Historical Fiction

Gilded Girl, by Pamela Kelley

Kristie

Beginning in London in the 1890s, we follow the journey of ladies’ maid Eliza Chapman, who discovers she is the illegitimate daughter of one of Manhattan’s wealthiest businessmen. Aided by her current employer, Eliza embarks on a luxurious solo trip across the sea to begin her life as a New York heiress.

A very loose Cinderella story, Gilded Girl tackles themes like class distinction and the role of women in an age where suffrage was just beginning to be a topic of conversation. Eliza must confront a new family, a new country, and the myriad of choices and constraints that accompany her new station in life. The rules are many–from how to spend one’s time to who to marry and why. Eliza learns that different people interpret these rules in different ways, which isn’t easy as she still wants to remain a humble, appreciative young woman.

This was an excellent read that kept my attention from start to finish. The pacing is satisfying, the settings are lush, and the characters are very distinct. Eliza is a wonderful protagonist and a credit to women of any age and time period. I recommend it! Available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

9/10 Stars

Uncategorized

February 2023 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

It’s been another great reading month thanks to snow, rain, and a cough that has decided to set up shop in my lungs for the last several days. There have been book and author discoveries that I hope you will be inspired to pursue! Authors Amy Harmon, Diane Chamberlain, Fiona Davis, and Erin Bartels have been the writers I’m most happy to have found recently. You should definitely check out their books.

Favorites. You will notice there are some with 5 stars (I’m using the Goodreads rating system because it is the most recognizable) and some with “extra shiny” 5 stars. Anything with 5 or 4 stars is one I really liked or loved, but books with those extra shiny ones had a profound effect on my reading experience. We’re talking a “book hangover” type of effect. The kind that lasts for days. All of them have reviews on this site that I will link to and all of them I highly, highly recommend. Let’s take a look:

Top 3 Favorites this month are:

Making Faces, by Amy Harmon (10 Stars on this site!)

The Spectacular, by Fiona Davis (Available June 13, 2023/10 Stars on this site!)

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, by Jenny Wingfield (10 Stars on this site!)

Believe me, three 10-Star books in one month is pretty remarkable! These and all of the other 5 star books are very much worth your time. Here are more links to reviews on this site:

The Last House on the Street, by Diane Chamberlain

Beyond the Wand, by Tom Felton

The Dead Romantics, by Ashley Poston

And there are the 5 star books that didn’t get a review but that I still recommend:

Travels With Charley, by John Steinbeck, is a famous quasi-memoir by a beloved American writer. I say “quasi” because its truthfulness has been challenged, even by his own family. Regardless of whether Steinbeck really went to these places or wrote the book while sitting in his own backyard, it’s a charming, introspective tale of a man and his dog off to discover the nation.

The Butterfly Girl, by Rene Denfeld, is part 2 of the Child Finder series and follows more heroic adventures of Naomi Cottle. Once an abducted child herself, Naomi now seeks others who are lost. This time she encounters a young runaway while hunting a killer who preys on children who society has forgotten. Although I liked the first book slightly more (The Child Finder,) this one is still a very worthy sequel.

Everything Is Just Beginning, by Erin Bartels, is the first of many books I plan to read by this author. It is the story of a directionless young man who crashes the party of a big time music producer. Here he meets the producer’s daughter, who, like him, writes and plays songs but has the connections to make dreams a reality. Their friendship and collaboration is full of hope and pathos. The book is full of the poetic lyrics they write together and also has a special QR Code for the reader to listen to a special playlist on Spotify.

And now, on to March! I have several books lined up to read. Let’s see how many find their way here.

HAPPY READING

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

The Spectacular, by Fiona Davis

Kristie

AVAILABLE June 13, 2023

How often does the title of a book also describe it? Practically never. But such is the case with The Spectacular, by Fiona Davis, because it is, in a word…spectacular.

Set mostly in 1956, we follow nineteen year old dancer Marion Brooks. Stifled by an over-protective father and a jealous older sister, Marion abandons all caution and decides to audition for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Amazingly, she succeeds and is put through the exhausting grind of long hours, extreme physical exertion, and lofty expectations. Kick high and smile wide, no matter what.

The first half of the book gives us a backstage pass through Marion’s eyes and experiences: the euphoria of being on stage, the fear of disappointing her family, plus the friendships and intricacies of a young woman living independently during a very buttoned up time in history. Then suddenly, this already fascinating plot swerves in a new direction, turning The Spectacular into a suspenseful thriller.

While Marion is navigating the excitement of professional dance, the Big Apple Bomber is on his sixteenth year terrorizing the city. Pipe bombs are being left in public places such as libraries, phone booths, offices, and theaters. That’s right. Theaters. It is here that Marion’s story gains even more momentum and collides with actual events because these bombings really happened, becoming a case that pioneered the use of criminal profiling in police work and examining the role of severe mental illness as a possible cause for such crimes.

I went into this book with no real idea of what to expect and ended up absolutely mesmerized. Fiona Davis is an extraordinary writer who has created an incredibly immersive story. Marion Brooks is a riveting protagonist, as are the supporting characters in her orbit, all of whom are grappling with challenges and emotions that Davis brings to life in a realistic way. I could feel the energy of events while being transported to 1950s New York City, a living, breathing metropolis which is a character in itself. Its heartbeat echoes throughout the story’s action, romance, and drama with a pulsating rhythm that keeps the reader’s attention from start to finish.

Keep this book on your radar when it releases in June. It is exceptional.

10/10 Stars

Autobiography, Memoir

Beyond the Wand, by Tom Felton

Kristie

It’s so satisfying when a popular book lives up to the hype because then it isn’t hype anymore, it’s a consensus. Such is the case with Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton, an absolute delight to read! You may know Tom better as the evil Draco Malfoy of the Harry Potter film franchise, representing bullies everywhere with that classic combination of arrogance and cowardice.

Happily, the man behind the bleached hair (yes, man, he’s 35 now,) is much more down-to-earth than his sinister alter ego. But it came at a price, as is the age-old story of many child stars. The youngest of four boys in a loving family, Tom started acting early in life. But it wasn’t until the Harry Potter films when he became recognizable, a fame that steadily increased with the popularity of the books and movies. A heady thing for a young man trying to figure out who he is off the movie set, and one he still has to navigate with caution.

There are some drastic ups and downs, but the majority of the book is ideally paced for the modern attention span. Many celebrity memoirs are filled with superfluous, uninteresting details. This one is not. Tom Felton gives the people what they want, which is a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to grow up among a core cast of actors, many of whom are British screen royalty. The chapters are anecdotal, insightful, interesting, and fun. There are Potter plot spoilers, however, so you might want to be familiar with the series before reading.

My favorite parts are when he writes about antics on set and what it was like to work with so many heavyweights like Dame Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, Sir Richard Harris, and Sir Michael Gambon. His gratitude towards these respected actors is genuine and palpable, as is his love for his acting peers, the other young people who bore the enormous responsibility of breathing life into characters beloved throughout the world.

I cannot say enough good things about Beyond the Wand. If you love the Potter film series, this memoir is better than any special features you’ll see on a DVD. It’s a fast read that shows the growth of a young man striving for normality in a very abnormal world. I highly recommend it.

9.5/10 Stars

Fiction

Reason and Romance, by Terrance Layhew

Kristie

So, a guy writes a novel with no real romance about a guy who is a writer writing a romance novel…wait, what?

Reason and Romance is Terrance Layhew’s debut. It has received pretty great reviews…except from me and a small handful of others. Are those singing its praises being softer on the author because he’s a guy writing a romance novel…about a guy writing a romance novel? If that’s the case, it doesn’t seem quite fair.

George Austen, our protagonist, is an arrogant, emotionally stunted author who is convinced he can write a romance novel using only logic and skill. Because he thinks feelings are a sign of weakness (based on one failed relationship that gets little explanation) he takes the opposite approach, acting obtuse and indifferent to everyone in his circle. A circle he’s lucky to have, I might add.

Enter Margaret Clarke, a fellow writer, who proves herself to be George’s intellectual equal, except for the fact that she keeps trying to get in his good graces no matter how badly he treats her. This boomerang activity goes on ad nauseam, which had me knocking off stars by the end. George just isn’t worth the effort and any last minute epiphanies he has feel out of character and rushed.

(Pssst, Margaret! A word of advice. Give up already. You deserve better. —Signed, Women Everywhere)

Sadly, Reason and Romance was a deflated no-go for me. I liked it but I didn’t love it, which was disappointing. The writing has its smart moments, attempting to be a hybrid of Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde, but the pacing and character development is lacking. The wit is there, the banter is there, but the necessary charm is not. It’s too bad, because it has the potential to be a delight.

7.5/10 Stars

Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

The Last House On The Street, by Diane Chamberlain

Kristie

One of the most satisfying things about reading a book is discovering a new author. One of the most frustrating is reading an excellent book that you’ve shelved for ages, wishing you’d read it sooner. With The Last House On The Street I’m two-for two. But operating on the philosophy that we often read books at the right time in our lives, I’ll be content that I eventually gave it a chance.

There are two timelines, which I understand from fellow readers is consistent with Diane Chamberlain’s books. The first takes place in modern day North Carolina when young widow, Kayla, and her daughter move into a new house in a new development. New except for one older house that has minimal activity except for a light going on here and there. Any sense of security is then shattered when an odd woman shows up at Kayla’s workplace and tells her to move, followed by disturbing notes and events around the house itself.

The second period is in the late Sixties at the height of the Civil Rights movement. Ellie Hockley, the twenty year old daughter of a prominent Southern family, has decided that her life lacks fulfillment. Then she learns about the SCOPE Project–Summer Community Organization and Political Education–designed to help and encourage Black people in poorer neighborhoods to register to vote. Against the wishes of her parents, boyfriend, and best friend, Ellie signs up with the project, convinced that this is the way to make her mark in the world.

The narration switches between Ellie and Kayla, leaving the reader to wonder how their lives will intersect. After all, their experiences are worlds and decades apart, with Ellie canvasing neighborhoods and seeing racism and violence firsthand while Kayla is dealing with her challenges forty years in the future. The dual stories meet in a clever and unique way, keeping me totally engrossed all the way to the end.

Everything about The Last House On The Street is well thought out and interesting. It’s part historical fiction and part suspense. I’ve never read a book quite like it before, but I definitely plan to read more by this author.

9.5/10 Stars

Romance, Women's Fiction

The Chemistry of Love, by Sariah Wilson

Kristie

One of the popular tropes these days is main characters who “fake date.” They’re either trying to make someone jealous, trying to break someone up, or trying to assuage parents’ concerns. The fake date premise can be done well…or not. The Chemistry of Love, a recent Kindle First Read selection, does a fairly good job, mainly because of its unique setting.

Anna Ellis is a cosmetic chemist hopelessly in love with her boss, Craig, while her immediate supervisor, Jerry, squelches any innovative ideas she proposes. In a state of complete frustration and sorrow, and with the help of a little alcohol, Anna bares her soul to a stranger at a work party. That stranger turns out to be the company’s young CEO, Marco, who suggests that he and Anna fake date to make Craig jealous.

After you’re done rolling your eyes at the lunacy of what you just read I can assure you that it isn’t as bad as it sounds. There are some cringe-worthy moments at the beginning, but the story has more than its share of sweet scenes too. It’s clean with witty banter between Anna and Marco and, though the ending is predictable from the start, I actually enjoyed this book quite a lot.

8/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Mystery

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me, by William Landay

Kristie

AVAILABLE March 7, 2023

I’ve been trudging through this book for days and finally finished it. A seemingly perfect family. The mother goes missing. The children are bereft. The husband appears indifferent but insists on his innocence. His law training has taught him to say things without saying them and to talk in circles whenever he’s questioned. This goes on for decades.

And that’s mostly what you read—dialogue, usually with no quotation marks—of questions and answers that lead nowhere, putting the reader in the jury box. It sounds smart, but it’s tiresome and doesn’t make for a great reading experience. Even the ending feels vague and anticlimactic. When I turned the last page and saw I was now reading the author’s acknowledgments, my first thought was “that’s it?”

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me is one of those books that I can only describe as “horizontal.” The characters are there, the descriptions and potential are there, but the ebb and flow is not. And Dan Larkin, the husband constantly under suspicion with his arrogance and passive aggressive ways, is just infuriating.

7.5/10 Stars

Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, by Jenny Wingfield

Kristie

Nestled beneath this assuming book cover, waiting to be discovered by more readers, is one of literature’s great young heroines. Swan Lake (don’t laugh, she’ll beat you up,) the middle child of Samuel and Willadee Moses Lake. A spunky eleven year old hybrid of To Kill A Mockingbird’s Scout Finch and Will Tweedy of Cold Sassy Tree, Swan is the champion of the underdog. She observes and protects, lying and breaking rules if she deems it necessary. Where she inherited this fearlessness, no one quite knows, but it serves her and others well. She has no plans to change.

When Swan’s preacher daddy, Samuel, loses his congregation and must move the family in with his wife’s parents, the adventure begins. Along with her two brothers, Noble and Bienville, Swan explores the overgrown brush in their new Arkansas town, fighting imaginary injustice until the real thing comes along. It happens quickly, in the form of eight year old Blade Ballenger, a traumatized young boy who is at the constant mercy of his abusive father.

While Blade acclimates to being around a loving family–though not one without their own challenges–Swan tries to ingratiate herself with her mama’s brother, Uncle Toy. Toy is a quiet oak of a man, selfless to a fault and kinder than the credit he receives. As the summer progresses, everyone’s stories begin to intertwine, including that of Blade’s vengeful daddy and Toy’s wife with the wandering eye.

I’m not overstating when I say The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Author Jenny Wingfield does everything right to make this story as good as the classics we know and love. It has a rhythm, colors, and smells. It has characters so distinct they feel like real people. It has an ending that reminds the reader of the world’s shades of gray. I hope this review encourages someone to read it. It’s a gem that deserves widespread recognition.

10/10 Stars

Trigger warnings: Suicide, domestic/child/animal abuse and child rape. With the exception of two short scenes that are slightly more graphic, these subjects are handled with care and used for character development.

Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal: The Stars Don’t Lie, by Boo Walker

Kristie

Boo Walker just revealed the cover of his upcoming book! The Stars Don’t Lie will be available August 22, 2023.

All I know is that it is about the impact a teacher can make on a student’s life. Boo puts so much heart and soul into his writing, my hopes are high! When I get a synopsis I will post it here. Fingers crossed I get to read it before Pub Day! Stay tuned.

UPDATE 2/25/23: The synopsis has been released on Amazon!

Haunted by a tragic decision he made twenty years ago, veterinarian Dr. Carver Livingston has not once returned to his Vermont hometown. Now his parents’ impending divorce and his mother’s plea for support lure Carver to a reluctant homecoming. His mission: sweep into Teterbury, save a marriage, and get out before anyone else from his past knows he was even there. Fate has other plans.

It’s hard to hide from former friends. Harder still to fight old feelings for the crushing and beautiful high school soulmate whom he dreams of pursuing again. And Mrs. Cartwright, his fragile English teacher, who once pulled Carver out of sadness. She taught him to always look up and to see life’s grander perspective in the stars. Now it’s Carver’s turn to help Mrs. Cartwright find those bright lights in the dark.

Against his need to leave, Carver decides to stay longer, as he, his mother and father, and Mrs. Cartwright are all at turning points in their lives. Hope is not lost. If they look up, they’ll see that tonight, the stars still shine.

Fiction

Making Faces, by Amy Harmon

Kristie
“There’s a lot I don’t understand, but not understanding is better than not believing.” Ambrose Young

Yesterday someone asked this question on Facebook: “If an alien came to earth, what is one book you would recommend that explains why books exist?” I immediately went through my mental file of favorites. Which one would I choose? My old standbys, Jane Eyre or Cold Sassy Tree? Or one of my newer beloveds, Entitled or Happiness for Beginners?

Now there is an additional one I would consider–Making Faces by Amy Harmon. An absolute triumph of a book that I will say right now is going to get a 10 star rating by the end of this review. (Unapologetic spoiler alert.)

It’s a few months before 9/11 in a small Pennsylvania town. High school wrestler Ambrose Young is the star. He’s exceptionally handsome, polite, sensitive, and a hard worker. He’s also humble, helps his dad at the bakery, stands up for others, and Fern Taylor has loved him since they were kids. Fern, who was blessed with a mass of red hair, freckles, and a diminutive boyish figure. Add in the glasses and braces and it’s no wonder Fern suffers from “UGS.” Ugly Girl Syndrome.

But Fern is too busy to focus on herself. Bailey Sheen, her first cousin, next door neighbor, and best friend in the whole world depends on her. Bailey, as upbeat and charismatic as they come, suffers from Muscular Dystrophy, and its only getting worse. Like Fern, Bailey also reveres Ambrose Young, but his reasons are different. Ambrose is a true inspiration and a physical representation of something Bailey will never be. Girls love Ambrose and the town adores him. Bailey’s body is rapidly weakening and he’ll be lucky to see his twenty first birthday.

The events of 9/11 affect everything. Flight 93 has crashed only a few miles away. The nation is on high alert. Patriotism intensifies and priorities change. Ambrose decides to enlist after graduation, convincing his four closest friends to do the same. When their tour is over, only Ambrose comes back. But he is a different man now. Broken, bitter, traumatized, and disfigured, only those who saw him for more than his looks and accomplishments can help him heal. It’s Fern and Bailey to the rescue.

The rest you will have to discover on your own. Making Faces is one of those near-perfect books where the stars aligned in its creation. You will fall in love with Fern, Bailey, and Ambrose–one of the most heartwarming literary trios I’ve ever encountered. Their strengths and inherent goodness will stay with you for a very long time and Amy Harmon’s writing has a quality to which every author should aspire. I loved this book in every way possible.

10/10 Stars

Uncategorized

January 2023 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

January was a CRAZY month of reading. Thirty six books, my friends! You will recognize some from previous reviews, others are appearing here for the first time. I discovered some great authors and several exciting thrillers. Here’s the overall group with 1-5 star ratings in chronological order. Even I can’t believe it.

FAVORITES: (links to their reviews)

Entitled, by Cookie Boyle (Fiction, Magical Realism) (FAVORITE OF THE MONTH)

Whiskey When We’re Dry, by John Larison (Historical Fiction, Adventure)

Restart, by Gordon Korman (Young Adult)

The Child Finder, by Rene Denfeld (Mystery, Suspense)

Books 11-13 of the Country Club Murders, by Julie Mulhern (Cozy Mystery)

More Than We Can Tell, by Brigid Kemmerer (Young Adult)

SURPRISES OF THE MONTH:

Regrets Only, by Kieran Scott (releases March 7, 2023!) (Mystery)

A Killer Strikes, by Georgia Rose (Mystery): A small village in England is rocked on its heels when an entire family is murdered. Their neighbor, a quiet woman who trains and boards horses, takes it upon herself to find out what really happened. Great ending!

If You Build It, by Dwier Brown (Memoir)

The Unteachables, by Gordon Korman (Young Adult) Throw the school’s most “unteachable” students together with the district’s most unmotivated teacher and you have a recipe for…a fantastic book! Gordon Korman is one of the superb authors I discovered this month.

Just A Girl, by Becky Monson (Clean Romance) A meek midday news reporter dealing with harassing emails meets a Henry Cavill-type Brit who sweeps her off her feet…at first. There are twists in this fun story and a reminder to never settle for less than you deserve. Becky Monson books are becoming fast favorites.

I Am In Here, by Creston Mapes (Christian Suspense) Hale is eighteen years old. Since a bus crash one year before he has laid still and silent in a hospital bed. He cannot communicate, but hears and sees everything, such as the increasing debt his father is in because of the smothering medical bills and the family member who wants to kill him. Really gripping! I read this in one sitting.

Hayley and the Yeti, by Laura Langa (Romance) The cover suggests a frothy story, but there is a lot of depth to this one. Hayley has accepted a traveling medical assignment in Arizona after a two year toxic relationship that’s left her questioning everything about herself. Her next door neighbor is a kind but mysterious man she calls “Yeti.” Both are slowly recovering from painful life experiences. Their friendship changes everything. This was a wonderful book! Perfect for the end of the month.

And now on to February! I’m starting off with two books: The Night Shift, by Alex Finlay, and Everything is Just Beginning, by Erin Bartels. Both are outside my comfort zone, but they’re both very good so far!

Happy Reading!