All We Ever Wanted: A Review

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All We Ever Wanted is worthy of the buzz it's receiving this summer. I had a hard time putting this one down, but I did on occasion to process the story. It is riveting and thought-provoking and so very current.

With alternating points of view (a favorite literary device of mine), we gradually learn the truth of what happened that night: the night when Tom's daughter and Nina's son are involved in a scandal that threatens their peace of mind, their sense of safety, and their very futures.

Teens, alcohol, and Snapchat are a dangerous triumvirate. As a high school teacher, I know how prevalent social media is in many teens' lives, Snapchat in particular (and yes, I've been on there without my permission, so there's that as well). And while I and other teachers have preached and taught the lessons about responsible digital citizenship and the permanence of online presence, I often sense an ignoring of those lessons and at the same time a sense of entitlement among my students. Until it happens to them, they don't really seem to care.

All We Ever Wanted shows us what can happen, and how justice is not always served in the way we believe it should be. It also shows us in this age of #metoo that we cannot judge based upon outward appearances (and dare I say, Facebook and Instagram photos), and that each of us is a walking library of stories and experiences.
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FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book on NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

The Cast, a Review

The Cast: A Novel by Amy Blumenfeld
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Available August 14, 2018

I tend to gravitate toward books about groups of friends who have stuck it out through thick and thin, so naturally I requested to read The Cast by Amy Blumenfeld from NetGalley.

The basic plot is that Becca's friends made a video for her twenty-five years ago in the vein of SNL called "Becca Night Live," to cheer her up while she was in the hospital receiving cancer treatment. Fast forward a quarter-century and Becca's friend Jordana plans the ultimate reunion for The Cast. Everyone makes plans to attend; then, of course, as in real life, things begin to happen to thwart even Jordana's carefully planned reunion.

Thankfully, this novel has plenty of twists and turns among the alternating POV chapters, and not much at all was predicatable. Blumenfeld kept me guessing quite a bit, and that's no small feat.

One of my favorite parts was the incorporation of a character who had chosen a life in the Orthodox Jewish community. I am blessed to know an Orthodox family, so to see that lifestyle so respectfully represented was wonderful.

I recommend this novel for fans of friend-group reunion stories. You won't be disappointed.
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FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book on NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

A February Bride: A Review

I read A December Bride and A January Bride, so what comes next? Valentine's Day bride! I've enjoyed Betsy St. Amant's novels and blogs for a few years now, and she just keeps getting better. I really enjoyed February's offering in this series. With shades of Runaway Bride and some comedy, this book was a journey for sure. I especially enjoyed the wisdom shared by one character's mother, toward the end...and no, I won't give it away! :)

Next up for Betsy: All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes (please consider Wives of Faith for your Amazon Smile purchase).
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Thanks to Zondervan and NetGalley for  review copies of each month from December through June.

A December Bride: First in a Series

Silly me, when I started reading this series of novellas, I thought it began with January. So I read this one second.

I did not enjoy December as well as January, because the entire premise of the mixed-up couple was based in a deliberate lie to save face where face did not really need to be saved (no life threatening situations, no kidnapping or terrorism or anything really scary, unless real estate is scary to you!).

So no offense to the author, but the premise did not ring true with me. Characterization was good, happily-ever-after ending was secure, but not my favorite thus far in the series.

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Thanks to Zondervan and NetGalley for  review copies of each month from December through June.

A January Bride: A Review

It wasn't until I went to log this book on Goodreads that I realized it was not a mistake for Zondervan to have released December, January, and February together on NetGalley. This is book #2 in the series! (My bad). So my next read will not be February, but December.

I thought this was a cute story of mistaken identity and how assumptions can get the best of us. It was a little bit predictable, but not so much that I was bored. It was a lovely and cozy read and I look forward to more in the series.

Thanks to Zondervan and NetGalley for  review copies of each month from December through June.