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What's Left Untold
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Every secret has its price.
Anna Clark and Lia Clay were unlikely best friends in high school, but their yin-and-yang personalities drew them together in a sister-like bond. Then during college, Lia inexplicably walked out on their friendship and disappeared, leaving Anna hurt, confused, and disillusioned.
Twenty years later, Anna discovers a letter Lia wrote the summer afte ...more
Anna Clark and Lia Clay were unlikely best friends in high school, but their yin-and-yang personalities drew them together in a sister-like bond. Then during college, Lia inexplicably walked out on their friendship and disappeared, leaving Anna hurt, confused, and disillusioned.
Twenty years later, Anna discovers a letter Lia wrote the summer afte ...more
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Anna and Lia are opposites and best friends in high school. When college hits, Lia ends the friendship and walks away, leaving Anna hurt.
It’s twenty years after high school, and Anna has an upcoming class reunion when she fins a letter from Lia written during high school that contains something hurtful. It may be the key to understanding why Lia left.
Will Anna be able to forgive the person who hurt her more than anyone else?
I had a close friend who walked away from our friendship twice, and this ...more
It’s twenty years after high school, and Anna has an upcoming class reunion when she fins a letter from Lia written during high school that contains something hurtful. It may be the key to understanding why Lia left.
Will Anna be able to forgive the person who hurt her more than anyone else?
I had a close friend who walked away from our friendship twice, and this ...more
Two girls with totally opposite personalities, Anna and Lia, find an unlikely friendship in high school, one that survives even their interest in the same boys. They have a falling out in college—and Lia walks out of Anna’s life without further word. That event reverberates through their lives, with each wondering what happened to the other. Twenty years later, Anna finds a letter she’d tucked away in a book. In it, Lia writes an enigmatic post-script asking Anna to meet her, but Anna fails to k
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What truths are best left untold and who gets to decide? That's really the core question of this book, and the plot takes the characters to a place where the answer could be debated forever. Leimkuhler is a marvel in this shocking debut about friends and the secrets that bind them. I read the last 10% with my jaw on the floor.
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Anna and Lia were best friends in high school when suddenly Lia walks out of their friendship suddenly without any explanation, except for a cryptic letter with some hidden message about why she had to leave so suddenly.
Now, Anna is happily married to Jack, her high school sweetheart, and has three daughters. Still thinking of her best friend Lia she wonders if she will connect with her in their upcoming twenty-year high school reunion.
Meeting Lia sets in motion the discovery of the truth behind ...more
Now, Anna is happily married to Jack, her high school sweetheart, and has three daughters. Still thinking of her best friend Lia she wonders if she will connect with her in their upcoming twenty-year high school reunion.
Meeting Lia sets in motion the discovery of the truth behind ...more
What’s Left Until is compelling women’s fiction at its very best, a sweeping story of friendship and betrayal, secrets and forgiveness. I felt empathy for the characters as untold stories of the last twenty years come to light, leaving me shocked and saddened yet hopeful. If your book club is looking for something to read and discuss, look no further!
The reviews I've read say What's Left Untold is filled with plot twists the reader never sees coming. I wondered about that. There's nothing I like more than finding the twists before I'm supposed to. So I read this book searching them out. I watched every direction this story led me wanting to outsmart the author. I failed.
You never see it coming!
What's Left Untold is written beautifully by debut author Sherri Leimkuhler. It is fast-paced; her words glide across the page; her characters are hum ...more
You never see it coming!
What's Left Untold is written beautifully by debut author Sherri Leimkuhler. It is fast-paced; her words glide across the page; her characters are hum ...more
WOW! Sherri Leimkuhler, author of "What's Left Untold" has written a suspenseful, intriguing, captivating, compelling, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are Literary Fiction, Suspense, and Women's Fiction. The story is set in the present and in the past, where it pertains to the characters and events in the story. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. This is a story about family, friendship, betrayal, loyalty, forgiveness, love, and hope.
Anna Clark ...more
Anna Clark ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters, particularly Anna, Lia, and Faith, were so three-dimensional that I felt they were my friends. I would go to bed at night after reading and feel stressed because I wanted to help Anna and didn’t know how. The story is a relatable journey of Anna's day-to-day life punctuated with several unexpected twists that will surely lead to some intense discussions and debates. A very satisfying read!
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This novel covers ten years, from February 2006 to May 2016, with the main character, Anna Wells, at the beginning age 34 (“nearly 35”) going through events many modern women can identify with. Leimkuhler gives excellent descriptions that are almost like discrete short stories in themselves: Anna’s visit to the gynocologist’s office…Anna trying to get pregnant after she and her husband had three girls, hoping for a boy….Anna falling into deep depression when that fails….Anna’s conflict over whet
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In this suspense filled novel I was totally hooked and read it in a sitting. Anna and Lia were friends in High School and completely opposite. With no explanation during their college years Lia completely disappears. Until Anna discovers a note that changes everything nearly two decades later. Completely shocked and confused about what this letter means and how to make sense of it. At their high school reunion they finally reconnect,many questions are answered yet the painful truth is unimaginab
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Sherri Leimkuhler’s WHAT’S LEFT UNTOLD, is a grand, sweeping saga about the evolution of family and friendship—how best friends can break our hearts, make us angry, crazy, and sad, and carry us through good times and bad. Leimkuhler’s plot twists and turns will keep readers glued to the page!
The story of two estranged friends, now adults, who were in High School together in the 1980s, and lost contact with each other after leaving for college.
But one of them has a secret, that will come out later in the book and disrupt both their lives.
The second half of the novel is twisty-turny with an ending that is somewhat shocking and ideal for book club discussion.
I’d definitely recommend this one if you have a club that likes to discuss controversial endings, but also topics around letti ...more
But one of them has a secret, that will come out later in the book and disrupt both their lives.
The second half of the novel is twisty-turny with an ending that is somewhat shocking and ideal for book club discussion.
I’d definitely recommend this one if you have a club that likes to discuss controversial endings, but also topics around letti ...more
A thought-provoking story of friendship, betrayal, and ultimately, forgiveness, WHAT’S LEFT UNTOLD spans thirty years in the lives of two inseparable friends who have become tragically estranged. What led to the end of their friendship? Should the secrets that are revealed be disclosed or kept hidden forever? And who has the right to make that determination? There are no easy answers here. This is a memorable story worthy of reader thought and discussion—a great option for book clubs.
Good writing and the characters come to life and stay with you long after you put the book down. The story has a few twists in it that will have you asking “what would I do?” A perfect book for a book club. Couldn’t put it down!
I couldn’t put this book down! And wow, wasn’t expecting that ending!
Leimkuhler’s authentic prose puts you inside Ana’s head and heart as she unravels the secrets of a childhood friendship that threatens not just her own mental health, but also her marriage and her daughter’s happiness. What’s Left Untold is a heartfelt and surprising examination of friendship, honesty, and whether ‘love is love.’
What’s Left Untold by Sherri Leimkuhler is a page turner with an ending like non other! This book is one of those that kept me up as I finished in the early morning hours. The true sign of a good book!
I am sitting here wondering how to review this book because while I didn't agree with the outcome, this is a really good book. Anna and Lia were best friends in high school until Lia abruptly leaves. Anna doesn't know what happened until they meet again at their high school reunion twenty years later. This is when they rekindle their friendship until Lia's secret comes to light. Anna is horrified by what Lia has kept from her. What a tangled web of deception! This book is so well written and you
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“What’s Left Untold” (Red Adept Publishing May 2020) by Sherri Leimkuhler is a brave book, with a well-written, unique surprise revealed near the end. Brave because the author dares readers to broaden their concept of “after all, love is love.” It is also a compelling, poignant book which touches on many pivotal points in a woman’s life, and is told in crisp, clear sentences replete with insight and tenderness.
One of the most effective, and therefore, hardest things to do in a novel is to have a ...more
One of the most effective, and therefore, hardest things to do in a novel is to have a ...more
What’s Left Untold is the sparkling story of love in many forms: between spouses, friends, and children. Sometimes, in order for love to continue, secrets are maintained that keep the relationship intact. On the other hand, maybe the secrets interfere with the relationship and need to be swept away in a river of honesty. Leimkuhler’s book explores the way that holding onto secrets changes us and changes our relationships. Readers will love the women who hold the lives of others in their hands as
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Female friendships can be the one of life's most treasured gifts ... or they can be something that ruins your life forever. This book has a bit of both ... and certainly takes the reader through so many emotions that you're not sure whether to love or hate the characters!
For a debut, this was well written, fast paced and definitely kept me invested throughout the story. It's also one of those books you can finish on a lazy Sunday and feel completely satisfied. My only issue was how the story end ...more
For a debut, this was well written, fast paced and definitely kept me invested throughout the story. It's also one of those books you can finish on a lazy Sunday and feel completely satisfied. My only issue was how the story end ...more
Leimkuhler’s captivating, suspenseful dual time-line debut kept me glued to the page. Her well-developed complex characters drew me in to the point of yelling at them, encouraging them to be honest, as if I knew them personally. It made me question each characters’ motives and wonder who was actually right. Your going to want to talk about Anna and Lia, the complexities of female friendships and marriage, as well as ponder whether secrets are actually lies – and what is the best action to take –
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What’s Left Untold
I heard about this book from a friend and decided to give it a try. I was caught up in it after it got started and had my suspicions about what was going to happen down the road.
I liked how the author filled us in on the relationships of the main characters, as they were in growing up in high school and then after.
A hard decision for the parents to make about their daughters life and what the future would be like. But no one can make that decision except the people who are in ...more
I heard about this book from a friend and decided to give it a try. I was caught up in it after it got started and had my suspicions about what was going to happen down the road.
I liked how the author filled us in on the relationships of the main characters, as they were in growing up in high school and then after.
A hard decision for the parents to make about their daughters life and what the future would be like. But no one can make that decision except the people who are in ...more
What's Left Untold is a page turner that kept me guessing until the very last page. Just when I thought I had it figured out there was another twist ahead. I couldn't put it down.
The author writes so descriptively that I could picture the scene perfectly - from the smell of coffee in a local restaurant to the cold, damp feeling of winter day in Maryland. The relationship between the two main characters, Anna and Lia, was so real and brought back memories of friendships from high school. ...more
The author writes so descriptively that I could picture the scene perfectly - from the smell of coffee in a local restaurant to the cold, damp feeling of winter day in Maryland. The relationship between the two main characters, Anna and Lia, was so real and brought back memories of friendships from high school. ...more
All I can say is wow!! I wish this book was never ending.
I absolutely enjoyed all of the mentions of Maryland... the BWI trail, OC boardwalk, & thrashers! I loved the twists and turns I didn’t expect and the way it makes you look at life from another’s perspective.
Amazing read, would highly recommend!! I’m anxiously waiting for more from Sherri!
Boy I did not see this one coming! What’s left Untold is a complex story that tackles many issues in such a sweet story. Childhood friendships, Infertility, motherhood, and finding yourself and what makes you happy. I loved the main character and her passionate relationship with her husband, the type of love that lasts the test of time. Many of us can relate to the mother daughter dynamic and the sheer need to hold on as long as possible, and we’ve all had experiences with letting go of friendsh
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This has seemed like quite a laborious read for me, taking me pretty much a whole week to get through. Yet I can't really put my finger on any reason why in particular. It just seemed to drag a bit. I think the amount of LIES told by the women in the story got me down a little, too, as I hate lies and liars. I preferred Lia of the 2 protagonists as I think Anna was less honest as a person when it came down to the proverbial hitting the fan. I saw that coming as well, which I don't as a rule. So
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Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours for my copy What’s Left Untold by Sherri Leimkuhler. This women’s fiction novel is shocking in the best ways and really brings into consideration what secrets are better left as just that? At the core are themes of betrayal and forgiveness and can you really move on from those past betrayals?
The best of friends in high school Lia and Anna suddenly grow apart in college. As their high school reunion approaches Anna finds a cryptic letter from Lia from the summe ...more
The best of friends in high school Lia and Anna suddenly grow apart in college. As their high school reunion approaches Anna finds a cryptic letter from Lia from the summe ...more
What’s Left Untold is a story about 2 girls, Anna and Lia. who are complete opposites that were best friends in high school but then became estranged. 20 years later at their reunion the reunited with Anna having some thoughts of something was wrong and Lia not being totally honest and explaining things. One day while having cookie day Anna finally finds out what Lia is hiding. Anna is horrified by what Lia has kept from her. There are many twists to this story line and will keep you reading. I
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The author did a nice job of telling a story by using a technique to be in present tense, then change to past tense to build the characters as teenagers who in the present were having there 20th high school reunion. This can be tricky for the reader, but this author handled it well.
To me it was a predictable plot, but there were very hard decisions to be made with lots of emotional twists and turns. Would I have made the same decisions?
To me it was a predictable plot, but there were very hard decisions to be made with lots of emotional twists and turns. Would I have made the same decisions?
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Sherri Leimkuhler has written professionally for more than twenty years but is a Jill of many trades, with experience in sales, marketing, public relations, event planning, aviation, and yoga instruction. Her health-and-fitness column, "For the Fun of Fit," appears bi-weekly in the Carroll County Times.
A competitive triathlete and two-time Ironman finisher, Sherri also enjoys reading, hiking, padd ...more
A competitive triathlete and two-time Ironman finisher, Sherri also enjoys reading, hiking, padd ...more
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