Audiobook Review: Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger
Pen Pal
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Narrators:
Tara Langella
Troy Duran
Published: August 16, 2022
Audiobook: 8 hours 12 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 18-22, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4.5 stars
Audiobook Description:
The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single sentence:
I’ll wait forever if I have to.
It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.
Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?
You.
I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong.
We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late: Dante was at my doorstep.
And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.
Jessica’s Review:
I have to say that going in that this book is way outside of my genre of choice and I knew that going in. I have two friends who have read it and loved it (That’s you Suleika and April!) and I knew there is a huge twist that I was curious about. There are trigger warnings that a reader should to be prepared for with this book which are on the author’s website, and I will share here:
Explicit language
Graphic sex/Power Play dynamics
Detailed descriptions of death and grief
Miscarriage
Domestic Violence
Mental Illness
Another thing I want to share is that the book is extremely different from the provided book description. The letter writing is a tiny portion of the book, there is a love story that is the main focus.
As I have said in the past, I like ‘sweet romances’ and Pen Pal is extremely far from that. There is definitely graphic sex and power play dynamics here! Honestly, it became too much for me and I found myself skipping through the sex scenes. I really wanted to know what this ‘huge twist’ was. Was the read worth it in the end for me? YES! OMG, that twist! And then the Epilogue! If the sex hadn’t been that intense and the books description more on track to what the novel actually is, then this would have been a 5-star read for me! This is saying a lot from a non-smut reader!
Both narrators did a great job with their portrayals.
I would have never picked this one up on my own but it was free on my Audible, so I grabbed it. Will I read anymore books by Geissinger? No, as she is outside of my genre. If you are a smart reader and take head with the trigger warnings and are prepared for a different book than the impression of what the book descriptions says, you might just enjoy this one!
Audiobook Review: One of the Boys by Jayne Cowie
One of the Boys
Author: Jayne Cowie
Narrators:
Clare Corbett
Joshua Acehurst
Published: July 11, 2023
Audiobook: 8 hours 3 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: June 12-17, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Audiobook Description:
A mother knows best… Doesn’t she?
Antonia and Bea are sisters. They are both doting mothers to their sons. But that is where their similarities end. Antonia had her son tested at an early age to ensure her little angel did not possess the ‘violent’ M gene.
Bea refuses to let her son take the test. His life should not be determined by a positive or negative result.
Both of these women will go to any length to protect their sons. But one of them is hiding a monster. And there are going to be fatal consequences for everybody…
Jessica’s Review:
Much like Cowie’s first book I listened to, One of the Boys is one that make you think, and I have enjoyed them both.
In the world of One of the Boys, there is the ‘M gene’ has been discovered in boys. It is a gene that shows the propensity of violence/ antisocial behavior in a boy’s future. And voluntary testing is done at birth. Depending on the results will depend on how the boy is treated for life, and untested is also treated as though the young man had a positive result.
We have two mothers of boys who are also sisters: Antonia and Bea. They are extreme opposites in every way, including their life circumstances and decisions: One sister had her child tested and the other did not.
One of the Boys shows the mother/son relationship and how far mothers will go for their children. We have a twist that I didn’t expect and I enjoyed this book! I’m not a mother, but it made me think!
I did have some issues with the narration: I had issues with the narrator’s accent. I had to start the book over as I had no idea what was going on and who was whom. I actually had to write it down to keep it straight for me for a good bit of the book. This is a ‘me’ issue and not one to blame the narrators on.
I really hope Cowie continues to write books like these, I will keep reading them! I enjoy books that are speculative fiction, and written to make you think about what you might do in a future that might become reality one day.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Review: I’m Divorced Now What?: A Guide to the Rest of Your Life
I’m Divorced Now What?: A Guide to the Rest of Your Life
Author: Adrienne Rothstein Grace
Published: June 1, 2023
Paperback: 175 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: July 19-28, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Divorce is one of the most difficult things a woman can go through. Unfortunately, the difficulty doesn’t end when the divorce becomes final. There are many challenges and many potential pitfalls as you enter this new phase of your life. From practical matters like finances to emotional issues of self-worth, the question “Now what?” comes up time and time again. Adrienne Rothstein Grace has helped countless woman answer that question. Now, in her latest book, Adrienne and a select group of experts share insights that will help you move forward with confidence. I’m Divorced, Now What? A Guide to the Rest of Your Life will empower you to make the right decisions and take the right steps on the path to a new life and a new you.
Jessica’s Review:
This review will be one with emotions on mainly how 2024 has gone for me. You know how it is, you just need to get it out and since this is a self help book on divorce, this book gets some of my story. This is a sort of therapy in a way.
2024 became a year I never expected: My husband had been having some issues for a few years and finally told me. Needless to say, I was beyond devastated. I tried to help the marriage and we went to counseling even though he didn’t want to. In the third session I realized that there is no fixing it and changing his mind. Then it became about taking care of MYSELF. He even told me that it is not my fault, it’s all him. (And it is!) I found myself having to figure things out: Money (as everything is so expensive now!), where I was going to live (again… how am I going to afford it on my own on a government worker’s salary) and the end of a life that I thought I was going to have.
I have a great support system of friends and family. I say friends first as my family is at least an hour away in heavy traffic. They have all been so much help. The divorce is final now (it was very quick too, my lawyer was on it!) , and I have two of the cats. I would have taken all three if I could have. And I am doing much better now. I continued therapy and am now at a point where I don’t need to see my therapist unless something major comes up. I have received my new driver’s license with my maiden name (and a terrible picture! It’s like they try to take the worst possible one of you! Can you do that close up of my face any closer!?!?! LOL) and still working on getting everything set up for my new chapter of life.
Now that I have gotten that out, some tears out of the way, and you know some of my divorce story, here are my thoughts on the book:
The book is made of two sections: Practical and Personal Development. It seems like this book was written for a different type of divorcee than what I am. It seemed like it was written for someone who was totally dependent on the ex-husband and may or may not have children. I have always been independent, so it felt like this book wasn’t totally for me. The Personal Development section was better for me. We didn’t have children, but I had three cats, now two as he kept one. I would have taken all three but apartments only let you have two pets.
Each chapter in the two sections seemed like it was a conversation between the author and an expert that was typed up. The chapter ends with a biography of whom the author talked with along with their contact information. The chapters also come with ‘takeaways’ where you can write down your thoughts to questions the author poses.
Needless to say, the author has done this for over 30 years and helped many women as they start their new chapter. I did like her Facebook page.
It will take some time, and I know some things will be very hard to do, but I do know I will be ok! I am at a complete 180 from where I was in January. I hope you don’t, but if you ever find yourself in this situation, I totally know how it feels: It feels like a death and in some ways it is, but the other person is still alive. It feels like the end of the world, and even though it doesn’t feel like it, YOU WILL BE OK! I know I will be!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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