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By a Thread #1
By a Thread
Stella's future was set, and it was a bright one. She was engaged to a man she adored, and was headed to law school in the fall. Tragically, her perfectly planned future ends just as it was beginning.
With no ties to family or friends, Stella finds herself alone in a new city, spiraling out of control. Her typical day comes to a close with her passed out on the floor; sometimes clothed.
Luckily, her new roommate, essentially a stranger, is dead set on getting Stella past her grief and back to functioning within society. Putting one foot in front of the other, she climbs up from the bottom of a bottle. Even with all her progress, Stella walks through life unfeeling, numb. Defiant, she sends out warning signals for the world to keep away. But, is that what she really wants?
With the steadfast help of a few tight knit friends, she gradually begins to feel again. She starts to savor the flavor of food again; lets herself notice how the handsome bartender glances at her. Still, after allowing herself a fling, she wonders if she will ever be able to let go of her shattered past, fully enjoy the present, or get over what she thought would be her perfect future and with the man who destroyed her heart.
With no ties to family or friends, Stella finds herself alone in a new city, spiraling out of control. Her typical day comes to a close with her passed out on the floor; sometimes clothed.
Luckily, her new roommate, essentially a stranger, is dead set on getting Stella past her grief and back to functioning within society. Putting one foot in front of the other, she climbs up from the bottom of a bottle. Even with all her progress, Stella walks through life unfeeling, numb. Defiant, she sends out warning signals for the world to keep away. But, is that what she really wants?
With the steadfast help of a few tight knit friends, she gradually begins to feel again. She starts to savor the flavor of food again; lets herself notice how the handsome bartender glances at her. Still, after allowing herself a fling, she wonders if she will ever be able to let go of her shattered past, fully enjoy the present, or get over what she thought would be her perfect future and with the man who destroyed her heart.
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 2013
35 people are currently reading
2158 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Griffin
14 books470 followersR.L. lives in the Atlanta area with her husband, son, and two dogs. After going to law school at American University, Washington College of Law, she settled back in the state in which she grew up but only after she fell in love with D.C. She worked in the Senate during the impeachment trial and the Department of Justice.
She loves reading all sorts of books and rarely has free time.
She loves reading all sorts of books and rarely has free time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
March 18, 2013
I wrote this, so... I love it. I love these characters and they live in my head ALL THE TIME. I love how complex all the characters are, they have good points and bad, like normal people. Stella so bent, but maybe not broken, and she's not better yet. As George says in the end when they are on the beach, their story is not finished. I'm in the editing phase of the second book and it's really different, but good. You get to see more from George's POV and there is more Jesse (yes, more Jesse). You even get to hear from Jamie/Jack.
Someone wrote in their review that throughout the book she cheered for different people. I love that, because everyone can do good and bad. It's unrealistic for any character to be without faults. I can't wait for ya'll to read the second book.
And...
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for reading.
Someone wrote in their review that throughout the book she cheered for different people. I love that, because everyone can do good and bad. It's unrealistic for any character to be without faults. I can't wait for ya'll to read the second book.
And...
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2014
Single moments can make or break you. For Stella her life seemed to be filled with moments that broke her. I did not know what to expect when I started this, but what I got blew me away.
The prologue... you just know it's going to be amazing when you are already drawn in with just the first few pages. A flash of what is to come...a dramatic scene. You spend the rest of the book trying to figure out how we got there.
In a single moment her world ended.
She lost him.
She lost herself.
The only thing that Stella could do was to drink until she was numb
For a year she stopped feeling.
Stopped living.
Stopped trying.
But her roommate Patrick pushes her to live. She starts school but she is still just going through the motions. She studies, she works, she drinks...rinse and repeat.
And the stranger she met when she moved to DC, the stranger that saw her before she was broken? Well, he's been watching her shatter every night for the last year. He has been pouring the drinks that she has drowned herself in.
He is the one that flirts with her - the one that sparks a small feeling. He is willing to wait until she lets him in. He wants to be the one to fix her because he knows she can be fixed.
He pushes his way in. She pushes him out.
But just when a few shattered pieces of her heart found their way back together, everything falls apart.
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And you are reeling. A single moment that threatens to destroy the remaining pieces of Stella. The pieces he worked so hard to fit into place.
And then we are back to the beginning. And then we are at the end.
(but have no fear, book two is just around the corner!)
This is not a book you read. This is a book you feel.
April 23, 2013
The sample gave me enough that I was curious as to where this story was heading so I purchased it and read the book this morning. There was an intense prologue at the beginning of this book so I read on with high hopes for how it would all play out in the end.
My issues are few but the ones that I do have are important for a story to have in order for me to connect.
1. The author does not describe the environment that surrounds the characters. The readers are given the bare minimum even when it comes to describing what the characters look like. We know that El lives in an apartment but we don't even have enough to put together in our minds what the apartment looks like etc. El gets a tattoo on her back that is a large piece that holds meaning for her but I didn't have enough info to build a picture in my mind as to how it looks. Yes, some authors go overboard as they build the world that their characters live in, but in this case it was just the opposite.
2. Fade to black love scenes. All of them. If the characters in a book are going to be having sex all the time then write some of it out. I don't need explicit details all the time but it would be nice to have some details so that I have a better understanding of the chemistry between the two characters.
3. This book ends with a scene that takes place after the prologue, but the reader is left hanging in the dark because the event that takes place in the prologue is not explained. At all. I assume that the author plans a sequel but she doesn't mention it at the end. Because of this the reader is left with a book with no ending. There are more books around these days that end with a cliff hanger then there are ones that have a solid ending, this book has neither of those endings, but it does comes across as being unfinished.
My issues are few but the ones that I do have are important for a story to have in order for me to connect.
1. The author does not describe the environment that surrounds the characters. The readers are given the bare minimum even when it comes to describing what the characters look like. We know that El lives in an apartment but we don't even have enough to put together in our minds what the apartment looks like etc. El gets a tattoo on her back that is a large piece that holds meaning for her but I didn't have enough info to build a picture in my mind as to how it looks. Yes, some authors go overboard as they build the world that their characters live in, but in this case it was just the opposite.
2. Fade to black love scenes. All of them. If the characters in a book are going to be having sex all the time then write some of it out. I don't need explicit details all the time but it would be nice to have some details so that I have a better understanding of the chemistry between the two characters.
3. This book ends with a scene that takes place after the prologue, but the reader is left hanging in the dark because the event that takes place in the prologue is not explained. At all. I assume that the author plans a sequel but she doesn't mention it at the end. Because of this the reader is left with a book with no ending. There are more books around these days that end with a cliff hanger then there are ones that have a solid ending, this book has neither of those endings, but it does comes across as being unfinished.
March 16, 2019
*Possible spoiler warning*
I would like to say that I lost hours of sleep because I had to read this and now in 7:15 in the morning I regret it. This is not a book that is worth losing your sleep over.
I did not like the book. Stella was pissing me off 9.9 out of 10 times. She must be the character that I have ever hated the most in a book. She was a coward, selfish, stubborn and self-destructive. I wanted to throw something at her just in case she woke and realized what she was doing. Am I the only one who disapproved her constant drinking habits (she spend the half book drunk and the other half drinking) and the way she was treating George?
Stella's life was held in by a thread. George helped her and was a thread to keep on. He helped her when she needed help.
Also, she seemed to be the "perfect woman" for a guy. She was hot (I must have read that at least 100 times), wanted no strings attached sex, watched a sports game and she was actually a part of a team, she was drinking beer and everything and many more. The only thing that was missing was her being a gamer.
I thought more than once to stop reading the book, but I wanted to see who shot her. And thank God for my guess and the first couple of chapters of Tension that confirmed to me who did it. People die. But they don't always stay dead. The prologue needs to be removed. It has no connection with the rest of the story. From what I have seen this prologue should be a prologue to the next book.
I don't see the purpose of the book. I will give the second book a chance because you never know. To be honest, I didn't really like the characters in this book. Everyone was acting in a not so good way or were hiding something.
I would like to say that I lost hours of sleep because I had to read this and now in 7:15 in the morning I regret it. This is not a book that is worth losing your sleep over.
I did not like the book. Stella was pissing me off 9.9 out of 10 times. She must be the character that I have ever hated the most in a book. She was a coward, selfish, stubborn and self-destructive. I wanted to throw something at her just in case she woke and realized what she was doing. Am I the only one who disapproved her constant drinking habits (she spend the half book drunk and the other half drinking) and the way she was treating George?
Stella's life was held in by a thread. George helped her and was a thread to keep on. He helped her when she needed help.
Also, she seemed to be the "perfect woman" for a guy. She was hot (I must have read that at least 100 times), wanted no strings attached sex, watched a sports game and she was actually a part of a team, she was drinking beer and everything and many more. The only thing that was missing was her being a gamer.
I thought more than once to stop reading the book, but I wanted to see who shot her. And thank God for my guess and the first couple of chapters of Tension that confirmed to me who did it. People die. But they don't always stay dead. The prologue needs to be removed. It has no connection with the rest of the story. From what I have seen this prologue should be a prologue to the next book.
I don't see the purpose of the book. I will give the second book a chance because you never know. To be honest, I didn't really like the characters in this book. Everyone was acting in a not so good way or were hiding something.
August 4, 2013
I am literally hanging by a thread! What just happened? I went back and re-read the last couple chapters again. At one point I think I was holding my breath. Right at the start I knew I would like this book and I loved it.
So Stella is recently engaged, living in a new town and about to start law school. Her future is looking bright and she couldn't be happier. Then tragedy strikes and her world is literally rocked! She's alone and doesn't know how to live. Stella finds comfort in drinking and she drinks a lot and barely exists. She doesn't want to live or have any ties to her "old" life.
This story is well paced and deliberate. You truly feel Stella's pain and you want to grieve with her. There are also funny parts in the story and Stella is quite funny herself and has a potty mouth. The supporting characters are great, along with the twists and I can't leave out George - loved him.
This story is about tragedy, loss, and learning to live and love again. Rebuilding the pieces of a shattered heart, soul and life.
I can not wait for the sequel!
So Stella is recently engaged, living in a new town and about to start law school. Her future is looking bright and she couldn't be happier. Then tragedy strikes and her world is literally rocked! She's alone and doesn't know how to live. Stella finds comfort in drinking and she drinks a lot and barely exists. She doesn't want to live or have any ties to her "old" life.
This story is well paced and deliberate. You truly feel Stella's pain and you want to grieve with her. There are also funny parts in the story and Stella is quite funny herself and has a potty mouth. The supporting characters are great, along with the twists and I can't leave out George - loved him.
This story is about tragedy, loss, and learning to live and love again. Rebuilding the pieces of a shattered heart, soul and life.
I can not wait for the sequel!
March 23, 2013
What the..
I just..
How come...
But why...
I don't....
What??
How?
Omg I can't even form a sentence right now..
I'll be back back with a review when I can get my head around this.
I just..
How come...
But why...
I don't....
What??
How?
Omg I can't even form a sentence right now..
I'll be back back with a review when I can get my head around this.
February 13, 2014
Spoiler alert!!! I feel like I can't even write this review...or even rate this book. I am so frustrated! The prologue had me hooked immediately. After Jaime died I just knew the man with the eyes was going to be him. I figured that the ATF had faked his death but why Jaime would have picked a job over her if they had such a great love was beyond me. I continued reading anxiously awaiting to be reintroduced to that scene to get answers. Did he really shoot her? I was so mad when the book ended the way it did! It was a Kindle throwing moment:( What the hell did I miss? I even flipped back pages thinking that I must of somehow skipped a few. What happened? Why did Jaime blow up the building? Wasn't he a good guy? Didn't he know she was in there and that she could have been killed in the explosion? Why the hell did he shoot her? What is going on?!! Did he not still love her? Did he ever love her? So many crucial questions unanswered! Sooo incredibly frustrated!!!
July 27, 2014
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity.
I have slept overnight before writing this review, to let it all settle in my thoughts and feelings. This was an out of the box read for me as when I chose it I did not realise it fell into the New Adult category and that's a genre I don't usually explore however this was not a bad read at all with a few surprises I was not expecting.
Briefly, Stella faces a major tragedy early on in the book, she pretty much falls apart, is constantly drinking and essentially bitter, angry and full of grief. Her two roommates are constantly propping her up and helping her pull herself out of the pit she is in, particularly Patrick, whom she becomes really good friends with. I have to admit, she was really annoying me as a character at the start with all the drinking, the swearing, and the selfishness shown towards just about everybody else around her.
As the story develops Stella's life starts to get back on track, the drinking slows (slightly), I was wondering why nobody in the book got this woman to a rehab centre or AA meetings at one point it was that bad!
Anyway, her life is improving, she is able to go out and function and feel happier again after her tragic loss and heavy grief that has burdened her.
She enters into a fling with a handsome bartender but struggles to bring down all the walls she has built up to protect herself. This is where we get a lot of sex going on, friends with benefits sex essentially from Stella's perspective, the way she treats George is appalling, bordering on verbal abuse at times. She's a complex character and I had a lot of love/hate going on with her.
I have mixed feelings around this book as there are things I thought were excellent and I loved and things that made me cringe, so I am going to break it down.
What I loved: Some of the characters are really well written, Patrick is a prime example, his care for Stella, and the amount of times he rescues her as her friend borders on co-dependency, but he's as solid as a rock for this woman as she is falling apart all over the place.
The twists and shocks that are thrown in at the end I did not see coming whatsoever, and I was reading it then put it down and was thinking "what on earth? huh? you are KIDDING me?" it was good writing, there is NO inkling that the twists are coming, and they are good, very good.
The ending links to the beginning of the book, but you don't make the connection straight away, again, I thought this was really good, it really does have some unexpected plot twists, I didn't expect in this book at all.
What I didn't love: There was not enough background or description of situations around the characters, such as the flat where Stella lives, NOT one description of it, it's hard to picture where they are, the same with the bar they frequent and other locations. It's like having character free-floating on a blank canvas. Where some books have TOO much description, I felt this one needed a bit more.
The swearing, the awful swearing, especially from the women in the book. Now I am no prude, and get that swear words get used in everyday life, but at one point Stella came across like she was raised in the gutter (which she was not), not your average swear words, and there is LOT of it, it got a bit tiresome.
Stella walking around her flat dropping her clothes as she goes, showing all to her flatmates, friends and whomever else was around. Seriously? I get she was drunk a lot but this theme just kept coming up time and time again.
The sex scenes, for once in a book I felt not enough detail, it's happens so fast and then we are on to the next scene, considering how much sex was going on, I think those scenes could have been "fleshed" out a bit more. (Sorry for the bad choice of wording there)
For most of the book the timeline moved too fast, we jumped months in a page and it was not always hugely clear of it either, I think some clarity expressing timelines would have helped a bit, it just seemed to be on fast-forward with good bits being missed out along the way a bit.
SO, my final thoughts?
I fluctuated back and forth on this book, did I love it? NO, did I like it? Some of it? Did some of it make me cringe at how it portrays women? Yes it did. However, it really does lead up to an exceptionally good ending that I know leads on to the next book in the series, fans of the first book will be eager to read the next installment.
Here's the funny thing, it's not really my genre of book, I didn't love all of it, but I am a touch curious about the next book, especially to see how her character is developed further. So it must have been okay right? To even consider reading the next book? We shall see.
3-3.5 stars for this one, I do think it will be hugely appealing to the right market who love this genre of novel.
I have slept overnight before writing this review, to let it all settle in my thoughts and feelings. This was an out of the box read for me as when I chose it I did not realise it fell into the New Adult category and that's a genre I don't usually explore however this was not a bad read at all with a few surprises I was not expecting.
Briefly, Stella faces a major tragedy early on in the book, she pretty much falls apart, is constantly drinking and essentially bitter, angry and full of grief. Her two roommates are constantly propping her up and helping her pull herself out of the pit she is in, particularly Patrick, whom she becomes really good friends with. I have to admit, she was really annoying me as a character at the start with all the drinking, the swearing, and the selfishness shown towards just about everybody else around her.
As the story develops Stella's life starts to get back on track, the drinking slows (slightly), I was wondering why nobody in the book got this woman to a rehab centre or AA meetings at one point it was that bad!
Anyway, her life is improving, she is able to go out and function and feel happier again after her tragic loss and heavy grief that has burdened her.
She enters into a fling with a handsome bartender but struggles to bring down all the walls she has built up to protect herself. This is where we get a lot of sex going on, friends with benefits sex essentially from Stella's perspective, the way she treats George is appalling, bordering on verbal abuse at times. She's a complex character and I had a lot of love/hate going on with her.
I have mixed feelings around this book as there are things I thought were excellent and I loved and things that made me cringe, so I am going to break it down.
What I loved: Some of the characters are really well written, Patrick is a prime example, his care for Stella, and the amount of times he rescues her as her friend borders on co-dependency, but he's as solid as a rock for this woman as she is falling apart all over the place.
The twists and shocks that are thrown in at the end I did not see coming whatsoever, and I was reading it then put it down and was thinking "what on earth? huh? you are KIDDING me?" it was good writing, there is NO inkling that the twists are coming, and they are good, very good.
The ending links to the beginning of the book, but you don't make the connection straight away, again, I thought this was really good, it really does have some unexpected plot twists, I didn't expect in this book at all.
What I didn't love: There was not enough background or description of situations around the characters, such as the flat where Stella lives, NOT one description of it, it's hard to picture where they are, the same with the bar they frequent and other locations. It's like having character free-floating on a blank canvas. Where some books have TOO much description, I felt this one needed a bit more.
The swearing, the awful swearing, especially from the women in the book. Now I am no prude, and get that swear words get used in everyday life, but at one point Stella came across like she was raised in the gutter (which she was not), not your average swear words, and there is LOT of it, it got a bit tiresome.
Stella walking around her flat dropping her clothes as she goes, showing all to her flatmates, friends and whomever else was around. Seriously? I get she was drunk a lot but this theme just kept coming up time and time again.
The sex scenes, for once in a book I felt not enough detail, it's happens so fast and then we are on to the next scene, considering how much sex was going on, I think those scenes could have been "fleshed" out a bit more. (Sorry for the bad choice of wording there)
For most of the book the timeline moved too fast, we jumped months in a page and it was not always hugely clear of it either, I think some clarity expressing timelines would have helped a bit, it just seemed to be on fast-forward with good bits being missed out along the way a bit.
SO, my final thoughts?
I fluctuated back and forth on this book, did I love it? NO, did I like it? Some of it? Did some of it make me cringe at how it portrays women? Yes it did. However, it really does lead up to an exceptionally good ending that I know leads on to the next book in the series, fans of the first book will be eager to read the next installment.
Here's the funny thing, it's not really my genre of book, I didn't love all of it, but I am a touch curious about the next book, especially to see how her character is developed further. So it must have been okay right? To even consider reading the next book? We shall see.
3-3.5 stars for this one, I do think it will be hugely appealing to the right market who love this genre of novel.
April 29, 2013
4.5 shiny stars
OMG what have I just read..the prologue gets you hooked and then the ending really pees you off...I have just spent a good 10-15 minutes looking to see if there is a sequel and thank god there is..the book just ended...I have so many questions...so many answers I need..I was like argggghhh seriously that cannot be the end of the book..it is not a cliff hanger but I just wasn't ready for it to end, neither were the characters and neither were all my questions I still want answered!!!!!!
I want to do a full review of this book but I can't it would seriously give too much of the plot away and I cannot do that you have to read it for yourself.
Stella is a ballsy girl, she drinks beer ( a lot of beer), she curses, she keeps fit but she is emotionally broken. She gave up her old life to follow her fiancé Jamie, they have been in their new apartment one night before he has to leave on a work assignment, he works for the FBI. Stella is left in the apartment with their two roommates Patrick and Billy. She knows no-one. Patrick is a friend of Jamie's. The next day Patrick passes on the news that Jamie was killed in a car accident. One year of hell begins for Jamie. She stops eating, she drinks a lot, she defers starting law school, she basically gives up. The emotional writing during the death, funeral and this year of her life was gut wrenchingly, sobbingly beautiful. I did not stop crying for what seemed like an eternity, I lived through her pain, I felt it and I breathed it..it was awful, but so brilliant. Patrick makes it his mission to keep Stella on the straight and narrow, he is there for her always, treating her like a sister, he makes her eat, her makes her get up, he takes her out, gets her fit and basically tries to get her living again. I loved Patrick, until the end of the book when I could have smashed him in the face with my kindle...of all the people in this book, he was her constant and what he did is just OMG!!! I couldn't believe it. Also, this explains why he never made any moves on Stella, I thought that they would have been really good together but now I understand why he never took that leap.
George....or whoever the bloody hell he is...there are so many unanswered questions in this book about him. I love him a lot, but I feel that he is hiding a lot and I am hoping that whatever I hope is going to be revealed in book 2 about him does not change my opinion. George owns the bar that the gang frequent almost every night, they just think that he is the bar tender..slowly but surely he inches his way into Stella's life and her heart although she is too broken to see it. It was obvious that he had been in love with her for a long time before they eventually got "together" I was so glad he was so patient with her in the beginning, although I could have killed him for his impeccable timing when he made "the announcement"
I loved this book, but I cannot really say anymore without giving the game away but it was a captivating story, I really enjoyed it and the twists and turns in this book had me on the edge of my seat...I still cannot believe the eyes in the prologue and the fact of what that 3rd man did, especially if it is who I think it is..I need answers!!!!!!!
Brilliant book.
Www.theromancecover.com
OMG what have I just read..the prologue gets you hooked and then the ending really pees you off...I have just spent a good 10-15 minutes looking to see if there is a sequel and thank god there is..the book just ended...I have so many questions...so many answers I need..I was like argggghhh seriously that cannot be the end of the book..it is not a cliff hanger but I just wasn't ready for it to end, neither were the characters and neither were all my questions I still want answered!!!!!!
I want to do a full review of this book but I can't it would seriously give too much of the plot away and I cannot do that you have to read it for yourself.
Stella is a ballsy girl, she drinks beer ( a lot of beer), she curses, she keeps fit but she is emotionally broken. She gave up her old life to follow her fiancé Jamie, they have been in their new apartment one night before he has to leave on a work assignment, he works for the FBI. Stella is left in the apartment with their two roommates Patrick and Billy. She knows no-one. Patrick is a friend of Jamie's. The next day Patrick passes on the news that Jamie was killed in a car accident. One year of hell begins for Jamie. She stops eating, she drinks a lot, she defers starting law school, she basically gives up. The emotional writing during the death, funeral and this year of her life was gut wrenchingly, sobbingly beautiful. I did not stop crying for what seemed like an eternity, I lived through her pain, I felt it and I breathed it..it was awful, but so brilliant. Patrick makes it his mission to keep Stella on the straight and narrow, he is there for her always, treating her like a sister, he makes her eat, her makes her get up, he takes her out, gets her fit and basically tries to get her living again. I loved Patrick, until the end of the book when I could have smashed him in the face with my kindle...of all the people in this book, he was her constant and what he did is just OMG!!! I couldn't believe it. Also, this explains why he never made any moves on Stella, I thought that they would have been really good together but now I understand why he never took that leap.
George....or whoever the bloody hell he is...there are so many unanswered questions in this book about him. I love him a lot, but I feel that he is hiding a lot and I am hoping that whatever I hope is going to be revealed in book 2 about him does not change my opinion. George owns the bar that the gang frequent almost every night, they just think that he is the bar tender..slowly but surely he inches his way into Stella's life and her heart although she is too broken to see it. It was obvious that he had been in love with her for a long time before they eventually got "together" I was so glad he was so patient with her in the beginning, although I could have killed him for his impeccable timing when he made "the announcement"
I loved this book, but I cannot really say anymore without giving the game away but it was a captivating story, I really enjoyed it and the twists and turns in this book had me on the edge of my seat...I still cannot believe the eyes in the prologue and the fact of what that 3rd man did, especially if it is who I think it is..I need answers!!!!!!!
Brilliant book.
Www.theromancecover.com
April 25, 2013
They say never to judge a book by it's cover. Well I did on this one and I LOVED the cover, so with a glowing recommendation from those lovely gals at A Love Affair with Books I 'one-clicked' and By A Thread was immediately moved up my TBR list. TBH I only read the first two lines of the blurb of the book and I knew it would be my kinda book.
Stella has been dealt the shittiest deck of cards life can throw at her. Her idyllic life with a bright future clearly mapped out ahead, is suddenly and irrevocably pulled out from underneath her. She finds herself alone in a new city, in a whirlwind of soul destroying grief. Despite the best efforts of her two new roommates who are constantly by her side, she withers into a fraught and fragile cycle of depression, and turns to booze and her trusty dog Cooper for comfort.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even a strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind."
But soon the grief turns to anger and Stella hardens, her heart is broken into pieces and she finds herself “... hard, numb. The hardness had come about recently, spreading through her brain and chest. She worried that if she were hit hard enough she would just crack”
Little by little though, her small group of friends (Patrick, Billy, Millie & George {swoon}who are all fantastic and deserved of at least a novelette each) chip away at the hard Stella and she starts to let them in... bit by bit. But it's George who ingratiates himself into her life, without her even realizing.... but will it be enough....
(not giving any spoilers away)
By A Thread is a great read! The story line is complex, harrowing, funny ( I love Stella's bad language and quick wit), very well written and well paced. I felt Stella's pain; I grieved with her and yet I virtually high-fived Patrick when he dragged her ass outta bed when he felt she was wallowing too much. I loved George, his compassion, patience, sexiness... his very essence did her soul good even when she didn't realise it. I loved Billy's sense of humour and blatantly funny one liners. Being Irish, I loved the Irishness of it...who knew that Finnegan's Irish Bar would sell Guinness Bass and Harp!! Impressed!
The unexpected but very welcomed plot twist made my tummy twist... I am literally DYING to read the sequel to this book... I shall be chomping at the bit to read it... is it the summer yet??
Highly recommend!!
Stella has been dealt the shittiest deck of cards life can throw at her. Her idyllic life with a bright future clearly mapped out ahead, is suddenly and irrevocably pulled out from underneath her. She finds herself alone in a new city, in a whirlwind of soul destroying grief. Despite the best efforts of her two new roommates who are constantly by her side, she withers into a fraught and fragile cycle of depression, and turns to booze and her trusty dog Cooper for comfort.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even a strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind."
But soon the grief turns to anger and Stella hardens, her heart is broken into pieces and she finds herself “... hard, numb. The hardness had come about recently, spreading through her brain and chest. She worried that if she were hit hard enough she would just crack”
Little by little though, her small group of friends (Patrick, Billy, Millie & George {swoon}who are all fantastic and deserved of at least a novelette each) chip away at the hard Stella and she starts to let them in... bit by bit. But it's George who ingratiates himself into her life, without her even realizing.... but will it be enough....
(not giving any spoilers away)
By A Thread is a great read! The story line is complex, harrowing, funny ( I love Stella's bad language and quick wit), very well written and well paced. I felt Stella's pain; I grieved with her and yet I virtually high-fived Patrick when he dragged her ass outta bed when he felt she was wallowing too much. I loved George, his compassion, patience, sexiness... his very essence did her soul good even when she didn't realise it. I loved Billy's sense of humour and blatantly funny one liners. Being Irish, I loved the Irishness of it...who knew that Finnegan's Irish Bar would sell Guinness Bass and Harp!! Impressed!
The unexpected but very welcomed plot twist made my tummy twist... I am literally DYING to read the sequel to this book... I shall be chomping at the bit to read it... is it the summer yet??
Highly recommend!!
May 18, 2013
Picking Up The Pieces
Author R.L. Griffin and I will attend the New Adult Sleepover Weekend in Savannah, Georgia in December, 2013 (more info here: http://newadultsleepover.blogspot.com). When I discovered she writes my favorite genre of romantic suspense, I definitely wanted to read her novel! And I'm so glad I did.
Stella and Jamie were student-athletes at the same university. They fell in love and got engaged, then moved to Washington, D.C. to live together. Jamie starts a career with the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) and Stella is about to start law school.
Things seem perfect, right?
WRONG.
When Jamie dies in a car accident, Stella falls apart. Girlfriend's definitely hanging "by a thread" as she defers law school for an alcoholic bender into depression. I was horrified when a drunk Stella responded to grieving messages on Facebook from Jamie's friends, like:
hey d-bag, Jamie probably doesn't even remmdher your name
! Jamie's roommates Patrick and Billie take care of Stella and her dog Cooper, slowly nursing her back to health. She meets a bartender named George and eventually starts living again, though it's an empty life.
Stella's so low for most of the novel that at times it was hard to find her likable. Apparently she's quite beautiful since she draws the attention of many men despite her hard, rejecting shell. (Or maybe that speaks to the old adage that we want what we can't have?) Of course I wanted to throw her into treatment for her alcohol problem. ;-)
I did enjoy Patrick, who's like a brother to Stella, as well as George. Saint George puts up with all kinds of blow-back and bitterness from Stella, but he's always there for her, supporting her. Her law-school friend Millie is fun. I loved Millie's name for the line of muscle on a fit guy's lower torso: the arrow muscle. Yeah! Fiance Jamie's character is rather unknown, which makes me wonder if there will be a sequel.
My favorite part of the story was the mind-blowing ending. I didn't see that one coming! The return to events mentioned in the prologue gave me a better understanding of Stella and the parts of the story that earlier frustrated me.
Check out this New Adult journey of healing!
Author R.L. Griffin and I will attend the New Adult Sleepover Weekend in Savannah, Georgia in December, 2013 (more info here: http://newadultsleepover.blogspot.com). When I discovered she writes my favorite genre of romantic suspense, I definitely wanted to read her novel! And I'm so glad I did.
Stella and Jamie were student-athletes at the same university. They fell in love and got engaged, then moved to Washington, D.C. to live together. Jamie starts a career with the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) and Stella is about to start law school.
Things seem perfect, right?
WRONG.
When Jamie dies in a car accident, Stella falls apart. Girlfriend's definitely hanging "by a thread" as she defers law school for an alcoholic bender into depression. I was horrified when a drunk Stella responded to grieving messages on Facebook from Jamie's friends, like:
hey d-bag, Jamie probably doesn't even remmdher your name
! Jamie's roommates Patrick and Billie take care of Stella and her dog Cooper, slowly nursing her back to health. She meets a bartender named George and eventually starts living again, though it's an empty life.
Stella's so low for most of the novel that at times it was hard to find her likable. Apparently she's quite beautiful since she draws the attention of many men despite her hard, rejecting shell. (Or maybe that speaks to the old adage that we want what we can't have?) Of course I wanted to throw her into treatment for her alcohol problem. ;-)
I did enjoy Patrick, who's like a brother to Stella, as well as George. Saint George puts up with all kinds of blow-back and bitterness from Stella, but he's always there for her, supporting her. Her law-school friend Millie is fun. I loved Millie's name for the line of muscle on a fit guy's lower torso: the arrow muscle. Yeah! Fiance Jamie's character is rather unknown, which makes me wonder if there will be a sequel.
My favorite part of the story was the mind-blowing ending. I didn't see that one coming! The return to events mentioned in the prologue gave me a better understanding of Stella and the parts of the story that earlier frustrated me.
Check out this New Adult journey of healing!
March 27, 2013
Holy Crap what a book!
From the moment that I picked up this book I literally couldn’t put it down… so I didn’t! It really sucked me in to the story and had me captivated by the characters. It was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.
RL Griffin is unbelievable! She threw so many twists and turns into this story that I did not know where it was headed but they worked brilliantly.
Stella deals with a seriously heavy and emotional event that leaves her not knowing how to cope with life itself. If faced with similar situation I believe I might have responded the same way that she did.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind. A thread that could unravel at any moment, scattering and smashing all the pieces of her that she was trying desperately to keep together.”
With the help of her roommates and her friend, Stella, slowly starts to get back to her life.
“Time makes things tolerable. Time gives you perspective on events that shake your world to the core. Time allows you to move forward. But time doesn’t change the pain that sits in your gut.”
She meets George who is a bartender at the bar that she frequents with her roommates Finnegan’s. He is determined to make her whole again.
“I want to tell you that you are beautiful, you know that? Inside and out.” He kissed her left shoulder blade, “but you are broken. I plan on fixing you.”
“Oh really, how do you plan on doing that?” she asked without moving.
He leaned down and kissed her lovingly on the back of her neck, up slowly behind her ear. A shutter went through her entire body. “Very slowly, and one piece at a time, love.”
OH. MY. GOD!!! *SIGH*
I can’t get over the ending. Talk about turn of events. It was not at all what I was expecting. I cannot wait until book 2 comes out!!! I have sooo many questions that need answers STAT!
From the moment that I picked up this book I literally couldn’t put it down… so I didn’t! It really sucked me in to the story and had me captivated by the characters. It was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.
RL Griffin is unbelievable! She threw so many twists and turns into this story that I did not know where it was headed but they worked brilliantly.
Stella deals with a seriously heavy and emotional event that leaves her not knowing how to cope with life itself. If faced with similar situation I believe I might have responded the same way that she did.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind. A thread that could unravel at any moment, scattering and smashing all the pieces of her that she was trying desperately to keep together.”
With the help of her roommates and her friend, Stella, slowly starts to get back to her life.
“Time makes things tolerable. Time gives you perspective on events that shake your world to the core. Time allows you to move forward. But time doesn’t change the pain that sits in your gut.”
She meets George who is a bartender at the bar that she frequents with her roommates Finnegan’s. He is determined to make her whole again.
“I want to tell you that you are beautiful, you know that? Inside and out.” He kissed her left shoulder blade, “but you are broken. I plan on fixing you.”
“Oh really, how do you plan on doing that?” she asked without moving.
He leaned down and kissed her lovingly on the back of her neck, up slowly behind her ear. A shutter went through her entire body. “Very slowly, and one piece at a time, love.”
OH. MY. GOD!!! *SIGH*
I can’t get over the ending. Talk about turn of events. It was not at all what I was expecting. I cannot wait until book 2 comes out!!! I have sooo many questions that need answers STAT!
Want to read
April 21, 2013
I like the sound of this one!!
BLURB --> Stella's future was set, and it was a bright one. She was engaged to a man she adored, and was headed to law school in the fall. Tragically, her perfectly planned future ends just as it was beginning.
With no ties to family or friends, Stella finds herself alone in a new city, spiraling out of control. Her typical day comes to a close with her passed out on the floor; sometimes clothed.
Luckily, her new roommate, essentially a stranger, is dead set on getting Stella past her grief and back to functioning within society. Putting one foot in front of the other, she climbs up from the bottom of a bottle. Even with all her progress, Stella walks through life unfeeling, numb. Defiant, she sends out warning signals for the world to keep away. But, is that what she really wants?
With the steadfast help of a few tight knit friends, she gradually begins to feel again. She starts to savor the flavor of food again; lets herself notice how the handsome bartender glances at her. Still, after allowing herself a fling, she wonders if she will ever be able to let go of her shattered past, fully enjoy the present, or get over what she thought would be her perfect future and with the man who destroyed her heart
April 8, 2013
Read more of my reviews and ramblings, and enter this giveaway at Ana's Attic Book Blog
4.5 stars
By a Thread by R.L. Griffin is a book, from the description, that there is no way I would have read, despite it's awesome cover. If you guys have been following my reviews, you know I like feel-good books. Emotions are fine if I get my HEA. But my sister asked me to do a friend a favor and read her book, and I did, with some trepidation from reading the blurb. Well guess what? I was completely and utterly sucked in from page one.
What a pleasant surprise! Despite its mostly dark subject matter, this was a book filled with hope and lots of funny little lines. By a Thread was very well written and filled with loss, longing, friendship, love, healing and a holy shit! moment that I never saw coming.
Stella has just moved to Washington DC with her fiancé Jamie and their awesome dog, Cooper. Jamie is starting his new job as an ATF agent, and she is about to start law school. Stella knows nobody in DC and they are moving into Jamie's friend's basement apartment. That same first day in DC, Jamie is killed in a car accident.
Patrick, Jamie's friend and Stella's new roommate is completely there for her. What a great guy. He takes care of her when all she really wants to do is crawl in a hole. Stella defers law school for a year while she spends that time as a drunk zombie with only Patrick and their other roommate, Billy, to remind her to get up each day and take care of her dog.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind. A thread that could unravel at any moment, scattering and smashing all the pieces of her that she was trying desperately to keep together.”
Stella might be miserable, but she is one feisty girl with a really great sense of humor, especially drunk (which she always is). The three of them spend a lot of time at a local bar, Finnegan's, where Stella strikes up a friendship with the bartender, George. But she doesn't heal. In fact, she gets an accurate (yet gross) depiction of her shattered heart tattooed across her back to keep people away.
"She was hard, numb. The hardness had come about recently, spreading through her brain and chest. She worried that if she were hit hard enough she would just crack"
When Stella begins law school a year late, she meets Millie, a fun, feisty law student, that starts a friendship with Stella immediately. Stella doesn't share much. She doesn't talk about Jamie--to anyone. And she is still wearing her engagement ring. But Millie is welcomed into the group immediately, and she thinks Patrick is H-O-T!
"I mean, seriously hot. Did you see he has that arrow muscle?
"What" Stella was confused.
"You know, the muscles that point to his dick, the arrow to his dick. Good God," she groaned. "I almost jumped him last night."
(I LOVE the arrow muscle!)
Over the years, Stella and George's attraction grows, in fact he has been crazy about her, but her heart is still shattered. All she wants is sex.
"If I weren't working I would take you home immediately," he growled.
"What's wrong with here," she teased and pulled his earlobe with her teeth.
"Oh, no. This is going to be slow and deliberate."
George is pretty fucking awesome...and he rides a motorcycle. But Stella is just too broken to see it.
“I want to tell you that you are beautiful, you know that? Inside and out.” He kissed her left shoulder blade, “but you are broken. I plan on fixing you.”
“Oh really, how do you plan on doing that?” she asked without moving.
He leaned down and kissed her lovingly on the back of her neck, up slowly behind her ear. A shutter went through her entire body. “Very slowly, and one piece at a time, love.”
And then....and then.......
Holy Fuck!
Likes:
-The cover is awesome!
-Even the miserable times had a snarky, humorous edge to them.
-I liked all of the characters, especially Millie.
-Oh My Shit! Funny lines made me laugh.
-Cooper. What an awesome dog, and such an integral part of the story.
-Though the story didn't really progress quickly, I found I couldn't put it down.
-A crazy twist I didn't expect.
-The Washington DC aspect. It was clearly written by someone who had lived there. (I went to college there, so this part was cool to me).
-The group felt a little like "How I Met Your Mother".
-Though there is a little cliffhanger, you can read this on it's own.
Dislikes:
-Aaaaargh! It has a semi-cliffhager, and the next book doesn't come out until summer! But it has an HFN (Happy For Now) at the same time...you just know you HAVE to read the next!
-The blurb doesn't do the book justice.
-The third quarter of the book got a teeny bit slow, and the end was a bit rushed (very minor pacing issue).
-She blows her bangs out of her eyes....a LOT.
Rating: 4.5 stars, 3.75 heat
By a Thread is one of those books where I'm having a really hard time explaining just why I loved it. If I think of the story, I'm not sure it rates quite as high. But my enjoyment of the book, and the fact that I didn't check facebook while I read tells you something right there. I guess I felt like I was friends with the characters. Something about the way it is written draws you right in and doesn't let go.
By a Thread was a fast read with great, relatable characters, funny lines, emotional subjects and crazy twists and turns. But mostly it's about healing from great loss. This was a really wonderful surprise, and I look forward to reading the next in this series, which is currently planned as a trilogy.
*This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.
PS: This is the fourth book in 2 weeks that features a dead fiancé! How weird is that?
4.5 stars
By a Thread by R.L. Griffin is a book, from the description, that there is no way I would have read, despite it's awesome cover. If you guys have been following my reviews, you know I like feel-good books. Emotions are fine if I get my HEA. But my sister asked me to do a friend a favor and read her book, and I did, with some trepidation from reading the blurb. Well guess what? I was completely and utterly sucked in from page one.
What a pleasant surprise! Despite its mostly dark subject matter, this was a book filled with hope and lots of funny little lines. By a Thread was very well written and filled with loss, longing, friendship, love, healing and a holy shit! moment that I never saw coming.
Stella has just moved to Washington DC with her fiancé Jamie and their awesome dog, Cooper. Jamie is starting his new job as an ATF agent, and she is about to start law school. Stella knows nobody in DC and they are moving into Jamie's friend's basement apartment. That same first day in DC, Jamie is killed in a car accident.
Patrick, Jamie's friend and Stella's new roommate is completely there for her. What a great guy. He takes care of her when all she really wants to do is crawl in a hole. Stella defers law school for a year while she spends that time as a drunk zombie with only Patrick and their other roommate, Billy, to remind her to get up each day and take care of her dog.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind. A thread that could unravel at any moment, scattering and smashing all the pieces of her that she was trying desperately to keep together.”
Stella might be miserable, but she is one feisty girl with a really great sense of humor, especially drunk (which she always is). The three of them spend a lot of time at a local bar, Finnegan's, where Stella strikes up a friendship with the bartender, George. But she doesn't heal. In fact, she gets an accurate (yet gross) depiction of her shattered heart tattooed across her back to keep people away.
"She was hard, numb. The hardness had come about recently, spreading through her brain and chest. She worried that if she were hit hard enough she would just crack"
When Stella begins law school a year late, she meets Millie, a fun, feisty law student, that starts a friendship with Stella immediately. Stella doesn't share much. She doesn't talk about Jamie--to anyone. And she is still wearing her engagement ring. But Millie is welcomed into the group immediately, and she thinks Patrick is H-O-T!
"I mean, seriously hot. Did you see he has that arrow muscle?
"What" Stella was confused.
"You know, the muscles that point to his dick, the arrow to his dick. Good God," she groaned. "I almost jumped him last night."
(I LOVE the arrow muscle!)
Over the years, Stella and George's attraction grows, in fact he has been crazy about her, but her heart is still shattered. All she wants is sex.
"If I weren't working I would take you home immediately," he growled.
"What's wrong with here," she teased and pulled his earlobe with her teeth.
"Oh, no. This is going to be slow and deliberate."
George is pretty fucking awesome...and he rides a motorcycle. But Stella is just too broken to see it.
“I want to tell you that you are beautiful, you know that? Inside and out.” He kissed her left shoulder blade, “but you are broken. I plan on fixing you.”
“Oh really, how do you plan on doing that?” she asked without moving.
He leaned down and kissed her lovingly on the back of her neck, up slowly behind her ear. A shutter went through her entire body. “Very slowly, and one piece at a time, love.”
And then....and then.......
Holy Fuck!
Likes:
-The cover is awesome!
-Even the miserable times had a snarky, humorous edge to them.
-I liked all of the characters, especially Millie.
-Oh My Shit! Funny lines made me laugh.
-Cooper. What an awesome dog, and such an integral part of the story.
-Though the story didn't really progress quickly, I found I couldn't put it down.
-A crazy twist I didn't expect.
-The Washington DC aspect. It was clearly written by someone who had lived there. (I went to college there, so this part was cool to me).
-The group felt a little like "How I Met Your Mother".
-Though there is a little cliffhanger, you can read this on it's own.
Dislikes:
-Aaaaargh! It has a semi-cliffhager, and the next book doesn't come out until summer! But it has an HFN (Happy For Now) at the same time...you just know you HAVE to read the next!
-The blurb doesn't do the book justice.
-The third quarter of the book got a teeny bit slow, and the end was a bit rushed (very minor pacing issue).
-She blows her bangs out of her eyes....a LOT.
Rating: 4.5 stars, 3.75 heat
By a Thread is one of those books where I'm having a really hard time explaining just why I loved it. If I think of the story, I'm not sure it rates quite as high. But my enjoyment of the book, and the fact that I didn't check facebook while I read tells you something right there. I guess I felt like I was friends with the characters. Something about the way it is written draws you right in and doesn't let go.
By a Thread was a fast read with great, relatable characters, funny lines, emotional subjects and crazy twists and turns. But mostly it's about healing from great loss. This was a really wonderful surprise, and I look forward to reading the next in this series, which is currently planned as a trilogy.
*This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.
PS: This is the fourth book in 2 weeks that features a dead fiancé! How weird is that?
October 28, 2014
Amazing 5 Star read for me. Highly emotional Made me truly feel as I read it; made me experience the pain of Stella. I find it hard to even write a review that does it justice. Just know that when you pick up this book, you are taking a journey through Stella's life at its lowest point. All she had planned, all she had longed was right there....then just gone. Her coping mechanisms? Alcohol. Over and over and over. She is shattering but soon her new roommate Patrick is there to help pick up the pieces and a growing group of close knit friends make it their pledge to keep Stella from drowning her life.
"
“Time makes things tolerable. Time gives you perspective on events that shake your world to the core. Time allows you to move forward. But time doesn’t change the pain that sits in your gut." These sentences just gut punched me. Brought so much emotion to the surface from my own life.
This is Women's Fiction - Contemporary. It is a bit of a departure for me and I was thankful to get back to REAL feelings and emotions of real characters. We are left with not a HEA for now...but I truly believe that Stella will find the power to rebuild herself as well as her life and to finally let love return to her heart.
This is NOT a book to avoid. It will resonate within you as a reader.
Copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
"
“Time makes things tolerable. Time gives you perspective on events that shake your world to the core. Time allows you to move forward. But time doesn’t change the pain that sits in your gut." These sentences just gut punched me. Brought so much emotion to the surface from my own life.
This is Women's Fiction - Contemporary. It is a bit of a departure for me and I was thankful to get back to REAL feelings and emotions of real characters. We are left with not a HEA for now...but I truly believe that Stella will find the power to rebuild herself as well as her life and to finally let love return to her heart.
This is NOT a book to avoid. It will resonate within you as a reader.
Copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
April 28, 2014
A pretty good suspense what-the-hell-happened read.
The prologue introduces Stella and then a cliffhanger. WTH. My thoughts exactly. But as you read on, the story unfolds from prologue to ending and at times I felt it drag abit.
This book brings a lot of feels and oh know, please no Stella moments. Stella's happy moments to her downhill out of control don't want to care moments. Stella uses alcohol as her way of forgetting what happened. She also has pretty awesome friends well I for one think that Patrick is her rock and nuturer (there is a mystery to why he helped her get over her loss). Cooper (an amazing best friend) is her love. But surprise, surprise George (who you will drool over, the good guy) appears. Now there ain't no love-triangle but you kind of wished there was.
But I do like where this is heading and I will say that I think George is really sweet, a little too good for Stella. At times though, I thought she was using George and I really dig him cause he was patient with her even though she was an annoying brat for being that way. So I have this be with Patrick and then be with George. But in the end, there can only be one. I already chose who Stella should be with and I'm happy.
The prologue introduces Stella and then a cliffhanger. WTH. My thoughts exactly. But as you read on, the story unfolds from prologue to ending and at times I felt it drag abit.
This book brings a lot of feels and oh know, please no Stella moments. Stella's happy moments to her downhill out of control don't want to care moments. Stella uses alcohol as her way of forgetting what happened. She also has pretty awesome friends well I for one think that Patrick is her rock and nuturer (there is a mystery to why he helped her get over her loss). Cooper (an amazing best friend) is her love. But surprise, surprise George (who you will drool over, the good guy) appears. Now there ain't no love-triangle but you kind of wished there was.
But I do like where this is heading and I will say that I think George is really sweet, a little too good for Stella. At times though, I thought she was using George and I really dig him cause he was patient with her even though she was an annoying brat for being that way. So I have this be with Patrick and then be with George. But in the end, there can only be one. I already chose who Stella should be with and I'm happy.
August 5, 2013
This book was all over the place. I'm talking a major clusterfuck. Several times I wanted to just stop reading this and be done with it, but I kept on going because in all honesty, the storyline wasn’t your typical layout and I wanted to see how things played out. Here's the thing............they didn’t. Tons of loose ends, nothing was resolved. Confusion galore. Little to nothing made sense, and the plot was hard to follow. I understand this is book 1 of a series, but I never appreciate feeling pissed off when I finish a book. There's a huge difference between feeling high anticipation for the next book, and just fed up. I can't help but feel this read was a waste of my time. I'm glad it was a freebie when I got it, otherwise, it would have easily been rated a 1 star over 2.
How much did I pay: free
Will I recommend: no
Will I read more in series: no
How much did I pay: free
Will I recommend: no
Will I read more in series: no
July 22, 2013
Stella's future was all set. She was engaged to a man she adored, and was about to start a new life in a new town. She was going to start law school until tragically, her perfectly planned future is thrown into turmoil.
This amazing story will keep you gripped. I must have caught myself ten times with my brow drawn up in astonishment, with my mouth hanging open thinking what the hell just happened!!
Fraught with a myriad of emotions, heartbreak, love and longing this truly is a amazing read. I'm literally hanging by a thread, holding my breath for the next installment.
WOW!!
April 9, 2013
When reading the synopsis for By A Thread, I have to be honest, I was completely scared. I absolutely hate tragedy and am such an emotional nut that when the bad stuff happens, I can't stop crying. After reading By A Thread, I can honestly say, the book overview doesn't even come close to doing the justice the book deserves.
To read the rest of my review, visit A Love Affair With Books.
To read the rest of my review, visit A Love Affair With Books.
January 7, 2015
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!
October 15, 2013
5/5 hearts
Sometimes its hard to read a friends book and be totes honest because you have built a friendship right? unless you are me. I am honest so with that said I want to tell RL WTF??? like seriously WTF??
lets see if I can better explain this to you all ok.
1. This book took me and turned me upside down, then it grabbed me by shoulders shook the shit out of me, next it slapped me in my face, finally it set me down and gave a little bit of love but not too much.
2. What did I expect? Well fuck not all this I think my emotions were and are still on overdrive.
3. then you want to know what she did to me????? She gave me all the shit I look for in a book. Yeah you all know me well enough to know what I am talking about right??? The angst, the drama, the passion, the men, the main character is a BAD ASS BITCH!!! yup and what do you have?
Now you are all probably like Sandie WTF are you even talking about this review makes no damn sense! LMAO well I had to let out all my emotions because feelings suck. They can do a number on you. That is precisely what this damn book did to me. It grabbed me from the beginning I mean seriously RL to start a book like that I didn't know if I wanted to run and hide or throw my kindle cuz I just knew this was going to take me on a whirlwind.
Stella is a bad ass chick and I was so excited I hate with a passion whiney needy chicks that can't so shit for themselves. I mean it works in some cases but seriously no. Take notes ppl take notes Rl made her and I have to say one of the best main women characters I have seen in a looong time. You know life is about tragedy and this chick has that too. So I guess this is when it becomes apparent if she will be a survivor or giver upper <-- (yes I made that up). She is a survivor, I hear Destiny's child singing that song survivor while I am typing this up.
Another thing I love is great banter you know the kind where I am laughing and snort laughed and then would yell HAHA! yup yup!! all that is in this book. There are so many twists to the plot that I was a bit miffed that I kept seeing shit one way and it was sooooo not that way at all. HELLOO I think my sensor is off or something or these authors have caught on and are now making me pay dearly for earlier comments about knowing how things end.
By the end of this book, with my emotions everywhere, I didn't think I could handle anymore. Yeah well she's mean and guess what? yup I have to wait for book 2 MEAN right??!!
I mean that in the nicest way possible too RL really I do! I am sorry this review was all over the place but its really hard to tie down my emotions. You are all probably wondering if I am on crack, drunk, coke, Dr.Pepper LOL well I think i might be all of those combined but no sorry no drugs were involved, drinks maybe but defo no drugs. This review is actually a good one, I enjoyed this damn book so much that I think I am going to harass this author forever. She is #hoefficially one of my top 10 Authors. That is how extraordinary this book is. To be able to capture and enthrall me the ENTIRE way through is no easy feat. But she did it and then she slapped me, and punched me and I loved every single minute of it! So for that RL for that I applaud you and give you
Sometimes its hard to read a friends book and be totes honest because you have built a friendship right? unless you are me. I am honest so with that said I want to tell RL WTF??? like seriously WTF??
lets see if I can better explain this to you all ok.
1. This book took me and turned me upside down, then it grabbed me by shoulders shook the shit out of me, next it slapped me in my face, finally it set me down and gave a little bit of love but not too much.
2. What did I expect? Well fuck not all this I think my emotions were and are still on overdrive.
3. then you want to know what she did to me????? She gave me all the shit I look for in a book. Yeah you all know me well enough to know what I am talking about right??? The angst, the drama, the passion, the men, the main character is a BAD ASS BITCH!!! yup and what do you have?
Now you are all probably like Sandie WTF are you even talking about this review makes no damn sense! LMAO well I had to let out all my emotions because feelings suck. They can do a number on you. That is precisely what this damn book did to me. It grabbed me from the beginning I mean seriously RL to start a book like that I didn't know if I wanted to run and hide or throw my kindle cuz I just knew this was going to take me on a whirlwind.
Stella is a bad ass chick and I was so excited I hate with a passion whiney needy chicks that can't so shit for themselves. I mean it works in some cases but seriously no. Take notes ppl take notes Rl made her and I have to say one of the best main women characters I have seen in a looong time. You know life is about tragedy and this chick has that too. So I guess this is when it becomes apparent if she will be a survivor or giver upper <-- (yes I made that up). She is a survivor, I hear Destiny's child singing that song survivor while I am typing this up.
Another thing I love is great banter you know the kind where I am laughing and snort laughed and then would yell HAHA! yup yup!! all that is in this book. There are so many twists to the plot that I was a bit miffed that I kept seeing shit one way and it was sooooo not that way at all. HELLOO I think my sensor is off or something or these authors have caught on and are now making me pay dearly for earlier comments about knowing how things end.
By the end of this book, with my emotions everywhere, I didn't think I could handle anymore. Yeah well she's mean and guess what? yup I have to wait for book 2 MEAN right??!!
I mean that in the nicest way possible too RL really I do! I am sorry this review was all over the place but its really hard to tie down my emotions. You are all probably wondering if I am on crack, drunk, coke, Dr.Pepper LOL well I think i might be all of those combined but no sorry no drugs were involved, drinks maybe but defo no drugs. This review is actually a good one, I enjoyed this damn book so much that I think I am going to harass this author forever. She is #hoefficially one of my top 10 Authors. That is how extraordinary this book is. To be able to capture and enthrall me the ENTIRE way through is no easy feat. But she did it and then she slapped me, and punched me and I loved every single minute of it! So for that RL for that I applaud you and give you
May 22, 2013
By a Thread is definitely a different read and it’s totally up my alley. This is romance-suspense at its finest and it will keep you guessing the entire time.
“She was held together by a thread. Not even a strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind. A thread that could unravel at any moment, scattering and smashing all the pieces of her that she as trying desperately to keep together.”
The story starts out with Stella and Jamie who met during college and they fall in love. But then Stella is met with a tragedy that she barely recovers from. She was on a path to pure self-destruction because of everything she just endured and there are so many cringe-worthy moments that I was uncomfortable for at least the first half of the book.
“Time makes things tolerable. Time gives you perspective on events that shake your world to the core. Time allows you to move forward. But time doesn’t change the pain that sits in your gut.”
I absolutely loved Stella’s roommates (Patrick and Billie) who take care of her, they can handle that she’s beyond depressed and most importantly they can tolerate all the insults she spits out on a daily basis. Normally we don’t see the heroine spiral out of control and binge drink every day, so I found that to be refreshing in a weird way because it’s always the male characters that are allowed to do that...I say, BRAVO! She was fantastic and I experienced every emotion she felt!
Stella slowly starts to recover and then she meets George, the amazing and fabulous George. George had the patience of a saint and I loved how he dealt with Stella’s surliness. Their attraction was palpable but it wasn’t insta-love because she was so incredibly broken that she wouldn’t allow herself to feel but eventually those barriers started to crumble, thank god!
The only issue I had with the book was the ending, there were so many unanswered questions and it almost felt rushed. There wasn’t a cliffhanger but so much was left unresolved for Stella and I’ve been told there will be a sequel which I’m hoping will satisfy all the unanswered questions I have.
Overall, this is a fantastic story with excellent writing. Now I’m on the hunt to see what I can find out about book 2!
“She was held together by a thread. Not even a strong fishing wire, but the kind of thread that could fray and break in the wind. A thread that could unravel at any moment, scattering and smashing all the pieces of her that she as trying desperately to keep together.”
The story starts out with Stella and Jamie who met during college and they fall in love. But then Stella is met with a tragedy that she barely recovers from. She was on a path to pure self-destruction because of everything she just endured and there are so many cringe-worthy moments that I was uncomfortable for at least the first half of the book.
“Time makes things tolerable. Time gives you perspective on events that shake your world to the core. Time allows you to move forward. But time doesn’t change the pain that sits in your gut.”
I absolutely loved Stella’s roommates (Patrick and Billie) who take care of her, they can handle that she’s beyond depressed and most importantly they can tolerate all the insults she spits out on a daily basis. Normally we don’t see the heroine spiral out of control and binge drink every day, so I found that to be refreshing in a weird way because it’s always the male characters that are allowed to do that...I say, BRAVO! She was fantastic and I experienced every emotion she felt!
Stella slowly starts to recover and then she meets George, the amazing and fabulous George. George had the patience of a saint and I loved how he dealt with Stella’s surliness. Their attraction was palpable but it wasn’t insta-love because she was so incredibly broken that she wouldn’t allow herself to feel but eventually those barriers started to crumble, thank god!
The only issue I had with the book was the ending, there were so many unanswered questions and it almost felt rushed. There wasn’t a cliffhanger but so much was left unresolved for Stella and I’ve been told there will be a sequel which I’m hoping will satisfy all the unanswered questions I have.
Overall, this is a fantastic story with excellent writing. Now I’m on the hunt to see what I can find out about book 2!
May 17, 2013
What the... I am honestly ticked and have been since I finished this two days ago. I don't even know where to begin. First let me apologize for the rant. I normally do not do this, but it is a must. I will try to explain by not giving away any details. Wish me luck!
Lets begin. If this is a stand alone book I will be livid. If this book has a sequel I will be even more irate than I already am. Honestly, I am furious! I read the prologue and the first few chapters and thought this is going to be good... Couldn't wait to find out the twists and see the growth and development of characters. Well, by 25% in, I needed something to happen ASAP. Stella was handed some crappy cards and she had a choice to accept and move on (over time) or become pathetic, annoying, and infuriatingly selfish. Unfortunately she chose the miserable option and there begins my annoyance. I understand life kind of sucks but drunken night after drunken night after drunken night.... Do you see where I am going with this. I actually think this book got me drunk because every other line mentioned it. Then finally lets add some sex with the drinking. Unfortunately I still just got drunk because the sex was only so so. Stella was so selfish and I really didn't see much growth in her. Ahhh I would have hit her if she was my friend.
This went on until 89%. Yes you read that correctly, 89%. I almost did not finish this book and have been currently reading for quite some time. But I am stubborn and I just like finishing books and after the prologue I wanted to know how that fit in. Well at 89%, yea it finally did. Then it was wham bam thank you ma'am, and we are done. What the heck!
Now lets go back to what I mentioned earlier, stand alone vs not. After finishing, I was so confused that I immediately went to the author website to see if this was a trick to see if there was an epilogue or another book coming out. Please if anyone knows, tell me because if this book ends the way it did, I don't even know what to say. There are fifty million questions unanswered. I am completely not satisfied.
I am still scratching my head and wondering if I really am drunk... What the....
Lets begin. If this is a stand alone book I will be livid. If this book has a sequel I will be even more irate than I already am. Honestly, I am furious! I read the prologue and the first few chapters and thought this is going to be good... Couldn't wait to find out the twists and see the growth and development of characters. Well, by 25% in, I needed something to happen ASAP. Stella was handed some crappy cards and she had a choice to accept and move on (over time) or become pathetic, annoying, and infuriatingly selfish. Unfortunately she chose the miserable option and there begins my annoyance. I understand life kind of sucks but drunken night after drunken night after drunken night.... Do you see where I am going with this. I actually think this book got me drunk because every other line mentioned it. Then finally lets add some sex with the drinking. Unfortunately I still just got drunk because the sex was only so so. Stella was so selfish and I really didn't see much growth in her. Ahhh I would have hit her if she was my friend.
This went on until 89%. Yes you read that correctly, 89%. I almost did not finish this book and have been currently reading for quite some time. But I am stubborn and I just like finishing books and after the prologue I wanted to know how that fit in. Well at 89%, yea it finally did. Then it was wham bam thank you ma'am, and we are done. What the heck!
Now lets go back to what I mentioned earlier, stand alone vs not. After finishing, I was so confused that I immediately went to the author website to see if this was a trick to see if there was an epilogue or another book coming out. Please if anyone knows, tell me because if this book ends the way it did, I don't even know what to say. There are fifty million questions unanswered. I am completely not satisfied.
I am still scratching my head and wondering if I really am drunk... What the....
January 8, 2018
Well this book had it all. Heartbreak, loss, longing, love...and this story was very appropriately named as it will have a lot of you "hanging by a thread" until the very last page. It was quite a story and the synopsis doesn't prepare you for what you are about to read.
This is a very good novel from RL Griffin and it is a free download. Something very different and I really liked the way the story started with the ending.
Her future was set; she adored Jamie and was headed to law school but the perfect life that she knew is pulled from under her feet and ends just as it was beginning. Stella cuts off her family, friends and the only friend she has is a bottle. Now her days are spent comatosed, passed out on the floor that she shares a bottle with. Her heart is demolished and there is no hope of finding it again - ever.
All Stella wants to do is crawl down a hole but Patrick, Jamie's friend and Stella's new roommate becomes her rock. She makes the decision to defer law school for a year and spends her time living like a zombie, unfeeling, numb and defiant.
Eventually she starts to live and meets George but she will not give him or anyone her heart ever. Stella and George's attraction grows, in fact he is crazy about her, but her heart is still shattered - all she will give him is sex.
Hanging by a thread was not a romance novel (yes there were romantic bits running through the story) but it was secondary to the message that was being told. Its a story about self discovery and the struggle that Stella has to slowly drag herself out of the hole she has created.
However just when you think life for Stella is beginning, R L Griffin throws the reader a rollercoaster ending, a surprising revelation as you reach the end and yes there is a cliffhanger!
Well done R.L Griffin but give me more and soon!
This is a very good novel from RL Griffin and it is a free download. Something very different and I really liked the way the story started with the ending.
Her future was set; she adored Jamie and was headed to law school but the perfect life that she knew is pulled from under her feet and ends just as it was beginning. Stella cuts off her family, friends and the only friend she has is a bottle. Now her days are spent comatosed, passed out on the floor that she shares a bottle with. Her heart is demolished and there is no hope of finding it again - ever.
All Stella wants to do is crawl down a hole but Patrick, Jamie's friend and Stella's new roommate becomes her rock. She makes the decision to defer law school for a year and spends her time living like a zombie, unfeeling, numb and defiant.
Eventually she starts to live and meets George but she will not give him or anyone her heart ever. Stella and George's attraction grows, in fact he is crazy about her, but her heart is still shattered - all she will give him is sex.
Hanging by a thread was not a romance novel (yes there were romantic bits running through the story) but it was secondary to the message that was being told. Its a story about self discovery and the struggle that Stella has to slowly drag herself out of the hole she has created.
However just when you think life for Stella is beginning, R L Griffin throws the reader a rollercoaster ending, a surprising revelation as you reach the end and yes there is a cliffhanger!
Well done R.L Griffin but give me more and soon!
May 6, 2013
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up.....but I enjoyed every minute of it. All characters in this book were wonderful!!! Stella is one BADASS chick and I just loved George (or whatever his name is....hahahahaha). The prologue sets you up for a very interesting read....and then the tragedy happens to Stella that just broke my heart for her. I can't imagine what it would feel like to be in that position but she was lucky to have Patrick and Billy there to guide her through her life afterwards. And then we meet Millie.....the best friend a girl could have!!!! And there are no words for George----he is the BEST!!!!
I can't imagine what it would be like to get up to drink all day and just exist, but it seemed to be what Stella needed in order to survive the grief and Patrick was right there beside her and keeping her in line...until we come towards the end....then I was totally blown away by the turn of events!!!! OMG!!!!
I sure hope there is at least one more book to give us more information after the turn of events....I want answers....what of Patrick, Millie, Billy, and you know who!!! AAAAUUUUGGGHHH
Oh well, I love it anyways!!! Thank you Ms. Griffin for a wonderful read!!! :)
I can't imagine what it would be like to get up to drink all day and just exist, but it seemed to be what Stella needed in order to survive the grief and Patrick was right there beside her and keeping her in line...until we come towards the end....then I was totally blown away by the turn of events!!!! OMG!!!!
I sure hope there is at least one more book to give us more information after the turn of events....I want answers....what of Patrick, Millie, Billy, and you know who!!! AAAAUUUUGGGHHH
Oh well, I love it anyways!!! Thank you Ms. Griffin for a wonderful read!!! :)
April 5, 2013
I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading this novel. More often than not you can figure out what direction the story is going to take. I couldn't with this one. Perhaps because I don't usually read books where the protagonist is attending law school - or any school for that matter. Regardless, I will say that the characters are very well-developed. You definitely have a feel for who these people are and their relationship with one another. I gave this novel four stars because the ending really blew me away. I didn't see it coming. Without giving it away, all I know is that I wouldn't blame Stella if she wanted to take a gun and blow a couple of people away because after what she's been thru, they deserve it. I'm surprised that some kind of rage didn't take over where she starts destroying everything around her. As to her relationship with George, I think they're great together. I look forward to reading the next novel as I thought the ending was wrapped up too neatly and quickly. I know this is not much of a review but I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2013
GAH!!! Loved, loved, every second of this READ! It's like Ms. Griffin took all of my favorite things, and cleverly put them in THIS.BOOK! I found my self saying “hey me too”... Like.A.LOT! Amazing! I Laughed, I cried, I cringed, and I screamed!!
My Rating
4.5 Swiming pool, Drunken Dare, Dog park, Red heels, Drunken torture, Deleted FB account, Study group, Scary tattoo, Spare key, Motorcycle ride, Nervous vomiting, Blonde Beard, AFT Agent Debriefing, Sudden Bombing, Embracing Love filled Stars!! READ THIS BOOK! You won’t regret it!! Full of fun and reality. I HIGHY recommend this read!!
P.S “little bit bout me” I love making people laugh, dogs, football, bear(Guinness), Harp, running, working out, bar-tending, swimming pools, dancing, and cussing;) Irish carbombs too “though not mentioned had to throw them in” ooh and Vino ofc.
Laters,
Full Review @ http://www.abookishescape.com/2013/05...
My Rating
4.5 Swiming pool, Drunken Dare, Dog park, Red heels, Drunken torture, Deleted FB account, Study group, Scary tattoo, Spare key, Motorcycle ride, Nervous vomiting, Blonde Beard, AFT Agent Debriefing, Sudden Bombing, Embracing Love filled Stars!! READ THIS BOOK! You won’t regret it!! Full of fun and reality. I HIGHY recommend this read!!
P.S “little bit bout me” I love making people laugh, dogs, football, bear(Guinness), Harp, running, working out, bar-tending, swimming pools, dancing, and cussing;) Irish carbombs too “though not mentioned had to throw them in” ooh and Vino ofc.
Laters,
Full Review @ http://www.abookishescape.com/2013/05...
December 18, 2013
This book did not work for me. I felt no connection to the main character, Stella. I am not sure if it was because the story was written in third person or that she was just mean. I understand her fiancé died, but three years later and she is still whining “poor me.” I mean I understood her initial pain over losing Jamie, but she was so hurtful to the people who tried to help her. And all the drinking. I do not understand why George or anyone wanted to spend any time with Stella. It was as if she was allowed to be a in a terrible mood all the time, but if anyone else had a bad day, she would call them out on it.
There was a twist in the book, but at that point it was a little too late for me. I lost all connection to Stella and did not care. I think if Stella was likeable, I would have enjoyed the story more.
There was a twist in the book, but at that point it was a little too late for me. I lost all connection to Stella and did not care. I think if Stella was likeable, I would have enjoyed the story more.
March 21, 2013
I'll make sure to make this review spoiler free and bried. I will have a full review for you all at www.smibookclub.com in the coming days.
Talk about twists! Usually you know or have a feeling where a book is going. Not with this story you don't! Even through the pain and suffering, R.L Griffin managed to bring us comic relief. There were a few parts that I had to re-read because I literally laughed out loud. Remember, this is book 1 of the series so there will be lots of questions once you are done, BUT its so worth reading. Take my word, you won't regret it.
Talk about twists! Usually you know or have a feeling where a book is going. Not with this story you don't! Even through the pain and suffering, R.L Griffin managed to bring us comic relief. There were a few parts that I had to re-read because I literally laughed out loud. Remember, this is book 1 of the series so there will be lots of questions once you are done, BUT its so worth reading. Take my word, you won't regret it.
March 20, 2013
I loved this 2nd book by RL Griffin. Stella will totally win you over. One minute you commiserate with her pain and the next you are celebrating with her and laughing. I will confess that at one point in the book I actually cried! I was touched by Stella's relationships with her friends and how they each supported her and each other in different ways. A truly awesome read! I can't wait for Stella's next adventure!
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