I'm Not Dying With You Tonight.

 

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An NAACP Image Award Nominee, I’m Not Dying with You Tonight follows two teen girls—one black, one white—who have to confront their own assumptions about racial inequality as they rely on each other to get through the violent race riot that has set their city on fire with civil unrest. 

Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she’s going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school. 

When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together. They aren’t friends. They hardly understand the other’s point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they’re going to survive the night. 

 

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Powerful. Memorable. 

I was on a road trip with family when I started reading I’m Not Dying With You Tonight, and I ended up reading the book the entire car trip. I was captivated by the story only a few pages into the book. When I started reading the book, I didn’t have high expectations since I had never read books by the authors before. But, once I finished the book, I felt I should have higher expectations. I’m Not Dying With You Tonight … this story, I don’t think how to begin to explain the emotions that were going through me. I thought about the story long after I turned in the last book. This story will make you angry, make you cry, and at times, smile. I got so captivated by the book that there were a few times that I lost track of time. I’m Not Dying With You Tonight is not the book that you will be able to get out of your mind. I have read a few books about race, but this story is one of the most powerful stories. 

 
This story felt real. Lena and Campbell are not friends, and despite how different they are, their different views, they stand by each other to make it out of a dangerous situation. The two of them have their moments and don’t always agree but stand with each other in the end. However, I wondered if they would make it to safety without killing each other. I wondered if maybe by the end of it, they would become friends. I was hoping that they would, considering what they went through together. Having the story told from both Lena and Campbell's points of view perfectly fits the story. Both Lena and Campbell's emotions were so vivid, and I could feel all the feelings they were feeling. I can’t even begin to imagine what the two of them are going through. I’m glad that the two of them had each other. 

 
I can’t seem to get this story out of my head. It was one of the most influential books I have read in a while. I’m eager to see what other books the authors have written. A book that is worth every single star.

The Lincoln Highway.

 

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CONTAINS SPOILERS

In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett’s intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother and head west where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett’s future. 

Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles’s third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes. 

 

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 An adventure of a lifetime. 

When I picked up The Lincoln Highway I wasn’t sure what to expect from the story. A lot seemed to have enjoyed his other book, A Gentleman In Moscow ; however, I had mixed feelings about that one. So, I read a summary for The Lincoln Highway , and I decided to check it out because it sounded like a book that I enjoyed. Within the first few pages of the book, I completely lost myself in the story. I felt as I was going on the trip along with Emmett, Billy, and their friends. The Lincoln Highway had so much happening that it was hard for me to find a stopping point for the book. Every page had me wondering what would happen next, where they would end up next, if they would make it to their destination—what a beautiful story, and at one of my favorite timelines. 

I have read multiple books about road trips. The Lincoln Highway is my favorite. It’s unique and unlike any of the others that I have read. I love books told from multiple points of view, allowing a reader to get to know different characters better. Duchess, that was one character that I wasn’t sure about. I know that he and Emmett were friends, but from the moment he appeared in Nebraska along with Wooley, I had a feeling that he was up to something. He’s why Billy and Emmett had to change their plans because their transportation was gone. Duchess might have thought differently, but I don’t think that Emmett would be happy with him when he found him. I was curious to see how the reunion between the two friends would go. The Lincoln Highway is a story that had you asking questions from the beginning until the end. 

Billy was one of my favorite characters. I loved how he welcomed Emmett with open arms, and not once did he complain, even though their road trip went the wrong direction. He was an intelligent kid, so knowledgeable. I don’t think I know any eight-year-old who knew as much as Billy did. I have felt that Billy is going to do great in life. I loved Billy and Emmett's connection, even though Emmett was gone for a while. These two would do anything for each other. My favorite part of the book was the descriptions of everywhere that Emmett, Billy, Wooley, and Duchess went and the adventures they have gone on. I felt as I was there for all of them. I’m glad that I decided to give this book a chance. 

 I highly recommend

E.R Nurses.

 

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Around the clock, across the country, these highly skilled and compassionate men and women sacrifice and struggle for us and our families. 

You have never heard their true stories. Not like this. From big-city and small-town hospitals. From behind the scenes. From the heart. 

This book will make you laugh, make you cry, make you understand. 

When we’re at our worst, E.R. nurses are at their best. 

 

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 Heartbreaking. Inspirational. 

Nurses are heroes. I always had through that way before the pandemic hit. I have been to the hospital for surgeries and E.R. throughout the years when I got extremely sick. The nurses that were on the shift always took fantastic care of me. I had even considered studying nursing but then realized that I wouldn’t be able to handle death well, so I decided to study to be a Physical Therapy Assistant instead. However, I have a few nursing friends and one in nursing school. So when I came across E.R Nurses while looking for a book at the library, I was excited and couldn’t wait to read the book. I knew that I was going to love the book, but even I didn’t realize how much I would fall in love with the stories. I don’t think there are words to explain all the emotions that I am feeling right now. 

I loved how the authors wrote the book, breaking down different types of nurses. I had enjoyed reading stories by different stories, and there were relatively few that were heartbreaking to read. Even though I wasn’t there and was not a nurse, all the descriptions throughout the book made me feel like I was there. Everything that these nurses see, and I can’t even imagine losing a patient after taking care of them for a while. That’s one of the things that I don’t think I would be able to deal with well. There is so much grief and pain that they must endure, and they are not always valued for what they do. Nurses do so much. I appreciate every single one of them. 

Of the authors, James Patterson is the only author I had books by previously, but it has been a few years. Now I am curious about Matt Eversmann and Chris Mooney and curious to see what else they have written. I read non-fiction but not very often. E.R Nurses is one of the best nonfiction I have read this year. I would highly recommend this book but be warned: you will cry. These are the stories that will stay with you for years to come.

Local Woman Missing.

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                      CONTAINS SPOILERS

People don't just disappear without a trace… 

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold. 

Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they'll find… 

 

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 Haunting. 

I should have known that I would fall in love with this story. I have been hearing about Local Woman Missing for a while, but I didn't get a chance to read it until recently due to the long waitlist at my library. For years, mystery and thriller have been my favorite genres, but I can be picky when reading them. Local Woman Missing is the type of mystery thriller I love. I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning of the book until the end. Although I was curious to find the truth of what happened to Meredith, I had a hard time believing that she committed suicide, leaving her family behind. There was something about Meredith's death that wasn't right. The truth is last from what I had suspected that happened to her. 

In the beginning, that's what hooks you. I couldn't stop thinking about Shelby, wondering what had happened to her. Was she murdered, or was she been kept somewhere, the way that the little girl was? Once her body was discovered, I wondered who was behind it, was it her husband, Jason? It seemed that all the signs were pointing to him. If he was responsible for Shelby's murder, was there a chance that he was also responsible for the disappearance of Meredith and Delilah? Local Woman Missing will keep you asking questions until the book's end. When I thought I figured out who was responsible, there would be a twist that even I wouldn't see coming. For me, those are the best type of books. 

I loved reading the books from a different point of view, giving you a chance to know those characters better. When Delilah came back, I never once imagined that it might not be her. I figured out that she might not remember because of the trauma that she went through. I can't even imagine being held captive for 11 years. I cannot imagine going back to everyday life after that; how can you? When I picked up Local Woman Missing , I didn't know what to expect since I had never read any books by the author before. I'm glad that I finally had a chance to read the book. I did not want to put the book down, and as I reached the ending, I wanted to reread it. Local Woman Missing is unlike any other mystery thrillers that I have read in the past. It has become one of my favorite mystery books. I'm eager for a chance to check the rest of the books. 

Highly recommend it for any mystery/ thriller fans out there.

The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue.

 

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A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget. 

 
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. 

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. 

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. 

 

 

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 Magnificent. 

How did I not read this book earlier? I did not want to stop, and I did not want this book to end. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a story that will hook you from the beginning, hooking you more as the story progresses. It's not a story that you will be able to forget. When I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I recommended it to friends who love to read. This book is a mix of historical fiction, romance, and fantasy, three of my favorite genres to read. I finished a book a while back and still find myself thinking about the characters' stories. I know I will be returning to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in the future. There isn't a single character in the book that you will find yourself connected to, even Luc. I felt as if I knew every one of them the same way that Addie did. 

I had mixed feeling about Addie from the start. There were times that I liked her, but there were other times she annoyed me, mainly when she acted like a child. Her character development was remarkable; she had gone quite change, but then invisible for 300 years, who wouldn't? When Addie told Luc that he could have her soul when she didn't want it, I knew there was trouble coming for her. I can't imagine having to go through life where nobody remembered you. When Henry remembered her, I wondered if it was a trick, a reason that Henry remembered her when nobody else could. At the same time, I asked if there would be a price to pay at the end. I wondered if the only reason they fell for each other was that he remembered her when nobody else could. I was hesitant that Henry's feeling for her was real. It didn't take me long to see that they were. However, I don't think Henry and Addie's attraction was love. 

Luc is another character that you hate and love. However, you want to hate him because of how he cursed Addie. I did at first. At first, I knew that he wanted her soul; that is why he kept on reappearing. As time passed, I realized that Luc didn't want her soul anymore; he wanted her. I felt as Addie knew that but refused to acknowledge it because she wanted to hate him. Addie might have denied it, but there was something between her and Luc. I felt that there was more connection between Luc and Addie than between Addie and Henry. I liked Henry, yet I found myself rooting for Addie to end up with Luc. 

One of my favorites was the story structure, the timeline. I loved how it kept going from past to present. I loved seeing how her relationship developed with Luc over the years. Emotions were so vivid in this book that I felt everything that Addie was feeling. So many mixed feelings went through me while I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I can now see why people were raving about this book. I'm so glad that I finally got a chance to read it. The Invisible Life Of Addie Laue is the first book that I have read by V.E Schwab, and I'm excited for a chance to check the rest of her works. One of the best books that I have read this year.