What Happened to My Sister by Elizabeth Flock - "Throwback Thursday" Review

A "Throwback Thursday Review" is either a book I read way back when but didn't write a review for whatever reason (usually, probably forgot ... oops...) or it is a review on a book I got but then didn't get around to reading until now (again, usually, probably just forgot).

Up this week is What Happened to My Sister by Elizabeth Flock. This is another one from my long list of ones I read back in 2012 right before it came out but then, for some reason, never wrote a review for it. 

What Happened to My Sister
by Elizabeth Flock
Published: August 2012
by Ballantine Books

From the author of Me & Emma comes a dazzling novel of two unforgettable families bound together by their deepest secrets and haunted pasts—perfect for fans of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes and The Book of Bright Ideas.

Nine-year-old Carrie Parker and her mother, Libby, are making a fresh start in the small town of Hartsville, North Carolina, ready to put their turbulent past behind them. Violence has shattered their family and left Libby nearly unable to cope. And while Carrie once took comfort in her beloved sister, Emma, her mother has now forbidden even the mention of her name.

When Carrie meets Ruth, Honor, and Cricket Chaplin, these three generations of warmhearted women seem to have the loving home Carrie has always dreamed of. But as Carrie and Cricket become fast friends, neither can escape the pull of their families’ secrets—and uncovering the truth will transform the Chaplins and the Parkers forever.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Get the box of Kleenex for this emotional read. Carrie and her mother are relocating in order to have a better life. Only things really don't seem to be any better, and it doesn't look like they will improve anytime soon. Carrie has memories of a sister but doesn't remember what happened to her, but her mother tells Carrie that she is imagining things and forbids her to talk about it. Carrie and her mother end up living in a run-down, seedy motel, and Carrie is usually left alone in the room. They have very little money, and Carrie does without a lot, even food. It is absolutely heartbreaking to read about this little girl eating things like dirt and clay pots just to ease the hunger pangs.

What Happened to My Sister is very touching. The characters were great, and the story was engaging. Carrie is one of those characters that grab a hold of your heart and burrow their way in. I first read this story 2 years ago (I don't know why I didn't write a review back then), but I have found myself suddenly thinking of it over the years. The Chaplin family is quirky and loveable. Perhaps they didn't see the obvious abuse that was right in front of them at first, but very few people really do. What really did happen to Carrie's sister? You will be left guessing until the end. I would without a doubt recommend this book to anyone. 

A copy was provided for an honest review.

About the author:

Former print journalist Elizabeth Flock reported for TIME and PEOPLE magazines before becoming an on-air correspondent for CBS News. Her acclaimed debut novel, BUT INSIDE I'M SCREAMING, chronically the psychological struggles of a young television reporter in New York, was released in 2003. Her second novel, ME & EMMA, became a New York Times bestseller and was an Indiebound (formerly Booksense) Notable Book of 2005. EVERYTHING MUST GO, Elizabeth's third novel, loosely based on a clothing store in Connecticut, was published in 2007. Elizabeth's books have been translated into seven languages and published in twelve countries. 

Her fourth novel, SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT, came out in 2009, and was chosen as an Indie Next List (formerly Booksense) title.

Find out more at ElizabethFlock.com.

Skinny by Donna Cooner - Throwback Thursday Review

A "Throwback Thursday Review" is either a book I read way back when but didn't write a review for whatever reason (usually, probably forgot ... oops...) or it is a review on a book I got but then didn't get around to reading until now (again, usually, probably just forgot).

Up this week is Skinny by Donna Cooner. I read this book back in 2012 right before it came out and really enjoyed, and I don't know why I didn't write a review then. Apparently, that part of 2012 was a bad time for me to actually get reviews written because it seems all of my "Throwback Thursday" reviews are coming from then.

Skinny by Donna Cooner
Published: September 2012

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own. 

 Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Skinny is the story of Ever, an overweight teenager who decides to have gastric bypass surgery. "Skinny" is the little voice in Ever's head that calls her names and tells her everyone is disgusted by her. Even as Ever loses weight, the voice of Skinny never goes away and keeps telling Ever she isn't good enough.

Skinny explores the hard issues of self-esteem, being happy with yourself, confidence, following your dreams, and what true friendship really means. This is an excellent story, and I would recommend it.

Copy was provided for an honest review.

About the author:

Donna Cooner was born and raised in Texas. She is a three time graduate of Texas A&M University. A former teacher and school administrator, she now teaches teachers and principals at Colorado State University where she is the director of the School of Teacher Education and Principal Preparation. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her two labs and a cat named Stu. She's a big fan of chocolate and laughing (not necessarily in that order).

Donna is the author of over twenty picture books and was a founding member of the Brazos Valley Society of Children's Bookwriters and Illustrators. She has also written children's television shows for PBS and textbooks for future teachers. SKINNY is her debut novel for young adults.

Find out more at DonnaCooner.com.

Butter by Erin Jade Lange - Throwback Thursday Review

A "Throwback Thursday Review" is either a book I read way back when but didn't write a review for whatever reason (usually, probably forgot ... oops...) or it is a review on a book I got but then didn't get around to reading until now (again, usually, probably just forgot).

Today's review is Butter by Erin Jade Lange. This is another book that I read way back in September 2012 and can't figure out why I didn't write a review then because I did enjoy it. Like before, I probably just forgot.

Butter by Erin Jade Lange
Published: September 2012

A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death-live on the Internet-and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn't go through with his plans?

With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen's battle with himself.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

An obese, teenaged boy called Butter makes a cry for help by creating a website claiming that he will eat himself to death and do it live online. It isn't really presented as a "cry for help," but that is what it boils down to. Butter doesn't really want to eat himself to death. However, when it seems like everyone at school is so excited about his claim and looking forward to the big event, Butter feels that there is nothing to do but go through with it. 

Butter is a great emotional story that explores one young boy's feelings about being obese, why he eats so much, other people's attitudes toward him, and his loneliness and desperation. I did think everything may have been tied up a little too easily and smoothly in the end, but overall, this was a book that I really enjoyed and would recommend.

Copy was provided for review.

About the author:

Erin writes facts by day and fiction by night. As a journalist, she is inspired by current events and real-world issues and uses her writing to explore how those issues impact teenagers.

She is an only child, so she spent a lot of time entertaining herself as a kid. This required her to rely heavily on her own imagination, which is probably why she became a writer.

Erin grew up in the cornfields of northern Illinois, along the Mississippi River in one of the few places it flows east to west. She now lives in the sunshine of Arizona and will forever be torn between her love of rivers and her love of the desert.

Find out more at ErinJadeLange.com.

     

Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis - "Throwback Thursday Review"

A "Throwback Thursday Review" is either a book I read way back when but didn't write a review for whatever reason (usually, probably forgot ... oops...) or it is a review on a book I got but then didn't get around to reading until now (again, usually, probably just forgot).

Up first is Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis. I could have sworn I reviewed this book when I first read it in July 2012, but for some reason, I didn't. (See above about my tendency of forgetting...)

Forever and a Day
Lucky Harbor #6
by Jill Shalvis
Published 2012 by Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing

LOVE CAN HAPPEN IN A HEARTBEAT.

Grace never thought she’d be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh’s loveable mutt to caring for his rambunctious kids. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad…

With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family–until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “good bedside manner.” Josh and Grace don’t know if what they have can last. But in a town like Lucky Harbor, a lifetime of love starts with just one day…

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Grace is getting a little desperate for money. After a new job didn't pan out because she refused to perform special favors, Grace got in her car and ended up in Lucky Harbor. She is performing a variety of odd jobs, such as modeling for an art class and making deliveries. When hot Dr. Josh Scott accidentally dials her number after seeing a flyer for a dog walker, she takes the job because she needs the money. This soon leads to her being a temporary nanny for Josh's son when his suddenly quits. The whole time, her plans are to find a prestigious job that her parents will be proud of and leave lucky harbor. She doesn't want to pursue a relationship with a way-too-busy doctor, but she has made a pact with her two best friends, Amy and Mallory, to have a little fun, and Dr. Scott is too hot to resist.

I have read several Lucky Harbor novels, and I am never disappointed. Forever and a Day (along with all the other Lucky Harbor novels I have read) has the perfect amount of humor, friendships, spiciness and heat. Jill Shalvis has a gift for creating perfectly rounded heroines that readers can relate to, and her "alpha man" heroes are just the right combination of sexiness, confidence, caring, and flaws.

I would recommend Forever and a Day (as well as the other Lucky Harbor novels) to anyone who is looking for a great contemporary romance.

*Recommended only for 18+.

A copy was provided, but I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.

Visit Jill's website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures. 

Find out more at JillShalvis.com.