Chloe’s older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can’t be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby’s friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

It is hard to write a review on this book and not give to much a way. It is distressing and yet intriguing. I am still really not sure what to think of this one truly. It is a mystery and it has a lot of different levels and layers to the mystery to it. Disturbing..and creepy and yet you can not help but read it. Another reviewer said if it was music it would be jazz, a movie David Lynch movie, yeah I think that is about right.

My Gemstone Rating:

Lacey Carmichael leads a solitary life. To her neighbours she is the mad old woman who lives at the end of the lane, crazy but harmless.

Until she is arrested on suspicion of murder.

When Rachel Moore arrives in the village, escaping her own demons, the two women form an unlikely bond.Unravelling in each other tales of loss and heartache, they become friends.

Rachel sees beyond the rumours, believing in her innocence, but as details of Lacey’s life are revealed, Rachel is left questioning where the truth really lies.

Another strong and emotional read that will pull you through the gamete of emotions. This one was a little hard for me to read because of the strong subject matter, in the sense that it took me a little longer then some books. This was not a fast read but it was a very good read. I would recommend this to someone who is looking for a well written novel that has depth to it. This is a story that is going to stick with you for a long time after you have read it.

My Gemstone Rating:

Author Carolyn Baugh tells the moving story of a young American student living in the Garden City district of Cairo. Having come to study Arabic, she learns far more from the Egyptian women, young and old, she meets within the swirl and tumult of Garden City. Living, loving, and flourishing amid the fierce inflexibility of tradition, these women reveal a fascinating world of arranged marriages, secret romances, and the often turbulent bonds between four generations of Arab mothers and daughters.

Meet the women of Garden City:

Huda, who waited desperately for the man she loved until she could wait no longer
Karima, who found her husband in a collapsing post-war world
Afkar, who paid a dreadful price for her freedom
Selwa, who suffered through the deaths of her children
Yusriyya, who left her native village for a new life in the city
Samira, who loved a man who was not hers

Rich with the sights and sounds of modern Egypt, The View from Garden City lifts the veil of privacy to explore the stunning inner strength of women torn between their dreams for the future and the sacrifices women must make in a world of harsh realities.

This is a read that I was conflicted about from the first couple of pages. The writing style put me off a little bit because it is not what I usually enjoy personally. Some of the actions that take place seemed to me a little bit off putting as well or not what is normal. There is a disclaimer from the author however that does explain that. Now those complaints aside it is a good book overall.

My favorite character I think is Huda. She at times is immature but really she is just a flawed person trying to deal the best she can with what life has given her, what one of us doesn’t do that? The scenes are painted vividly and you can almost hear the noise, smell the traffic and the spices and everything that unfolds before your eyes. This one gets a middle of the ground rating for me, but it was not a total waste of time I think if your someone who could deal with the tense it is written in better then me you will really enjoy it.

My Gemstone Rating: