Book Review: Everything She Lost by Alessandra Harris

Everything She Lost

by Alessandra Harris 

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

After suffering a mental breakdown that nearly destroyed her marriage, Nina Taylor works hard to maintain her tenuous hold on sanity and be a good mother to her two young daughters. Despite her best efforts, she questions the possibility of a full recovery.

Single mom Deja Johnson struggles to overcome her troubled past and raise her young son. But her friendship with Nina brings more complications. What Deja is hiding could not only destroy relationships but endanger lives.

One traumatic night threatens to shatter Nina’s mind. With Deja’s help, she strives to maintain her mental balance. But as events spiral out of control, the women must find out if Nina is losing her sanity or if someone is plotting against her.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Stability seemed like a distant location she’d never reach, a vacation she longed for but couldn’t afford.

Sometimes, we have to choose between hard and harder. That doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you human.

My Review:

Everything She Lost was a tension-filled and angsty story full of intrigue and taut with suspense.  I couldn’t decide if the main character was losing her mind or being gaslighted, or a bit of both.  Then I couldn’t decide how far-reaching the nefarious scheme was and who was behind it and how many others were participating in the probable diabolical plan.  The storyline was maddeningly paced and infuriating well-crafted.  While the story held me captive, the characters were provocatively interesting and unpredictable and kept plucking at my curiosity while I concocted various theories.  I greatly despised and slightly pitied the heinous and manipulative character of Deja who had made a lifetime of bad choices.  Oh that Alessandra Harris is a wily and clever schemer and sucked me right in with her enthralling tale of deceit and betrayal that did not relent until the final pages.  Sigh…more, please!

Empress DJ

About The Author

BookBub
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Amazon

Alessandra Harris doesn't shy away from controversial topics and writes novels that reflect the diversity of her world. She loves stories that break your heart but leave you smiling at the end, so that’s exactly what she writes: made-up stories about almost-real people.

She lives in Silicon Valley with her husband and four children and is the organizer of San Jose Novel Writers, a group of eclectic writers offering fellowship, support, and tips on all forms of writing.

Alessandra's debut novel, Blaming the Wind, was published by Red Adept Publishing in 2016, followed by Everything She Lost in 2018.

Book Review: Blaming the Wind by Alessandra Harris

Blaming the Wind

by Alessandra Harris 

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

Sophia Douglas can’t shake the fear that she’s in over her head. A spontaneous elopement and a layoff from her high-paying job are stressful enough, but a plus sign on her pregnancy test sends her into a panic. Fearing her husband, Terrence, might leave like her father did, Sophia confides her insecurities to Tara, her friend and mom of three.

Though Tara Fisher encourages Sophia to trust Terrence, she’s hiding her own secret: a handsome attorney is pursuing her, and she’s questioning her commitment to Josh, her husband of ten years. After a devastating career-ending accident, Josh has changed and so have Tara’s feelings for him.

When a crisis arises that threatens to destroy Sophia and Terrence’s young marriage, Sophia must either overcome her fear of abandonment or lose everything she never knew she wanted. Meanwhile, as Tara is torn between responsibility and passion, her imperfectly put together life starts to unravel, and ghosts from her past resurface to haunt her.

As these two couples grapple with secrets, temptation, and illness, only time will tell if their vows are strong enough to hold them together.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

I feel like I’m caught in one of those Lifetime movies Tara always used to watch. It’s like, how can this be my life?

I’ve learned that sometimes you have to let go of who you were in order to become who you can be.

I realize that some chapters have to end before a new story can start… You need to talk to him. Hear him out. This is the ‘after’ that follows ‘happily ever.’

My Review:

Blaming the Wind was an exceptionally insightful and engrossing book packed with intriguingly flawed and fascinating characters.  I was stunned to realize this was Ms. Harris’s debut effort, this gal writes like a seasoned scribe.  The story threads were well-paced, emotive, compelling, and highly relevant, so much so, I couldn’t seem to put my Kindle down despite the clock registering well past midnight.  The characters were unpredictable, alluring, annoying, enticing and erratic.  I wanted to give several a hard pinch yet I couldn’t get enough of them.  I am looking forward to more from this talented wordsmith and already have her second book locked and loaded.   

Empress DJ

About The Author

BookBub
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Amazon

Alessandra Harris doesn't shy away from controversial topics and writes novels that reflect the diversity of her world. She loves stories that break your heart but leave you smiling at the end, so that’s exactly what she writes: made-up stories about almost-real people.

She lives in Silicon Valley with her husband and four children and is the organizer of San Jose Novel Writers, a group of eclectic writers offering fellowship, support, and tips on all forms of writing.

Alessandra's debut novel, Blaming the Wind, was published by Red Adept Publishing in 2016, followed by Everything She Lost in 2018.