Who We Are Now A Novel by Lauryn Chamberlain

 Book Excerpt:

"Four friends. Fifteen years. Who We Are Now is a story of Sliding Doors moments, those seemingly small choices of early adulthood that determine the course of our lives.

 
It is 2006, and Rachel, Clarissa, Dev, and Nate are best friends, seniors on the eve of their college graduation. Their whole lives are before them, at once full of promise and anxiety. Bound to one another as they are, they imagine their closeness will last forever—but things change as they take their first steps away from one another and into adulthood.
 
Each year is told from one character’s point of view, and in that way, we stride swiftly through their lives. These four friends feel their twenties and thirties flying by, and suddenly small moments fast become regrets or unexpected boons, decisions they’ll spend years wishing they could undo, and choices that come to define them. As the foursome endure professional setbacks, deep loss, and creative success, fortunes shift and friendships strain—and it will take a tragic turn of events to bring them together again. 
 
Who We Are Now is a poignant story of epic friendship that jumps boldly through the years, moving at the same unforgiving pace as does that precious, confusing time between college and real life. This novel is perfect for readers who adore tales of friendship, explorations of the second coming of age moment that arrives in our thirties, and fans of Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings or Dolly Alderton’s Ghosts."

Title: Who We Are Now
Author: Lauryn Chamberlain
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Who We Are Now" by Lauryn Chamberlain" by Lauryn Chamberlain

My Sentiments:

'Who We Are Now' was an excellent novel about four college friends from Chicago and New York who were graduating from college and going into the world over around 15 years up through their 30s. It will be a twisted road as the reader will see how they drift apart at times but can become closer toward the end of the story. After all, is said and done, this author gives the reader quite a realistic dramatic, love, resilience, addiction, death, sickness, career choices, and heartbreaking friendship story. The main characters [Rachel, Dev, Nate, and Clarissa] were well-developed, with some more complex than the others with their different POVs that we receive from the alternating chapters. In the end, the reader will get an excellent story of friendship through the years with plenty of up-and-down times on this roller-coaster ride as we see the characters grow up and change as life continues.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for the beautiful story of the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Silent Cry Case: An Jasmine Davis Legal Thriller (Jasmine Davis Legal Thriller Series Book 3) Kindle Edition by Ellis Keler

Book Except:

"Attorney Jasmine Davis takes on a case of domestic violence, but there are a lot of dark secrets behind…

A close friend of her mother's seeks Jasmine's legal help to secure a divorce from her abusive husband. But when a man breaks into her home, she realizes this mission is more dangerous than she thought.

Unbeknownst to Jasmine, her mother hides a chilling secret, raising the stakes of their situation. She is in a race against time when a new adversary lurks in the shadows, determined to destroy their lives…

The Silent Cry Case is an exciting blood-pumping legal thriller written by Ellis Keler and published by Cobalt Fairy.

If you are an avid fan of strong characters, action-packed courtroom drama, and mind-blowing murder mystery, then you'll love Ellis' intriguing story."

Title:  The Silent Cry

Author:  Ellis Keler

Publisher:   Cobalt Fairy LLC 

Series:  Jasmine Davis Legal Thriller Book 3

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review: 

"The Silent Cry Case" by Ellis Keler

My Sentiments:  

'The Silent Cry Case' was a good legal thriller featuring Jasmine as she picks her mom, Margaret, up from the airport. We find that Jasmine is still having pain, so she has been using drugs for that situation, but is this really helping her? Then things start to pop because a burglar enters her apartment, and they have to hide in the panty. Thank goodness, Bob, Jasmine's boyfriend, who just happened to be a detective, was able to take care of that person and have him carted off to jail. The story will start taking off because Jasmine's mom knew this person who had broken into her apartment. Why did Jasmine get involved in all of this and was so determined to get this monster convicted? To get this whole story, you must pick up this good legal thriller and see how well this author gives the reader a good read. You will want to put it down at the end. At least in the extended epilogue, we see if Jasmine will be willing to go back home with her mother for a visit from her hometown.

Tangled in Justice: A Maya Jones Legal Thriller (Maya Jones legal thriller series Book 3) Kindle Edition by Freya Atwood

 Book Excerpt:

"Lawyer Maya Jones becomes entangled in a real-life thriller when her best friend, Olivia Hansley, is accused of murder.

The entire world, even Olivia herself is convinced that she’s guilty when her colleague, a famous influencer, is found dead from an overdose. But despite doubts, Maya steps up and takes on her friend's case because of one reason.

Olivia can't remember anything from that day. And as Maya begins to piece together fragmented memories, she uncovers a shocking truth that compels her to fight for justice and protect what she holds dear while time is running out…

Tangled in Justice is an exciting blood-pumping legal thriller, written by Freya Atwood and published by Cobalt Fairy.

If you are an avid fan of strong characters, action-packed courtroom drama, and mind-blowing murder mystery, then you'll love Freya's intriguing story."

Title:  Tangled in Justice

Author:  Freya Atwood

Publisher:  Cobalt Fairy LLC 

Series:  Maya Jones Legal Thriller Book 3

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Tangled in Justice" by Freya Atwood

My Sentiments:  

'Tangled In Justice' was quite a legal thriller where lawyer Maya Jones had her hand full with this case of helping her friend Olivia, who had been charged with the murder of her lover.  This is definitely one of those cases that will keep you turning the pages till the very end. Will Maya be able to handle all that is ahead with the case while she is also needed to be with her husband and baby daughter?   Each of the characters was well-developed which made the story seem so real.  Will Maya be able to solve this case?  To find out you will have to pick up this good read to see how well this author brings it all out to the reader.

Witness Stories by Jamel Brinkley

 Book Excerpt:

"A Must-Read: NPR, Los Angeles Times, Vulture, The Boston Globe, Shondaland, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Essence, Literary Hub

From National Book Award finalist Jamel Brinkley, Witness is an elegant, insistent narrative of actions taken and not taken.

What does it mean to take action? To bear Witness? What does it cost?

In these ten stories, each set in the changing landscapes of contemporary New York City, a range of characters—from children to grandmothers to ghosts—live through the responsibility of perceiving and the moral challenge of speaking up or taking action. Though they strive to connect, to remember, to stand up for, and to really see each other, they often fall short, and the structures they build around these ambitions and failures shape not only their futures but the legacies and prospects of their families and city.

In its portraits of families and friendships lost and found, the paradox of intimacy, the long shadow of grief, and the meaning of home, Witness enacts its own testimony. Here is a world where fortunes can be made and stolen in just a few generations, where strangers might sometimes show kindness. At the same time, those we trust—doctors, employers, siblings—too often turn away, where joy comes in snatches: flowers on a windowsill, dancing in the street, glimpsing your purpose, change on the horizon.

With prose as unendingly beautiful as it is artfully and seamlessly crafted, Jamel Brinkley offers nothing less than the full scope of life and death and change in the great, unending drama of the city.:

Title:  Witness Stories

Author:  Jamel Brinkley

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Four

Review:

"Witness Stories" by Jamel Brinkley

My Sentiments:  

These were quite a collection of various stories taking place in New York City of different ten challenges from 'mental illness, tragic, dementia, old age, gentrification, failed family relationships, family conflicts,  dead-end jobs, failed romances, and poverty,' all with different perspectives.    

This author gave the reader some brilliant stories; each collection of short stories will give one a lot to think of long after this literary read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar Straus & Giroux for the ARC for the read.

Pearl: God Uses Our Pain, Suffering, and Obedience to Heal Us in Our Darkest Hour Kindle Edition by Daniels, James V.

 Excerpt:

"God heals the brokenhearted.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and sorrows]. Psalms 147:3 (AMPC)

You are suffering, in pain, losing a loved one, or whatever you're going through. Your pain is unbearable. You need answers. I want to let you know that there is hope. Pearl is a real-life testimony of how God can take your pain away and heal you. You may think there is no way out, but there is light, and His name is Jesus! The Holy Spirit inspired me to write this book to share with the world. I was in a dark hole, but Jesus was my light. He sent His Word and healed me, Psalms 107:20. He is sending you that same Word today. Step out in faith. Jesus will heal and deliver you from the darkest time of your life."

Title: Pearl: God Usines Our Plan, Suffering, and Obedience to Heal Us In Our Darkest Hour
Author: James V. Daniel
Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing; 1st edition
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Pearl: God Uses Our Pain, Suffering, and Obedience to Heal Us in Our Darkest Hour" by James V. Daniels

My Sentiments:

'Pearl' was quite a story of how this author personally lost his wife. This experience showed many emotions during this healing process, with God being with him to the end of her journey. The story 'Pearl' is a read for anyone I recommend who has lost anyone. God is there for us as He will heal the brokenhearted.

'Pearl' was an excellent story that one will get a lot out of this short story. Thank you to the author, James V. Daniel, for sharing your story with us.

 

Play to Win A Novel by Jodie Slaughter

 Book Excerpt:

"Jodie Slaughter's latest rom-com, Play to Win, is a sizzling romance where a winning lottery ticket is meant to be a new start but becomes a second chance at love.

Miriam Butler's life is going nowhere in the slowest, most excruciating way possible. Stuck in the same barely-paying job she's had since she was sixteen and spending every night sleeping in the spare twin bed in her mother's house, her existence might be hilarious if it wasn't so bleak. One trip to her favorite corner store upends everything when she finds herself the winner of a Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot. Unfortunately, not even life-altering roses come without their painful thorns. She is in the form of an estranged husband with the right to claim his share of her money.

It's been eight years since Leo Vaughn has talked with his wife. When she calls out of the blue, practically begging him to return to Greenbelt, the last thing he expects her to tell him when he gets there is that she's come into a whole heap of money. She offers him a life-changing proposition of his own. Take a lump sum, finally, sign the divorce papers, and be done with her for good. Only forever without her is the last thing Leo wants. So he gives a proposition of his own. One that won't cost her nearly as many millions but will buy him the time to do the one thing he's been hungry to do since he left -- win her back."

Title: Play to Win
Author: Jodie Slaughter
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Play to Win" by Jodie Slaughter

My Sentiments:

"Play to Win" was an excellent second-chance romance featuring Miri and Leo. However, Leo had left her some 8 years ago... why was that? Did the money that Miri had won in the Lottery bring him back? Couldn't they have tried harder to work things out even though they were young? So, Leo returns...will they be able to work it all out after the money has been given out? The supporting characters, especially Mama Patrice and Leo's sister, Thea, were very well-developed.

To get the most out of this emotional read, you must pick it up to see how the author brings it out to the reader. Ultimately, the story will turn out well for both main characters.

Thanks again, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley, for the eARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

Forever Hold For Your Peace A Novel by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

 Book Excerpt:

"Father of the Bride meets Bride Wars in Forever Hold Your Peace, in which two ex-best friends find themselves shockingly entangled after more than two decades apart, for fans of Good Company.

When their newly engaged kids ask all four divorced parents to meet each other over brunch, everyone RSVPs yes--secretly hoping someone at the table will get to the bottom of the bottomless mimosas fast enough to say what they're all thinking: that this engagement, coming after a whirlwind romance between two people barely out of college, is too much too soon.

But at that brunch, it's not the impulsive couple's decisions that end up under the microscope, as it turns out June, mother of the bride, and Amy, mother of the groom, certainly do know each other--they're ex-best-friends who haven't spoken since their explosive falling out more than twenty-five years ago. Reeling from their unwanted reunion and eager to shift the spotlight off their past as decades-old secrets and rivalries come to light, the two moms battle it out for the prize of Most Enthusiastic About This Wedding.

But when their history—and their present-day shenanigans—threaten to crack the foundations of the happy couple's future, June and Amy find themselves becoming unexpected allies in an all-hands-on-deck effort to get their kids (and themselves) a happily-ever-after two generations in the making.

Forever Hold Your Peace is perfect for readers who love messy, complicated family novels like All Adults Here and stories that bring the past and present together, like One Italian Summer."

Title: Forever Hold Your Peace
Author: Liz Fenton & Lis Steinke
Publisher: Aclove Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Forever Hold Your Peace" by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

My Sentiments:

"Forever Hold Your Peace" was quite an exciting story love story of this could who meets and fall in love during a vacation in Positano, Italy. After six weeks, they became engaged, and everything was going fine, but the parents of both Loivia and Zack were divorced, and this is where the problems began. Some history could have been better and still presented problems. How will this love story turn out for these two? With there being so many twists, secrets, family drama, and turns in the sweet love story, you, the reader, will have to pick up this novel to see what happens when the wedding is put on the whole, the couple breaks up, and what will happen next in this multi-generational contemporary story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.