Review: SADIE by Courtney Summers

SADIE

by Courtney Summers

Publication Date: September 4, 2018

Published by Wednesday Books

Pages: 311

Source: Library

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Synopsis

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late. 

My Thoughts

This book haunts me. 

The method of storytelling is perfection - giving readers Sadie's mindset and motivations while the podcast pieces together the events that led to her disappearance. It was interesting getting the perspective of the interactions from the people Sadie encountered and how they compared to her account of their interaction. But the most perfect element of this book is the title. Sadie. It's not "the girl who . . ." It's Sadie. In saying her name, she's not just one of the many girls who disappears, vanishes, runs away.

A memorable moment that stuck with me (and there are many) was this observation by May Beth Foster (Sadie's surrogate grandmother):

"She got rid of her books, movies, clothes . . . just everything.

It makes me sick to that about her throwing her life in the garbage like that because that's what it amounts to. Every little bit that made her, everything, was all in the trash and when I found it, I just started to cry because she'd  . . . it wasn't worth anything to her anymore." 

You can see this from the perspective May Beth and the tragedy of it all. And it leaves you wondering what Sadie with thinking as she threw it all away. Did she know she wasn't coming back and didn't want to leave anything for someone else to have to clean up? Or was she trying to erase herself? Erase the girl she was for Mattie? 

There's so much to speculate about this book and that is what makes it thrilling and captivating and tragic. It is not an easy book to read, but it is fantastic.

Macmillan has offered a podcast to accompany the novel titled THE GIRLS: FIND SADIE (listen to podcast). The podcast was made available prior to the publication of SADIE but I decided that I'd wait to listen to it after finishing the book. It definitely enhances the story.

SADIE is a must read!!! I loved it.

Disclaimer:  I obtained this book from my local library and am providing my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way for providing this review. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: ONE AND ONLY by Jenny Holiday

 
 One and Only
Bridesmaids Behaving Badly #1
by Jenny Holiday

Publication Date: February 27, 2018

Published by Forever 
Pages: 337

Source: Publisher

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Miss Responsibility meets Mr. Reckless
With her bridezilla friend on a DIY project rampage, bridesmaid Jane Denning will do anything to escape - even if it means babysitting the groom's troublemaker brother before the wedding. It should be a piece of cake, except the "cake" is a sarcastic former soldier who is 100% wicked hotness and absolutely off-limits.

Cameron MacKinnon is ready to let loose after returning from his deployment. But first he'll have to sweet talk the ultra-responsible Jane into taking a walk on the wild side. Turns out, riling her up is the best time he's had in years. But what happens when the fun and games start to turn into something real?

My Thoughts

I adore this story!! ONE AND ONLY is a fun, sexy, and heartfelt read. I loved the interactions between Jane and Cam. It was wonderful to see how Jane and Cam opened up to each other and proved to each other and to themselves that they are more than the roles that have been assigned to them and the roles they have assumed.

Some Favorite Quotes:

"He was a mass of contradictions."

"She really was scared of the ride she was about to get on. But one of the things she’d learned from Cameron in the past few days was you could be scared of a thing and still do that thing."

I read ONE AND ONLY this summer while I was on vacation relaxing at the lake. It was a great compliment to the time spent with family and friends. And with its depth and humor, it is the perfect any time read.

I'm so excited that ONE AND ONLY is part of a series and we will get a chance to get to know the other best friends/bridesmaids. The second book, IT TAKES TWO, is already out so I need to read it soon. I have no idea what I am waiting for!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for review. I was not compensated in any way other than the book provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review and Giveaway: CHASING MY FOREVER by Heidi McLaughlin

CHASING MY FOREVER

Beaumont - The Next Generation #3

by Heidi McLaughlin

Publication Date: October 3, 2018

Pages: 348

Source: buoni amici press

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Synopsis

Music is his passion. It’s in his blood. Yet, Quinn James isn’t sure if stardom is right for him. His family wants him to join a band, and follow in his father’s footsteps but fear holds him back. He can’t explain it, and when he tries, no one understands what he’s afraid of or why he’s content playing coffee shop gigs where no one knows him.

Eleanora Boone wants to live her life, not the one her very southern parents planned for her, which is why she chose a college thousands of miles away. Now she’s faced with returning home or doing something that would defy her family. When an opportunity to visit Los Angeles falls in her lap, she uses it to become someone different.

California is everything Eleanora thought it would be, and even more so when she meets Quinn, the shy, reserved and brooding musician who’s the complete opposite of the guys she’s used to back home.  

For the first time, Quinn’s smitten. The new, mysterious waitress has him wrapped around her finger, and he finds that he is finally able to open up and trust someone outside of his family circle.  

But living a different life comes with its risks, and for Eleanora, that risk is a secret that has the power to destroy both of them.

My Thoughts

Oh Sweet Quinn!!

Heidi McLaughlin brings the music back with CHASING MY FOREVER, the newest book in the Beaumont Next Generation series. We get to know more about Quinn who captured our hearts as the shy and quiet son of Harrison James.

From the beginning of CHASING MY FOREVER, we get an understanding of the importance of family .This is a major theme of all of the Beaumont books and one of the reasons that I’m drawn to them. And because of his childhood, family and acceptance and belonging is especially important to Quinn. We get to know about his family and their closeness and especially how accepting he is of the love from his mom - Katelyn. Early in the book, when his mind wanders to how they became a family "all I remember is my dad and I moving into the twins’ grandparent’s home, where I had my own room, two sisters and a mom who loved me without me asking her to” - THIS nearly broke my heart, but warmed it too. And this let me know that CHASING MY FOREVER is more than just a love story.

CHASING MY FOREVER is filled with tender moments and others that made me laugh.

Some favorite moments:

• Every scene with Quinn and Katelyn
• When the guys go camping - especially when Noah and Quinn connect 
• Katelyn meeting Nola 
• Nola meeting the family - this girl is really in for it, especially meeting everyone all at once!

I especially love how music is brought back into the storyline, first with Quinn playing in open mic nights (like Liam did many years ago) and then with the band. There is just something about music that, for me, elevates the connections and makes the bonds between characters even stronger.

CHASING MY FOREVER may be my favorite of the Next Generation books. What else can I say? I loved it!!

Disclaimer: I received this e-ARC for the blog tour hosted by buoni amici press. I was not compensated in any way other than the e-ARC provided. I've purchased a finished copy for my personal library. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

ENJOY THIS TEASER

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Heidi:

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup and a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, JiLL and her brother, Racicot.

When she's isn't writing one of the many stories planned for release, you'll find her sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.

Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Roth, in theaters January 19, 2018.

To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin  or heidimclaughlin.com

Social Media:

Website: http://heidimclaughlin.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeidiMcLaughlin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiJoVT/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidimclaughlinauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568302.Heidi_McLaughlin

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/HeidisNewsletter

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heidi-mclaughlin

Spotlight, Early Review, and Giveaway: ART BOSS by Kayla Cagan

ART BOSS

by Kayla Cagan

Publication Date: October 2, 2018

Published by Chronicle Books

Pages: 384

Add to Goodreads

About the Book

Artist Piper Perish has moved from her hometown of Houston, Texas, to New York City. Her days are spent exploring; her nights are filled with painting. It's her lifelong dream come true . . . . Except life in the city isn't as glamorous as it looks from afar. Piper's high-pressure work as an assistant to a famous modern artist takes away time from her own art. And Piper's new friend Grace, a budding activist, has Piper beginning to wonder if making great art is really enough.

In a story that stands alone but can be read as a companion novel to Piper Perish, acclaimed author Kayla Cagan returns with Piper's powerful and utterly authentic journey of growing up into a strong, independent young woman—as she learns how to make life about art, and how to make that art matter. Art Boss will have readers asking big questions along with Piper. What is art for? What can art do? And how can a young artist change the world?

*********************************************************************************

MY THOUGHTS (so far)

I'm reading ART BOSS now and it is a great follow-up to PIPER PERISH. Piper is finally in her element and she is navigating her way through the art world and discovering the New York that she always dreamed about. ART BOSS has a different feel from PIPER PERISH - it's still written in the journal style that I loved, but her drive isn't the same. It isn't just about her art and her desparate need for something more. It's about the many unknowns and uncertainties of this new life she's trying to embrace. It's about the new friendships and relationships that she's creating. It's not just about doing art, but connecting.

One of my favorite moments is when she recognizes the awkwardness of her relationship with Silas - who she crushed on in PIPER PERISH throughout their online relationship, but she realized didn't translate after they met in person. Yet, there was something real between them: 

"This was what I felt when he emailed me. This was the reason I knew we were supposed to be in the same place at the same time. This moment and this hug. We weren't supposed to love each other. We were supposed to rescue each other." (page 71)

I just love that. I'll share my complete review once I've finished reading.

READ AN EXCERPT of ART BOSS from Chronicle Books

COOL ARTWORK from ART BOSS

WIN A COPY OF ART BOSS BY KAYLA CAGAN

Giveaway Details Must by 16 or older to enter

US/Canada Addresses Only

Enter by Rafflecopter

(invalid entries will be disqualified)


a Rafflecopter giveaway