Blog Tour Review: A Love Hate Thing by Whitney Grandison

A Love Hate Thing by Whitney D. Grandison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: January 2020

When Tyson Trice reappears in Nandy Smith's life 10 years after she had last seen him, she knew right away, he wasn't that same seven year old boy she used to play with. Trice is coming to live with the Smith's after the tragic death of his parents. He is angry and hurting and this is the last place he wants to be. But will he be able to come out of his funk and find the friendship he once had with Nandy? Will he be able to step away from his old life and try to build a new one with these people who are nothing like him?

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

I could not put this book down. I read it all of the time. I stayed up late, I got up early. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was shocked by what actually did happen. This is a story about young rekindled love.

Trice and Nandy first meet each other when they are seven years old. Trice's grandfather does yard work in the neighborhood where Nandy lives and Trice plays with her while he does his work. Trice let's Nandy boss him around and they have a little puppy love. Then all of a sudden the visits stop and Nandy doesn't hear from Trice again until he's 17 and a very different person.

Did you ever have someone in your life when you were a kid that you played with all of the time and just knew you were going to be friends forever. But something happens and they are no longer a part of your life. You always wonder what happened to them and what would have happened if there were to stay in your life. What would you do if you had the opportunity to have them in your life again? Do you think you would rekindle old feelings or would you have moved on by then?

I really enjoyed this debut book by Whitney Grandison. I hear she has been writing quite a bit on Wattpad, so I may have to jump over there and check some more of her writing out. I hope this is a first of many books I get to read of hers.

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Some Enticing Excerpts from the First Two Chapters

1 | TRICE

Getting shot isn’t the worst part. It’s the aftermath that really fucks you up.
Six months ago, on a dark December night, I was lying in a pool of my own blood on the living room floor. Six months later, I was sitting in a car on the way to a new town to start fresh. In some ways, yeah, the wound had healed. In others, it never would. I didn’t care, though. The last thing I’d cared about got me where I was.

2 | Nandy

I told myself I didn’t care about the juvenile delinquent my parents were moving into our home. I told myself it was no big deal an ex-con would be sleeping right next door to me. I told myself that my parents hadn’t made the worst decision in everdom.

It was just an everyday occurrence in the Smith household.

Still, it wasn’t fair.

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Audio Book Review: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Published: September 2010


Jeannette Walls led a very interesting life. Living most of it way below the poverty line and "doing the skedaddle" all over the country. Her parents didn't care much for rules or parenting. The book starts off with Jeannette burning herself at the age of 3 making herself food to eat. What three year old is using a stove? The book continues through her life with some outrageous and mind blowing events. This was a very interesting story that made me hug my kids a little tighter and be thankful for the family I have.

I have heard a lot about this book and the movie, and I wanted to read it before I saw it. What really grabbed my attention during this book was the blatant disregard Rex & Rose Mary for their children was incredible.

I love that Ms. Walls had the courage to tell her story. She was able to make something of her life, despite the circumstances that she was raised in. Some people may see the situation and decide this is the life they have and they can't do anything better. Forced to grow up before she had to and become a parent when hers didn't seem to care that their children had no food to eat. Even though both of her parents were educated, they were more of free thinkers letting the world take them through life.

I enjoyed this book.

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Review: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NG

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mia and Pearl move around a lot, but they may have found their forever home in Shaker Heights, Ohio. They are renting the top floor of a duplex owned by the Richardson family. The Richardson's have four children who are all close in age to Pearl. When controversy hits the small tight knit community and Mrs. Richardson finds out that Mia is behind it, she will stop at nothing to find out more about this woman who has disrupted this town.

For me, this book moved very slowly. The story as a whole was good, but there was something about the writing that I just couldn't connect with. The story was told from everyone's point of view, but at times it seemed like that changed in mid-sentence.

Mia is the kind of woman, I think a lot of us wish we could be. She is artistic and carefree. She is an attentive mother and compassionate with her fellow co-workers. But she can't sit still. Every few months, she and Pearl are on the move again for one reason or another. For Pearl, she doesn't mind so much. She has never been able to make and keep friends easily, so it feels good to start over. But Shaker Heights is different. Immediately, she befriends, Moody, the Richardson's youngest son. They have an instant bond. Pearl begins to spend afternoons at their house and walks back and forth to school with Moody. Making friends feels good to Pearl and she is glad that they have decided to spend a little more time in this town than most.

Mia works all kinds of odd jobs to support her in Pearl why she works on her photography. Mia has sold many pieces through an art gallery in New York. Sometimes the pieces go quickly and other times they do not. While in Shaker Heights, Mia is working the take out counter for a Chinese Restaurant. There she befriends a girl who becomes a part of the center of the controversy. With Mia's help this girl finds the strength she needs to do what is necessary.

Mrs. Robinson works as a reporter for the local paper. Covering various events throughout the town. Mrs. Robinson likes Mia and Pearl when they move in, and she even offers Mia a job to do some light housekeeping and cooking at their house. But maybe they shouldn't have allowed Mia to get so close. Maybe then one of her best friends would not have to go through the turmoil she is currently in.

I think many people will like this book, but for me, it was just alright.


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This is what I'm reading next:

August Readin' Roundup!!

Why Readin' didn't go as planned this month!!

After finishing almost 10 books in July, I was hoping that August would be the same way.  But such is not the case.  I did manage to finish 5 books this month.  Moving to a new home played a big part in my slow reading.  Plus, I'm not sure if it was the book I was reading during the move or just the move itself that slowed me down.  Overall, the books I read this month took me to different parts of the world.  I visited Africa, Australia, and a lot of the northeastern part of the United States.  I read a memoir, started a new series, and participated in the One Book, One Maryland reading program.  I only did 2 reviews on the blog this month.  I left out Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, since I read this while I was moving and I didn't feel as though I gave it my full attention.  Also, I don't do blog posts on audio books because I'm usually listening to them over an extended period and it's hard for me to give as rich detail to my review as that of a book I have read.  I do review all books on GoodReads though.  I gave one 4 star review and four 3 star reviews.

Best Book of the Month:

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker  

This is Wendy Walker's 2nd book and right now she is on my radar as an author whose books I will read without reading the description of the book.  She writes a really good psychological thriller that will have you guessing until the end.  If you haven't read either of her books yet, I suggest you do right away.  Her other book is All Is Not Forgotten.

The Other Books I Read in August:

Never Never by James Patterson  

This is a new series from James Patterson.  The main character is a female detective from Australia, Harriet "Harry" Blue.  Her back story will play a lot into future books in this series.  Her and her brother were tossed from foster home to foster home growing up. 

The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand  

Elin Hilderbrand writes a great summer novel.  So far I have listened to three of her books this year. She has a connection to the area I live in and the books make me want to visit Nantucket.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This was this years selection for the One Maryland, One Book program where the whole state reads the same book.  I have had a few of her books on my reading list for a while, but this is the first one I have read.   To find out more about the One Maryland, One Book Program and to find out  about meeting the author click here.

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

I think Anna Kendrick is best known for the Pitch Perfect movies.  My favorite movie of her is The Accountant.  This is her memoir of her life so far, how she became an actress living in Maine and all the gory details in between.  This book made me want to be her friend.

Overall not too bad a month for reading.  September is going to be better I know, I've already finished a book this month.  My birthday was yesterday and I got to go to the National Book Festival which I have been dying to do for years.  In honor of those last two events, I'm hosting a giveaway. Enter  for your chance to win

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