Twelve year old Abbey is starting the school year at a new school once again. This time she is in Tennessee and her school is farther from her father's Army base than usual. Abbey has also managed to make a friend in happy and athletic Camille. She might even make friends with the artistic and cool Jiman. Then, September 11, 2001 comes. Abbey wakes up with her first menstrual cycle along with the news that will change her life forever. Once the news hits, Abbey's mother rushes to New York, her sister Rebecca is missing. Abbey is left with her father, her new body and a new world to navigate. As time passes, Abbey's father is deployed, and kids change their opinion about her at school, all the while her body keeps on schedule, slowly marking the months. Uniquely written in narrative verse, The Places We Sleep beautifully captures the thoughts of a preteen experiencing the trauma of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The writing immediately took me back to that day that connected so many of us across the country in fear. Just like Abbey, the day has been cemented in my mind. The verse perfectly captures the raw emotion at the time paralleled with coming of age. Through Abbey's eyes there is a deep look at the grief, depression and confusion that defined the months following the attacks. Between Abbey's Aunt, parents, and classmates there is a wide cross section of representation of how people reacted and were effected by many aspects of 9/11. Abbey shows that while an event may seem defining, the support of friendship and love can help you through. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Yesterday I completed the last of my grading for my summer school classes. Once I finish up an overdue report for the administration (which apparently needs it to justify their existence), I will have a month free of work obligations.

 

I plan on putting the time to good use. But first I'm going to treat myself to a reading project. John Brooks's book on the battle of Jutland has sat on my shelf unread ever since I purchased it four years ago. Now that I've acquired a fantastic collection of maps about the battle, it seems like the perfect time to pick it up and spend a few days mastering the details of that much-debated event.

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

 

Amanda has been crushing on her coworker, Luke, for quite some time. But in six weeks Luke is going to move from New York to LA with his twin. If Amanda wants a shot with him, she’ll have to take it while on a weekend getaway with Luke and some others. But when Amanda sneaks into what she thinks is Luke’s room she finds herself in bed with Luke’s twin, Noah. Noah couldn’t be more different from his charming brother; he and Amanda are like oil and water. But Amanda’s mistake cracks something open in their antagonistic relationship and suddenly neither Amanda nor Noah can resist the pull between them. But Noah is leaving in six weeks and the two of them don’t even like each other, so nothing can happen…right?

Wrong Bed, Right Brother is a sexy and fun good time. Enemies-to-lovers isn’t my favorite trope but in this case it works oh-so-well. Amanda and Noah have seriously hot chemistry and I loved watching the sparks fly as their mutual attraction opened the door to something much deeper.

One of my favorite things about this story was watching Amanda realize how what she thought she wanted wasn’t what she really needed. Luke is a delightful fantasy: a charmer and a flirt who has a natural ease about him. He gets away with being self-centered because he’s hot and personable. Noah, by contrast, is quieter, organized, and has a more rigid personality. But there’s so much more beneath the surface. He and Amanda click from the start and the sparks that fly are fantastic to watch. But what made me really fall for Wrong Bed, Right Brother were the quieter moments, the conversations where Amanda and Noah realize that even though they’re so different they complement each other perfectly.

But just because they’re well suited doesn’t mean things are easy for Amanda and Noah. Amanda has had bad luck with men and her mother has pounded it into her head that she can’t trust them. And Noah fears that he’s Amanda’s second choice. There’s also added tension from Luke and the fact that Noah is scheduled to move across the country. A happily ever after requires risk in this story: risking your heart, risking trusting someone, depending on them. I was here for it from beginning to end. All the ups and downs were worth it because the romance just worked for me. In Wrong Bed, Right Brother Rebecca Brooks has delivered a fast-paced, wonderfully addictive, sexy as hell romance that I can’t wait to revisit.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

 

I love this book so deeply for so many reasons and always recommend it to other readers.

I won't spoil it for anyone  but the amount I love this book is amazing! The writing, the main character.  I just can't explain it in words( that's ironic). To this day, so many years after first reading it I still recommend it to people and gift it to friends or family members that want to read something a little deeper than the average Fiction story. If I lend out my copy and the borrower for whatever reason can't return it, this is one of the few books I will always rebuy if necessary!