What did I just read? Not my first V.C. Andrews (and this it the REAL Andrews, not a ghostwriter), and while [b:Flowers in the Attic|43448|Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger, #1)|V.C. Andrews|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327880853s/43448.jpg|3311885] is definitely f'ed up, My Sweet Audrina is one hundred times crazier.

Child rape, amputees, a magic rocking chair, three separate deaths on the same damn staircase (get carpet people), and oh let's not forget the charater who has a miscarriage and is subsequently forced to clean it all up by herself because it may stain the carpet.

Despite all the crazy events, there wasn't really a plot...or a point? I don't know. I finished it, but man, what a creep show.

Beth and her husband Matt move to Washington DC, hoping to launch Matt into the high-stakes political world of the new Obama presidency. Feeling like an outsider, Beth struggles to deal with Matt's growing fervor as he struggles to ascend the political pyramid. After befriending a charismatic couple from Texas, Matt and Beth become enmeshed in their political campaign as Jimmy runs for Rail Road commissioner back home.

A frank and illuminating look into the intricacies of political life in Washington DC and around the country. I appreciated how Close kept her characters at the middling level which made the story all the more real. I also enjoyed how the story showcased the sheer amount of work and desperation that goes into every political campaign, regardless of how small or successful.

Lo works for a travel magazine, so when her boss offers to let her take a plush assignment on the maiden voyage of a new luxury cruise, she jumps at the chance. Instead of enjoying the North Sea and the northern lights, Lo instead witnesses what she believes is the murder of her next door neighbor, the titular Woman in Cabin 10. Too bad no one else on the ship has seen this woman, nor is anyone staying in that cabin...

I thought this premise sounded pretty awesome, alas the execution didn't thrill me. I was compelled to finish, but some of the pathways to solving the mystery made me a bit skeptical. The connections between Lo and other characters seemed rushed and her fixation on appearing "professional" yet chugging down the booze grew a little annoying.

Also

Spoiler

I was a bit disappointed that the burglary of Lo's apartment at the beginning of the story that caused a lot of her initial anxiety and the mention that the reason Cabin 10 was empty was ALSO due to a burglary were in the end, not connected at all. It seems Lo's was completely coincidental, which stinks

.

I'm happy I wasn't reading this arc issue to issue, because not a whole lot happens and there was way too much jumping around between characters. Still a fun read, but I'm hoping the plot will come together a bit more in Volume 4.

Meh. I am not the target demographic for this book. I think an actual young adult would really enjoy this summer romance, but I was a bit turned off by the premise of a young girl becoming more sexually aware during her annual summer vacation with two brothers. I get the hormones, but I felt the two mothers were a bit too encouraging/complacent to the sexual tension between their teens. Again, I'm too old :)

I do love a good P&P retelling, and I neither loved nor truly loathed this latest attempt. I found various parts of the story refreshing

hello hate sex

and enjoyed the moments when Liz and Darcy were on page together, but other parts I found myself skimming or skipping entirely. More Liz and Darcy PLEASE. Most of the characters are portrayed as fairly awful people with not much to redeem them (see Mrs. Bennett), which I found to not be in the true spirit of P&P, and the last chapter in Mary's voice was wholly out of place.

I listened to this as part of my work's 2016 Staff Book Bingo contest for "book with a red cover!"

An overbearing father's will decrees three estranged brothers must work together to earn back the family building business. Thankfully Caleb is able to strike a bargain with a powerfully connected home designer who's rich clients may be the ticket to their success. But, between the brother bickering and the sparks flying between Caleb and Morgan, this project may turn out to be a money pit.

A cute story, but there was an overlong focus on the business/building details instead of the interpersonal relationships. The issues driving the story were also too easily remedied. That said, I had fun reading the story, and Probst writes great dialogue.

The premise intrigued me - how would I feel if a childhood love became a famous author after telling my story (even a fictionalized version of it)? However, the drama promised in the description fell fairly flat in execution. The reader is made to "read" the fictionalized story of the main character's childhood, a childhood traumatized her so much she didn't tell her long term boyfriend most of the story. The reader is also made to feel this is building up to an explosive confrontation between the Emmiline and Jace, but no, not really. Just finish the book he tells her, that will make it all clear. Right.

Not for me.

A character study of two 30-something best friends in NYC who struggle internally with their friendship. With essentially no plot and a writing style that is fairly free-form and stream of conscious, I enjoyed it enough to finish but think those looking for the next "it book" as pushed by the advertising will be disappointed.

Also, while I found some of the insights the author brought forward on female friendship intriguing and truthful, it is annoyingly written by a man which I couldn't seem to forget while I read.