Tuesday, November 7, 2023

How did "The Measure" by Nikki Erlick End? All the Spoilers and Twists!

 


Cover of "The Measure" by Nikki Erlick


How did "The Measure" by Nikki Erlick end? Have you finished reading "The Measure" and now you need to discuss the ending? Can you not remember how "The Measure" ends, or maybe you want to just skip to finding out the spoilers? Get refreshed on "The Measure" before heading off to book club tonight? Well, keep reading to discuss this fiction novel and all of the twists and turns at the end!


Spoilers ahead!


Cover of The Measure by Nikki ErlickThe Measure

by Nikki Erlick

goodreads // amazon // library

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge? The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything. Enchanting and deeply uplifting, The Measure is a sweeping, ambitious, and invigorating story about family, friendship, hope, and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest. ( from amazon.com)



How Did "The Measure" by Nikki Erlick End?

What Are the Twists and Spoilers?



The story really starts to move with Hank's death. Hank jumps in front of a bullet aimed at Anthony Rollins, a presidential nominee. Rollins also happens to be Jack's uncle. Initially, it is thought the shooter was motivated by her grief over having a short string. As it turns out, she did not know she had a short string because she never opened her box. Later, we find out that the shooter was actually upset with Rollins because he was involved in the death of her brother thirty years earlier during a fraternity initiation party. She knew she wouldn't be able to kill Rollins because he had a long string, but she was hoping to inflict some harm on him. When the shot is fired, Hank heroically jumps in front of it not knowing who might be hit, and dies. 


Javier dies in a military operation while rescuing volunteers with Doctors Without Borders. Javier volunteers to be a decoy, and his team agrees thinking that Javier has a long string. They were therefore unworried that he would die acting as a decoy. Dr. Anika Singh is one of the rescued individuals from Doctors Without Borders, she is also a friend, and former love interest, of Hank's. At Javier's funeral Dr. Singh approaches Jack and shares that she was inspired by Javier's life and that his impact reminded her of another friend with a short string, the reader knows that she is referring to Hank.


After Javier's death, Jack admits to Javier's parents that he did switch strings with their son. Jack did not mention however that it was actually his idea to switch strings. After speaking with Javier's parents and getting their blessing, Jack decides to go public with their story. Jack goes to a short string foundation, the Johnson Foundation, where Maura is the director of communications. She promises to share their story. Shortly thereafter we learn that Maura passes away due to a heart defect that had been undetected. After Maura's death, we learn that her work promoting Jack and Javier's story led to the overturning of the STAR initiative by the Supreme Court. 


Amie and Ben both pass away. Amie marries Ben, knowing that he has a short string. Because Amie has never checked her box she does not know that her string is short as well. They are both killed in a car accident together, and when they die Nina takes care of their two children.


And that's a wrap on "The Measure" by Nikki Erlick! Did I miss any twists or major ending plot points? Comment below! Or tell me your novel exploring death and fate! Thanks for reading, readers!





Looking for more spoilers? Check out the plot twists below!




Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Book Review of "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger

 

 
 
I just finished reading a popular Book of the Month pick for October 2023, "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger. Keep reading this blog post for all of my favorite moments from the book and find out whether or not you should read it, too.

 

 

The River We Remember

by William Kent Kruger

goodreads // amazon // library

On Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose.

Both a complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of mid-century American life that is “a novel to cherish” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis), The River We Remember offers an unflinching look at the wounds left by the wars we fight abroad and at home, a moving exploration of the ways in which we seek to heal, and a testament to the enduring power of the stories we tell about the places we call home ( from amazon.com)

 

Book Review and Discussion of
"The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger

 
What Worked for Me
 
Excellent plotting
 
"The River We Remember" is told from many unique perspectives, but mainly: Brody, the town sheriff, Scott, a local teenager, and Charlie, a lawyer hired to represent Noah Bluestone. Multiple POV storylines can be overdone, but this ended up being one of my favorite aspects of Kruger's approach to the story!
 
It is incredibly common for an author to use this approach but have the same information presented to the reader each time. The story becomes incredibly repetitive and this technique can really slow down the plot. Instead, Kruger made sure that each perspective felt fresh and interesting. While not straying too far from the main plot, each character's perspective had its own part to play in uncovering the truth about the case.
 
 
What I Struggled With
 
Neatly tied ending
 
I loved so much about Kruger's writing, until the very end of the novel. This book had a similar ending to, "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens. The mystery is solved, check - and the totally unnecessary, in my opinion, are the rest of the lives of the characters. How they lived out their days after and in many cases how each of those characters died. I'd rather just imagine them all riding off into the sunset. Finding out how the town sheriff died felt anticlimactic and really took away from the mystery and ambiance of the characters.
 
 
 
 
And that's a wrap on "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger. Have you read this novel? If so, comment below and tell me your favorite parts or what you struggled with while reading. I'd love to chat! If you haven't read this book yet, let me know your favorite historical fiction thriller or mystery! Thanks for reading, readers! 
 
 
 
 
Want to know what happens at the end of "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger? Check out the blog post below for all of the spoilers and twists!
 


 

How Did "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger End? What was the Twist?


How did "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger end? Have you finished reading "The River We Remember" and now you need to discuss *that* plot twist? Can you not remember how "The River We Remember" ends, or maybe you want to just skip to finding out the spoilers? Keep reading to discuss this historical fiction thriller and all of the twists and turns!

"Across the course of his whole life, Scott Madison would never forget the scene. It would play itself out in unexpected moments, in dreams and in nightmares, in those solitary reveries he couldn't share, in the parade of all his regrets." - The River We Remember, William Kent Kruger

 
 

Spoilers ahead!

 
 
 
The River We Remember 
by William Kent Kruger 
 
 
In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by a shocking murder, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling novel, an instant New York Times bestseller and “a work of art” (The Denver Post).  On Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past. Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose. Both a complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of mid-century American life that is “a novel to cherish” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis), The River We Remember offers an unflinching look at the wounds left by the wars we fight abroad and at home, a moving exploration of the ways in which we seek to heal, and a testament to the enduring power of the stories we tell about the places we call home. ( from amazon.com)



How Did "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger End?

What Are the Twists and Spoilers?



First and foremost, the most important question - who murdered Jimmy Quinn? 


Jimmy Quinn was murdered by his wife Marta. Marta confesses to the town lawyer, Charlie, that she found Jimmy with their daughter, Colleen. It is clear that he is planning on raping her, something Jimmy has a history of doing to women when his current wife is sick. When Marta finds them, she shoots Jimmy with the shotgun. She then calls upon her son, J.P., and Noah to help her clean up the scene. That's why there was incriminating evidence, the bloody tarp, at Noah's property. Side plot twist, Noah is actually J.P.'s father, not Jimmy!

Ultimately, the true murderer, Marta, does not face any legal consequences and most will continue to believe that Noah committed the murder. Charlie tells Marta that her secrets are safe with her.


What happened next? Well, A LOT!


Drunk and angry, Tyler Searcy goes to the Quinn's barn, lights it on fire, and shoots a shot from his shotgun. Everyone on the scene is not sure whether Searcy killed himself, someone left inside the barn, or if he escaped. The fire is extinguished, and as it turns out, Searcy escaped through the back and is still on the loose.

While the authorities are distracted by that scene, Searcy runs back to the Bluestone place and rapes Noah's wife, Kyoko. Brody returns to the jail to tell Noah what has happened to his wife and then agrees to let Noah Bluestone see Kyoko. 

While they are driving back to his cell, Noah claims that he is going to be sick and asks Brody to park the car. But this is actually a trick to get free from the sheriff. Noah strangles Brody, just a bit so that he can get loose, and then he heads to the river to try to find Searcy. The boys, Scott and Del, are also there trying to find Searcy, too. They all converge around the same time at the Alabaster River. Creasy shoots at Bluestone, and then Scott shoots Creasy to save Del. In the end, both of the young boys are safe, but Noah and Creasy are both deceased. 

Happy ending?


At the end of "The River We Remember", a small time jump occurs and Kyoto is leaving town. She leaves her land to J.P., showing that she knows J.P. to be Noah's son.

A larger time jump occurs and we find out how most of the main character's lives are spent, and for many how they end. For example, Scott becomes a lawyer and marries Holly. He also has a procedure done to fix his heart. Del joins the Army and loses his life in Vietnam. Angie and Brodie stay together, and many years later Brody passes away after falling off a roof. 

After Brody's passing, Angie finds a lock box with a ring inside labeled with Colleen Quinn's name. This ring was found on Jimmy Quinn after he was murdered. This note lets the reader know that although Brody never heard the confession from Marta, he connected the dots and knew that Noah Bluestone was not the murderer and that the ring was for Colleen from her father.  A sinister gift considering what Jimmy planned to do to Colleen.
 

And that's a wrap on "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger! Did I miss any twists? Comment below! Or tell me your favorite mystery set in a small town. Thanks for reading, readers!



 




Book Review (without spoilers ) of "The River We Remember" by William Kent Kruger



Friday, October 13, 2023

Everything All At Once by Steph Catudal - Book Review and Discussion





"What a blessing and a curse to learn in an instant that pain is the intercessor of empathy." - Everything All At Once, Steph Catudal


Are you considering picking up a memoir for your next read? Check out my thoughts about a recently released memoir, " Everything All At Once" by Steph Catudal.


Thursday, October 5, 2023

10 Things I Learned from "NurtureShock" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman






I absolutely love reading parenting books, and "Nurtureshock" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman is a new favorite. An astounding amount of research went into the creation of this non fiction book, as well as the studies that the book is based upon. There are so many interesting chunks of wisdom in "NurtureShock". Keep reading to find out ten things I learned from "Nurtureshock" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. 


Wednesday, September 27, 2023

How Did "Friends Like These" by Kimberly McCreight End? What was the Twist? Spoilers!

"But close friends can also let you get away with too much. And what feels like total acceptance, what masquerades as unconditional love, can turn toxic... letting you be your worst self just so you can be terrible together is cruelty, not kindness. And it's got nothing to do with love." - Friends Like These

How did "Friends Like These" by Kimberly McCreight end? Looking for an explanation for all those twists and turns because this thriller was super twisty! "Friends Like These" by Kimberly McCreight had a very busy and character filled plot with a major ending twist! Keep reading and remember, spoilers ahead!


Wednesday, September 6, 2023

How Did "Notes on an Execution" by Danya Kukafka End? Spoilers!

 

Book Review and Spoilers for "Notes on an Execution" by Danya Kukafka


How did "Notes on an Execution" by Danya Kukafka end? Looking for a plot summary for book club or an explanation of what happens to the characters at the end? "Notes of an Execution" by Danya Kukafka is an emotionally charged literary fiction novel that left me reeling with thoughts and questions. Keep reading for a deeper dive into this heartbreaking read!


Monday, May 15, 2023

Book Review of "The Ferryman" by Justin Cronin


 



At 560 pages, "The Ferryman" by Justin Cronin is a chunky read and a huge time investment. If you're trying to decide whether or not to pick this one up, keep reading to find out my thoughts and whether I think it's worth a read!

Monday, May 1, 2023

How Did "All That Is Mine I Carry With Me" by William Landay End? What was the Twist? Spoilers!

 





How did "All That is Mine I Carry With Me" by William Landay end? Looking for an explanation for all those twists and turns because this thriller was super twisty! "All That Is Mine I Carry With Me" by William Landay had a really intriguing plot and such a great ending twist! Keep reading and remember, spoilers ahead!

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

How Did "The Eden Test" by Adam Sternbergh End? What was the Twist? Spoilers!


 



How did "The Eden Test" by Adam Sternbergh end? Looking for an explanation for all those twists and turns because this thriller was super twisty! "The Eden Test" by Adam Sternbergh had more twists than most and if like me you have a hard time a week later remembering all of those twists and turns - or maybe you just want to skip straight to the twists, keep reading - but remember - - spoilers ahead!

Monday, April 17, 2023

Book Review of "The Trackers" by Charles Frazier





Considering reading the newest release from the author of "Cold Mountain"? Historical fiction writer Charles Frazier has a new release titled, "The Trackers". I was lucky enough to snag an early copy - keep reading to find out my thoughts on this upcoming novel release!