Book Review: The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements #2)

Oh man. I honestly don't know how to do this review without spilling my guts about everything because I have SO MANY THINGS TO SAY. I'm going to tell you now that if you aren't reading Brittainy C. Cherry you are absolutely missing out.

(Yes, I know it's Monday and I should have a weight loss post for you but I don't and you're going to live and it's going to be fully OK. Swearsies.)

The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements #2)

There once was a boy, and I loved him.

Logan Francis Silverstone was the complete opposite of me. I danced while he stood still. He was quiet, and I was always running my mouth. He struggled to find a smile while I refused to frown. 

The night I saw the darkness that truly lived inside of him, I couldn’t look away.

We were broken together, yet somehow whole. We were wrong together, but always right. We were the stars that burned across the night sky, searching for a wish, praying for better tomorrows.

Until the day I lost him. He threw us away with one hasty decision—a decision that changed us forever.

There once was a boy, and I loved him.

And for a few breaths, a few whispers, a few moments, I think he loved me, too.

A couple of things before I get into this review:

1. Logan is maybe one of the most messed up characters Brittainy C. Cherry has ever written, and honestly, I can't think of another character off the top of my head that gives me such a love/hate feeling. 
2. I have never wished for a character to die in a book as much as I did this one and I feel like a really bad person for wishing it but I feel like it needed it. 
3. If ever there was a character perfect for me, it would be Logan. Not because I've got a thing for drug addicts but if you're a person who believes you can fix people, LOGAN IS YOUR GUY. 

I know I have a track record of having an issue with the lead female character most of the time but not here, you guys. I really, really liked Alyssa. She was just so kind and so great and she never judged Logan no matter how messed up he was and loved him almost to a fault. I think the most annoying part of this book for me was Logan and his hope for his mom. I can't tell you how that ends but I'll say he's a better person than I because I don't know if I could keep putting myself in that situation. 

My friend Shirley told me this was going to be rough and I wasn't even a quarter of the way in and I just had this sinking feeling this would end badly. Then Part 1 ended and I was full on SOBBING and I had to stop reading for a little bit. The next day I had to forge ahead because I need to know what the hell happens to Alyssa and Logan and man... it was so tough to read and know that a person has to hit rock bottom on their own and you can't pull them up before they get there, it doesn't work that way.

It's an emotional read and I'm not even going to sugar coat it. With all of that, I have to tell you I'm giving this five stars. I know I told you I wish for someone to die (alright, two. I wished for two people to die, I'M SORRY.), and there were a couple of spots in the plot I wish were done a little differently, the overall story was so good that I could overlook all of those blips. It's that good.

If you STILL haven't ordered everything Brittainy C. Cherry has written, I'm not sure what the hell is wrong with you but you need to fix it.

   

This post contains affiliate links.

More importantly: please, please, PLEASE- if you read this book, I need to know what you thought. Immediately. 

Book Review: All Grown Up

I normally would be all, "I'm sorry this week is mostly book reviews" but no, I'm not sorry. You know why? Because I'm giving you solid reading material and you all need to catch up so we can talk about these books. Get with it, lambs.

All Grown Up - Vi Keeland

When I first encountered Ford Donovan, I had no idea who he was…well, other than the obvious. Young, gorgeous, successful, smart. Did I mention young? If I did, it bears repeating. Ford Donovan was too young for me.

Let’s back up to how it all started. My best friend decided I needed to start dating again. So, without my knowledge, she set up a profile for me on a popular dating site—one that invited men ages twenty-one to twenty-seven to apply for a date. Those nicknamed Cunnilingus King were told they’d go straight to the top for consideration. The profile wasn’t supposed to go live. Another point that bears repeating—it wasn’t supposed to. 

Nevertheless, that’s how I met Ford, and we started messaging. He made me laugh; yet I was adamant that because of his age, we could only be friends. But after weeks of wearing me down, I finally agreed to one date only—my first after twenty years of being with my high school sweetheart. I knew it couldn’t last, but I was curious about him.

Though, you know what they say…curiosity kills the cat.

My legs wobbled walking into the restaurant.

Ford was seated at the bar. When he turned around, he took my breath away.

His sexy smile nearly melted my panties. 

But…he looked so familiar. 

As I got closer I realized why. 

He was the son of the neighbor at our family’s summer home. 

The boy next door.

Only now…he was all man. 

I hadn’t seen him in years.

I left the restaurant and planned to put the entire crazy thing behind me. 

Which I did. Until summer came.

And guess who decided to use his family’s summer home this year?

I am really late to the Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland boat, but if you remember a few months or weeks ago, I read and reviewed their joint venture, Dear Bridget, I Want You. I really enjoyed that one and it was an older woman dating a younger man and it was great. Imagine my surprise/kind of annoyance that this was basically the same trope.

I was kind of bummed out, but I went with it. It has been all over my Instagram and everyone is loving it and who can honestly say no to the cover? I mean, maybe a lesbian, but even then I have to think they could appreciate this cover. So I read the book and I liked it. I really liked it, and I liked the ending, and Ford's character is so perfect to me in so many ways.

You know who I didn't like? Valentina. She was really "woe is me" and she leads people on and then drops them like a hot potato. She is so completely worried about what other people think that she is willing to lose an amazing thing, and that really drove me nuts because Ford is a CATCH. He's so perfect and he adores her, completely. He's solid and perfect. Have I even mentioned how perfect he is?

Anyways, I really loved his wooing because that's what carried this book, no question. I think Valentina liked  him but she would almost flippantly insult him and frankly, she is lucky he stuck around to even try to make it work. Also, there were a few things that kind of felt unfinished to me- her ex-husband, for one. I know him and Ford "meet" but it felt like more was going to come (a confrontation or some sorts maybe?) and I don't feel like that angle for me.

Overall? This was a solid 3 for me. It was a fast read and worth reading but it's not one I'm going to rave about at the end of the year.

   

Another day, another dollar, friends! This posts has affiliate links but it isn't sponsored because Matt bought this book for me, he just doesn't know it. Ha! 

Book Review: The Gravity of Us (Elements #4)

I know you're probably wondering if this is going to be an entire week of Brittainy C. Cherry fangirling, but it isn't. I will probably have more next week though. Sorry, not sorry.

The Gravity of Us - Brittainy C. Cherry

Graham Russell and I weren’t made for one another.

I was driven by emotion; he was apathetic. I dreamed while he lived in nightmares. I cried when he had no tears to shed.

Despite his frozen heart and my readiness to run, we sometimes shared seconds. Seconds when our eyes locked and we saw each other’s secrets. Seconds when his lips tasted my fears, and I breathed in his pains. Seconds when we both imagined what it would be like to love one another.

Those seconds left us floating, but when reality knocked us sideways, gravity forced us to descend.

Graham Russell wasn’t a man who knew how to love, and I wasn’t a woman who knew how to either.

 Yet if I had the chance to fall again, I’d fall with him forever.

Even if we were destined to crash against solid ground.

When I started reading this one I immediately thought I was going to really hate Graham and that I probably wouldn't even like Lucy. He's too grumpy/mean and she is too hippie. As it turns out, I'm and idiot and I need to just go with the flow because I loved them both. Despite all of it, I loved them both.

So in this book we have Graham, famous author and a really awful wife but it's not about love it's basically an outlet for sex and she feels the same. Except she got pregnant and so they are reluctantly dealing with that. They get in a fight, baby comes and has problems, wife takes off and leaves him with baby.

Enter Lucy, the wife of his sister (that he had no idea about because he thought she was an only child) and since Lucy is incredibly selfless and kind, she decides she can't leave Graham to flounder so she decides she's going to basically nanny and help him learn how to parent and take care of a child.

Over time though, things become a little more blurry when they both start to develop feelings for each other but it isn't as simple as just get together. She feels weird about taking up with essentially her brother in law and he isn't a guy who is capable of loving and that's a deal breaker for her.

DUN, DUN, DUN....

Obviously some major plot twists happen and makes Graham and Lucy drift apart and kind of look at things from afar and make some decisions.

My friend texted me and said just to tell her if there is a happy ending, because I promise you there is a good chunk of this book where I was in such emotional turmoil, I was crying while cooking dinner, I couldn't sleep even though my eyeballs hurt from reading, I will tell you that it is a LOT and this is coming from someone on a lot of anti-depressants and mood stabilizers. If I'm a wreck I don't know what that bodes for you.

Just know this: I felt.... relieved and at peace with the end. I need a break from Brittainy C. Cherry but I also can't quit her. My emotional well being is at war with itself. All that to say this book was SO DANG GOOD. So good. It couldn't have been better, I literally have not one quip to give it. So good.

   

Another book off my own shelf and from my own money, but you should use the affiliate links to keep my blog going but also keep my addiction going as well. Books are life. 

Book Review: The Silent Waters (Elements #3)

It was two weeks ago that I told you about another book by Brittainy C. Cherry (The Air He Breathes) and I believe I told you to just run and buy every book you can find by her. I haven't heard if any of you actually did that, but my friend Shirley is as obsessed with this author as I am.

I promise you, if you are in a reading slump, or you just aren't finding anything that gives you feels and makes your girl parts excited, Brittainy C. Cherry will get you there. You will be a mess at the end but it's the best possible mess. I just got book two and I am SO GLAD I didn't wait to read these in order because they are in no way connected so you can read them at whatever pace you want to. Just do it. I swear.

The Silent Waters - Brittainy C. Cherry

Moments.

Our lives are a collection of moments. Some utterly painful and full of yesterday's hurts. Some beautifully hopeful and full of tomorrow's promises.

I’ve had many moments in my lifetime, moments that changed me, challenged me. Moments that scared me and engulfed me. However, the biggest ones—the most heartbreaking and breathtaking ones—all included him.

I was ten years old when I lost my voice. A piece of me was stolen away, and the only person who could truly hear my silence was Brooks Griffin. He was the light during my dark days, the promise of tomorrow, until tragedy found him. Tragedy that eventually drowned him in a sea of memories.

This is the story of a boy and girl who loved each other, but didn’t love themselves. A story of life and death. Of love and broken promises.

Of moments.

OK. I honestly don't know how to review this without random squealing and wanting to give you alllllll the details.

It's that good you guys.

In this book we have a young girl, madly in love with her brother's friend. She decides they are going to get married and on the evening of the "wedding", she sees something so horrific she becomes mute for ten years. I mean, there's more to it, but that's the basics. In those ten years she slowly watches her parent's marriage crumble, her sister hates her, her brother loves her but is busy with his band that also has his friend Brooks (the kid she was supposed to marry). She still loves him and though he blames himself (this wouldn't have happened if he wasn't late to the wedding), she knows he's the one that legitimately saved her. Over the years he constantly visits her and they become each other's person.

Eventually the band Brooks is in makes it big (with her help) and he has the opportunity to go. He's willing to give it all up for her and she encourages him to go because just because she's unable to go out into the world and she doesn't speak, doesn't mean he should have to be in her prison, too. He goes off and becomes famous, and lives move on but neither one of them are happy.

The circumstances of them reuniting, and the big event that changes everything? I'm going to seal my lips because it was big and I had legit screaming, furious texting to my friend, Matt thought I went nuts, and I couldn't sleep. I had to finish the book and that's just what I did and I loved it so much.

SO MUCH.

With that said, I have a couple of (teensy, wincy) things that kind of bothered me that are keeping me from giving this five stars. (But I'm going to tell you know, I think this is my being picky and you should completely ignore me and read it.)

1. I kind of hate mutism in stories. I feel like I'm fairly open to a variety of weird psychological things but mutism is one I don't get. I never have and I probably never will. I spent a lot of time saying, "Just say something, dammit!!!!" of course, she didn't hear me.

2. I kind of didn't love Maggie. I kind of hated her name, I didn't really like her, and I get she had a traumatic thing happen but it never seemed like she tried to get better. In the book she doesn't speak but instead writes things on her white board and why would you never write out what happened to you? Or at least give a generalized idea? Her parents were kind of stupid as well and they say they had specialists come but did they? Because I have to think at someone point a psychologist would have been one of them and they'd be able to identify mutism and work with her but what the hell do I know?

If I had to be nit picky, that's what I've got. I want someone else to be reading this because Shirley and I are blown away by this author and it's got us looking at our husbands like they need to step it the hell up. Ahem.

   

As I read these, I will report back on how amazingly perfect they are (of course), and just know this blog has affiliate links. But! This isn't a sponsored post, this is a book I bought with my own moola so there you go. 

Book Review: Castle of Concrete

A fair warning, the rest of this week are book reviews and they are ALL VERY GOOD, so just get your credit card out because these are worthy of your purchase. Also, Christmas is coming. (And I feel like a jerk saying it but #facts.)

Castle of Concrete - Katia Raina

In 1990-1991, when the history of Russia and the entire Soviet Union is being revisited and the rules are changing, a fifteen-year-old Jewish girl, Sonya Solovay, reunites with her dissident mother after twelve years of hiding out in Siberia--her life's dream realized. Still, she sees herself as a typical Soviet citizen: a shy, quiet, obedient, barely-there girl, dissolving into the past, her country's and her own. Determined to break into her new existence, Sonya tries out a shining new persona, but most of her efforts backfire. One mysterious boy notices her, wants to hear her stories, makes her feel like she is the shiniest part of his world. Everything else might as well fade away--her distant and hungry-for-gossip classmates, the equally shy Jewish friend who doesn't always seem to understand her, the growing tension with her fiercely Jewish Mama, the rumors of an impending communist coup. More and more, Sonya spends time with her "rescuer" at a construction site she calls "castle." So what if he uses an occasional anti-Semitic slur?

In the shadow of a crane, among metal pipes and concrete blocks, she finds it easy, falling, falling in love with a muddy-eyed boy she knows so little about. As for being Jewish in a country where the Republics are supposed to be "sisters" and the People brothers," what does one's nationality have to do with anything?

All the while, Sonya's mama is falling in love also: she is falling in love with shiny America, a land where where being different seems to be celebrated, and not everyone is so very Russian and snow-white. The place sounds amazing, but so far away. Will Sonya ever find her way there?

I'm going to tell you right now this is maybe one of the best YA novels I've read this year. Not even kidding. I'm not even a fan of books with a setting in places I'm not familiar with/don't know much about, and this one is set in a Soviet Union that no longer exists, and while that was a big part of the story, there was so much more happening that it wasn't really a focus for me.

What really pulled me is how despite being the early 90's, this book is so timely. Sure, we're not dealing with the Soviet Union and the dramatic shift the change was, but a lot of the themes and moving pieces in this book are current to 2019 United States. We have Sonya, who isn't sure where she belongs, what world to identify with: Russian or Jewish. She's both and this is a time where choices need to be made, further complicated by choosing between two boys. One is.... a bad boy of sorts but his problem is that he's basically an anti-Semite and the other guy is really good and sweet and I think we all understand that that's kind of.... boring.We watch a young girl struggle with that choice, so that's the romance element.

I did not read it as a romance though, I was reading it for the historical value and comparing it to today but even knowing that- that ending. That ending got me. I don't know if it's because I have a teenage daughter who has big feelings like Sonya, or if it was just way past my bedtime, but I cried at the end of this and I finished torn on whether I want a sequel or if the ending should just be what it is and that's it, it's up to us to think of the rest. I think because everything under the sun gets a sequel, I want this one to stay as it is.

Overall? I'm giving this one a solid 4 stars. My only critiques are it kind of lags a bit in some parts, and I had a hard time keeping track of characters (which is a personal issue so probably wouldn't be an issue for a normal functioning brain). I really liked Sonya's character even though she makes terrible choices, I just kept rooting for her because she's a regular teenage girl, flawed an all but trying to do the right thing.

I highly suggest this one if you have a kiddo really into YA literature, but this would be a good addition to a school and/or classroom library!

   

I received an ARC of Castle of Concrete and a big thank you to TLC Book Tours and Young Europe books, as well as Katia Raina for my copy. This post does contain affiliate links and when you shop from them I make a couple of cents and that helps keep this blog moving, and you pay nothing extra. 

Happy reading! 

Weight Loss Journey: Holding Steady

I haven't done a weigh-in in a few months and that's because I haven't really moved, BUT I started at like 212 and I've been holding steady at 209.

Obviously, I'd like to not be stagnant, but I'm going to take it because at least I'm not going up and I feel pretty OK with where I'm at.

To be honest, I didn't do a DANG THING at all last week and that's because of two things. One, I had done SO much activity the week we were in Missouri, and two, the big kids (all but Lucy) were gone for the entire week to my in-laws so I really didn't have anything to do.

Well, that's not entirely true.

I did clean stuff that was neglected the week we were gone, I did laundry, cleaned the suitcases because even though I unpacked I feel weird being at places so I clean them out, and Lucy and I hung out. Which was incredibly nice and quiet, and I realized this school year is going to be AMAZING because I'm going to be ALONE for like three hours every day.

I can't even wait.

But that three hours cannot be wasted and I want to do something active so I don't slide into my natural slug ways. I said when Fitbit came out that I absolutely wasn't going to jump on the fad but it's a bazillion years later and....

I need to jump on the fad.

Photo illustration credit: TechRadar and Fitbit

So what do you suggest? I've gone over a lot of articles online and I've probably read this one a solid ten, maybe even eleven times, but it's all nonsense to me. My cognitively impaired brain isn't understanding 80% of it and so I need to know what regular people suggest.

Do you have a Fitbit you love? One you hate? Tell me why you love it, and tell me why you hate the other ones.

Ideally, I'd like one that is waterproof (because kids, but also because I forget to take things off when I get into a shower and it's been a problem that I'm not getting into), I don't swim for sport so I don't need it do that. I'd like it to track my steps and my heart rate reliably. I'd like something that can connect to my phone (iPhone) and I'm on the fence about GPS (Like, what's the benefit to seeing your GPS on the thingie versus your phone? Does it even matter?)

Or does Fitbit suck completely and I should go with something even COOLER and BETTER?

HELP ME.

Book Review: The Beginner's Guide to Winning an Election

Kind of a perfect read for right now with all of the elections gearing up, right? It's not quite that kind of book, but it's a cool young adult book that looks at elections in high school and brings up similarities to our adult elections. It's a good read for your kids but also a good perspective for adults, too.

The Beginner's Guide to Winning an Election - Michael R. French

In 2025, the “youthification” of democracy has inspired younger candidates to challenge the ineffective and hypocritical gray-hairs in Congress. Running for student body president at an Indiana high school, political novice Brit Kitridge takes on incumbent Matthew Boltanski, who, with help from a mystery backer, already has his eyes set on Washington. Brit gains courage and insights from a wise history teacher on how to win, but ultimately finds a maze of deceit and corruption in her school. Is exposing the truth enough to win the election?

I'm going to give you full disclosure- I'm a grown up, a parent, and I was the PTO President at my kids' elementary school for years. I know how hard it is to get something done in a school so in that way I had some feelings throughout this book so I maybe have a different perspective. Though, I am not in a school district that has corruption like this, so perhaps it's not the same at all, but I know there are areas where this level of awful exists. Also, this book takes place in the future so they refer to stuff like #metoo and #neveragain in the past tense, so that was kind of cool- so think about kids learning about all of our current stuff in the future. I just hope we come out OK.

In this book we have Brit, the do-gooder kid who is running for student body president under the principle of being honest, unlike her opponent. She went in knowing that her opponent was a liar who would do anything to win, but what she didn't anticipate was everyone around him being in on it. During the race she uncovers serious issues, discrepancies, and serious corruption and she makes attempts to uncover it all, but quickly realizes that sometimes knowing the truth and bringing it to light doesn't even matter if people think they'll benefit from all of the corruption. (I could turn right here and make comparisons to our current political climate but I won't because my fingers cannot physically handle the task.)

My favorite line in the entire book which I have thought about a lot since reading it was on page 151:

Brit couldn't believe how much Nathan was revealing. "Does it bother you that Mr. Barnes and PTE pull your strings?"
"Not really. No one gets anything done alone anymore. The age of individualism is pretty much dead. Everything and everyone is interconnected. To survive, you have to be on a team, the stronger the better." 

Is that not that absolute truth, though? They always tell you to follow the strings and that sums it up right there, and that's really what this book is. It's like a weird kaleidoscope that shows the small world of high school politics expands to the teaching staff, then the school board, and so on and so on all the way up to state politics.

My favorite character in the whole book though? Mr. Wilson. The teacher that led the revolution (kind of) and was a lasting impression in every student's educational journey, someone that they learned life lessons from that they would keep forever. His arc in the story is kind of rough and I thought he was going to have a terrible ending but the very, very end of the book gave me a good feeling and that's the best.

Overall? I really, really loved this book. My 14 year old is reading it right now, I plan to gift it to my friend who teaches in a high school for her to read and share with her classes. It made me realize how big of a job high school teachers have. They are the last learning stop before kids go out into the world. Sure, some go to college and that's a continuation but high school is where most everyone learns the core beliefs they have and that's where you learn to question things and keep learning or just put your head in the sand and go with the flow.

If you're looking to fill up a school library, a classroom library, have some books on hand for your kids to read, add this one to the list. It would be really interesting to hear a high school, or even middle school, student's perspective on this book.

   

A big thanks to Michael R. French, Moot Point Productions, and TLC Book Tours for my copy! All thoughts are my own, and affiliate links are used in this post to help keep this blog going. If you pick up a copy of this for your child(ren), I suggest you give it a quick read too!