Review: What About Her by Emma Tharp

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Buy on Amazon 

Buy on Amazon 

About the Book

It’s been six months since Willow left Kate Bergman’s college dorm room to go for an evening run…and never came back.

Everybody else who loved Willow is ready for closure, but something deep inside Kate says that her dearest childhood friend is somehow still alive. And that obstinate conviction is alienating all the people Kate loves most.

Even River McEwan is upset with her, and that’s the deepest blow of all. River was Willow’s boyfriend, but the three of them—Kate, Willow, and River—have been friends since childhood.

When a professor assigns Kate and River to be partners in a joint research project, Kate hopes it’s a chance to tear down the barrier between them, but instead faces an even bigger challenge. As she and River meet over the school project, their renewed friendship flares into something more.

Soon River is enticing Kate to do things she’s never dreamed of. But while she can’t imagine giving up River, Kate doesn’t know whether she can—or even should—stop wondering whether Willow will ever come home….  

Review

What About Her centered around three friends, Willow, Kate and River. Willow and River were in a relationship but the three of them had been friends since childhood. One day Willow disappeared from her daily run and after no leads or explanations for 6 months, her family decided to have a memorial service to let her go, except Kate.

Since the disappearance, Kate and River hadn't spoken with each other. Later we learn why but through this difficult situation, Kate can't let go of the belief that somehow Willow is still alive. This thinking hasn't exactly gained her any popularity with anyone especially River but through a chance project at school, they get paired together and work through their broken friendship. Not only do they mend what once was but they realize that there is something more beyond what lies beneath the surface meeting fate through their revelations. 

What About Her definitely tested my patience because the not knowing of what happened to Willow literally drove me crazy and the friendship/relationship that develops between of River and Kate makes you not want to put the book down. I'll admit, I was a bit judgmental about them in the beginning because so many questions came in my mind like who does that but as the plot unravels and their story presents more answers, they grew on me and I couldn't help root for them. Now, I'll leave it up to you to judge but overall it was a good story. The book had a nice flow to it and that ending was definitely a shocker. It definitely wasn't what I expected which completely changed everything. I've got so many questions now on the edge of my seat but just like you, I'll have to wait until the next book to find out what happens! Make sure you add this to your TBR! 

Review: Eyes Wide Open by Isaac Lidsky

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As I read Eyes Wide Open, all I could think about was how not a day in my life to come will I ever complain about anything that I can't do. That word will be completely erased from any possibilities that I even hesitate to attempt. This is the type of book that I hope would be the catalyst for any ambitions that you have been held back by whether it was fear or lack of confidence to see that there is literally nothing that can hold you back to achieving the life you want but yourself.

We, those who are fortunate to have all their senses functional, take for granted what we have. In so many lives, we are limited, held back or just don't to work towards achieving goals just because. When you have people like Isaac, who gradually lost his sight to blindness and has led the life he has, there is no excuse for anyone for any reason, at any time. 

I'm truly moved and inspired by his candor, his introspective acceptance towards his limitations but at the same time not allowing it to cripple his life. This insightful book gives readers a voice and perspective that needs to be heard and his experience to be seen a triumph not a tragedy. Losing his sight at such a prime age and contemplating such loss, as Joel Osteen would say he became “a victor, not a victim.” He found love, graduated from Harvard, worked as a clerk for the Supreme Court and revitalized a business that led to such great success. 

Eyes Wide Open, is thought provoking, insightful drawing on his experience giving some great advice on how to overcome our obstacles. Reading this book through his perspective will definitely give you some food for thought and hopefully broaden your mind to endless possibilities and a renewed spirit for hope. 

Review: Say the Word by Julie Johnson

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It was a decent book. It had two central storylines that did not really fit together. At times, it felt like you were reading two different books.

One storyline is about romance. The main character’s, Lux, life is shaken when her ex, Sebastian (Bash) Covington, enters her life after seven years of being apart. It was a very bad breakup, and through flashbacks readers are able to see Bash and Lux before their relationship went up in flames and why it did.

The other storyline is a mystery where Lux is trying to figure out what happened to her friend. At times the romance aspect of it was a little over powering and the mystery fell to the background. But all and all, because of the lack of balance and entwinedness of the plots, it was overwhelming and could cause a disconnection.

I think that if the author chose to only focus on one- for example Bash and Lux’s relationship, I think that I would have enjoyed it more.

It was extremely hard not to skim with this one. The ratio between internal monologue and external dialogue was very unbalanced. We spent a lot of unnecessary time in the main character’s head and it caused me to feel very intimidated by the long paragraphs and long descriptions.

Also, because of the lack of dialogue, it was very hard to get a clear picture of relationships between the main character and the supporting characters. We were told of those relationships, but the buildup and development was not really there.

I liked Lux; I thought she was a good main character; however, at times it felt like she was a little too judgy. I felt like she hated the majority of the people present. I did really enjoy her relationship with her brother.

I liked Bash in the beginning. But there were some scenes that made his likeable factor decrease. I didn’t like that he was incredibly rude to Lux when they met in present day. I get that she broke his heart, but somethings that he said crossed a line.

Final Analysis

Say the Word has a lot going on with the two storylines that fail to entwine and its unnecessarily long internal monologue. It does fall heavily on the predictable side, and does attempt to offer a somewhat decent romance.  

Review: Infini by Krista and Becca Ritchie

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There is something truly magical about the Ritchie’s twin books. They truly do have superpowers. It’s been a while, almost a year, since we had a new book from them. So my excitement for Infini was high. And I can proudly say that I wasn’t disappointed.

Infini is very much a KB book with high emphasis on family and friendship; however, it does stand on its own. Infini was beautiful and will draw out every emotion that you have in your body. I laughed. I cried. I felt heartbreak for these two characters that I instantly fell in love with. I nervously sat on the edge of my seat as the plot thickened. It’s a captivating tale that made me never want to finish the book.

Although, Infini is set in the Amour Amour universe, it’s not required that you read the earlier book. But because I’m always here for recommending KB’s book, I would strongly suggest that you read Amour Amour. This book does have a lot of characters, and the majority of them are featured in Amour Amour. The authors do a nice job of establishing each character in Infini; however, if you do want another book with these amazing characters and a similar feel, I would read both books.

It is important to note that Amour Amour is a lot lighter than Infini. Immediately before you begin this story you are hit was a list of trigger warnings. Pay attention to those.

So what is Infini about? I don’t want to give too much away because why would I give everything away when you could read this beautiful book?

If you have read Amour Amour, then you have already been introduced to Luka Kotova. If not, then Luka is a Russian American acrobat. Luka and Baylee Wright, a Jamaican-American juggler, have a complicated past and such big hearts. And throughout this book, both characters embark on a journey highlighted with a friends-to-lover/slow burn romance, loyalty and the circus is family motto.  

It’s hard to talk about the romance without entering spoiler central. So I’ll try to highlight some key points. The romance is so pure, complicated, real and passionate. And even though I read this book days ago, I still can’t help but smile every time I think about Baylee and Luka’s relationship. Yes, it was a heartbreaking journey that left me crying at multiple points, but the end was beautiful and both of these characters deserve the happy ending they got.

Characters

Baylee Wright was a great addition to this universe. She is such a strong, passionate character, and I squealed for joy when I finally got to be in her POV. I really connected to Baylee; I especially loved her love for grilled cheeses. I’ve mentioned this in another review for a book by Krista & Becca, but I love how they add in tiny details like that. Those details make the characters seem so much more real.

I enjoyed Baylee’s character and everything that she brought to the book. To be honest, I want to hang out with her and also give her a hug because she’s had some tragedy in her life.  

As mentioned earlier, Luka was introduced in Amour Amour. So we already got a sprinkle of his personality there. But because he was a supporting character, we didn’t really get to see him in all his entirety. With this book, we see all of him. And just like Baylee, I love Luka. You can’t help but fall in love with him and Baylee. And it was heartbreaking to see him fighting his demons.

He’s so loyal to his family and sweet. Family is a huge part this book, we see multiple instances of Luka and Baylee supporting and being supported by their family. The strong family ties in this book are extremely inspiring.

So on to this huge cast; who I also loved. This book is about Luka and Baylee, but it sort of is about the supporting characters too. Another thing that I really like that Krista & Becca do, is that they don’t add in a character and have them sit around as the plot unfolds. What I mean is that Thora was a main character in Amour Amour, but that does not mean that her journey/story stopped. In this book, we still see her continuing that journey and also encountering new developments.  

I would 100% be here for another book in this universe. There many characters, like Timo and Katya, who I would love to be in their POV and get to know the real them. And also, I’m just not ready to let go of these characters yet. I really enjoy this world.

Stray Thoughts

If you are a fan of Krista & Becca’s other amazing series, The Addicted Series, there’s a treat for you in Infini. Amour Amour, Infini, and the Addicted Series takes place on the same Earth. This means that the Addicted Series characters and the events have happened in these books. It was great seeing Katya fangirl about Rose Calloway, and also the core six and products (for example: Princesses of Philly and Fizz) from those books being mentioned.

Luka & Baylee gave me Ryke and Daisy vibes with the how forbidden love thing.

Final Analysis

Infini is an emotional and breathtaking book that will leave you wanting more. It’s passionate. It’s got that circus feel. The main characters and as well as the supporting characters are all beautiful and real in their own right, and this book does go beyond and above for allowing readers to witness these journeys.  There is such a high emphasis on family that is inspiring and uplifting. It does sway on the dark side and include trigger warnings, so those should not be taken lightly. The main characters are dealing with real issues, that don’t just randomly go away.

Review: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

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This was a good book. It had its flaws, but nevertheless, a good book with an interesting concept. This book started off abruptly. I would have liked more build up before the main character was thrusted into the action. It sort of left the reader feeling a little disconnected and unprepared because of the instant start.

I did really enjoy the whole premise of dimension hopping. I thought the author did that really well. She created different dimensions that would be interesting to see the character go to and took the time to describe them. It brought another layer to the story.

Also, bravo to the author for acknowledging mental and physical problems that might occur when a character dimension hops. For example, the character is emotionally impacted by the idea that she may never see certain people from one dimension again.

Although the story was action packed and fast paced, I felt that the romance dominated the plot. The love triangle was not very sufficient and was dragged out a too far.

This book is the first book in a trilogy. And I do plan to continue; however, this book did not end with a cliffhanger so I’m confused about what the next books are going to be about and if they are going to be connected to this one.

Characters

Marguerite was a decent character. I rooted for her. The main issue that I had with her and several other characters in this book is that they felt a little plain. There was not really a defining moment for them. If I had to describe any of them, I am not sure if I could find words because the characterization was a little lacking to some degree.  Hopefully, these problems will be fixed in the next installments and we will learn more about these characters.

Final Analysis

A Thousand Pieces of You is a fast paced and interesting science fiction YA book. The characters were weak and the romance felt dominating at times, but all and all it is worth the read.

Review: Drop-Dead Easy Knits by Gale Zucker, Mary Lou Egan, Kirsten Kapur

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About the Book

Finally, a knitting book featuring fantastic projects that don’t require you to study a pattern for hours–a sure recipe for blissful, carefree knitting. A book of great potential gifts and keepsakes, this collection of 30 dynamic projects–from blankets to simple sweaters to wraps–is designed so you can easily pick up your needles during moments of free time, whether binge-watching a show, waiting for your plane to board, or having a “wine and knitting” night with friends. For key moments–such as joining an arm to a sweater or casting on additional rows–patterns are coded with “concentration zones” and “cruise control” segments for when you can go into a mindful state and let the knitting take a back seat. Thin enough to slip in your bag, with charming four-color photography throughout, Drop-Dead Easy Knits is the answer to all your laid-back knitting needs.

Review

If you love to knit, than Drop Dead Easy Knits is one that you should definitely add to your collection. Right away, that gorgeous cover just invites you in and the three gals that represent the different projects and stories throughout the book, make you feel like part of the gang. Each project is easy to follow based on a level of difficulty so there is something for everyone. When you look at these projects, I know you probably might think it's impossible to make. When they break down everything, it's so easy to follow not just by it steps and diagrams but gives you great tips. Typical books always feature the same baby blankets and scarves but this was completely different featuring fashionable items that would be great pieces for yourself, gifts for family and friends and something cute for your pet. So, if you are that type of knitter that is always looking for that next project, this is one that will you will really enjoy.