Reviewing in a dark, dark wood by Ruth Ware

I was genuinely excited to read “in a dark, dark wood” by Ruth Ware. There has been a lot of positive talk about her second and third novels, but I wanted to start with her debut novel, “in a dark, dark wood.” I wasn't sure what to expect. Her books are described as psychological crime thrillers. I'm not sure how much of a thriller this book was. It was rather....well, read my full-review below to find out.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Near the end of what was supposed to be a fun, relaxed weekend in the English countryside at a bachelorette (Hen) party for Clare, Lenora wakes up in a hospital bed badly bruised, confused, a bandaged head and memory loss. The book and plot unfold as Nora remembers the events of the weekend. Then, the book delivers a predictable twist for an unclimatic ending.

What Nora uncovers for the reader is that she had fallen out of touch with her old best-friend, Clare, and decides both out of curiosity and guilt for not staying in touch that she will attend her Hen night. We also learn that Nora is still distraught over a relationship she had when she was 16. Why? Because there is this great, predictable, reason for the life-altering breakup. You know, the kind every sexually active sixteen year old fears. At the beginning of the night Clare tells Nora that she is going to marry none other than the ex-boyfriend that Nora has spent the last ten years so distraught over. One would think this was a big teenage drama was over, but the big foreseeable secret reason for the break-up is left looming chapter after chapter while Nora tries to piece together the events of a horrid Hen night with completely awful characters.

The characters in the book largely left me feeling quite annoyed. They were immature, judgmental and overly dramatic. The worst character of all was Clare's new best-friend, Flo. If I could have reached through the pages and slapped her, I would have. The reader has to suffer through nearly 23 chapters of this crazy annoying character to get to any meat and excitement, but that excitement is more like a one large wet, limp noodle than a great climax.

Reviewing The Space Between Words by Michèle Phoenix

I mentioned in a previous  blog post that I have an amazing book store in my home town of Monument, Colorado, Covered Treasures. In this amazing book store is an entire shelf dedicated to Advanced Reader Copies, ARCs. For a small donation to their charity, you can take home one of their many ARCs to read. Sitting on this shelf was The Space Between Words by Michèle Phoenix, a book that was released September 5, 2017. I was so pleased I picked up this book. Based on the description, I wasn't sure if this was going to read like an emotionally heavy Jodi Picoult book or an overly faith driven fiction book (the kind where either everything is due to the intervention of God or something terrible happens to someone and in return they find God and share that story with everyone). Instead, this book seemed to perfectly balance everything. I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to everyone. A more specific book can be found below.

The Space Between Words by Michèle Phoenix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book takes on the seemingly impossible feat of having faith in a time of terror. The book begins with Jessica, an American girl trying to find her own way in life, regaining consciousness in a French hospital after the Paris terrorist attack at the Bataclan. She survived, and wants to run away from Paris, France and all of Europe as fast as she can, but her "platonically made for each other" best friend, Patrick, urges her not to leave and to follow-through with the treasure hunting trip they planned through southern France before heading back home to Denver.

The author, Michèle Phoenix, takes on the heaviness of the terror by stringing together words, each syllable a blow to the gut and the punctuation at the end of the sentence leaving your breathless. She flawlessly touches on all the facets of terror from the intentions of terror, to the sight of terror and the guilt of survival. With regards to the intentions of terror Phoenix has Patrick tell Jessica that: "The wanted you to feel so scared you'd never step foot outside again without looking over your shoulder and expecting more of the awful you've already been through." Jessica articulates the horrific sights and feelings of terror: "Death had burned its savagery into the fabric of my consciousness. I felt stained. Branded." Phoenix also has Jessica highlight the guilt of survival: "Little was said, but everything was spoken as the injustice and bliss of survival washed over me in jagged ways."

However, this story isn't a gruesome recounting of the events of the terror attack. This story is a relatively light, and entertaining read about discovering the history behind the faded documents Jessica found concealed in an antique sewing box. Through the treasure-hunt plot, the book tackles healing and how "...it's too easy to blame God for the stupidity of humans." In the end, it leaves the reader believing too that, as Grant said, "But if there is a God-the kind that weeps when the weak and powerless get hurt...that there's a force for good in this world....I want to believe that there's a force for good in this world and that that force won't let the bad have the final word. It doesn't explain or undo the darkness, but...I think somehow it covers it with light."

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9 Weeks Until 2018 & the 9 Books I'm Reading

                There is something about the cool, crisp air that makes me want to curl up with a good book every spare moment I can. Do you have a favorite season for reading? I found the most fabulous book store in my home town, Covered Treasures, and I got a stock-pile of books for the rest of the year. To finish out 2017, I'm reading the following (plus another book or two at least, I'm sure):

1. The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix

2. in a dark, dark wood by Ruth Ware

3. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

4. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

5. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

6. The Widow by Fiona Barton

7. A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

8. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

9. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

What's on your 2017 reading bucket list?

Reviewing The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

                While in college I took a course titled the History of the Later British Novel as a transient student at the University of North Florida by a wonderful professor, Dr. Marnie Jones. One of the intentions of the course was for us, as students, to learn about and explore the meaning of the novel and fiction. What we discovered are there are two main opinions regarding the purpose of the novel/fiction: 1) The purpose of a novel is to entertain. People use fiction to escape from every day realities. 2) The purpose of the novel is to provide commentary or spark conversation about a particular topic or social issue.

Based on all I learned while pursuing my degrees in English and History, I formed the opinion that novels are meant to entertain and regardless of whether or not the author intends to or not (some do and some don't) there is going to be some form of commentary or moral. Why did I come to this conclusion? Even if an author creates a completely fictional world and story there is analysis that can be created based on even the world (s)he created and how it is designed. Questions naturally arise: How does its creation different from the world the author is/was living in? What elements of it are relevant to the story/plot and how would they be different if the environment was different? All of these questions, whether intentionally built into the fiction or not, tell a story both about the author; their relationship with their current world, and offer something to the fiction being constructed. If it didn't add something to the story, it wouldn't be included.

Why do I mention this? It directly relates to my review of The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin.

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you believe that the purpose of fiction is or should be more than entertainment; it should teach the reader something or at the least spark conversation about something, this book may be for you. Especially if you want to read, learn more, and contemplate about love - not hot and steamy roll down a hill with your lips and legs inseparably intertwined love, but a deeper, life-altering, non-physical love.

On the surface, this is a survival story. Ashley, a freelance writer trying to get to her wedding and Ben, an orthopedic surgeon that has a history with love get on a charter plane when commercial flights are canceled. The pilot, Grover, a man Dr. Phil would have nothing on when it comes to discussing and giving advice on love and relationships, crashes in a massive expanse of wilderness. The crash leaves Grover dead, Ben and Ashley stranded high on a plateau with mountains, snow and trees for miles.

Conveniently (all too conveniently), Ben is an orthopedic surgeon and trained and practices emergency medicine. He also has a back-pack filled with supplies from a recent mountain hike and he is a long-distance runner, so he has a lot of stamina. The deceased pilot has important survival supplies that Ben doesn't have otherwise. If you can push past the perfectly set-up plot, you can enjoy the story that emerges.

About half-way through (maybe Chapter 34) the book I suspected what was going on. However, not too long after Ben said something that really piqued my interest, “We’ve all seen movies where two strangers are lost in some vast wilderness. And then just like An Officer and a Gentleman, they end up rolling on the beach. Mad, passionate love that solves all their problems. Movie ends, and they walk off into the sunset. Weak-kneed and googly-eyed. But this is real life. I really want to get out of here and back home.”

That same quote that piqued my interest is ultimately what left me feeling disappointed at the conclusion of the book. I expected the "twist." (There were lots of hints.) I wanted this, somehow, to end a different way and was let down when it didn't. That being said, this was a good book. It was entertaining and easy to read.

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Reviewing We Were Liars and Good as Gone

                I read Good As Gone by Amy Gentry and it has taken me some time to finally write a review of this book. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I'm still not really sure how I feel about this book. I liked it, okay. It wasn't a favorite. My review of this book: Good as Gone by Amy Gentry
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I love a good suspense. In this story Julie is believed to be kidnapped at knife point by an unknown stranger. The only witness her younger sister, Jane, hidden in a closet. Eight years later she returns with a story about being imprisoned by the leader of a drug cartel and there are lots of questions about what happened to her and of course, is the girl that really returned Julie? This book was clearly filled with suspense and intrigue, but the actions of the characters, particularly the parents (and especially the mother) of the child that was missing for eight years left me feeling perplexed and uncomfortable.

Maybe it was the slightly disjointed writing style that left me feeling uncomfortable? That being said, and knowing this is a critique of the book, I’d like to add that the disjointed writing style was a nice parallel to the disjointed emotions of the book: a mother happy her daughter is home (Or is she? Is it her?) and knowing that whatever awful things her daughter had to endure, if she did endure the things she said she did, has brought back a young, broken woman home to her and not her daughter. Then there is the viewpoint of Julie. She clearly is damaged. She is clearly uncomfortable being Julie after all these years.

There is a lot of emotional material in this book. It was not my favorite, but it certainly wasn’t bad. I’m not sure what to make of it. Maybe I should give it more stars for leaving me feeling so…I don’t know?


I also recently read We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. When I finished the book, I immediately turned around and handed it to my teen son to read. Want to know what I thought about this book? We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At first this story annoyed me. The main character grated me: a rich white girl from a perfect family that is somehow part of a group of relatives/friends that are for some unknown reason called Liars. But then half-way into the book I was mesmerized. I couldn't piece the plot together (in a good way). I was completely intrigued. The fragmented sentences and all other oddities in the book suddenly seemed a beautiful complement to the wild and wonderfully sophisticated plot.

The plot, in my opinion, a fictionalized story of the proverb, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," in a modern setting with thoughtful imagery and accompanying fairy-tales that brings to perfection an already amazing plot.

Then, the final 25 pages left me crying, uncontrollably at what was to me an unexpected ending. After I finished the book, I immediately handed it to my teenage son and told him to read it.

I recommend reading this book. Just dive in and enjoy the ride!

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Reviewing Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

                I like to run. I also like to read. As such, I decided to join a local book club filled with lots of running mamas from my local Moms Run This Town chapter, called Literary Sole Sisters. The first book I read for this book club was "Dark Matter" by Blake Crouch. It wasn't a book I would have picked out myself. It isn't my favorite book of all time. It is definitely worth a read.

This book actually came at a time when I've been doing a lot of thinking and contemplating about whether or not I'm happy in my life. I've made great decisions and some poor decisions (haven't we all?), but I've contemplated lately what my life would be like if I would have made some different choices and whether or not I needed to make some changes. I was teetering on the edge of regret until I read this book.

Find my review below:

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you've ever wondered the grass was greener on the other side, severely regretted any decision or prided yourself in any major decision in your life, this is the book for you. In other words, this book has the ability to emotionally reach anyone.

The back of the book poses the question: "Are you happy with your life?" This is a question I have been thinking about a lot. What should I do with my life? Is writing the career for me? I have four kids. My husband works away from home a LOT. Is that what's best for the family? What if I went back to work full-time? What doors would that open for my family and would they be the right ones?

Through the many plot twists and turns, albeit not always unpredictable, the story is entertaining. The main character, Jason Dessen, is your average happy guy, content in his life. Jason takes you, the reader, on a narrative driven romantic science fiction thriller. One day Jason is living out his perfectly content life. The next he is kidnapped and trying to get back to his family, his wife Daniela and son Charlie. His journey back to his family explores complacency, the guilt associated with balancing work and family, brings to the forefront of your mind all the what if scenarios in your life and tackles regret in a way that makes you forget that you are reading a tale of science fiction based in real scientific theory. In the end, at least for me, it leaves you with an appreciation for all the things that you do have in life, reminding you that you are the sum of ALL your life choices.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Crouch's writing style mimicked the emotions and pace of the book. I was torn between loving it and hating it. As the plot took its last twists and turns near the end it at times almost seemed too far stretched. However, if all of our choices affect things; from the decision whether or not to hit snooze on an alarm, how could the ending unfold in any other possible way?

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My Tattoo & Reviewing Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

                As I mentioned in my last blog, I began re-reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon earlier this year. Please find my review of this book below.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

AMAZING! All I can say is PRINT SHOP! Okay, I can say more. A LOT more! I devoured this book. I couldn't wait to pick up this book and read it after having finished book two in the series, "Dragonfly in Amber." This book is all I hoped it to be and more, but I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from author Diana Gabaldon.

At the end of the last book we learned that Jamie did not die at Culloden. This book starts with the mental anguish of Claire Fraser trying to decide what to do now that Frank Randall has died and Brianna is a grown woman and Jamie Fraser survived Culloden. Of course, in this book, we really get to know the amazing Roger.

This book takes you on an unexpected high-adventure tale leaving you someplace you never thought the main characters would go: the colonies. Even more than the physical journey is the mental journey. One of the best lines of the book, "Sassenach, will ye take me - and risk the man that I am, for the sake of the man ye knew?”, is one that made me pause and reflect on even my own marriage, because the truth is, people change over time. Some people grow apart over the years. Some people grow old together. Some people grow old apart and then find they still love one another. I think this is what Claire and Jamie experience.

I love this book! I love this series! I love the characters. I love the way Diana Gabaldon creates such amazing stories for us to experience. The way she writes keeps you on the edge of your seat. You can feel what the characters are feeling. You are excited for what the next page and book will bring.


This is my favorite series of all time. So much so, it earned the front and center position on my tattoo by artist Inkie based off a bunch of different thoughts and images and things I found on Pinterest.

Do you have a favorite series or book tattoo? If so, please share!