

The Ashford Affair felt both personal and grand, in many ways. The family history is complex, emotional and somber at times, but the scale of the multiple time periods and settings made it feel like a wide look at Addie's world. The women in this story are messy and complicated, but they also seemed real. I was fascinated by their lives and their choices - to the point that I was desperate to just keep reading instead of going to bed. I can't compare this to Willig's other books, but I know that I'll be picking them up in the future. The Ashford Affair was engaging and left me wanting to spend even more time with these characters! I think fans of historical fiction will find much to love in this one.

So Quotable
"Distilled essence of Bea, thought Addie. Not just the sprawling letters, but the words themselves. Nothing was ever simply what it was; it was always utterly, terribly, desperately. Love or hate, Bea did neither by halves. Excellent when one was loved, not so entertaining when one was hated. Addie had seen both sides."

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Run Like Hell Or Dive In

Run Like Hell Or Dive In

Nov 22, 2013

Friday Never Leaving by Vikki Wakefield

Release Date: September 10, 2013 (US)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 352 pages
Source & Format: Bought; Hardcover
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

Friday Brown has never had a home. She and her mother live on the road, running away from the past instead of putting down roots. So when her mom succumbs to cancer, the only thing Friday can do is keep moving. Her journey takes her to an abandoned house where a bunch of street kids are squatting, and an intimidating girl named Arden holds court.

Friday gets initiated into the group, but her relationship with Arden is precarious, which puts Friday - and anyone who befriends her - at risk. With the threat of a dangerous confrontation looming, Friday has to decide between returning to her isolated, transient life, or trying to help the people she's come to care about - if she can still make it out alive.

Thoughts on Friday Never Leaving

I'm convinced that Australia has something special in the water that makes their authors that much more talented. I mean, honestly, I can't think of anything written by an Australian author that I've read and haven't at least liked. When I spotted Friday Never Leaving (published as Friday Brown in Australia) at the bookstore, I was immediately intrigued. I didn't know it was by an Australian author at first, but I knew that the cover caught my eye. Was it creepy? Sure. But it did make me take a second look.

Since I hadn't heard anything about the book, I decided to sit down with it in the café area of the bookstore and read a few pages. After a few minutes in the prologue, I was sold. A quick look-up on Goodreads revealed a five-star rating from Mandee at VeganYANerds. She's a legit Aussie, and I totally trust her Aussie book recommendations. I considered just snagging a copy for my Kindle, but I had a feeling this book might be something special. And in that case, I wanted it on my bookshelves.

Friday Brown has never settled down. She's grown up on the road with her mother, always running away. The only thing she knows about her history are the small tidbits that her mother chooses to share. It's a shadowy history - a past with so many holes that the only thing Friday consistently carries with her are questions.

And then the central figure in her life, the woman who has had an incredible influence on who she is today, succumbs to cancer. Friday doesn't know what to do with herself. She can live with her grandfather, but the man is a stranger to her. So, she goes back to what she knows: constant motion. Packing a bag and heading for the city, she doesn't know what the future holds but she's ready to find out.

Friday ends up joining an unlikely group - street kids squatting in an abandoned house. The group is led by a fierce and intimidating girl named Arden. Arden is unsettling and intense. She's like storm that you keep watching and waiting for it to turn into a tornado. Her moods are all over the place, and she expects total devotion from the makeshift family that she's formed. Friday doesn't quite fit in, and her presence disrupts their way-of-life and exposes the dysfunction among them.

Of all the street kids, my favorite was Silence. He is the boy that first finds Friday at the train station and brings her into their fold. He doesn't speak, which adds an air of mystery to him. As you slowly discover his story, your heart will just break when you learn all that he's suffered. The dynamic between Friday and Silence was my favorite, but I also found it interesting how Friday related to Arden. There is a very strange tone hanging over all of their interactions.

Characters absolutely define this book, but I can't neglect to mention something about the setting and the writing. Although I've never been to Australia before, this still felt so authentic and Australian to me. There are things about the book that make it seem universal, and then there are things that helped me create a picture of where this was taking place. I loved the elements that felt very Australian!

And oh, the writing. Wakefield has crafted a really beautiful book. The language felt so lyrical, and I found myself wanting to re-read certain paragraphs multiple times just to savor the words. Again, I don't want what they've got in the water over there but I hope the authors keep drinking it. There's a beauty in the harshness and rawness that's depicted in this book.

This book lingered in my mind long after I'd finished - partly because of what happens and partly because of the things Friday learns in her journey. This isn't a light or fluffy story of a girl trying to find herself. It's raw, painful and dangerous. But it's also so unique and compelling - a book unlike anything I've read in contemporary YA. I can see myself recommending this people who want to read a contemporary book that feels more adult or something that has a darker tone.

So Quotable

"Watching someone you love die is like driving through a fog. You know you're headed somewhere but you can't see your hand in front of your face; you're so focused on steering without crashing that you never say the things you want to say."

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Officer In Pursuit

Officer In Pursuit

Nov 21, 2013

Critical Pursuit by Janice Cantore

Release Date: September 15, 2013
Publisher: Tyndale House
Pages: 374 pages
Source & Format: NetGalley; e-ARC
Series: Brinna Caruso #1
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

Officer Brinna Caruso has built a reputation at the precinct as the cop to call when a child goes missing. For Brinna, it's personal because she was once one of them. Brinna and her K-9 search and rescue dog, Hero, will stop at nothing to find a missing child, no matter the stakes.

Detective Jack O'Reilly isn't ready to return to his homicide duties after losing his wife to a drunk driver. He's on the downside of his career, and bent on revenge, when he's assigned as Brinna's partner. While on patrol, Jack struggles between his quest for personal justice and his responsibility to those around him, especially his partner.

Skeptical of Jack's motives, Brinna isn't sure she can rely on her new partner, whose reckless abandon endangers the safety of those around him. But when a man surfaces with an MO similar to the criminal who abducted Brinna twenty years earlier, Brinna and Jack must cast aside previous judgments and combine efforts to catch the kidnapper, and finally allow Brinna the peace stolen from her as a child.

Thoughts on Critical Pursuit

I spotted Critical Pursuit on NetGalley and was intrigued by the premise. Some quick perusing on Goodreads revealed that a number of people compared this author to Dee Henderson (who writes some of my favorite Christian fiction). Henderson's books are typically thrillers that leave you on the edge of your seat - anticipating the outcome but still enjoying the time it takes to get there.

Officer Brinna Caruso was abducted as a child, and now she's dedicated her life to finding missing children. It's her passion and her mission -  and her only focus is on bringing those kids home. Then, something happens that forces her to step aside from her normal duties.

During this time, she's also having to deal with a new partner, Detective Jack O'Reilly, since he's not ready to return to his homicide duties after the death of his wife in a drunk driving accident. He's reckless, angry and bent on revenge. His only focus is on making someone pay. Then, his time with Brinna starts making him question everything.

Overall, I liked this story. The plot moved quickly and kept my interest, and I liked the setup of a cop whose history has had such an impact on her present. It was not, however, an edge of your seat read. I think it was close, but it missed the mark a little bit in terms of intensity and pacing. I never felt like things wouldn't work out or was afraid or nervous about the ending. For me, that's a requirement for something to be a really strong thriller. I also thought a few aspects were wrapped up a little too quickly or lacked the needed punch, which ties into my larger issues with the pacing.

Certain aspects of the story felt more realistic than others. My brother-in-law is a police officer, and the environment of the police department in this book didn't really match what my brother-in-law has said about his workplace. I know the author was a police officer for 22 years, so I'm certainly not questioning her credibility. However, for me, the fact that this was Christian fiction made the conversations between some of the officers feel a little less authentic. There was a somewhat rosier or less gritty tone to their workplace than I'd expect. Also, spiritual issues and questions do dominate a good portion of the book.

While I liked the book, I think it was missing a few things that would have made it a stronger read. It is the first in a series, so there are a number of things that are left open and will likely be resolved in future books. I didn't love this book like I'd hoped, but I'm still curious enough to read the next book in the series. I wonder what Officer Caruso will be up to next!

So Quotable

"Sometimes the people we love the most are the hardest to talk to."

*I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

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Drive to Distraction

Drive to Distraction

Nov 19, 2013

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Release Date: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin | Harlequin Teen 
Pages: 474 pages
Source & Format: Borrowed; ARC
Series: Pushing the Limits #3

Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life - that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers... and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker - a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he loves, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks - no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

Thoughts on Crash Into You

So, I read Pushing the Limits and wasn't totally sold. Then, I fell for Katie McGarry hook, line and sinker when I read Dare You To. The minute I closed the last page of that book, I was just dying to get started on the next one. Thankfully, sweet Cassie loaned me her advanced copy of Crash Into You, and I started it almost immediately.

I could not stop texting her while I was reading. I had all these plans to savor the book, read it slowly and just enjoy the story McGarry was telling. Yeah, those plans basically fell to the wayside the minute I finished reading the first page. This is a book that will get your blood pumping in all the best ways!

Isaiah was really a standout character for me in Pushing the Limits, and I had been surprised when he wasn't one of the main characters in Dare You To. Like most readers, I had certain expectations about the way Isaiah's story was going to turn out and was shocked to realize McGarry had something else up her sleeve. But I'm so glad she did!

4 Reasons I Loved Crash Into You:

1. Characters.

I can't say enough good things about the characters in this book. Rachel really appealed to me, and I was so intrigued by her story. Her brothers made for such fun reading, even if I would be a little nervous to have all of those overprotective boys watching my every move. The pressure from Rachel's family and her own expectations for herself made her someone I was rooting for throughout the book.

Isaiah was, of course, just as swoony as you'd expect him to be. He's definitely book boy crush material, and I don't usually fall for the tattooed ones. But something about this flawed and damaged guy just gets into your heart and won't let go. I also loved many of the secondary characters in Crash Into You, which makes me happy since I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of them in the future...

2. Cars.

I never expected to like the car element of this book, but I thought it worked so well. It added this edge and bit of adrenaline that I ended up really enjoying. The whole world was so foreign to me, but I felt like it just came alive. There were a few elements that I felt could have either been fleshed out more or cut out completely, but I also understand how they contributed to the overall movement of the story. I know I'm being vague here, but it's really because I don't want to talk much about what actually happens in this book.

3. Crush-worthy.

Oh man, the romance. I am so impressed about the way McGarry writes romantic tension. You know how costume drama movies can make eye contact or the slightest touch seem so intimate and so intense? Yeah, Katie McGarry basically gives you all that in a book. WOAH. While there's more than just eye contact in this one, I'm still swooning over the way McGarry makes you sit up, take notice and reach for nearest fan with even the smallest moments.

4. Companion Books.

This is a tiny thing, but I love that these are companion books. There is something so special about seeing your favorite characters return and pop up on these pages! I feel like it must be so fun to write a book like this - one where you never really have to say goodbye to the world or the people you've created. And I can't wait to see how their lives all continue to intertwine in the future book(s) in this series!

I think there may have been a few things that I didn't love in Crash Into You (like the terms of endearment making a reappearance), but I can honestly hardly remember because my brain is basically just buzzing about Isaiah. And I have absolutely no complaints there. Crash Into You was such a great addition to the series - probably my favorite so far. While perhaps a bit unrealistic at times, I'm not reading it for the reality. I want people I care about and a romance I can root for, and Crash Into You absolutely delivered there.

So Quotable

"I've sat on this hill a hundred times, and all I used to see were the lights that represented places where I wasn't wanted, where I never belonged. Now, when you aren't with me, I look east and know one of those lights represents you, and I don't feel alone anymore.

*I read a copy of this book provided by Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for my review.

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When Memory Fails

When Memory Fails

Nov 8, 2013

Stella Bain by Anita Shreve

Release Date: November 12, 2013
Publisher: Hatchette | Little Brown
Pages: 272 pages
Source & Format: Goodreads First Reads Giveaway; ARC
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in.

A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield.

In a narrative that takes us from London to America and back again, Shreve has created an engrossing and wrenching tale about love and the meaning of memory, set against the haunting backdrop of a war that destroyed an entire generation.

Thoughts on Stella Bain

Stella Bain had been on my radar ever since I spotted the cover on Amazon a few months ago. As a huge fan of historical fiction, I was immediately drawn to this lovely cover. It had the "look" that I love, and I was excited to read something by this new-to-me author. I know Shreve has written more than 15 books, but this was actually my first by her!

I requested this book the second I saw it had been added to NetGalley, and then I had a double freak out when I saw it listed on Goodreads as a First Reads Giveaway. I decided to enter there, too, just in case I didn't get approved. So, you can imagine my shock and surprise when I got a NetGalley approval email... and then a Goodreads winner email a few days later!

Stella Bain is the story of an American woman who is serving the war effort in France as a nurse's aide. She awakens one day with injured feet and no memory of her name, her past, where she is or what she's doing. When her memory doesn't return, she heads to London during her leave to try and piece together her identity. She's discovered, lost and confused, by a woman who invites Stella into her home. Stella ends up staying to work with the husband, a surgeon, on therapy to help her recover her memory.

For me, Stella Bain started off really strongly. I was a little thrown by the writing style at first, but I was able to find my groove with the book soon enough. The mystery surrounding Stella was really compelling, and I liked the focus on shell shock and therapy techniques to try and talk through the trauma she'd faced. Most of what I've read about shell shock has focused on a soldier's point of view, so I loved that this was highlighting a woman's experience with this debilitating reaction to the horror of war.

However, the book takes a turn about a third of the way through. I don't want to be specific about the shift, but it does takes Stella from London back to America. She learns she has unfinished business back home, so she decides to return to deal with those unresolved issues from her former life. And from that point off, I think the book really lost my interest.

Shreve loses focus on the shell shock element and begins to introduce additional storylines. For such a short book, it seemed as though there was too much being tackled. There wasn't enough depth to any of the major plot points, so it left me disappointed. I thought the summary really sold the book as one about the war and Stella's role in it and reaction to it, but the actual story focuses more heavily on her family and relationship issues.

Because of that, the story didn't flow very well. There are numerous shifts in location and event that felt like abrupt shifts rather smooth transitions. It would have been find if there had been real emotional depth to the family element, but for some reason I never really believed in Stella's motivations and decisions. I think that was due, in part, to the writing style.

The writing style issue that bothered me from the very beginning, and then more so as the book continued, is the fact that this book is written in present tense. I don't know if I've ever noticed something like that as strongly as I did in this book. I think what made it stand out so much is the fact that present tense is a really unusual choice for historical fiction. There isn't anything wrong with present tense, but I found myself really distanced from the story by this element of the writing.

Stella Bain was a good read, but it wasn't great. I thought the story was promising, but it didn't really deliver. It got caught in that reading no man's land where I was left feeling ambivalent about it overall. Unfortunately, Stella Bain started strong but was ultimately an uneven read for me.

So Quotable

"All of life, it seems, resembles static from a radio, full of people and words and smells, if only she could sort out the frequencies. Sometimes the confusion taxes her intellect, as if it were a problem she had to solve. At other times, it is a soft cocoon that comforts her."

*I received a copy of this book from Little Brown in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for my review.

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