Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Expected publication: May 19th 2020 

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner and when I was given an opportunity to read an advanced copy of her newest novel I jumped at the opportunity. Weiner puts a bit of a different spin on this novel compared to her previous ones. It  doesn't disappointed. I was completely engrossed and you will be too! This will make for a perfect Summer read. 

Daphne Berg is our main character. She is a twenty something  plus sized social media influncer. She is dragged back into the past when her ex-best friend Drue contacts her asking her to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Daphne is understandably hesitant but she has a big heart and gives in. 

Daphne ends up finding herself swept back into the life of Drue and the wedding planning.  Then the unthinkable happens and Daphne finds herself front and center. 

The story is told in present time with flashbacks to give historical content to aid the story telling. Weiner deals with a variety of topics in this novel, bullying and body shaming are prevalent but health friendships and love also makes the rounds.

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Regretting You is an excellent read. I was completely absorbed and stayed up way too late reading. Colleen Hoover really understand characters, emotions and knows how to tell a story. 

This story is told in alternating chapters, giving insight into Morgan and Clara, the relationship they have with one another and the relationships they have with others. 

Morgan had Clara as a teen and it's very interesting to see Morgan, Clara's mother as a teen vs. her daughter, Clara has a teen. 

 Morgan's story goes back from her teenage years and is seamlessly integrated into current time. Clara's teen voice is very distinct. All the relationships in the books seem rather typical until a life changing event takes place that results in secrets being discovered and trust being broken.

Morgan attempts to protect Clara but misunderstandings happen that results in causing additional fissures in a fragile relationship. 

There is a wonderful mix of romance but their is also grief, anger and healing. This is a book that can easily be enjoyed by young adults and adults. It doesn't really fit strictly into either slot and can easily fall into both categories. This would be a perfect book club read or a read for a mother and daughter to share. 

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

I am Mexican-American. I am first generation. My father was born in Mexico, in 1955. He was brought to the United States at age four. He was granted permanent residency and then eventually became a citizen in 2001.

 I grew up living in a  border city and spent a lot of my youth driving back and forth across the border to visit family. I learned how to speak English and Spanish at the same time as it was the only way I could communicate with grandparents, great-grandparents (who lived in the US) and my familia in Mexico.

I keep hearing about, "American Dirt", my gringo friends wanted to know my opinion on it - my thoughts. Why had I suddenly become the voice of the Mexican people? Why did my opinion matter? Was it because I am Latina or because I am the only Latina they know? What it because they genuinely carried about my opinion or because the book is so controversial?

I was hesitant to pick it up as I heard a lot of negative backlash on it. It sat in my TBR pile for days until I finally picked it up to read.

Immediately I rolled my eyes. It start's of with the slaughter of a family at quincenera, which immediately made me think of  The Border by Steve Schafer as his novel starts off the same way! I thought what a cliche way to start a novel. Suddenly everyone knows about quinces but 20 years ago they were not common to those outside the Latino community.

I pushed myself to read more because I was intrigued  and then I came across the main character using the word "carajo" - A word I didn't grow up using or know of  until my Puerto Rican friends taught it to me however I just dismissed it as something I wasn't familiar with as my family lived in a different part of Mexico.

I felt myself growing engrossed with the read, the characters and the writing. I feel in love with Luca and his mother as they made their trek across Mexico. Fleeing their hometown to make it to the United States so that they could have an opportunity to live and not be slaughtered like their loves ones. I winced as they attempted to get on "La Bestia"" the freight train the many migrants ride, a train that takes many of lives. The journey is dangerous and Cummins writing pushed my mind back to the many documentaries I've seen regarding this harrowing ride. I felt their fear.

I eventually became a bystander in their journey to the United States as they came across good and bad people. Auxiliary characters became important  and I was on edge in regards to who they could and could not trust. I turned page after page as the read and then ..... reality hit. My reality.

I had to set the book down and pace ..... Was I angry? Was I upset? Had Cummins, "white washed" the story, the journey, the characters ...... Was I a traitor to my gente for liking and enjoying a book that so many hate? After thinking, I came to this conclusion. I enjoyed the read. It isn't my experience or the experience of others as we all experience things differently.

What was important was that Cummins has brought attention to the violence in Mexico and Central America - the violence migrants are fleeing from. She's giving  a voice to those who shout but no one hears because they are deaf to the voices of the Latinos seeking asylum, safety and freedom or maybe I am too Americanized to be angry about this book - this story. Are there things she got wrong? Absolutely! Are there things that made me cringe? Yes! Was the story about a mothers love for her son a solid one? Yes, absolutely. Was this story worth the read? It was - for me that is. Make your own judgments, push the negative reviews aside and make your own opinions.

Follow Me by Kathleen Barber

                                   Expected publication: February 25 2020

Audrey Miller has thousands of Instagram followers. She's a social media influencer who has just moved to Washington D.C. to start a new and exciting job at The Smithsonian. She is young, naive, beautiful and only knows two people in D.C. Her ex-boyfriend and slightly peculiar sorority sister from college. Her upstairs neighbor is a creep and she has a stalker. She doesn't know who he is but he knows her every move and has made it his mission to make her belong to him.

Follow me is split into three different points of views, Audrey's, Cat's (the sorority sister) and his.  Each character had a distinct voice and the story keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can read. Be prepared to stay up late or get nothing done until you finish this novel. 

The writing style, the story, the characters are exciting. I in particular LOVED the side story of "The Life and Death of Rosalinda Rose" and was left wanting to know more about this small yet significant character. Be prepared to be left thinking about your own digital footprint and expect to be addicted to this read. 

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

I am still re-reading Jodi Picoult's books in the order they were published. I am finally on, The Storyteller which is one of my favorite novels of hers. 

Sage Singer is a baker who works at night. She is an introvert, grieving her mothers death and having an affair with a married man. Her life is lonely but she strikes up an unusual friendship with an elderly man named Josef. 

Josef asks, Sage to kill him. He confesses he was a former SS member who worked at Auschwitz and can no longer go on living with the memories of what he did. Sage is shocked and dismayed by this confession and conflicted as her grandmother is a Holocaust survivor.

Sage reaches out to The Justice Department and Leo, a Nazi Hunter is assigned to the case.  Together Sage and Leo are able to get Minka, Sage's Grandmother to tell about her experience during the Holocaust. It is incredibly moving and emotional. This is the BEST part of novel. Picoult pulls your into her writing and puts you on an emotional roller coaster.

This book has always stayed with me and I am sure it will stay with you too.

Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is back and her antics are just as funny as ever. Becky and Brandon are back in England and Becky has been charged with hosting the Christmas gathering at her home. Becky is besieged by requests from her family and friends.
She attempts to please everyone but ends up with small disasters following her around many of them created by her own hands. 


An old boyfriend shows up and Becky finds herself trying to look and be "cool" and dump the uncool mom persona. Becky and Brandon find themselves in a situation with the old flame and his current girlfriend that makes things awkward and uncomfortable. 

Becky struggles to find the perfect gift for Brandon and puts herself in  a situation that quickly spins out of control! 

This is a perfect light and fun read to help melt away the stress of work and life. I laughed and laughed and really enjoyed reading about Becky. I just hope this isn't the final book in the Shopaholic series. 

The Wives: A Novel by Tarryn Fisher

The Wives is a page turner. I couldn't read it fast enough to find out what was going to transpire. This is truly a well written thriller! I was compulsively reading  it every chance I could get. Everyone and everything was ignored.

I am not even sure how to review this novel as I don't want to give anything away!

There are three wives and Seth is the husband to all three, not legally of course but he is "married" to all three and all three have agreed to the arrangement. The wives know the others exist but they don't know anything else such as names, looks and who they are but this is all about to change when one of the wives find something out about the other and makes it her mission to find out more.

The more she digs into the lives of her husband and his other two wives the more twisted the story gets, causing you to sit on the edge of your seat to find out what the hell is going on! The plot is engrossing, the characters are beautifully flawed and the ending is brilliantly executed.

This is one book, I'll be passing around countless times to share with friends and family.

Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined by Stephenie Meyer

I have heard many different opinions regarding this book. I decided to take the plunge and read it myself however it did sit in my to be read pile for months before I took a chance at it.

I was clearly aware that the book is essentially Twilight, with gender roles reversed and a few minor differences what I wasn't expecting was how difficult it would be to get my mind to adjust to these differences. I spent way to much time trying to figure out who was who, with the exception of Beau and Edythe. Aspects of some characters no longer make any sense and some of the characters that used to be strong are now weak and vice versa. 

I felt rather annoyed but forced myself to continue reading and  half way through the book I got the hang of the reversed roles and started to see minor differences in the story line. I wasn't terribly impressed with the story re-imagined but found the ending to be satisfactory. 

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

The Dating Charade is a cute book, a decent read and I wanted to love it but it just felt flat and a bit unrealistic.

Jett and Cassie are great characters and I would have loved for the book to have been about them but sadly it's more about the situation they are put into when they each find themselves raising other people's children and trying not to let one another known in fear that they other wouldn't want to be with them.

The chemistry between the two characters is great and I wish the focus had been on their relationship. I don't really care to read about raising children and the chaos that ensues as they each attempt to  navigate parenthood. I also find it hard to believe that two people would each suddenly find themselves in a situation from having no kids to have kids overnight. It's too large of a coincidence. 

There is way too much focus on the kids and not on the relationship which makes the entire relationship seem farfetched. I kept waiting for the Rom-Com to happen but it never did or at least that was the case for me.

If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman

Audrey has terminal cancer and more than anything in the world, she wants her two estranged daughters to reunite. It's been 28 long years since Jess stopped talking to Lily. Childhood trauma and secrets have ripped the family apart.

Audrey's granddaughters have never met. Lily doesn't know why Jess hates her and Audrey wants her family to heal before she passes away. Time is running out and it's up to Audrey to uncover the secret of why Jess won't talk to Lily.

The story is an emotional read and well written. It is told through alternating voices, Jess is an unlikable character and the book is slightly predictable but worth the read.

Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand

Summer of '69 centers around the Foley/Levin family. Every summer they leave heat of Boston and head out to their grandmother's home in Nantucket for three months. The  summer of '69 proves to be a bit different from previous summers.

Kate is the mother of 4 children. Her only son, Tiger has been shipped off to Vietnam. Her eldest daughter, Blair is pregnant with her first child, stuck in Boston for the summer with her workaholic husband and finds herself bored, lonely and suspicious of her husband. Kirby is the middle child and has decided to spend her summer working at Martha's Vineyard rather than spend time with her family in Nantucket. Jessie is the youngest and only 13 years old. She isn't looking forward to the summer with her grandmother and aunt but it turns out to be more interesting than she would have ever imagined.

There is a lot of drama making for an exciting read however the relationship between Jessie and her brother, Tiger is by far the most interesting one. Tiger, sends her letters from Vietnam and in return she shares her secrets with him.

This is an interesting read in which all the characters grow and I was able to surprisingly relate to all of them with the exception of the grandmother.

This is a perfect author for fans of Jane Green's work. I will be putting more of Hilderbrand's books on my to be read pile.