Out of the Attic (Dollanganger #10) | by V.C. Andrews

Out of the Attic gives a look into the marriage and life of Corrine and Garland Foxworth. Garland is obsessed with his home and Corinne needs permission for everything. He wants it to remain as it looks and Corinne is treated more as a decoration and possession than a person. Her life is lonely but the fire that lives in her is about to ignite.

We also get to learn what a young Malcom Foxwoth is like and the complicated relation he has with his mother. Garland refuses to allow Corinne to nurse and employed a full time nanny for Malcom. This results in a distance between him and mother. Corrine doesn't have motherly instincts and in many ways has remained a selfish girl however Garland's emotional neglect increases her need for a life outside the mansion. 

Dara Rosenberg brings the story to life. I recommend the audiobook over reading it. I read this in 2022 and wasn't terribly into the book this time I found it much more interesting and worth my time.

Beneath the Attic (Dollanganger #9) | by V.C. Andrews

 

I read Beneath the Attic back in August of 2019. I was indifferent back then but I was given an opportunity to listen to the audiobook and I have a new apprecia
tion for it. I looked past the modern feel of the book and really paid attention to the story. 

This book focus's on the original Corinne Foxworth. Corinne Dixon is a young woman who is enjoying her life and then she meets the handsome, rich and older Garland Foxworth. Corrine is naive and falls for Garland's antics. Corrine gets pregnant and Garland thows a lavish wedding. Corinne quickly discovers that the Garland she thought she knew is nothing like the Garland she married,

The audiobook is incredibly entertaining and Dara Rosenberg gives an engaging and emotional performance. She made me like a book that I have previously felt eh about. 

Heart of the Sun | by Mia Sheridan

 

Heart of the Sun is a mix of dystopian, romance and enemies to lovers. 

Tuck and Emily grew up as neighbors on an orange grove in the San Fernando Valley. Tuck and Emily's mothers were best friends and the death of Tucks mother changed the course of their lives.  Emily found great success as a music artist and Tuck ended up behind bars. Upon his release Emilys mom convinces Emily to give Tuck a job as her bodyguard. She is reluctant but it ends up being a decision that saves her life in more ways than none.

Tuck, Emily and her famous actor boyfriend Charlie are on a private plane when it crashes. They survive but are in the middle of nowhere. They embark on a journey to find help. Along the way they discover that something is amiss. The world has changed. The electric grid is down and society is plunged into chaos. Tuck, Emily and Charlie band together to find help but once they discover it they have to make choices that put them on different paths. 

This is an easy read but I struggled with it. The pacing was all over the place and often slow.  The only character I cared about was Tuck and while the story started off promising it didn't pull me in. I felt as though I was reading snippets of stories from others. There wasn't anything terribly unique or exciting however if you are new to post apocalyptic books this would be ideal for you.

Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade | by Barthe DeClements

Being around my young niece has inspired me to look back at books from my childhood. One of my favorite book that I read over and over again was Nothing's Fair in the Fifth Grade. It was one of my comfort books especially late at night when I was sick or couldn't sleep. Something that happened quite often. I  was actually quite surprised how much I did and didn't remember from this book. I had fond memories of it but a reread has me questing many aspects of it. This book is a lot more complex than I realized. Looking at it with adult eyes left me wondering if I'd share it with my niece. I decided that I would only if we could discuss it as she read it. 

Jenny is in fifth grade when a new student named Elsie Edwards joins her class. Elsie is overweight making her the target of bullying. The word fat is used a lot. Jenny has an aura of innocent with a bit of a mean streak in her. She's judgmental, petty and kinda bratty but what child isn't? She is also sweet, kind and eventually discovers that life isn't fair to everyone not just her. She learns to look past the physical presence of a person and see who they really are. 

The writing is simple and deals with some heavy subjects such as bullying and the underline cause of why Elsie overeats. It also deals with acade
mic struggles and wins and how friendships develop when you least expect it. There is a really peculiar section that deals with hitchhiking and kidnapping. I'm going to assume that it's because it was a huge fear in the 80s and 90s that was hammered into the children of that time and the author (and her classroom kids who helped write it) trying to teach a lesson on stranger danger. 

Nostalgia is funny sometimes and I am wondering why I loved this book so much. All I can think it that I was bullied for being scrawny, tiny and a late bloomer which left me relating to Elsie when it came to being bullied and disliked based on appearance. 

PS: I Hate You | by Lauren Connolly

When Maddie Sanderson was a teenager her brother's best friend broke her heart. Maddie has done everything possible to avoid him but the untimely death of her brother has brought them together. Josh's  dying wish was for Maddie and Dom to spread his ashes in eight designated destinations. 

Maddie doesn't want to look or talk to Dom much less spend so much time with him. Dom is adamant that they follow the rules Josh left behind. They carry our their tasks in a semi strained fashion but a snowstorm that leaves them stranded is about to change all that. 

This is a story about loss, love and grief. Maddie and Dom are well developed complex characters but Josh is the most alive character despite being dead. Learning who he was through the eyes of people who loved him and even those who just knew him made him my favorite character. 

There are quite a few sad moments but with sadness and death comes beauty. 

The New Girl: A Graphic Novel (The New Girl #1) - Cassandra Calin

Lia and her family are leaving Romania and headed for a new life in Canada.  At the airport Lia isn't feeling well and to much her surprise she discovers she had started her first period! Poor, Lia not only does she have to endure a long flight across the Atlantic she has cramps and a first period to deal with.  

Her life in Canada requires a lot of changes. New home, new language, new friends and new school. Lia is only 12 which makes this a perfect read for young girls and older teens. This book is super cute and a warm hearted coming of age story that deals with a lot aspects of growing up (good, bad, and exciting!). 

I shared this beautifully drawn graphic novel with my 11 year old niece and she loved it. Her copy has already been reread several times and is beloved. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | by V. E. Schwab

I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue back in January of 2021. A friend of mine just finished the audiobook and recommend that I give it a try. She discovered that she enjoyed the audio version much more. I figured I'd give it a try. It would give me something to do while I clean house and run errands.

 I initially found the book to be a slow build but the audio version pulled me in. I become much more involved in the story and found myself caring about the characters. The narrator brought the story to life. If you struggled to read the book or found it to be an okay read I recommend listening to it. You'll get an entirely different experience. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is about a striking woman who makes a deal with the devil. She sells her soul for immortality. The catch as she discovers later is that everyone she encounters will forget her the second they no longer see her. This leads to a life in which Addie is unable to make strong connections with others. Addie is strong willed and doesn't let it destroy her but she is lonely.

After 300 hundred years of  being alone things change. Addie comes across a young man who remembers her. They quickly bond to one another but something is off about Henry and when Addie discovers it she is broken. 

Addie's story and that of the devil is complex and strange but oddly beautiful. 

The Dead Weight by Jo Salazar

 

The Dead Weight is all the rage right now. I've seen positive review after positive review. I finally decided to give it a try as I am in desperate need of a good zombie book. The book was just okay. It does have a fair amount of twists and turns and it does start off with action. It's quite predictable but has some well written and complex characters. I can see this being a great book for people just entering into the zombie genera. 

Quinn is only 16 years old. She lives in a residential treatment center with other teens. They each have their own unique issues and are undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. Quinn has a best friend at the center named Keisha and they team up to escape the enter when they discover that carriers are taking over the city and no one is coming to help them. What they didn't count on was others from the center tagging along. 

As they navigate outside the center and try to find a food and shelter the are forced to make some difficult choices and lives are lost. It's all about survival of the fittest and Quinn because the anti-heroine you cheer for.

For You and Only You (You, #4) by Caroline Kepnes

 

Kepnes has lost her shine or passion for Joe Goldberg as a character. This book just doesn't hit the same at the first and I found myself skimming sections and speed read. I was simply wasn't feel it. 

Joe is living in Massachusetts and enrolled in a writing fellowship at Harvard. Joe wants to be a writer but in typical Joe fashion he gets sidetracked by a love interest. People die, the book moves along slowly and then picks up. Then it ends in a whimper. 

Phantasma (Wicked Games, #1) by Kaylie Smith

 

I don't usually read dark romance or paranormal books but the synopsis on this one caught my attention.  I was completely absorbed by the story which is full of twists and turns. The characters are superb and well developed. The storyline is enchanting and plays upon Dante's Inferno. 

Ophelia's mom is dead. Her sister is missing and in order to save her she has to enter a deadly contest. This contest is called Phantasma and their can only be one winner. The winning prize is a wish granted. The contest consists of nine challenges, each challenge more dangerous than the previous. The levels play of individual fears and rival players will do what's necessary to eliminate others.

Ophelia is "lucky" in that she gets a guide of sorts named Blackwell. Blackwell is similar to Dante's guide Virgil in that he leads Ophelia thru the levels of hell and provides information and explanations. Ophelia doesn't want to trust Blackwell but his good looks and charisma have her falling for him and he will also have you under his thrall. 

                                                         This book may be triggering for some.

Alive Day: A Memoir | By Karie Fugett

 

Karie Fugett is homeless and living out of her car when her boyfriend Cleve proposes marriage. Shortly after they exchange vows Cleve's Marine unit is deployed to Iraq. Then Karie received a call that Cleve is severely injured. His Humvee was hit an IED. 

Karie heads out to Walter Reed and discovers that Cleve's survival is a miracle and that the date of his survival will be known as Happy Alive Day since it's the day he was given a second chance at life. 

Karie is forced into a role as a caregiver for Cleve. She has to learn to navigate the complex military bureaucracy on top of dealing with Cleve's increasing dependency of opiates that the doctors hand out like candy. 

Karie's story isn't unique to the thousands of military spouses in particular young woman who are put into a caregiver role for their spouses. Many who are poor and uneducated. Her story and that of other spouses is a hidden story that many outside the military are unaware of. Fugett bares her soul and you easily become invested in her story. Be prepared to be angry as you read what is done do our military members and their families. How they receive such little care for mental health and addiction.