Review: Murder on Birchleaf Drive by Stephen Epstein

I finished Murder on Birchleaf Drive by Stephen Epstein back in July. I was able to snag a copy of it on Amazon after purchasing my new kindle. It was one of the (and I believe still is) titles available as part of the Kindle Unlimited free trial. 

Having grown up in Raleigh, NC, I was very familiar with the case of Michelle Young.  Please find my review below. 

I could not put this one down. I'm not a fan of true crime stories. However, I recall and closely followed this trial and remember how awful this story was then and still is. The book did a great job of providing details and providing backstory that I think was overlooked in the media coverage and did a superb job of shining light on the many different roads domestic violence can lead victims down. This book will stay with me awhile.

It was gripping, harrowing, and the details were intricately woven in a way not to persuade you as a reader one way or the other. I cannot imagine how difficult that would have been to do, given the evidence and circumstances. 

Sorry for the delay in sharing this one, I think the timing didn't work out so well with this one and the launch of my new blog. So, I wanted to add it, especially since it's still available on Amazon Kindle Unlimited.  I gave this one 4 stars!

Happy Reading! 

Review: The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert is not something I would typically pick up and read. However, I am fortunate enough to be part of a whiz-bang book club of pretty amazing women and, this was the book for August. If you host, you pick the title. I was hopeful it would be available on Overdrive to download from the library but had to resort to a 3D copy. This meant that I couldn't inhale the book, as I typically do for book club, writing, scribbling, highlighting and dog-earring every single passage that struck me. So, I opted for post-its. I actually liked this book so much that I bought a copy of it and will be transferring my trusted stickies over prior to sending my borrowed library copy back.

I gave this book 5 stars. It's exactly what you would assume it's about. The end of all end for us. Doom and gloom. No parts hope. All parts destruction. But, each chapter provides examples of disappearing species, most of which I had never heard about before this book. Additionally, I learned of faraway places that I'd love to one day visit, seeing these places described in great detail, with historical meaning.

I feel like this is a very thought-provoking and discussion-driving read. This book will forever hold a place on my shelf, out of respect and out of distinction. Just as everyone needs a good Field Guide to Birds Reference, everyone needs a copy of the Sixth Extinction.

Special thanks to my local library for hooking me up and always being a place of refuge, inspiration, and hope. Libraries change the world.

#SixthExtinction #ElizabethKolbert #globalwarming #oceanacidification #readtounderstand #bookworm #nerdlife #backtomythrillernow

Review: The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg

I was so excited to get my hands on this book by Elizabeth Berg. I've been a fan of hers for YEARS. I admit, that the last few books of hers I have not read and perhaps that's why I didn't LOVE this one. Also, I have come to realize that I love the grip of thrillers.

I thought this would be a nice treat, a quick read with beautiful descriptions of ladies similar to the Southern ones I've known all my life. I have to say, I struggled to finish this one. I struggled with all of the characters, their names felt unfitting for their ages and I found that each time I picked it back up, I had to re-acclimate myself with each of them.

For that reason, I gave The Confession Club 2 stars. It just wasn't my speed. And, that was difficult for me because I love the writing style of Elizabeth Berg so much, I follow her on FB because her updates are so beautifully written. 

Better luck next book! I received this digital ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @RandomHouse ! 

Review: The Doctor by Lisa Stone Release Date: 6/24/2019

Well, this picture just about sums it up. The Doctor by Lisa Stone was one of those books that I kept my nose buried in and even read while cooking dinner at night. That's one of the things that I love about reading on a kindle, compared to reading a 3D, "real," book. I like not having to hold the pages open. I've even lately been so engrossed that I read while drying my hair. Hey, I have a very long "to read," list.

This book gets 5 stars from me for a lot of reasons. It was so different from past thrillers and mysteries I've read and was mixed with futuristic topics. When a crazy doctor (no spoilers, promise) becomes obsessed with freezing his wife's body to preserve it, he'll stop at nothing. The book takes you to dark corners, closets, and hiding places that will leave you feeling desperate for someone to put all of the pieces together in time to save Alisha. It's pretty scary to think that scary situations like this can and probably do exist.

Thanks to @avon_books for the opportunity to get my hands on this one before the rest of the world and as always, thanks to @netgalley for arranging the introduction! Lisa Stone, I can't find you on instagram but, great job catching and describing details in such a way that I couldn't escape your pages!  #avonbooks #thedoctor #netgalley #scaryneighbors #lisastone #mustread #summerreading #bibliophile #bookguru #bookblog #blogabook #sendmebooks #readtolive #suspense #cryogenics #crazytrain @oakcitybooks #oakcitybooks

Happy Reading, friends!

Review: More to Life by ReShonda Tate Billingsley Release Date 9/27/2019

I took a break from my thrillers and picked up a book called #moretolife by @reshondatatebillingsley. I was really surprised by how engaging it was. The story (no spoilers, here) was about a woman feeling what I like to call a stirring. After 20 years of the perfect marriage to the perfect husband with grown, perfect kids, she just felt like she was missing something. She realized that she had spent the last 20 years pouring her heart, soul, time, and energy in to creating all of the perfectness that she didn't really know who she was anymore. She didn't have time for the things that made her feel alive because she had pushed them away for so many years.

This book is a really good one for a book club. I think that it's a great conversation starter because I think there will be readers who feel so validated when reading More to Life. And, there will be readers who disagree with the path Aja takes to find her own happiness. Regardless, I think most readers will agree that they can identify, relate, and find strength in Aja's story.

More to Life got 4 stars from me. It was a quick read with a "just like us," main character and a different plot than I think most people are used to reading.

I also really appreciated the afterward written by the author. I think this book really meant a lot to her to write. And, I'm not sure she realizes how many ripples in many lives it will inspire and fill with hope. Maybe that's why I loved it so much. The main character was believable, honest, and a friend we all need.

Thanks to @kensingtonbooks for helping me get a hold of this book to read, review, and love. Also, more love to @netgalley for arranging the introduction to @kensingtonbooks and its wonderful writers. Thanks for this book, @reshondatatebillingsley. I was really inspired by Aja and all that she overcame to love and accept herself just as she was. I am also inspired by YOUR Aja story. Cheers to grit, grace, and dreams.