Category: Fiction

Beta Reading, Cover Reveal, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Kindle Unlimited

Cover Reveal: An Echo in Time, by Boo Walker

Kristie

Yesterday, author Boo Walker revealed the cover for his upcoming book, An Echo in Time! He has worked extremely hard on this novel and I feel honored to have been able to contribute a few ideas as a beta reader and give feedback on cover prototypes. I’m thrilled with how beautiful the cover turned out! It reflects the story perfectly.

An Echo in Time will be released on August 20th of this year. You can preorder it now on Amazon (the ebook is only $4.99) and it will be available on Kindle Unlimited if you are a subscriber. For those who are signed up on NetGalley, the arcs should be there some time in April.

This has been a fascinating journey for me as a first-time beta reader, and I could not be more fortunate to work with an author who is so generous, encouraging, and open to ideas. I’m aware of at least three other projects he’s currently working on, one of which I hope to see in a few short weeks.

I will have more updates on An Echo in Time in the future, so stay tuned!

Fiction, Kindle Unlimited, Women's Fiction

The Collected Regrets of Clover, by Mikki Brammer

Kristie

This book. This marvelous book. Have you ever read a book and want to be friends with the main character? To give them hugs and reassurance? To remind them of the good in their lives? To be there to listen when they are feeling low? That is how I feel about Clover Brooks in The Collected Regrets of Clover, by Mikki Brammer. She is, in my mind, the perfect example of a sympathetic character. One whose pain you feel, who you want to see grow, and someone for whom you desire a happy ending.

She is the essence and life blood of this book. Which is ironic, considering her career choice, because Clover is a death doula. She describes it as someone privileged to help a person in their final days or weeks, to assist them in finding closure, and to prevent them from being alone when they take their last breath. Clover loves her job and takes it seriously, meticulously documenting her clients’ final words and categorizing them into advice, confessions, and regrets.

But just as the cobbler’s children have no shoes, Clover lacks closure and intimacy in her own life. She’s content with her own company, never dates, and her only friend is an elderly neighbor. Like many introverts, she lives in her head. She creates relationships in her imagination, looks for societal patterns, observes but doesn’t participate.

We meet Clover when her life is at a crossroads. After thirty six years of living a certain way, she is given new options. New people enter her orbit and she can either engage with them or not. Watching her navigate the prospect of friendships, something that seems so basic, is like watching a baby take her first steps. There is caution, stumbles, and hope.

Amazingly, this is a debut novel by Australian author Mikki Brammer. Filled with philosophy and metaphors on life, learning, living, and death, I found myself constantly underlining, pondering, rereading, and admiring all the elements of this story that weave together so perfectly. It is a gem. I highly recommend it. (Available on Kindle Unlimited.)

9.5/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Autobiography, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Reading Wrap Up, Women's Fiction

January 2024 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

Here it is, the sixteen books I read in January! All of the 5 star books have their own individual reviews, so be sure and check those out. Secret of the Sassafras is a reread (still loved it!) But the other 5 star books are all very highly recommended! If I had to pick my 3 favorites that you NEED to add to your TBR I would say The Women, by Kristin Hannah; One Summer in Savannah, by Terah Shelton Harris; and The Frozen River (probably my top favorite of the month,) by Ariel Lawhon.

And what about February? I have several books at the top of my list of hopeful reads for next month. I may have to interrupt my mood reading in exchange for some beta reading, but until I know for certain, here’s a short video with some that I hope to read very soon:

Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon

Kristie

Welcome to the first book of 2024 to receive 10/10 Stars!

The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon, is getting a lot of attention right now, and if you read it, you will understand why. Set in Hallowell, Maine in 1790, a dead body is pulled from the Kennebec River. Martha Ballard, the local midwife, is asked to identify it and determine a cause of death. She is the closest thing to a doctor in their town, but she is wise and blessed with a lot of common sense. When she sees injuries that could not be from drowning, Martha determines the cause of death to be murder. Others disagree. But when the victim is identified as Joshua Burgess, a scoundrel of a man recently accused of rape, no one is sorry to hear that he’s dead.

This mystery unfolds throughout the story, but there are other issues present as well. Joshua Burgess’s supposed victim, the minister’s wife, is now pregnant, and his accomplice is a prominent man named Joseph North. Martha and her husband, Ephraim, have known North for decades, watching him become increasingly wealthy and influential. But being the town midwife also allows Martha the privilege (or curse, depending on how you look at it) of being a keeper of people’s secrets. This is a power within itself.

Everything is told through Martha’s point of view and we see her multitask with delivering babies, healing the sick, and managing her family. She frequently battles sexism and often has to keep her opinions to herself, but she is strong, passionate, and still respected by many. One of the greatest lessons she teaches is that the treatment of a person is always more important than approval, something she exemplifies again and again.

I can say, without exaggeration, that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. A master class in storytelling. I’m excited to read more by this author.

A very worthy 10/10 stars!

Trigger warnings for this book: sexual assault (told as a memory,) death of children due to stillbirth or illness, lots of childbirth scenes, one scene of male mutilation. None of these are described graphically.

Fantasy, Fiction

Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows, by Rebecca Ross

Kristie

I should really know better than to blatantly say “I’m not a fantasy reader.” Because, apparently, I AM a fantasy reader. It was just a matter of finding the right author. Rebecca Ross is that author.

Let me try and explain for those who also say they are not readers of fantasy, but perhaps like the Harry Potter series, like myself. What do Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s writing have in common with Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows? Fantastic characters who leap off the page. Beautiful, lyrical writing. Incredible word use and word economy, meaning that her metaphor choices are unique and she never seems to describe anything too much or too little. Plots and subplots which address important things like relationships, family, war, freedom of the press, the abuse of power, and so many other things that are both timeless and relatable.

Now that I have your attention, I’ll introduce you to the characters. While a war is being waged between two gods, a local newspaper called the Oath Gazette reports on the battles. In Divine Rivals we meet young journalists Iris Winnow, who is poor but talented, and Roman Kitt, who is educated and from a prominent family. At work, they are both vying for a single promotion. At home, they are secret pen pals, each using an enchanted typewriter handed down to them by their respective grandmothers. Ruthless Vows takes us deeper into the gods’ war, testing allegiances and letting unlikely heroes emerge.

I’m being purposefully vague. The reason being that these are two very special books that you need to discover yourself. There is no graphic language, sex, or violence, proof again of Rebecca Ross’ masterful, magnificent writing. I am just sitting here, shaking my head, knowing that nothing I say here can do them justice. They are beloved for a reason and Rebecca Ross, you have a new admirer.

10/10 very worthy stars for this duology.

Fiction, Magical Realism

How To Be Remembered, by Michael Thompson

Kristie

“Although 5 January was almost a year away, the Reset hung over him like a guillotine blade, glinting dully as a constant reminder that everything in this life was temporary. And he now had so much more to lose….“

Such is the plight of Tommy Llewellyn in How To Be Remembered, by Michael Thompson, my last read of 2023. A book I only heard about a couple of weeks ago and knew I had to try.

We meet Tommy during his first birthday. He is fawned over by his adoring parents, despite arriving earlier in their “plan” than anticipated. Yet, something happens to him every year on January 5th. He ceases to exist in the memories of all who know him. Records of him vanish. Friends, enemies, and employers forget him. It is a lonely, frustrating life with a bizarre secret he cannot share with anyone.

We become more acquainted with Tommy in his early teens. Naturally, his parents gave him up when he was an infant because they didn’t know who he was, so he ends up in a group foster home for orphaned children. Each year, Tommy anticipates the “Reset.” And, each year, he approaches it with a bit more knowledge and new ideas about how to survive it and still attend to his basic needs.

The best thing about Tommy is that he isn’t bitter. Frustrated, yes. Lonely, yes. But not bitter. While people who have so much more treat each other with greed and disdain, Tommy looks for small ways to insure a legacy and outwit the Universe and its cruel curse. He does this through kindness, service, and self improvement, knowing full well that his deeds will never be credited to him.

How To Be Remembered is a unique, fascinating read and very difficult to put down. I could’ve done without some of the language, but it was not enough to prevent me from seeing what happened to Tommy, a sympathetic character in the best sense of the word. I highly recommend this book. You will think about it for a long time, pondering themes like family, friendship, and the imprint we all make throughout our lives on the world around us and on each other.

9.5/10 Stars

Author Video, Fiction, Women's Fiction

*Video* Author Olivia Sparrow discusses the journey she took to write a debut novel (2 min)

Kristie
Used with permission.

You know how there are some people with whom you just automatically connect? That is how I feel about Olivia. Ever since we met online a few weeks ago, ever since I read and loved her book, Secret of the Sassafras, we have been communicating almost daily. She’s a delight and her book is lovely! You can read my review here: https://readwithkristie.com/2023/11/08/secret-of-the-sassafras-by-olivia-sparrow/