presleymarie85's reviews
181 reviews

The relationship between mothers and daughters is very complex.  Case in point,  Jenette McCurdy's memoir "I'm Glad My Mom Died".  Jenette writes about her complicated relationship with her mother, growing up self-sacrificing her happiness for her mother.  Agreeing to a career in show business, one of her mother's dreams, that she pushes Jenette into, mentally and emotionally. Living in the constant shadow that was her mother's failing health, giving up birthday wishes for her own gain, sacrificing them wishing her mother to live another year. Yes, I understand that that last part was harsh, but read I'm Glad MY Mom died and try not to have those feelings afterward.  Jenette details her decades-long eating disorders that started at the age of eleven and was introduced to her by no other than, her mother. Jenette writes candidly and describes with emotion,  her life before her mom's death and after. As someone who has a child who grew up watching I Carly, and Sam and Cat, reading about Jenette's life during that time adds an extra layer of emotion to this already emotional memoir. 

4.5 stars

I myself have always wondered, "what if I did this one thing differently, how would my life have turned out"?  That is the concept around the book  Maybe in Another Life, by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I am a huge TJR fan and have read almost everything she has published. Maybe in Another Life is a good book, just not my favorite one by her. You can't blame me when other books like "Daisy Jones and the Six", "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo", "Forever Interrupted", and "One True Loves", have had a lasting impact on me. Maybe in Another Life centers around Hannah, who in her mid twenties is unsettled and doesn't feel like she has ever had a place to call home, not to mention she is currently running from a disastrous relationship. Hannah runs back to her home town and back in the life of her bestfriend Gabby. Once home Hannah runs into her old high-school relationship Ethan. But what starts off hopefully catapults Hannah into two sperate scenarios one being what happens to her if she leaves the bar with Ethan and one where Hannah leaves the bar with her best friend Gabby. 
Taylor explores both lives through beautiful writing that stir all the feelings up in the reader. The only issues I had with Maybe in Another Life is how fast Taylor has wrapped up the story. It felt extremely rushed at the end, just trying to tie up both lives in a happy little bow. But it left me with questions. How did Hannah's life with Ethan look like, what about Henry her night nurse. I wanted those missing fast forward moments written out. I wasn't ready for the rush and in her other books there was never a feeling of it being rushed. I just needed more from Taylor. But it was still the classic Taylor Jenkins Reid book and I will continue to read whatever she publishes. 

My Dark Vanessa is a dark and uncomfortable read, but written so profoundly, the words cling to your skin long after you've tried washing them away. My Dark Vanessa tells the story of Vanessa Wye and the grooming she endures at the age of 15 by her boarding school English teacher. The story is told in alternating timelines, in the past Vanessa at 15 grapples with what is happening to her and romanticizes the grooming that was occurring, as well as an older Vanessa now grown and still dealing with the fallout of what Jacob Strane has done to her, and now possibly other students. Another victim has come forward to tell her story of abuse at the hands of Strane, and Jenny wants Vanessa to come forward too. But Vanessa doesn't see herself as a victim but a willing participant,  because if she saw herself for what the relationship was, would she be then a victim as well? This is a very heavy book, many times I had to take a break because it's so uncomfortable at times. If you are sensitive to this kind of subject,  please consider skipping reading My Dark Vanessa.  

This is my second John Hart book. What I love so much about his books is how richly developed his characters are and how the reader gets emotionally drawn in to them.  The Unwilling is a combination of so many genres written into one beautiful story, it's a thriller, a family drama, and a coming of age story. The Unwilling takes place during the Vietnam War, and the war plays a vital role in the impact of the French Family. Beloved oldest son Robert who was killed in the line of duty, middle son and twin of Robert, Jason comes back from war a changed man.  Jason, angry, violent, addicted to drugs and fresh out of jail is back in town and looking to reconnect with his young brother Gibson "Gibby". Gibby the youngest French son is all that Detective French and wife Gabrielle feel they have left and are willing to do anything to protect him. 

Gibby participating in senior skip day is enjoying the day drinking, swimming and trying to jump from the cliff of the quarry into the water like his older brother Robert did, when he spots Jason. The two talk and Jason says that he will dive into the water under one condition, that Gibby hangs out with him for a day. Jason makes the dive and him and Gibby hang out together with 2 lady friends of Jason's. Tyra and Sarah. Drunk on beer and the afternoon, Tyra makes some lewd acts to the prison transport bus, the same prison that Jason was just released from. The actions from Tyra start the trajectory of the plot, that will reveal some very dark secrets and will include kidnapping, torture and murder.

A young woman is violently tortured and murdered and with no other leads, the investigation turns on Jason French who has a history of violence. Jason is taken back to the jail he was just released from and Gibby will do whatever it takes to prove Jason's innocence, even if that means putting himself in direct danger. 

The characters are so richly written that the reader can perfectly visualize them as well as feel emotion towards them as one would towards their own family or friends. The plot is an emotional roller-coaster that has so many twists and turns that will leave the reader with their mouth open at the end of the book. 

This may be my second John Hart and it will not be my last. This man can write books and plots and just draw a reader in. The first one of his books I read was Iron House and it was also a 5 star emotionally driven thriller family drama.