Book Review: "The Pieces We Keep" by Kristina McMorris

Date Read-February 27th, 2014
Date Published - November 26th 2013-Kensington
Source-NetGalley

Two years ago, Audra Hughes lost her husband and is left to take care of their seven year old son, Jack. Just when they both are about to move to Philadelphia, Jack is plagued by horrible anxiety and nightmares.  Audra desperately follows the snippets of clues for Jack’s nightmares and led her to Sean Malloy, a wounded US Army Veteran who served in Afghanistan. Together, they unearth a mystery that leads back to WWII. Within a love story are secrets that threaten to destroy that love and will eventually lead the lovers to commit unthinkable acts in the name of love.

I’m a total sucker for historical love stories, especially from WWII. The story opens up and it’s somewhat slow. But of course, the author quickly picks up the pace and it’s not long before I race through it and anticipating of what might happen. The author does an extraordinary job with incorporating plot twists that will leave your head spinning and totally breathless.

In the similar tradition of Tatiana De Rosnay’s “Sarah’s Key” and Pam Jenoff’s “The Kommandant’s Girl”, and “The Diplomat’s Wife”, “The Pieces We Keep”, is a thrilling story of intrigue, betrayal, a mother’s love, and the echoes of love that can be felt throughout the generations. 

Review: "Exit Wounds: One Australian's War on Terror" by John Cantwell

Date Read - October 3th, 2013
Date Published - October 1st, 2013 (Ebook) - Melbourne University Press
Source - NetGalley

 In 1974, John Cantwell, a young boy from Queensland, enlisted into the Australian Army. He served in Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1 as a Major-in-Command of a British tank squadron. In 2006, Brigadier General Cantwell was deployed to Iraq as the director of strategic operation for the multinational forces. And then in 2010, Major General Cantwell served as commander of the Australian forces in Afghanistan. Although he returned a year later to the safety of his native Australia, Major General Cantwell was still in a battle that he has fought in secret for almost two decades: Post traumatic stress disorder. It wasn't long before the past horrors of all three war campaigns have finally taken their toll and his personal unraveling began.  Instead of being considered for the plump job as the Chief of the Army, he ended up in a psychiatric hospital.
  A while back, I had read an excerpt of the book and I was stunned.  Once I read the first sentence on the book, I wasn't able to put it down. The story had a deathly vice-grip on me and by the end of the night I had read over a quarter of the book.  I was instantly revolved by the eye-witness accounts of death and destruction, from seeing burned corpses to having to identify some of the fallen troops under his command. What also moved me was the deep and abiding love he has for his wife, Jane, who wrote two chapters about her experiences with her husband's battle with PTSD. By the time I finished, I was crying, completely dumbstruck. At that moment, I knew my life was changed.
  In the similar vein of Romeo Dallaire's "Shake Hands with the Devil" (another life-changing book that I highly recommend) "Exit Wounds" is a tragic, heart-wrenching, and deeply moving account of a soldier's fiery descent into hell. It will shake you to the very core, but will leave you in awe of the raw courage of John Cantwell and exposing his past trauma in the hope of raising much needed awareness on the silent war that is destroying our troops.






Watch the book trailer for Exit Wounds.
Read an excerpt of Exit Wounds.

Review: "Trafficked: My Story of Surviving, Escaping, and Transcending Abduction Into Prostitution" by Sophie Hayes

Date Read - September 18th, 2013
Date Published - September 3th, 2013 - Sourcebooks 
Source: NetGalley (Direct from the publisher) 

 

Sophie Hayes was an average middle class young woman living in England. Despite a difficult upbringing with her verbally abusive father, Sophie had managed to do well as an adult. After a failed relationship with her boyfriend, she confided with one of her friends, Kas who convinced her to come to Italy for a vacation. But it was then that the trip took a turn for the worse. With the threat of killing her brothers, Sophie went from an ordinary young woman to a terrified prostitute powerless to escape. For the next six months, she endured daily beatings from Kas and being forced to sell herself in order to pay off a so called "dept". But when she lands at the hospital, Sophie knows that it is her only chance in escaping.
 At first, the story was dull and somewhat whining. However, the story began to pick up momentum and it wasn't long before my insides would quiver as Sophie describes to beatings and abuse she had to put up with. There might be some people asking themselves why didn't Sophie escape when she had the chance. She writes that the way Kas threatened her and depending on him day after day, she couldn't get up and run. It's so easy to judge, but for me, I can understand why Sophie couldn't escape. 

 Already a huge bestseller in the U.K., "Trafficked" will likely find a large audience here in the U.S. Publisher's Weekly wrote that "Trafficked" is “A real life version of the Liam Neeson film Taken." Sophie is to be commended for not only surviving but using her experiences to shine a light at the horrors of sex trafficking. It is a difficult read, but worth it. 

For more on Sophie and how you can help victims of human trafficking, visit her website.

Review: "Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital" by Sheri Fink

Date Read - September 9th, 2013
Date Published - September 10th, 2013 - Crown
Source - NetGalley

Like most Americans, I would never forget the haunting images of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, especially in New Orleans. Houses flooded, people waiting for rescue on rooftops, and worst of all, the dead being cast aside on a sidewalks. It's one thing to imagine, but it's a different story when you have lived through it.
This was the reality of the countless doctors, nurses, and patients trapped inside Memorial Medical Center. When the water rose, the generators failed, and the chaos ensued, some patients were prioritized and managed to evacuate. Others weren't so fortunate. It was within the dire situation that some of the doctors and nurses chose to do the unthinkable. Although the storm ended, the even bigger storm was to come of the doctors and nurses, accused of enthusing some of the patients. 
The book reads like a novel, keeping the reader on the edge. For me, I couldn't put my kindle down as I raced to see what would happen. One of things I found amazing was how you could feel for each of the doctors and nurses marooned during Katrina. But at the same time, rage against them on their decision to play God. Sheri Link doesn't seem to pick sides and instead offers her six year research and relentless pursuit of the truth of what really happened during those five days.
In short, "Five Days at Memorial" is a must read for anyone who wants a glimpse of the horror of Katrina. It will make you questions  your own beliefs and even after the last page is turned, the one question will linger: What would you do?

Review: "He's Gone" by Deb Caletti

Publication: May 14, 2013-Bantam (Random House)
Read: June 29, 2013
Source: NetGalley


On a Sunday morning, Dani Keller begins the day with a hangover from a party the night before. Dani notices that her husband, Ian isn't at home. She gets on with her day in her houseboat in Seattle filling the hours with tasks. However as the hours pass, Dani's irritation shifts into worry and then eventually to panic. And by the day, Dani comes to the sickening realization that Ian is gone. As the police inquire about Ian's disappearance, Dani examines her affair with Ian, their lives together, and their disintegrating love.
This novel is Deb Caletti's first novel for adults. She has been known mostly for her YA adult novels ("Honey, Baby, Sweetheart" was nominated for the National Book Award). I have read "Wild Roses" a few years ago and I very much liked it. At times, I felt bogged down by the details of the friendships and people within. However, the momentum picks up and by the ending, I was left breathless.
"He's Gone" is a brilliant examination of secrets kept, relationships reaching their breaking point, and how far people are willing to go in the name of love. 

Review: Always Watching by Chevy Stevens

Publication-June, 18 2013-St. Martin's
Date Read-June, 25, 2013
Source: NetGalley

Dr. Nadine Lavoie has made a career out of helping others facing their inner demons. She would rather focus on others than on her own, given that her daughter Lisa is a runaway drug addict that she hasn't seen in a while.
Then Heather Simeon, a new patient who attempted suicide, enter the psychiatric hospital and she is assigned to Nadine. Slowly, Heather reveals her life in a commune, a similar experience that Nadine went through when she was a child. For decades, Nadine has trouble remembering that time and as she digs deeper, Nadine discovers the horror and trauma she had sustained. It isn't long before events spiral out of her control that Nadine has a choice: Let the past destroy her, or fight back. 
It is no wonder to me and many others that Chevy Stevens knows how to write a spine-chilling thriller of a novel. I was gripping my kindle as my eyes swept through each sentence, my heart pounding. Although I'm not a mystery/thriller kind of reader, "Always Watching" could very well make me into one. Filled to the brim with plenty of suspense, twists, turns, and thrills, "Always Watching" will grip you and never let you go. 







"Radioactive" is an appropriate song that in my opinion, goes well with the book. It highlights how circumstance can't keep us prisoners, and how fighting back is the only choice we have.   

Review: "A Marker to Measure Drift" by Alexander Maksik

Publication- July 30th, 2013-Knopf
Date Read- June 21st, 2013
Source- Edelweiss
In a remote Greek island, Jacqueline, a young woman, lives in a cave on a beach. Everyday, she drifts from the present struggles of finding food and shelter, to the memories of her life before madness engulfed her country of Liberia. As she navigates through the destructive terrain of the past horror, Jacqueline finds sources of joy from the delicious coffee she drinks to swimming through the cool sea under the merciless sun. It's not until some time,  she learns that life isn't only about surviving, but ultimately thriving. 
Hypnotic, sensual, and captivating, Alexander Maksik's "A Marker to Measure Drift" is brutal but beautifully written. I was entranced by Jacqueline's journey through the horror of the past and her struggle to reclaim her life. This will grip the reader until the very end. 

Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Date Read - February 28, 2013
Source - NetGalley

For fifteen year old Carey, the woods are the only home she and her younger sister Jenessa have ever known. But when their mother doesn't return, both sisters are found by their father and taken away from the forest to a different world of clothes, school, and a roof over their heads. Adjusting to this new world, Carey finds everything too overwhelming. For the woods hold dark secrets and the torturous past that have scared both and have kept Jenessa silent for a year. Emily Murdoch's debut is a heartbreaking and beautifully written tale of survival and the love that has the ability to save us.

Review: Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati

Date Read - February 11, 2013
Source - NetGalley

Ditty Cohen lives a very strict life according to her even more stricter Orthodox Jewish parents. But when she discovers ballet, a burning desire has been released. As she learns more and even secretly practices, she comes to realize that even if her parents forbid her to dance, she can't imagine her life without it. So Ditty takes it upon herself to take ballet lessons, in secret. With the pure freedom dancing offers, it comes at a devastating price: living a double life. Ditty's heart is divided with the world she has only known, and the life she longs to live. A huge hit in Australia, "Dancing in the Dark" will grip you from the first page. Readers will cheer for Ditty and her pursuit of her dream. 





While I was reading this book, a particular song came to mind. "Hall of Fame" is a great anthem for those young hopeful who fight to fulfill their dreams.

Review: The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers

Date Read - February 8, 2013
Source - NetGalley

 Tia is certain of one thing: she's deeply in love with Nathan. The only problem is that he is married with Juliette. Tia learns of her pregnancy and Nathan leaves to return to Juliette. Seeing no other option, Tia gives up her baby for adoption. Caroline, a pathologist, adopts Tia's baby just so she can please her husband. She knows she isn't cut out for motherhood, but for Peter's sake, she tries to incorporate the role of mother. For Juliette running her own beauty line is a dream come true. She knows all about the affair and hopes that's the end of it. But she discovers a letter with photos of Tia's daughter and she knows that it's only the beginning. "The Comfort of Lies" is a gripping and riveting story that breathlessly outlines the consequences of lies and how we can sacrifice those we love most.                            

Review: Why We Write by Meredith Maran

Date Read - January 28, 2013
Source - NetGalley

For any aspiring writer (myself included) most desires is for their book to chart the bestsellers list, getting paid handsomely, and best of all, receiving acclaim for their masterpieces. But being realistic, getting a book published, let alone having a publisher accept your work, is no cake walk. In this anthology, twenty well-known author from all walks of life, offer their own stories, struggles, and triumph on their writing lives. Mary Karr, Isabel Allende, Kathryn Harrison, Jodi Picoult, and Sebastian Junger are just some of the authors that serve as guides for the countless others whom want to become a writer. In the end, "Why We Write" is an examination of a writing life as well as a beacon for those writers-in-training. 

Review: Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield

Date Read - January, 14 2012
Source - NetGalley 

First review of the new year! And what's even more...I am the proud owner of a kindle! I can finally understand how wonderful having a kindle can be. Seriously, I don't know how I have managed without one! Anyway, here's my first kindle-review!


In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Lucy Takeda and her mother Miyako along with tens of thousands of other Japanese-Americans are uprooted from their homes and taken to the Manzanar internment camp. Within the oppression and abuse and desperate to save the daughter she loves, Miyako makes the ultimate sacrifice. And therefore, destroying Lucy's world once more. Amidst one of the most darkest and most shameful chapters in American history, Sophie Littlefield weaves together a story of betrayal, survival, and the transcending power of love.