Living Dead Girl

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, 169 pages

“Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared. Once upon a time, my name was not Alice. Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was. When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends -- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over. Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her. This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.” This may be one of the saddest books I’ve ever read but it’s a great book for teens who like realistic “issues” books.

Once Upon A Time There Was You

Once Upon A Time There Was You by Elizabeth Berg           Audio Book:  9 hours, 27 minutes     Hardback Book:  304 pages                 

I liked this book, it kept me wondering just how everything would resolve itself in the end.   I didn’t much care for the 18 year old daughter, Sadie.   At first she was likeable but then she puts herself in a precarious position and instead of admitting it was her own doing she blames her mother.     Her parents are unique in that they love each other although they don’t really get each other.   Irene, the mom in the story has some cougar dating experiences but hey, some folks just get along better with younger people – maybe they particularly identify with that age group,  maybe in their mind’s eye they still see themselves as that mindset,  or maybe the conversation is better when folks are still young enough to be fighting for causes instead of jaded by the years that have passed without getting any further in their life’s journey than where they were 20 years before.   Irene had a lot going on and her fun factor was stifled with her ex.    Some folks rush into marriage before they find out who they really are which is what Irene and ex husband John try to explain to their daughter Sadie who  the reader is left to decide is she imprinting on her boyfriend from a hero complex perspective or is she psychologically damaged?   Could it be real?    The reader gets to mull that one.      A good book even with a bratty kid, but, then we have all had our moments and maybe that is what I saw.   Good book,  I liked the twists and how they were worked out in the plot.