None of this is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell-Suspense Thriller

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of None of This is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell.

Title: None of this is True: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: August 08, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 384 pages
Meet the Author: Lisa Jewell
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her “superb pacing, twisted characters, and captivating prose” (BuzzFeed), Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true-crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappeared. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

My Thoughts

I still love Lisa's work and will keep reading her books. With that being said, this was not a favorite.

I liked it and enjoyed it but never understood how the "twin birthday" thing was really relevant to the story. Also, it was pretty infuriating, almost unbelievable how Josie got to have so much power and feel so entitled during the time she stayed at Alix's house. Also, who leaves their children at home with a complete stranger?. I just did not get it. 

Still enjoyed the book but not my favorite. I would still recommend it if you want a fast read. 

Wendy 

Where There Was Fire: A Novel by John Manuel Arias-Literary Fiction

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Where There Was Fire: A Novel by John Manuel Arias.

Title: Where There Was Fire: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Literary Fiction

Author: John Manuel Arias

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publication Date: September 19, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 288 pages
Meet the Author: John Manuel Arias
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

A lush and atmospheric novel about three generations of a Costa Rican family wrestling with a deadly secret, from rising literary star John Manuel Arias

“An exciting new voice with a prowess for lyricism.” ―Publishers Weekly

A B&N DISCOVER PICK * A GMA BUZZ PICK * MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2023: CrimeReads, Debutiful, Good Morning America, Library Journal, Zibby Mag, The San Francisco Chronicle, and more!

Costa Rica, 1968. When a lethal fire erupts at the American Fruit Company’s most lucrative banana plantation burning all evidence of a massive cover-up, and her husband disappears, the future of Teresa’s family is changed forever.

Now, twenty-seven years later, Teresa and her daughter Lyra are picking up the pieces. Lyra wants nothing to do with Teresa but is desperate to find out what happened to her family that fateful night. Teresa, haunted by a missing husband and the bitter ghost of her mother, Amarga, is unable to reconcile the past. What unfolds is a story of a mother and daughter trying to forgive what they do not yet understand and the mystery at the heart of one family’s rupture.

Brimming with ancestral spirits, omens, and the anthropomorphic forces of nature, John Manuel Arias weaves a brilliant tapestry of love, loss, secrets, and redemption in Where There Was Fire.

My Thoughts

Being from Costa Rica, this book was a delight to read.

When mention old Costa Rica (though I was not even born yet) by reading the history, places like the National Theater, the Banana Company, the "barrio", all these words that are so familiar but sometimes seem too far away.

I listened to the Audiobook (which did not affect my opinion of the book).

It started a little slow for me but then it picked up and was a very interesting and enjoyable read. 

Books with different POV's, I can always appreciate. Different timelines, complicated characters, and family relationships. All that made the book more interesting for me.  Glad I had the chance to read the work of a Costa Rican- American author.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy

Book Review: Someone, Somewhere, Maybe: Poems by Sophie Diener-Poetry

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Someone, Somewhere, Maybe: Poems by Sophie Diener.

Title: Someone, Somewhere, Maybe: Poems

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Genre: Poetry

Author: Sophie Diener

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

Language: English

Paperback: 176 pages
Meet the Author: Sophie Diener
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

For fans of Rupi Kaur, Cleo Wade, and Amanda Lovelace, Someone Somewhere Maybe speaks to the joys and sorrows of finding your way as a young woman today.

Poignant and beautifully written, TikTok fan favorite Sophie Diener’s debut poetry collection takes readers on an introspective journey through first love, heartbreak, loss, identity, and self-worth. 

Filled with honesty and warmth, each poem reveals something new about the human condition, and brilliantly captures what growing up feels like, in a way that is both relatable and affirming.

Someone Somewhere Maybe is the perfect companion for a rainy day, curling up in bed with a cup of tea, sitting on the porch with a glass of lemonade, or lying on the beach watching the waves. 

It offers readers hope, healing, understanding, and the certainty that they are not alone.

My Thoughts

I love reading and writing poems. Every time I get my hands on a new poetry collection, I feel very curious to see what new writers/ authors are bringing to the table. Sophie Diener did not disappoint.  

What I liked the most about Someone, Somewhere, Maybe is that even though each poem touches on very personal topics, however, they are topics that a lot of people can relate to. 

I like the familiarity I felt while reading this book, and that I could see myself in these words, and knowing that I am not the only one who has gone through certain situations gave me some sort of relief.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy 

Book Review: Gone Tonight: A Novel by Sarah Pekkanen-Mystery/Thriller

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Gone Tonight: A Novel by Sarah Pekkanen.

Title: Gone Tonight: A Novel

Rating:  4/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: August 01, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 352 pages
Meet the Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

New from the #1 bestselling co-author of The Golden Couple and The Wife Between Us!

"I'm a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen's books, and GONE TONIGHT is her best yet." ―Colleen Hoover

Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. It's been just the two of them against the world all her life. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening.

Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, and would never question anything about her mother's past or background. But when Ruth's desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side reveals cracks in Ruth's carefully constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception.

My Thoughts

I was very excited to read this book. Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendrix are some of my favorite authors, and seeing Sarah publishing a solo work, I had to read it. 

I have to start by saying that this book deals with situations that may be hard for some people to read about. Trigger Warning on teenage pregnancy, homeless hardships, poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, pain pills, alcohol use, and mishandling of medication.

The book started a little slow for me but after Coach's murder scene, it took off, and the action and adrenaline rush never stopped. Loved the structure of the book, each of the main characters, Ruth and Catherine, get to tell us their story, one chapter after another. 

I had to hold my breath for most of the time. I really thought James was going to get out victorious but it was good to see that somehow Ruth got justice for all that occurred in the past with him. Also, I knew Ruth's motives to protect Catherine may have not been the best but I loved to see how protective she was of her as her mother, she would have done anything to make sure she was okay.

I loved this book and enjoyed it a lot, however, my favorite scene is the final one with Ruth, her brother, and her father. It got to my heart, more than I expected and it honestly surprised me. 

What a thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't stop reading. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy

Forever Hold Your Peace: A Novel by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke-Women's Fiction

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Forever Hold Your Peace: A Novel by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke.

Title: Forever Hold Your Peace: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Women's Fiction

Author: Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Publisher: Alcove Books

Publication Date: July 11, 2023

Language: English

Paperback: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Father of the Bride meets Bride Wars in Forever Hold Your Peace, in which two ex-best friends find themselves shockingly entangled after more than two decades apart, for fans of Good Company.

When their newly engaged kids ask all four divorced parents to meet each other over brunch, everyone RSVPs yes--secretly hoping someone at the table will get to the bottom of the bottomless mimosas fast enough to say what they’re all thinking: that this engagement, coming after a whirlwind romance between two people barely out of college, is too much too soon.

But at that brunch it’s not the impulsive couple's decisions that end up under the microscope, as it turns out June, mother of the bride, and Amy, mother of the groom, certainly do know each other--they're ex-best-friends who haven't spoken since their explosive falling out more than twenty-five years ago. Reeling from their unwanted reunion and eager to shift the spotlight off their past as decades-old secrets and rivalries come to light, the two moms battle it out for the prize of Most Enthusiastic About This Wedding.

But when their history—and their present-day shenanigans—threaten to crack the foundations of the happy couple’s future, June and Amy find themselves becoming unexpected allies in an all-hands-on-deck effort to get their kids (and themselves) a happily-ever-after two generations in the making.

Forever Hold Your Peace is perfect for readers who love messy, complicated family novels like All Adults Here and stories that bring the past and present together like One Italian Summer.

My Thoughts

Liz and Lisa did it again. 

Forever Hold Your Peace felt more mature and deep than their previous works, which I truly appreciated. 

I have always enjoyed Liz and Lisa's books because despite dealing with hard topics but they always manage to give us an enjoyable, believable, and relatable story. In this case, a story of more than two people getting married but about true forgiveness and letting things go. 

A fast-paced, funny at times, full of drama, which kept me hooked from beginning to end. 

Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy

Book Review: The Quiet Tenant: A Novel by Clemence Michallon-Mystery/Thriller

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of The Quiet Tenant: A Novel by Clemence Michallon.

Title: The Quiet Tenant: A Novel

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Author: Clemence Michallon

Publisher: Knopf

Publication Date: June 20, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Clemence Michallon
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

NATIONAL BEST SELLER • ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2023 • GMA BUZZ PICK • “A bravura feat of storytelling...daring and completely satisfying.” —James Patterson, #1 best-selling author

A PULSE-POUNDING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER NARRATED BY THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM: HIS 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, HIS GIRLFRIEND—AND THE ONE VICTIM HE HAS SPARED

"Intelligent and suspenseful." —Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World

“All…of the expected suspense and psychological tension, but offering a story about women—the ones who didn’t know the evil that lurked within, the ones who tried to placate or fight but still perished, the ones who might actually survive. Haunting but never prurient…truly unforgettable.” — Alafair Burke, author of The Wife

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life. 

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.

My Thoughts

Well, this was a surprise, a very pleasant one. This is easily one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time.

I honestly did not know what to expect. I requested the book mainly because I loved the cover. Then, I started seeing it more around the bookstagram community, with good reviews, so that got me more excited, and oh boy, it didn't disappoint. 

What a debut. Kept my on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't stop reading. 

Fast-paced, dark, captivating, suspenseful. I just felt my heart rising the whole time, especially towards the end, the truck scene, oh my. This truly is a fascinating read, my favorite read of 2023 so far. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy

Book Review: My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar/ Memoir

Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar.

Title: My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Hannah Pick-Goslar

Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
Publication Date: June 06, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Hannah Pick-Goslar
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Both heartbreaking and life-affirming" (Edith Eger, author of The Choice), the long-awaited memoir of Holocaust survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar, who shares an intimate look into her life and friendship with Anne Frank.

In 1933, Hannah Pick-Goslar and her family fled Nazi Germany to live in Amsterdam, where she struck up a close friendship with her next-door neighbor, an outspoken and fun-loving young girl named Anne Frank. For several years, the inseparable pair enjoyed a carefree childhood of games, sleepovers, and treats with the other children in their neighborhood of Rivierenbuurt. But in 1942, Hannah and Anne's lives abruptly changed forever. As the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam progressed, Anne and the Frank family seemingly vanished, leaving behind unmade beds and dishes in the sink—but no trace of Anne's precious diary. Torn from her dear friend without warning, Hannah spent the next two years tormented by questions about Anne's fate, wondering if she had, by some miracle, managed to escape danger.

 

In this long‑awaited memoir, Hannah shares the story of her childhood during the Holocaust, from the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in Amsterdam to the gradual disappearance of classmates and, eventually, the Frank family, to Hannah and her family's imprisonment in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. As Hannah chronicles the experiences of her own life during and after the war, she provides a searing look at what countless children endured at the hands of the Nazi regime, as well as an intimate, never‑before‑seen portrait of the most recognizable victim of the Holocaust. Culminating in an astonishing fateful reunion, My Friend Anne Frank is the profoundly moving story of childhood and friendship during one of the darkest periods in the world's history.

My Thoughts

I love reading memoirs, and lately, I have been obsessed, more than usual, with reading about World War II, The Holocaust, and The Jews, through Memoirs. This one delivered, and more. 

Thanks to The Diary of Anne Frank, which is one of my all-time favorite books, I have had the chance to discover many other books topic related, including My Friend Anne Frank, by Hannah Pick-Goslar, which was one of Anne Frank's best friends. 

Hannah tells us her, her family, and her friends' story, before, during, and after The Holocaust, including of course her friendship with Anne. It was so fascinating, as it always is, to read a book written by a survivor of this horrific period of time. Not only because it gives credibility but also because at times it really is hard to believe that there were actually survivors. I can only imagine how it was to live in that period, where even a little bit of hope was hard to gather.

I loved reading about Hannah's family, especially her relationship with her father, how much love and admiration, and respect they had for each other, even more so after her mom died. Also, how protective and dedicated Hannah was to her sister Gaby, always trying to make the environment around them as much normal for Gaby as possible. 

I was happy to see that even for a brief moment, under the circumstances, Hannah and Anne were able to meet again. I wonder if they both felt a little less lonely in that moment. Loved how Otto Frank, Annes' father, reached out to Hannah after Liberation, it was good to see that the bond between them continued and how in many ways, they helped each other in the grieving and lots process. 

I truly enjoyed and loved reading this book. I am thankful for the opportunity to have received an early copy. Highly recommend. 

Thank you Little, Brown, and Company and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy

Blog Tour: The Revenge List: A Novel by Hannah Mary McKinnon-Psychological Thriller

 

BLOG TOUR: THE REVENGE LIST

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Revenge List: A Novel by Hannah Mary McKinnon

BOOK SUMMARY

As a therapy exercise, a woman writes a list of people she wants to forgive and thinks nothing of it when she loses it in an Uber…until one by one the people on the list become victims of freak accidents. Set in Portland, Maine, Hannah Mary McKinnon’s breakout suspense novel THE REVENGE LIST will appeal to fans of Lisa Unger, Joshilyn Jackson, and Tarryn Fisher.

Following an epic run-in with a client who threatened to pull out of a contract at her father’s company if she doesn’t suffer some consequences, Frankie Morgan agrees to go to anger management. With the business struggling with cash flow and her brother needing help with the medical bills for his sick daughter, she can’t risk harming the business further. But that doesn’t mean she’ll be happy about attending.

During the first session, the group is asked to spend some quiet time exploring their pasts and sitting with the emotions that generate, before making a start on a Forgiveness List—a list of people with whom they’re angry and might work on forgiving. She begrudgingly goes along with it and doesn’t worry too much when she forgets the list in an Uber on her way home. It shouldn’t matter—it was just a therapy exercise—except a few days later the first person on that list is injured in a freak accident. When the second person gets hurt, she hopes it’s a coincidence. After the third is targeted, she knows it’s a pattern. And she’s in trouble. Because the next name on that list is…hers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland, and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing. She now lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons, and is delighted by her twenty-second commute. Connect with her on Facebook, on Twitter @HannahMMcKinnon, and on Instagram @HannahMaryMcKinnon. For more, visit her website, www.hannahmarymckinnon.com.

EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE

***

The sharp sound of a high-pitched scream filled the air. A noise so unrecognizable, at first I didn’t register it had come from deep within me, traveling up my throat in stealth mode before bursting from my mouth.

The remnants of the yell reverberated around the car, forcing their way into my ears and penetrating my skull, urging me to do something. Survival instincts kicked in, and I fumbled with the seatbelt, my other hand grasping for the door handle. The need for the relative safety that solid, stationary ground would bring was so intense it made my stomach heave. A loud click of the central locking system meant my captor had outsmarted me again, obliterating my immediate plan to throw myself from the moving vehicle.

When I looked out the windshield, I knew there was no time to find an alternate escape. The end of the road—the edge of the cliff—announced by signs and broken red-and-white-striped wooden barricades, had been far enough away seconds ago but now gleamed in the car’s headlights, a looming warning yards ahead. I couldn’t comprehend what was about to happen, couldn’t do anything as the vehicle kept going, splintering planks and racing out the other side with nothing but air below. I let out another scream, far louder than my first, the absolute terror exploding from my lungs.

For the briefest of moments, we were suspended, as if this was a magic trick or an elaborate roller coaster. Perhaps, if I were really lucky, this was all a dream. Except I already knew there were no smoke and mirrors, no swirling track leading us through loop-the-loops and to safety. It wasn’t a nightmare I’d wake from with bedsheets wrapped around my sweaty body. This was happening. It was all terrifyingly real.

As the car continued its trajectory, it tipped forward. The only thing to stop our momentum was whatever we were rushing toward, obscured by the cloudy night skies. Pushing my heels into the floor, I tried to flatten my shoulders against the seat. My hands scrambled for the ceiling to brace myself, but I flopped like a rag doll, my loosened seatbelt tearing into my shoulder.

They say your life flashes before you when you’re close to death. That didn’t happen to me. Instead, it was all my regrets. Choices I’d made. Not made. Things I’d said and done. Not said. Not done. It was far too late to make amends. There would be no opportunity to beg anyone for forgiveness. No possibility of offering some.

As the finality of the situation hit me full-on, I turned my head. The features of the driver next to me were illuminated in a blueish glint from the dashboard lights. His face had set in a stony grimace; his jaw clenched so tight he had to have shattered teeth. But what frightened me the most were his eyes, filled with what could only be described as maniacal delight.

He’d said we were both going to die. As the car hurtled to the bottom of the cliff, I closed my eyes and accepted he was right.

***

Excerpted from The Revenge List by Hannah Mary McKinnon, Copyright © 2023 by Hannah McKinnon. Published by MIRA Books.

BUY LINKS/SOCIAL LINKS

The Revenge List: A Novel 

Hannah Mary McKinnon

On Sale Date: May 23, 2023

9780778333463

Trade Paperback

$18.99 USD

368 pages

Buy Links: 

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-revenge-list-hannah-mary-mckinnon/18745472

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-revenge-list-hannah-mary-mckinnon/1142010420

IndieBound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-revenge-list-hannah-mary-mckinnon/18745472?ean=9780778333463&ref=&source=IndieBound&title=The+Revenge+List

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-List-Hannah-Mary-McKinnon/dp/0778333469

Books A Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Revenge-List/Hannah-Mary-McKinnon/9780778333463

Social Links:

Website: www.HannahMaryMcKinnon.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon (@hannahmarymckinnon)

Instagram: www.instagram.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon/ (@hannahmarymckinnon)

Twitter: www.twitter.com/HannahMMcKinnon (@hannahmmckinnon)

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/15144570.Hannah_Mary_McKinnon

BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/hannah-mary-mckinnon

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/hannahmarymckinnon 

Thank you to Justine Sha at Harlequin Trade Publishing for inviting me to the Blog Tour.

Book Review: A Place Called Home: A Memoir by David Ambroz

Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of A Place Called Home: A Memoir by David Ambroz.

Title: A Place Called Home: A Memoir

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: David Ambroz

Publisher: Legacy Lit
Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Language: English

Hardcover: 384 pages
Meet the Author: David Ambroz
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

PORCHLIGHT BESTSELLER

Zibby Owens 2022 Book of the Year

A galvanizing, stirring memoir about growing up homeless and in foster care and rising to become a leading advocate for child welfare, recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change.  “You will fall in love with David Ambroz, his beautifully-told, gut-wrenching story, and his great big heart.” (Jeanette Walls, author of The Glass Castle)

“It's impossible to read A Place Called Home and not want to redouble your efforts to fight the systems of poverty that have plagued America for far too long. In this book, David shares his deeply personal story and issues a rousing call to make this a more humane and compassionate nation.”—HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

There are millions of homeless children in America today and in A Place Called Home, award-winning child welfare advocate David Ambroz writes about growing up homeless in New York for eleven years and his subsequent years in foster care, offering a window into what so many kids living in poverty experience every day.

           

When David and his siblings should be in elementary school, they are instead walking the streets seeking shelter while their mother is battling mental illness. They rest in train stations, 24-hour diners, and anywhere that’s warm and dry; they bathe in public restrooms and steal food to quell their hunger. When David is placed in foster care, at first it feels like salvation but it soon proves to be just as unsafe. He’s moved from home to home and, in all but one placement, he’s abused. His burgeoning homosexuality makes him an easy target for others’ cruelty.      

          

David finds hope and opportunities in libraries, schools, and the occasional kind-hearted adult; he harnesses an inner grit to escape the all-too-familiar outcome for a kid like him. Through hard work and unwavering resolve, he is able to get a scholarship to Vassar College, his first significant step out of poverty. He later graduates from UCLA Law with a vision of using his degree to change the laws that affect children in poverty. 

Told with lyricism and sparkling with warmth, A Place Called Home depicts childhood poverty and homelessness as it is experienced by many young people who have been systematically overlooked and unprotected.  It’s a gripping personal account of deprivation—how one boy survived it and ultimately thrived—and a resounding call for readers to move from empathy to action.

My Thoughts

Went to the Library I few weeks ago. Saw this book, and the description caught my attention. I checked it out and read it. I am so glad I did. 

First, keep in mind, some trigger warnings for sexual, physical, verbal, and psychological abuse. Mental Health, Homosexuality, Alcoholism, and Smoking, are present in the contents of this book. Also, Homelessness, Poverty, Stealing, as well as Body Shaming, and Food deprivation.

I love reading Memoirs. I read at least once every month, however, it was the first time I read a Memoir on this topic. A Place Called Home is about the story of David, her mom, and two brothers, leaving in homelessness along with her mom suffering from mental health issues and how they lived between the streets, assisted homes, food stamps, and eventually him and his brothers going in the foster care system. 

The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking about how is it possible that in a country like the United States, there are people living in conditions as such and how the institutions that are supposed to protect the children and help the parents fail them so much. If some are lucky like David plus all the conviction he had, they get out of that environment. Unfortunately, a big handful of them ends up not being able to leave and being trapped in a circle of abuse, poverty, substance abuse, and illness. 

I truly admire David for sharing his story. It is never easy to share our deepest secrets, fears, pain, and circumstances, much less with the whole world, in a book. At the same time, it is always good to see books like these, out there, that can somehow help, and bring hope to others going through the same. Also, I thank David for bringing awareness and providing ways for others to help and be involved in the fight of improving a system that has failed so many for so long. 

I highly recommend this book. I am still thinking about it and definitely worth the time.

Wendy

Book Review: Crying Wolf: A Memoir by Eden Boudreau -Memoir

 Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of Crying Wolf: A Memoir by Eden Boudreau.

Title: Crying Wolf: A Memoir

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Eden Boudreau

Publisher: Book*hug Press
Publication Date: March 22, 2023

Language: English

Paperback: 232 pages
Meet the Author: Eden Boudreau
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

It's a tale as old as time. Girl meets boy. Boy wants a girl. The girl says no. The boy takes what he wants anyway.

After a violent sexual assault, Eden Boudreau was faced with a choice: call the police and explain that a man who wasn't her husband, who she had agreed to go on a date with, had just raped her. Or go home and pray that, in the morning, it would be only a nightmare.

In the years that followed, Eden was met with disbelief by strangers, friends, and the authorities, often as a result of stigma towards her non-monogamy, sex positivity, and bisexuality. Societal conditioning of acceptable female sexuality silenced her to a point of despair, leading to addiction and even attempted suicide. It was through the act of writing that she began to heal.

Crying Wolf is a gripping memoir that shares the raw path to recovery after violence and spotlights the ways survivors are too often demonized or ignored when they belong to marginalized communities. Boudreau heralds a new era for others dismissed for "crying wolf." After all, women prevailing to change society for others is also a tale as old as time.

My Thoughts

This was such a raw, honest, vulnerable, and sad story but brave and real nonetheless. 

Every time I read a memoir, I convince myself more that you not only have to have the courage to tell your story but also keep reminding yourself that in the end, it is worth it even if only helps one person.

Vulnerability and being brave enough to want to share your experiences and traumas, especially on a topic such as sensitive and hard as sexual assault is. 

I thank the author for writing this book, and for being so open and honest about what she went through. 

Thank you Book*hug Press and Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy