lilacsandliterature's reviews
319 reviews

Faye is a 30ish mother of two who wrestles with her past and the loss of her own mother when she was young. She was raised by older neighbors who were sweet and kind but always felt something was missing. One day she finds herself falling - literally - back in time and comes face to face with her mother and her younger self, only they don’t know who she is. 

Can you imagine traveling back in time to be with a loved one you lost too early? This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful all in one. I devoured it in just a few hours because I had to know what would happen with Faye and her mother. It explored so many topics about belief, love, and family. It was full of nostalgia and the desire of wanting to know our parents as people. 

Beautiful and unique. I highly recommend!

Roan Montgomery is a 15 year old champion horse rider, following in her father’s footsteps and hoping for Olympic stardorm. And while she is often interviewed and in the public eye showing a perfect life and a loving coach for a father, behind closed doors is an entirely different world. Roan has been abused by her father for almost as long as she can remember, and her mother is lost in her own world, drinking away the reality of the situation. ⁣⁣⁣
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This is hands down the most difficult book I’ve ever read on this topic. There is nothing left to the imagination about the abuse Roan suffers at the hands of her father. It’s set in the world of horse riding, which is something I didn’t know a thing about. I struggled with this book just as I did with My Dark Vanessa. I understand that the entire grooming process makes the abused question everything they know about right and wrong, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read.⁣⁣⁣
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This is a shocking book but the takeaway is this - this does happen more than anyone is aware of and while it’s shocking to us, for many people it’s a reality. It took me a while to read as the content was so difficult and I did not find any of the characters likeable at all. ⁣⁣⁣
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Thank you to Atria books for the advanced copy!

As a huge fan of true crime, I’ve heard of many cases but for some reason had never heard of Tony Costa, The Cape Cod “Casanova” or “Vampire.” This book was my first introduction to the serial killer, and now I’m scrambling to learn everything abut the case.

My two favorite genres are true crime and memoirs, and this book exceeded all expectations on both fronts. Told as a dual perspective between a young girl growing up on Cape Cod with a difficult mother and secrets of her own, but also following along with Tony, a young man newly married with many demons. I was enamored with this story from the very first pages and couldn’t put it down. It’s written so smartly, and keeps you engaged with every page as you clean motel rooms with Liza, jump in a truck with “Tony the handy man” to head to the dump, and dive deep into the life of a horrific serial killer.

If memoirs aren’t exactly your favorite genre but you devour true crime, you won’t be disappointed. The book tells of the graphic crimes of a seriously deranged man. This isn’t written for those who don’t want to know details, as every single one is described to the letter. There is also graphic sexual violence and drug use.

This will be a true crime novel I recommend to anyone interested in the subject. Informative but not written dry or like a text book in any capacity. I applaud both writers for diving deep into secrets and sharing so much with the audience.