Review-Sometimes it Happens

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In this story, the main character, Hannah, is starting her senior year with a big secret: the night before, she slept with her best friend's boyfriend.

This book alternates between the events of the summer,during which Hannah and her BFFs boyfriend grew closer, and the first day of senior year.

The story line was cliche and I found most of the characters, especially Hannah, to be very whiny. It kept me interested enough to want to know what would happen, but I didn't really care once I found out. Not a big fan of this one.



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Source: Library
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Review-I'm Telling

I'm Telling by Karen E. Quinones Miller

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This story had a very good premise, but was not executed well.



The main character is Faith, who when she was younger, witnessed her stepfather sexually molesting her twin sister, Hope.



Fast forward to when they are adults, Faith is a successful book editor with a loving boyfriend named Henry. Hope, on the other hand, has spent much of her time out on the streets, doing whatever she can to get drugs. Their mother takes Hope in, but throws her out once she catches Hope sleeping with the mother's boyfriend.



This story was all over the place, and the characters were never really developed. Although Hope was obviously very messed up after having been molested as a teen (since she thinks it was her fault) it was never fully explored in the novel. The ending seemed very rushed and forced, although the summary on the back of the book makes it seem as if that's a major part of the novel, when it really only ends up being about 3-5 pages at the end. I'm not sure what the purpose of Faith's friend and business partner Ann was, or her relationship with Carol. I know that it helped set up the ending (which I could see coming from a mile away) but their story was unresolved and I don't know why it had to be mentioned anyway.



Almost gave this two stars, but it did keep me interested enough to want to see what would happen, so I gave it a 3. Definitely not a must read, though.



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Review-Tempted by Trouble

Tempted by Trouble by Eric Jerome Dickey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I used to be a big fan of Eric Jerome Dickey's earlier works: Sister Sister, Friends and Lovers, Milk in My Coffee, Liars Game, Between Lovers, and The Other Woman are some of my favorites. Then he started moving more into crime novels with his Gideon series and I was NOT a fan, so EJD had kind of fallen off my must-read list (although as I look through his bio now, I remember reading and liking Pleasure also, the last EJD novel I read.)

I read the synopsis of this one and figured it sounded interesting enough for me to give it a try and I'm glad I did.

The main character Dymytryk has fallen on some hard times-lost his job and his wife has left him. He finds himself as part of a bank robbery ring, under the operation of a man named Eddie Coyle (and I really disliked how he was ALWAYS referenced by the full name Eddie Coyle throughout the book.)

Lots of twists and turns in this one and although I didn't like many of the characters (with the exception of Dymytryk) EJD kept the storyline interesting enough for me to keep reading to find out what happened to them.



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Source: library
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Theme Thursday (20)

Theme Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Between Pages.

This week's theme is MOVEMENT.

My entry comes from pg. 1 of Money Never Sleeps by Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker:

The ladies' hips swayed as they passed paparazzi, and millions of dollars in rare jewels, ultrachic sheath dresses, and diamond-encrusted Stewart Weizman dream stilettos graced their bodies.

Series Sunday Review (6)-Treachery in Death

Series Sunday is a meme hosted by Literary Marie. My Series Sunday pick for this week comes from my favorite series, the In Death series by JD Robb:

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This series just keeps getting better and better. This one has Eve trying to put away some corrupt cops, right in her own Cop Central, and you know she's not going to take too kindly to anyone making a mockery of the uniform. We get to see Eve in all her glory going toe-to-toe with the female lieutenant of the Illegals department, who has done many shady dealings in her run as lieutenant. Even worse, she is the daughter of the former police chief.

Unlike the Stephanie Plum series (which I started reading the same time I started reading the In Death series) where I've grown tired of the characters and their same old stupid shenanigans, I still enjoy reading about the In Death cast of characters, especially Peabody and McNab, and I still adore Eve and Roarke's relationship. The only parts that I've grown a bit tired of are anything involving Dr. Mira, whenever Eve goes to her for her psych profiles, it turns into a snooze fest. Thankfully those were few and far between in this one.

Can't wait to read the next in the series!



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Source: Library
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Theme Thursday (19)

Haven't done one of these in quite awhile...

Theme Thursday is a weekly event hosted by Reading Between Pages. This week's theme is the first snippet of FOOD.

My entry comes from pg. 1 (the very first sentences) of Treachery in Death by JD Robb:

The old man lay dead on a scattered pile of candy bars and bubblegum.

Review Roundup

A couple of quick reviews of two books I finished in the past couple of weeks.


Silenced by Kia DuPree

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I enjoyed this story about a young girl (Tinka) growing up in a bad neighborhood. Her mother struggles with trying to keep Tinka on the straight path, along with keep her older sons out of trouble and the family from living on the streets. To complicate things is mom's live-in boyfriend whom Tinka doesn't like. I didn't care too much for the mom (and I cannot remember her name at all right now), but I did enjoy reading about the other characters.



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A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I don't typically read memoirs or any non-fiction, but ever since I saw some fellow teachers recommending this book, I wanted to check it out. It did not even seem like a non-fiction book, due to the horrific things Jaycee Dugard had to go through, it made me wish it were fiction.

Jaycee relays all the terrible things that occurred during her 18 year abduction that began at the age of 11. She wrote in a very straight-forward manner that was easy to follow for the most part. She did have a tendency to ramble at points, especially the parts about her animals, but I probably only think that because I dislike animals and don't want to read about them in any way, shape, or form.



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Did Not Finish:
The Eternal Engagement by Mary B. Morrison-I got through 55 pages and just couldn't read anymore. I didn't like or care about any of the characters and had not desire to find out the outcome of the "eternal engagement." Huge snore.