Five Book Reading Wrap-Up April 2021
Join me for my five-book reading wrap-up!
(There is an Amazon link to each book. If you are interested in a bit more information, click on the link. I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on the link and buy anything at all, I get a percent of the sale at no cost to you...thanks:-)*********************************************************************************Book 1
"The Last Time I Lied"by Riley SagerGenre-Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
"The Last Time I Lied"
Good Reads Rating-4.06/5My Rating is 4/5
(click photo below to go to Amazon)
Overview I found on GoodReads.Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she--and anyone--saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale--and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp's twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets--including what really happened all those years ago. Quote“Sometimes, the only way out is through.”
― The Last Time I Lied
My Thoughts Before I Read the BookI bought this book from Book of the Month online. I was in the mood for a fast-paced thriller. I had gotten very good reviews, and I could not wait to read it.
My Thoughts After I Read the BookThe book starts out with Emma, the youngest girl at Camp Nightengale, standing in the camp lake screaming.
When Emma arrives at camp as a young girl, she is placed in a cabin with three older girls because that was the only available bunk. Emma's relationship with the older girls is complicated and difficult mostly because of the age and attitude differences. One morning she wakes early and finds her three roommates missing. She searches for them, and when she realizes she has no idea where they are, she heads to the lake to see if they are there.
Fifteen years later, Emma still struggles with the events of her camp experience. She blames herself for what happened and has suspicions as to who was involved. She is an artist now and draws the missing girls and then covers their images in the paintings of trees and vines. To say that the experience had caused her psychological pain would be an understatement.
The camp closed after the girls disappeared. Now fifteen years in the future, the camp re-opens, and Emma is asked to return to camp as an art instructor. Oddly, many of the events of the past seem to be repeating themselves.
This story is told in dual timelines—the present and fifteen years earlier during Emma's first camp experience. Emma, the protagonist, tells the story.
My Final ThoughtDid I enjoy the book? Yes, it was ok. For me, it was far too slow. The build-up took the majority of the book, and close to the end is when I felt the action finally started. It was well written, and if you like a very slow burn thriller, this book is for you. I could only give it a 3/5 due to the slow pace.It came to a believable conclusion at the end. Book TrailerI did find a book trailer.
MovieI could not find anything on a movie based on this book.*********************************************************************************Book 2"The Lost Apothecary"by Sarah PennerGenre- Historical Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller4.02 stars on Goodreads out of 5 starsI give this book 4/5
Amazon Link below...
Overview From Good ReadsA female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.
Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.
One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose—selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.
In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.
Quote My Thoughts After Reading the Book
This story is told in London in a dual timeline and from three women's perspectives. You find yourself back in time in the year 1791, where you will meet two of our lead characters. Nella is the main protaginist. She was raised by a mom who was an apothecary whose main goal was to help women with health issues. Her daughter Nella was set to follow in her footsteps, but her goals changed. Yes, she wanted to help women like her mom, but not in the innocent way her mom helped. Nella helped women take revenge on the men that had done them wrong.
In comes Eliza. She, like Nella, is in the 1790 time period. Eliza is twelve years old and, on behalf of her employer, visits Nella, and they develop a relationship.
You will get to know Nella and what happened to make her seek revenge for women. You will see the relationship between Nella and how it grows into a caring friendship. You will meet some of the women who want the men in their lives to pay for their wrongdoings.
In the second timeline, you will find yourself still in London, but the timeline is described as the present day. Here you will meet Caroline. Caroline has just discovered that her husband of many years has been unfaithful. She travels to London to try to come to terms with this betrayal. As she was exploring in the Thames River area, she discovers on the river's edge a vial, an ancient-looking relic. Little did she know it was a vial that the Apothecary used in our earlier timeline. Does she use it against her unfaithful husband? You will have to read the book to find out.
Trigger warning, if you already have a distrust for men, this will only reinforce that distrust.
Is there a Movie or Book Trailer?I did find a book trailer for this book,I could not find anything for a movie on this book. It is a new book, so maybe in the future, there will be one. I would go see it.
********************************************************************************Book 3"Girl A"by Abigail DeanGenre-Mystery, Fiction, Thriller3.66 stars on Goodreads out of 5 stars
I gave this book a 2/5I listened to this on audible and DNF'd it at around 75% read.
Amazon Link Below... 
Book overview as found on AmazonLex Gracie doesn't want to think about her family. She doesn't want to think about growing up in her parents' House of Horrors. And she doesn't want to think about her identity as Girl A: the girl who escaped, the eldest sister who freed her older brother and four younger siblings. It's been easy enough to avoid her parents--her father never made it out of the House of Horrors he created, and her mother spent the rest of her life behind bars. But when her mother dies in prison and leaves Lex and her siblings the family home, she can't run from her past any longer. Together with her sister, Evie, Lex intends to turn the home into a force for good. But first she must come to terms with her siblings--and with the childhood they shared.
What begins as a propulsive tale of escape and survival becomes a gripping psychological family story about the shifting alliances and betrayals of sibling relationships--about the secrets our siblings keep, from themselves and each other. Who have each of these siblings become? How do their memories defy or galvanize Lex's own? As Lex pins each sibling down to agree to her family's final act, she discovers how potent the spell of their shared family mythology is, and who among them remains in its thrall and who has truly broken free.Book QuoteI don't have a favorite quote.My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
After reading the book jacket, the book really sounded interesting to me. The home was described as a house of horrors for the children that lived there. It sounded as if the children would escape their prison and that Girl A was the catalyst of their escape. I was anxious to hear their story of survival and what happened after their escape.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
Immediately the book grabs you. There is a girl, Girl A, imprisoned in her own home. She has been plotting her escape for some time. The tensions build as she acts upon her desire to escape with her father, who imprisoned her nearby.
I listened to this book an Audible, and I was driving when Girl A was escaping. I was on the edge of my seat, and I had trouble focusing on my driving. My thought was that this was going to be a great book.
After the escape, the book slowed down nearly to a crawl. It went from an exciting read to a dragging read. It went on and on about the kid's lives and their relationships. I wanted to find out what occurred in the house of horrors, but little was said about it. It was more about the psychology of the kids in adulthood. I finished about 75% of the book, and then DNF'd it.
Book TrailerI could not find a book trailer.
MovieI could not find any info on a movie.
*******************************************************************************Book 4"The Ones We Choose"
by Julie ClarkGenre- Fiction, Contemporary, Family, Relationships4.00 stars on GoodReads out of 5 stars.
I gave this one 3/5 stars.
Amazon Link Below...
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale--and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp's twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets--including what really happened all those years ago.
― The Last Time I Lied
Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.
One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose—selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.
In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
This story is told in London in a dual timeline and from three women's perspectives. You find yourself back in time in the year 1791, where you will meet two of our lead characters. Nella is the main protaginist. She was raised by a mom who was an apothecary whose main goal was to help women with health issues. Her daughter Nella was set to follow in her footsteps, but her goals changed. Yes, she wanted to help women like her mom, but not in the innocent way her mom helped. Nella helped women take revenge on the men that had done them wrong.
In comes Eliza. She, like Nella, is in the 1790 time period. Eliza is twelve years old and, on behalf of her employer, visits Nella, and they develop a relationship.
You will get to know Nella and what happened to make her seek revenge for women. You will see the relationship between Nella and how it grows into a caring friendship. You will meet some of the women who want the men in their lives to pay for their wrongdoings.
In the second timeline, you will find yourself still in London, but the timeline is described as the present day. Here you will meet Caroline. Caroline has just discovered that her husband of many years has been unfaithful. She travels to London to try to come to terms with this betrayal. As she was exploring in the Thames River area, she discovers on the river's edge a vial, an ancient-looking relic. Little did she know it was a vial that the Apothecary used in our earlier timeline. Does she use it against her unfaithful husband? You will have to read the book to find out.
Trigger warning, if you already have a distrust for men, this will only reinforce that distrust.
I gave this book a 2/5
What begins as a propulsive tale of escape and survival becomes a gripping psychological family story about the shifting alliances and betrayals of sibling relationships--about the secrets our siblings keep, from themselves and each other. Who have each of these siblings become? How do their memories defy or galvanize Lex's own? As Lex pins each sibling down to agree to her family's final act, she discovers how potent the spell of their shared family mythology is, and who among them remains in its thrall and who has truly broken free.
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
After reading the book jacket, the book really sounded interesting to me. The home was described as a house of horrors for the children that lived there. It sounded as if the children would escape their prison and that Girl A was the catalyst of their escape. I was anxious to hear their story of survival and what happened after their escape.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
Immediately the book grabs you. There is a girl, Girl A, imprisoned in her own home. She has been plotting her escape for some time. The tensions build as she acts upon her desire to escape with her father, who imprisoned her nearby.
I listened to this book an Audible, and I was driving when Girl A was escaping. I was on the edge of my seat, and I had trouble focusing on my driving. My thought was that this was going to be a great book.
After the escape, the book slowed down nearly to a crawl. It went from an exciting read to a dragging read. It went on and on about the kid's lives and their relationships. I wanted to find out what occurred in the house of horrors, but little was said about it. It was more about the psychology of the kids in adulthood. I finished about 75% of the book, and then DNF'd it.
I gave this one 3/5 stars.
Description as Found on Amazon,Lisa Genova meets 23 and Me in this exploration of the genetic and emotional ties that bind, as debut author Julie Clark delivers a compelling read about a young boy desperate to find his place in this world, a mother coming to terms with her own past, and the healing power of forgiveness.
The powerful forces of science and family collide when geneticist Paige Robson finds her world in upheaval: Her eight-year-old son Miles is struggling to fit in at his new school and begins asking questions about his biological father that Paige can’t answer—until fate thrusts the anonymous donor she used into their lives.
Paige’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel as the truth of Miles’s paternity threatens to destroy everything she has grown to cherish. As Paige slowly opens herself up—by befriending an eccentric mother, confronting her own deeply buried vulnerabilities, and trying to make sense of her absent father’s unexpected return—she realizes breakthroughs aren’t only for the lab. But when tragedy strikes, Paige must face the consequences of sharing a secret only she knows.
With grace and humor, Julie Clark shows that while the science is fascinating, solving these intimate mysteries of who we are and where we come from unleashes emotions more complex than the DNA strands that shape us.
A Quote I Like“Oxytocin, “the bonding hormone,” is well documented in mothers, helping them through labor and in forming an attachment to their babies. A recent study has found that oxytocin levels in new fathers are nearly identical to those in mothers—even several weeks postpartum—proving that fathers are as biologically programmed to care for their offspring as mothers.”
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
I love science, and I love family and relationships, which sounded like a good read to me.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but I got bored with some of the interactions; they seemed repetitive. I liked the characters and enjoyed most of the relationships, but I found myself doing a lot of skimming to find the next interesting section.
One thing I did enjoy about the book was what was placed between each chapter. There are interesting tidbits about science. There is info on DNA, hereditary diseases, and much more. I found this section to be informative and fun.
I gained from this book a curiosity about Oxytocin releases in newborns' parents and how this connects them to the new baby. I want to read more about this and find out if this is true and if it somehow affects the grandparents or if it comes totally natural for me to adore my grandkids.
Is there a movie trailer?
I could not find a trailer.
Is there a movie?
It looks like there is a film deal. Here is the link with more info. The Ones We Choose
*******************************************************************************Book 5 "The House With Chicken Legs"by Sophie AndersonGenre-Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Coming of Age4.16 stars on Good Reads out of 5 stars
I give this book 4.25/5
Link to Amazon Below..... 
Book Description from GoodReadsAll 12-year-old Marinka wants is a friend. A real friend. Not like her house with chicken legs. Sure, the house can play games like tag and hide-and-seek, but Marinka longs for a human companion. Someone she can talk to and share secrets with.
But that's tough when your grandmother is a Yaga, a guardian who guides the dead into the afterlife. It's even harder when you live in a house that wanders all over the world . . . carrying you with it. Even worse, Marinka is being trained to be a Yaga. That means no school, no parties--and no playmates that stick around for more than a day.
So when Marinka stumbles across the chance to make a real friend, she breaks all the rules . . . with devastating consequences. Her beloved grandmother mysteriously disappears, and it's up to Marinka to find her--even if it means making a dangerous journey to the afterlife.
With a mix of whimsy, humor, and adventure, this debut novel will wrap itself around your heart and never let go.Quote“If you would take the time to listen to them,” Baba repeats calmly, “then you would hear their stories. Their lives would add to yours, and stay with you forever.”
― The House with Chicken Leg
The powerful forces of science and family collide when geneticist Paige Robson finds her world in upheaval: Her eight-year-old son Miles is struggling to fit in at his new school and begins asking questions about his biological father that Paige can’t answer—until fate thrusts the anonymous donor she used into their lives.
Paige’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel as the truth of Miles’s paternity threatens to destroy everything she has grown to cherish. As Paige slowly opens herself up—by befriending an eccentric mother, confronting her own deeply buried vulnerabilities, and trying to make sense of her absent father’s unexpected return—she realizes breakthroughs aren’t only for the lab. But when tragedy strikes, Paige must face the consequences of sharing a secret only she knows.
With grace and humor, Julie Clark shows that while the science is fascinating, solving these intimate mysteries of who we are and where we come from unleashes emotions more complex than the DNA strands that shape us.
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
I love science, and I love family and relationships, which sounded like a good read to me.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but I got bored with some of the interactions; they seemed repetitive. I liked the characters and enjoyed most of the relationships, but I found myself doing a lot of skimming to find the next interesting section.
One thing I did enjoy about the book was what was placed between each chapter. There are interesting tidbits about science. There is info on DNA, hereditary diseases, and much more. I found this section to be informative and fun.
I gained from this book a curiosity about Oxytocin releases in newborns' parents and how this connects them to the new baby. I want to read more about this and find out if this is true and if it somehow affects the grandparents or if it comes totally natural for me to adore my grandkids.
Is there a movie trailer?
I could not find a trailer.
Is there a movie?
It looks like there is a film deal. Here is the link with more info. The Ones We Choose
I give this book 4.25/5
But that's tough when your grandmother is a Yaga, a guardian who guides the dead into the afterlife. It's even harder when you live in a house that wanders all over the world . . . carrying you with it. Even worse, Marinka is being trained to be a Yaga. That means no school, no parties--and no playmates that stick around for more than a day.
So when Marinka stumbles across the chance to make a real friend, she breaks all the rules . . . with devastating consequences. Her beloved grandmother mysteriously disappears, and it's up to Marinka to find her--even if it means making a dangerous journey to the afterlife.
With a mix of whimsy, humor, and adventure, this debut novel will wrap itself around your heart and never let go.
― The House with Chicken Leg
My thoughts before reading the book
I love Middle-Grade books. The House With Chicken Legs received wonderful reviews, so I decided to read the book.
My thoughts after reading the book
Is there a movie?
I could not find anything on a movie for this book.
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KathieyV:-)
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