Welcome to another Tuesday celebrating bookish events, First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea; and Teaser Tuesdays hosted by Books & a Beat.
The featured book today is one in a series: The Last Good Girl, by Allison Leotta, a ripped-from-the-headlines novel featuring prosecutor Anna Curtis at the center of a national story involving campus rape and the disappearance of a young woman.
Intro: (Friday) The guy had beautiful white teeth and a dimple that appeared when she made him laugh, but all Emily could think was, College is where romance goes to die.
They stood on prime real estate, belly-up to the bar at Lucky’s, pressed together by the swell of bodies around them. The air was thick with sweated perfume, cheap beer, and the recycled breath of hundreds of young adults in their sexual prime. The boy drained his Bud, set the bottle on the bar, and issued a mating call.
“Wanna do shots?”
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Teaser: The man puffed out his chest and pulled out the credential clipped to his belt on a retractable cord. “I’m Bill Xanten, the Tower County district attorney. And this is a lawless travesty.” (51%).
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Synopsis: It was her word against his…until she disappeared.
Emily Shapiro has gone missing. A freshman at a Michigan university, Emily was last seen leaving a bar near Beta Psi, a prestigious and secretive fraternity. The main suspect is Dylan Highsmith, the son of one of the most powerful politicians in the state. At first, the only clue is pieced-together surveillance footage of Emily leaving the bar that night…and Dylan running down the street after her.
When prosecutor Anna Curtis discovers a video diary Emily kept during her first few months at college, it exposes the history Emily had with Dylan: she accused him of rape before disappearing. Anna is horrified to discover that Dylan’s frat is known on campus as the “rape factory.”
The case soon gets media attention and support from Title IX activists across the country, but Anna’s investigation hits a wall. Anna has to find something, anything she can use to discover Emily alive. But without a body or any physical evidence, she’s under threat from people who tell her to stop before she ruins the name of an innocent young man.
Inspired by real-life stories, The Last Good Girl shines a light on campus rape and the powerful emotional dynamics that affect the families of the men and women on both sides.
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What do you think? Are you tempted? Do you want to keep reading?
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I like a good book set around a campus and this sounds like it fits the bill – We don’t really have the secret clubs in the UK either which adds a layer of interest – I’d keep reading
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Thanks, Cleo, I’m glad you could stop by, and I’m curious about this book…
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I don’t know why, but this one isn’t grabbing me. I’m sorry. I do hope it’s a good book for you.
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Thanks, Margot, we all have our personal reactions to stories like this…so, no worries. Thanks for visiting!
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This is one I’d pass on. Too many possible triggers.
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Ah, obviously this one is not grabbing some of you; hope you enjoy your pick, and thanks for visiting, Karen.
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I thought I’d avoid any book with title that include the word girl or wife… so many of them these days! The beginning sounds interesting but I wasn’t keen on the synopsis but then again, based on real-life story, I may consider it after all.
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So true; there are many titles with “good” and “girl” in them; at least they didn’t compare this one to Gone Girl! lol. Thanks for stopping by, Tien, and I hope to enjoy it despite the title.
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This doesn’t strike me as the kind of book to be ‘enjoyed’ in terms of subject matter, but the kind of book that can grab you. I would tentatively continue reading. I’m always interested to see how topics that are prevalent in the media translate in to fiction. Happy reading!
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True…”enjoyment” is probably not something we can expect. I’m not quite sure what I’ll feel…I’ll let you know afterwards. Thanks for stopping by, Jade.
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After reading Missoula, nonfiction on the same subject by Jon Krakauer, I’m not in a hurry to revisit the issue… even through fiction. It is an important issue though and I’m glad the author is raising awareness. Will be curious to hear what you think.
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Thanks, JoAnn, and I can see that it has many triggers for readers here today. I’m glad you could stop by, and enjoy your reading.
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I don’t think I’d care for this one, something about it makes me shy away, but, I hope u enjoy it.
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Thanks, Diane, I can see how that might happen; we’ve already had a “thumbs down” from a few readers today. Enjoy your book, and thanks for hosting and visiting.
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I think I would want to keep reading!
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Oh, good, Patty! Hope I find it engaging, too. Thanks for visiting.
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I love this opening, especially “issued a mating call.” Sounds like a good one.
Thank you for stopping by my blog today. Happy reading!
Sandy @ TEXAS TWANG
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Thanks, Sandra, I hope to enjoy this one…it’s part of a series, and how I feel about it will determine if I read more. Enjoy your book!
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I am intrigued by this one, for sure. I am not sure that it is one that I would pick up, but I think that it does touch on some important issues. Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
My TT
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Thanks, Candid Cover, and I’m glad you could stop by. Enjoy your pick!
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I almost spit my tea all over my computer when I read what his mating call was! LOL Okay, you got me curious.
My TT from Extinct
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Yes, that was pretty funny, wasn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, Laura.
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My goodness – this sounds like a gnarly read, though I’m pleased to see it’s relieved with a splash of humour. However, this is an ongoing problem for young women away from home for the first time and lulled into thinking they can trust their classmates to behave well under all circumstances. We certainly have a problem this side of the Atlantic and it sounds as if you have similar issues. I’d probably continue reading this one:). Thank you for sharing.
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I do wish that we didn’t have these problems, but maybe increasing awareness can help protect young girls. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah.
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For sure – you’re absolutely right, Laurel. I know someone who suffered an attack at college.
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This is definitely relevant to what is happening on too many campuses. Look forward to your thoughts.
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Thanks, Nise, and now that my granddaughters are college students, I am once again worried about these kinds of events. Enjoy your week!
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This is a difficult subject but bet it would be interesting if it’s done well. I would carry on reading.
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Thanks, Emma, since this book is part of a series, I suspect that there will be characters that carry over into each book. I am eager to begin.
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Great teaser! Here is my TT: http://shoshireads.weebly.com/home/teaser-tuesday3908935
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Thanks for stopping by, Shoshi….enjoy your week!
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it actually reminds me of another amazing psychological thriller I recently reviewed: https://wordsandpeace.com/2016/08/08/book-review-all-is-not-forgotten/
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Thanks for stopping by, Emma…what was the name of the one you recently reviewed?
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I gave you the link of my review. And the title is even in the url.
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Thanks!
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