March TBR(February Wrap-Up)

February has been  a great month for me. I finally learned how to drive. It has been a slow journey and I went through days of anxiety. However, my driving is getting better . Today I was able to overtake multiple trucks(the very slow ones) on my way to work. This is  big deal for me since overtaking has been my biggest issue. My heart still beats so fast when I have to do it but I am getting it with time and practice.  Also today for the first time, I was also able to park  well and on my first try, woop woop! I hope it wasn’t a fluke though since parking has been my second nightmare.

 

Secondly, I have made so much progress with my thesis. I completed and submitted the first two chapters. I am currently working on the revisions as I prepare to defend my proposal.

 

Thirdly, my frustrations with blogging finally ended. All that pressure that I used to feel about blogging is now gone. I now focus on sharing my reviews and giving ‘love’ to those who give it back instead of trying to interact with way too many people yet half of them never even visit my blog. I post whenever I have something to share without feeling the pressure to do it regularly to keep the blog ‘alive’I also stopped worrying  about stats. In short, blogging is now fun.

 

 

Finally, I now have over 800 followers. I hit  804 yesterday. Last year at a time like this, I  had 48 followers so  the blog has really grown. Thank you all for the support. It has been an amazing experience!

 

 

In matters books, I had mix fortunes. I read some really great books but I also had some not so good reads. I will only mention my favorite ones.

 

Not yet Reviewed

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

Click on the titles to read my reviews of the following books:

Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick

The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher

The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty

Blindness by Jose Saramago

Honorable Mention

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson- If you don’t know who Emmett Till is or if you would like to get more details about this case then you need to read this book.

 

March TBR

I am super excited about my March TBR. I have finally gotten to 81% on Netgalley and my ARCs for this month are few so I hope to read some of my own books too. This is progress for me because  I have been reading way too many ARCs and neglecting my own books for a couple of months now.

ARCs

Say Nothing by Brad Parks

The Missing Ones by Patricia Gibney

When We Danced at the end of the Pier by Sandy Taylor

Trophy Child by Paula Daly

 

Own Books

Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult

The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

On Black Sisters Street by Chika Unigwe

 

I hope that you enjoyed your February. Have a wonderful new month.

Happy March.

Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey (Tribes of Israel) by Barbara M. Britton

About the Book

Naomi desires to dance well enough to catch the eye of a wealthy landowner. Her father needs a substantial bride price due to the deaths of her brothers who died at the hands of the tribe of Benjamin. But when Benjamites raid the Ephraimite feast and capture young girls, Naomi is bound and carried from her home by Eliab, a troubled shepherd who needs a wife. As Naomi awaits rescue, she finds Eliab has a strong faith in God and a just reason for abducting her. His reason affects all the tribes of Israel. The future of the tribe of Benjamin hangs in the balance, but if Naomi follows her heart and stays with Eliab to rebuild his lineage, she must forfeit her family and become a traitor to her own tribe.

Review

I haven’t read Christian Fiction in a while but I knew I had to get this book immediately I saw it on NetGalley. I don’t know much about Naomi from the Bible apart from her story in relation to Ruth and this is one of the reasons as to why I was interested in this book. However, the book is really not based on the Biblical Naomi but it is more about the Israelite tribes.

The story begins at the dance where all the women were dancing in hopes of attracting suitable suitors. The tradition was that the suitors would then pay the bride price before taking the selected woman. However, raiders from the Benjamites tribe soon came in and kidnapped the women. Not only were the women forcefully taken away from their families but their fathers were also denied the bride price. The man who took Naomi is Eliab. I don’t know how to describe this well but the custom at that time was for the men to immediately sleep with the women that they intended to marry. The act sort of solidified the union. However, Eliab was different from the other men. He decided to wait until Naomi was ready. This was a complication though because his failure to ‘properly’ claim her meant that any other man could. So the couple decided to hide this part of their agreement.

The narration describes Naomi’s journey to the new tribe. She is distraught at being taken away from her family by a strange man. In addition, she is haunted by deaths of her brothers. Nevertheless, Naomi is portrayed as a brave woman as she tackled different challenges. She is compassionate even to those who don’t deserve it. I also liked how Eliab was portrayed as a God-fearing man. He was gentle and so different from the others in his tribe. It was interesting to see how the relationship between the two developed over time.

This book is very well-written with captivating prose. I found myself lost in ancient Israel, experiencing the cultures and beliefs of the characters. Towards the end of the story, the story was so intense that I couldn’t stop turning pages to see how it ends. I think the ending was befitting and satisfactory. Barbara Britton did an amazing job with this book. She used Biblical narratives to create stunning work of fiction. However, the message wasn’t lost in the story. I liked how the character’s faith was subtly portrayed without the book losing its storyline. Building Benjamin by Barbara Britton is a book that I recommend to fans of Christian and Historical Fiction.

Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick

I’m not safe – you have to help me…’

Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.

As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe. Just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a chance encounter brings enigmatic stranger Marianne Cairns into their lives. Marianne seems generous and kind but there is something about her story that doesn’t quite add up. Why does she feel so at home, and why is Lorna suddenly so unsettled?

Claire has risked everything to save Lorna. But what can save Claire from the shocking truth?

An utterly unputdownable and darkly compelling read that will have fans of The Girl on the Train, The Sister, and Gone Girl absolutely hooked.

Review

I know that 2017 is still new but I have to say this, Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick is my biggest surprise so far this year. I really didn’t know what to expect when I picked this book. The first chapters were so slow that I started doubting whether I had made the right decision requesting for the ARC. However, a few chapters in and things suddenly changed. OMG, things really started happening and I found myself totally hooked to the story. I was reading it at every chance I got. At home, during my coffee break, lunch hour at work. I was so hooked. I knew something bad was going to happen and I kinda had a feeling what it was but I couldn’t look away. Seriously though, I wish I could write this review in my first language, Swahili, and then maybe I can do justice to this review and accurately explain just how much I loved it. Anyway, let me try  calm down and explain why I liked it so much.

Okay, so let me start by briefly explaining what the book is about. Claire is Lorna’s teacher. She notices that the student has a few issues especially with fitting in with other students. Soon, she notices that Lorna’s issues go beyond what was happening at school. Claire becomes more invested in the student and starts following up on her. What happens next is just crazy and it gets crazier with each chapter as the truth emerges.  I remember feeling unsettled as I read this book. The creepiness wouldn’t go away. I just sat there in disbelief but unable to look away. It was addictive. The villain was unexpected. It wasn’t the usual kind of villain which made them even scarier. Seriously, I can’t even explain just how chilling they were.

I’d like to tell you more about the characters but I don’t want to ruin the book for you. I was so surprised by the events that took place because I went in with little knowledge about the book and I think that this is the best way to read it. Let me mention though that I really liked Claire. I am not a mother yet but I like the little humans. I just like everything about them. Have you ever had a child hug and it just totally melts your heart? So I was drawn to Claire because she cared about the kid and I supported the actions that she took because I think I would have done the same thing. I sympathized with Lorna from the first page. I thought that she was quite endearing with all the little things that she used to do for Claire. There are scenes that made me teary like Lorna hugging Claire when she found her looking sad. I was so invested in the two characters so when the mayhem started, it caught me unaware. I actually felt betrayed. Damn. I thought I knew these people.

The ending of the book is just as creepy as the rest of it. It’s the kind of ending that makes you feel like someone is watching you. Like you need to lock the doors, close the curtains and then you start looking at certain ‘humans’ with a new perspective. Seriously though, this book had one of the creepiest, most disturbing villains.

You need to read this. If you are looking for a suspenseful, creepy read then yeah, you should get it. Definitely recommended to all fans of psychological thrillers.

The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher

About the Book

Lara’s life looks perfect on the surface. Gorgeous doting husband Massimo, sweet little son Sandro and the perfect home. Lara knows something about Massimo. Something she can’t tell anyone else or everything Massimo has worked so hard for will be destroyed: his job, their reputation, their son. This secret is keeping Lara a prisoner in her marriage.

Maggie is married to Massimo’s brother Nico and lives with him and her troubled stepdaughter. She knows all of Nico’s darkest secrets – or so she thinks. The one day she discovers a letter in the attic which reveals a shocking secret about Nico’s first wife Caitlin. Will Maggie set the record straight or keep silent to protect those she loves?

For a family held together by lies, the truth will come at a devastating price.

Review

The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher is about two women married as second wives by two brothers. Nico married Maggie after he lost his first wife, Caitlyn. On the other hand, Massimo (I suspect that I have been reading this name wrong) married Lara after his first wife, Dawn, left.  The two women are doing the best that they can to make their marriages work. Maggie is newlywed and she is struggling more to fit into the family. Lara has been in the family a bit longer so it seems like she is already one of them.

The book alternates between the two women’s narrations. I liked how the author presented the story is such a way that the dual narration flowed with ease.  The ending of one narration became the beginning of the next one especially since the two women’s lives were so intertwined. Sometimes, the two PoVs sort of merged hence telling the same story about a given incident but from two different narrators. I liked the two women. Its always nice seeing strong female protagonists and these two were definitely quite impressive. They were dealing with tough situations that would have broken anyone. However, through the chapters we get to see them fight and face each hurdle. I also enjoyed reading about their friendship.

It soon became apparent that the two were keeping dark secrets about their families. As readers, we get to know the secrets early in the book. After that, I was just kept waiting to see what would happen if the secrets got out. Will the relationships survive? Were there other darker secrets?

The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher is a story about family, love, secrets and betrayal. I think the author did a great job in the portrayal of the second wives. The struggles were so real and the two definitely had my sympathies. One woman was having a hard time getting along with her stepdaughter while the other woman was struggling with keeping her husband’s secrets. This is the kind of book that you read knowing that a moment will come when all will fall apart. This made it quite a suspenseful.Despite knowing that something bad will happen, I was still shocked by some of the twists and secrets.

This was an enjoyable read although parts of the book were  heartbreaking. It was interesting to see how different relationships developed. At the same time, I liked seeing the masks fall off. I don’t think that I will forget this book or the two women any time soon. If you are looking for a well-balanced, suspenseful read about family and secrets then I do recommend this book.

The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty

Joni, Trina, Deb and Eden.

Best friends since the first day of school. Best friends, they liked to say, forever.

But now they are in their thirties and real life – husbands, children, work – has got in the way. So, resurrecting their annual trip away, Joni has an idea, something to help them reconnect.

Each woman will write an anonymous letter, sharing with their friends the things that are really going on in their lives.

But as the confessions come tumbling out, Joni starts to feel the certainty of their decades-long friendships slip from her fingers.

Anger. Accusations. Desires. Deceit.

And then she finds another letter. One that was never supposed to be read. A fifth letter. Containing a secret so big that its writer had tried to destroy it. And now Joni is starting to wonder, did she ever really know her friends at all.

Review

The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty is a story about relationships, friendships, secrets and betrayal. The story revolves around four women, Joni, Trina, Deb and Eden. These four met when they were kids but established a friendship that lasted long into their adulthood. At first, I was so envious of the four. I have lost touch with my gals who I met in Uni(undergrad) and I found myself missing them as I read about these four. My friends and I used to play a game of ‘confessions’ which was fun and this book had me reminiscing about those days.

However, once the dark secrets started emerging, I became way less envious of the four. As a matter of fact, I was  glad that I didn’t have such friends. Nevertheless, I quickly got totally lost in their world, shamelessly enjoying the secrets and wondering how it would impact on them and their friendship.

This book is quite a captivating read. The secrets and lies made it hard to put it down. I wanted to know everything. I especially wanted to know the writer of the fifth letter. My suspicion about the writer’s identity  kept changing with each new chapter. I really thought it was Deb but then again something happened to make me suspect Trina. However, Eden did something during the retreat that made me think it was her. I also had my suspicions about Joni.

Another pleasant surprise was about the narrative style. The story is told through two timelines explaining present and past events. The past events are narrated through a confession(yes, the priest kind). One of the four women is talking to a priest about events that occurred before and after the fifth letter was written. The priest even had his own suspicions about who the writer was. I am not Catholic but I really like the whole idea of confessions. It is kind of mysterious in a way. Talking to someone who you can’t really see and confessing all sorts of things.

If you like women’s fiction, I think that this book will appeal to you. If you are like me and you enjoy reading about other people’s scandalous secrets and confessions then you will definitely enjoy this book. However, it is only fair that I mention that this book is not just about secrets (and confessions, I really should go for one), it tackles other themes that most women will relate to. I also like that it depicted the reality about how friendships change over time especially with new responsibilities of getting married and having kids. It also portrays the pressures of keeping up with friends. Being the last one in your group of friends to get married, have kids and or get that dream job? These characters were quite relatable and this helped me enjoy the book even more.

The Promise by Casey Kelleher

Two sisters. One murder. And an unbreakable bond.

Growing up in squalor with their drug-addicted prostitute mother, sisters Georgie and Marnie Parker have had to endure the very darkest side of life.

When their mother is sentenced for brutally murdering a client, Georgie and Marnie’s already precarious lives are blown apart and they now share a terrible secret. Sent to a children’s home, the sisters hope this might finally be their safe haven after years of neglect. But they soon discover they’re in real danger.

Desperate to find a place of safety, Georgie and Marnie run for their lives, but end up in the hands of Delray Anderton. A violent London gangster and notorious pimp, Delray has big plans for beautiful teenager Georgie, seeing her as a chance to make some serious money.

Fiercely protective of each other, Georgie and Marnie must escape the clutches of a man who will do anything to keep the sisters for himself. And, they must keep the promise they made to each other – no one can ever know the truth.

Review

The Promise by Casey Kelleher tells the story of the three Parker girls. Josie is a single mother with two daughters, Georgie (12) and Marnie (5). The three live in extreme poverty. Worse still, their house is pretty messed up. It is filthy with the girls’ bedroom being described as permanently being occupied by a strong smell of piss. Their living situation is made worse by the fact that Josie is a prostitute who entertains clients while her daughters are locked in the next bedroom. The girls are not spared from the noises coming from their mother’s room so you can imagine the horror which they had to endure every night. Apart from the Parkers, there is another young woman, Javine Turner, trying to better herself. However, she ends up making some decisions which get her caught up in a dark world of pimps and human traffickers.

This book is quite well written and easy to get into. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. The writing is compelling despite the heavy themes. There were a number of incidents that made me quite uncomfortable but I still couldn’t stop turning the pages. The world in which the women are stuck in is just nasty and the misery seems unending. Apart from the writing(which I really, really liked), the other reason that kept me reading is that I just wanted to find out if the girls had a good ending to their sad stories.  I mean, the misery had to end at some point, right?

The female characters and especially the Parkers made the story even more compelling. The young girls were so likeable and so it was hard to read about what they were going through. My feelings about Josie and Javine changed from chapter to chapter though I did see the two characters transform through the pages. I kept thinking about their circumstances. Was it their fault that they got caught up in the life that they were living? Or was it just fate? Do people decide to go into some of these ‘professions’ or does the need to survive force them to make these decisions? This book definitely gave me a lot to think about.

A tough read but very well-written so definitely recommended.

 

Blink by K. L Slater

About the Book

What if the person you love most in the world was in terrible danger … because of you?

Three years ago, Toni’s five-year-old daughter Evie disappeared after leaving school. The police have never been able to find her. There were no witnesses, no CCTV, no trace.

But Toni believes her daughter is alive. And as she begins to silently piece together her memories, the full story of the past begins to reveal itself, and a devastating truth.

Toni’s mind is trapped in a world of silence, her only chance to save herself is to manage the impossible. She must find a way to make herself heard. She must find her daughter.

 

Review

I read Slater’s first book last year. Safe with me was a memorable, fast-paced psychological thriller. I didn’t like the ending but I still enjoyed the book so I was super thriller when I found out that the author has a second book.

Blink by K. L Slater begins with a chapter titled before. In this chapter, we get to find out about the missing child. In subsequent chapters, there are narrations about events that took place three years before and other chapters about present events. The narration goes back and forth between the two timelines with the past dominating the first part and the present taking over the final part. The two timelines helps in explaining the events that led to Evie’s disappearance.

The book has multiple narrators. Toni is the main narrator. We get to see her trying to start a new life with her daughter after the death of her husband. Toni is likeable and easy to sympathize with even though I didn’t agree with all her decisions. She is portrayed as loving mother who is currently undergoing some struggles. There is another dark, twisted narrator whose identity I will not reveal for now. I have already said this before but I am always intrigued by the darker narrations. This narration was scary yet intriguing as we got to see the workings of a very twisted mind. I also really liked the fact that Evie was also one of the narrators. Another key narrator is introduced towards the final chapters of the book. The book definitely had really well-developed, memorable characters.

One of the main characters in the story is in a coma. I was fascinated by this character’s narration. It was interesting to see things from this perspective especially because the character is trapped in a world that nobody else can reach. The identity of this character remains a mystery up to the final section of the book. All along I thought that I knew who it was but I was dead wrong.

What I really liked…

Blink by K. L. Slater is quite suspenseful read, masterfully narrated. I couldn’t put the book down and I ended up getting through it last Saturday. The multiple narrations are interwoven skillfully to heighten the tension and bring everything together. I liked the twists and revelations throughout the book. I had a number of suspects throughout the book but I couldn’t have guessed the identity of the kidnapper.

I definitely recommend this book to all fans of psychological thrillers. If you are looking for a twisted, fast-paced thriller with unique, well-developed characters then I definitely recommend this one.

About the Book

• Title: Blink
• Author: K. L Slater
• Kindle Edition, 295 pages
• Expected publication: February 16th 2017 by Bookouture
• Source: NetGalley ARCs
• Rating: 5 Stars

 

 

 

 

 

Tell me not to go by Victoria De La O

About the Book

Jeff Price is in a long-term relationship rut–nothing a move from Utah to Silicon Valley can’t solve. But when he meets Samantha, his sister’s best friend, his newfound freedom is threatened by their attraction. Headed for med school, and still gun shy from her last relationship, Sam’s not in the market for love, either. The answer is simple: a ninety-day, no-strings-attached affair. What can possibly go wrong for two people determined not to fall in love?

Review

This is the second book in the Tell Me series by Victoria De La O. I really liked the first book, Tell Me How This Ends so I was really happy to find out that the second book in the series is already out. The book focuses on Jeff and Sam who were support characters in the first book and so we already know how they first met. This book starts with their second meeting.

Jeff and Sam have reasons as to why they don’t want to be in a relationship. However, they are attracted to each other and so they decide to reach a compromise; a no-strings-attached fling. Of course, as you can guess, this wasn’t really the best idea. The story is narrated through the two perspectives and so we get to see both sides of the affair. I like the fact that two had baggage that they were dealing with so this wasn’t just a simple romance story. Don’t let the blurb fool you, the book offers way more than just a 90 days fling.

I also liked the fact that the MCs from the first book also feauture in this one so in a way, we got to keep up with them. The story also had such an easy flow to it and so I was able to read in just two sittings. However, I really didn’t like it as much as the first book. There are chapters that felt repetitive like nothing much was going on.  The magic that I felt with the first book was missing.

I still plan on reading the last book in the series. Hopefully, it will be just as great as the first book. I love the fact that it will be about my favorite character from the first book so let us see how it goes.

I recommend Tell me not to go by Victoria De La O to fans of new adult contemporary romance. I think it is best to read the first book and get familiar with the characters before getting this one. In addition, the first book is my favorite one in the series so far so yeah, you need to get Tell me how this ends. You can read my review here to see why I liked it some much.

Hallo February….

January was fairly a good reading month for me. I read a number of interesting books though my only regret is that most of them were ARCs. I really hope to get back to my TBR soon so hopefully, that will happen in February or March. Here are some of my favorite books of January.

Non Fiction

Rest in Power by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin

 

Legal Thriller

The Whistler by John Grisham

 

Psychological Thrillers/ Cop Procedural

Blink by K. L Slater

Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land

Little Girl Lost by Carol Wyer

Sister Sister by Sue Fortin

Duplicity by Sibel Hodge

 

February TBR

So here is what I plan to read in February:

Tell me not to go by Victoria De La O

Corrupt Me by Jillian Quinn

Building Benjamin by Barbara M. Britton

The Perfect Stranger by Miranda Megan

Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick

The Lioness of Morrocco by Julia Drosten

Unpunished by Lisa Black

Blindness by Jose Saramogo

I have a busy month ahead because of school-work. However, I hope that I will get to read at least half of these books in February. They are all ARCs apart from Blindness by Jose Saramogo which is what my book-club is reading in February. So that is it for this month, Happy February!