Review: Silence Is a Sense by Layla AlAmmar

Silence Is a Sense by Layla AlAmmar

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Published: March 2021

As a Syrian refugee now living in Englan, The Voiceless observes the world around her and writes about it. She can see the neighbors in other flats and has names for them all. When the violence that took her from her home erupts in her new neighborhood, she has to make a stand somehow. But how can she do that without a voice?

Thank you to Algonquin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have no idea what it would be like to be forced from your home because of violence. Having to travel by any means necessary, go through unthinkable trials, just to land in a place where you don't know anyone. You don't know what has become of your family and friends and really don't have a way to find out. Maybe this is why she became voiceless.

“A fierce novel… Layla AlAmmar has skillfully woven a narrative of memory and grief with an illuminating social critique of the position of asylum seekers within contemporary British society. It is daring and devastating.” —Fiona Mozley, Booker-finalist author of Elmet and Hot Stew 

 “Kuwaiti writer AlAmmar explores trauma and voicelessness through fragmented narrative form and a mute protagonist who has survived the war in Syria and is now living in isolation in the UK.” —The Millions 

 “With a powerful prose, AlAmmar pens a story about a young woman traumatized into muteness after a dangerous trip from war-torn Syria to the UK.” — Palm Beach Daily News 

 “Evocative… The conflicts over immigration and racism are brilliantly distilled, and they dovetail seamlessly with the narrator’s lyrical, increasingly defiant narration. Patient readers will find much to ponder.” —Publishers Weekly

Even leaving Syria didn't keep her from the violence against her people. Others want her to write more about these experiences, but she doesn't want to reveal who she really is. While this story takes place in England, this could have taken place anywhere in the world. With the news in our country at this time about Asian-Americans being targeted for violence. Whenever something bad happens in our country, those who are associated with the country, faith, race, that the incident stemmed from, tend to get all of the rage against the injustice. Even though it has nothing to do with them.

Here is a quote from this book, that I think is important for us all(taken from uncorrected proof): "We are one being. All of us. You are not made any differently than I am. And these religions of ours are nothing but languages. You speak English, I speak Punjabi, he speaks French, she speaks Japanese or Chinese, but we all say the same thing. These religions, they are words, only a language. Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, we are all saying the same thing. Your humanity and my humanity are the same. We are of one being, one value. All of us equal, all of us the same."

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Review: The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: March 2020
 

Alexis and Austin both work at a hospital in New York City, but in different departments. So it's interesting that they meet in the Emergency Room where Alexis works when Austin is injured at a bar. Their romance is quick and the next thing you know, they are on a bike tour in Vietnam to visit the places where Austin's father fought and his uncle died. But when Austin is killed in an accident, it brings up a lot of questions for Alexis about the real reason they were in Vietnam. Alexis is determined to find out what happened to Austin, but will she loose her own life in the process?

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I had no idea the turns this book would take. From the outside, Austin seems like your typical guy who likes to bike. But there is a secret he is hiding, one that no one about. This secret can kill hundreds, thousands, even millions of people, especially if it gets into the wrong hands. Alexis is a strong determined person, refusing to let Austin's death go without further investigation. It leads to a cross continent search for the truth and a way to end something tragic.

I really enjoy Chris Bohjalian's books. They take you on a journey that you aren't expecting. I wasn't sure where this story was going to go, but I enjoyed the ride. It goes to show you that you have to be careful out here with the people you are dating.


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Review: Hers to Tame by Rhenna Morgan

Hers to Tame by Rhenna Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: March 2020
 

Cassie McClintock is a reporter in New Orleans. When she first met Kir Viselki it's for a brief, but unforgettable time. When she hears rumors about who he is and who he works for, she puts distance between them. But Kir needs her help this time and no other woman has ever made hims feel the way Cassie does. Will they be able to stick to business, or will their story go elsewhere?

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure how well I was going to like it. The story started off slowly, but then there was a change in the dynamic of the story that made me sit up and pay more attention to the story.

When Cassie asked for Kir's help, it was for a story she was working on for the news. Their relationship goes from business to personal really fast. When she hears that he may work for the Russian mafia, she is easily turned off from him, but when he needs her help, she finds a different side of him. When Cassie's life is threatened because of her story, it's Kir that bring her into his "family" to keep her protected. Will they be able to maintain a professional relationship, or will romance take over?

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March Readin' Roundup!!

March was a pretty good reading month for me.  I was able to finish 8 books this month.  I had one 5 star book, five 4 star books, and two books I gave 3 stars to.  I’m a quarter of the way through my 100 book reading goal for this year, which I think is right on track.  So here’s what I read in March. Click on any book title to read my full review.  Click on the book cover to order the book.  Share with me if your thoughts on these if you’ve read them and what books you read and enjoyed in March.



After Anna by Lisa Scottoline
Maggie and Noah have been married for a few years. Noah has a son from a previous marriage and Maggie has a daughter, but Maggie hasn't seen her daughter, Anna, since she was 6 months old. When Anna, decides she wants to be a part of Maggie's life, Maggie is over the moon. This is something she has wanted for the past 16 years. But as soon as Anna enters their lives, everything gets turned upside down. Noah is accused of molesting and killing Anna and Maggie isn't sure who to believe, her husband of a few years or the daughter who she has desperately has wanted in her life.


Losing Princeton Charming by Frankie Love & C.M. Seabrook

Charlie and Spencer have been through a lot in their short time together. When Spencer lies to Charlie about his plans for then evening and then subsequently, finds her naked in her best friends apartment(it's a guy by the way), they make the decision that maybe they aren't the best for each other. But somehow they can't stay out of each others lives. Will they be able to either stay away from each other, or find a way to make it work no matter the consequences?

Forever Princeton Charming by Frankie Love & C.M. Seabrook

When I finished Losing Princeton Charming, I had to immediately start reading this book. Losing left me with such a cliff-hanger, I had to see what was going to happen next. 

Forever Princeton Charming starts with Charlie being in the hospital after a car accident. She thinks her best friend may have something to do with the accident, but that can't be right. Together she and Spencer are determined to find out who could of tried to hurt Charlie and why. They have had so much backlash against their relationship already, this last thing is just the icing on the cake. 

96 Words for Love by Rachel Roy & Ava Dash
Raya Liston is at a turning point in her life. She has just graduated high school and college is the next step. She thinks she knows what she wants to do, but not exactly sure. When her grandmother, Daadee, passes away Raya feels more confused than ever. Together with her cousin Anandi, she travels to an ashram where her grandmother had visited as a youth and then again a few years before she died. She told the girls that she had left something for them there and they were determined to find it. What else would Raya find there? Most than she ever expected.


The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

Cormoran Strike is a Private Investigator, who has just been hired by John Bristow to investigate the death of his sister Lula Landry. Lula is a model in England and she has had her share of issues, but no one expected her to commit suicide. Cormoran hasn't been very lucky in life himself as of late, and this case is exactly what he needs to get a jump start. The police have been all over the evidence and there is nothing to support any other outcome for this case, but Cormoran is determined to find out the truth. Will he be surprised by who the killer is or will he find out quickly? With the help of his temporary assistant Robin, the case with all it's secrets will reveal the true killer. 

Between the Lies by Michelle Adams

Chloe Daniels was in a terrible car accident, but when she wakes up, she has no idea who she is or who the people around her are. Not only has Chloe lost her memory, but she has also lost her son in this terrible accident. With flashes of what could have happened that night, Chloe is determined to find out the truth. But her family keeps filling her head with falsehoods that are hindering her from finding out what is really going on. Still weak from her accident and still unsure which memories are real and which have been implanted, Chloe set out to find out what happened that night and who she was then and who she is today. 

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward

Maddie is a wife and a mother who would do anything to protect her family and those she loves. After college Maddie decides she is going to to go Bulgaria to write and tutor. She isn't quite alone as her friend Joanna, is not too far away in Macedonia. When she visits Joanna it's always a good time, even though they are in a war-torn country. When Maddie meets Ian, there is an instant connection, but time and opportunity are never on their side, so they see each other when they can, and are friends for a very long time. Eventually, they are able to get together and build a life and start a family. But everything isn't as it seems. Ian is suffering from PTSD from his many years serving as protection in Iraq, Bosnia, and other countries. And Maddie has anxiety about it all. Will their relationship last, or will the events of their pasts be too much for their future to handle.

In the Blink of an Eye by Jesse Blackadder

Today is not a typical day for the Brennan Family. Bridget, mom, is still at home getting the boys, Jarrah & Toby ready for the day. Finn, dad, is busy in his studio, finishing an art project. Finn is a stay-at-home dad, his art allowing him to do this. Bridget is usually already off to work by the time the boys are getting ready. So this morning is strange indeed. Bridget's not sure what to do, Jarrah, typical teenager, doesn't have the time, and toddler Toby, just wants someone to read his book to him. When Bridget steps away from Toby for just a few minutes to use the bathroom, the unthinkable happens, and life for the Brennan's will never be the same. Who is to blame? How will they survive?

That's it for March.  April has a few exciting new books I am looking forward to.  Here is what I plan to read:

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer
You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn
Before We Were Wicked by Eric Jerome Dickey
Getting Hot With the Scot by Melonie Johnson
Girls Night Out by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Happy Reading Friends!!

Review: Forever Princeton Charming by Frankie Love & C.M. Seabrook

Forever Princeton Charming by Frankie Love & C.M. Seabrook
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: March 2019


When I finished Losing Princeton Charming, I had to immediately start reading this book. Losing left me with such a cliff hanger, I had to see what was going to happen next.

Forever Princeton Charming starts with Charlie being in the hospital after a car accident. She thinks her best friend may have something to do with the accident, but that can't be right. Together she and Spencer are determined to find out who could of tried to hurt Charlie and why. They have had so much backlash against their relationship already, this last thing is just the icing on the cake.

Thank you to C.M. Seabrook and Frankie Love for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this entire series from start to finish. These last two books had me crying and laughing.

Trying to maintain a relationship when it seems the whole world against you is next to impossible. But when you love someone, you try your best to defeat the odds and go for what you want. Charlie and Spencer are no exception. Their families don't want them together, their friends don't want them together and society dictates that because they come from two different socioeconomic classes they shouldn't be together. You can't help who you fall in love with and who is going to make you the best version of yourself no matter what life throws at you.

I think Charlie and Spencer did what they had to do in order to be together. Forget the haters and naysayers. If you like a romance series with ups and downs and twists and turns, I suggest you go and pick up the Princeton Charming series right away. These books are sure to leave you with all kinds of emotions.

**I received a copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for my honest review.**

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To learn more about this book or series or to order a copy, click the book cover below:




See my reviews of the other books in the series, by clicking the titles below:

Kissing Princeton Charming

Dating Princeton Charming

Losing Princeton Charming

March Readin' Roundup!!

March was a slow reading month for me.   I was recovering from surgery and I thought I would be reading a lot, but I was very tired.  Plus, sitting up for more than 5 minutes was painful and trying to read laying at the angle I was, was not great for my neck muscles.  So with all of that, I was only able to get in 5 books in March.  

Here is a list of what I read in March.  Click on the title to read the full review.  What books did you read in March, I would love to know!

BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones -- 5 stars

Roy and Celestial have been married for almost two years when their relationship takes a hit no one could ever anticipate. As they are in rural Louisiana visiting Roy's family, he is wrongly accused of a crime he didn't commit. Sentenced to twelve years in a Louisiana prison, the time they have spent married will be much shorter than the time they are about to spend apart. Will they both be able to survive the predicament they are in? With Celestial in Atlanta trying to continue to live her life and Roy in Louisiana, writing letters back and forth and having sporadic visits, will their marriage survive?

JUST UNDER FIVE STARS

Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison -- 4.5 Stars

On the outside, Ethan and Sutton Montclair seem like the perfect couple. They are both writers and are crazy about each other. But they have secrets in their past that will soon surface. Sutton has disappeared and told her husband she didn't want to be found. Her friends are convinced, that Ethan has done something to hurt her, but the police are not convinced. When bodies turn up and secrets are revealed, will Ethan be able to maintain his innocence?

Look for Me by Lisa Gardner -- 4 Stars

DD Warren is trying to find out who has killed the Baez family. Mother, Justine; her boyfriend, Charlie; her youngest daughter, Lola; and her only son, Manny. But there is another child, Roxanna, as well as two dogs, Rosie and Blaze. Where are they? Did Roxanna do this to her family? If so, why? But Roxy was the protector of the family. Her mom is a recovering alcoholic and when she was drinking Roxy made sure her siblings ate and made it to school. When the state took the kids away from Justine for a year, this role for Roxy became more prominent. After that year, the girls were never the same. Did something happen during their year in foster care that could have warranted this kind of violence? Will DD be able to find the person or people responsible for this before more people are killed? Will her new CI, Flora Dane prove to be helpful or detrimental to this case?

THREE STAR REVIEWS

Mistress by James Patterson -- 3 Stars

Benjamin Casper has been asked by a friend of his to put some surveillance cameras up in her apartment. Shortly after he leaves her building a body is thrown from her balcony. Everyone says it's his friend, Diana and that she committed suicide, but Ben is not convinced. Trying to figure out what is really going on with Diana and what she was up to is not going to be easy. Will Ben be able to find the answers before he loses his own life? Set in the heart of our Nation's Capital, Ben fights for his life to find out the truth about Diana.

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney -- 3 Stars

Amber is in a coma. She can hear the people around her, but there is nothing she can do. The book travels back to the events leading up to the coma and the diary of a young girl with a lot of troubles. This book is full of shocking events. Is her husband to blame for the accident that put Amber in a coma? Will her sister be able to find out what is going on before Amber wakes up? Will Amber ever wake up? How will the events of her past shape her future if/when she does wake up?

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me: 

1. I’m in a coma. 

2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore. 

3. Sometimes I lie. 

So there you have it.  I hope you will take a look at the full reviews and let me know if you have read any of these and your thoughts on them.  Here is what I plan to read in April:

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . . 

Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced. . . . 

Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser

When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, around a fire pit where their backyards meet one Saturday night, most of them are just ecstatic to have discovered that their baby monitors reach that far. It’s a rare kid-free night, and they’re giddy with it. They drink too much, and the conversation turns personal.

By Monday morning, one of them is gone.

Everyone knows something about everyone else in the quirky small Ohio town of Yellow Springs, but no one can make sense of the disappearance. Kristin was a sociable twin mom, college administrator, and doctor’s wife who didn’t seem all that bothered by her impending divorce—and the investigation turns up more questions than answers, with her husband, Paul, at the center. For her closest neighbor, Clara, the incident triggers memories she thought she’d put behind her—and when she’s unable to extract herself from the widening circle of scrutiny, her own suspicions quickly grow. But the neighborhood’s newest addition, Izzy, is determined not to jump to any conclusions—especially since she’s dealing with a crisis of her own.

As the police investigation goes from a media circus to a cold case, the neighbors are forced to reexamine what’s going on behind their own closed doors—and to ask how well anyone really knows anyone else.

As She Fades by Abbi Glines

On the night of her high school graduation, Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford are in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken.

Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale’s brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can’t deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.

Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life. Except now, she’s in Slate’s territory, and their story is about to take a very strange turn.

Bridal Girl by Meredih Schorr

Sassy book blogger-turned-author, Kim Long, thought her life couldn’t get any pinker when she received a two-book publishing deal and a marriage proposal in the same night. 

If only she could drown out the conflicting opinions of her overzealous bridal party. 

If only everyone would adore her first book—or she’d take Nicholas’s advice and stop reading reviews.  

If only Nicholas’s past would remain there rather than threaten their future.

The pressure is on and the clock is ticking. Will Kim ever write “The End” on her sophomore novel? And, will she and Nicholas make it down the aisle to say those two precious words: “I do?” 

Put on your reading glasses, fill your champagne flute and prepare to laugh with (and sometimes at) Kim as she rewrites her happy ending until it’s worthy of five pink champagne flutes. 

This book does not come out until July, but I will be doing a blog tour for this book at the end of April.

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Meet Hanna.

She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good.

Meet Suzette.

She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette's husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.

I hope you will come back next month to read the reviews for these books as well. 

HAPPY READIN'!!