The Elizas by Sara Shepard

Eliza and Dot - one is a real person, and the other is a character in Eliza’s book.

The similarities are striking and a bit confusing.

We follow both Eliza and Dot as they move through situations both in real life and in Eliza's book.

The book begins as Eliza was pulled out of a swimming pool, and no one believes that it was an accident since she previously tried to commit suicide.  Doctors and family members also question her story and her memory about many things, but are they just trying to make her think she can’t remember things?

THE ELIZAS was odd, but interesting.  The characters seemed to be trying to put Eliza in a bad light even though Eliza’s publicist met with her and said the stunt with the pool was a brilliant tactic for publicity.

Were they really worried about Eliza or their book sales? Was anyone really worried about Eliza or just themselves?

Eliza couldn't let everyone think she had purposely jumped in the pool and was more interested in clearing up the story the police are telling everyone about the pool incident than worrying about publicity for her book.

Each chapter was titled Eliza or Dot, and the ending of the chapters about Eliza seemed to have someone questioning her memory. When Eliza asks a question about a situation since she can't remember, the other characters confirm that it is someone she knew or a situation that had happened.  Each chapter parallels each other with a similar situation for each character.

THE ELIZAS was a psychological fest.  Did I or didn't I do that?  Did I or didn't I remember that situation?  Is the character in my book really me? 

THE ELIZAS was a bit confusing at first and kept me guessing. Once a few things were revealed, the tension mounted and things came together, but the oddness continued.

More than one story seemed to be going on at once throughout the book.

Be patient and read carefully when you read THE ELIZAS. You never know who may be lurking.  4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Waters & The Wild by DeSales Harrison

A patient, a poem, a death, a post office box, and Father Spurlock.  What do all of these have to do with Dr. Daniel Abend and his patient, Jessica Burke? Father Spurlock wants to know too.

Jessica had been a patient of Daniel’s, committed suicide, and with careful planning somehow had mailed letters to Daniel after her death and then three years later. 

The puzzling thing was how that letter could have been mailed by Jessica when she had been dead for three years?  Another thing that confused Daniel is that from these papers, he now knew that everything in the investigation was not revealed or seen by the police.

Daniel continued to receive letters about the death. These papers also brought back memories of what happened long ago in Paris.

When Daniel’s daughter, Clementine, disappears after she finds something about long-ago Paris, and then shows up at Father Spurlock’s telling him that her father mailed him something, Father Spurlock became more confused because he had received nothing.

Then all of a sudden letters and clues begin showing up, and Father Spurlock was extremely bothered by them because his only connection to Jessica Burke was when he did the service for her funeral, and he had no idea why he would be involved in whatever was going on.  He is also bothered because Daniel was the one directing all this correspondence to him, telling Father Spurlock the story, and putting the responsibility on him.  

THE WATERS & THE WILD has a gorgeous cover that rivals with the gothic, troubled, complicated story inside.

THE WATERS & THE WILD has beautiful writing - detailed and elegant.  The author's style itself seems like a poem.

There are a lot of powerful and sometimes very deep, thought-provoking passages.  I would call this book very scholarly in the writing aspect.

I enjoyed the book because of the writing and the SLOW march to the revelations.  It did drag on a bit at times along with confusion, but all in all it turned out to have a very interesting, brilliant ending.

THE WATERS & THE WILD is a story of love, regret, revenge, and secrets.  

If you like slow, steady, odd, and addictive, you will like this book. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

The Husband Hour by Jamie Brenner

A hero, a widow, a filmmaker.  They all had something in common and that was Rory Kincaid.

Rory is a former star hockey player and a war hero killed in the line of duty.  Lauren is his widow who is hiding from the world. Matt is a filmmaker who wants a story and confirmation about Rory’s life from Lauren, and Lauren wants nothing to do with talking.

We also get to share time at the family’s beach home and see the interaction or lack of interaction between everyone.

THE HUSBAND HOUR had me reading quickly because I wanted to see if Lauren would really break down and be interviewed for the documentary on her deceased husband, but the book was slow for me and could have been shorter.

THE HUSBAND HOUR had a lot of family drama and decision making on the parts of the characters. Each family member had an issue, and Beth, the mother, tried to manage it all without success and with grumbling and resentment from the family members.

I enjoyed the present day interactions more than when we were hearing the story of Rory.  

If you enjoy the beach and characters that don't interact well with each other but do carry the story line, THE HUSBAND HOUR will be for you.  

You will also find out the meaning of the book's title as well as become educated about traumatic brain injuries that athletes incur.  

THE HUSBAND HOUR will appeal to many, but I just couldn't connect with the characters or the story line.  

There is a surprise at the end.  3/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It's Monday! What are YOU Reading? - 4/23/2018

 

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I hope you had a great reading week.  

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE!

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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Books Completed:

THE WATERS & THE WILD by DeSales Harrison - review will be on April 25 - finished on April 21.

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BEACH HOUSE REUNION by Mary Alice Monroe - review will be on May 23, 2018 - finished April 15. 

An easy, sweet read that will be a perfect addition to your summer reading list.

 

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THREE DAYS MISSING by Kimberly Belle - review will be on June 26, 2018 - finished - April 8, 2018.

A fast-paced mystery.

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BOARDWALK SUMMER by Meredith Jaeger - review will be on June 19, 2018 - finished on April 5, 2018. 

Absolutely LOVED this book.

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DREAMS OF FALLING by Karen White - review will be on June 5, 2018 - finished on March 28, 2018.

Excellent as always.

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PAPER GHOSTS by Julia Heaberlin - review will be on May 15, 2018 - finished on March 21, 2018.

  

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THE HIGH TIDE CLUB by Mary Kay Andrews - review will be on May 8, 2018 - finished March 10.

This book was SOOOO good.  My first book by this author, and I loved it.

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THE WAY OF BEAUTY by Camille Di Maio - review will be on May 2, 2018 - finished on March 1, 2018.

Absolutely loved it...historical fiction, New York, and love.

 

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WHEN NEVER COMES by Barbara Davis - review will be on May 1, 2018 - finished on February 24.

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THE ELIZAS by Sara Shepard - review will be on April 26 - finished on February 19.

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THE HUSBAND HOUR by Jamie Brenner - review will be tomorrow - finished on February 16.

An Ok read for me.

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THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell - review is in the book's title.

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AFTER ANNA by Lisa Scottoline - review is in the book's title.

Do NOT miss reading this book. 

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Book Currently Reading

THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP by - review will be on June 20, 2018.

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Books Up Next:

BEFORE AND AFTER by Barbara Delinsky - review will be on June 28, 2018. 

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THE BANKER'S WIFE by Cristina Alger - review will be on July 3, 2018.

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THE DYING OF THE LIGHT by Robert Goolrick - review will be on July 5, 2018.

 

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THE SUBWAY GIRLS by - review will be on July 10, 2018.

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SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER by David Bell - review will be on July 11.

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SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams - review will be on July 18, 2018.

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PARIS EVER AFTER by K. S. R Burns - review will be on July 12, 2018.

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GIRLS NIGHT OUT by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke - review will be on July 24.

 

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THE BOY AT THE DOOR by Alex Dahl - review will be on July 25.

 

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TIFFANY BLUES by M. J. Rose - review will be on August 6, 2018.

 

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OUR HOUSE by Louise Candlish - review will be on August 7, 2018.

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THE MASTERPIECE by Fiona Davis - review will be on August 8, 2018.  LOVE her books.

 

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SOLD ON A MONDAY by Kristina McMorris - review will be on August 28.

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