Review: The View From Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Noble

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About the Book

After her husband, Jack, dies in a climbing incident, Shauna has only her five-year-old son and her helicopter charter business to live for. Every day is a struggle to make ends meet and she lives in constant fear of losing even more than she already has.

When her business partner is murdered, his final words convince Shauna that she’s in danger too. But where can she turn? Zach Bannister was her husband’s best friend and is the person she blames for his death. She’s barely spoken to him since. But right now he seems her only hope for protecting her son.

Zach is only too happy to assuage his guilt over Jack’s death by helping Shauna any way he can. But there are secrets involved dating back to Shauna’s childhood that more than one person would prefer to stay hidden.

In The View from Rainshadow Bay, suspense, danger, and a longing to love again ignite amid the gorgeous lavender fields of Washington State.

Review

I'm always super critical  of the first book of a new series but I will gives this one a thumbs up. This is the first book in her A Lavender Tides series, which also was an introduction to the author for me reading her books. I was very pleased with the balance of content for her book. Impressive storytelling for a suspense thriller without having to be over the top. She really places the story right in front of you. This was a good start for me and are curious where this series will go. I have some hopeful prospects and eagerly anticipate what's to come.

We are introduced to lovely Shauna. She has gone through so much. She lost her husband to an accident that involved his best friend, Zach. Life has went on but she has been haunted by his loss but lives each day grateful for their son Alex and support of a few good friends. When one day her friend and mentor is tragically killed,  his last words ominous and haunting reveal concern for her safety. Not knowing what to do or where else to go, Shauna finds the only place that seems safe is Zach's. Can she put past the blame of him for her husband's death? In her determination to find answers, she finds herself on a dangerous path that puts her life in danger. As secrets are revealed, Shauna finds herself going down a dangerous trail of discovery that has the past and present collide with dire consequences.

Overall, The View From Rainshawdow Bay, was a simmered suspense that keeps you intrigued of whodunit. It was a mild suspense thriller that balanced a good story with elements of danger & thrills. Loved the dynamics of the relationships of Shauna and Zach. I'm definitely curious if they will be revisited later down the line. Some of those secrets would be worth exploring later on, just saying. This first book, you're left satisfied but curious to a few loose ends. Sometimes with thrillers they tend to get a bit dark with being to graphic but with this one, simple was just as good.You could visualize the story being played out without being bogged down with all the excess graphic stuff. Overall, I enjoyed this one and look forward to continuing on with the series. Here's another to consider for the tbr pile. 

Review: The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty

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It’s truly hard to describe The Hypnotist’s Love Story because I don’t feel that it was a love story.  It was something entirely different. The premise of the story is that Ellen, a professional hypnotherapist, meets Patrick. Patrick is a widower with a young son. He’s charming and Ellen enjoys his company. The only problem is that he has a stalker- Saskia, his ex-girlfriend. And unbeknownst to Ellen, she’s already met her, several times.

The Hypnotist’s Love Story is told through alternating POVs.  Saskia’s POV is told in first person, and Ellen’s is in third. I find this aspect interesting because you get to see both of their character motives.

One character isn’t having to introduce the other, and you aren’t in the dark about the other’s thoughts and actions.  You actually get to experience their reasons for their behaviors and because of this you feel some sort understanding.  

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I found myself not wanting to put the book.  I wanted to keep reading. Although it deals with some serious topics, it’s a light hearted read filled with humor and entertainment. It did feel a little unrealistic at times, but the book is crafted too well that let that be the downfall.

Liane Moriarty has a very unique writing style, and it’s hard to describe. It flows smoothly and it doesn’t feel rushed or cluttered. She allows the scenes to play out, and allows the readers to breath. There is a certain lightness about her writing.

Characters

Both Ellen and Saskia were two very different women. Ellen is a woman who isn’t quite sure of what she wants. Saskia is a woman who knows exactly what she wants, and is having a very hard time moving on.

I enjoyed Ellen as a character. I liked how she wasn’t scared that Patrick had a stalker, that instead she was intrigued. She had a good heart. It is worth mentioning, that I’m not entirely sure why she was attractive to Patrick. At times his character felt a little wishy washy, and I wasn’t sure if I could trust him.

Although Saskia clearly needed help, I couldn’t help but sympathize with her. Breakups aren’t easy, and it’s hard when you’re all alone. And it’s also extremely hard to move on. I don’t think Saskia was a monster, and I’m glad that she was not portrayed as one.

It was interesting to see the interactions between Saskia and Ellen. It was a very memorable dynamitic, and I wished that there were more scenes between them two.

Final Analysis

The Hypnotist’s Love Story is a story about a complicated situation that you can’t help but get invested in.  

Review: Uncle John’s Lists that Make You Go Hmmm by Bathroom Readers’ Institute

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This was a nice stressless, and fun read. There were countless lists that were interesting and entertaining. The topics discussed ranged from animals to video games to grammar rules. There is a huge variety of topics. No one should have trouble finding a list that interests them in this book.

The lists were easy to read with an appealing and uniformed format. The format also made it easy to skip list if they were not of interest to the reader. And I will admit there were some list that I did skim or skip, however, me skipping and skimming did not ruin my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

It is worth mentioning that all the list aren’t filled with well-known facts. Some facts are obscure and really get your brain going. Under each item within the list, there is a brief summary. So although you may not be too familiar with a topic or a certain subtopic, the summary acts as an aid to give you an idea of what it is.  

I feel like this is definitely a book that you can read over and over. There are tons of facts, and there might be some that had been missed in the initial reading that would stand out in a repeat reading.  

Lists That I Particularly Enjoyed:

  1. 9 Weird Celebrity Baby Names Explained

  2. 21 Funny-but-real Court Case Names

  3. 8 Scandals that Got the “Gate” Treatment

  4. 14 Parts of a Hardcover Book

  5. 78 Gaaaaaaping Plot Holes

 

Review: Girl Unknown by Karen Perry

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This must be the start of a great year with psychological thrillers for me. You know a book is good when you want to reach in and strangle someone. Well, not literally but you know. Girl Unknown will lead you on an intense roller coaster ride of different emotions to an unpredictable road of plot twists and what an unsuspecting ending. It’s one of those books that you will not want to stop reading because the build will push your curiosity to keep flipping the page.

The Connolly’s are your typical family next door. Caroline, who gave up her career to stay home with her children, is back out working in the world. David, teaches at a university, is working towards his goal of being promoted shuffles the daily ups and downs of family life. They have been taking care of David’s mom and like mainly couples, unfortunately had dealt with a brief incident of infidelity but despite all hardships, they still love and care about each other. 

One day, the past came crashing down. David got unexpected news that changed the dynamics of his life as well has his family. One of his students, dropped a bomb on him that he was her father. This brings on much complication both a lost love and a secret from the past that harbors resentment and insecurity. A painful past resurfaces but with that brings an ominous domino effect of events that are laced with deception, doubt, and blind trust.

Overall, Girl Unknown was an addicting psychological thriller that was engaging and gets you guessing. The characters were great and they have a lot going on that never takes your interest away. There is an intense feeling that evolves as the book progresses that I can’t quite put my finger on because it will depend on the reader what emotion it draws for you but it is a satisfying ride that is worth taking. I’m recommending it to your TBR list.

Review: The Beau & the Belle by R.S. Grey

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Although the blurb made it seem exciting and promising, The Beau & the Belle was definitely a miss for me. The plot was poorly executed and the romance felt weak. It’s marketed as a “romantic comedy” but seriously lacked any humor.

The book is told in two parts, the past and the present, and has alternating POV’s. The premise of the story is that Lauren meets Beau when she’s 17 years old and he’s renting a place from her parents. He’s a 24-year-old law student. Julia develops some sort of a crush on Beau. The blurb mentions that Beau did something to break her heart, which causes them separate.

That is false and misleading. It’s not as dramatic as the blurb made it out to be. A natural disaster separates the two and ten years later they meet again. This time both of legal age.

The main issue that I had with The Beau & the Belle is that I didn’t understand why these two characters wanted to be together. When Lauren was a teen, I understood that she thought he was attractive and developed this massive crush on Beau.

However, what made her hold that interest as the years go by? She really didn’t know anything about him. And because of this, I felt like she just had a silly little crush on him. They had one dance and suddenly they couldn’t stop thinking about each other.

Also, what did Beau find so interesting about Lauren when she was a teen and an adult? I did appreciate that he did not act on his feelings when she was underage.

The fact that these two characters meet ten years later and still are obsessed with each other, felt confusing and annoying. It went from forbidden territory to “Let’s date. Now.”

It’s hard to root for a couple when you’re not entirely sure why they should be together in the first place. Lauren and Beau felt like a two dimensional couple and they only reason they needed to get together was only because the plot needed them to be together.

Review: First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Anderson Brower

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The First Family is an elite club that only few get to be a part of. And you’re not in, into your in. Whether it is rewarding or a terrible experience can only be decided by those who are apart of in. The most well-known member of the First Family is obviously the President. And arguably, the second well known individual is the spouse of the President.  

In our history, there have been fifty-three first ladies. The first being Martha Washington, and the latest being Melania Trump. We learn their names in history class; however, we don’t spend nearly the amount of time on their stories as we do their husbands.

First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies brings the women in the frontline of their stories and really provides an in depth look at ten first ladies ranging from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama.

Instead of providing separate chapters for each woman, the author intertwines their stories and connects them to each other. Not many can relate to being First Lady, so it does make sense that these women would form bonds and be influenced by each other. Kate Anderson Brower highlights those influences and relationships; she also provides a comparative summary of each other their differences as First Lady.

These women are very different, and each had a different journey. I find it fascinating to see how each woman reacted to different situations. For example, Michelle Obama’s feelings toward leaving the White House opposed to Pat Nixon’s feelings.

Kate Anderson Brower mentions the joyous and triumph achievements of these women. However, she doesn’t shy away from the dark and somber parts of their stories. Including Betty Ford’s addiction, JFK’s death, and Nixon’s impeachment.  

I’m not afraid to state that the only first lady I was extremely aware of was Jackie Kennedy. However, this is only because I’ve read several books about the Kennedys. I could list the names of the other first ladies, but other than that I drew a blank.

After reading, I want to read more about the other ladies because now I’m intrigued and have a better appreciation for them. I’m especially intrigued with Betty Ford.

First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies is a good read. It is worth mentioning that it did feel repetitive at times, and that the final chapter was not as impactful that I had hoped it would be.

Final Analysis

First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies is a fair and intriguing look into the lives of ten First Ladies. It does tend to drag at some parts, but nevertheless, it’s an interesting read that will make you want to conduct your own research to learn more about these women.