Tag: identical twins

REVIEW: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

REVIEW: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Her twin’s call couldn’t have come at a better time. Naomi had crawled out of a church basement window in her wedding gown just before the call came through. Showing up in a town called “Knockemout” to rescue her sister was just the distraction she needed. Except her sister then stole Naomi’s car and her purse, broke into her hotel room, and then abandoned Naomi’s pre-teen niece.

A niece Naomi hadn’t known existed.

Knox had shown up at the Café to make sure Tina left town without causing any more trouble. That gave him a front row seat to “Not Tina” and her no good, very bad day. So he offers some help for both Naomi and her niece, Waylay. But he’s determined to ignore that zing he feels whenever Naomi is around.

Review

Lucy Score was one of the cornerstones of my reading in 2024. First I discovered and then devoured the delightful Riley Thorn series. Then I gave this a try – another winner! I laughed through the whole book while falling completely in love with the whole slate of characters, from Naomi, Waylay, and Knox to their families and friends and the central townspeople. If this book is any indication, this series is going to be a lot steamier than the Riley Thorn books. (EDIT: After having read all three books – yes, this series is a LOT steamier than the mystery series.) But the banter and sarcasm and humor are absolutely the same. And I loved this!

This is the first in a trilogy focused on three male characters in Knockemout – Knox, his brother Nash, and their friend Lucian. I wasn’t even half way through this when I ordered the other books in the series. Looking forward to reading them! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read

[Book 2 – Things We Hide from the Light = ♥♥♥♥½. Book 3 – Things We Left Behind = ♥♥♥♥.]

REVIEW: Let It Glow by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy

REVIEW: Let It Glow by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free, electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Aviva and Holly have grown up knowing they were adopted. For Aviva, sometimes that makes her feel like she’s not really Jewish, like her grandmother. But with Bubbe’s encouragement, she agrees to perform a Hanukkah song at a holiday pageant at the Senior Center. Performing is like breathing to her!

Holly isn’t a performer like Aviva – her creativity is in her writing. It’s something she and her grandfather have in common. Her family is checking out the Senior Center for her grandfather who has had a few scary falls at home lately. But when Holly and Aviva come face to face at the center, it’s like looking into a mirror.

Could they be twins?!

Review

“I barely know you, but that expression on your face looks like trouble.”

Who doesn’t love a twin-swapping story? And this is a fun one! I enjoyed every bit of this. The two girls are great – separately and together. Their families are lovely, too.

There’s a fascinating piece of this story were Aviva wrestles with her identity as an adoptee in a Jewish family, wondering if she is “Jewish enough” while also realizing how much she doesn’t know about the Jewish faith, holidays, and traditions. Both girls get to explore this in the book while Aviva also gets to check out some pieces of Christmas while she lives with Holly’s family for a few days.

The swap is a lot of fun for the reader. And it opens up some other places where the girls get to think about identity and family and what they hope their discovery of each other can mean for the future.

This is exactly the right mix of holiday cozy and middle grade fun, and I highly recommend it. It would make for a great classroom read aloud around the holidays.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!