Book ~ "Swallow" (2012) Theanna Bischoff

From Goodreads ~ With an absent father and their mother constantly ill, sisters Darcy and Carly Nolan were forced to rely on each other growing up. While unpredictable Carly bounced around, her life's direction uncertain, Darcy fell in love, went to university, and moved to another province. 

When nineteen-year-old Carly unexpectedly kills herself, Darcy is left to carry the burden of their childhood memories forward alone. The pain of these memories overwhelms Darcy as she struggles to unravel her own feelings of guilt, and to make sense of her sister's death - as an act of destruction, of misery, but also of love. 

Darcy and Carly are being raised by a single mother in Toronto (their father abandoned the family when Carly was still a baby).  Their mother's income as a waitress doesn't bring in a lot of money so the family doesn't have a lot.  When their mother isn't working, she is snappy and hard on her daughters.  Darcy, as the older sister, has to take care of her sister often but they are so different ... Darcy is more down-to-earth and responsible whereas Carly is more of a free spirit.  They have an older cat-rescuing neighbour they call Papi (they adopt him as their grandfather) who looks after them when their mother isn't around and he provides some normalcy in their lives.

When Darcy moves out of the house to go to university locally, she feels bad about leaving Carly behind but she does what she has to do for herself.  She and Carly talk and/or visit every day.  This continues when Darcy follows her boyfriend, Patrick, to Calgary where they both go to school and eventually find work (Darcy as a teacher).  Then Darcy gets the call that her sister has committed suicide.  That destroys her world and she has a hard time coping.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I liked the writing style.  It is written in first person perspective from Darcy's point of view.  It jumps around back and forth in time but I found it fairly easy to figure out what the time period was given the content.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

It's a depressing story and while I can't say I liked the storylines (none were happy), it did keep me interested.  There aren't really any likable happy characters (except perhaps Papi but he was still mourning the death of his wife who had died many years before).  Darcy had no support and was trying to do the best she could with what she was given.

I'm assuming the title refers to the reference in the book that sailors, who often had to go away for long journeys, had tattoos of swallows.  Swallows apparently symbolized hope for their safe return home, back to those they loved.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Book ~ "Left" (2018) Theanna Bischoff

From Goodreads ~ Twenty-nine-year-old Natasha Bell went for an evening jog, just like any other night – except now no one knows where she is. 

Not her sister, Abby – eighteen, eight months pregnant, and without a game plan. Not her childhood sweetheart, now ex-boyfriend, Greg, an introverted academic who could never bring himself to commit. Not her best friend, Josie, a newlywed, born-again Christian, with whom Natasha recently had a falling out. And not detective Reuben Blake, who thought this case would be open ’n shut – a quick way to prove himself and move up the ranks. 

Missing persons statistics suggest Natasha’s ex is the primary suspect but what about the possibility of a stranger abduction? Or the possibility that Natasha left voluntarily or took her own life? What about Natasha’s mother, who took off eighteen years before her daughter’s disappearance? 

As days stretch into months and months stretch into years, the evidence that emerges seems only to complicate the picture more. "Left" explores the ways tragedy and secrecy erode and warp people’s psyches and their bonds to one other. What secrets might Natasha have been keeping – and, for that matter, her friends and family?

Natasha is a 29-year-old nurse in Calgary, AB.  Since high school she had been dating Greg.  She's ready to get married and start a family but he isn't so she has broken up with him.  Her 18-year-old half-sister, Abby, is pregnant and will be having her baby anytime.  Abby's parents have kicked her out of the house so Natasha takes her in.  Natasha's best friend is Josie, who became a born-again Christian when she married Solomon, a born-again Christian preacher, last year and they are trying to get pregnant.  Natasha seemed to have a full life ... why did she disappear one night when she was out jogging?

This book is about all those who were "left" behind when Natasha disappeared and how they dealt with it as the years went by with no word from her.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  It is written from many different viewpoints over different time periods.  It is first person perspective when it is Abby speaking ... it's like she's talking to Natasha and keeping her up-to-date on what's been going on.  It is third person perspective from the point of view of the other characters including Josie, Greg, Jason (Josie's twin brother), Rueben (the police officer investigating Natasha's disappearance) and Cam (the father of Abby's baby).

I like the writing style and it kept me interested to find out what happened to Natasha.  I was okay with the continually shifting perspectives and bouncing around in time.  As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.