Book Review: Loving Mr. Daniels

It seems like forever since I've done a Weight Loss check in, but I haven't really been exercising per say. I've really cut down on junk food and snacks, and I'm ridiculously busy now that school has started so when I started I was 212 pounds, and I'm consistently weighing in between 206 and 204, so I'm pretty happy about that. I certainly don't see it off my body or feel smaller, but a loss is a loss and I'm going to be happy about progress. I don't see the weight loss doctor until December so I'm just trying to make good progress on my own until then. But let's talk about this book.

I continue to be obsessed with this author and I won't even apologize. Frankly, I'm worried about the day I run out of her books - WHAT AM I GOING TO DO???

Loving Mr. Daniels - Brittainy C. Cherry

To Whom it May Concern,

It was easy to call us forbidden and harder to call us soulmates. Yet I believed we were both. Forbidden soulmates.

When I arrived to Edgewood, Wisconsin I didn’t plan to find him. I didn't plan to stumble into Joe's bar and have Daniel's music stir up my emotions. I had no clue that his voice would make my hurts forget their own sorrow. I had no idea that my happiness would remember its own bliss.

When I started senior year at my new school, I wasn’t prepared to call him Mr. Daniels, but sometimes life happens at the wrong time for all the right reasons.

Our love story wasn’t only about the physical connection.

It was about family. It was about loss. It was about being alive. It was silly. It was painful. It was mourning. It was laughter.

It was ours.

And for those reasons alone, I would never apologize for Loving Mr. Daniels.

-Ashlyn Jennings

Right off the bat, this book kind of reminded me of Eighteen by J.A. Huss, which I read way back in 2017. (I'm including the purchase links for that below because if you love romance you will likely really, really enjoy that one as well.) I know the teacher-student relationship trope is kind of taboo and people hate it but I kind of love it. I swear I'm not a freak! If this was my daughter I would be appropriately pissed off, CALM DOWN.

But a taboo romance is kind of my jam. I can't help it.

We have Ashlyn, fresh off the death of her twin sister and being unceremoniously sent to her dad's house (who she doesn't know very well), she isn't handling any of it well at all and is dealing with it mostly alone. Enter Daniel- fresh from the death of his dad, and his mom a year earlier, and a brother who was in prison and is now a little MIA, he isn't handling any of it well at all. The two lock eyes on a train, and then reunite at a bar over music and Shakespeare.

Basically love at first sight, and they both heal with each other and it's beautiful and your heart does all the swoops and stuff.

Then we find out he is actually her teacher during her senior year of high school (and her dad is assistant principal... awkward) and it kind of blows up. But then.. not really because even though they aren't doing it, they manage to stay connected through writing, music, and Shakespeare but also the exchanged looks that convey everything and nothing at all.

You find yourself rooting for these two because they are independently broken but together they are a beautiful whole. Everything is against them, though: the teacher/student thing, her dad, the secrecy, his brother (who shows up to cause trouble), drugs, death, finding themselves, etc. It's so much and this is maybe the first book that I really wasn't sure if they would end up together and it was such a roller coaster. The ending, though? Sigh. It was beautiful. So much trauma and sadness happens in this book and heartache to last a lifetime in just a short time span.

I will tell you that I loved both of these characters so much. I loved all of the secondary characters, flaws and all. I love Brittainy Cherry's writing that hooks you in but guts you at the same time. In all the best ways.

Truly- if you need a new book, even if it makes you look at your husband and wonder why the hell he can't be romantic and in love with you like Daniel is.... pick this one. Promise.

   

   

*This post contains affiliate links*

Book Review: Mad Dog

Thank god it's Friday. I feel like this week just took forever to get through and I'm just run down. I wish I could say my weekend will be all relaxed and restful, but no. I'm taking Olivia and her friend to a concert tomorrow and then Sunday, if it isn't cold and rainy, we might go to a pumpkin patch. At this rate it's not looking great so I might sleep all day. We'll see how I'm feeling. Yesterday and today has just been rough, constantly feeling like I have the flu when I know I don't, that's the stuff I wish I could change but it is what it is.

In preparation of the weekend, I have a book review for a rather short book that will leave you with some real thoughts.

Mad Dog - Kelly Watt

It's the summer of 1964 and the Supremes are the reigning queens of radio. Sheryl-Anne MacRae dreams of running away from her home on an apple orchard in southwestern Ontario to find her missing mother. But the teenager's plans are put on hold when her uncle and guardian, Fergus, the local pharmacist and an amateur photographer, brings home a handsome young hitchhiker. When Sheryl-Anne meets the guitar-toting Peter Lucas Angelo, she falls in love. But life in Eden Valley is not as idyllic as it seems. As the summer progresses, Peter is pulled deeper into Fergus's dangerous underworld--a world of sex, drugs, pornography and apocalyptic visions. Through the naive eyes of the ethereal 14-year old Sheryl-Anne, Kelly Watt explores themes of child abuse and sexual deviance, and the secrets, dissociation and denial that allow it to flourish. A Gothic tale told in vivid, often hallucinogenic prose, Mad Dog was a 2001 Globe and Mail notable book and Watt's first novel.

Well first and foremost, this book is absolutely not going to be for everyone. I had kind of an idea of what I thought it was going to be, but when I finished that last page my exact words to my husband were, "what the in the actual hell did I just read?!". I honestly have no idea where to start or where to go, that's where I'm at.

Um. OK, so we have Sheryl-Anne who is just a young teenager who becomes enamored with Peter as soon as he comes to the farm. He was a hitchhiker her uncle picked up and he's going to work there for a bit before he goes on his way to be a musician. So, right away knowing that Peter was quite a bit older than Sheryl-Anne, I'm thinking this was going to be a child abuse thing where he's a weird transient that takes advantage and leaves. Which, it's just so much more complex and bizarre than that. Turns out her uncle, Fergus, is a bit of a.... pervert? Cult leader? I don't even know how to properly describe him but something definitely isn't right on the farm because it's clear Peter is fascinated by Fergus and his life and sees Fergus as some kind of idol... kind of. The book takes place over the course of this summer and it goes from "aw... kid with a crush, we've all been there" to "holy hell- this is creeping me out".

It's almost too late by the time you realize what's going on and all of the dots are connected. I will say, that's kind of the charm of this book- your urgency to get to the end and figure out the puzzle is the same urgency Sheryl-Anne feels as her character is trying to piece everything together.

Overall... I'm reluctantly giving this a 3 star. It really disturbed me on a lot of levels, but I think it's really meant to. This isn't a case of "wow- this author is off the rails" it's absolutely a controlled ride off the rails- that's exactly where this author wanted us to go but is fully aware and in charge of the train, so to speak. You leave this book with the affirmation that you don't know anyone. The person you see out in the world is not the person behind their front door, it's all different and nothing is ever as it seems.

(Side note: this book is written a little oddly in which no quotation marks are used in conversation, so it took me a bit to get the hang of it. In hindsight it almost reads as someone recounting this story, if that makes sense.)

   

Many thanks to Kelly Watt and PR by the Book for sending me a copy of Mad Dog, and of course, this post contains affiliate links. If you pick this one up, let me know what you think- I want to know what you thought.

Book Review: No Judgments

It just dawned on me that this is going to be a series and I am HERE FOR IT.

No Judgments - Meg Cabot

When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.

But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

I have to tell you that this is my first book from Meg Cabot and I absolutely loved this one so much that I have to read more. I have to read the rest of this series as they come out because now I'm hooked.

Here we have Bree (formerly known as Sabrina) who has run from her life in New York City following an incident involving the friend of her boyfriend which is all too common for women, and returned to Little Bridge Island. Just in time for the "hurricane of the century" to shake things up. Having never been through a hurricane like this, she reluctantly accepts helps from the locals to get herself to safety, only she worries the entire time about Drew. Drew is the hottie of the island, freshly broken up and as stubborn as Bree is, he's holed up at his home on the beach that he built himself and he's absolutely certain it will be just fine and hold.

At some point sparks fly and while Drew is all for it, Bree isn't sure she wants to take it any farther than a friendship but is that going to work when they decide to rescue abandoned in the hurricane evacuation process?

So... I loved this. Is it a little bit cheesy? Yes. Do you want to shake Bree and tell her to stop being so incredibly stubborn and just go with it? YES. Is it hard to put down and so much fun to read? Yes, it really is. I couldn't put this down and burned our dinner because I got distracted and neither Matt not the kids were pleased with this. I loved the hurricane, I loved all of the secondary characters we meet along the way, I loved rescuing animals, I loved Drew and how he wasn't super crazy macho but funny and sarcastic, and I love reading a romance that doesn't rely on a big blow up and make up. It definitely has the drama but Bree and Drew are written like normal people and these are issues normal people deal with in a normal way. I know "normal" sounds boring, but it definitely isn't and I really enjoyed this. It was a perfect read to lighten my load following all of the thrillers I've read lately!

Did you know you can buy books directly from HarperCollins? You can! You can find NO JUDGMENTS on there (and tons more, seriously- I can give you a shopping list).

   

The biggest thank you ever to William Morrow Books for sending me this delightful book and TLC Book Tours for having me on this tour. This post does contain affiliate links. If you give this one a shot, let me know what YOU thought!

Book Review: The Speed of Falling Objects

If you do nothing else this year- read this book. That's the preamble I'm giving you. We have to get right into this.

The Speed of Falling Objects - Nancy Richardson Fischer

Danger "Danny" Danielle Warren is no stranger to falling. After losing an eye in a childhood accident, she had to relearn her perception of movement and space. Now Danny keeps her head down, studies hard, and works to fulfill everyone else's needs. She's certain that her mom's bitterness and her TV star father's absence are her fault. If only she were more―more athletic, charismatic, attractive―life would be perfect.

When her dad calls with an offer to join him to film the next episode of his popular survivalist show, Danny jumps at the chance to prove she's not the disappointment he left behind. Being on set with the hottest teen movie idol of the moment, Gus Price, should be the cherry on top. But when their small plane crashes in the Amazon, and a terrible secret is revealed, Danny must face the truth about the parent she worships and falling for Gus, and find her own inner strength and worth to light the way home.

If you are a long time reader of my blog (thanks!) you know I don't mess around with my rating scale. I'm often picky, I've been told I'm too strict with my ratings. I'm totally OK with that because I feel like the human brain is pretty great and I refuse it's limited to just a few tropes we see over and over again, so I'm always looking for something different. Something I can't go and find ten variations of at the book store.

The Speed of Falling Objects is that book, I'm giving it 5 stars, and it will be on my top 10 list of best books this year. No question.

I'm telling you right now that even though this is a YA book- adults will LOVE it. Teenagers are going to love this (my two middle school kids are absolutely glued to this right now) and I feel like this is a story so many are going to relate to. I will warn you: people die in this book and there are a couple of spots that might be icky for delicate kids. Yes, I'm calling some kids delicate. I grew up reading R.L. Stine Fear Street books and I remember there was one where he detailed what a dead body washed up on the beach was like so if you can handle that, you can certainly handle this book.

Anyways.

The story is all about Danger Danny Warren, a girl on the cusp of her seventeenth birthday who after a childhood accident is blind in one eye. The majority of her life has been learning to adapt to the loss of vision and she once was a daring, brave girl and now she (rightfully so) is timid, unsure, and scared of everything. Her mom is a nurse who isn't an effusively loving mom and her dad who is mostly MIA but he happens to be a reality TV star (kind of like Bear Grylls) and she longs for the days of being close to her dad. When he calls and surprises her with a trip to the Amazon to be on his show (which she is a big fan of), she absolutely jumps at the chance but before she leaves she discovers something that puts her relationship with mom into a tailspin.

A doomed trip from the start she quickly realizes that it isn't going to be a father-daughter bonding trip but an episode of his show where she is the star along with... a teen heartthrob. You know this isn't going to end well but the story isn't all about this doomed trip, but the relationships you form in a crisis, being able to dig deep when you feel least capable, surviving incredibly dangerous and terrifying situations, and also learning that the person we remember in our head isn't always who they actually are. Every aspect of a person is seen differently by different people. You see confident, I see cruel and arrogant.

As a parent, it was actually painful for me to read Danny's thoughts as she's trying to understand her dad and his motives, learning some hard truths about the past she thought she understood, and justifying things along the way when you just want to shake her and tell her what the rest of us already know. I can absolutely see many kids identifying with her and that sense of abandonment and always wondering if it was something they did to make that parent stay away and it's handled so well here. 

I have to tell you as well, that even though the Amazon has never been on my bucket list, it for damn sure isn't now. I remember learning about it and how deadly it is but this was terrifying in spots and I'll tell you there isn't a chance I would have made it. NOPE. Hard freaking pass. I don't eat vegetables as it is, not a dang chance you'd catch me nibbling on grubs. GAG. Really, just typing that out made me gag you guys.

I had a hard time putting this one down and got it read in a little over a day and then my kids stole it and are taking turns reading it before bed. This really is an adventurous thriller that will keep you glued to the pages and you'll be so proud of these characters by the end. (Well, most of them. There's one that just... is the most selfish ever and their ending was just such a freaking cop out. One frog wasn't enough. Which makes no sense to you now, but it will when you read it.)

   

I cannot thank Ink Yard Press and Nancy Richardson Fischer more for my ARC of this. Truly. And you know the drill- this post contains affiliate links and happy shopping!

Cursed, Wild, and more!

I have so many book reviews and frankly, I have no more room in my calendar until mid November for posts, so my solution is to do a couple of books on one post. Sneaky, huh? Ha! Which will be tricky because for me to condense my thoughts so these aren't the longest posts of all time is going to be tough.

Cursed - Thomas Wheeler 

Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.

But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?

Nimue grew up an outcast. Her connection to dark magic made her something to be feared in her Druid village, and that made her desperate to leave…

That is, until her entire village is slaughtered by Red Paladins, and Nimue’s fate is forever altered. Charged by her dying mother to reunite an ancient sword with a legendary sorcerer, Nimue is now her people’s only hope. Her mission leaves little room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else.

Nimue teams up with a charming mercenary named Arthur and refugee Fey Folk from across England. She wields a sword meant for the one true king, battling paladins and the armies of a corrupt king. She struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny.

But perhaps the one thing that can change Destiny itself is found at the edge of a blade.

Alright, so if you have a child who is really into comics- this is a really great book for them. If you have a kid who loved comics when they were little and now they "hate to read"- this is a really good book for them. Make no mistake, this isn't a comic book, it's a 400+ page novel with amazing illustrations throughout to make this story come alive. I'm not super excited about fantasy but even I had a good time reading this one, and now my son (11) is completely into it. The cool thing is that this is going to be Netflix original series soon so you could read this and then watch it on screen. I'm interested to see how they bring some of this to life on the screen. I will say it read kind of like a screen play to me? I do like the story, I like a re-telling of a classic but with a twist, and I like when the character we have always envisioned is completely different than the one we're getting in the book. Overall, this is 3 for me. I liked it, I didn't love it, but I think if fantasy is your preferred genre you may enjoy this one a lot.

A HUGE thank you to Simon & Schuster for my ARC!

   

Wild  (Honor Bound #4) - Angel Payne

Five mini-episodes give emotional updates for the couples with whom you’ve fallen in love during the series’ first three books, as well as a not-to-be-missed preview of what’s in store for Tait Bommer and Kellan Rush in Wet, book five in the Honor Bound series.

“Raze the Barn”: Garrett and Sage reignite their flame as Dominant and submissive during a well-timed visit to see Wyatt and Josie on the farm, and a visit to “kinky barn” that neither will soon forget.

“Tie the Knots”: Garrett and Sage have finally said “I do,” but the knot-tying lessons have just begun for Zeke and Rayna, the best man and maid of honor who only have eyes—and other body parts—for each other.

“Diamonds In The Rain”: Ethan is taking Ava home to meet his parents, but when a mansion full of friends is invited for the occasion, there’s a storm of deeper conflict for the couple, requiring Runway to expose his “inner Dom” in a decadent new way.

“Glacier Girl”: Josie is burned-out and emotionally frozen until Wyatt whisks her away for a weekend full of erotic surprises—and one shocking surprise guest.

“Moonrise”: Their road to love was filled with the craziest twists life could deal before it completely blew up the route. Now, Luna is locked from Tait in a night that doesn’t seem to have an end. Can he bring the light of love back to her?

If you've been a reader for awhile you know I have read a good variety of books. I've read some stuff that made even me blush, some that made me feel downright uncomfortable, some that were so on the edge that if this were a real person I'd call for a welfare check. I think we all have a different idea of what is sexy so this might be a home run for someone. Maybe lots of people.

It very much was not for me.

Also, I want this noted that this was one of the "extra" books in my Bookworm Box so it isn't one that I necessarily would have picked up at a store. It has a series of five short stories, which I love because I feel like I can get a section done before bed and I'm not hanging on a cliff hanger. I should tell you I only made it through three of the five, so technically this is a DNR (did not finish) but I read enough to surmise what the heck was going on.

They are heavy BDSM stories so if that isn't your thing, right off the bat this isn't your thing. It's not even Fifty Shades BDSM, this is more "realistic" I suppose and I say that loosely because if any guy said some of this stuff to me I'd tell him to pound sand. The men are supposed to be domineering, macho, and masculine but they come off as assholes in need of therapy. The first story was the worst for me and why I stuck around, I don't know. Sage has post partum depression so her husband's solution is to reinstate their D/s relationship to show her who is really the boss. (EYE ROLL) Sage is all for it apparently and just... I don't understand the mentality of any of this and maybe it's because I'm in extensive counseling for depression myself but this couldn't be any more unhealthy. Honestly. Oh, and at the end he's like "and see a counselor". (Do you hear that sound? That's the sound of my eye balls rolling out of the back of my head onto the floor.) Just.. no. The stories are all kind of like that and I just can't deal with this. It's too corny, it's too dumb, it's just too much.

Of course everyone else on Goodreads loves it so maybe it's me.

   

Coming Soon! 

Here are some things you will see here soon... 

   

   

Book Review: The Nanny

Do you  have a specific time of year that you read a specific genre? Like beach reads in the summer? I have that but I also do thrillers in the fall. I don't know why but fall feels very thrillerish to me so here we are. And I kind of lump all mystery/suspense in the thriller category so don't bother telling me I'm wrong.

The Nanny - Gillian Macmillan

When her beloved nanny, Hannah, left without a trace in the summer of 1988, seven-year-old Jocelyn Holt was devastated. Haunted by the loss, Jo grew up bitter and distant, and eventually left her parents and Lake Hall, their faded aristocratic home, behind.

Thirty years later, Jo returns to the house and is forced to confront her troubled relationship with her mother. But when human remains are accidentally uncovered in a lake on the estate, Jo begins to question everything she thought she knew.

Then an unexpected visitor knocks on the door and Jo’s world is destroyed again. Desperate to piece together the gaping holes in her memory, Jo must uncover who her nanny really was, why she left, and if she can trust her own mother…

In this compulsively readable tale of secrets, lies, and deception, Gilly Macmillan explores the darkest impulses and desires of the human heart. Diabolically clever, The Nanny reminds us that sometimes the truth hurts so much you’d rather hear the lie.

I should tell you that this is the first book I have read from Gillian Macmillan and it certainly won't be the last. I really liked the writing voice, I liked how the story flowed, taking little detours but always getting us back on track.

Was there big shockers for me? I don't think so. I didn't feel like I could guess the entire story, but there were definitely some areas that I was like, "well obviously..." so I got a little worried I wasn't going to enjoy this one as much. Coming in at 400 pages this was really pushing it for me size wise since I try to stay at 300 and under for time purposes, and there are a few areas I felt could have been edited out, but for the most part I felt like I was flying through this one because the author pulls you in and is always leaving you little crumbs so you feel like you can't really stop yet. The entire dysfunctional (at best) family has secrets they don't want to come out and each one is a little piece of the puzzle.

Also- the story is through different perspectives AND we flip flop from the past to the present so for me (with memory issues and cognitive dysfunction) I had a hard time keeping things straight but I'm certain with a good brain you'll be just fine!

I really liked Jo and I think her journey to figure out what happened to her nanny was really interesting but man alive- Jo would fall for anything. Gullible isn't even the word to describe her, it was really like a child like mind even as an adult. I didn't really care for Virginia or Hannah but I don't think we were supposed to. If I had to describe this book? Gray. The entire time it felt gray. The house is spooky, the land around it is gloomy, nobody is a ray of sunshine themselves, and the story is just eerie. Plus anytime you have dead bodies in the lake it kind of brings the atmosphere down a bit.

Overall? I'm giving this one a good 3. I liked it, I liked the slow burn aspect of it, I liked the conclusion and felt satisfied, and I had a hard time putting it down. The only thing keeping this from a 4 or even a 5 is I wanted more drama, more big surprises, something really scandalous to make me say, "what the heck is even happening?!". If you like a good mystery, you'll enjoy this one.

   

A big thank you to William Morrow and TLC Book Tours for my ARC! This post contains affiliate links so if you click on them (or order) I just make a whopping few cents and that helps me keep the blog moving. 

Book Review: Mother Knows Best

I think we all know someone who is struggling with infertility so I tried to keep that in mind while I read this. If you like crazy thrillers that make you think, question your ethics, and puts you in a position where you're not really sure where you'd fall? Here's your next read.

Mother Knows Best - Kira Peikoff

Claire Abrams’s dreams became a nightmare when she passed on a genetic mutation that killed her little boy. Now she wants a second chance to be a mother, and finds it in Robert Nash, a maverick fertility doctor who works under the radar with Jillian Hendricks, a cunning young scientist bent on making her mark—and seducing her boss.

Claire, Robert, and Jillian work together to create the world’s first baby with three genetic parents—an unprecedented feat that could eliminate inherited disease. But when word of their illegal experiment leaks to the wrong person, Robert escapes into hiding with the now-pregnant Claire, leaving Jillian to serve out a prison sentence that destroys her future.

Ten years later, a spunky girl named Abigail begins to understand that all is not right with the reclusive man and woman she knows as her parents. But the family’s problems are only beginning. Jillian, hardened by a decade of jealousy and loss, has returned—and nothing will stop her from reuniting with the man and daughter who should have been hers. Past, present—and future converge in a mesmerizing psychological thriller from acclaimed bestselling author Kira Peikoff. 

I went into this book with a pretty unclear idea of where I stand with genetically modified babies. I mean, that sounds strange and I'm not sure if it's an accurate description of the situation. Here we have Claire, who after the death of her beloved son, is desperate to have another child but she knows with her genetic mutation that likely would be passed down to her next child and end in a similar circumstance, she isn't optimistic. Her husband things she's too cautious and eagerly wants to try again. She finally agrees, under the condition they do it under Dr. Robert Nash.

Her husband isn't a fan because he has serious doubts on the legality of his practices, but is certain his ethics aren't where they should be but he agrees because he wants a child as well and if this is the way to do it, he's willing to do it. Claire, on the other hand, has an ulterior motive. She knows (through a private Facebook group for women struggling with infertility) that Robert Nash has been experimenting with a process that would use eggs from two different women but the sperm of one man- thus producing a child with three parents. While this sounds very bizarre, it would give Claire the opportunity to carry her child without the fear that her genetic mutation would manifest itself later on. They would all keep it a secret. Claire would have her baby, Dr. Nash would have his critical research, and his assistant (the second egg donor) Jillian would make history.

Except it all goes to hell because this blurs the edges of ethics but it's also incredibly illegal. Jillian is left holding the bag while Dr. Nash and Claire disappear into the ether.

Until Abby, Claire's teenage daughter, participates in a science project at school involving DNA and finds missing relatives to connect with. One of them is a long lost "cousin" of her mom's and she sets up a surprise family reunion but the cousin is really Jillian.

Everything starts imploding and secrets come out.

Claire is effectively losing her mind (or is she?), Abby is digging around and uncovering the past without any idea of the consequence of the future, and Jillian is completely unhinged. I could not be more serious- but she is so unhinged even I am completely blown away at how crazy she is.

The entire story starts unraveling quickly, Jillian's prison time, stolen sperm, kidnapping, I mean- this story legitimately has everything. I had such a hard time putting this book down because every time I thought things would kind of mellow out, something even more insane would happen. If you know me in real life you know I often say, "No wait, it gets worse.." and that's the best way to describe this book.

I will say I am still conflicted on how I feel about the process this book describes. I can see both angles of it and it seems like the only way you can really form an opinion and understand it is by being in it yourself. It definitely gave me something to think about long after I finished the book.

I always seem to read a lot of thrillers in the fall and I'm really glad this is the one to kick that off this year. Absolutely 5 stars.

   

A huge thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Meryl Moss Media for my ARC! This post contains affiliate links as well.