jenbsbooks's Reviews (2.41k)

 I am an Abby fan ... I've enjoyed her books, this was no exception. I've read (really liked) Part of Your World ... I'll admit, I didn't remember it well enough to tie the characters from it to this story. It isn't necessary, just a connection some enjoy. This is billed as 3rd in the series, but can easily be a stand-alone.  Just like Yours Truly isn't really #2 in the series, but a stand-alone with some character cross-over (and this "third" one is more a cross-over with #1 ... not sure if anyone else from #2 shows up). 

The banter was cute and clever ... and believable to me. Not quite inta-love, but pretty dang quick. One thing that was never addressed, but that I feel like would have/should have, was the age spread between Justin and his siblings. Justin is 29, he had two teen siblings, and then there's a 5 year old. Not impossible, but very uncommon. It just seems like it would have come up in conversation. 

As much as I enjoy Abby's books, I'm also cheap and patient. Content to wait for a library loan. As part of an "author support" group, we'd been encouraged to pre-order. I did. I forgot about it ;) So ... into my inbox came the audiobook (coming out at the same time or quickly after the release of the print/kindle copies). Oh well, I'd keep it and get to it a lot earlier than I would have otherwise. I do NOT have a copy of the kindle/print, which I like to have. It wasn't needed, but I miss having the reference, especially when writing a review. 

Two narrators -  Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber. While I DO really like Zachary Webber, it's a bit of a problem having him play every male character in Abby's books. He does sound the same. It had been enough time since my last audio by this author, so it was okay; but if I was reading the books back to back, or even at all close together ... it might be an issue for me.  This was the standard dual narration (so alternating chapters, from Justin and Emma's POV, male and female narrator voicing all in that chapter) EXCEPT for the text exchanges, which were "duet" ... the male/female narrator each voicing their parts. It made me wish for the whole thing to be in duet!

This was all enjoyable for me, despite the challenges and struggles the characters were going through. An "easy" listen, not one I felt like I had to concentrate on super hard, could follow without issues.  Without the Kindle copy, I can't do my usual proFanity count ... there were a few e-bombs and some sexual scenes. Trigger warnings mentioned at the start, nothing that really hit me personally (I identified with the anxiety issues in Yours Truly, but that wasn't a trigger, it made me appreciate it more).

The usual cartoon cover. There are a LOT of books with the title Just For The Summer ... and while it does fit this story, I don't know that it was the best choice. Seems like there might have been something else a little more distinctive (AITA Curse Cancelers ... something). 

This has been made into a TV series (for Apple+) and I must admit I watched it before reading the book.  I thought it was really well done. I wasn't sure if I'd get to the actual book after watching, but it was available for download from the library (audio and Kindle copy). I'm glad I watched the series first, and I'm glad I read the book too ... as always, there is a lot in the book that doesn't make it onto the screen.  

I glanced over some of the other reviews ... some love the book, others were quite critical. I can appreciate some of the concerns by the other reviews, while still reflecting on my experience, and feeling like I learned a lot and it kept me quite captivated, even knowing the "story" going in. SO many things to think about and ponder. 

I went with the audiobook, but had the Kindle copy at hand. I referred to it a few times ... once, after hearing the word "concatenating" (meaning "to link things together in a chain or series"). I like to highlight/look up words I'm not familiar with, so I did a search in my Kindle copy to find the word ... and it wasn't there! I searched for my spot, and that paragraph was changed from the audio to the Kindle copy. To my knowledge, both formats were published in 2013, one wasn't an updated version ... and yet, that's what I'm assuming happened (Kindle copy was updated?)  It would be interesting to get a physical copy and check out this paragraph. It makes me wonder what else differed from the Kindle to Audio. 

In my mind, I think I say the city "Or-Lins" (two syllables) ... the narrator pronounced it "Or-le-ins" (three syllables). 

I was telling my son a little about the situation presented herein, and he was aghast and said "now this was fiction, right?" and I had to tell him no (taking into account "truth" can be different from alternate perspectives, but just going by the most basic facts).  The author does address where she got information, what dialog was an exact recollection (while noting "memories often fade and change"). Narrative journalism. 

TOC - Two Parts (Deadly Choices & Reckoning), chronological chapters, no headers. Prologue and epilogue.  There were some quotes at the start of the two parts ... from Jose Saramago's Blindness (which is a book that quite captivated me). 

ProFanity (x3)

I like fantasy ... not sure why this one just didn't click for me. So many glowing reviews. Maybe it's me, I'll admit to being a little under the weather while listening. I actually switched to another book for a while, brain fog made this one too complex...SO MANY NAMES (people/places/things) pimchie, torthuk, ilpin, Daria, Istan, Starza, Corlath, I didn't even come close to marking most of the unique words. 

I think I followed the basic story ... I'd struggle a bit to give a recap. I just didn't feel a strong storyline, there really wasn't anything pulling me in. After I finished, I read an online summary, just to see if I'd gotten it ... I think so. I'm honestly perplexed. Maybe if I'd read this years ago (so many of the 5* seem to be sentimental) when I was a teen I would have liked it more?  Maybe I'll appreciate it more after book club discussion (this was a read for book club). 

It was interesting, the library had the audio, and ebook ... but not in Kindle format. I'm a Kindle snob when it comes to e-books. I went with the audio, but had to turn to the ebook as I was struggling ... I dislike reading in Libby. I'm just used to Kindle. It wasn't even available in Kindle to buy on Amazon! I was surprised, I don't know that I've seen a book that has been digitized, but wasn't available in Kindle. I ended up grabbing a physical copy too, because right in chapter 1, there's a memory of Harry's mother saying "I've always liked riding horses and climbing trees and failing into ponds ..." FAILING? I did assume it was meant to be "falling" (and yes, it was that in print). I'll put the book in my Little Free Library after book club though, it's not one I need to keep.

This had a lot of the words I note ... deign, dais, stolid, scant, scowl, roil. No proFanity.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Very unique, and I was enjoying it while I was listening (went with the audiobook). After it finished, I reflected on it, a bit critically, and my enjoyment dropped some. Then, I picked up the kindle copy, and ended up re-reading the whole thing, making several highlights,  and appreciating it more. So I think I went from 3*, to 2* to 4* ... so 3.75 stars?

There was so much buzz, I think I was expecting more, an emotional impact (maybe I'm too hardened, if this didn't hit me). As the storyline introduced animal mutations as a, not "common" but also not as strange as one would think when reading the synopsis ... instead of being diagnosed with Cancer, you could be diagnosed with a Carcharodon carcharias mutation. Basically, you are going to turn from human, into a great white shark. And it's one of the faster mutations (some may take 20 years, but not this one). I thought there might be more of an examination of healthcare, of living/dying with a diagnosis ... even of abortion rights (when the mother's life would be in danger). More of a discussion of euthanasia, of deciding to die human rather than turning into an animal.  

Mostly 3rd person/past tense ... there were some "scenes" (in fact listed as scenes, written as a play), other portions when it shifted to present tense. POV was mostly Lewis/Wren for the first part, then Part 2 shifts to Angela (Wren's mother, shifting back in time) and then Wren again. Part 3 is Lewis again (in shark form).  So LOTS of jumping around ... in POV, in time, in style/presentation. A little too jumpy? 

I was left with questions ... why during the Lewis/Wren Part 1, Wren's mother's situation was never really brought up (on my re-read, I could see allusions to it, but not really something I picked up on the first go round). It seems like that would have been a discussion! Poor Wren ... she actually comes off as almost too perfect. From her early like, living in a low-income home, having to take care of things, yet still doing all that, excelling at school, at life, the book even says "Could one person really be that great at everything?" about her, and I had asked myself that too. While she did struggle at work once things got hard, she apparently had made enough money that she could quit and take care of her husband full time, and had no issues buying out the meat counter. It just seems like money, time, exhaustion and having this be the second time she's had to do this ... I guess I'm just not as good a person as she is. I don't know that I could do that and stay sane. 

Was Lewis's dad's name being George, and Angela's second love being named George a plan, or coincidence? I know in life, names will repeat, but that the author would purposely choose to repeat it? It confused me.  I wasn't sure about why some of the storyline were included ... Wren's earlier lesbian life (just the "next time you'll be ready"?) and even the TPW (Tiny Pregnant Woman) ... The "scenes" written (were they Lewis's play?) ... the one night stand (made me wonder if Joy was Lewis's, or from that?)

No chronological chapters ... Three parts, with chapters with headings within. Just glancing over the Table of Contents, you can see how it jumps around. There are the chronological months (June, July, August Scene: The Stage Manager, September, October) and between these, more "scenes" and Wren, Age Nine; Wren Age Eighteen ... the Epilogue has 17 little "chapters" .... this whole book had a ton of "little chapters" and interesting spacing. 

The narrators did a good job. It would be a little hard when the "Wren" narrator would voice Lewis talking, and it sounds SO different from Lewis talking with the "Lewis" narrator ... I would have really liked duet narration! There was one little spot where it was! The child voices (young Wren, young Joy) were very sweet and cute. 

 There was no proFanity - some sex, nothing super explicit, but grooming of a young girl which could be a trigger for some. Violence ... one little "the dog dies" moment. 

I liked this a lot. I'd heard so many rave reviews, and actually spent a credit, as it's an Audible exclusive. Not quite a 5* read for me though (not one I think I'll re-read, or absolutely recommend, have highlights saved). 

I do feel like I learned more about apartheid. It's a little overwhelming to realize that life can be so different (not a different day and age, just different location and circumstances). Some good thoughts on race and language ... although it was also a tad repetitive about it in parts. 

Told in 1st person, past tense ... the norm for most memoirs. The Table of Contents was informative: three parts, with numbered chapters with headings. Instead of staying chronological, it would jump around quite a bit from the present, to teen, to younger years, to adult ... It's always interesting to see how an autobiography is organized. 

"Being chosen is the greatest gift you can give to another human being."  -- quote about his father choosing to be in his life. I did stop and highlight that.

Quite a bit of proFanity (x29). Some talk of sex and rape/domestic violence as well as general violence. 

I know this author has a ton of books out ... I think this is my second. This was just okay for me. I finished Columbine a few months ago, and I guess this novel and the characters/twists just came off as unrealistic, unlikeable, to me. I think I'll remember the story somewhat, but I never got pulled in. There was so much jumping around in time (which happened in the Columbine book too). Just looking at the TOC ... Chapter 1: March 6, 2007  Chapter 2: Seventeen Years Before  Chapter 3: Hours Before Chapter 4: Twelve Years Before Chapter 5: The Day After ... and so on. Part One, Part Two shifts to "after" and one "the day of" (as well as some memories of the day of).

The start hits the "nineteen minutes" hard ... but then it doesn't come into play again until the trial. So that felt a little disjointed to me. So many characters we're following (Alex, Lacey, Peter, Josie, Patrick, Jordan ++), again, just jumping around so much.  There are discussion questions at the end of the Kindle copy (I listened to audio, but had the Kindle copy as well) ... you would think this would just scream "book club" ... but I really didn't have any sections that I highlighted, any profound quotations, or even any desire to discuss the book.  Other reviewers mention the emotional impact ... I don't know if I've read so much that I'm a bit hardened to it all, but this didn't hit me emotionally at all. I had trouble connecting with any of the characters, or really caring about them. 

The twist ... that didn't seem at all believable to me.  The defense ... did a bit, but still not enough to justify, even with a small peek into Peter's mind (just a tiny one, as we don't really delve deep afterward).  I do despise bullying too though. I don't know if I was lucky, or oblivious, but I just don't remember much bullying in my school years. I don't think my kids really saw much either (at least that I was aware of (and one of my kids COULD have been a victim, had some other struggles, but again, luckily seemed to have good kids around him, although we did end up doing high school online).

I think I have more negative than positive feelings about this ... perhaps because of expectations (the author being so well known, hearing rave reviews, finding the book Columbine to be compelling - maybe I just don't judge it as harshly, being non-fiction). 

Just okay for me. Starts off a little "Mission Impossible" with high tech and high stakes. Turns into a "save the scientist(s)" then we get to the "portals" and "other Earths" and aliens? Super sci-fi.

Actually, one of the most interesting parts was a discussion of addiction - talking about social media and cell phones and the like. It was really interesting ... nothing I haven't heard before, but a good addition to a novel like this ([book:Wellness|65650229] also discussed the "addiction" of Facebook and how it's algorithms TRY to increase that addiction).

This reminded me a little of "A Door Into Time" by Shawn Inmon ... and unfortunately, that isn't a good thing, as disliked that book. I think some of the negativity of the association rolled over here. They really aren't even alike, but something about the dialog, tone and presentation. It too had a portal (but it was to an earlier Earth/primitive). It was Kragdon-ah, here it was Corian. Both start with the "k" sound/three syllables ...  and that's enough to make a connection to me ;) 

This was free for me, included in Prime Reading ... I was able to borrow the Kindle copy and the audio included in the program. It is an Audible exclusive.  

There were nine scowls (a word my son dislikes).  None of the other words I watch for.  No proFanity. Some sex, not explicit.

This was a book club read ... just okay for me. I listened to the audio and put off my review, thinking I'd re-read in prep for discussion ... but I don't know that I really want to spend that much more time with it. We'll see how the book club goes (still a couple weeks away). sometimes that can help me appreciate a book more.

The whole book just felt a little disjointed ... the title didn't really come into play much. Most of it is 3rd person/past tense, jumping around in time a little. Instead of distinct dates, it was "45 days until closing ..."  "6 days until close ..." "4 days after stopping the sale ..." and I guess those work, but the prologue didn't have anything listed, so I didn't know "when" it was (although you can end up figuring it out). The chapter headers were not listed on the table of contents ... I guess in some small way, they could sort of be seen as a spoiler?  These chapters (3rd person/past tense) would shift focus between a few characters ... pretty much Thom, Bree and Laney. Ironically as Irma was a main character, I can't recall really being in her head. There was Elliot (but not in the chapters, he was in the in-between)...

Before the chapters start up, there is a Forward and a Prologue ... then inserted between chapters there as some "Book Hater's Book Club Newsletter" text, and a "Commercial Break"  (1st person). Supposed to be cute and clever, but it rather rubbed me the wrong way.  I don't like it when people I don't know call me "darling" and beyond that, it was just over the top. Talking TO the reader (both the newsletter and the breaks). 

Just some generalized thoughts ... I really didn't like Irma. Why couldn't she just be truthful and tell everyone what the situation was?  I felt really sorry for Bree, who (adopted) thought she was a little more family than she was treated (left out of the loop, let's bring in Laney, the "real" daughter even though Bree has worked at the bookstore every day while Laney has moved away). 

There are some Author's Notes (not listed that way in the TOC, they are the "One Last Thing ..." where she gives a little background and tells where she got the titles of the books that were recommended in the Newsletter. In a small way, the "title dropping" reminded me of the book The Reading List (which I liked a lot more than this one). Titles mentioned were: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, The Cape Ann by Faith Sullivan, The Friend by Sigrid Nunez, Crossing the Line by Kareem Rosser, The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman, Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, Healing After Loss by Martha Whitmore Hickman, The Awakened Woman by Dr. Tererai Trent. A Man Called Ove and Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrick Backman were also mentioned (love both of those).

Clean - no proFanity, slightest mentions of sex, gay characters (lovable Thom and Elliot)

This was good ... definitely one I'd only recommend to certain people; plenty of proFanity (x128) and sex, trigger for suicide, death and some other issues. I went with the audio edition, full cast, not listed as graphic audio, but it was. I loved The Illuminae Files (sci-fi) and this was slightly similar in presentation, with journal entries, emails, texts, voicemails and transcripts. The text copy wasn't quite as unique as Illuminae (you HAVE to check out the print copy too, even though the audio is awesome) some phone screen shots, different text for the various formats). I'd absolutely recommend the audio for this book.  12 different narrators. I wish they did a "credit" section at the end ... Michael Crouch - voiced _______. Sometimes I don't know who was who. North Woods had a credit section for their narrators and it was much appreciated! "Hi I'm Audio Recorder" must have been one of the women (as there are 12 characters, 12 narrators ... but there are actually more than 12 voices, "Audio Recorder" being one of them).

One thing about this book ... THERE ARE NO CHAPTERS! I actually didn't really notice in the audio, I just kept listening. I always try to grab the Kindle copy as well though, and opening up as I finished up ... no chapters! I guess I'm glad I didn't need to check the kindle copy during my listen, I'm not sure how I would have found my spot between formats.  Anyone who "I'll just finish up this chapter" would have an issue with this book *Ü* There are little "headers" as the "journals" or other presentations are given (AdminMark, Karen_Ortiz, LIsa, VaughnR, IamTheo, TylerW1998, Sunny Shanelle, Username:Zeke, PeterWilliamRouth).

It's all about suicide. There's an introduction, setting this up like a real world situation, saying this text file (the journal entries, texts, emails, etc ... basically this book) was uploaded to the web. It was then taken down by the Utah State Attorney General (connection note, I live in Utah, my MIL used to work for the AG). It says "this volume is not intended to condone or condemn the actions described herein, but rather to encourage debate and discussion in the public sphere."  It would be interesting if suicide wasn't so taboo ... in subject or life.  Here, there are several people (almost a dozen) who, for various reasons, are ready to end their lives. 

... as much for me as for anything else ...
Mark: late 20s, failed author, he sets up this trip
Dylan: Mark's friend ... just the driver (not participating)
Karen: young woman with chronic pain
Tyler: young man, coder, suffering from Eisenmenger syndrome
Lisa: bi-polar, party-loving new-hippie, dysfunctional relationship with father/step-mother
Shanelle: young woman, black, over-weight and fat-shamed/bullied in school
Vaughn: the only older individual (66 years), wife recently died
Zeke: an addict, traveling with his cat/Sailor (also terminal)
Theo: fellow writer/poet, non-binary and bullied because of it
Peter: intellectual, rational, clinical nihilist
Jim and Theresa: young mixed race couple, "Romeo and Juliet" family set-up 

At the end, not included in the audio, were some discussion questions/reading group guides ... I found these to be thought provoking. Glad they were included and that I had the Kindle copy to see them.  

I liked this well enough, felt like I learned quite a bit about a time I didn't know about (even with so many familiar names) ... there were just TWO stories here, and I'm not really sure why they were combined into one book. The two top reviews (I don't always read reviews before I write my own, but I did with this book) say what needs to be said. I'm not alone in the "why were there two stories" thought.

There is an author's note at the beginning, which does clearly state this is the story of "two men, both handsome, both blue-eyed and both unusually adept at their chosen skills."  Yet just because there were two stories to be told, doesn't mean they should have been combined into one book, when there really wasn't much (any) cross-over or connection. 

Both stories were interesting ... I'm not sure if I "liked" one more than the other. The history of the fair was more "enjoyable" I guess, even though there were some bad things happening there. Nothing similar to the evil/murder that the Holmes story took us on. 

While this is categorized as non-fiction, it's also called "narrative non-fiction" as it is told more like a fiction story than what is known from absolute facts. Still, the author does give a discussion about his notes and sources and process, citing all quoted or controversial material and how he came up with what he did. 

SO many recognizable names - this is interesting in that sometimes while I've heard of people or events, I don't have a solid timeline in my head. Here at least, it was nice to have that woven together ... I likely will remember some things more than if I'd done a basic historical study.  That being said, while I was listening to the audiobook, narrated well by Scott Brick, I would sometimes find my mind wandering a bit (probably a bit more with the fair side than the psychotic doctor sections). 

No proFanity, no sex that I recall, but some gory and super sad stuff.
All 3rd person, past tense. Four "parts" with chronological chapters, with headings, descriptive, but not enough that as I glance over them afterward, they bring back memories of what was in the chapter. A little prologue and some little "after chapters" too.