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judithdcollins's review
5.0
"Awesome writing! Well done - you will not be able to put it down! A story of regret, guilt, loss, past, family, and finding your way back to your true self - if you are an avid reader - this one is a must! Patti Callahan Henry at her best! Have read all her books (new and old) so looking forward to her next one! This is movie worthy!"
cooliochristy's review
2.0
Fine for a lazy read. Nothing special with a bit melodrama and a bit of predictability in it, but okay for something to dig into for a couple of days.
jbarr5's review
4.0
Between the Tides by Patti Callahan Henry
Have read many of the author's works and enjoy the reads. Book starts out with Sam, 2 years old and he must've followed the girls into the pond.
Nothing good ever happened to Catherine. 18 years later she watched her father leave and forget it was her birthday.
She inherits the house and Catherine returns to spread her father's ashes.
She worked in the media dept for the sports dept at the school. She dates Thurman but she has many doubts as to his dedication to her.
Forrest is writing an article about her dad and needs her help to finish it.
Story is in present but goes back to the past at times so we can understand things in the present.
Mystery of the painting her father returned to the island to see makes her wonder til she realizes where she saw it prior to hanging in the courthouse.
Have read many of the author's works and enjoy the reads. Book starts out with Sam, 2 years old and he must've followed the girls into the pond.
Nothing good ever happened to Catherine. 18 years later she watched her father leave and forget it was her birthday.
She inherits the house and Catherine returns to spread her father's ashes.
She worked in the media dept for the sports dept at the school. She dates Thurman but she has many doubts as to his dedication to her.
Forrest is writing an article about her dad and needs her help to finish it.
Story is in present but goes back to the past at times so we can understand things in the present.
Mystery of the painting her father returned to the island to see makes her wonder til she realizes where she saw it prior to hanging in the courthouse.
teachingkids1982's review
5.0
A new favorite... My ❤ is bleeding and full... I'm thankful Jesus created us able to feel...
alexblackreads's review
2.0
I couldn't get over the main character's self absorption. Essentially, at age 12, Catherine is asked to watch a two (? I don't really remember) year old at a family gathering. She forgets for a few minutes and the kid winds up drowning. She is very traumatized and blames herself, which is totally understandable. What isn't totally understandable is how much she's focused on her own pain over the pain of the child's mother. It's constant throughout the book. It makes sense that a 12 year old isn't thinking of the mother's grief, but not so much as a thirty year old. At one point Catherine discovers a painting that the mother did titled The Last Day and literally believes it's inspired by Catherine's family moving away. Because that was the big event that summer. Not the death of her child, but the neighbors moving away. I expect her grief and trauma to be centered in a book where she's the main character, but it's possible to do that without having the main character completely disregard the feelings of others.
I didn't enjoy the melodrama in the writing style. There was too much of everything. I don't buy into people running after an ex who's driving away, or collapsing on a dock in hysterical sobs, or having a screaming match just to forgive someone sixty seconds later. And I definitely don't buy this happening every six pages.
I don't like the bad boyfriend trope. Especially in this book, the bad boyfriend had basically nothing to do with the story. If we want Catherine to be available to rekindle a relationship with an old flame, why not just make her single? Having a bad boyfriend to justify the emotional cheating when it's such a small and underdeveloped part of the story felt so unnecessary.
At one point her dog has a stroke and instead of going home to be with the dog, she stays away for another night. And then most of the next day. Not doing much, just kind of chilling around town. This is allegedly her beloved childhood dog. I couldn't decide if it was out of character or just another mark towards her self absorption.
It wasn't terrible, but despite having a somewhat interesting premise, none of the elements were well done.
I didn't enjoy the melodrama in the writing style. There was too much of everything. I don't buy into people running after an ex who's driving away, or collapsing on a dock in hysterical sobs, or having a screaming match just to forgive someone sixty seconds later. And I definitely don't buy this happening every six pages.
I don't like the bad boyfriend trope. Especially in this book, the bad boyfriend had basically nothing to do with the story. If we want Catherine to be available to rekindle a relationship with an old flame, why not just make her single? Having a bad boyfriend to justify the emotional cheating when it's such a small and underdeveloped part of the story felt so unnecessary.
At one point her dog has a stroke and instead of going home to be with the dog, she stays away for another night. And then most of the next day. Not doing much, just kind of chilling around town. This is allegedly her beloved childhood dog. I couldn't decide if it was out of character or just another mark towards her self absorption.
It wasn't terrible, but despite having a somewhat interesting premise, none of the elements were well done.
fudge's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
debs_shelves's review
4.0
Poor Cappy - what a way to live blaming herself for the death of a 2 year old, when she was only 12 herself. I liked the way this story evolved and how she comes to realize the blame does not all lie on her as she had suspected. I figured out about Sam before it was revealed. And I wish there would be a sequel so I could find out what comes to be with Forrest!!
taylakaye's review
4.0
A lovely book, one that really transports you to the setting through the rich descriptions provided by the author. It also provides insight into familial relationships and the burden of unresolved guilt.
idratherbereading's review
4.0
Good, fast read. The characters are a little flat but the descriptions of the South Carolina low country are vivid and wonderful. The book also has some really good themes n