kindle – One Chapter

My Name Was Eden by Eleanor Barker-White

2.5 stars Fiction

I liked the premise of this book. Vanishing Twin Syndrome? The surviving twin is now in her teens, and she survives an accident. When she awakens, she takes on the persona of her departed sibling. This sounds like an interesting and exciting storyline. Why would she do this? Is someone playing with them?

Lucy was pregnant with twins but later discovered that only one of the twins survived. The other twin had been absorbed by the surviving twin. Fast forward fourteen years and now Eden is being dragged out of the water. There’s no brain injury, all tests and scans look good, she has survived! Everything is looking great until Eden tells them that she wants to be called Eli. What? Are you sure there is no brain injury? Eden now believes that she’s the dead brother that she absorbed in the womb.

When asked what happened to Eden, she calmly states that her heart stopped beating and she died. Perhaps this is not such a big deal and she’ll snap out-of-it but when Eden’s personality starts to change, then things get more complicated. So, what do you do? I started to question the other individuals in the story and wondered if they were all seeing the same thing. How were they reacting to this new event? I was getting confused as I read, and I have to say that the first half of the book was the best for me. I had to piece together the rest of the book for myself, to get some closure so that I could move on. 2.5 stars

I received a copy of this book from Scene of the Crime Early Read Program, William Morrow and Eleanor Barker-White in exchange for an honest opinion.

Northwoods by Amy Pease

5 stars Mystery

Eli’s coping mechanism is drinking. Not just one drink but drinking sometimes, until he passes out. His job as a deputy keeps him going but lately, that’s not even helping. Since returning from Afghanistan, Eli has lost his career and his marriage, and now, his memories and drinking have taken over his life. His mother, the town’s sheriff, has put Eli on her force and she tries hard to help him while listening to her community’s comments about his performance. It’s a balancing act as a mother’s fights for her son and for what’s right for her community.

It’s another night of escape as Eli finds himself alone, isolated, enjoying one of his favorite beverages. He hears something and now, his relaxing night is over. Forced to put on his professional mask, Eli tries to sharpen his senses when he discovers a male body in a boat.

In a department that’s already short-staffed, they now have a murder to solve. It should be Eli’s case, but can he handle it? Calling in the FBI, Alyssa arrives on the scene, and I wondered how Eli and Alyssa would be able to work together. Eli still can’t put the bottle and Alyssa seems to be all business as they start to put the pieces together.

The author throws in a couple other stories into this case, adding more interesting characters that create a storyline that’s entertaining and full of energy. My favorite character was Eli, with all his difficulties and challenges, as I felt he gave the book strength and unpredictability. He was a torn character with potential. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley, Atria Books, and Amy Pease in exchange for an honest opinion, thank you sharing your book with me. 5 stars.

Believe Like a Child by Paige Dearth

I’m been wanting to read this book ever since I saw its cover many years ago and then, when I won a copy of it from a Goodreads Giveaway, I was excited. The book moved quickly yet it didn’t leave anything out. I hadn’t expected the hurricane of events that swept through the pages but it was the eye of the storm that walked into her life that scared me the most. That eye that looked so calm and who she thought was her answer. Her answer was actually another devil in disguise.

I knew this book would be difficult one to read based on the subject matter but there’s something about books like these that I enjoy. I feel it’s the energy these books deliver as the characters gain strength and control as the book progresses. It’s also their fight and spirit that they acquire along their journey. Alessa’s story, like our own, is unique.

As I met Alessa, my heart broke. She was still a child yet no one was looking out for her. She soon realized, she’d have to take care of herself and her own needs. This didn’t make her self-centered or hard, it made her resourceful. Not all of Alessa’s choices were great or “right” but they were what Alessa had at the time and what she knew.

I liked how the book told the story from different perspectives and how issues weren’t instantly solved. I wondered sometimes about Alessa’s choices but I’ve never walked in her shoes, so I couldn’t judge her actions. She did, what she did, so she see another day. The book moved quickly and I enjoyed that, we didn’t get blogged down in too much information about the events that were taking place. There were highs and lows throughout the book which keep the book moving along. I was not expecting that ending though. What was up with that?! As I started to read the ending, I had a feeling but I thought things would turn around but what the heck.

It’s a tough book to read but I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read it. Thank you to the author and to Goodreads for my copy of the book. This review is my opinion of the book.