The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel: Book Review

Vowing to discover the fate of her missing cousin, a woman returns to her family’s Kansas estate where she spent one haunting summer as a teen, and where she discovered the dark heart of the Roanoke clan that left her no choice but to run.

Lane Roanoke is fifteen when she comes to live with her maternal grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, at the Roanoke family estate in rural Osage Flats, Kansas, following the suicide of her mother. Lane knows little of her mother’s family, other than the fact that her mother ran away years before and cut off all contact with her parents. Allegra, abandoned by her own mother at birth and raised by her grandparents, introduces Lane to small-town life and the benefits of being one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But there is darkness at the heart of the Roanoke family, and when Lane discovers its insidious pull she has no choice but to run, as far and as fast as she can.

Eleven years later, Lane is scraping by in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls with the news that Allegra has gone missing. “Come home,” he beckons. Unable to resist his pleas, Lane returns to Osage Flats, determined to find her cousin and assuage her own guilt at having left Allegra behind all those years ago. Her return might mean a second chance with Cooper, the boyfriend whom she loved and destroyed that fateful summer. But it also means facing the terrible secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again.

As it weaves between the summer of Lane’s first arrival and the summer of her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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The contents of this book had me in a whirlwind of captivation, despite the disturbing truth that comes with the Roanoke legacy. The one thing I loved most about The Roanoke Girls is that it pointed on something that is very real for some people and families and the lesson at the end doesn't sugar coat it. The author clearly did enough research to ensure that anyone reading this that might be able to relate won't feel like their experience was represented badly. I personally don't know what it is like since I've never gone through what the Roanoke girls did, but I can imagine that it would be almost exactly how it was portrayed in the book. Amy Engel stated that she had researched this horrible reality thoroughly to ensure her accurate portrayal of the events within her novel. I'm glad that authors like her have taken precaution and proceeded with absolute care when trying to present a novel that is not only fascinating, alluring, and filled with dark themes, but is also somewhat of a realistic setting which most people have sadly had to deal with in their own lives.

“Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.”

Lane Roanoke was the sole focus of this novel, the story being told mainly through her eyes - though many of the multiple POV's were from the other dead Roanoke girls, such as Lane's mother, Camilla, Camilla's sisters and her aunties before her. All in all, Amy Engel did the most amazing job at time-lapsing between when Lane went to live with her cousin, Allegra, after her mother died when she was sixteen, and when she came back after Allegra went missing eleven years later. Never once did I get confused as to who I was reading about or what was happening and I definitely enjoyed how the story played out even though there were some tear-jerking scenes that broke my heart.

“Sometimes it's a revelation, even to me, how much more comfortable I am with cruelty than with kindness.”

The dark scenes that plague this novel are intriguing but gruesome, much of it showing how the reality of the Roanoke's past have emotionally destroyed all of the girls. Lane and Allegra are now the remaining heirs of their grandfather and grandmother who have acted as guardians of Allegra after her mother ran away. The girls are known for their similarities in beauty but not in personality, however they both seem to grow closer thanks to the outcry of Allegra's need for attention and a sister who will have her back when there is no one else there for her. As Lane begins to realise the disturbing truth that hides behind the closed doors of the Roanoke mansion, her escape from the madness of her mother's deep depression seems to become more and more of a prison than a safe haven. When she returns to Osage Flats eleven years later, still harbouring the knowledge that she learnt all those years ago, things are strained with her family and the close bonds she developed with Allegra's friends, Tommy and Cooper. With the help of her first love, Cooper, she manages to find the safe haven she longed for and accepts the harsh reality that the Roanoke family will never be as innocent and desirable as what everyone else thinks. The message behind the Roanoke girls' growing madness made me realise how some people do struggle to accept the love they are given and feel that they deserve less than what they're offered when it comes to being happy. Lane goes through a number of gains and losses before she finds the answer to Allegra's disappearance and can start to heal from her past.

“You can't outrun what's inside of you. You can only acknowledge it, work around it, try and turn it into something better. I may not know exactly where I'm headed, but this time I'm choosing my own destiny.”

This book breaks from the typical themes that most books show and I loved that even though the reality of this story was pretty out of the ordinary and scarily real for some people, it committed to being tender to the touch, a great thriller, and overall a gripping read that you all should pick up. I gave The Roanoke Girls a 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you Hachette NZ for the review copy!

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Are you suffering with a mental illness such as depression or anxiety? Here are some helpful links from BetterHelp that you can check out and find tips on how to live a happier life:

BetterHelp Advice - Anxiety
BetterHelp Advice - Depression
How To Deal with Depression: Tips, Techniques And Finding the Right Treatment

How Do I Find A Therapist Near Me?

10 Depression Quotes That May Change Your Life

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Not That Kind Of Girl by Lena Dunham: Book Review

From the acclaimed creator, producer, and star of HBO's Girls comes a hilarious, wise, and fiercely candid collection of personal essays that establishes Lena Dunham as one of the most original young talents writing today.

In Not that Kind of Girl, Dunham illuminates the experiences that are part of making one's way in the world: falling in love, feeling alone, being ten pounds overweight despite eating only health food, having to prove yourself in a room full of men twice your age, finding true love, and, most of all, having the guts to believe that your story is one that deserves to be told.

Exuberant, moving, and keenly observed, Not that Kind of Girl is a series of dispatches from the frontlines of the struggle that is growing up. "I'm already predicting my future shame at thinking I had anything to offer you," Dunham writes. "But if I can take what I've learned and make one menial job easier for you, or prevent you from having the kind of sex where you feel you must keep your sneakers on in case you want to run away during the act, then every misstep of mine will have been worthwhile."

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Lena Dunham is an actress that I have yet to learn much more about in terms of actually just watching her on her tv show, Girls which she wrote, produced and directed. Since finishing her memoir I feel like I only really know who she was when she was younger and not as successful as she is now. The book includes almost every embarrasing moment, every down side to life and every upside, the perks of living in New York and not needing to worry about getting your license because who does that in a city where everyone gets around in cabs anyway. Lena has always been destined for success and a job in something where she can say the word, "vagina" ten times in a row without getting fired or having weird looks from her co-workers.

Lena is funny, sarcastic and intelligent and all this shines throughout her constant witty humor. The book is ordered in a range of topics which include personal body issues such as weight, diets, and sex. She also mentions love, relationships and friendships; all of which have a completely different outcome. We get an exclusive sneak peak into her schedule of what she ate each day and the count of calories so that we can start feeling self conscious about what we ate in the day and start counting the calorie intake of that. However, it's all good - this is Lena Dunham and she is teaching us that we can do everything she's done and still become a Hollywood success like herself if we dare to dream. I feel like the point of this book is to completely reveal herself as an open and honest person to prove that not everyone who makes it in Hollywood is all perfect and pristine. They're not all the type of people who will f*ck their way to the top in the hopes of big money and fancy parties so they can say they talked to JLo but really they just fell into her while drunk off their ass and said a brief, "Sorry".

Things I LOVE about Not That Kind Of Girl:

* Lena is totally raw and open about her experiences! If there was a definition of a type of girl that literally did not give two asses about what anyone thought of her or what she put in a memoir, the answer to that my friend, is Lena Dunham. She is such an out-there chick and to be fully honest I would absolutely love to have an interview with her and then go out for drinks after to get drunk and talk about what life means. Lena is the girl that you can't expect to be who you want and I appreciate people like that. We need more people in the world like Lena Dunham.

* The "10 Things I've Learned..." lists are the most hilarious parts of this book and I will re-read every single list again just to laugh out loud! If there is anything I've learnt about reading Lena's memoir, it is that I need to add the "10 things..." list because everybody loves reading ten basic things you like, love, hate or just learnt about something or someone. Okay wait, nah that's just me but if that's you too then I like you already.

* I feel sorry for the shit she's gone through even though she doesn't make you feel like that on purpose. It's the point of a memoir, you're honest with your readers! I absolutely love how she's so honest about her relationships and what she's had to deal with in the past. I'm so glad she's been able to find someone deserving of her and who makes her happy. The dicks who have just used her as a play-thing make me wanna go hug her and then hunt them down with a paintball gun and shoot them in the crotch. Yeah I'm a little sadistic when it comes to getting guys back for being an asshole to either me or others. Lena should have that friend.

Overall I have given this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars because she is so descriptive and has written her memoir almost like if her life was just out of a drama novel. It pulls you in and even though my eyes sometimes got lazy and didn't want to read or process some of the "big" words, Lena really looked like she put so much effort into this book so she really deserves some extra credit for her work. I hope that her tv show, Girls does really well in the future. I think I might start watching it at some point.

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

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The Girl Who Rode The Wind by Stacy Gregg: Book Review

An epic, emotional story of two girls and their bond with beloved horses, the action sweeping between Italy during the Second World War and present day.

When Lola’s grandmother Loretta takes her to Siena, Italy, for the summer, Lola learns of her family’s history of heartbreak and adventure, stretching back to the Second World War. In 1945, Loretta’s nickname was ‘The Daredevil’ due to her fearless competing in the town’s famous Palio horse races – until war broke out and led to sadness and loss for Loretta.

Lola jumps at the chance to enter the modern-day Palio on a beautiful horse called Nico – can she win, in honour of her beloved grandmother? And solve a mystery that will bring happiness and hope to Loretta?

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Returning to Stacy Gregg's novels is a breath of fresh air for me. I grew up loving her very first series, "Pony Club Secrets" and reading one of her latest novels such as this one, it has opened my eyes again to my love for horses and has sent a deep ache of pain and agony through me - reminding me of how much I miss having the companionship of a gorgeous horse and being upon his back while soaring across the field in an open canter. Stacy has not failed to impress me with her writing skills, even as a children's author I feel like she has done an impeccable job of conjuring up a story of which delves right into the hearts of horse lovers and brings about a new understanding of the history of WW2 while giving horse racing a whole other meaning of competition. Choosing the famous 'Palio' horse race in Italy was a great choice to write about as it not only was the perfect way of describing passion in horse riding and honour, but teaches children the basics of the war with Hitler and the Nazi's, therefore this would be a great read to prepare any child to the age of thirteen for the harsh and brutal reality of History that they teach you at high school. I wish she had of written this book for me five years ago!

Lola reminded me a lot of how I used to be as a kid, a little bit crazy about horses with a talent to cope with a tempered horse well (according to my old best friend's riding instructor when a Mare I was riding had spooked and I was able to stay on while she had a fit and I eventually calmed her down), yet not very popular at school due to having her nose stuck in a book but having the courage to stand up to a bully if need be. However, Lola seemed a little more courageous than what I was; I don't know whether I would have had the will to enter a race like the Palio if I were in her position! One thing I really liked about Lola is that she cared for the horses to no extent - she would rather worry about them and their safety or comfort rather than her own. One quote from the book that really got me thinking about the type of character Lola really was, said, "Was a feather mattress enough to protect a horse if it crashed at a full gallop?". This made me stop for a second and made me realise how caring she was for a twelve year old girl who was about to ride in the Palio in Italy to regain her family's contrada respect and value. I respect this about Lola as she seemingly retrieved that habit from her Nonna and made sure that the horses came first no matter what. Again she showed this later on in the race but I'll leave that for you to find out!

In terms of character development, both Lola and her Nonna seemed to come a long way and learned a lot through their trip to Nonna Lorretta's home town in Italy. I feel like Lola realised her responsibility by the end of the story to make a good life for herself and her family by deciding on an agreement with her father. Nonna's history played a massive part in this book and it really helped Lola throughout everything she attempted in Italy, but also Nonna had a lot of her own skeletons in her closet which she eventually got around to sorting out and that seemed to bring her and Lola closer together. There were a lot of hidden messages in this novel which I think is highly important for growing children to learn but I think the one thing I got most out of this read was learning to be strong and courageous, but also to forgive, forget and move on because you can't ever truly be happy if you don't eventually deal with your past and let go. It's one thing not only children must learn, but many adults too and I feel like that is another reason why this book is great for any horse lover, any age.

I noticed by the end of the book that there wasn't any sort of minor romance for the main character, Lola as there was for Issie in PCS who had a brief relationship with Aidan but it couldn't stay afloat due to bigger responsibilities. Personally I think that was a good choice as this was more about the retelling of the Palio race and what happened back in the 1940's during the war. Of course there was a bit of romance which took a back seat to the main course of the novel through Nonna's retelling of her bringing up in Italy before she came to America. It was sweet and romantic to read about a grandmother's view of her first love and what happened in the end. Although I truly feel like the real love story was the bond between girl and horse; the relationship between Lola and Nico was strong and showed a fierce passion and connection between the two. That's what I like most about Stacy's books, is that she always has this unending theme of that bond between a human and a horse and that's sometimes all someone, especially a young girl at Lola's age, really ever needs. I'll just quickly add that a rider on a dark bay horse just rode past my house and my heart leapt out of my chest! Stacy, you have made my inside's hurt but also fill me with joy again with this book and I thank you for that.

Overall I have given this book a 5 out of 5 stars because it is such a timeless and ageless read that it could be read by anyone and still be enjoyed, horse lover or not, young or old. Stacy is truly a pony genius and knows exactly how to warm the heart of a pony lover. A great novel for kids to read - I'm not at all surprised that it has won an award!

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

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