The One by John Marrs

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Imagine all the people, Livin’ for today ~Sheila (borrowed from John Lennon)

Its a simple test. You swab your mouth and send it in. Then an email arrives… they have your match. Your Match. The One that is your one. For less than $10 you can request more information… a name of your One. Some details… and..

well the rest is up to you. That is Match Your DNA.

Now, a decade later, millions of people have been matched. Marriages have been destroyed, but really – wouldn’t it be better to be with the one that has been predestined to be your match? The one that will be with you all the days of your life? Even if it puts an end to dating and the joys of finding the person you are meant to be with?

Now – 5 different people are about to find their match to be very different from themselves, but who are they to argue when the Match Your DNA has never had a false Match.
Yet.


I really enjoyed The One event, even though it admittedly scared me a bit. Honestly, reading this, it doesn’t seem that far-fetched from something that could really happen. There are apps for almost everything – why not this? You can also see the appeal to something like this… take the work out of making a mistake and choosing poorly… If you can get the right one right off the bat, why not do that?
Well… as in many “AI” type situations… it is not a perfect system, and reading this book will give you the insight.
An interesting read – it kept me engaged and I think would make for great discussion.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yup! (I read Keep It In The Family – creepy good, but I see I never reviewed it.
Read Author Again: Most likely – I like the wicked twisty turns
Book Club Worthy: I think so, its an interesting topic
Where Listened: Home


Sunrise on The Reaping by Suzanne Collins

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Going back to Panem. You should join me. ~Sheila

Haymitch Abernathy is about to celebrate his sixteenth birthday. As a teen of District 12, that means maybe an extra ration. It also means, as it does every year on this date, the reaping for this year’s Hunger Games. In celebration of this milestone year, the Fifitieth Hunger Games, a Quarter Quell, the Capital will not take one boy and one girl from each District but two boys and two girls. Forty-eight in all will enter this year’s game. Only one will come out.

Haymich knows that District Twelve produced the winner of the games only once, so long ago, in fact, that he does not remember their name.

Today, he just needs to get through this year’s selections and get to the special dinner he knows his mom has saved for, and spend time with the girl he loves.

And then, the names are called.

“Haymitch Abernathy”

Ahhhh Susanne Collins…. absolutely brilliant. For those of you who were Hunger Games readers and fell in love with this harsh dystopian series that became movies, then you know all the feels I have here.

Admittedly, I did not read the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, another prequel to the Hunger Games that we know and love – and maybe as I type this, that’s the “why”. As with any book/series you come to love – sometimes it’s treacherous territory to open yourself up to an additional book that may or often, may not, meet the standards you have set with the original books… lightning, as they say, does not strike twice –

But they also say, time heals…


And so – while looking for my next listen as I cook and clean and the outdoor calls – I was crazy excited when I came across this title, and more so when I discovered that this was Haymitch’s story ( you will remember him as the drunken, damaged mentor for Katniss and Peeta ). If you recall – he had a history with the games that he alluded to – and now… here it is.

I loved how the book begins, his story, his family, and his girl – all left behind as he enters the game with no delusional thoughts of believing that he would be coming back. (Although – no spoiler here… we know he survives as this is the 50th Hunger Games and we meet him again in the 74th…)

This was a worthy read – as mentioned, I loved the back story, and I really enjoyed how his experience in the Hunger Games was so different than the one we experienced in the earlier books.

While there are major parts in this book that explain the adult Haymitch, there were some parts towards the ending I could have done without (*cough cough tedious reciting of poetry) that really started to give the impression of filler for the pages.
That aside, I am glad I read it and would recommend that you do as well.

Rated: 3.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yup!
Read Author Again: If the right book comes along 🙂
Possible Triggers: Its Hunger Games, you know there will be death.. Nothing I would call overly graphic
Where Listened: Home/Car


The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

Holy shnikies…… ~Sheila

Sarah Morgan is a named partner of her law firm. At 33 years old, she is proud of her accomplishments and good at what she does, even though, admittedly, she misses out on events with her husband and time alone together in their newly acquired vacation home.

Sarah’s husband, Adam, has not done as well in his career as a writer… he spends many weekends at the vacation home as a chance to dig into his writing, but honestly, he spends more time staring at the ceiling than putting words to paper. Most often, Sarah has too much to do to go with him.

Then one weekend everything changes. Adam comes home early from his weekend writing retreat, missing his wife. A few short hours later, he is arrested when a woman is found murdered in the bed of their second home….
Sarah suddenly finds herself reeling as she gets not only the news of her husband’s arrest for murder, but also the fact that he has been having an affair with the victim. The odds are stacked against Adam, and Sarah knows she is the only Lawyer who can give Adam a fighting chance of getting out of a life sentence ….
But can she? Can she defend him all the while looking the other way to Adams’ self-confessed infidelity to save him from going down for a murder she is pretty sure he did not commit?

Holy smokes, this was good. A fast-paced read that left me with a big WOW at the end. This is one of those books I want to say so much but feel I can say nothing, as I want you to read it and pull all the amazing gems out of this one all on your own.

There are many twists are turns, and if you are trying to keep track – there are so many suspects but in a believable way where you can see why they would have done it… and still, at least in my case…. You have no idea.

With a little essence of Caroline Kepness (author of YOU) and definitely a little McFadden (but dare I say better than McFadden)…. absolutely worth your time to dig on in.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: oh yeah!
Possible Triggers: a little sex, murder (but not graphic)
Where Read: listened to at home and in the car

Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Definitely listen to on audio – I laughed out loud more times than I can count. ~Sheila

Lucy knew that going back to her hometown was going to be a challenge after all these years and all the rumors that had surrounded her ever since her best friend Savvy had been murdered and Lucy had been named a suspect. But Grandma has asked for her to come home for her birthday, and Lucy can not bring herself to turn down Grandma.

Ben Owens, host of the popular Podcast Listen For The Lie, has set his sights on the mystery behind the unsolved case on Savvy…placing him in the area where the murder took place, at the same time that Lucy, the only real suspect, will be home. What luck! Putting fuel on the fire of this unsolved mystery only serves to reignite everyone’s opinion on what they think happened and a thirst to know the truth, especially in Lucy’s own hometown.

The unfriendly reactions, the hateful words that accompany Lucy’s homecoming are definitely harsh, and the Podcast just keeps piling on as friends and family members all fall under the spell of being interviewed for the popular listen.

Truth is, not even Lucy knows if the rumors are true. Lucy has no memory of what happened, only that she was found covered in her best friend’s blood with no recollection of how or what happened.
…And there is this voice in her head… that makes Lucy think that maybe-just maybe, everyone is right about her.

I am always pushing my friends to try audio (just ask them). And – when doing so there are always certain books I recommend to them that really pop in audio format, and in turn I hope they will listen and become an audiobook listener as I am.
This is one of those books.

I typically avoid reading reviews on a book I plan to read/listen to as I want to form my own opinion and not go into a book with any bias one way or another. I also try to not read reviews before I write my own for the same reason… However, I did see a little mention of this book before diving into it that called it witty and funny – two things I very much like, but do not necessarily associate these two words with a thriller.
Truth is – Listen For The Lie can be funny… admittedly, the dark humor had me laugh out loud many times while listening. Fans of YOU by Caroline Kepnes (also a Netflix Series) I believe, will enjoy this one.

Listen For The Lie can definitely be dark, but in a way that I actually enjoyed. This is not the first time I have listened to a book that has a podcast built into it, but like the others I have read/listened to that have done this – I like it. It’s a great addition to this listen.

Overall – just a really good listen with great narration, and I was all in to find out who did it.

Well done and recommended.

Rated: 4 out of 5 – Solid listen
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I would!
Possible Triggers: Semi-graphic descriptions of killing someone
Where Read: Listened to at home and in the car


Three Days In June by Anne Tyler

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)1 Comment

Gail Baines is a little stressed out. Mother of the bride (the wedding is tomorrow), she may have quit her job, she was not invited to the pre wedding spa day planned by the mother of the groom, and to top it off – her ex husband, Max, shows up on her doorstep with a foster-to-adopt cat announcing that he (they) will need to stay with her for the wedding because where he was planning to stay can not do cats.
Are. You. Kidding. Me.

When Gail’s daughter shares a secret that not only leaves the wedding in jeopardy, it also stirs up the not-so-pleasant past for Gail and Max.

In a word. Fun. This book I listened to on audio was short – surprisingly so and honestly, if I had noticed that before selecting, I may have passed on it as I do like to feel there was time for a full story. While I am left with questions as the book could have gone deeper, it was still a fun little listen with engaging characters and a great narration.

If you are looking for just a little something while doing a little road trip or working on a project… this could be a good fit for you. Nothing real crazy, just a fun little read.

Rated: 2.75 out of 5 (only because its shortness left some things unfinished that I would have liked to have known more about)
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: Maybe
Where Read: home

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

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Fantastic revisit to a favorite author ~ Sheila

When college student Sami Kierce is backpacking in Spain with friends, he meets Anna, a girl who takes his breath away. When he wakes up one morning with a bloody knife in his hand and her body lying next to him, he panics, and he runs.

Twenty-two years later, Sami is happily married with a young son. He works as a Private Investigator and teaches night school to a group of want-to-be sleuths in New York City.
One evening while teaching his class, a girl hovers in the back of the room, and Sami’s blood runs cold. There is no doubt that this is Anna. When they make eye contact, she bolts out the door and out of sight in a matter of seconds.
Sami has no choice but to open the door to the past. Is this girl really Anna, and if so, what happened all those years ago…. Sami soon discovers that this particular door holds way more secrets and darkness than even he could have imagined.

A little history here…. in my twenties, Harlan Coben was one of a small handful of go-to authors for me. This was pre-book club, my boys were young, and I enjoyed reading in the evenings. This photo is from one of the years at the Book Expo in New York…. I would guess 2010, 2011…

I have been so excited to see that a series of Harlan’s books has been made to movies on Netflix.

How crazy cool is that?
So – in recent searching for that next read/audio… I came across his newest release, Nobody’s Fool and dug into a blast from the past.

Remember when mystery/thrillers were just that? A good storyline, a solid protagonist, and popcorn worthy? That is what Coebn feels like. No offense to the newer popular twisty unreliable narrator, psychological thrillers of today that can feel more like a jerky rollercoaster ride that is traveling through a haunted fun house… I like those too, but ya know what I mean.

Digging into this book, it felt wonderful to meet up with Coben again. I forgot how funny he is. There are MANY great one-liners throughout the book that made me laugh out loud. I wish I had written them down, but meh… also cool that you can discover them for yourself.

Great storyline that flowed well, kept me wondering what was going on, and came out the other side finishing well. I enjoy this read and can honestly say Coben still has that great touch – a solid thriller, and worth your time.

Here are some of my other Harlan Coben reviews (I have read more than this – but remember I started pre-book club, which was also pre-reviewing.

Don’t Let Go
Fool Me Once
Missing You
Six Years
Seconds Away
Deal Breaker
One False Move
Caught
Hold Tight

The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak

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Good read, wrong title – Sheila

Gia Rossi left town after high school and never looked back. When her sister Margot begs her to come home as their mother struggles in the later stages of cancer, Gia reluctantly agrees.

Just as Gia predicted, her homecoming is not a welcome one. For one, there is still Mr. Hart, her once beloved teacher, who was fired when Gia turned him in for sexual misconduct, who still lives in town. Now divorced and hitting the bottle daily, he is not happy at all that the person who destroyed his life is back. Secondly, his kids who went to school with Gia are also adults now and lived through the horror of the years that followed the accusations against their dad, and are not too forgiving to say the least. And third – the Banned Book Club she had started years ago continues on with friends from the past, but some of them are not too sure about Gia and what really happened back in high school between her and the teacher; all they know is that her accusations destroyed a local family.

Yet more is happening than the drama that follows Gia’s reappearance, and when her sister leaves town suddenly with her kids, with not so much as a goodbye, Gia sees that her sister’s picture perfect marriage is not what she thought it was.. and the local veterinarian, Cormac, is very easy on the eyes… it is really too bad that he is Mr. Hart’s son.

So…if you know me, you know that I am a huge advocate for Banned Books and the freedom to choose what we read. The title – of course grabbed me. A book about banned books? Yeah please! But, it has to be said that this book has very little to do with Banned Books or a Book Club. While this is definitely mentioned, it certainly is not plot-worthy – or title-worthy. The Banned Book Club is a very small and not often mentioned part of the story.

That said, title conversation to the side, I enjoyed this read. It was engaging, I liked the storyline, and I liked the characters. I felt it flowed well, even if it had little to do with book clubs and banned books, and really is more about family dynamics in true-to-life situations.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Triggers:
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I think so
Where Read: while traveling locally- (Audio!)

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

It started out so so good… ~Sheila

Stephanie is a Career Woman. She has a lot of good things going for her, and a few things not so much… but she’s working on it. A chance to get away on a Business Trip may be the little mini break she needs.
Jasmine is dealing with the WRONG GUY. He is controlling, he is verbally abusive, and she knows she needs to make a change and soon. Squirelling away her tips and sneaking a twenty here and there out of his wallet has given her enough to cover a plane ticket and a start – anywhere but here.

Both women wind up on the same flight. In fact, they are seatmates. And both women within 24 hours of that flight… disappear.

The idea is excellent. This book started out so strong… both Stephanie and Jasmine are protagonists you want to know more about and as you dig into this read, it’s crazy wild – twisty and spooky and then…

A story from the past is the first thing that happens that makes you suspend belief to continue on…
And then…. it continues to happen – the happenings are too far-fetched… too many things overlooked would have to happen for that to ever happen… and unfortunately… this continues to the end. There were too many wild coincidences and too many things that happened that just – wouldn’t/couldn’t in real life… not successfully anyway.
I am all about suspended belief here and there to make a book work, but this was just too much. Really a 2.5 rating from me.

Rated: 2 out of 5
Triggers: a bit gory
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: unsure
Where Read: listened to on audio (great narration!) at home

Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

Beautifully and painfully written – I loved this book. Sheila

It starts when Beth’s brother-in-law kills a dog and goes after their sheep.
But – did it?
The dog belongs to Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s one love when she was a teenager, until circumstances broke her heart and separated them for what she felt would be forever. Gabriel has recently returned to the area where he grew up, a now well-known author, recently divorced, and with custody of his young son Leo.
Beth is happily married to Frank and lives on the family farm, but Leo reminds Beth of the son she lost to a terrible accident around the same age as Leo is now. As Beth finds time to spend with Leo, she also finds it soothes her heartache to be near this boy, despite Frank’s warnings that this may not be the best idea for more reasons than one.
As the past colides with the present, Beth has to choose between he woman she was and the woman she has become.



So – first up. I am not a romance reader. So believe me when I tell you that this book does have elements of romance, of course, but it is written in a way that is also a thriller. The combination works, and I flew through this read wanting to know what would happen, wanting to know how it all would end, but also not wanting it to end.

Beautifully and painfully written, a hard subject for me yet written in a way that also held me captive to the accuracies of losing a child, the feelings of isolation that can come with this, and the pain and struggle of trying to live when not wanting to move forward. Absolutely, I cried.
There is so much to this book that I do not want to share because this is one of those reads that as best left to the reader to go in with no guidance and come out the other side with their own full and personal impact.

This is a wonderful read and would make a great discussion with a reading group – there is much to unpack.

Rated: 5 out of 5
Triggers: Child Loss, Immense Grief, Some Sexual Content
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: Absolutely
Where Read: at home, over a weekend

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments


Charlie Reade has not had it easy. He lost his mom when he was seven, and lost his father for a long time as well to the bottle.
Things have been looking better, though. His dad got the help that he needed. And Charlie, at 17, is over 6 feet tall and enjoys sports.
When he has a chance encounter with a crotchety elderly neighbor who winds up in the hospital, Charlie feels like this is his calling from a long-ago promise, and he steps in to help take care of the neighbor’s dog, Radar.
Yet something changes in Charlie as he begins to help this man, even when he returns home. With no other relatives, Charlie becomes the one who checks in and helps with meals and medications… having no idea where this change in his life’s direction will take him… even beyond the world as we know it.

When I first read about the description of this book, I had little flashback memories of 11-22-63 (if you have not read it – I suggest you immediately do so!) While two very separate books, the similarity in finding a sort of porthole into another world was just too tempting to pass up.

Honestly, there was a lot I enjoyed about this book – the first part being about Charlie and his family, as well as the encounter with Howard Bowditch (the neighbor). The storyline leading up to the mysterious thing in the shed (I’m not telling you any more than you will see on the back cover of the book) was definitely intriguing, as well as going into the next world and the why (I loved the why so so much).
The dog… loved the dog.
The movie references… YES!!!! It gave me the essence of Ready Player One – even the narration which was FANTASTIC.

What I did not enjoy was the excessive swearing and vulgarity as the book proceeded. I am no prude by any means and believe me there are times when it is perfectly executed… IE – NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” ~ Mrs. Weasly/Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In this case, it was frequent to the point I really picked up on it(taking me out of the moment of what I was reading) and, sadly, not necessary. There are many ways to express that the bad guys are bad without all of that… and yeah, they were BAD.

I recommended this to my book club, and it is what we picked as a group for our April read. I was only at the beginning of the read when I suggested it, and I am hopeful that the book club gives it a chance as it is a good read and a different style of book than I think we have ever read as a group before. I am glad that I read it, and I feel it will make for good discussion; however, if I had been further in the book, I am not sure I would have recommended it to my book club.

Rated: 2.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: oh yeah 🙂
Read Author Again: most likely
Where I read: At home