Watch Over Me (Guardians,#1)

☆☆☆☆☆

watch over me.

Guardians, #1.
 shane morgan.

Publisher Self -Published.

Publication Date: March 30,2020.

Genre: NA Fantasy|Romance.

 Format|Pages: Kindle|310.

 Source: Goodreads| Recieved ARC from author for review.

 CONTAINS SPOILERS

Calissa Stewart has sought answers her whole life. Then one night, something unimaginable happens.She couldn’t believe that right before her eyes, stood the kind of creatures you only read about in books.



Calissa becomes tainted and is told she would turn into a dark one. When that doesn’t happen, and she wakes to find her body healed, and the creatures gone, she dismisses the events to that of a strange dream. But sadly, nightmares have a way of coming true, and Calissa is yet again the target of the same frightening monsters.



To keep her safe, Lars ignores his laws and brings her to his world, opening her eyes to a magical kingdom filled with beauty and wonder.



In time, Calissa learns the truth of her existence, and her importance to the monsters. Amid this incredible awakening, she develops an admiration for the otherworldly beings and even starts to find love that is not only forbidden, but is truly one of a kind.



When her newfound sanctuary is threatened, Calissa must decide whether to stay for her love for the kingdom and Lars, or accept her birthright and protect them all 

 ✎

Thrilling. Magical. Gripping.



This story… I have a hard time putting it in words. WATCH OVER ME is one of those books where you have emotions go through while you are reading it, and afterward. I have read a lot of fantasy thought the years since it one of my favorite genres. Through the years, I have never read books like WATCH OVER ME , and that’s one of my favorites about this book, how different it is from the other fantasy books that I have read. Gargoyle is something I have read about in books and seen in movies but never imagined that there could be more to them than that. It was fascinating for me to read about, and even though WATCH OVER ME is the first book, I am already eager for the next one. I am curious to see what happens with everyone next, especially Lars and Calissa. Both Lars and Calissa were my favorite characters in the book and I could not help but fall in love with both of them. It did not take me long until I was rooting for Lars and Calissa to be together, and it was clear to anyone how they cared about each other.



I loved the relationship between Lars and Calissa. I could tell from the start how much Lars cared about Calissa, the way he wanted to protect her. I cannot help but be curious about what is next for the two of them. I hated how everyone treated Calissa in the beginning, even if I understood why. I did hope that at some point that they would come and accept her. WATCH OVER ME is one of those books that you will engage from the first page and will keep reading until the end. If it weren’t for studying for midterms, I would finish sooner than I did. I loved that it occasionally switched to Lars's point of view and hoping there is more of that in the next book. The descriptions, the emotions in the book were so vivid that I felt like I was there, feeling everything the characters were. WATCH OVER ME it made me feel inspired and had me wishing that I could write fantasy. SHANE MORGAN did it once again, and one of my favorite writers. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next. She is an author that you need to check out. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.

When Breath Becomes Air.

☆☆☆☆☆

when breath becomes air.
paul kalanithi.

Publisher  Random House.

Publication Date:January 19,2016.

Genre: Non-Fiction| Medical.

Format|Pages: EBooks|208.

 Source:  Goodreads|Library. 

 CONTAINS SPOILERS

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a naïve medical student "possessed," as he wrote, "by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life" into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.



What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.



Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. "I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything," he wrote. "Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: 'I can't go on. I'll go on.'" When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both. 

 ✎

Moving. Inspiring. Heartbreaking.


I have heard about this memoir, WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR for some time, and finally had a chance to check it out at the library. Oh man, I do not think I even have words for this book; I am still going through emotions. From all the memoirs, I read the years, WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR is one of the most touching, tragic ones that I have read. I cannot even begin to imagine what Paul must been going through his diagnosis, and I felt as if he handled better than I would have. All the emotions in the book, during the surgeries, how he felt during the diagnoses, and during the treatment. Despite that it was not happening to me, all those vivid d descriptions that he wrote of his thoughts, It made me feel as if I were. I had a strong feeling as I was there, along with him, and feeling everything that he was. WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR is one of most emotional books, it will have you crying more than once. It can be a hard book to read, but it is worth every single page.



It is one thing being a patient. Nevertheless, to turn from doctor to patient, I feel as if that is even harder. I loved the fact that it was written in two parts; I enjoyed reading how he decided to be neurosurgeon and how he described the patients he treated. He used quite a few medical terms, and since I am taking medical terminology were very familiar to me, making me realize how much I learned. I always loved medical-based books and just medicine in general. WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR made me realize why, because like Paul, I want to help others, and it why I am going into the medical field even if it is a bit different. This book was so well written; everything was so descriptive and written with so much emotion. Even though cancer is a hard subject to write about, to read, you will find yourself falling in love with the book.



That ending, it seemed that it got me the most from the entire book. Once I reached the last page, I found myself thinking about it for some time. WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR is a book that will break your heart into a piece, and the book that will stay with you. There is part of me that wonders what happened to his wife afterward, if she moved on, remarried—an incredible, compelling book that deserves so much more than five stars.

Let's Be Real.

☆☆☆☆☆

let's be real.
natasha bure.

Publisher  Zondervan.

Publication Date:March 28,2017.

Genre: Non-Fiction| Self-Help. 

Format|Pages: EBooks|224.

 Source:  Goodreads|Kindle Unlimited.

From singer, model and YouTube celebrity Natasha Bure, the daughter of Candace Cameron Bure, comes a real, honest conversational book that doesn’t hold back. Everywhere she goes and every video she posts has one basic message: this is real, this is life, and we all go through it. Whether it’s acne, boyfriends, faith, stress, or having fun, Natasha’s view is to simply be honest, simply be real, no matter what you face. Natasha’s real and relatable tone paired with personal notes and stories will help readers see that living a “real” life is the best life. 

 ✎

Inspirational.



I did not know much about NATASHA BURE , not until I read this book. I had no idea that she was on The Voice . One of the main reasons I picked up was due because I am fan of her mother, Candace Cameron Bure. I was curious about her daughter and when I came across it on Amazon, decided to check out. Now that I have read it, I’m so glad that I did, LET’S BE REAL is such an inspirational book, or at least it was for me. I think that it is a non-fiction that everyone should read, especially the teens. NATASHA BURE not only talked about her life, her struggles but also offered advice as well; I loved how she was talking to her readers. As a reader, I felt as I was communicating right with Natasha. I loved how positive Natasha was as she gave the advice and just reading, it was as if I felt positive myself after reading it.




I loved that NATASHA BURE gave so much different advice, and it made me find what I needed to work on, and what I need to change. After reading LET’S BE REAL I found myself thinking about it for quite some time. I plan to take some of the advice that Natasha talked about, and I already put some of the advice into action. I have read quite few celebrity memoirs that were also self-help books as well, LET’S BE REAL is one of my favorites. I feel as if I learned a lot just from reading the book. This is a book that I would highly recommend for everyone, a book that will help you have more positive outlook on life and feel better about yourself.

The Girls Of Pearl Harbor.

☆☆☆☆☆

the girls of pearl harbor.
soraya m.lane

Publisher  Lake Union.

Publication Date: September 10,2019.

Genre: Historical Fiction.

Format|Pages: EBook|352.

 Source:  Goodreads|Kindle Unlimited

 CONTAINS SPOILERS

When Grace, April, and Poppy join the US Army Nurse Corps, they see it as little more than an adventure, one made all the better by their first station: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Joined at the hip, idealistic Grace, exuberant Poppy, and brave but haunted April frolic in the sun, attending parties, flirting with the handsome soldiers, and becoming fast friends with seasoned nurse Eva. Like the Hawaiian sun, their future seems warm and bright—until the infamous morning of December 7.



Within just a few horrifying hours, their sparkling hopes turn to black rubble and ash. Now embroiled in a war they never could have imagined, they must decide what truly matters to them and face grief as they never have before. Death may await them—but so do hope and purpose. In the midst of the carnage, can they find happiness and learn to fight not just for their country’s honor but for themselves? 

✎

A beautifully written historical fiction.



Wow. This was heartbreaking but at the same time, memorable. I have read most of SORAYA M.LANE books by now, causing her to become one of my favorite historical fiction writers. Despite the subject, her books will pull you in from the first page. I cannot get the story and the characters out of my mind. From all of the books that I have read so far, there has not been even one that I did not fall in love with. THE GIRLS OF PEARL HARBOR was not any different and hooked me from minute I started reading. THE GIRLS OF PEARL HARBOR can be hard to read about, you will find your heart breaking for the girls and everyone else involved. I cannot even begin to imagine what those nurses, doctors and the soldiers went through that day, how terrified they must been. I might not know how it felt like but reading the nurses reactions, I felt as I could and as if I was there along with them. I imagined everything that they were feeling and thinking that day. I could not get it out of my mind.



I loved all the girls. All of them, Eva, Grace, April were so amazing and brave. All three of them went through so much, losing so much. You can tell how much all of them changed from beginning of the book and until the end. The most significant change was Eva and Grace. Of course, war would change anyone. Having the book being told from each of their point of view, a way for readers to get to know each of the characters, know how they were feeling. All of those characters felt so real to me and I wanted to go and hug them, to thank them for everything that they were doing. I love books that take time during World War 1 & 2 and SORAYA M.LANE writes one of the best ones, and it is clear how much research she does. She is the one of the authors that I am glad that I had a chance to discover. Her books are real and will keep you on the edge of the seat until the end.



Be prepared to go through the emotions while reading THE GIRLS OF PEARL HARBOR and be ready to fall in love. I still cannot seem to get this book out of my mind. A story about love, friendship and bravery. A book that I would highly recommend to any historical fiction fan.

Orphan Train.

☆☆☆☆

orphan train.
Christina baker Kline.

Publisher  William Morrow

Publication Date: April 2,2013.

Genre: Historical Fiction.

Format|Pages: EBook|278.

 Source:  Goodreads|Library.

 CONTAINS SPOILERS

The author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be delivers her most ambitious and powerful novel to date: a captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.



Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.



Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.



The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both. 

 ✎

Tragic. Powerful. Engaging.



Another historical fiction that I could not pull myself away from. The two-point of views, Molly and Vivian, worked great with this story. I felt as I was reading two different stories, and in a way, I was. I liked both Molly and Vivian; however, reading Vivian’s story was a bit more interesting for me. Vivian, she has gone through so much, and yet not once did she give up. Right from the start, I wondered how she got the name Vivian since that is not her real name. I do think that was one of the reasons that Molly and Vivian connected so well, and they were both Orphans, even if it was different. I was fascinated by Vivian’s story from the start, wondering what will happen with her next, if she will finally find a family that would care about her. I was hoping that she would get her happily after, especially after going through so much. I cannot even imagine having deal with all those horrible people that Vivian had to put up with. I felt for her. There was a part of me that wanted to hug her, to hold just, so she knew that she was loved. My heart ached for Vivian multiple times, as I read her story. My emotions felt like a roller coaster through it all. ORPHAN TRAIN is a book that will be hard to read at times, on the other hand, a book that you will keep on reading until the last page.





ORPHAN TRAIN is the type of historical fiction that I love. I did feel that the beginning was slow but it did not take long to pick up. Once it picked up the pace, I was hooked and there were days where I spend hours, reading. Molly, she changed and I think it was because of Vivian. I loved the bond that the two of them created, it just what the two of them needed. I loved the ending; I could not help but smile. However, I could not help but wonder what happened after. I have never heard about the orphan train and I love books that teach you something new. ORPHAN TRAIN featured many descriptions and made it easier for me everything that was happening as I read the book. The emotions that Vivian was feeling through everything, they were so vivid that I felt as I was feeling them along with Vivian. It was…magical.



This is the first book that I read by CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE. I came across this book at the library, both the title and the cover catching my attention. It’s one of those books that I am glad I decided to check out. If you love historical fiction with some action, be sure to check out ORPHAN TRAIN . A beautifully written novel about family, love and hope.

Every Other Weekend.

☆☆☆☆☆

every other weekend.
Abigail Johnson.

Publisher  Inkyard Press.

Publication Date:January 7,2020.

Genre: YA Contemporary| Romance.

Format|Pages: Hardcover|512.

 Source:  Goodreads|Library.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Can life begin again… every other weekend?

Adam Moynihan’s life used to be awesome. Straight As, close friends and a home life so perfect that it could have been a TV show straight out of the 50s. Then his oldest brother died. Now his fun-loving mom cries constantly, he and his remaining brother can’t talk without fighting, and the father he always admired proved himself a coward by moving out when they needed him most.



Jolene Timber’s life is nothing like the movies she loves—not the happy ones anyway. As an aspiring director, she should know, because she’s been reimagining her life as a film ever since she was a kid. With her divorced parents at each other’s throats and using her as a pawn, no amount of mental reediting will give her the love she’s starving for.



Forced to spend every other weekend in the same apartment building, the boy who thinks forgiveness makes him weak and the girl who thinks love is for fools begin an unlikely friendship. The weekends he dreaded and she endured soon become the best part of their lives. But when one’s life begins to mend while the other’s spirals out of control, they realize that falling in love while surrounded by its demise means nothing is ever guaranteed. 

 ✎

A story about family, love, and choices: heart -aching. Extraordinary.



I had first started reading ABIGAIL JOHNSON books back in 2018. It did not take me long to fall in love with her books, the characters. EVERY OTHER WEEKEND has been on mine to-read list since I found out it was coming out. This will be a 3rd book that I have read by ABIGAIL JOHNSON , and I am eager to read the rest. I went through many emotions while reading EVERY OTHER WEEKEND , and it is the type of books I enjoy. All the characters, especially Adam and Jolene, felt so real to me. Writing from both Jolene and Adam’s point of view worked great, a way for a reader to get to know both of characters better. If I were asked to pick a favorite one, I would be able to. I loved reading about how Adam and Jolene’s friendship developed, and you could see how much they cared for one another. All through the book, I was rooting for the two of them; I wanted for them to be together. EVERY OTHER WEEKEND was filled with such intense emotions at time, and I found myself feeling it as I read it. I am not sure if I could put it into words, how much this book meant to me. It is the type of story that you can see happening in real life. The story that you will not be able to get out of your mind.



Have you ever had a feeling about a character, that there was something off about them? That is a feeling that I had about Guy when Jolene met him. The fact that he invited her inside his apartment though he did not know her. I got a weird vibe about him, mostly the way that he acted around Jolene. He did not act as if they were friends. I wish that Jolene would see for whom she was earlier than she did. It should been a sign the first time that he kissed her. I am glad that she did not get hurt because it could end up worse than it was. I did hope that he would end up behind bars, but I had feeling that he would not admit to what he done. He wasn’t not the only character I wasn’t fond of, Jolene’s parents I did not like at all. Shelly and Jeremy were not my favorites at the start, but they grew on me through the story. What Shelly did was not okay, but she did try, and it was hard to dislike her after what she did for Jolene, and I think Jolene saw that as well. It made me curious what is possibly in store for them next if there is a possibility for them to become friends again. I am glad that at least she was there for her. No parents should treat their child the way Jolene’s parents did.



I loved Adam and Jolene, their friendship. The two of them seemed to be the happiest when they were around each other. I do wish that Jolene realized that sooner than she did. I do understand why she tried to push him away, and she was dealing with a lot. I loved the exchange of text messages between the two of them. I loved how they always looked forward every other weekend when they get to see each other. My favorite parts were the ending, and it made me go through so many emotions, and of course, I couldn’t help but smile at that scene. There wasn’t anything about this book that I didn’t like. Usually, one more chapter turned to five, six more, and by time I looked up, was midnight. It inspired me. I found myself thinking about it for hours after I finished it. I even recommended it to my friends. I would highly recommend this to everyone, especially if you love romance and young adult. EVERY OTHER WEEKEND deserves more than five stars. This is a story that will blow you away.

A Pocket Full Of Rye (Miss Marple,#7)

☆☆☆☆

a pocket full of rye

Miss Marple, #7
 agatha christie

Publisher  Signet

Publication Date: January 1,2000

Genre:  Mystery.

 Format|Pages: Hardcover|220

 Source: Goodreads|Library.

 CONTAINS SPOILERS

Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his counting house when he suffered an agonizing and sudden death. On later inspection,the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals.



Yet, it was the incident in the parlor which confirmed Miss Marple's suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme. . . . 

 ✎

Mysterious. Full of twists.



For as long as I remember, I loved mysteries. Especially the mysteries that will have you guessing until the end. AGATHA CHRISTIE writes one of the best mysteries, and her books have me guessing from beginning until the end. A POCKET FULL OF RYE wasn’t any different, and I found myself reading late into the night. I needed to see what happened next, and of course, I was curious who killed Rex Fortescue and why. As I read the book, it was clear that not many people were fond of him, so there is a big chance that any of them could done it. Any of them could have a motive to kill him. I was curious about what would be discovered, what Miss Marple would find out. I liked the Inspector Neele, and he seemed to ask all the right questions. Yet, I do wonder if he would been able to discover the real murderer if it wasn’t for Miss. Marple. I do know that she did help him about investigation in a way. I could not pull myself away from the book, making me glad that I was on spring break and off work. I found myself reading until I reached the last page.



A POCKET FULL OF RYE did not feature Miss Maple like I would like to. However, she did put the pieces together in the end, as she always does. Like the inspector, I did wonder about the Rye that was found in Rex Fortescue’s pocket and the reason behind it. Was a murder trying to say something, or was it put there before the murder? That’s what I loved about the book, and there was not a moment where you weren’t curious about what is going to come next. The details, the way that all the characters reacted, it felt so real. A POCKET FULL OF RYE was filled with so many details, I felt as I was there along with inspector Neele, investigating the murders along with them. Of course, I loved how Miss Maples explained about who the actual crime was, and it was not who I was suspecting at all. Those moments had always been my favorite part of AGATHA CHRISTIE books. It has been a while since I read a book by her, and now that I have again, I am craving to read more.



If you love mysteries, crime with unexpected twists. This is an author, a series that will keep you on edge of your seat. Be prepared for a thrilling ride!

Water For Elephants

☆☆☆☆☆

water for elephants.
sara gruen.

Publisher  Algonquin Books

Publication Date: May 1,2007.

Genre: Historical Fiction| Romance.

Format|Pages: Paperback|335.

 Source:  Goodreads|Library.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.



When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.



Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.

 ✎

This is not the first time that I read WATER FOR ELEPHANTS , it is the third. I had originally read it in 2009 and then again in 2011 when movie came out. I have no words for how much I love this story; it is one of my favorite books. I already know that it will be a book that I will be re-reading again in the future. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a book that I would highly recommend to any historical fiction and circus fans. The circus life and the history behind it are fascinating to me. There was not a single page where the book did not capture my attention. It is one of the reasons that I keep coming back to this book and every time that I read it, I fall in love with story more. I fell in love with story, the characters and just the way it was told, you couldn’t help but get hooked. The descriptions in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS were incredible and had me feeling like I was there at circus, along with everyone else. After reading, I actually wished that there was a circus in town that I could go see. It was clear the amount of research that the author did for this book. I loved the descriptions of all the animals and the acts, they were incredible. Plus it made me wish that I was part of the act, along with everyone else.



Rosie, I loved her but then I do love elephants. I loved how Jacob figured out how to communicate with her. She was smart, despite what August seemed to think. I hated how August treated her when he was angry or if she did something that he did not like. I could not blame her happened towards the end, yet it still came as a shock to me. That is one more what I loved about this book, the unexpected twists. August, that is one of the characters that is impossible to like. First time I read the book, I had a feeling that something was wrong with him. The way he acted sometimes, it was not normal. I do wish that Marlena left him sooner that she had. I am glad that she finally did and did not take him back. I was afraid of what might happen to her eventually if she did not come to her senses. I was hoping that she will realize that it was Jacob that she belonged with, not August. Anyone could see the connection, the attraction between the two of them. I was not that surprised when August got paranoid about the two of them. Though he did overact but I understand why he did. I wondered if that would be the last straw for Marlena. August, he did not deserve her.



WATER FOR ELEPHANTS was the first book that I read by SARA GRUEN and it will not be the last one. I loved reading about the circus and the life on the traveling cirrus. The first time that I read WATER FOR ELEPHANTS I felt as I learned so much about the circus just from reading the book. I even did some research on my own afterwards because I was curious. I liked how the story went and back between present time and when Jacob just joined the circus. One of the reasons that I loved the ending for this both. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a story that should be a read by everyone. The minute that you pick it up, it will feel as if you are magically transformed into the book. An inspirational story that will stay with you.

Big Lies In Small Town.

☆☆☆☆☆

big lies in small town.
diane chamberlain.

Publisher  St Martin's Press.

Publication Date: January 14,2020

Genre: Historical Fiction| Suspense.

Format|Pages: Hardcover|400.

 Source:  Goodreads|Library.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

 

North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.



North Carolina, 1940: Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey, wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Alone in the world and desperate for work, she accepts. But what she doesn't expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors, and where the price of being different might just end in murder.



What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies? 

 ✎

Suspenseful. Captivating. A story that is difficult to put down.



Once again, I have no words. I have been reading DIANE CHAMBERLAIN books for years, and every time I read her novels, I fall in love even more with her writing. Not a single of her books where I did not fall in love with the story or the characters. BIG LIES IN SMALL TOWN was not any different. From the moment that I started reading BIG LIES IN SMALL TOWN , I was hooked and had myself wondering what was going to happen next, how it would all end. That is one of my favorites about DIANE CHAMBERLAIN novels is the way she captivates the reader from the first page, having them craving for more. I hope it is a way that my book captivates readers in the future. I loved that the story was told from both Morgan and Anna’s point of view, and like Morgan, I was wondering about Anna Dale from the moment that Morgan saw the mural that she drew those years ago. Reading about Anna’s mural as Morgan restored it, I wondered what made Anna draw it the way she did, what happened to her. It was the type of book that I love, the one that on the edge of the seat from the start until the end. You could not help but fall in love with the story.



I loved both Morgan and Anna’s story, and I felt as I was reading two separate stories. What happened to Anna? I cannot even imagine having go through something that tragic. However, after reading it, which made sense why her mural turned out the way that it did. Reading it, I felt all the emotions that Anna must be feeling at that moment: anger, fear, guilt. I felt as I could feel all the feelings of both characters. Having the story being told from both Anna and Morgan’s point of view, it had me get to know each of the characters better. I did wonder if maybe Anna and Morgan would have a chance to meet at some point in the book. I was hoping that they would. Anna became very important to Morgan, the way she wanted to find out what had happened to Anna after she painted the mural, why she left. What Morgan discovered was as much shock to me as it was to her.
Another thing I love about DIANE CHAMBERLAIN books is the unexpected twists that you do not see coming. I finished the book a few days ago, and I still cannot seem to get it out of my mind. It was heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time.



Do you like historical fiction with some suspense in the mix? Be sure to check out BIG LIES IN SMALL TOWN. A book that you will find yourself recommending to your friends. I knew that there is a reason that DIANE CHAMBERLAIN is one of my favorite authors. This is a book that deserves more than five stars, more like ten, if not more. I am already excited to see what DIANE CHAMBERLAIN has in store for us next.