Reading from the beaches to the fields.
Over the next few days, I’m going to be adding the reviews that I’ve completed over the past few months. With a little bit of luck, I’ll remember to backdate and tag them all, so eventually you’ll be able to search by genre to find new book suggestions!
Well, that’s the current plan, anyway….
Stay with me…there will be some changes as I get this looking exactly the way I want. Thanks for visiting!
This blog was almost called “Fireflies, Fiction, and Free Kicks.” Fortunately one of my best friends talked me down from making it too obnoxiously long. But there will be an important aspect to this blog, and that will be book reviews. I have been an avid reader since…well, since I could first read. In second grade, I won a reading competition. Big deal, right? It was one that was held at the junior high school where my mom was an English teacher. That’s right, little 2nd grade me beat a bunch of 8th graders.
My love for books has never diminished. This past May, I became a member of #NetGalley. I receive Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) from publishers in exchange for honest reviews. It’s exciting on so many levels, because I get to read buzz-worthy books, but I also get insight into an author’s thought process. Hey, maybe someday I’ll have courage to write that book that’s been kicking around in my head….
Anyway, you’ll see my reviews on this page. I hope that people grab recommendations from them. Nothing would make me happier than to know that people read and spread the word on a book that I recommended.
Fireflies and Free Kicks. What the heck, right?
I live in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. In the summer, we get a lot of fireflies…and I mean A LOT! Back in June, I was sitting outside on our deck, and I looked at the trees that surround our yard. It looked like a Disney forest! I mean, seriously, like one of those floats from the Electric Light Parade (anybody remember that?)! Anyway, there were literally thousands of fireflies lighting up the area, and I started thinking about how well that represented my life. I’ve had lots of differing experiences (from jobs to travel and everything in between) that all kind of flit about in my head as memories. But every single one has shaped me and lit the way for where I am now; and I know that they will continue to lead me. The realization was both magical and inspiring.
So that’s the “Fireflies” part; what about the “Free Kicks?” Easy enough…my son plays elite soccer. In fact, he is a member of the Development Academy, which is the highest level of youth soccer in the country; it feeds directly into the Youth National Teams. As of right now, that is his goal. (Actually, given a recent announcement, his goal is to be on the MNT for the 2026 World Cup when it’s hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico). Our family time is spent at the soccer fields, whether it’s practice, league games or tournaments. And if it’s not watching him, then pro games are on the TV (yay for Dish Network, where we can get soccer from any country in the world, but still can’t get a lousy Oakland A’s baseball game). I promise not to bore with only soccer stuff, but it will be a pretty safe bet that many of posts will be created either at the pitch or traveling to a game somewhere!
So there you have it: “Fireflies and Free Kicks.”
So here it is. But what is it? It’s a place for me to be creative; whether it’s a review of a book, musings from a soccer field, or general observations, this is where I’ll be sharing my wisdom (ha ha) with anyone who can sit down long enough to read a post. Glad to have you along!
This was a very fun and quick read. In fact, I read it in one day because I just couldn’t put it down. The author did a really great job of relaying those feelings that one gets in the early stages of a relationship, especially one that has been built upon years of friendship. The dialogue was crisp and witty, and the characters sounded like real people, not that stilted and contrived language that RomCom novels sometimes have. The friendships the characters shared, both male and female, were also fun. The only negative is of my own fault, because I didn’t realize that this was the last in a series, so there were references with secondary characters that I didn’t fully understand. That being said, even though I know the end results, I now have a new series that I can eagerly dig into. Oh, and (mini-spoiler alert) fans of a certain 90s sitcom will love the Epilogue. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very interesting. At the beginning, I found it to be confusing and felt that the author was trying to do too much within the story. However, as I read further I realized that she was actually creating an amazingly deep and complex story that had many twists and turns: some were revealed openly and some took much longer to unravel. There was one point where I realized that I was completely mistaken in my understanding of parts of what I had read so far, which was a neat twist in itself. After that, I found myself reading much more carefully and questioning everything that was happening. In addition, the deeper exploration of how sometimes souls can recognize each other without conscious acknowledgment is skillfully illustrated by the experiences of both Carrie and Alex and their growing friendship. “The Perfect Friend” is one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. This was my first Barbara Copperthwaite novel and I can’t wait to read more!
What an amazing story! Based on the authors’ last book, I went in expecting another good thriller. While “Girls Night Out” certainly met that expectation, I was more intrigued by their thought-provoking analysis of long-term friendships. Anyone who has friends they’ve known for awhile will instantly be able to relate to the three main characters in this story. The authors have done a great job in layering the perspectives of Natalie, Lauren, and Ashley from both before and after “the night.” It was especially interesting that each woman had her own secrets that were revealed as the main “mystery” was unraveled. I thought the authors did a phenomenal job of illustrating the difficulties middle-aged women have when they come to a crossroads in life, and how even confiding in long-term friends can be a challenge. A definite must-read!
WOW! It’s not often that a book leaves me speechless, but Lies certainly did. By the time the big reveal occurred (as it always does in psych thrillers) my jaw was hanging open and I couldn’t read fast enough! I really cannot say enough good things about this book. I loved that it was told from a male point of view, which is very different from many other psychological thrillers these days. I thought the plot was tightly written and there were no questions left unanswered; everything was “resolved” in the end. I especially liked the way the author wove a commentary about technology into the story, without preaching to the reader. Through Joe, the main character, we see how reliant we have become on the tech around us, and how that reliance can enable both good and bad events. A stand-out among psychological thrillers, and I can’t wait to read more from this author! Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s so difficult to review a psychological thriller without giving away important plot points. I’m going to give it a try without giving too much away. This was one of the better books that I have read lately, but it had a few flaws. The author does a good job of making the primary villain extremely unlikable, almost too much so. At some points, I wondered why anyone would put up with someone so horrible, and not just walk away. However, I will say that that question does eventually get answered. Emily, the main character, goes through an awful lot, which is par for the course in a psychological thriller. I found her to be a little weak, but there was no particular reason given for her to be that way. In addition, the other antagonist (no name, don’t want to give it away) wasn’t fleshed out enough. I wanted more reasons for and/or examples of why and how that person was the way they were. The end reveal didn’t answer enough of those questions for me. All of that being said, it was still an enjoyable read, with a fairly tight plot. I would definitely recommend it to someone who likes the genre. I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
