From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon

Title: From Sand and Ash
standalone
Author: Amy Harmon
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Date Published: December 1, 2006

Italy, 1943—Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II.

As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. But the church calls to Angelo and, despite his deep feelings for Eva, he chooses the priesthood.

Now, more than a decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva is a woman with nowhere to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church.

But Eva can’t quietly hide, waiting for deliverance, while Angelo risks everything to keep her safe. With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice, until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most difficult decision of all.

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My Thoughts: 

Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn

Title: Nine Minutes
Author: Beth Flynn
Series: Nine Minutes, #1
Date Published: July 23, 2014
6 Stars

On May 15, 1975, fifteen-year-old Ginny Lemon is abducted from a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale by a member of one of the most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs in South Florida.

From that moment on, her life is forever changed. She gets a new name, a new identity and a new life in the midst of the gang’s base on the edge of the Florida Everglades—a frightening, rough and violent world much like the swamps themselves, where everyone has an alias and loyalty is tantamount to survival.

And at the center of it all is the gang’s leader, Grizz: massive, ruggedly handsome, terrifying and somehow, when it comes to Ginny, tender. She becomes his obsession and the one true love of his life.

So begins a tale of emotional obsession and manipulation, of a young woman ripped from everything she knows and forced to lean on the one person who provides attention, affection and care: her captor. Precocious and intelligent, but still very much a teenager, Ginny struggles to adapt to her existence, initially fighting and then coming to terms with her captivity.

Will she be rescued? Will she escape? Will she get out alive—or get out at all? Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel, filled with mystery, romance and unexpected turns, Nine Minutes takes readers into the world of one motorcycle gang and inside the heart of a young girl, whose abduction brought about its fall.

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Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once!

Bahahaha! Who am I kidding here?

Nine Minutes is my new obsession, and I will likely talk about it to whoever will listen.

I received this book for Christmas last year, and I do not know why I put off reading it?! I started on it yesterday morning, and did not stop (other than dinner and bathroom breaks), until I finished it last night. I was very content with how it ended. And then I read the last part of the epilogue. About five times.



 After that, I  just had to talk about it with somebody, but I didn't have anybody to talk about it with. Thankfully, I found a Nine Minutes support discussion group.

The first thing that I want to say is that I love Beth Flynn's writing style! I almost felt like the main character was narrating a movie, and I could completely visualize what was happening around me. She did an excellent job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. Now, normally I would cheat and take a peak at the end of the book to see how it all ends up (yeah yeah, I know). But I didn't this time, and I am so glad that I was a good girl.

My favorite kinds of books are the realistic kind. Sometimes they end up being the darker books.I know that I have flaws, so it's refreshing when characters do too. It's comforting, in a sense. I really appreciate books that really make me feel something. I found these qualities in Nine Minutes. Just keep in mind, that if you read this (and I really hope you do!), that there might be a few parts that might make you feel squeamish. It is so worth it if you can get past that, though.  It's not a light read, but it is such a great read!

The story is told by Ginny, who was kidnapped when she was just fifteen years old, and it describes her experience. I don't want to say a whole lot about what happens, as one would have to read it for themselves to get the full effect. I could describe bits and pieces of what stood out for me, but it would be difficult to exactly why, without giving spoilers. Just know, you may be questioning things, and yourself, at times.

I do want to talk about the characters:

Ginny/Kit- My heart went out to this girl. She had to grow up really fast, even at an early age, and she's considered an old soul. Sometimes, I would get so frustrated and wanted to scream, "why?!" and  "don't do that!" However, she handled herself very well considering the circumstances, and stuck to her principles and beliefs. I really admired that. Ginny was definitely a victim of Stockholm Syndrome, and in my opinion, it affected her for many, many, years. Her mind coped by shutting out the bad things that were going on around her.

Grizz: Ok, I might upset a lot of people here, but I could not get on Team Grizz.  Don't get me wrong- I admired how much he loved Kit and how well he treated her, but I could not get past the kind of man he was and all of the horrible things that he allowed to happen and did to people. His dedication to Kit does notjustify or make me forget that he was a kidnapper and could be really cruel at times.

Grunt: Now I know that Grunt was not perfect, but I absolutely loved this kid. He was not living in the best of circumstances, and was limited in what he could do. I admired that he was patient, saw the bigger picture, tried to make something of his life, and wanted what was best for Kit. I wanted so badly to know more about him, and to see what life was like for him over the years.

This is a beautiful story of how a girl was able to overcome things. I gave Nine Minutes, Six Stars (my second of the year).  Normally, I am very stingy with my stars. I think I only gave 4 out of 95 books a  five-star rating last year.  It was just that good.


My favorite quote:

“A story about a man who has loved me from the very beginning, from the first glance. The man who always was and still is my soul mate.”  



 

Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher

Title: Mud Vein
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Date Published: April 5, 2014
Rating: 5...no. 6 stars.

When reclusive novelist Senna Richards wakes up on her thirty-third birthday, everything has changed. Caged behind an electrical fence, locked in a house in the middle of the snow, Senna is left to decode the clues to find out why she was taken. If she wants her freedom, she has to take a close look at her past. But, her past has a heartbeat... and her kidnapper is nowhere to be found. With her survival hanging by a thread, Senna soon realizes this is a game. A dangerous one. Only the truth can set her free.  



Wow. Just. Wow.

I am a huge fan of Tarryn Fisher's, Love Me With Lies series, so I cannot understand why I put off reading Mud Vein for as long as I did. There is something so raw and so honest about Tarryn's words, and you never know what her characters are going to say or do. Nothing is sugar coated or conventional. Therefore, I did not find myself rolling my eyes or bored. Not for one minute.

This book in unlike anything I have ever read. I don't really want to go into it too much, because it would really spoil the experience for readers. I can tell you that I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails. I had to read this book in chunks, because I had to think about and absorb the parts that I had just read. There were things that just gutted me, and had me in tears. And I hate crying. I really do. I couldn't help it though. Sometimes I felt like I could relate to Senna. Other times, I felt like I didn't understand her at all.

Then there was Isaac. Everyone needs an Isaac in there lives. After reading Mud Vein, I believe we all do, somewhere in the world.

I cannot express in words how much this book touched me, and I highly recommend it. However, this is by no means a fluff or a happy read. It will make you think and feel, though. I stayed up until 1:00 am, last night finishing this book. I think I spent another hour (maybe two?) reflecting on what I had just experienced in Mud Vein. I just couldn't sleep because my mind was racing. Starting another book right away was out of the question for me. How can I after reading such and enthralling book like Mud Vein?

Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Title: Maybe Someday
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: March 18,2014

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…



From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

My Thoughts:

Wow. I am in utter awe right now.  I began reading Maybe Someday last Wednesday, and just finished reading the last sentence about fifteen minutes ago. It took me five days to read. Not because it was bad in any way- it was fantastic!  I just could not bear to read it all in one sitting. I just couldn't contain all of the emotions that I was feeling. There were too many feels. So many beautiful passages. So much to ponder.  So much of everything.  I needed to take my time with this book.

Very seldom do I allow myself to cry when I read a book.  Usually, if I'm reading a book, and I start to feel deep emotions coming on, I'll set the book aside, and go do something else until I've calmed down, sidetracked myself with other things, or until I've put my barrier up. (Yes, I know I have issues. But that's for another day. ;) )  Well, anyhow, as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I did try and set Maybe Someday aside to focus on other things. You know what happened?  Ridge, Sydney, and Maggie didn't let me forget about them. They kept creeping into my thoughts, and I just couldn't disconnect myself from these characters. I had to go back and read just a little bit more.  Therefore, Maybe Someday, messed with my emotions and with my heart to the point where I felt shook up (not with the book, mind you).  I guess that's  a good thing. Part of my healing process maybe?

Ok, back to the book.

Ridge. Oh boy. *takes a deep breath*  If you want to meet a guy who is kind, compassionate and wears his heart on his sleeve, then you've got to meet Ridge.  There were times, I wanted to be upset with him, but I just couldn't, because I got why he did the things he did. I just wished he didn't try to carry all the weight or blame on his shoulders alone.  I have to say, I adored the relationship he had with his best friend, Warren, and the pranks the two played on each other. They had such close friendship, and knew each other so well.

Sydney was another character I wanted to dislike at times, but I just couldn't. Sometimes I wished she would have handled things different.  I don't think she could have though. She needed someone to cling to or to rely on when her world got turned upside down.

I just don't know how Colleen Hoover does it. She truly has a gift for writing. There's so much beauty, meaning, and truth behind her words, and yes, a rawness to them too. There was a point in the story where I was worried that everything would happen or unfold too fast, but thank goodness, she gave the characters' a real chance to step back and to think. I would have been so disappointed otherwise.

 I was telling my good friend, Krista,  that I wanted to highlight or underline certain passages in my paperback, so that I could go back and read them later on. This normally doesn't happen. I'm more of a note-taker. But I wanted to be able to flip through my paperback, and see my favorite parts right away.

Maybe Someday is told from dual pov's.  Normally, I do not like those, and try and avoid reading books with dual pov's if I can. However, I cannot imagine this book without Ridge's thoughts. They were so necessary and so vital.

One last thing. Many times when I read a standalone book, I find that I'm disappointed when there is not epilogue at the end, because I want to know how the characters are down the line or if they're all ok.  I will tell you that Maybe Someday does not have an epilogue, and I'm really okay with it. I'm at peace. 

Rating: 5+ Stars