While my preferred genre is romance to read, I do branch out occasionally and read a wide variety of genres and lately I’ve been reading a ton of suspense. So I figured what would be better than a suspense written by a romance writer? Under the name Victoria Dahl she writes funny romances that I generally love. She decided to branch out and didn’t want to have readers get confused when they got something darker so chose a different pen name for these.

At the opening of the book Hannah is at the start of a whole new chapter of her life. Her marriage has freshly just ended and she’s moved back home recently to help care for her mother who, having dementia, promptly forgets who Hannah is almost daily and tells her she’s not her daughter. But a medical mix-up reveals that this is actually the truth and sends Hannah reeling and looking for the truth wherever she can find it. So, even though she’s essentially *just* started something brand new in her new life back home she sets off to find that truth.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, which was pretty much Hannah and her family and her uncertainty in her new life. She’s dealing with a lot of insecurities within her own family and in the first part of the book I felt like we were right along for the ride with her, discovering the new truths that she’d never known. Each new aspect of her life that she discovers impacts how she feels about herself and her family and I really thought that part was well done.

At this point Hannah goes on a literal journey of self discovery to California to find out where she came from. This is where the book started to lose its effect on me. As a darker book, with suspense, I expected to be in suspense and have some twists and turns that I would be waiting for the outcomes. But, while there are twists and turns in the second part of the book, none of them were ones that had me on the edge of my seat. And that’s what I really wanted from this book.

I did find Hannah’s character to be well fleshed out, and the plot was definitely there. This one just needed…a little more for me.

Wow what a book
Couldn’t put down
Highly recommend

Hannah always felt different growing up, like she didin't fit in. As her mother was slipping into dementia she found out why when her mother said, "you're not my daughter". A desperate search for the truth of her birth begins...will Hannah find out before her mother's memory is completely gone? A heartfelt story of love and family ties, well written and enjoyable to the end.

Hannah has moved home to Iowa from Chicago to take care of her ailing mother and move on from her divorce. She's dealing with a lot, especially with her mother who has dementia and doesn't recognize her. Almost by accident Hannah finds some evidence that her family isn't quite what she thought and it opens up a huge can of worms that she feels compelled to investigate.

I don't want to say much more than this, because a big part of the charm of this story is discovering the truth right along with Hannah. It's a nice little mystery that kept my interest throughout the book. But there's more! What I adored about the circumstances is that it propels Hannah into some heavy duty soul searching of her own.

Hannah insecurities play out throughout the book. She's never felt "right" about who she is because she is so different from her sisters. Put that together with her almost-resolved divorce, she's got a lot to think about. For me, I loved her internal dialogue, how she views her life and self. It never got too maudlin for me, and it was easy to see that Hannah was a strong person -- she just had some work to do for herself. I loved where she ended up after all is said and done.

I thought the writing in this book was lovely. Everything flowed for me, and the touch of humor and sarcasm spoke to me. I really liked Hannah and applauded her willingness to find herself, no matter what she found out. I may have had to wipe my eyes a little bit toward the end. It was all good for me -- a great reading experience. Half Past is definitely on my favorites of 2017 list.

An ARC was provided for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion. The writing is good, and I'd definitely try another title by the author. The cover and blurb somehow didn't make me realize it was a dystopian novel. I had to go back and look to make sure I was reading what I thought I was. Because of that it was slow going for me initially. I kept thinking something else was coming. If I'd have realized, I'd have read it with my teen, because we normally read these together. I didn't like the main character, Marlene, and if I'd have liked her I could've identified with her more. But, being a mom, this made me think about what would happen in a disaster. Also, the ending is a cliffhanger...so if you are hoping for everything to be resolved, it's not.

Writing is good;plot was strong as well however the way story was handled specially towards the end brings down the charm of the entire novel.
Hannah's feelings of not belonging in her family,her shock and determination to find truth about her past was portrayed well.I could totally connect to her.However the part when she finds out about her past was not written in a way that could match up to the initial part of novel..
Hannah's feelings for Dorothy changed from dislike to love so abruptly that it seemed weird.Overall the story was good but emotions could have been portrayed better.

I was given a free ecopy of this book, for an honest review, from Amazon Publishing through Netgalley. Hannah Smith, the main character, has come home to her small town to care for her mother who has dementia. Her sisters have been the ones looking after her mom previously. Hannah has issues with her family. She has always felt like the odd one out as her sisters and her mom had always had a close relationship with each other. Hannah didn't share common interests with them growing up and that is the same in adulthood. Her sisters see her as not trying to be part of the family and always looking for a way to escape. As she cares for her mother she makes a discovery that this woman is not her biological mother. Hannah heads to California in an attempt to solve the mystery of who her mother really is and to unearth any other family secrets that have been kept for years. I really liked the premise of the book and the writing is good. I just couldn't really warm up to Hannah. I didn't find her that likeable so that took away a bit of the book for me. Hannah's character is well developed though, which I liked. Overall a great book. I will definitely read more from this author.

XTRACT: 'She wanted to be back in Chicago. Back in her apartment. In her bed. In her marriage. She wanted to wake up, dry and warm, and realize the past six months had been a bad dream. A nightmare that didn't make any sense in the morning. Why had she come back to Iowa? And how could Jeff possibly hate her so much? It was nonsense. Jeff didn't hate anyone. And what utter foolishness to think her sweet steady mother wasn't her mother at all.

THE BLURB: At forty-five, Hannah Smith is at a crossroads. That’s her spin on it. The reality is she’s divorced, jobless, and moving back to her family home in Iowa to keep an eye on her mother, who’s slipping into dementia. Her return stirs up the same unnerving sense of disconnect Hannah has felt since childhood—always the odd girl out, the loner outshone by her two older sisters. Hannah knew the feelings of hurt would come back. But she never expected fear. Because when her mother looks into her eyes and whispers, “You’re not my daughter,” Hannah is beginning to believe it’s not just the rambling of a confused woman.

It’s the truth.

Now Hannah’s following the trail of a family mystery to the dark coast of Big Sur, where years ago a lie was born—and buried. As frightened as she is to unearth it, Hannah knows this is the last chance she has before her past—and all its terrible secrets—are lost forever

MY VIEWS: Half Past by Victoria Helen Stone took me by surprise. It is good. It is damned good. Very damned good. I was expecting something a little Schwartzman, with a fair bit of romance thrown in. Don't ask me where I got this idea. I just had it, okay? Instead I got this emotionally raw, absorbing story of family relationships that kept me glued to my Kindle from start to finish.

Stone is actually romance novelist Victoria Dahl, which I did not know until I read 'about the author' at the end of the book. Not that I have ever read anything by either of her names. But after publishing more than 25 romance novels, her work has taken a darker turn under a nom-de-plume. Go Victoria!

Stone has given us a wonderfully complex but very real character in Hannah Smith. Growing up she had pushed boundaries and always wanted more. More answers. More freedom. She had fought hard against the restrictions her parents placed on her. She'd run off, walked away, skipped out on her obligations. And now at 45, she’s still doing it. Still walking away from things, running away. Turning her back and moving on. Still wanting more. .....Half Past is a good reminder that we should be careful what we wish for. A glowing 4.5 ☆

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Half Past by Victoria Helen Stone for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page for an explanation of my ratings. This and other of my reviews can also be viewed at sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

Hannah's world has imploded when as a topper, her mother tells her she really isn't her daughter. None of us should judge Hannah for how she reacts to anything that's going on, given everything that's happened to her but golly, what a trip. She never did feel like she was part of the family- and it turns out she was right. This well written quick read doesn't mince words and it doesn't skip the uglies. This is really a book about self discovery and coming to terms with your past, even as secrets are revealed which make you review everything. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. You will like this if you enjoy good storytelling even when the story isn't necessarily pretty.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of HALF PAST in exchange for my honest review.

What a twisty unexpected journey! A woman who feels as though she has never fit in discovers from her mother who is suffering from dementia that there may be a bigger reason than just being the odd man out. Most of the story takes place in Big Sur, California as she tries to rediscover her family's past. What seems like a basic family mystery turns into something so much larger. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this story. I had a hard time connecting to Hannah at the very beginning, but as I continued to read, I found myself rooting for her to find the truth, and what a unanticipated truth it was.

Half Past is about a woman whose life has been turned upside down by 4 words spoken by her mother, “You’re not my daughter.” Hannah’s mother has been diagnosed with dementia and she has come home to help take care of her. While visiting one day, her mother says to her that she isn’t her daughter, and she just kinda plays it off on her dementia. But while she was going through some papers in the family home, she finds a paper that makes her question what her mother had said to her was the truth. And it was, she was blood related to the mother who had raised her. Her sisters have always thought of her as the wild child who couldn’t settle down, so when she announces she is leaving to get some answers, neither are surprised but one is supportive, and the other is upset.

Hannah was a strong woman, regardless what her sisters thought of her. She had dropped everything to come and help with her mother, and for that I applaud her, and then this happens. Hannah wants and needs the answers and her determination to find them was admirable. Hannah’s feelings of being the outsider with her sisters and her mothers words were clear, and I found easy to connect with Hannah. I felt so bad for her, even I wanted answers for her.

Hannah found some clues and begins her search, looking for people that might have known her the parents who raised her, or maybe even the the woman who gave birth to her. Hannah comes in contact with so many people along the way, that it is hard to pick and chose who to talk about. Some were trustworthy, and I have to say most were a little questionable. But she also met some pretty amazing people. There was a little bit of a romance while she was searching, it was sweet but that’s all I’m going to say about that. She was just hyper focused on finding the truth, her love life took a back seat. The build up to the big reveal was interesting and kept me hooked, and when I thought that was it, I was a little disappointed, but then I kept reading and there was more and I got all teary eyed. Great ending…

Stone takes us on a roller coaster ride of twists and turns that are filled with betrayals and dark family secrets that many wanted to stay buried, but it makes for such a fantastic read.

Hello, hello! Welcome to the first monthly installment of book reviews! A friend recently introduced me to NetGalley, a site through which publishers offer ARCs (advance reader copies) in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. While going through their options, I came across Half Past by Victoria Helen Stone, which came out September 19th, 2017, and decided to give it a shot. First and foremost, I have to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. Here’s my review.

I originally chose to read Half Past because it sounded interesting. Hannah Smith, the 45-year-old protagonist, has returned home to rural Iowa in order to take care of her ailing mother and recover from a divorce and being let go from her job. She discovers that she might be adopted and decides to go on a journey of self-discovery in the hopes of finding out about her origins. The back blurb hints at a dark story, so even though it’s not something I would normally pick up, I tried it.

The whole premise of the novel turned out to be flawed. Hannah is O- blood type and she discovers that her mother who has dementia is AB+. The narrator mentions that anyone who took high school biology knows this isn’t possible, and a brief Internet search seemingly supports that, but I happened to have a doctor’s appointment while reading this book and she said it technically was possible. So, I dug a little deeper (it wasn’t even a difficult search) and discovered articles by a geneticist who teaches at Stanford that explain that while it’s extremely rare, there are a few ways an AB parent can have an O offspring. And if it was just Hannah assuming she knew everything, I could overlook this, but a doctor tells her she must be adopted instead of telling her she needs to consent to more tests to be positive. The whole thing tainted my view of the book, but I kept reading.

Then there was Hannah herself. Honestly, she acted more like a fifteen-year-old than anything. Everything was a major drama that she couldn’t handle, so she constantly ran away and blamed everyone else. She complained about never fitting in, but she never made an effort to do anything about it. And I’m sorry, but at 45 years old, you should know that the woman who raised and loved you (because her childhood was a happy one) is your mom. You don’t run away from her in her time of need to search for your “mom.” I had no way to connect to Hannah until the very end when she finally takes a little responsibility for everything, but by that point I already disliked her. If she were younger and this was a story about her finally becoming an adult, I probably would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. As it is, she came off as a flaky, annoying, crybaby.

The story itself was a quick, easy read. It felt a little predictable, but my mind goes to the dark places a lot easier than other people. I did think it was a little too drawn out. If I found out I was adopted and the only lead I had was a strange birth certificate, the first thing I would’ve done was look for the witness listed on it. Maria Diaz ends up being an afterthought when nothing else pans out. I think Hannah conveniently forgot the name so she could go on a vacation. That’s what it felt like anyway.

I will say that I enjoyed the writing style. It was comfortable and kept me reading despite my issues with the story and with Hannah. While I wouldn’t put it on my list of favorites by any means, I wouldn’t tell people not to read it. It simply wasn’t my cup of tea, but other people might enjoy it.

Ultimately, I’d give it three out of five stars. I wasn’t a fan and I think some things should’ve been better researched, but beyond that it was well written.

Hannah spent 45 years feeling separate from her family and never understanding the reason. While caring for her ill mother she finds paperwork that she questions. This starts her mission to solve her identity crisis. A trip to Big Sur for answers has her mind whirling and shaking. I felt a connection to Hannah while she was there because I live locally, in Salinas, and have been in the area where she stayed. When you can visualize something it has an incredible impact and the story feels real. Hannah's mystery was crafted beautifully with feelings of love, anger and resentment. Stone is a fantastic storyteller and I plan to read her other novel. I received my copy from Netgalley and have written this review voluntarily.

Hannah Smith, at the age of 45, finds herself without a job, a failed marriage and no kids. She returns home to relieve her sisters of their care-giving duties, towards their mother (who is suffering from dementia) for a while.

While going through her mother’s medical records, she has a shocking revelation. Hannah’s blood type was O-negative, making her a universal donor. It is no rocket science, that an O-negative offspring couldn’t possibly have an AB-positive parent. However, he mother is AB-positive (and confirmed by two different tests). She obviously wasn’t her mother’s daughter, though she looked like her father (who expired some years ago). So, what was her story? There wasn’t enough of her mother’s memory left to find out the truth.

She decides to trace her roots, to California, let slip by her mother in one of her lucid states.
Here’s where the plot failed me. The build-up was slow and I sort of lost interest. I also had hard time relating to Hannah, as her actions seemed a bit ludicrous.

The plot had a promise for much more, and I had expected more from the book. The twists and turns didn’t seem very exciting either. However, the booked redeemed itself a bit at the end, when the horrible truth is revealed.

have always loved Victoria Dahl/Helen Stone's "difficult" characters. She writes people who feel like they don't fit, who have experienced trauma, who just don't want the same things as "everyone else" with a lot of sensitivity and complexity. Hannah is one of those characters. I've read in other reviews that some readers don't connect with Hannah. I get why that would be, but I also really *did* connect with her because she's seeking for the reasons why she's always felt out of place. She's uncompromising. She's complicated.

The way her story rolls out wasn't as compelling for me as some of VD/HS's other works. It's most comparable to "Evelyn, After," which was structurally fascinating and emotionally gripping. Because the mystery in this one is from 45 years before, it loses some of the punch it otherwise might have had.

As always, VD/HS is an auto-buy for me and I'm looking forward to what comes next.

I was given an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2106520422

I didn't care for this book and went from reading the first quarter to just skipping to the last page to see what happened. The main character is 45 years old but acts like a 2 year old, screaming and yelling at her elderly mother who suffers from dementia. Hannah the main character did suffer some shocking news but the way she reacted to it seemed extremely immature and she didn't seem to consider anyone else's feelings except her own.

Imagine one day finding out that everything you knew about your life was a lie. Now imagine if you went searching for the truth and you discover the real story was worse than you could have ever dreamed possible. For Hannah Smith, this is her new reality in Victoria Stone’s latest novel “Half Past.” Hannah questions her parentage when she feels there is a discrepancy on one of her mother’s blood test, but what appears to be a search into her past is also a journey of self-discovery for Hannah. Victoria Stone entraps her reader with her carefully selected words making it virtually impossible to put the book down until the reader has turned the last page. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a lovely, absolutely satisfying read. Hannah's unexpected journey to discover where she really came from is both a gripping mystery and a soulful meditation on family and self-identity. I heartily recommend it!

Thank you so much to Lake Union publishing via netgalley for sending me an ARc copy of Half past by Victoria Stone . Half past will be released on September 19, 2017.

Hannah youngest of three is the only one who comes to the nursing to home take care/visit their mother everyday. Hannahs mother has dementia and doesn't care about hannah or remember hannah at times, only her other two daughters. But Loving daughter hannah soon finds out that she is adopted and trouble arises.

Hannahs sisters want her to stay and take care of their mother still but hannah is sick of being the good girl and heads off to California to get away from the craziness that is her family.

In California Hannah is on a mission to find herself.

I really enjoyed the language used and the description/descriptive details i felt pulled into the world. I also really liked that Hannah was older which we dont see in many thiller books. And even though Hannah is older she didnt want kids so her interaction with children and how she made it clear that she wouldnt put up with children was very realistic to our society today.

I didnt find the twists and turns of the book to be very exciting after the first few chapters. Also i didnt connect with hannah. She seemed a bit immature for her age and i felt lost during certain parts of the story.

But the ending was well explained and i thought it was a logical ending, clearing up some things i was confused about along the way.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Hannah is the youngest of three sisters. While her sisters are blonde and very much alike, Hannah is the exact opposite. She has never felt like she fit into the Smith family, and now she has come home. Their mother has dementia and Hannah has recently taken a severance package from her job in Chicago.

Being home, has made Hannah restless. What doesn't help is her mother keeps telling her "You're not my daughter". Trying to ignore her mother is hard. It then gets harder when she sees her blood type means she couldn't be her mother's daughter.

This information leads Hannah to Big Sur, California on a search for the truth. What Hannah finds is is going to change the rest of her life.

It took me time to warm up to Hannah. I felt she was a little whiny. But then I kept asking myself to put myself in her shoes. Hannah's world was rocked in a major way. I enjoyed the writing and would love to read the author's previous book!