Read in October

 

I had a great month. Lots of good books. All are 4 and 5 stars. How about you? 

Weekly reading!

 

Read/reviewed/blog tour

1: THESE SILENT WOODS by Kimi Cunningham Grant

reviewed 10/25

2: THE HIDDEN CHILD by Louise Fein

reviewed 10/28

3: THE SECOND MARRIAGE by Jess Ryder

Review will be posted 11/7(doing a blog tour)

Reading next

1:EVERYTHING WE DIDN'T SAY by Nicole Baart

review will be 11/4

2: MY WIFE IS MISSING by D.J. Palmer

review will be 11/7

3: DO I KNOW YOU by Sarah Strohmeyer

review will be 11/10

THE HIDDEN CHILD by Louise Fein

 

“The Hidden Child is a heart-wrenching depiction of a golden couple in the 1920s…. Shocking, emotive, and compelling, but ultimately a story of hope. I loved it.” -- Deborah Carr, USA Today bestselling author of The Poppy Field 

In this new historical novel by the author of Daughter of the Reich, Londoners Eleanor and Edward Hamilton have it all. But the 1929 financial crash is looming, and they’re harboring a shameful secret. How far are they willing to go to protect their charmed life? 

Eleanor Hamilton is happily married and mother to a charming four-year-old girl, Mabel. Her husband, Edward, is a leading light in the burgeoning Eugenics movement, which is designing the very ideas that will soon be embraced by Hitler.

But when their daughter develops debilitating epileptic seizures, their world fractures. Mabel’s shameful illness must be hidden or Edward’s life’s work and the family’s honor will be in jeopardy.

When Eleanor discovers Edward has been keeping secrets, she calls into question everything she believed about genetic inferiority, and her previous unshakeable faith in her husband disintegrates. Alarmed, distressed, and no longer able to bear the family’s burden, she takes matters into her own hands.

Inspired by her personal experience, author Louise Fein illuminates moral and ethical issues of an era shaped by xenophobia, prejudice, fear, and well-intentioned yet flawed science. Vividly rendered, deeply affecting, and impeccably researched, The Hidden Child is a sweeping story and a richly drawn portrait of a family torn apart by shame, deceit, and dangerous ideals.

MY THOUGHTS 

This is a very difficult book to read in parts. It's about things  that happened during the twenties and in parts used children as subjects. I hated that. Set in England. I hated reading about these things, but it was real. It should not be hidden. It should be talked about. Let's not do this again. I sometimes wonder if it is happening or if there are people who are doing these things still. Or that want too. I sure hope not.

When Eleanor and  her husband, Edward, met she was working for him. Eleanor was very much interested in Eugenics because of a tragedy that happened when she was younger. Her and Edward start seeing each other and end up married. They have a baby girl, Mabel. When Mabel is four years old she starts having seizures. She's diagnosed with epilepsy much to Edward's shame. He wants it hid because of the work he is trying to do. Because of the things he wants to do. Because to me he is a very selfish, self centered person. Eleanor loves her little girl and the diagnosis does not deter her in the least. She's also pregnant again. After several miscarriages she is trying hard to stay calm so she can have a healthy baby. 

Rose is Eleanor's young sister. She's totally different from Eleanor. She's a kind of free spirited young woman who wants to be a journalist. She's also met someone and is in love. She doesn't want to get married though. Just have a love affair and live her life. She loves her sister and her niece dearly and she loves her brother in law. Edward has helped Rose a lot. He's a rich man who is a war hero from the first world war.  Edward has many secrets though. 

While I didn't like Edward at all I do believe he loved his daughter. I think he's afraid of what will happen. He's afraid of what people will say. But that also makes him very selfish. His family should be the most important of all.   He does some things that are just not right and that makes him very unlikable. You should never hide your child. You should not be ashamed of that child. Even his secrets are partial lies when he finally shares that part with his wife. I just didn't much care for him. I was aggravated with Eleanor at a few points too. She didn't seem to care for her new born baby. But then again she was going through a lot and needed some help.   I did like her for the most part. I like most of the major characters.

There were between chapters where epilepsy tells their part. That was very interesting. A bit different but so informing too. Even though I hate that it exists I did enjoy reading these. They tell a lot. This author has a great imagination. 

This book is good. It's a lot to take in in parts but you will learn a lot too. The chapters that are from Eleanor are the best. The ones from Edward got a bit tedious at times. Make you a little upset with him. Different point of views are always good though.  The things that happened in this book will stick with you. Make you think. Possibly make you appreciate what you have. Even the rich at times have problems that money can't fix. Of course the money makes it easier I suppose.  I enjoyed reading this book. It had some things that I had not known about going on and learning is a big plus when i read. Well done.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LouiseFein, #WilliamMorrowandCustomHouse for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

4/5 stars and I do recommend this book. It's very good. Well written and held my interest. It made me have such deep emotions. 

THESE SILENT WOODS by Kimi Cunningham Grant

 

A father and daughter living in the remote Appalachian mountains must reckon with the ghosts of their past in Kimi Cunningham Grant's These Silent Woods, a mesmerizing novel of suspense.

No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world.

For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. And that's exactly the way Cooper wants it, because he's got a lot to hide. Finch has been raised on the books filling the cabin’s shelves and the beautiful but brutal code of life in the wilderness. But she’s starting to push back against the sheltered life Cooper has created for her—and he’s still haunted by the painful truth of what it took to get them there.

The only people who know they exist are a mysterious local hermit named Scotland, and Cooper's old friend, Jake, who visits each winter to bring them food and supplies. But this year, Jake doesn't show up, setting off an irreversible chain of events that reveals just how precarious their situation really is. Suddenly, the boundaries of their safe haven have blurred—and when a stranger wanders into their woods, Finch’s growing obsession with her could put them all in danger. After a shocking disappearance threatens to upend the only life Finch has ever known, Cooper is forced to decide whether to keep hiding—or finally face the sins of his past.

Vividly atmospheric and masterfully tense, These Silent Woods is a poignant story of survival, sacrifice, and how far a father will go when faced with losing it all.

MY THOUGHTS

This was such a good book. Very tender and heartwarming. I did not think it was at all a thriller. A bit of a tense in some parts book but not a thriller. It has some mystery to it but I would not even call it a mystery. It was just a very good general fiction book about a father and daughter. One that may stick with you. Touch your heart. Make you weep a bit.

THE THING ABOUT GRACE IS THAT YOU DON'T DESERVE IT. YOU CAN'T EVEN EARN IT. YOU CAN ONLY ACCEPT IT. OR NOT.

What this man, Cooper does to keep his daughter with him is truly living off the land. He will do anything for her. After losing her mother, who he loved with all his heart, he could not let anyone take Finch. He could not lose her too. She's just a baby and his whole life. He's suffered enough. From serving in the military to losing the love of his life he's had enough loss. He will not sit by and watch as they take away his baby girl. 

The cabin that Cooper and Finch live it belongs to his friend, Jake, who stops by once a year with supplies to last them through the winter. This is where Cooper moved to protect his daughter. To make sure she was taken care of and loved. Did he make a mistake? Should he have let them take her? Raise her? I don't think so at all. I think he was the best dad every. So does Finch. 

There are several characters in this story, Cooper and Finch of course. Jake the neighbor Scotland and then Jake's sister, Marie. There is a tragedy that makes things difficult for Cooper to stay. There are circumstances that are out of his control. Things happen sometimes and it can turn your world upside down. Make things that were good not so good. Then you find out who your true friend is. This is where you will truly love Scotland. Also where you will cry the hardest. I didn't shed one tear reading this book until the last three chapters. Then I fell apart. My heart ached for Cooper and Finch. And Scotland. 

This book has some beautiful scenery and is well written, though in parts I thought it may have been a bit to something. Not sure what the word is. The telling was a bit too  detailed. Like describing each step from the car to the front porch. That lost this book one star from me. But it's still so good. So worth it. There are a few parts that will make you laugh and maybe even hold your breath. You will fall in love with Cooper and Finch. You will root for them to be together. You will hate the "Judges". I did anyway.

Great book. Great story. Great location. All around solid four star read for me. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #KimiCunninghamGrant, #StMartin'sPressMinotaurbooks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

4/5 stars and a very high recommendation. Just have a few tissues around close.

Mailbox Monday!

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists!!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @ A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at Mailbox Monday.

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Here’s a shout out to the administrators:
Leslie @ Under My Apple Tree 
Serena @ Savvy Verse And Wit
Martha @ Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf 

Velvet @ vvb32reads

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                THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive. 

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Received

1: CAN'T LOOK AWAY by Carola Lovering

courtesy of St Martins via NetGalley

2: WHY SHE LEFT by Leah Mercer

courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley

3: THE PERFECT NEIGHBORHOOD by Liz Alterman

courtesy of Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley

   4: MY SWEET GIRL by Amanda Jayatissa

courtesy of Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley

5: MY WIFE IS MISSING by D. J. Palmer

courtesy of St Martins via NetGalley

It's Monday! What are you reading?

 

I hope you had a great reading week.

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOKDATE! 

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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Read/reviewed

LITANI by Jess Lourey

review 10/23 

Currently reading

THESE SILENT WOODS by   Kimi Cunningham Grant

review will be 10/26

My week  was so slow. I was sick, had a bad grocery delivery experience in the tune of over $100. Got that taken care of but ended up with no groceries. I was so livid. But there is always Kroger and going in. If only people in Alabama would mask up. Or get vaccinated. 

Will be reading this week

 
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