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On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity.
Asking questions central to our American moment, immersed as we are in addiction, violence, and trauma, but undergirded by compassion and tenderness, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is as much about the power of telling one’s own story as it is about the obliterating silence of not being heard.
With stunning urgency and grace, Ocean Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are. The question of how to survive, and how to make of it a kind of joy, powers the most important debut novel of many years.
This was my bookclub’s Book of the Month for June, with the theme being LGBQT+ books/writers.
The Quotes
“They say nothing lasts forever but they’re just scared it will last longer than they can love it.”
“Because the sunset, like survival, exists only on the verge of its own disappearing. To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted.”
“I am writing because they told me to never start a sentence with because. But I wasn’t trying to make a sentence—I was trying to break free. Because freedom, I am told, is nothing but the distance between the hunter and its prey.”
“Perhaps it was not a destination I sought, but merely a continuation.”
The Narrator(s)
The writer himself, Ocean Vuong. The book was absolutely beautiful and he was the perfect narrator for it.
My Thoughts
I had no idea what to expect going into this book but suffice to say I didn’t know it was going to be so beautiful and lyrical. The book talks about a lot of difficult things, awkward things, painful things, but with such beautiful words and flow that makes it feel like a magical fever dream. I don’t know how to describe it but it’s just one of the most amazing reading experiences and it moves you to the core.
My Feels
I loved it, and I love it some more. There’s so much complexity in this story and the way the story is told. I’m just so blown away.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.
Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.
Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he’s about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.
My online bookclub had a disagreement about the books, with some saying they loved it and some saying they hated it. I had to see what the fuss was about and where I stood on the matter.
I finished these books way back in May and June, and hadn’t gotten around to reviewing them so I decided to review them as a series and not as individual books.
Steven Pacey. He is an amazing narrator for these books! I have to admit that he makes me want to reread the books again just to hear his narration. His portrayal of Glokta is particularly good, but he does a great job with all the characters throughout and I’m really curious to try more of his works.
My Thoughts
The Blade Itself I started this book not really liking any of the main characters, and ended up loving them all! I think it’s brilliant that they are all so flawed and yet so relatable. I also love the “taglines” and repetitive quotes many of the characters use throughout the book. Some people criticise it as being lazy writing, but I feel like it’s actually quite true to real life because we repeat quotes and sayings all the time, and these characters and this world happen to have their own set of quotes and sayings they use all the time. I loved the first book and it left me wanting more.
Before They Are Hanged I started the second book almost immediately after, and I loved it even more. I especially love the quest that Logen and his team go on, and the way they all bonded through that journey. A lot of second books aren’t the best, but I think this one might be my favorite book in the trilogy. The stakes get higher, and it’s so thrilling to see some of the ways they resolve their issues. Glokta’s story was very exciting too, and he’s easily one of my favorite characters.
Last Argument of Kings It took a while to get to the final book because I had to wait on some book buddies, but I’ll be upfront and say I’m not completely satisfied with the resolution of the story in this book. I’m happy with most of it, but I have a problem with Logen’s storyline because I didn’t feel it was consistent what we’ve seen of him before. It’s a whole thing and I could get into it, but I won’t for now (unless provoked! 😂) so I’ll just focus on the positives. Overall, I loved the whole trilogy, and if I can find more audiobooks in set in this world narrated by Steven Pacey, I’m definitely going to read more!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars
Have you read this series? Would you read this series? Did you like the books or do you think you would like them?
From legendary storyteller and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary new collection of twelve short stories, many never-before-published, and some of his best EVER.
“You like it darker? Fine, so do I,” writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life—both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. King writes to feel “the exhilaration of leaving ordinary day-to-day life behind,” and in You Like It Darker, readers will feel that exhilaration too, again and again.
“Two Talented Bastids” explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny’s most catastrophically. In “Rattlesnakes,” a sequel to Cujo, a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance—with major strings attached. In “The Dreamers,” a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored. “The Answer Man” asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful.
King’s ability to surprise, amaze, and bring us both terror and solace remains unsurpassed. Each of these stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries; each feels iconic. You like it darker? You got it.
Because I’m a huge fan of Stephen King’s and he just keeps getting better!
The Quotes
“Imagination is hungry, and needs to be fed.”
“The world is full of rattlesnakes. Sometimes you step on them and they don’t bite. Sometimes you step over them and they bite anyway.”
“Grief sleeps but doesn’t die. At least not until the griever does.”
“He considered this, then looked out the window at the steady rain. Nothing is colder than cold November rain. It crossed my mind that someone should write a song about it… and eventually, someone did.”
The Narrator(s)
Will Patton, and Stephen King for a couple of the stories. I always love Stephen King narrating his own stories, and Will Patton is the next best narrator.
My Thoughts
All the stories are so good and engrossing. I find myself getting sucked in and wanting more. I listened to these stories on audiobook and just flew through them. There were some that were more memorable than others; Two Talented Bastids, Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream, Rattlesnakes, and The Answer Man. Rattlesnakes is very haunting and also refers back to Cujo and Duma Key. I’ve read both, a while ago, and remember loving them but I don’t remember much else and this made me want to reread!
My Feels
I love that Stephen King is such a prolific writer and I have so many more of his books I haven’t read and can look forward to, because he always leaves me wanting more. His stories are just so real, so well-written, and flow so well. I have so much admiration and respect for his mastery.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.
But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.
If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.
I had this on my TBR before I read The Bodyguard but ended up reading The Bodyguard first and loved it. I think I’m probably going to read as many of the author’s works as I can!
The Quotes
“The more good things you look for, the more you find.”
“We’re all just doing the best we can. We’re all struggling with our struggles. Nobody has the answers. And everybody, deep down, is a little bit lost.”
“But I guess that’s the great thing about life—it gives you chance after chance to rethink it all. Who you want to be. How you want to live. What really matters.”
“Light matters just as much as darkness. Play matters as much as work, and kindness matters as much as cruelty, and hope matters as much as despair. More so, even. Because tragedy is a given, but joy is a choice.”
My Thoughts
Amnesia is an overdone cliché, but face blindness is something completely new and in this story, allows us to imagine some of the same scenarios that amnesia could put the protagonist in. It’s a tiny bit cheesy and dramatic, but I loved how the story played out and I love the chemistry between the main characters! I’m also not a huge fan of miscommunication tropes in general, but it worked for this story, and I think to an extent, it’s genius how the author uses these tools and mold them to tell a wonderful and hilarious love story!
My Feels
I loved this one and I think it might be my favorite romance so far this year, which is saying a lot because I’ve read a couple of great ones so far! I can’t wait to read more from Katherine Center!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more…?
Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn’t been too great, but at least he’s not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He’s heard a little about Charlie – the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months – but he’s never had the opportunity to talk to him.
They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner…
I was looking for a quick read and the books were available on Libby. I didn’t expect to love them so much but I just blew right through all of them and it might be my favorite thing in the whole world!
The Quotes
“You can’t tell whether people are gay by what they look like. And gay or straight aren’t the only two options.”
“There’s this idea that if you’re not straight, you HAVE to tell all your family and friends immediately, like you owe it to them. But you don’t. You don’t have to do anything until you’re ready.”
“We reached the point where we knew that whatever people said or thought about us, we knew who we were. And we loved ourselves anyway.”
The TV Show
There’s also a TV show based off the graphic novels and I love it! The cast is amazing; I love their chemistry and how everything just sizzles on screen!
My Thoughts
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels and I didn’t think I’d be interested in these books at all because they were about teenage romance and I’m way past that stage. I do still read fantasy YA because of the fantasy/adventure elements, and I used to love contemporary YA but haven’t been able to relate in years. So it was such a wonderful surprise to read these and realize how much I love them! Nick and Charlie has become one of my favorite fictional couples ever, if not *the* ultimate favorite. They are the cutest and I can’t stop shipping them! This is one of the most wholesome stories ever and it brings me so much joy!
My Feels
All the feels! All the joy! All the wholesomeness, all the cuteness, these books are everything! It’s such a feel-good, happy, heartwarming, cute aggressive, lovely and loving story! I feel like everything in the world could be going wrong, but I could read about Nick and Charlie, and the whole world would be alright again. They are everything good in this world, and we must protect them at all costs!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this series? Would you read it or watch the show? Did you like it or do you think you would like it?
In this groundbreaking bestseller, Lundy Bancroft—a counselor who specializes in working with abusive men—uses his knowledge about how abusers think to help women recognize when they are being controlled or devalued, and to find ways to get free of an abusive relationship.
He says he loves you. So…why does he do that?
You’ve asked yourself this question again and again. Now you have the chance to see inside the minds of angry and controlling men—and change your life. In Why Does He Do That? you will learn
• The early warning signs of abuse • The nature of abusive thinking • Myths about abusers • Ten abusive personality types • The role of drugs and alcohol • What you can fix, and what you can’t • And how to get out of an abusive relationship safely
“This is without a doubt the most informative and useful book yet written on the subject of abusive men. Women who are armed with the insights found in these pages will be on the road to recovering control of their lives.”—Jay G. Silverman, Ph.D., Director, Violence Prevention Programs, Harvard School of Public Health
I’ve seen so many recommendations for this book and I’ve been in a few abusive relationships so it made me curious. I’m also a people pleaser and have a hard time with boundaries and saying no. I wanted to find out what this book had to say and what I could learn from it.
The Quotes
“Your abusive partner doesn’t have a problem with his anger; he has a problem with your anger.”
“The scars from mental cruelty can be as deep and long-lasting as wounds from punches or slaps but are often not as obvious. In fact, even among women who have experienced violence from a partner, half or more report that the man’s emotional abuse is what is causing them the greatest harm.”
“An abuser can seem emotionally needy. You can get caught in a trap of catering to him, trying to fill a bottomless pit. But he’s not so much needy as entitled, so no matter how much you give him, it will never be enough. He will just keep coming up with more demands because he believes his needs are your responsibility, until you feel drained down to nothing.”
“One of the obstacles to recognizing chronic mistreatment in relationships is that most abusive men simply don’t seem like abusers. They have many good qualities, including times of kindness, warmth, and humor, especially in the early period of a relationship. An abuser’s friends may think the world of him. He may have a successful work life and have no problems with drugs or alcohol. He may simply not fit anyone’s image of a cruel or intimidating person. So when a woman feels her relationship spinning out of control, it is unlikely to occur to her that her partner is an abuser.”
The Narrator
Peter Berkrot. Great narrator, clear and expressive.
My Thoughts
I got a lot out of this book and I think it’s really great for helping women recognize if they are in abusive relationships. I think it can also help abused women to navigate the self-blame mentality that they often have – “if I was better, he wouldn’t have lost his temper”, “it’s my fault for making him angry”, etc. Abusers gonna abuse, and it’s not your fault.
One thing that I’m not sure I agree with is the author’s belief that women cannot abuse men. He mentions that a lot of the time, what happens is that the men abuse the women to the point that the women become hysterical and/or fight back to defend themselves, then when witnesses/police arrive, the men act all calm but bruised from the women fighting back, while the women are hysterical and look crazy, and so it seems like the women were the abusers. While I’m sure that definitely happens, I also believe that women absolutely can be the abusers towards men.
This book was written more than 20 years ago so I don’t know if the author’s stance has changed or if there is an updated version, but I just want to mention that.
My Feels
This book made me sad in the beginning, because it reminded me of how young and naive I was, and how much I didn’t know and still don’t know, my difficulty in standing up for myself and saying no. I wish I had been stronger.
The later part of the book scared and infuriated me. It’s no wonder so many abused women find it difficult to leave and/or ask for help; there’s so much victim-blaming, and it’s so hard to get people to believe you when the abuser appears charming and great to everyone else, and you feel like a crazy person. And sometimes it’s the people who are supposed to help and advocate for you that are doing the most harm! We as a society need to do better. I don’t know how, but maybe a good start is for everyone to read this book regardless of whether you’ve ever been in an abusive relationship, because it’s a good bet that someone you know might be in one.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.
Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.
But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.
With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.
Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.
I recently listened to Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land, and several people recommended this book as well. So I listened.
The Quotes
“And I think about all the things we could be if we were never told our bodies were not built for them.”
“Burn it! Burn it. This is where the poems are,” I say, thumping a fist against my chest. “Will you burn me? Will you burn me, too?”
“She tells me words give people permission to be their fullest self and aren’t these the poems I most needed to hear?”
“When your body takes up more room than your voice, you are always the target of well-aimed rumors.”
The Narrator
Narrated by the author herself. It was wonderful and I loved how expressive she was.
My Thoughts
I thought it was brilliant and so beautifully expressed. The story, and the narration, pulls you right in, and I can just feel Xiomara’s essence oozing through the words. I’m not sure I like the ending though. I feel like it ended too conveniently and it didn’t feel realistic. Things don’t just work out that way overnight. But still, I loved the experience of listening to this audiobook.
My Feels
I don’t read poetry often enough, but I find that I’m really loving Acevedo’s works. Xiomara’s voice is so powerful, her story is so powerful, listening to her speak and express herself is so powerful. I felt so deeply, everything that she talked about, her experiences, her discovery of her self and her voice. I’m so angry with her family. Her mother, especially. How can a mother do such horrible things to her child? It resonates very personally for me.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
An emotional novel of suspense about two families at war.
Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love. Until they leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Vermont, and only Simon comes home.
WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA?
Nobody knows. Simon’s explanation about what happened in their last hours together doesn’t add up. Nina’s parents push the police for answers, and Simon’s parents rush to protect him. They hire expensive lawyers and a PR firm that quickly ramps up a vicious, nothing-is-off-limits media campaign.
HOW FAR WILL HIS FAMILY GO TO KEEP HIM SAFE?
Soon, facts are lost in a swirl of accusation and counter-accusation. Everyone chooses a side, and the story goes viral, fueled by armchair investigators and wild conspiracy theories and illustrated with pretty pictures taken from Nina’s social media accounts. Journalists descend on their small Vermont town, followed by a few obsessive “fans.”
HOW FAR WILL HER FAMILY GO TO GET TO THE TRUTH?
Nina’s family is under siege, but they never lose sight of the only thing that really matters—finding their daughter. Out-gunned by Simon’s wealthy, powerful family, Nina’s parents recognize that if playing by the rules won’t get them anywhere, it’s time to break them.
I was craving a good mystery thriller and was intrigued by the premise. I’ve read one of Dervla McTiernan’s books before and liked it so I thought I’d try this one too.
The Quotes
“I just want to say, a thing can be crystal clear with hindsight, but just about as clear as mud when you’re actually living it. Also, sometimes it’s the walking away that gets you in trouble.”
“I tried to tell myself that I was letting my imagination run away with me. That there was no need and no reason to think the worst, but fear welled up inside me, and it refused to be pushed back down.”
“I knew my son. I knew him. He was not a murderer.”
“I started to get angry. The anger made the fear a lot smaller.”
My Thoughts
This book is scary because it happens in real life, and in fact, the scariest part of the book is the shitshow that is social media. It’s so easy to influence other people with misinformation, lies, wild speculations, and it’s so easy to turn people into angry mobs and witchhunters. It’s scary how some people refuse to see the truth even when given absolute proof, just because they are so invested in the narratives they’ve constructed in their own minds. It’s crazy to see when it happens in real life, and I thought it was very well portrayed in the book.
One of the things I like about Dervla’s books is also that the main characters aren’t always likeable. No one is perfect, and even the “good guys” can be flawed and make mistakes. In fact, it’s easy to get caught up in strong emotions, and there are times I wonder what I would do in that position, and I’m pretty sure I’d come out a lot worse than most.
My Feels
I was on the edge of my seat and so anxious to find out what happens next. There were several heartbreaking scenes, frustrating scenes, scenes that made me feel scared for the characters. I was afraid that we wouldn’t get a satisfactory ending, but I feel like I got what I needed in the end.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.
Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
I grew up with Britney and enjoyed a lot of her music. I was aware of the drama and all the criticism she faced, and I’ll be honest and say that I bought into a lot of it as well. I don’t know why I decided to read this book, but I’m so glad I did because I learned a lot about myself even as I learned about Britney.
The Quotes
“There have been so many times when I was scared to speak up because I was afraid somebody would think I was crazy. But I’ve learned that lesson now, the hard way. You have to speak the thing that you’re feeling, even if it scares you. You have to tell your story. You have to raise your voice.”
“If no one is used to you being assertive, they get very freaked out when you start speaking your mind.”
“I wanted to hide, but I also wanted to be seen. Both things could be true.”
“Everyone thought it was hilarious. Look how crazy she is! Even my parents acted embarrassed by me. But nobody seemed to understand that I was simply out of my mind with grief. My children had been taken away from me.
“Think of how many male artists gambled all their money away; how many had substance abuse or mental health issues. No one tried to take away their control over their body and money. I didn’t deserve what my family did to me.”
The Narrator
Michelle Williams. I think she did a great job. The way she narrated Britney’s story felt full of emotion and compassion, and at times, I felt like I was truly listening to Britney’s voice.
My Thoughts
I was a fan of Britney’s music but only ever just a casual fan. I didn’t really follow her career past the few couple of albums, and I have to admit I believed a lot of what the media said about her. All the criticisms and misogynistic opinions, including those that came from people very close to me, made me feel like they must be true. Reading this book made me examine my own thoughts about Britney at the time, and other female celebrities and women in general, and wonder why I never realized the double standards. To be fair, I did apply those double standards to myself too because of the social expectations and cultural beliefs in my world. I’m still unlearning a lot, and relearning new things.
The bottom line is that Britney’s story is horrifying. What her family did to her was horrifying. What she went through was horrifying. And the fact that she went through so much of it publicly, without empathy or compassion from the media, that’s horrifying. We made fun of her, yes I did too, for her public meltdown, but I know that if I went through half of what she went through, I wouldn’t have half the strength she had to get past it.
My Feels
I have so much love and respect for Britney. She inspires me to keep going, to keep fighting for myself no matter how tough it seems and no matter how alone I feel. She reminds me to advocate for other women, to check myself of my learned prejudices, to remember that there is a person beneath the public persona. She reminds me to extend that compassion to myself, remember that I’m also a person, a flawed human being.
I’m horrified at what she went through, but I’m inspired by her journey and I’m glad she’s doing better now. I wish her so much love and happiness, and I hope things keep getting better for her.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
A thrilling, addictive novel about marriage, betrayal, and the secrets that push us to the edge…
Picture a lovely cottage on a cliff, with sloping lawns, walking paths, and beautiful flowers. It’s Gabe and Pippa Gerard’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Over the past several months, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge.
Until one day, he doesn’t. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral. . . .Did the victim jump? Was she pushed? And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate . . . lie? As the perfect façade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel. Because sometimes, the most convincing lies are the ones we tell ourselves.
Several people in my online book club was reading it and I got enticed by their comments about it.
The Quotes
“Sometimes,” I said thoughtfully, “the road to our destination leads us in a direction we don’t want to take. But does it matter, in the end, if it gets us where we want to go?”
“We trust people based on the strangest, most arbitrary things, none of which have any bearing on whether or not you are inherently good.”
“The thing about marriage a lot of people don’t understand is that you don’t get everything. Some people get passion, others get security. Some get companionship. Children. Money. Wisdom. Status. Then there is trust and fidelity.”
My Thoughts
I loved the whole ride! There were so many twists and turns and you don’t know who to trust and what is actually going on. I really enjoyed speculating and coming up with the most outlandish theories, and yet there was a lot to the story that was meaningful and important. I loved that it spoke to relationship dynamics, blind love, communication, trust and fidelity. The characters were flawed and stupid and I loved that for the story. It’s very human, and we all do stupid things.
My Feels
This book made me frustrated and angry at times. I feel like there’s so much unnecessary tragedy and unresolved issues but I also recognize that sometimes you don’t get everything all wrapped up nicely. It worked out in the book and it was a great story and very well told. I had a lot of fun reading it!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
