Peasreads: Between You and Us

Between You and Us By Kendra Broekhuis

What a good read. Heartbreaking. But so beautiful. I always think I know what I will do when put into situations when it comes to my children. What a ride this book is!

Reading the author's take on this impossible choice was so interesting and heartbreaking. 

Book Description

When a grieving woman unexpectedly steps into a different version of her life, she must choose between the husband she loves and the daughter she lost in this brave, gripping novel.

“A beautiful story that will make you rethink all the moments you’ve wished for a different outcome.”—Johanna Rojas Vann, author of An American Immigrant

Two possible lives to live. One impossible choice to make.

When Leona Warlon heads across the city to meet her husband, David, for a rare dinner out, she hopes they can share a moment of relief after their year of loss. But Leona quickly realizes this is no ordinary date night. She hasn’t just stepped into an upscale ristorante; she’s stepped into a different version of her life. One in which her marriage is no longer tender, in which her days are pressured by her powerful in-laws, and in which her precious baby girl lived.

Now Leona must weigh the bitter and sweet of both trajectories, facing an unimaginable choice: Stay in a world where tragedy hasn’t struck but where the meaningful life she built with David is gone? Or return to a reality that’s filled with struggle and sorrow but also deep and enduring love?

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Penguin Random House I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- The God of the Woods Liz Moore

 

 The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

This is not my usual fantasy genre, but I saw it available in an audiobook and decided to give it a listen. Let me tell you. I listened to the audiobook and read the book. When I could not read, I would listen and vice versa. That's how sucked in I was. I had to know what happened next. 

There were a lot of moving parts along with timeline hopping. Different points of view. Each kept me guessing as to what truly occurred. I truly enjoyed the book, and it would make a great mini-series. 

Please note the trigger warnings below. I gave some examples, but this is not an exhaustive list of what happens. I also have a poor memory.

Trigger warnings:

Domestic abuse- neglect, once or twice, violence was described once(I skipped over that)

 Kidnapping- no details

Death of a child- description of what happens

Child abuse, neglect- Barbara's parents send her off to boarding school and really don't raise her. (No abuse at the school, no physical abuse mentioned. No sexual assault.)

Drug and alcohol abuse

Grief

Mental illness

Mentions of animal cruelty (living off the land and eating of animals), classism, and misogyny

Description:

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

Penguin Publishing Group

Release Date: July 2, 2024

Imprint: Riverhead Books

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Peasreads: The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith

This book is  300 pages of a binge-worthy ride. It's a fast read but with some great twists and an unexpected conclusion! It's a little Criminal Minds and a little Law and Order written from multiple points of view. This is a short review because I don't want to give anything away. I will list trigger warnings below, before the description that may contain spoilers. The ending isn't all roses and butterflies. It is unexpected. All I can say is that this is a psychological thriller that I would recommend if this is your genre! 

Trigger warnings:

Murder

Incest- not graphic, but spoken of

Grooming- obviously

Kidnapping

 Description

The phone starts vibrating in my hand. It's my father. He never calls. Pulse racing, I sit up in bed and answer. 'Caitlin,' he says. 'You need to come to the house. Right now. It's Olivia. She's back.'

On the night when Caitlin and Olivia's parents leave them to go to a dinner party both girls are full of excitement about finally being old enough to stay home alone.

What they don't see is the figure watching them through the open window. Who, after the girls have fallen asleep, will turn the handle of the unlocked back door.

When their parents return, they will find Olivia's bed empty. Their eldest daughter gone. Never to return. Until now.

But is the woman who claims to be Olivia all she seems? Is everything Caitlin said she saw that night the whole truth?

Their family have dreamed of this moment, but both sisters are keeping more than one secret. What price will they all pay if they end up believing the wrong daughter?

The absolutely gripping and page-turning new psychological thriller from bestselling author Dandy Smith, with a killer twist you won't see coming.

Available Editions

EDITION Ebook

ISBN 9781471414633

PAGES 300

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I received this book from NetGalley and Embla books for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”