Cynthia
Wow! How far would you go to get revenge?? Even though I figured out part of what was going on, there was plenty I didn't. The story was a page turner and held my interest, but yes, the emails to Mia drove me into a fit at times, but so clever. Though I liked the story, the ending was abrupt, loose ends, and very unrealistic!
Reading The Women, by Kristin Hannah, sparked a curiosity in me to learn more about the Vietnam War. I was just a child when it occurred and never learned about it in school. The World Played Chess was recommended and it was definitely enlightening. The author was so creative in how he told the story through the lens of 3 young men living through 3 different eras. I've always known what an atrocity the war was but reading about it through the eyes of those who experienced it was eye-opening & jaw-dropping.
I love how Kristin Hannah weaves a story in with her historical fiction plotlines. Frankie was so young and naive with her privileged background, it's a wonder she survived the whole thing. I enjoyed learning a bit about what went on during the Vietnam War, and it has made me curious to learn more. Now I am sad that I have to wait for Hannah to write and publish her next book.
Grief, and dealing with the death of a loved one is different for everyone. Anna Quindlen was able to touch on that in this in a realistic way through her story of great love for a mom, wife, and best friend. To me, her portrayol of an alcoholic/addict was also spoton. My 3 rating is simply for being a solid story, nothing exciting, no twists, no surprises, just life going on after a loved one dies. Her best book for me is still Black and Blue.
I love when an author can weave magic into a story and make it believable, and that's what Alice Hoffman did. It did throw me for a loop at first, I wasn't expecting it, but it was a beautiful story. If you like magic mixed in with realistic fiction, try Sarah Addison Allen-her stories are wonderful!
“Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on...even when it seems impossible.”
I found it interesting for the story to be narrated by Finn, the daughter who perished in the accident, with her being the witness to everyone's truth and watching them move through their grief. Hard not to think of Jared while reading this story, wondering how he would have narrated his death and the aftermath. Don't worry though, I didn't dwell on that, nor will I.
I suppose if you've never read a psychological thriller you would like this story. It is fast paced, lots of twists-lack of honesty and miscommunication, along with stupid stupid people, causes lots of problems. The ending was unexpected, but to believe this character could get away with all that she did is pretty far-fetched.
What a complicated, yet suspenseful story! I had to go back and reread multiple times to understand what had just happened. What a parent wouldn't do for their child, or to do what is right in spite of being a parent to a child... Lots of twists I didn't see coming, as well as “loose ends” being a bit too quickly tied up. A good page-turner! My 3 rating is for me getting so confused as to what was happening at times.
