Allison's life is a mixed-up mess, picking up where The Descendant left off. Sometimes situations are complex; there's more to the story than meets thAllison's life is a mixed-up mess, picking up where The Descendant left off. Sometimes situations are complex; there's more to the story than meets the eye. Allison runs into one obstacle after another in her search for her missing husband. I don't want to give the story away, but it is full of twists, turns and unexpected surprises. I felt that The Search was more "horrific" in a vampire-thirsty way, than the first of the series, The Descendant. I mean, a girl's gotta eat. Kelley Grealis has spun yet another interesting vampire tale of Biblical proportions. If you enjoyed The Descendant, you'll love this one too.
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I have wanted to read Left Drowning since enjoying Jessica Park’s Flat-Out Love (highly recommend) and then learning she was working on a more edgy, mI have wanted to read Left Drowning since enjoying Jessica Park’s Flat-Out Love (highly recommend) and then learning she was working on a more edgy, mature work that involved religious irreverence along with sex and a broken, depressed college girl. I know that sounds weird, but I have my reasons. She’s a writer after my own heart.
Left Drowning is a well-crafted tale about two damaged souls. Chris Shepherd and Blythe McGuire meet during college in Wisconsin, yet neither of them grew up there. Blythe is barely existing when she sees Chris skipping stones at the lake and they come to form a friendship, Chis helping her out of her stupor by being the steady (sometimes), compassionate rock that she needs.
Chris has three siblings also at the college. They are a tight-knit family, almost too close, and it’s not long into the story before the reader gets a sense of why this might be, but the details don’t come out until close to the end, which is well worth the wait and build-up. That’s where I actually had to dry my eyes. Chris, his brothers, and sister form bonds with Blythe, enduring typical college angst as well as fun times. I particularly enjoyed Blythe’s blunt and honest inner self-talk, things many of us think, but rarely articulate. Jessica Park was a master at nailing these things. At one point, Blythe reprimands herself:
“Toughen up. There are people who have it much worse than you do. Stop being so selfish and...and...narcissistic. Fuck, the world doesn’t revolve around you and your grandiose sense of pain.”
Blythe also has an estranged brother, at the first, the estrangement caused by circumstances involving the loss of their parents. As Blythe is on her own healing path, she’s there for him as he deals with his pain, stuffing her own to be outwardly strong. She thinks:
“...I could really use a little fucking comforting myself. Life is not fair, but it is what we have to deal with.”
If you’ve read any of the buzz about this book, people are having a freak-out over the 69% mark, so when I got there, I was really expecting the worst. Actually, I thought that Blythe and Chris’s brother, Sabin, might hook up, but that didn’t happen. What did happen was not nearly as jarring to me as some bits at around 71% and 72% where Chris’s sister, Estelle, gives Blythe a graduation gift and then Chris seeks Blythe’s comfort after hearing some news of his father.
There has also been chatter about a slow build-up and unrealistic situations. Here’s what I have to say about that. The beginning did have some slower moments to savor, but they all fed into the culmination of the book and were worth reading. I, also, found a few situations in the book crossing the line of reality, but it is a work of fiction, where anything can happen, and I rolled with those few things, enjoying the story and I’m glad I did. Fate also had a role to play, and while some may dismiss the notion, I’m a firm believer: Fate happens. I’ve had Fate intervene in significant ways in my own life, more often than normal. It can be real.
There’s a lot of sex and masturbation in this book. There’s religious irreverence, drunkenness, poor coping skills, a gay couple, and abuse in this book. There’s also a lot of friendship, love, healing, and a great story about good coming from bad (one of my favorite themes to read and write about).
I loved No Brainer as much or more than I loved Grade A Stupid, and that's saying a lot. AJ Lape has penned a wickedly woven mystery/thriller that hasI loved No Brainer as much or more than I loved Grade A Stupid, and that's saying a lot. AJ Lape has penned a wickedly woven mystery/thriller that has a bit of everything--romance, swoon, tension, angst, frustration. I'm tempted to read it again just to piece together the threads I dropped along the way. Here's one of my favorite lines, "...you could only make peace for so long before you had to draw the battle lines." To me that meant you can only take someone's pressure and keep quiet so long until you had to draw boundaries. This isn't just a mystery, there's life lessons buried in this book.
An entertaining and complex set of characters grace (or gack, as the case may be) the pages, creating a unique and smart read. I'll just comment on two of the main ones, but I enjoyed them all. Darcy is a girl too clever for her own good, playing the cards life has dealt her the best way she knows how, which usually bucks tradition. I laughed out loud at many of her antics and thoughts. Dylan is her awesome friend who comes across as wise beyond his years at times, yet other times he's a quite the fighter, but deep down, always a sweetheart. Swoon.
There's a huge, unexpected twist at the end of the book. Even though I already knew there was more to the story, the twist complicates things even more. AJ's got some talent and I look forward to the next in the Darcy Walker Series! ...more
Slammed is a wonderful, thoughtful story about life, family, choices, and unforeseen events. The characters were endearing. It was wonderful to read aSlammed is a wonderful, thoughtful story about life, family, choices, and unforeseen events. The characters were endearing. It was wonderful to read an about "alpha male" with some class. Will was delightfully mature and responsible for a man his age, but not too much. He had his moments of weakness, which made him more believable and lovable. Layken was awesome in the same ways, and her friends had struggles of their own, which they overcame. I liked how Hoover portrayed the characters overcoming their struggles by reaching within themselves and with the support of others rather than having them wallow in substance abuse or poor behavior. Refreshing. Not only did the book incorporate poetry, it was poetry. I couldn't put the book down. Stayed up late to finish it. I laughed and cried and was in awe over this beautifully woven story. Highly recommend. ...more
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