The Broken Girls Book Review

About the Book: In 1950, Idlewild Hall is a place for unwanted girls - the illegitimate, the troublemakers, and the too-smart-for-their-own-good.  It's rumored that the boarding school is haunted.  Four roommates develop a deep friendship, sharing their deepest secrets and fears.  Then, one of the girls mysteriously disappears...

Vermont 2014: As much as she tries, journalist, Fiona Sheridan, can't stop thinking about the events that surrounded her older sister, Deb's, death.  Deb's body was discovered 20 years ago in the field at Idlewild Hall.  Deb's boyfriend was tried and convicted of the murder, but Fiona has always felt that something wasn't quite right about the case. 

When Fiona finds out that Idlewild Hall is being restored, she chooses to write a story about it.  A shocking discovery during the renovation process links her sister's death to secrets in the past. 

My Thoughts: This book flips between 1950 and 2014 and is told from several characters' points of view.  I initially thought that the time changes and different points of view would make the book confusing, but it was very easy to follow.

Fiona's boyfriend, Jamie, thinks it's unhealthy that Fiona has such a hard time letting her sister's death go, but in my opinion, he comes off as a real jerk.  Fiona has clearly never gotten the closure she needs to move on.

I loved the chapters from the Idlewild Hall girls, and I wish there had been more chapters from their perspectives.  The bond the four roommates build with one another is truly heartwarming, and I loved watching it develop.  The author does an incredible job of linking the past to the present. 

I don't want to spoil the book, which is why I'm not giving a lot of details.  This book had me from the very first page, and that rarely happens for me.  I am also considering reading this book a second time someday, and that is incredibly rare, as I find there are so many good books to read with not enough time to read them in! 

If you like mysteries, I highly recommend reading The Broken Girls by Simone St. James. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of "The Broken Girls," by Simone St. James for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions shared on Fur Everywhere are my own. 

Mancat Monday: T - 5 Days

Um....Excuse mes?  How is mes supposed to hide in my cube when it's in a pile of boxes???

Yes, the Mom uses boxes from the liquor store down the street to put things in.  

Hers says mes still has one cube on the floor and my heated beds and my condo on the cat tree and hers bed to lay on, but what if me wants to hide in this green cube??  

The Mom finishes packing up all the books last night, and yous knows what hers said?  Hers said, "I only have three and a half boxes of cat books."  MOL!!  

Hers still has a few things to pack up in the main room and the whole kitchen and bathroom to pack up still.  Wes will start moving on Friday (the Mom thinks and is going to confirm later today).  

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

Things is getting a little chaotic around heres.  The other day, the Mom went to get some boxes, and hers put thems in the way of my pink cube.  That's where mes talks to Jewel.  Mes couldn't talk to Jewel for a whole night!  The Mom saw that mes wanted my pink cube, so hers moved the boxes out of the way for mes.  

Mes has been laying in the boxes.  If mes lays in thems, then the Mom can't fill thems up, and wes won't has to go anywheres!

The Mom tells mes it will be nice to has more space.  Mes loves to lay near Litas, as yous can see in the photo.  Do yous think LItas will let mes lay by hers when there is two rooms or do yous think hers will tell mes to go in the other room?  

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

Last Wednesday, the apartment management peoples did apartment inspections on the whole building.  While theys was heres, mes heard something awful.  The apartment manager lady told the Mom that a one-bedroom apartment is becoming available soon, and hers told the Mom to start packing 'cause wes is next in line for a one-bedroom!  If yous didn't know, wes currently live in a very tiny studio - our main living space is a 10 x 12 room!

Mes wented and hid under the bed when the management peoples were here, so mes thought maybe mes heard wrong.

But then, the Mom was yapping about how hers needs to get some boxes to pack things in to move!!  Hers had brought my Chewy box in with my our monthly shipment of noms in it. 

Thankful Thursday

Hi everyone!  It's the Mom here.

You might remember from Carmine's post on Monday that we have some wonderful news to share about Lita, and I know you have all been waiting to hear it, so here it is!

Lita went in for another Convenia injection last Thursday.  It had been nearly 3 weeks since her last injection.  If I had any doubt in my mind (which I didn't) that the Convenia is helping, that went right out the window.  Lita was coughing a ton before her injection.  Though she wasn't as bad as she was when we started this whole journey, it wasn't good to see her coughing so much.

After the vet was done examining Carmine, I asked him about Lita's constipation to see if he had any additional ideas that haven't been given yet.  He offered to feel her for any kind of blockage, so we got her out of her carrier.  He said he didn't feel any blockage and gave us some ideas on how to manage her constipation.  It seems to be helping, too!

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

Last week, mes saw a new vet.  The Mom has been taking Litas to our very first vet wes ever had.  Dr. L has been seeing Litas, but mes saw Dr. S, the other vet who works in the clinic.  The Mom had never seen hims before, so hers was even a little nervous.

The Mom covered mes up with a hoodie when mes was on the table.  Dr. S left mes in the hoodie while hims examined mes.  Hims said that my coat looks nice and hims thinks my nose freckles are cute!  

Hims felted my tummy and said my intestines and kidneyys feel good.  Hims listened to my heart, and hims letted the Mom listen to my heart, too!  The Mom had never heard my heart through that funny thing theys use to listen, so hers was really thrilled about that.  Heers said my heart bets really fast - faster than hers, and hers beats very fast!  By the way, the Mom is going to the heart doctor today.  If yous want to send hers a few good thoughts, mes ams sure hers would appreciate it.  Theys has been trying to lower the Mom's heart rate for a long time (about a year) nows and can't seem to find a combo of meds that will slow it down and raise hers blood pressure.  That's right, hers blood pressure needs to be raised.  

Noelle (A Dog Named Christmas #3) Book Review

I know this is a Christmas story, but if you ask me, it's a wonderful book to read at any time of the year.

About the Book: Mary Ann McCray is determined to shake things up in Crossing Trails by becoming the first woman Santa Claus (Mrs. Claus). 

The McCrays' close friends, the Robinsons, decide it's time to get a divorce.  Link's struggle with alcohol has torn the family apart.  The Robinsons' two children, Keenan and Emily, struggle to make sense of it all. 

Then, there's Mary Ann and George McCray's son, Todd.  He's recently moved back to town to be with his girlfriend and to start a new job at the animal shelter.  Todd has a passion for training dogs to become service dogs.  His current, "student," Elle, is a challenge, but Todd refuses to give up on training her.

Todd fears that he's disappointed his parents with some of his recent decisions, but he also wants to be independent and make his own choices.