Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Aimee , a blushing bride ready to embark on a lifelong comminment with her fiance James but instead of walking down the aisle on her wedding day she is attending her fiance's funeral after he was lost at sea after a trip to Mexico. Aimee struggles coming to terms with her fiance's death after she questions everything she thought she knew about James.

This book was highly predictable but it made up with a unique storyline and it kept me engaged and intrguied.

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One Day in December

This book follows four strangers thru the course of one day.

I loved this book it gave me the feel of a good soap opera storyline. Lots of twists and turns. The writing was beautiful and characters were likeable. 4.5 stars

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If the creek Dont Rise

“I’m tired, Daddy. Wore out. Roy Tupkin don’t just beat me, he beats me down. Let me rest a spell. I don’t know if I can lift my head just yet.”

IF THE CREEK DON’T RISE by LEAH WEISS is well written novel that pulls at your heart strings and keeps your  attention from the very beginning.

Baines Creek is a town where town gossip is number one entertainment. until the day Kate Shaw, the out of town teacher that decides to start fresh in Baines creek. Kate made few friends upon arrival but also made an enemy(spiteful prudence perkins) . Kate immediately becomes engaged in the well beings of all  residents of Baine creek especially Sadie blue.

Sadie Blue , 17 years old , pregnant and married for 15 days to Roy tupkin. A good for nothing drunk who beats on Sadie any chance he gets.
Sadie Blue is a huge fan of Loretta Lynn and thru her music she finds strength to carry on even though she can not read . she loves to look at anything that features Loretta lynn.

Throughout the book we get several persepctibes of the storyline leading up to a dramatic ending.
This book I would highly recommended. Leigh Weiss is an author to watch out for .  I would glady read more from her. She lets the reader in on such a touchy subject without it being overbearing.

I got this book from Netgally for my honest feedback.

a Rafflecopter giveaway No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Open to legal residents of USA who are 18 years or older. Giveaway begins August 14th and ends at September 1st. Enter the Giveaway during the Promotion Period online by submitting the entry form. The entry form can be found on the following website at. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. 3 winner(s) will receive 1 finished copy of If the Creek Don’t Rise (approximate retail value or "ARV": $15.99US). By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to Sourcebooks. Sourcebooks does not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of this giveaway. (Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads) are in no way associated with this giveaway.

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Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Big Little Lies follows Madeline, Jane, and Celeste as their children start kindergarten together. They each have their own secrets and drama. Madeline, an outspoken mother who resents her ex-husband as their daughter gets close to his new wife. Jane, newcomer and insecure, an victim of rape which left her to raise her son alone. Celeste, a soft spoken and kind hearted married woman. Puts on a happy front while getting abused by her husband.

This book was a very engaging page turner. it had a great balance of darkness and humor. All the characters brought something interesting to the storyline.

4.5 to 5 Stars




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The Whole Thing Together

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While this book had a rough start and it was slow in parts, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the dysfunction and drama that it had.The cover caught my attention in the beginning but the storyline persuaded me to stay.

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Seeking Sarah

Seeking Sarah by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book follows Brookes complicated life after her father dies she finds out her mother is alive, not dead like her father had her believe.

This book had me intrigued by the storyline and the drama that lies cause.


*Got this book in exchange for my honest review*

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BOOKTUBEATHON 2017 TBR

Good morning! Today is day 1 of booktubeathon. Here is my tbr for this challenge https://youtu.be/9Frj8Wd13hs

Dont forget to follow me on  Instagram @relativelybooktastic

Thanks

Happy reading 

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The Epiphany Machine

The Epiphany Machine by David Burr Gerrard
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The epiphany Machine had an interesting storyline but once reading it I found myself not invested and was not a fan of the writing style of this particular book. The main character Venter was such a boring persona. I found myself wanting to DNF this book so many times due to the fact that the characters were meh.


*Received this book in exchange for my honest review*

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The Breakdown By B A Paris

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The breakdown was one of my most anticipated books of this year. B A París didn't disappoint.

This book had me guessing till the very end.

Blurb: Cass after driving home from a gathering with friends she decides to take a short cut thru the dark woods against her husband's wishes. She sees a car at the side of the road but too terrified to get it out goes home only to find out the person was later murdered.

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Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blurb:

Quincy is a final girl, along with Sam and Lisa, but what is a final girl? It’s a nickname the press dubbed the girls with this title because all three survived horrifying massacres spree killers.
Life is as normal as it can be for Quincy until the day she finds out Lisa is dead and Sam is at her doorstep wanting to meet.
My Take:
This book had me guessing until the very end. It was slow in some parts but overall I thought the plot and character were very intriguing.

*I received this arc for my honest opinion*
relativelybooktastic.blogspot.com

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Who is Rich

Who Is Rich? by Matthew Klam
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

You can see all my reviews @ relativelybooktastic.blogspot.com
2 stars
BLURB

Every year, Rich Fischer leaves his family behind to teach a class on cartooning at an annual week-long summer arts conference. Amy O’Donnell is a student in narrative painting, the mother of three, married to a brutish Wall Street titan who runs a multi-billion dollar private equity fund. Rich and Amy met at the conference a year ago, shared a moment of passion, bonding over the shock at how their lives had turned out, then spent the winter exchanging hot texts and emails. Now they’re back.
My Take

I almost DNF this book. It was very slow paced and the characters were not likable. This book didn't over all was a difficult one to get thru.


*I got this book in exchange for my honest feedback*

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Women Who Move Mountains

Women Who Move Mountains: Praying with Confidence, Boldness, and Grace by Sue Detweiler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a Great addition to Bible Study or life group
This book takes us on a journey through stories and she shows us, readers, what praying can do and how it can change our lives. It's not a chore but a blessing to have such connection with Christ.

I got this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Blood Sisters by Jane Corry

Blood Sisters by Jane Corry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book, a story of sibling rivalry. This book started out slow but as soon as it picked up it had me hooked and I did not want to put it down. A must read thriller that kept me guessing until the end.


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The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I feel like this book was a good balance of seriousness and comedy. There is a lot of sexual references in this book but that is Amy Schumer. This book was exactly how she is and as we all see comedian Amy Schumer I felt like in this book I got to know real life, Amy Schumer.

I couldve went without all the sexual content but that is who she is and all her comedy is about for the most part.



Trigger warning: She does go into detail of sexual abuse and domestic violence.

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Midnight at Bright Ideas Bookstore

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore follows Lydia, a bookseller who finds one of the store's customers has hung himself in the store. She then embarks on the mystery of why he did it and things start to unravel in her personal life as the customer had a picture of her as a child in his pocket.

This book I give 4.5 stars, it kept my attention and left me wanting to know more about the story. The characters were very unique and I loved their chemistry. I do wish there was more substance to the father -daughter relationship. But all in all a great book. I can't wait to read more from this author.

*Received this book in exchange for my honest feedback*

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If I Run

If I Run by Terri Blackstock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book follows Casey, a woman running from the cops because all evidence points to her.
This book was a little slow pace for me in the beginning but overall I liked the characters and the storyline.

* I got this book in exchange for honest feedback*

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Perfect Ten

Perfect Ten by L. Philips
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book hardly caught my attention. The characters were not very engaging and just didn't interest me in the slightest. That being said the plot was interesting and unique.

This story follows best friends Sam, Meg, and Landon and their love life after Sam casts a love spell to find the perfect guy.

I got this book for free in exchange for my honest feedback

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Behind Her Eyes- Review

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If I had known in the beginning this was more of a paranormal/Scifi book I would've probably skipped as I don't usually like that genre. That being said, I didn't hate the book but I felt it went too far into the paranormal that left me wanting more of a thriller impact.

I have to say kudos to the author for an original ending. Never seen that coming!

The three main characters Louise, David, and Adele are such a mess. All three characters have such flaws you really are second guessing who is the hero and who is the villain.



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LOLA

Lola by Melissa Scrivner Love
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I got this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book follows Lola, the undercover leader of the Crenshaw Six rival gang. From the outside, everyone except the members of Crenshaw Six believes Lola's Boyfriend Garcia is the leader.

This book had some very good depth to it. All the characters were well thought out. I would've liked to read a more in depth ending of what happens to the characters. All in all a very good book.

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Everything You Want Me To Be

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book got me hooked from the start. it had me feeling a whole lot of emotions. It takes the reader thru before and after the death of a bright teen from pine valley . a must read !

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Come Sundown by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was difficult to get into at first but once I got past the first chapter I was intrigued. the characters and the storyline were fantastic .

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Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud

Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Petersen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

-I received this book in exchange for my honest feedback-

This book is well written and gives an insight into why certain celebrities are perceived in a certain way. This collection of short stories is a must read for all. It just reminds me why we should not wear labels but always be inspired to be the best, be unique and be kind to everyone. I recommend this book to all.

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That Night

That Night by Chevy Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book was quite good. It follows Toni before and after the events of the night her sister Nicole was murdered. This storyline was really thought out and interesting.

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My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a little difficult to get into at first. It didn't catch my attention and to be honest Carla's character bugged me from the beginning to the end. That just makes the story more worthwhile reading.
We get to see the Perspective of Lily- a recently married lawyer who has to take on a heated case of a convict who is in prison for killing his girlfriend. Carla-nine year neighbor who finds herself in situations young in an age that leaves her the impression that she knows what she wants in life and how to get it.

This book is a dark thriller and it keeps your opinions fresh on top.

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Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this book as part of the #bookbuddyathon . This book follows clay, who receives a strange package with Cassette tapes from a classmate who committed suicide explaining​ why she ended her life.

I thought this book was very good. Being a survivor of sexual trauma, I was afraid of being triggered but I wasn't. This book keeps the reader engrossed in the dialogue and the characters were really thought out and engaging.

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Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story follows Libby Day, a then seven years who survived when her mother and two sisters were murdered and testified it was her fifteen-year-old brother Ben. This story follows the aftermath of that night as she tries to piece everything together to find out if Ben is the real killer or is someone still out there.

This book left me in suspense every turning of the page. The could not put this book down, it had me second guessing my own thoughts of who I thought did it. So meaning theories and scenarios leaves the reader engrossed. Gillian Flynn has become one of my favorite authors.

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Safe People

Safe People: How to Find Relationships That Are Good for You and Avoid Those That Aren't by Henry Cloud
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was eye-opening to me. I never understood why I shut people out. After reading this book, I understand why God created relationships and how important it is to be surrounded with safe people who encourage me and who follow gods guide, & who are loving and accepting. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has struggled with self -sufficiency and shutting people out.

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Innocent Victims: The True Story of the Eastburn Family Murders by Scott Whisnant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

* I received this book in exchange for my honest feedback*

Innocent Victims follows the true story of the Eastburn family murders. The Eastburn Family Murders were made famous for many reasons in my opinion.1) the alleged killer is a military man and the family was a military family. 2) The first case that was tried 3 times on one suspect.
This book left me with mixed emotions. I don't know if Tim Hennis did this as he didn't have a decent and fair trial. At that time labs were faking results so the prosecution could have more wins, as a result innocent people have died. I believe that if he did the crime he should be punished but if he didn't and the killer is still out there.

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Granny with Benefits by Marilyn Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*I got this book for free in exchange for my honest feedback*
Granny With Benefits follows Grace who afters the death of her grandmother goes thru her wardrobe and decides to play dress up not knowing what it may lead to. This book was a great read, it wasn't overdone with romance. The author has a way with making it just the right mix of romance and humor. I gave it 4 out 5 stars being that the ending left me wanting more. Would read more from this author in the future.

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The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life by Barnabas Piper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*I received this book from Bhbloggers in exchange for my honest feedback*

The Curious Christian gives the reader an idea how being curious is a great thing to be and how it may
Make your life more rich by being so.
The author makes you feel as if you are sitting with him drinking an espresso chit chatting about religion, family life, life in general with some clever quotes in between. Not to mention the cover is breathtaking and the writing has a personal feel to it.

No matter if you attend church, don’t believe or have stepped away from church for some time this book is for you.

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The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This short story by Gillian Flynn follows a young woman in her risky choices.

I gave this book 4.5 stars for originality, character depth, and awesome plotline.
This book while being short packs a suspenseful punch in such short number of pages. The characters are well thought out and the ending leaves you wanting a sequel, which for me as a reader is what I strive for.

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Hello, My Name Is: Discover Your True Identity by Matthew West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Matthew West is an award-winning Christian artist who enjoys writing music not only from the heart but from personal life experience or stories his fans send in. This book has so much potential and greatness. It is not only for all Christian readers but all readers in general. He goes thru the motions, you laugh, you cry, you believe, you feel inspired. I loved getting to know each tidbit, each backstory of not only the songs but his failures and triumphs in the name of god. I highly recommend this book to everyone from church goers to non-believers and everyone in between.

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I Love Spring Book Tag

Seeing how the weather here in Beautiful California 🌞 has been lovely.I thought what great way to celebrate Spring by doing a Spring book tag.

Most anticipated book release this spring?

One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline

 

Show us a book cover that reminds you of Spring:

This reminds me of spring and is currently on my tbr

Where are you going to read this Spring?

Somewhere peacefully quiet 

A cover with a sun on it:

Book currently on my TBR

Favourite Spring reads?

I like contemporaries and inspirational reads.

A book with many different colours on it:

I TAG EVERYONE

Thanks for reading

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Sam Capra's Last Chance by Jeff Abbott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This short takes place after Adrenaline in the Sam Capra series. Sam Capra's son has been kidnapped and he is on a mission to find him.

I thought this short wasn't necessary. I would of much rather read the next story in the series. I loved Adrenaline and I had higher expectations for this book. But, it won't discourage me to read more in this series.

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The Cutaway by Christina Kovac
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is a great mystery with interesting and well thought out characters. This book follows the disappearance of a young attorney in Washington DC from Virginia, a talented television producer. Virgina gets invested in the case of the missing lawyer and starts investigating the disappearance on her own. This book is well written and fascinating. I highly recommend.

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Every Pretty Thing

Every Pretty Thing by Chris Mooney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*I got this book in exchange for my review from netgalley*

This book follows Darber McCormick , a bad ass serial killer huntress. She is dedicated to her job and she is really good at. She receives a call from FBI Agent Jackson Cooper. He is on his way to Montana to meet a woman who is the only survivor of a serial killer that has been killing across the country for years and needs Darbers expertise.

This book is a dark thriller with many twists.

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Commonwealth

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book follows the lives of two families brought together after a kiss that started off the path of divorce. This author has a great way of telling the story in a way that makes you want to know more. I loved the plot concept and how well the characters were portrayed. That being said, The beginning was hard to get my literal motorboat going but once I got in the middle of the first chapter I found it to be a very pleasing storyline. Excited to see what other books this author has to offer.

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Saratoga Payback

Saratoga Payback by Stephen Dobyns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*I got this book in exchange for my review*

This is my first book from author Stephen Dobyns. The beginning started off a little slow for my taste but later on in the chapters it compensates. The plotline and characters were fantastic. I really enjoyed the storyline and chemistry between the characters. Look forward to reading more books by this author.

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The Imaginary

The Imaginary by J.J. Stone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Received this book in exchange for my review

This book is the 2nd book in the Imago trilogy.This book carried on where The mirror stage left. In this book, you get to know the characters a little more. This book was certainly a page turner and the length was on spot, not too short not and not extremely long. Very interested to see what future holds for this brilliant author.

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The Mirror Stage

The Mirror Stage by J.J. Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I got the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review. I have read many books in the thriller genre, The mirror stage is a great thriller book.The writing style, characters, and plot were fantastic. I recommend this book to all that enjoy a good thriller. This book is a very short read but the substance of the plot makes up for that.


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If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother

If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother by Julia Sweeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While browsing at the library this week I came across this book and decided to give it a try. This book is written by Veteran SNL comedian Julia Sweeney, many may know her from her alter personality Pat. This book had me laughing in some parts and gave me a lot of insight into her personal life.

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Review: Sunset Reads: Damian & Layla

Sunset Reads: Damian & Layla by D.C. Triana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

I thought this book plotline was great. The thriller to romance ratio is a great balance. The characters personalities shined thru the authors writing style made it seem so lifelike and real. I'm not a fan of the books with so much sexual content. I'm glad this book didn't overwhelm me with such content. although the parts that did have it the writer no problem in describing the scene. I recommend this to all thriller/romance book lovers.

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Review: The Girl with Two Names

The Girl with Two Names by Gerard O'Neill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.


This book caught me by surprise. The plotline and characters were impressive. The beginning of the book took awhile to get me intrigued. but after a few chapters, i couldn't put it down.

This story follows Yayoi, a young married woman stuck in the horrible marriage that becomes abusive. Yayoi decides its time to get out of this marriage. she leaves but like any abusive husband he wasn't gonna have it so he continues to try to pursue her. This book was a great read and kept me interested in finding what happens to Yokoi.

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Review: Raven Song

Raven Song by I.A. Ashcroft
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Raven Song is the first book in the Inoki 's game series. This book had a little bit of everything. I normally don't like fantasy books but I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would love to see what other books this author has written. This book has really great characters and an intriguing plotline.

This story is set in a post-apocalyptic timeline, about 100 years after a poisin destroyed the world . All survivors were under domes to have a higher chance of surviving. Jackson, a smuggler who is chased by ravens only he can see, meets Anna, a girl who wakes up 100 years in the future with special abilities.
Gave this book 4/5

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Review: A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

A walk to remember is a story based in the 1950s to 1960s. It follows the Jamie and Landon. Jamie the daughter of the conservative preacher and Landon comes from the popular clique and lives in the wealthy part of town.
I found myself comparing this book to the movie and not loving the movie as much as the book. The book gives it this humble, poetic type feeling that you can't get from the movie experience. This is my first Nicholas Sparks book to read and I am very happy with the writing style and story line. I recommend this book to anyone who likes anything from Nicholas sparks.

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Review: The Half Life of Molly Pierce

The Half Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A story about Molly Pierce, a teenage girl that is confused as her time is lost because she is missing gaps in her memories that lead her to discover hidden secrets into her life. I liked this book, it was a short read but it had great detail and let me experience the frustration she was feeling.

I give it 4.5 stars for length, wish it was a tad longer.

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Review: By Their Father's Hand: The True Story of the Wesson Family Massacre

By Their Father's Hand: The True Story of the Wesson Family Massacre by Monte Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The true story of a tragic massacre that happened in my hometown of Fresno, Ca. The written style was not my favorite part of the book but it does pack on the emotional punches. This book I had to read in parts as it triggered areas of my life that were unfortunate. But saying that I am glad that I was able to get thru the book. This book shows you what a taboo life we live in where no one said anything and everyone ignored what was behind closed doors.

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Welcome to RelativelyBooktastic

Welcome to RelativelyBooktastic! My name is Kandi (@Relativelybooktastic). Thank you for visiting my blog where I focus on all things bookish. You can expect reviews, hauls, little tidbits, tags and so forth. I have included 10 random facts about me.  I look forward to getting to know everyone.

          1. I am 32 years old and have been married currently for 6 years.
          2. My all time favorite movie is Dirty Dancing.
          3. My favorite genre is contemporary, mystery thriller. but to be honest I can read anything.
          4. I love a book where you have to finish that moment because you can't wait.
          5. My favorite dessert is cake.
          6. My favorite book as a child was either choose your own story or Where the Sidewalk Ends.
          7. I love finding books from new and upcoming authors.
          8. I am an aspiring writer. I currently write about my personal struggles with CPTSD
          9. I am the oldest in my family.
         10 I am socially challenged but am sociable to an extent.






Happy Reading!


Kandi @myaddiction2books
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