Bern's Bookcase: The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

4 Haunting Stars for The Broken Girls 

The Broken Girls is part paranormal story, part mystery and I enjoyed how Simone St. James blended the two together. I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed the ghost aspect of the story.

The story unfolds via two separate storylines, set decades apart. At the center of each storyline stands Idlewild, a home for troubled girls. In 1950, a girl gets off a bus and goes missing. The only people who are convinced something is wrong are her roommates. Fellow troubled girls, Katie, CeCe and Roberta, know Sonia didn't just run away but no one cares enough to really investigate.

Years later in 2014, Idlewild is set to be reopened. Journalist, Fiona Sheridan is drawn to the land as it is where her older sister was found murdered 20 years before. She decides to write about the restoration for a local paper and uncovers so much more than she bargained for.

I was engrossed by the storyline and all its secrets. The mysteries of the deaths of these two girls with the added layer of a ghost haunting Idlewild kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed the 1950's storyline and found each of the girls' backstory interesting. Their bond was touching and I appreciated their friendship in light of all the hardship they suffered.

There were several plot twists here and some I definitely didn't see coming! The Broken Girls was a suspenseful and haunting read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Bern's Bookcase: Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance

 5 Extraordinary Magical Stars for Ruth Emmie Lang's Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance 

I LOVED this book so much more than I ever expected. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning because I couldn't bear to put the book down. Then I was genuinely disappointed when the final page was turned, to find that it was done. I will genuinely miss these characters and the whimsical, magical world contained within the pages of this extraordinary story. 

This is not my typical kind of read and I'm so grateful to have branched out and read it. Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance is a character driven story with characters that seep into your heart and burrow in - making a space for themselves for the longterm. 

"Weylyn is a mystery to me. A strange, intriguing, oddly charming mystery." 

The story centers around the extraordinary life of Weylyn Grey who was orphaned as a boy when his parents died in a blizzard. Weylyn was raised by wolves for some years. Having a strong connection to both nature and animals, the wolf pack becomes his family and the woods his home. Weylyn completely stole my heart! For someone who had endured such tragedy in his childhood he had such an amazing life. I don't want to give much away but I will say that I absolutely loved how he always ended up with people who needed him just as much as he needs them. Everyone he met, was touched in some way by having spent time with Weylyn. He is pure innocence & unspoiled goodness with a sprinkle of magic. 

"I feel like...before, I had one way of looking t things, and now, I have a million possibilities, and I get to choose." 

There were numerous characters in the story as it spanned almost 50 years of Wylen's life. Each section shared a special relationship/time in his life. Each was magical in its own way but my favorites were the relationships between Wylen and his foster sister, Lydia, and the relationship between Weylyn and Mary. They had such special bonds. Both of these women simply embraced Weylyn for who he was. They understood his restless need to roam and his desire to be both part of a family while also still being free. 

"Don't leave anything you can't come back to." I know I can come back here and I will be welcomed, and that brings me more comfort than anything else in this world." 

Bern's Bookcase: Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood

"The world was a terrifying and dangerous place, a world that could convince you to offer up your own child to the devil without even thinking twice." 

Rust & Stardust is based on the 1948 kidnapping of 11 yr. old Sally Horner by Frank LaSalle. This story was heartbreaking for me to read as my youngest daughter is 11 yrs. old. Even knowing that this was a work of fiction I couldn't read about Sally's years with her captor and not feel it emotionally. It gutted me, imagining what horrors this girl must have endured at the hands of this vile pedophile. 

In T. Greenwood's work of historical fiction we are given her imagined renderings of the years Sally spent on the road with her captor. The events were fictional dramatizations, the relationships constructions of her imagination - this is not true crime & it never claims to be. Honestly, as I was reading I wished the whole thing were fictional and that it had never happened to little Sally. This poor lonely girl walked into a Woolworth's to steal something on a dare/initiation from a group of girls she desperately wanted to accept her. Little did she know that there was an ex-con & pedophile watching her who saw his perfect opportunity. Sally was young, gullible and vulnerable. Frank was despicable and preyed on her innocence. 

This book is not an easy, light hearted read. Yet, Greenwood did add elements of hope to balance out the despair. I enjoyed the elements of hope and love she sprinkled into the book with the people that helped and came to love Sally along the way - Lena, Ruth & Sister Mary Katherine. I couldn't help but hope that the real Sally had some of that in her life during her ordeal. 

It was beyond frustrating to read how Frank LaSalle always seemed to keep a step ahead of the law. I kept asking myself, how can no one see there is something wrong between them? Why won't Sally say anything? Yet, this really happened and he truly did get away with it for 2 years. So as implausible as some of the scenarios might have seemed - reality is sometimes just as farfetched isn't it? The mental manipulation, threats and physical harm victims are forced to endure in essence make them too afraid to flee or ask for help. 

The book unfolds via various characters' point of views. We see first hand not only what Sally endures but also the devastation that her kidnapping causes her family. I found the book to be captivating and I spent quite a bit of time googling the real kidnapping so that I could relate what I was reading to what actually occurred. I'm not sure if that was a good or bad thing as it made the book seem all the more real. I was having trouble holding it together at various points while reading. 

While the book was heart wrenching and even disturbing at times it was also undeniably moving. I was wholeheartedly invested in Sally and wanted nothing more than to be able to save her myself. Even knowing the outcome, I couldn't put the book down. I had to finish it and see it through. 

One last note that I have to mention - that pin & red ribbon on the cover - it isn't just meant to be eye catching. Once you read the book, you will see it is a meaningful symbol. It broke my heart! I absolutely love the symbolism of the cover. This is definitely a book that will remain with me for a long time. 

Bern's Bookcase: Big Woods Book Review

Can you solve the mystery 

of the missing children in Big Woods?

It’s 1989 and ten year old Lucy disappears from small town Texas. The story is told in alternating POVs between Leah (big sister, age 14) and Sylvie a nurse who seems to know something about the missing children. 

The book starts off BIG with Lucy’s disappearance and an eerie line about “who will save the children”. Her disappearance is tinged with talk of satanic rituals and other bodies recovered in Big Woods. The police have no clues and search of the woods only turns up Lucy’s coin purse. The book quickly turns into more of a slow burn read as the weeks tick by. It kept me turning the pages because I needed to know what happened to Lucy and how Sylvie was connected to it all.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the connection between the two sisters. It was obvious that they had a powerfully strong bond. Leah refused to give up on finding Lucy, even when the adults around her seemed to accept that she was most likely dead and would never be found, including her parents. The sisters’ bond/connection was so strong that Leah was having visions/dreams that she felt certain were communications from Lucy trying to aid her in finding and saving her. The adults in her life worried about her visions but she carried on (getting into a few hair raising situations), filled with hope that she would uncover what happened to Lucy.

I connected with Leah's character the most. Her emotions, pain and struggle were well crafted. Sylvie was also a dynamic character for me. As her story unfolds and we see the twists & turns her life has taken her part in the story begins to make sense. I couldn’t help wanting to shout at someone to just listen to her! 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of how things simply tied up neatly at the end. There were so many different elements brought up in the book - satanic rituals & devil worshippers, black roses being delivered at the high school, the church communities in an uproar, psychics, corrupt law enforcement officials, etc and those things were simply swept to the wayside and never mentioned again. I enjoyed how Cobb tied in all these aspects which were relevant in the 80s but it felt unfinished to me. 

Overall, I definitely enjoyed Big Woods by May Cobb and in some ways it was a great read. Yet, in others is was a bit lacking for me. This is May Cobb’s debut and as such I can see lots of potential but I also feel like she might have tried to do too much at once here so there were parts that were left undeveloped in my opinion. It was a good read, just not one that I think will remain vividly with me over time.

Bern's Bookcase: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett Book Review

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett was a fun, sweet contemporary YA/NA read. 

Sometimes you just need a fun contemporary YA/NA (I say NA due to some sexual content) read to lighten things up. This book did just that for me. It was a perfect summer read - camping, hiking, stargazing and a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers plot between Zorie and Lennon. Throw in family strife stemming from secrets and parental infidelity and you have a story that was relatable and engrossing.

Bennett's characters were very human and flawed. I really enjoyed that Jenn Bennett focused on nontraditional families. Zorie's relationship with her stepmother Joy was wonderful. It was a relationship built on love, mutual respect and support. The scene where Joy reassures Zorie touched me. It was perfect.

  "I am raising my own kid. You are mine. I didn't need to give birth to you to love you, sweet thing." 

Admittedly, I'm kind of a sucker for a friends to lovers story. Especially when it involves the adorable boy/girl next door. What can I say - I'm a cheesy romantic at heart! Zorie & Lennon's love story was just that and it was adorable. Amidst all the teen angst, misunderstandings, secrets and camping mishaps you could just feel their chemistry. I was rooting for Lennon from page 20 when he first appeared in all his side swept spiky hair, anime loving, teen goth glory. He was so snarky, witty and sarcastic. Luckily, he was also good out in the wild which comes in handy when their so-called friends leave them stranded out in the wilderness without a car or a way of getting home after an argument. Zorie and Lennon's story was adorable to watch unfold. It wasn't surprising in the least - more like you know it's coming and you're simply looking forward to it finally happening.

"A map of us. It's years in the making, and it's messy and convoluted, some of it even tragic. But I wouldn't change the route, because we walked it together, even when we were apart. And the best part about it is that it's unfinished. Uncertainty isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it can even be filled with extraordinary potential." 

Zorie's dad - I have no words for him. He was despicable. Thankfully Zorie was surrounded by a strong support network with her stepmom Joy, her grandparents (Joy's parents), Lennon and Lennon's moms (yes moms - they were a lesbian couple!) and her friend Avani. Once again I have to mention how much I loved the strong family bonds presented, especially as they weren't related by blood but by choice.

Bern's Bookcase: You Were Made for This by Michelle Sacks Book Review

This was a dark, disturbing and dismal psychological thriller that's not for the faint of heart. 

I found You Were Made for This to be both enthralling and difficult to read. I don't think I have ever read a book where every character was so psychologically damaged, wretched and despicable. The story is told in 3 alternating point of views and there was no respite - not one of them had any redeeming qualities. Page after page, things went from bad to worse. The book was like a train wreck that I couldn't pull myself away from. I literally read pages with a feeling of revulsion in the pit of the stomach. Yet, I continued turning the pages. Drawn to the sadistic world these people had created for themselves.

There wasn't much backstory but I feel like that was deliberate. I don't think we are meant to fully understand why Merry, Sam and Frank are they way they are. Michelle Sacks drops hints here and there into the story and we know they were damaged in their childhoods but that's not the emphasis for this story. The story is deeply rooted in the tragic present. In the tangled web that is their current lives. There is almost a sadistic dependency on each other between Merry & Frank and Merry & Sam. So much hate intertwined with their dark need for each other. It's as if they fed off each other - for better or worse. Unfortunately, these relationships were nothing but destructive, taking the one good thing between them and ultimately destroying it.

 My momma heart could not bare to see how baby Connor was treated by these people. That poor innocent child did not stand a chance with these cruel sociopaths. The parts involving the baby left me feeling repulsed, angered and heartbroken.

The fact that Michelle Sachs was able to evoke so many emotions from me makes this an unforgettable read. I was pulled in from the onset and the story never let up. The last line - it will haunt me for a long time to come. 

Thank you to Michelle Sacks, Little Brown and Company, and Netgalley for the copy to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Bern's Bookcase: A Long Walk to Water Book Review

A Long Walk to Water 

is a poignant, touching story for all ages. 

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is technically a middle grade book but in my opinion it is a story that everyone would benefit from reading. It's a short, quick read told as two alternating stories - that of a young girl Nya living in the Sudan in 2008 and a young man Salva from 1985. Both of their stories are unequivocally compelling, emotional and inspirational. 

Nya must walk hours each day to a far away well to simply get water for her family. Salva's story told in turn, is simply heart-wrenching. His village is attacked and he is separated from his family in the turmoil and chaos that follows. Salva's journey is fraught with loss and tragedy but also unwavering hope and courage. It was unimaginable to me to think about the horrors children face when they are displaced from their homes, separated from their families and forced to live in refugee camps. Salva's sheer will to survive was inspirational. I don't know how I'd cope in such a situation but his determination was admirable.  

I loved how these 2 seemingly unconnected stories intertwined poignantly in the end. For a such a short, quick read this book certainly makes an enormous impact. It is difficult not to feel empathy for these characters as we are touched by their stories. This is one story that I highly recommend reading & discussing with the children in your life.

Bern's Bookcase: The Fifth to Die Book Review

WOW! 

The Fifth to Die by J.D. Barker left me in a tailspin! 

Where do I begin? There was A LOT going on here but it's important to note that you can NOT dive in if you haven't read Book 1 - The Fourth Monkey. These books are highly intertwined and the storyline flows through each of them. You definitely need the backstory from the first book, in order to fully appreciate this one.

In Fifth to Die Detective Porter is still obsessed with pursuing serial killer Anson Bishop, even when it means putting his career and possibly his life on the line. Porter's team is faced with a new case - missing girls. The first girl is found frozen in a lake, wearing another missing girls clothes. Can these missing girls be connected to 4MK?

Porter decides to continue chasing Bishop unbeknownst to the rest of his team. Porter essentially goes rogue and things get complicated - very complicated. Bishop has an intricate network of associates adding to the twists & turns. Everyone continues to be several steps behind him as they work to put the puzzle pieces together. I honestly enjoy how his mind works - he is a brilliant sociopath! 

Overall, this was a solid continuation to the 4MK storyline. It definitely leaves you wanting the conclusion but also fills in some essential gaps.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.D. Barker and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. The Fifth to Die will be officially released in US libraries and bookstores on July 10, 2018.