Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

Book Review: The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers

The Comfort of Lies

The central figure in The Comfort of Lies is precocious 5-year-old Savannah. She is the adopted daughter of Peter and Caroline, a well-to-do family living in Boston. They found out early in their marriage that they would not be able to have children so they turned to adoption. Peter has fallen into the role of father with easy abandon, while Caroline struggles to find her footing as a mother.

Savannah’s biological mother is Tia, who was 24 when she found out she was pregnant. She was having an affair with a married man at the time and when he found out, he ordered her to “take care of it” and left her. Distraught and alone, and having to watch her mother die while her belly grew large with child, she decided to put the baby up for adoption.

Savannah’s biological father is Nathan, a college professor who has a seemingly idyllic life. His wife, Juliette, dotes on him and he has two amazing sons, Max and Lucas. But once Nathan admits to the affair, their marriage is thrown to the ringer. Five years later, they are still married but their marriage is hanging on by a thread.

Everything comes to a head when Tia mails off pictures of Savannah, as well as a letter addressed to Nathan about their child that Juliette intercepts. She has no idea of Tia’s pregnancy and it comes as a huge shock to her. Hidden truths come to the surface for all parties involved. It’s a story about marriage and affairs. About adoption and regrets. About how to be truthful to what you want. About the freedom that lives in seeking out your truth and resting in that.

Each chapter begins from someone’s point of view, either Caroline, Tia, Juliette, or Nathan. (Mostly the three women, though Nathan does have a few chapters of his own.) I really, really enjoyed this novel. All the characters felt intensely real, their struggles were honest, and the fact that I didn’t totally care for their personalities drew me even more fully to the story.

Crazy, right? I didn’t like the characters, but I think that’s what made this story so great. They were real. I could understand their pain. I could understand their confusion. I could understand their decisions. I didn’t always like them, but I understood them.

The storytelling in this book was fantastic. Meyers seamlessly weaved the differing stories throughout the pages and I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this novel. I was always intrigued to find out what happened next. 

All in all, one incredible novel with an intriguing premise, complex characters, and a believable ending. I gave this book a solid 4 stars and it’s a novel I would definitely recommend!

Do you like reading books from multiple points of view?

I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions, unless otherwise stated, are my own.

Categories: Books

January Reads

1. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (5 stars)

I will admit that I didn’t think I would enjoy this book. I’m not one for adventure stories and it just didn’t seem like my kind of book. But I had read lots of rave reviews on the book, so I decided to pick it up and see what it was all about. I am so glad I did. This book was about a girl who decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail – by herself! – in the mid-1990’s. It is filled with her struggle to make it through each day, to keep hiking, and what it was like during those sweltering days of heat and intensely cold nights. She loses toenails, she gets blisters, and she meets tons of friends. But this story is so much more than about a girl hiking the PCT. It is the story of Cheryl. Of how she got to the PCT. Of her mom, whom she was close to and her dying of cancer. Of her marriage and all the ways she destroyed it by her own hand. Of her family and the way it completely fell apart when her mom died. Of Cheryl herself. And her personal triumph. She hiked 1,100 miles over the course of her journey and it wasn’t easy. She made a lot of rookie mistakes, not exactly knowing what she was getting herself into but it made her so much more human and real. That’s the beauty of memoirs: the realness and vulnerability. Towards the end of this book, I found myself getting sadder and sadder at the thought of finishing and that is the measure of a great book, in my eyes.

2. Putting Boys on the Ledge by Stephanie Davis (3 stars)

I got this book free on Kindle and it seemed like a sweet YA novel. Which it was. It was written at more of a middle-grade level and was mainly a love story, with no other plot. It was a simple, easy read that I finished in a day or so. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it… unless you’re a twelve-year-old girl.

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (3 stars)

This was our January #twookclub pick! I swear, I have read this novel but now I wonder if I read some adaptation of it, written for the younger audience. I’m not sure, but I felt like I was reading an entirely new story. The language was hard to get used to at first (and the cheesiness…) but once I got into it, I started to really enjoy it. I can’t say this is one of the best books I’ve ever read, nor one of my favorites, but there’s something wholly pure and classic about this novel that you can’t help but enjoy. My Kindle told me this book was over 600 pages long so it took me a looooong time to read it (two weeks!) and I was pretty happy to start something new when I finished it. Still, I’m glad I read it and I’m excited to read more classics now!

4. Three Girls and a Baby by Rachel Schurig (4 stars)

I think I read this book in less than a day. I just couldn’t put it down! It is a novel about a girl who has broken up with her boyfriend after he found out she cheated on him. She’s down in the dumps about it, then later finds out she’s pregnant but has no way to contact him (and believes he wants nothing to do with the baby, thanks to his meddling mom). Luckily, she lives with her two best friends who help her and support her as she traverses the world of pregnancy and impending motherhood alone. It was a really cute story, although there were a lot of inconsistencies which is why I knocked the rating to 4 stars, but is still a really good read. I definitely recommend it if you like the chick-lit genre!

5. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (3.5 stars)

This book was the January pick for my in-person book club. I actually won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it arrived a week before book club which worked out perfectly! Since I was on a Kindle buying ban for January, I was planning on getting the book from my library – until I found out I had a $17 fine. Um, oops? This book had such an interesting premise and I think it’s been on a few #twookclub discussions, so I was excited when it was picked! Basically, the story is about Julia, who is 11 and in that awkward stage of growing up. She has a crush on a cute boy, a best friend she plays soccer with, and a worrywart mother. It happens almost seamlessly but Julia wakes up one morning to the news that the rotation of the earth has slowed. Each day grows a little bit longer which ends up affecting everything from the agriculture to the sea life to the Earth’s magnetic field. It’s part sci-fi, part coming-of-age. It’s an incredibly interesting story but I really wanted more. I felt like the author limited herself by having an 11-year-old narrator and it became more about her life than this crazy shift in the Earth. While I enjoyed that part, it left me feeling a little “eh” at the end. Also, the dramatic foreshadowing was a little too much at times.

6. Worth the Scandal by Karen Erickson (3 stars)

One of those cute romance novels with a brooding leading man, a passionate woman, and corporate espionage. The writing was good and I liked the flow of the story, although there were definitely some major typos. (She completely switched the name of one of the characters, which was very confusing at first!) It was a little over-the-top at times, but generally well-written for a romance novel.

7. A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash (4 stars)

I gave an entire review of this novel on Wednesday and suffice it to say, I loved this novel. I loved the writing. I loved the characters. I loved the plot. I loved the language. The premise sounded intriguing but I honestly didn’t expect to get as caught up in it as I did. And YOU could win a copy of this amazing novel! Details here. Giveaway ends on Sunday night.

Books read in 2013: 7

Categories: Books

Book Review: A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash

A Land More Kind Than Home

A Land More Kind Than Home is the debut novel of Wiley Cash and it is a story that captivated me. There is a small town. A corrupt minister. A kind and brave midwife. A sheriff who just wants to do the right thing. A mute child and his brother. A family that is falling apart. The synopsis of the story intrigued me and I felt comforted by the language, reminding me at once of To Kill a Mockingbird. It was authentic and familiar. Cash wrote in a way where you were transported to this town. The characters were alive, the scene right in front of you.

While the story begins a bit slow, it built up to a crescendo where I couldn’t put the book down and couldn’t stop thinking about when I did. What drew me the most to this story was how unique the plot was, how different from everything I’ve read for so long. It was as if I’d been searching for a story like this for a while, and finally, finally, I found it.

I think my favorite thing about this novel was how the plot kept twisting and turning, not in an intense way, but in a way that kept my attention focused and the plot moving forward.

If you can’t tell, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I am so excited to be able to give away one copy to one of my readers! All you have to do is comment on this post and you’ll be entered in the giveaway. I’ll announce the winner on Monday.

A few links for you, as requested by the author:

You can also find Wiley Cash on Twitter and Facebook, as well as through his website.

I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions, unless otherwise stated, are my own.

Categories: Books

December Reads

The Scent of Rain by Kristin Billerbeck — 3 stars. I have read a plethora of Billerbeck’s novels. She is actually the first Christian chick-lit author I’ve ever read and I’ve always enjoyed her books. This book followed her usual style and begins on Daphne’s wedding day where she gets stood up. She has been trained to create perfumes (and have a nose for scents) but after her botched wedding day, she discovers she lost her sense of smell. She is also beginning  a new job where the main reason she was brought on was for her impeccable sense of smell. The book takes a while to get into and the beginning is pretty slow… and then it seems like the author was rushing to finish it and wrap it all up nicely. This wasn’t one of Billerbeck’s best books (her Ashley Stockingdale series is still Billerbeck at her finest) so I don’t know if I would recommend it. It was a light, easy read but left me wanting more.

MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche — 5 stars. I wrote an entire post on how this book impacted me. It’s not everyone’s favorite, but it’s definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year. Highly recommend!

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain — 2 stars. I was really excited to read this book. I love reading about introversion and it has really helped me to accept who I am and embrace my quiet ways. Unfortunately, while this book was filled with examples and experiments and anecdotes, I didn’t find any of the information groundbreaking and was pretty bored by some of the chapters. I also didn’t care for the way she talked about extroverts because I don’t think either type of person is better than the other. (She blamed the financial crisis of 2008 on extroverts but letting introverts off the hook for not speaking up because it’s just the way we are? No. Absolutely not. That is a cop-out.) I will say it is an interesting read and it did teach me more about my introversion… it just didn’t completely live up to the hype for me.

Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman — 3 stars. I’ve read a few books by Donna Kauffman and I always love how she creates characters and stories so I was super excited when I saw she had a new series of books out, all centering around cupcakes. I picked up the first one – and it was the most intriguing of the bunch! – and while it was a cute romance novel, there was something about the characters that felt forced. The whole story seemed a little trite and contrived and I basically had to force myself to finish it. I never really felt any strong connection with the male lead. It’s an easy read, but I have read other books by this author I would recommend over this one.

The Accidental Bride by Christina Skye — 3 stars. Another contemporary romance by an author I’ve read before. (I was in a romance-y mood in late December!) This follows a chef who has a new restaurant and is beginning to market a line of salsa. She has a mini heart attack at work one day and is told she needs to rest completely for a few months. Her friends wind up sending her to a knitting retreat for a week and it’s in this tiny Wyoming town that she meets Walker Hale, local hero. Their story is sweet and the build-up felt real. I generally enjoyed the novel, as I do most romances. It didn’t grip me from beginning to end, but I do like this author’s writing style.

Her Holiday Fireman by Kathleen Y’Barbo — 2 stars. I thought I would try out a Love Inspired novel, although most of them feature single parents finding love. This one didn’t have either, so I decided to read it as it was Christmassy and I was in a Christmassy mood. A nice novel, but that’s about it. It’s never a good sign when you’re relieved to finish a novel, is it?

Switched by HelenKay Dimon — 4 stars. I read a Harlequin romance by this author earlier in the year and absolutely loved it. I’m usually pretty “meh” about them (but read them anyway because they require little brainpower and sometimes, that’s exactly what I need). This author gives you gripping plots, fabulous characters, and a story you’ll smile at. This book was no different and I just really enjoyed watching the story unfold, and the romance blossom. Plus, Risa, the female lead, is pretty kickass. I know a lot of people aren’t into Harlequin romances, but if you want to try one out, find one by this author. Hers are very low on cheesiness.

Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann — 5 stars. Navy SEAL Team Sixteen feels like a bunch of guys I’ve known my whole life. They feel a part of me and reading their stories once again is so much fun. Brockmann writes another intense story with lots of drama and action and wittiness. The female leads felt a bit tiring and weak (both Joan and Mary-Lou) but I think that’s how Brockmann wanted them to be. For some reason. The story itself was still gripping and hard to put down which is why it gets 5 stars from me. If I can read a 450+ page book in less than two days… well, the story then speaks for itself.

Books read in 2012: 90

Categories: Best Of, Books

Top 10 Books I Read in 2012

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! I was spoiled rotten, as per usual, and so was my mom. We opened presents together in the morning, and then my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew came over around lunchtime to open their presents. My nephew is definitely at that excited age, as he kept asking my mom after he opened each present, “Do you have any more presents for me?” We had a short family gathering at my grandma’s house, and then I spent Christmas night putting together the nightstand my mom bought me. I am proud to say I put it together all by myself! I usually corral my brother into helping me, but I was determined to figure out the steps on my own. It’s easily my favorite gift this year. Yay!

Onto today’s post, though, my annual review of the best books I read this year. This has been a great year for me, reading-wise. I am currently at 87.5 books read, which is probably my highest reading year yet! It’s a crazy number, for sure, but I make reading a priority in my life. It doesn’t matter how crazy my life gets, I always take time out of my day to sit back with a book and relax my mind.

Without further ado… my favorites of 2012!

10. I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (5 of 5 stars)
I adore Sophie Kinsella novels (especially her stand-alones) and I was thrilled to see she had released a new novel so I quickly requested it from my library. This book was exceptional, written in typical Kinsella fashion, and I really couldn’t get enough of it. It’s one of those books I devoured in a few sittings, yet was sad when I finished it and the story wasn’t a part of my everyday life anymore. It’s chick lit so it’s a bit silly and corny, but what can I say? I like cheese and corn. I think it’s one of Kinsella’s best!

9. Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff (5 of 5 stars)
I am a huge fan of Jon Acuff’s blog. I have been reading it for over a year and I finally decided to pick up his book and see what it was all about. Perfection. It’s basically a book of essays on the Christian life and if you’ve grown up in church, you will relate to this novel and laugh along. I promise. He also includes some more serious essays at the end of the book that destroyed me with how poignant they were. I am a huge fan of this guy.

8. Flight From Berlin by David John (4 of 5 stars)
This was a TLC Book Tour book that captivated me from start to finish. There is mystery and intrigue and humor and romance. I am a huge fan of historical novels, and I couldn’t help but put this book on my list because of the way it touched my heart. I like mystery novels that shock me and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. It was a whirlwind of a book and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it!

7. Twenty-Something, Twenty Everything by Christine Hassler (4 of 5 stars)
It took me a long time to read this book because it was chock full of journaling segments that had me digging deep and discovering my path. It was a book I needed to read and it came at the right time. It opened my eyes to what my passions are and helped me to see that all this confusion and struggle as a twenty-something is very normal.

6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (5 of 5 stars)
I finally got around to reading this book after it was a #twookclub pick. It had been highly raved about by people all around me so I was a little apprehensive, as I tend to not like books that are hyped up. This book was written by the narrator of Death, which was strange at first, but I grew to like it. The characters and the plot were both exceptional, and the writing was fantastic. It had a very interesting premise and was written in a different way. There was no foreshadowing or crazy endings, as the narrator basically let you know what was happening before it happened but I still enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

5. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (4 of 5 stars)
This is the December pick for my book club, and it’s not the type of book I would have picked out for myself. But this is what I love about book clubs – I get to read books I would normally pass on. This was basically a memoir written in a very easy way that had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the interplay between Will and his mom, who is dying of cancer. I loved the history and reading about the impact Will’s mom had on people. And I loved reading about their very informal book club, and their reflections on the novels they were reading. It’s not an overly exciting book, but it is a sweet memoir and I enjoyed it.

4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (5 of 5 stars)
This was another #twookclub pick and I was very apprehensive about reading it because I knew it was filled with lots of emotions and I just didn’t want to read about kids with cancer! It was an exceptional book. The writing is crazy good, the characters feel so real and right there. And the romance! Oh, the romance. It tugged at my cold, bitter heart and warmed it right up. I adored everything about this book. Well, I didn’t adore the ending, but it did fit with the book and felt honest. It is the only book I have ever read that actually made me cry and while it’s not one I could ever read again, it is definitely a must-read.

3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (5 of 5 stars)
Mindy Kaling is my soul sister. This book was laugh-out-loud funny and thoroughly enjoyable. It is a collection of essays, detailing Mindy’s childhood, her foray into comedy, and her time on The Office. I have the biggest girl crush on Mindy and found myself nodding my head and agreeing with all her essays. (Especially when she talked about her weight struggles. I could completely understand where she was coming from!) A must-read.

2. MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche (4 of 5 stars)
So I wrote an entire post on friendship, because of this book. This book changed the way I view friendship and finding friends. It follows the author, Rachel, as she sets out on 52 girl dates in one year in the hopes of making new friends in a new city. While she has a supportive and loving husband, best friends she grew up with, and a fabulous mother, she knows it’s healthy to have local friends outside of your family. I was changed by this novel, and I can only hope I have as much success with my own girl dates next year as Rachel had with hers!

1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (5 of 5 stars)
Another #twookclub pick! This book is completely nuts. It is crazy. It is weird. It will have you slapping the couch and yelling out in frustration. It will have you frantically texting people who are reading it with you to say, “WTF?!” It will have you on the edge of your seat. It will not stop with the twists and the turns and the crazy. You hate Nick and love Amy. You will hate Amy and love Nick. You will hate them both. You will not be able to forget about this novel when you’re at work, or driving, or at the store, or watching TV. THIS BOOK WILL HAUNT YOU UNTIL YOU FINISH. I am utterly, totally, 100% in love with this book. It was the craziest rollercoaster of reading, but a book that affects you on so many levels deserves top honor.

What was your favorite book you read this year? Any comments on my favorites?