Wife and Husband Differ on "I Let You Go" by Clare Mackintosh

Karen's review 5/29/30:
I Let You Go by Clare Macintosh really annoyed me.  I started it but after Part I, took a long break from it because it made no sense to me.  It turned out to be a good story in the end, but it was very confusing along the way due to the strange writing style.  It is about solving the mystery of a hit-and-run driver who killed a little boy and domestic violence.  The fact it is an International Bestseller made me expect great things but I was disappointed.

This is not a book I looked forward to getting back to; however, I did plow my through it after breaking away from it three times to read other things.  The characters were not very likeable and even Jenny, the main character, was mostly annoying because she was so stupid.  This is written in first person but was very hard to follow because it was gold from several different views and was hard sometimes to know who was doing the talking.  Most books have the name of the individual who is talking at the beginning of the chapter so the reader knows right away; unfortunately, that is not the case with this one.  I found myself having to go back and re-read things several times to figure out who was saying what.  I guess the author did that on purpose just to confuse the reader, but I did not appreciate it.

Another thing that was annoying to me was how it jumped from the present to the past and back all through the book.  I know I am in the minority on this, but it just did not appeal to me at all due to the writing style and the characters.  The only character I really liked was Patrick, the vet.  Ian was plain horrible and did not like him at all, especially when he hit his wife on their wedding day, killed her cat on purpose and kicked the dog across the room.  This book did make me angry!  Even the detectives weren't very likeable for me.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more positive, but this is not one I liked much at all.
(1 star)

Gerard Liked it:
I Let You Go by Clare Macintosh is about a young boy who was with his mom, but ran ahead to get home first. He is killed when a car hits him and keeps on going! The cops look for a clue to find who could have done that. In the meantime, the boy’s mother is desperate to leave the accident scene behind and heads for a remote cottage where she hopes no one will know her.

This story is told in two parts: the first sets the scene and the second really gets into the action. It kept my interest. The second part is very good and I was anxious to see how everything would turn out. The unexpected twist at the end sealed the deal for me! This is well worth reading and goes on sale May 3, 2016.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
(Gerard's review 4/27/16, 5 stars)

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"Elle & Coach--Diabetes, the Fight for My Daughter's Life, and the Dog Who Changed Everything" by Stefany Shaheen

It's time for another dog book and Elle & Coach by Stefany Shaheen is a good one!  This is the true story of a young girl named Elle who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  It is told by Elle's mom and this turns their family routine into utter chaos.  She has three other younger children to look after.  As I read, I learned that the Diabetes needs 24-7 looking after.  They find a solution in Coach, a young dog.

I LOVED this book!  Stefany tells the story so well and I loved the dog too!
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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"The Outliers" by Kimberly McCreight is a YA Thriller

In The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight, a young teen girl named Wylie is reached out to by Cassie.  They have been on the outs, but Wylie knows Cassie needs her and she and Cassie's boyfriend head out to help her.  Soon though, Wylie knows this is big trouble!

I thought this thriller was very good.  I was into it from the first page.  The story flowed good and a twist at the end was very good, then the bombshell ending!  Looks like there may be a book 2.
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

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"Inside the O'Briens" by Lisa Genova (Effects of Huntington's Disease)

Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova is about a Catholic Irish family living in Boston.  Joe, a cop, loves his wife, Rosie and his four grown children but starts acting strange.  He is diagnosed with Huntington's Disease (HD) but still tries to do his job without telling anyone.  When he is told it is a genetic disease, he is afraid for his children. 

I finally decided to read this book because my husband kept saying how good it was.  Inside the O'Briens informs the reader about HD through the life of Joe and his family.  We see how it doesn't just affect the person who has the disease, but everyone around him.  I liked Joe and felt sorry for him and his wife, and his son JJ the firefighter and his family; however, I did not care for the other three children much at all.

There is a blood test that can be done to see if a person has HD even before the symptoms show up so the big question in the book for the children is if they want to know.  It is thought-provoking because the reader can't help but question what they would do in this situation.  Would you want to know if you were going to have this disease in your future?  I don't think I would want to know ahead unless I was thinking about having a baby.

I did not care for the rough language throughout the book, nor for the lifestyles of Patrick and Katie which caused me not to like these characters, two of his grown children.  My husband loved this book, but I found it to be sad, depressing and was very disappointed in the ending that left me hanging.  I liked this author's other books much better:  Still Alice and Left Neglected.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

See also my blog post inspired by this book:  Just sayin' We Should be Humane to Humans Too! 

Gerard's review 4/24/15, 5++ stars:
Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova is about Joe, a Boston policeman.  He has been having some health issues and his wife wants him to see a doctor.  He thinks it is nothing, but agrees to go.  It turns out he has Huntington Disease!  You find out all about it when you read this book--trust me, you do not want this disease!  Not only that, but his kids are at risk of getting it too.

Lisa Genova's books are always top notch and this is no exception.  I loved the interaction between Joe and his wife and kids.  This book had me from page 1.  Make sure you read the "Call to Action" part of this book as well.  The ending is perfect!  I LOVED this book and highly recommend it and her other book too:  Still Alice and Left Neglected.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Lilac Girls" by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly is told by three different points of view.  During World War II, Kasia is a Polish teenager and will do what she can to help her people fight Hitler and his army.  Herta is a German doctor and wants to prove that she is as good as a man.  Caroline works in the French Consulate in New York and when Hitler sets his sight on France, her world changes.

Kasia's story is the one I enjoyed the most.  She is a brave girl!  Her story alone makes this a "must read" book.  Herta's story came in second; I could not believe her thought process!  Caroline's story was okay and got better at the end.  I think The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is better; however, that being said, this book is very good too!  When you are done reading this, be sure to read the Author's Note too!  This is my best read for this month!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!