lou_ka's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Dementia, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
joey1914's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Abortion, Dementia, Grief, Infertility, Mental illness, Addiction, and Death
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Title: Truths I Never Told You
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: April 14, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Dynamic • Absorbing • Vulnerable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The four Walsh siblings are know their father's ailing health means his death is imminent. When he moves to a care facility, they must decide what to do with their childhood home. Beth, the youngest of the siblings is a new mother who has been struggling to adapt to her new role. Although she feels she's hiding her struggles from her family adequately, the rest of the family can see she just isn't herself. When Beth offers to take on the daunting task of clearing out the house, she is shocked to discover a deadbolt on the door to the attic. Once she finally gains access, she is shocked to discovers a chaotic mess, especially given her father's otherwise orderly home. As she rummages through the clutter, she discovers long hidden letters written by their mother. These letters will uncover a long kept family secret, and maybe ever offer Beth some much needed guidance.
💭 T H O U G H T S
For me, Truths I Never Told You gripped my attention from the very start, and I just could not put it down. Told through three POVs, two past and one present, the format worked because it allowed for mystery to build and for a slow unravelling of the story.
Kelly Rimmer has done a good job at presenting a genuine portrayal of postpartum depression in a compassionate manner. One key aspect that made this book so scucessful was the use of faulty memories. This part of the story really shone a light on how we make our memories what they want them to be, not necessarily what actually occurred. The authenticity of the Walsh family' felt relatable. My heart broke for Grace, some of her thoughts and intentions were so hard to get through. Yet it definitely made me appreciate how far women's reproductive rights have come and how progress has been made when it comes to postpartum depression.
After reading Truths I Never Told You I am definitely looking forward to exploring more of Kelly Rimmer's titles off my shelf. While they don't have the same emotional punch as some of my favourites, each one I have read so far has been an enjoyable read.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoy family dramas
• mothers/daughters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Loneliness is so much worse than sadness, because loneliness, by definition, cannot be shared."
"But life has no rhyme or reason sometimes, and when it all boils down, we really are at the mercy of fate."
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: April 14, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Dynamic • Absorbing • Vulnerable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The four Walsh siblings are know their father's ailing health means his death is imminent. When he moves to a care facility, they must decide what to do with their childhood home. Beth, the youngest of the siblings is a new mother who has been struggling to adapt to her new role. Although she feels she's hiding her struggles from her family adequately, the rest of the family can see she just isn't herself. When Beth offers to take on the daunting task of clearing out the house, she is shocked to discover a deadbolt on the door to the attic. Once she finally gains access, she is shocked to discovers a chaotic mess, especially given her father's otherwise orderly home. As she rummages through the clutter, she discovers long hidden letters written by their mother. These letters will uncover a long kept family secret, and maybe ever offer Beth some much needed guidance.
💭 T H O U G H T S
For me, Truths I Never Told You gripped my attention from the very start, and I just could not put it down. Told through three POVs, two past and one present, the format worked because it allowed for mystery to build and for a slow unravelling of the story.
Kelly Rimmer has done a good job at presenting a genuine portrayal of postpartum depression in a compassionate manner. One key aspect that made this book so scucessful was the use of faulty memories. This part of the story really shone a light on how we make our memories what they want them to be, not necessarily what actually occurred. The authenticity of the Walsh family' felt relatable. My heart broke for Grace, some of her thoughts and intentions were so hard to get through. Yet it definitely made me appreciate how far women's reproductive rights have come and how progress has been made when it comes to postpartum depression.
After reading Truths I Never Told You I am definitely looking forward to exploring more of Kelly Rimmer's titles off my shelf. While they don't have the same emotional punch as some of my favourites, each one I have read so far has been an enjoyable read.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoy family dramas
• mothers/daughters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Loneliness is so much worse than sadness, because loneliness, by definition, cannot be shared."
"But life has no rhyme or reason sometimes, and when it all boils down, we really are at the mercy of fate."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm
Moderate: Medical trauma, Abortion, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Dementia, and Grief
depression, postpartum depressionjennastopreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abortion, and Grief
rachaelreads92's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
**4.5 stars**
It took me a long while to get into this story, but when it started to pick up it was a truely beautiful story.
In 1959, Grace, a young mother with four children under four discovers she is pregnant. But Grace has a secret, she suffered a deep despair after each of her pregnancies, a despair she can't possibly face again. Grace pours her deepest fears, fears she can't share with anyone, into pages of a notebook that she hides somewhere her husband will never find it. Seemingly out of options, Grace turns the only person she knows will help, her sister Maryanne.
In 1996, Beth's father Patrick is diagnosed with dementia. Beth and her siblings have to make the heart breaking decision to put him into full time care. Patrick had always told the family that their mother had died in a terrible car accident, but as Beth is clearing out Patrick's home she discovers a series of letters that sends Beth's life into a tailspin. These letters suggest that Beth's mother did not die in a car accident but that something much darker must have happened.
This is a novel that spans over the course of 50 years, told through three narrators Beth, Grace and Maryanne. Through reading a series of letters written by Grace, we slowly uncover what actually happened to Grace and it is truely heartbreaking.
I related to this book in ways that truely made me uncomfortable. I always wanted a family, to have children, until my mother passed away. I related to both Grace and Beth in ways that made me uncomfortable because I fear that I would have a similar experience if I were to ever have children. That fear that WHAT IF I am a terrible mother ? It isn't something you can change. Like Beth, I also worry that without my mother here to guide me, how could I ever know how to care for a child?
As I previously mentioned, the beginning of this book is a little slow. It took me about 150 pages to really begin to enjoy this novel, but I am glad I stuck to it! The pay off was so worth it! I balled my eyes out several times in the last few chapters of this novel.
Another fantastic novel by Kelly Rimmer!
It took me a long while to get into this story, but when it started to pick up it was a truely beautiful story.
In 1959, Grace, a young mother with four children under four discovers she is pregnant. But Grace has a secret, she suffered a deep despair after each of her pregnancies, a despair she can't possibly face again. Grace pours her deepest fears, fears she can't share with anyone, into pages of a notebook that she hides somewhere her husband will never find it. Seemingly out of options, Grace turns the only person she knows will help, her sister Maryanne.
In 1996, Beth's father Patrick is diagnosed with dementia. Beth and her siblings have to make the heart breaking decision to put him into full time care. Patrick had always told the family that their mother had died in a terrible car accident, but as Beth is clearing out Patrick's home she discovers a series of letters that sends Beth's life into a tailspin. These letters suggest that Beth's mother did not die in a car accident but that something much darker must have happened.
This is a novel that spans over the course of 50 years, told through three narrators Beth, Grace and Maryanne. Through reading a series of letters written by Grace, we slowly uncover what actually happened to Grace and it is truely heartbreaking.
I related to this book in ways that truely made me uncomfortable. I always wanted a family, to have children, until my mother passed away. I related to both Grace and Beth in ways that made me uncomfortable because I fear that I would have a similar experience if I were to ever have children. That fear that WHAT IF I am a terrible mother ? It isn't something you can change. Like Beth, I also worry that without my mother here to guide me, how could I ever know how to care for a child?
As I previously mentioned, the beginning of this book is a little slow. It took me about 150 pages to really begin to enjoy this novel, but I am glad I stuck to it! The pay off was so worth it! I balled my eyes out several times in the last few chapters of this novel.
Another fantastic novel by Kelly Rimmer!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Dementia
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