Things We Didn't Say

What goes unsaid can sometimes speak the loudest . . .


What makes up a family? For Casey it's sharing a house with her fiancé, Michael, and his three children, whom she intends to nurture more than she ever took care of herself. But Casey's plans have come undone. Michael's silences have grown unfathomable and deep. His daughter Angel seethes as only a teenage girl can, while the wide-eyed youngest, Jewel, quietly takes it all in.


Then Michael's son, Dylan, runs off, and the kids' mother, a woman never afraid to say what she thinks, noisily barges into the home. That's when Casey decides that the silences can no longer continue. She must begin speaking the words no one else can say. She'll have to dig up secrets—including her own—uncovering the hurts, and begin the healing that is long overdue. And it all starts with just a few tentative words. . . .

Fantastically messy story of family. I loved that I was familiar with the setting. I thought that giving each character a voice added to the story. At times you are rooting for each character and other times you want to smack them which adds realism to the story.  Because I know someone just like Mallory, I was not sympathetic to her at all, for me she was easy to dislike.  The other characters I was more understanding of and cheered as they found their voice. I appreciated that all was not tied up happily with a pretty bow, but glad to have a realistic but positive ending.  Kristina has quickly become one of my go to authors.

Author: Kristina Riggle
Published: June 2011
Pages: 332
Genre:  Fiction
Source:  HarperCollins - Good Reads First Reads
Finished: 6-26-11



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Christine Maddalena at Harper Collins and in no way influenced my review of this book.  These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.”

Never Knowing

All her life, Sara Gallagher has wondered about her birth parents. As an adopted child with two sisters who were born naturally to her parents, Sara’s home life was not ideal. The question of why she was given up for adoption has always haunted her. Finally, she is ready to take steps and find closure.

But some questions are better left unanswered.

After months of research, Sara locates her birth mother—only to be met with horror and rejection. Then she discovers the devastating truth: her mother was the only victim ever to escape a killer who has been hunting women every summer for decades. But Sara soon realizes the only thing worse than finding out about her father is him finding out about her.

What if murder is in your blood?

This book is a page turner that has you changing your mind over and over to the question: "Would you want to know?"  Sara is at times very sympathetic but can quickly become annoying in her obsessiveness, but you do care for her and want to know what happens. Her biological father almost becomes more likable than her adoptive father, who was awful to Sara. I thought that the action was a bit drawn out and could have been shortened but the twists at the end were great!

Author: Chevy Stevens
Published: July 2011
Pages: 407 (ARC)
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Source: Goodreads First Reads/St. Martin's Press
Finished: 6-2-11



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Sarah Goldstein at St. Martin's Press and Goodreads and in no way influenced my review of this book.  These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.”