Book Review: When the Stars Answer by Harper Ross

 

Rowan Winslow is a reporter for a prominent Boston paper. She's built her whole career on bringing the truth to light, and she does this no matter the outcome. When she uncovers a huge story, she gets fired from her job and quickly realizes that she has become too risky for any other editor to hire her. Unable to find work, Rowan goes back to Pinebridge, Vermont, where the editor of the weekly paper gives her another chance. In many instances, going back home might provide comfort, but Pinebridge is not a particularly happy place for Rowan.

Rowan and her sister, Piper, were abandoned by their mother as young children. Their father, a popular pediatrician, raised them on his own. When Rowan gets older, she and a boy named Liam fall in love. The two of them are together for many years, and both of them seem to be completely committed to the relationship. At least that's what Rowan believes until she finds out that Liam and Piper have been seeing each other behind her back. Going home means living in the same town where the now married Liam and Piper are now raising their son, Jacob. Piper is pregnant with a little girl, and even though the sisters do see one another, the relationship is very strained. Things get worse when Rowan begins to suspect the company Liam works for isn't operating entirely on the up and up.

On her birthday, Rowan goes outside to watch a meteor shower. She makes a wish, and when she's struck and injured by a meteor fragment, she realizes her wish—to hear when people lie—has come true. She's excited about this at first, but she soon realizes that this power can do more harm than good.

This was such an interesting premise, and I really liked the way Harper Ross told this story. This was a great read. This book is available on March 30, 2027.

Book Review: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

 

I picked this book up because I recently read another of Diane Chamberlain's novels and loved it. I liked The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes as well, although my experience with this book was interesting. I almost stopped reading because it felt like the pace of the story was lagging. I hate not finishing books, however, so I went to see what other readers thought of it. This book is five years old and has more than five thousand reviews. It was clear by what other readers said about it that I needed to continue reading.

This is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl who falls in love with a man several years older than she is. He's a student while she is a waitress at a diner in a college town. CeeCee is definitely young, and Tim, while he seems sincere, uses that to his advantage. Her mother died of cancer when she was twelve, and she grew up in different foster homes, not having known her father. She is eager to be important to this man, and he makes her feel special. He makes her feel valuable. He tells her the story of his sister, Andrea, who is on death row after she killed a photographer who raped her. He takes her to his home—which is a huge, stately mansion—and introduces her to Marty, his brother. It's obvious right away that Marty struggles mentally, probably from PTSD from his time in the military. I felt for the family right along with CeeCee, but as the story moved forward, and I learned about Tim's plan to get his sister released from prison, I wondered why CeeCee would play along.

And of course, she did, and this is the heart of Chamberlain's powerful novel. I am not interested in spoiling the plot of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. This book is one that each reader must experience for him or herself in my opinion. There is a lot to this story, and I'm very happy that I didn't stop reading it. My opinion of this intelligent but naïve girl changed as she aged and she was faced with difficult decisions. Chamberlain writes intriguing characters who are incredibly flawed and altogether human, and the relationships they share are very relatable and real. I do believe I will be thinking about this book for some time to come.

Book Review: The Intruder by Freida McFadden

 

There is a storm coming, and the cabin Casey is living in might not be sturdy enough to weather it. She's tucked inside when she sees a light shining from the small shed behind the cabin. There's no electricity out there, so someone is hiding in the shed. Even though everything is telling Casey she should just take care of herself, she can't ignore the thought that someone might need her help. What she discovers in the shed is quite a surprise indeed.

As with all Freida McFadden books, things never look exactly as they seem. There is a child hiding from the storm in Casey's shed, and once she has the girl out of the rain and into her cabin, she realizes it might not be just the storm the girl is hiding from. She's carrying a bloodstained backpack, and the hoodie she has on is also covered in blood. She looks malnourished, and when Casey offers her food, she gladly accepts. One might think Casey is being naïve—or maybe Casey has seen something like this before.

The Intruder is classic McFadden. It's twisty and surprising, and ultimately satisfying. If you haven't read any of this author's work, you're truly missing out. I always have high expectations for her books, and this one totally hit the mark.