"An Untamed State" kept my interest and had me reading to try to see what happened next.
Then when I got there several times, I had to put the book down for a while due to the difficult subject matter. This book is true to the characters and does not hide from the horrors of it's theme.
You either love or hate Mirelle, but either way you will want to know what happens to her next.
As a woman, this book played on one of my greatest fears - rape. What happened to Mirelle was not just rape but true torture. When she is kidnapped in her native country of Haiti, we watch a family and marriage unravel. We felt her unravel as a person. But she survived. She is a survivor as so many woman are who have to endure this ordeal. "An Untamed State" gave me a small window into the world of Haiti. I really don't know much about this country but seeing it thru Mirelles' eyes was interesting.
The dynamics between the characters brought many questions forward during my book club
discussion. Why did her father act the way he did? Is this a true account of what could happen?
Is this a true protrayal of Haiti - a country of haves and have-nots? How did she make it back
to a normal life? You need to read this book. It may be hard in parts, but you will not want to
put it down.
This book touched me in so many ways. This family is a trainwreck from the
beginning but the journey is not to be missed. You want to stop what is happening but that is not to be. It is true to life and will keep you invested until the end.
It opens with Adelaide Lyle, a seventy something that has come to realize that her church and preacher are turning into a place and person she does not like or understand. Carson Chambliss has kind of taken over the church and turned it into a holy roller place with snakes and healing for good measure. He will brook no interference especially from an old lady. Adelaide meets with him and learns just how mean he can be when threatened. She will play a large part in the book to come as teacher for the children while the parents are in the regular service.
Wiley Cash goes on to introduce us to Jess, a nine-year-old boy who will
steal your heart. The events that tear his family apart has started long before
he was born, but he has to witness them all. Jess and his brother, Stump,
have a special relationship even though Stump (Christopher) has never spoken a word.
Julie and Ben Hall, the parents to Jess and Stump are in a struggling marriage that they both blame on the other. They end up looking for
solace and answers in the wrong places. The Sheriff and Ben's father try to
help them work through the situation but you will need to read this for yourself to find out what happens.
Wiley gives us the classic good versus evil story with rich characters and a view of small town life of a North Carolina mountain town. The writing is
excellent and you will be invested from the start. Can't wait to read more of his work!
Lisa Scottoline has written a lot of books. They are usually family related
with a twist. She has written quite a collection of detective novels also that
are very good. Quantity does not always make good quality but this one is
one not to miss. Sometimes a good writer can have success, and under the
pressure of churning out books turn the writing into a formula. That does not
always make for the best novels to read.
"Keep Quiet" has a compelling story line. A Father is trying to reconnect with
his son after ignoring family time to build business. Business falls on the father
a lot in real life and he can be absent more than he wants to from the family day-to-day life.
In this book, Pam is the consummate mom and has been raising Ryan basically herself. Jake lost one job and reinvented himself with his own successful company, but missed out on a lot of Ryan's youth. Jake makes a decision one night that will change their lives forever. It will ask the age-old question, "What would you do for your child?". Read the book as it twists and turns through this mystery and family tale.This will be a quick read because you can't put it down, at least I could not!
"The Memory Thief" by Emily Colin is a great read. It has everything I look for
in a good book - romance, conflict, suspense, and mystery. She manages to make mountain climbing sound fun and interesting. This book definitely takes a bit of suspension of belief to finish to the end but who are we know what lies after
our death besides Heaven & Hell. It is well worth the time.
Maddie and Aiden fall in love and after a rocky start, they marry and have
an adorable little clone named Gabriel. Their lives are constantly tested with
Aiden's choice of career as a mountain climber and guide. Aiden's best friend,
JC, is also Aiden's business partner and struggles with a love for Maddie that
he knows is never to be returned.
Maddie has a premonition about an upcoming climb that Aiden and his friends
will be taking. Aiden promises Maddie that he will return. What happens next
and how it effects all of their lives is the best part of the book. Emily Colin has
solid characters that you want to meet and be friends with.
Their stories intertwine with Nicholas Sullivan from North Carolina. Nicholas
lost his memory in a motorcycle accident but dreams constantly of mountain
climbing and a mysterious woman and boy. How they all come to know each
other will twist and turn and have you wondering how this happened! Enjoy
this book and I look forward to the next Emily Colin novel!
Finally I am home and catching my breath on the reading front!
Our franchise meeting was long but productive. Catching up with
all the work for a week was grueling but I have a better handle on it
now!
Just finished "The Memory Thief" and loved it! Look for my total
blog pick on Thursday, June 5th! Emily Colin has a smashing first
book! See you Thursday with all the details!
