What did I think? So much to really think about.A family torn apart in so many ways. Dinah the overbearing mother, Joe the never around assistance vice principle..twin boys who you would think are still toddlers the way Dinah caters to them but they are teeeeennnaggerrs. Not preemies anymore. geesh. Then there is Morgan who is a senior who has the weight on her shoulders of taking care of her brothers and helping with homework while mom runs her little cafe called The Den. All Morgan can think if is applying for a college far away. Who can blame her. Then she falls for her teacher Mr. Hill who is married and they start a... one sided affair. He was just using her but Morgan THOUGHT they actually had a relationship. She was the pursurer in this one but he could of said no and used his head. Morgan was obsessed and in her mind she thought he was also....not so.

TJ was still happily married and Rain his wife wanted a baby so badly that she would do anything even a fertility clinic , which was a pain in the arse for Tj so he decides to have an affair. Wow. Good reason right???

Well Morgan and Mr. Hill get caught and their worlds just are not so golden anymore on either side. The people they hurt and the people they destroyed. What bothered me the most was Morgan had no remorse for hurting Rain. Even after the talk..she was still in denial. I would of got a loudspeaker and screamed the truth in her ear. She still would been like....he loves me....ughh I really wanted to clunk her a few times.

Awesome written book that really makes you think about things and consequences of ones actions.

Maddie and Ellis and Hank were at a friends New Years Eve party where they became drunk and obnoxious which by the way, is an usual for Ellis & Hank. They got to discussing Ellis's father who once spotted supposedly the lochness monster and took pictures and submitted them. Most did not believe it was really the Lochness. He was ridiculed by Ellis at the party and his father found out. Kicked Him and his wife Maddie out and Ellis to try and win back the graces of his father by trying to get real pictures and film of the lochness himself with his best friend Hank and wife Maddie in tow. He felt guilty for not being able to join in the war to fight because he was supposedly color blind and Hank flat footed. To please his father and hopefully keep his allowance they set on an adventure to see the Lochness.And regain his fathers integrity back.

Trip was a disaster from day one. Ellis and Hank are so obnoxious it is hardd to stomach them and all they seem to do is get plastered anyway and Ellis and his pill popping...they wouldn't recognize the lochness if it was right in front to of them. Drunk off their a$$ 99% of the time. Would of had better luck locating big foot or an alien.

Maddie stayed behind and helped at the Inn/Bar and became close with the owner Angus and help Anna and Deborah.
I dont want to say to much because its a wonderful story , very well written by Sara Gruen. She never disappoints. Why she chose the lochness..I dont know but it was still a very engaging story.

The Virtues Of Oxygen
Susan Schoenberger

I could not put this book down. The friendship between Vivian and Holly was so touching and extraordinary. Funny how close they both were really never knew each others struggles until almost the very end.Holly was a widow raising two boys and trying to keep things afloat with house payments and struggling. Her mother had helped her keep her house and when the unthinkable happens her mother suffers a heart attack and never really recovers. Her siblings decide to place her in a nursing home where all her savings will be drained. Thats when the siblings find out she has been helping Holly all along. They were angry because they were having their own problems. And could of used some help also.
Vivian living in the iron lung was my hero. She fought her battles with her conditions from contracting polio at an early age. She fought every step of the way to make a livable life for herself but in the end she just could not do it anymore. What these two friends do for one another is what real friendship and loyalty and love is about. This a must read . I cried a few times.I will definitely be reading more of Susan Schoenberger's books.

I don't even know where to begin. Sheila was in a love triangle. With Nelson who seemed be a sleaze bag in my opinion. He was already hooked up with Anna Lisa. Sheila became infatuated with Nelson. They all seemed to work in the same building, but the Anna knew nothing of crazy Sheila. To bad she didn't , it may have saved her life. Nelson was becoming more interested in Anna as he was seing Sheila's Loopy side. Sheila was married to Paul Christos. Every night she would come home and tell her husband about this supposed love triangle going on at work asking his opinion why Nelson is rejecting "so so" She talked about this love triangle obsessively. You would think A light bulb would go off in Paul's head. Nope. Sometimes we don't want to see the real picture or are blinded by love. Sheila calculated and made a plan to kill lisa. after she was taken care of, she ha to get rid of Paul. Does a divorce pop into her head? no. Lets kill Paul too. She tried but failed and he lived to tell the truth . She made her husband go to a hotel every other weekend saying her brother was unstable and was coming to stay over for a few days and has no idea she is even married. And he bought this nonsense. Instead she playing house with Nelson in her own home. I don't want to say to much. This book was fascinating of how wacked this woman's mind worked. She ge caught on both murders and she represents herself (big mistake, big headache) listening to this narcissistic woman. I'm sure the judge needed a stiff one at the end of the day. Every day on both trials. I love that she gets what she deserves and I love what Phelps had to say to her. Your a killer and narcissistic . You claim to have found god.You better hope he has found you. Great suspense and I couldn't put this one down. I you like true crime this book is for you

Dear Thief
Samantha Harvey




I want to thank Net Galley for my copy. This book was beautifully written. I loved the words that just floated onto page after page. I have never heard of Samantha Harvey, but will definitely keep an eye out for future books by her.

The narrator not knowing if Nina was alive or dead did not really seem to be the goal of the letter. I think She was searching for closure for herself and writing that letter was away of doing that. She see,ed consumed with pent up anger...resentment with Nina but it was also Nicholas's fault as well.

As soon as her anger blew up like a balloon I was waiting for the big boom but the balloon just deflated air. But the main goal she was striving for was getting it off her chest. I definitely would recommend this book, its beautifully written but lacked a little bit of luster.

Everything I never Told You
Celeste NG



In the beginning I was so annoyed with the parents. But this book is so real and full of emotions from everyone and they are deep and raw. This author is amazing with her writing and characters even if this is a very sad book. Sometimes a parent tends to favor and pay special attention to one child and do not realize the damage they are causing till its to late. Marylyn wanted to live her dreams through Lydia , not caring if that's what Lydia wanted. We must never do that to our kids. Resentment takes place and my heart really burned bad for Lydia. Poor Hannah the youngest lived unnoticed under tables hearing bickering,life going on around her but not really being a part of it. I wanted to shake these parents, that's what a good book does. makes you feel. loved this book. it would be insulting to give it less than 5 stars.

The Girl On The Train
Paula Hawkins


What a roller coaster ride. I honestly had no clue who did it till the very end. I love that in a book. This was brilliantly written and again people. .no comparison with Gone Girl. Rachel took the train everyday and she came to see a couple in their yard she started fantasizing about how happy they were and then one day she sees something the wife has done. I secretly think she took train to spy on ex husband who lives in same row complex . She thinks they have this picture perfect marriage ( Scott & Megan) she becomes involved in their life after a tragedy and falsely lets Scott believe she is Megan's friend. This is where all leads to disaster. like a train collision of very own. Rachel was lonely and a drinker unhappy with life . Her husband had an affair and married Anna and they lived in her old home and had a child together. something she could not give Tom. 
I felt sorry for her she was lonely and was looking for an escape into someone else's life .
Anna I disliked from the beginning and still disliked her in the end. Scott and Anna would be perfect together. both narcissistic in every way. They are not connected in anyway but should of been.
I highly recommend this book for a good mystery . Every page kept me wanting to know more. I will definately read more of her future books to come. I was not dissatisfied.

The Sleeper
Emily Barr


I cannot believe I wasted so much time reading this book. Not only is it terribly thought out when it could of went a whole different direction but this book was incredibly unrealistic. Sadly it could of been better but I didn't write this wretched mess. The characters were just all odd.

The Woman UpStairs
Claire Messud




I really had to sit down and think about this book. Nora became endearing to me with all her quirkiness and odd ways. But I really got her,and understood heron many levels.She was a schoolteacher who had reached out to one of her pupils Reza who was being bullied by classmates. She also came close with his family.The Skandars. They became close enough fo Reza 's mom to ask Nora to go in half on an arts studio with her. Why she did this I still am not clear on because although Nora loved her art she had explained she really didnt have the time to indulge in her hobby. And they were both working on seperate projects. So what her agenda was...well we find out in the end. 
For the first time Nora felt part of a family,loved and cherished.They all enjoyed eachother's company Nora even babysat Reza for the family.Thats where I think the taking advantage of Nora came in. Sirena had left for Paris without a word to Nora...leaving Nora sad wondering what was going on. Pulling Reza out of school.Her family in her mind abandoned her.Then Nora took a trip to Paris and thats where the shock..betrayal...comes in and the anger for Nora.Cant say I blame her one bit. I cant wait to hear others reaction on this story.

Aquarium

David Vann

    Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an advance copy of this book. It was recommended by my good friend here on goodreads. Now this was very well written. Would I recommend this book?? I have been pondering this because it has some very difficult subject matter, a woman very mentally disturbed. I wasn't sure I was going to get through it because I feel pretty strong on some of things that were discussed in this book. Its not for everyone. Watching someone go through mental/physical abuse. Especially a child.

Caitlin loves the aquarium where she gets to see her favorite things..fish. I saw some really cool illustrations of fish and learned alot of interesting things about them. Caitlin is 12 years old instead of an after school program she goes through a dangerous section of neighborhood to get to her beloved fish. Where she befriends an older man....mot leading in that direction but just saying I had a deep hatred for her mother on so many levels.

But then Sheri never got to be a kid she had to take care of her sick mom growing up because dad couldn't handle it and ran off. I felt for her in that department and thats all. She could of turned her situation around to make it better for Caitlin. But she choose the feel sorry for me route. Her boyfriend should of intervened. 

I cant say much because I don't want to spoil things. Caitlin is a hero in my eyes because she survived and still stood her ground on her life choices. She didnt lose focus of her goals. Sheri...well Shere will always be Sheri.

Hausfrau
Jill Alexander Essbaum

     I want to thank Random House Publishing Group and Net Galley for letting me read a unproofed read of this very well written book. I was not so sure I liked Anna. It seems Anna suffered a certain addiction like some are addicted to drugs,alcohol, shopping. Anna was addicted to feeling wanted.If it wasn't her husband it was someone else....too bad she wasn't so focused on her children the way she was with men. She had many secrets, sadness and I felt for her. Mary was probably her first female friend. She took a german class where she met Mary and Archie whom she had an affair with. She was always seeking male attention. It was sad, her husband was busy with his job and her one night with a man led to a terrible tragedy that she wasn't there for at home. Guilt drained her and as it should of.

This book was wonderful into the exploration of human mind and of how far one will go to get there needs met.
Thank you Random House for allowing me to read this fascinating but sad book.