"Our Wives Under the Sea" by Julia Armfield is a story about love, grief, and loss!
Miri's marine biologist wife, Leah, is finally coming home after si"Our Wives Under the Sea" by Julia Armfield is a story about love, grief, and loss!
Miri's marine biologist wife, Leah, is finally coming home after six months at sea. A submariner exploratory mission that should have taken three weeks, ends in a mysterious disaster without meaningful communication from the 'Centre' for months. Miri still has questions that remain unanswered by Leah's employer.
Miri and Leah live together in the same flat but in different spaces now. Miri eats alone in the kitchen and sleeps alone in the spare bedroom. Leah spends a great deal of time locked in the bathroom running water from both taps. She doesn't eat but craves copious amounts of salted water.
Miri notices the differences in Leah. She sees Leah doing these alarmingly odd things and how her body is physically changing. Leah seems to be fading away. Is Miri different now, too?
I will say, and I'm sure about this, I have not ever read anything quite like this book before. It's beautifully written, oddly slow, a bit repetitive, thoughtful, and deeply sad. It's the kind of book that causes you to dig deep within and continue to think about it for a long time afterwards.
The alternating chapters tell the story via the first-person voices of both Miri and Leah. The story travels back into the memories of their relationship, with snippets of what happens under the sea, mingled with the current timeline once Leah is back home.
I read the digital copy and listened to the audiobook choosing to switch back and forth between the two short formats. The audiobook has two narrators, Annabel Baldwin & Robyn Holdaway, who give a unique voice to each of the main characters. I believe this is what gives listening a more emotional experience. With the digital copy, the visual experience of reading the printed word is an experience I will always find comforting!
I enjoy reading books that are different and this creative and beautifully written debut novel hits that mark for me. It's a story that I continue to think about and dissect over and over again. Like Leah, it keeps changing. It's that kind of story for me. I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, Dreamscape Media and Julia Armfield for a free ARC and ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review....more
"Maureen" by Rachel Joyce is Book #3 in this Authors' "Harold Fry" Series!
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is where this series begins telling Ha"Maureen" by Rachel Joyce is Book #3 in this Authors' "Harold Fry" Series!
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is where this series begins telling Harold's story of walking 600+ miles to hand deliver a letter to Queenie Hennessy who's gravely ill and spending her final days in hospice. Harold believes if he delivers his letter, Queenie will live long enough to receive it. The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy tells Queenie's story of her days in hospice. Queenie knows Harold is on his way to visit her and realizes she must confront the past she left behind twenty years ago. She writes a poignant letter to Harold while he walks to deliver his letter to her.
Both books have concurrent timelines, so while Harold is walking, Queenie is writing.
Now it's ten years later, and time to hear from Maureen, Harold's wife. She's about to take a journey of her own and, in the mix, gives her perspective of all that's happened before and after Harold's journey to visit Queenie.
What I love about this book is how vague the synopsis is, allowing readers to go in blind. It's an intensely personal journey for Maureen and you feel her pain the entire way. You realize how lost she is from herself, how out of control she feels in her life, and how different she feels from Harold and everyone else. You will get to know Maureen intimately, warts and all.
The main difference in this book from the other two is the length. This is a novella and although I thoroughly enjoyed this read, it did feel noticeably short. I wanted as much of Maureen as the author wrote of both Harold and Queenie. With that said, what was written about Maureen was both revealing and satisfying.
What I find most amazing about this author and her series is how well she knows each of her main characters, Harold, Queenie and now Maureen, and how openly and honestly she presents them to her readers.
This is definitely a series that needs to be read in sequential order and each book has its own uniqueness, yet the total package is a complete journey. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next and look forward to meeting more of her characters!
I highly recommend this book and series! 4.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Rachel Joyce for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review....more
"Twice in a Lifetime" by Melissa Baron is This Authors' Debut Novel!
Isla has left the fast pace of living and working in Chicago for a quieter, slower"Twice in a Lifetime" by Melissa Baron is This Authors' Debut Novel!
Isla has left the fast pace of living and working in Chicago for a quieter, slower lifestyle in small town Missouri. With constant concerns of anxiety and panic attacks, along with the recent death of her mother, she's looking for a change after a year that was painful and exhausting. A small cottage in the county sounds just about perfect to Isla!
Out of the blue, Isla receives texts from a number she doesn't recognize, belonging to a man named Ewan who claims to be her husband. He texts a pic of them together on their wedding day as proof.
Isla is shocked! Who is this guy? And, what is he up to...
From the synopsis, I was excited to start listening to the ALC, but immediately discover it's not what I had expected. The narrator, Megan Tusing, uses voicing that gives this audiobook a whimsical feel and sound. This creates confusion about the genre, causes distraction to the story, and becomes the main reason I had trouble connecting with both the story and the main characters.
As I continued to listen, I became confused as to whether this was a Fantasy (because of the voicing), a Time-Slip story, or Romance Fiction. The flow of the story was interrupted several times as it went in different directions and struggled to find its identity. It felt overloaded, unfocused, and repetitive.
I didn't feel a connectivity to the main characters of Isla and Ewan. On the cusp of turning thirty, Isla exhibits a lack of maturity that's hard to overlook and Ewan seems too good to be true. The "insta-love" relationship that develops between them feels completely unbelievable and bleeds over to their character development as the main characters holding down this story.
With that said, what I did enjoy about this story was the focus on Isla's mental health and how sensitively these topics are handled within the storyline. It felt like the one "constant" and it's what rescues this story for me.
This debut novel has great potential but falls short for me in audiobook voicing, genre clarity, and character connectivity. However, the inclusion of the mental health topics elevated this story and increased my rating by a half star. 2.5 stars rounded up!
Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Melissa Baron for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review....more
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is an American-Literature Classic!
451 degrees is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns!
In a dFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is an American-Literature Classic!
451 degrees is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns!
In a dystopian future, a rigidly structured society has banished everything that causes confusion, contradiction, or complication to a culture focused on the happiness of all citizens.
Citizens aren't permitted to read books, think independently, or have meaningful conversations.
Books are illegal, thoughts are dangerous, and conversations about books could be deadly.
When printed books are discovered in someone's home, the entire house is set ablaze and burned to the ground. In this society, firemen create fires rather than extinguish them.
Guy Montag loves his job as a fireman. It invigorates him and he knows what he does is important. He feels this way until the day he meets a teenage girl named Clarisse who asks him if he's happy...
I love ending my reading year with a classic and Dystopian-Fiction is one of my favorite genres. So what could be more perfect than ending 2022 with Fahrenheit 451: a book about books?
This story is about the struggle for knowledge and individuality in a society that expects ignorance and conformity. "Compliance without question" is the law of the land.
Can you imagine living in a world without books? This story holds more thought-provoking parallels to our current techno world and comparisons that could be made to the levels of mindlessness in our current social media world. Kinda scary, right?
The audiobook is narrated by actor, Tim Robbins who uses his award-winning talent in a variety of voicings for the characters. His 5 hour narration made my revisit of this novel, after so many years, a memorable and emotional experience.
A frightening dystopian future feels believable through this author's creative writing and vivid imagination. This book is original, different, and just as fresh today as it was when first published on October 19, 1953, almost 70 years ago. Fahrenheit 451 is regarded as Ray Bradbury's greatest work.
As a reader, reviewer, and lover of books, I highly recommend this classic to everyone! 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐...more
"Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun" by Elle Cosimano is Book #3 in the Finlay Donovan Series!
Author and single mom, Finlay, and her nanny, self-appointed a"Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun" by Elle Cosimano is Book #3 in the Finlay Donovan Series!
Author and single mom, Finlay, and her nanny, self-appointed accountant, and partner-in-crime, Vero, are back with book #3 picking up just weeks after where book #2 left off.
Finlay is none too happy to be looking down the barrel of another book deadline with a request from her agent and publisher to add some spicy overtones to her new and currently poorly seasoned novel.
Taken by surprise, Finlay and Vero are cornered by Russian Mob boss, Feliks, into repaying an outstanding debt by locating and identifying a contract killer named "Easy Clean"...and the clock begins ticking.
It doesn't take long for Finlay and Vero to believe the allusive killer might actually be a cop.
When Finlay and Vero hear about the upcoming citizens police academy led by none other than "hot cop" Detective Nick Anthony, they hop on-board the bus. It's a perfect cover with firearms and forensics training included and plenty of time for super sleuthing and working on the dreaded rewrites. Ugh!
The best laid plans, right?
It's always a hilariously fun ride with Finlay and Vero. The pages turn rip-fast with quick chapters that beg you to keep reading and so you do. I was hoping for a bit more of the kiddo's in this one and maybe just a little something different to change things up a bit.
This series is definitely one to read in sequential order to stay abreast of the continuing antics and keeping up with the characters, which are plentiful. Each story moves quickly and just when you think things are coming to a head, answers surfacing, up pops another something and around and around we go.
Once again Vero stole the show. I love this character and she's the main reason I keep reading this series. I was sure this was the last book but not with a cliffhanger like that! Sign me up for Book #4, please! I highly recommend!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review....more
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" by F. Scott Fitzgerald is curious, indeed!
Benjamin Button is born in 1860 at the age of seventy. He's born in th"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" by F. Scott Fitzgerald is curious, indeed!
Benjamin Button is born in 1860 at the age of seventy. He's born in the body of an older man with the ability to talk and walk. If that's not curious enough, as he lives his life, he ages backwards rather than forwards. When he dies as an infant, there's no memories of the past, he can't speak or crawl. His life simply fades to black.
Even though Benjamin ages through his life in reverse, his struggles are similar to yours and mine. He goes through life either too old or too young to fit in and craves to be accepted as he is.
His father is embarrassed by him for the way he looks. His son is angry at him for not "acting his age". They beg for him to be normal.
This is Benjamin's normal and I'm curious how different his life could have been if his family had simply shown him compassion and understanding. Merely embraced him and loved him as he was.
Think about this: We tell ourselves that age is just a number and don't we use that number as an excuse to limit ourselves? Are we ever really content with our current place in life? Certainly, a question for the ages, so to speak.
Call me crazy but I love this satire on aging. It's a short read/listen that's a "deep-thinker" story. One reviewer mentions that if you were to read this story backwards, it would make complete sense. Well, to me it makes perfect sense just the way it's written.
I highly recommend this original and different, creative and thought-provoking read. 5 Ageless Stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ...more
"The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas" by William J. Bennett is a Mixture of the History and Legend of Saint Nicholas!
I've always wan"The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas" by William J. Bennett is a Mixture of the History and Legend of Saint Nicholas!
I've always wanted to know more about Saint Nicholas and how this religious figure relates to the basis behind the fiction of "Santa Claus". This short read gives the low-down for all things St. Nick!
Despite being a short read/listen, it took effort for me to get through all the detail. This heavily researched book encompasses the historical facts of Saint Nicholas' life, his legacy through the centuries following his death, and the legendary stories that transforms his likeness into the present-day, rosy cheeked, Jolly Ole St. Nick.
A little heavy in religious facts, Saint Nicholas lived March 15, 270 AD - December 6, 343 AD, but much of ancient history does center around religion. I did enjoy the trip through the ages and the many legends mentioned about Saint Nicholas but I do wonder how much is fact and how much is not.
The brief history about the development of the modern-day Santa Claus was interesting but I was hoping for more detail and not so much of, what felt like, an afterthought. This is the main reason I wanted to read/listen to this book, so this is a disappointment.
The audiobook is narrated by the author, William J. Bennett, who does a fine job. I also read through the Kindle version and found both formats to be an equally pleasant experience.
I do recommend this short read/listen to those readers who enjoy historical facts blended with colorful legend! 3.5 stars! ...more
"Resting Scrooge Face" by Meghan Quinn is a Holiday and Second-Chance Romance Fiction Story!
Nola is "the one who got away" and Caleb is "the one who b"Resting Scrooge Face" by Meghan Quinn is a Holiday and Second-Chance Romance Fiction Story!
Nola is "the one who got away" and Caleb is "the one who broke her heart". Neither is "feeling it" this Christmas. They're more focused on avoiding each other than anything else.
Until... Caleb writes a letter expressing his distaste for everything Christmas and it gets delivered by the local mailman into Nola's hands. She doesn't know who it's from other than someone who calls himself "Resting Scrooge Face". She responds, in kind, and calls herself "Ho Ho No"!
Then... A friendly, somewhat flirty, letter exchange continues and distracts Caleb and Nola out of their "Bah-Humbug" funk. Will they take things a step further...
The audiobook is short and sweet and the narrators, Carly Robins, and Aaron Shedlock, are the duet for this story. I have to admit, though, I prefer less of the soprano narration and more of the baritone, if you get my drift.
A small-town, home-town Christmas short listen with all the pull and tug of a second-change romance, and the fun and festivities of the Holiday season. I recommend this story as a quick Christmas-y "pick-me-up"! 3.5 stars...more
"Animal Farm" by George Orwell is Satirical Allegorical Novella!
I read this book years ago in high school and, given my age then and teenage prioriti"Animal Farm" by George Orwell is Satirical Allegorical Novella!
I read this book years ago in high school and, given my age then and teenage priorities, remembering it was a foggy-memory-mess. Re-reading it recently felt like the first time and it completely blew my mind!
Animal Farm is an allegory representing rebellion, specific to the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Soviet Union. (view spoiler)[The first instance of rebellion is when Tsar Nicholas II is pushed out and the Bolsheviks come to power. The second instance is the gradual and eventual betrayal of the revolution's supporters under dictator Joseph Stalin.
As you read this novella, you slowly begin to connect the dots between the key "farm animal" characters and the person in history each one portrays. You also come to understand the relevance between the "farm animal" groups and what they represent to the story. (hide spoiler)]
If you've read my reviews in the past, you know I don't care for books with political preferences or messaging, but somehow this one feels different to me and a justifiable exception. This book is a masterpiece in its creativity and design. Sure, Orwell is pushing his message, but the genius within the story simply can't be ignored. It blew the top of my head off, GR Friends!
Written by Eric Arthur Blair whose 'pen name' was George Orwell, who besides being a novelist, was an essayist, journalist, and critic. He exhibits a little of his "biting social criticism" in this novella, but I love the heck out of it.
If and/or when you read this one, do yourself a favor, and take it slow and easy and enjoy every little bit of this amazingly brilliant book. I highly recommend! 5 "Incredible" Stars!...more
"The Upside Down Christmas" by Kate Forster is Mixture of Romance and Holiday Fiction!
Marlo is living in Sydney, Australia and has fond memories of th"The Upside Down Christmas" by Kate Forster is Mixture of Romance and Holiday Fiction!
Marlo is living in Sydney, Australia and has fond memories of the Christmas' spent back home in Britain. It never feels like Christmas in Sydney to Marlo. It's too darn hot.
Marlo's current boyfriend has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared without a word. She's decided to avoid Christmas entirely this year.
Her flatmate, Alex, is determined to prove to Marlo that Christmas Down Under is just what she needs to distract her from Jack's ghosting and he intends to prove to her that celebrating Christmas in Australia is no different than anywhere else.
Marlo soon realizes it's not what Alex is doing that's distracting her. It's actually Alex himself! It's Alex's calm demeanor, his kindness, his humor, and his looks! Marlo is extremely distracted...
This is not so much Holiday Fiction as it's Romance Fiction that takes place in December. The best part of this story is the setting of Sydney, Australia and the many ideas Alex comes up with for celebrating Christmas Down Under. I loved listening to my mother's stories of Christmas spent at the beach in Australia. For my many Aussie relatives, this remains a family tradition.
This is a 3H 28M Audible audiobook, narrated by Rachael Tidd, who does a great job with both gender voicing and voice inflections through this short listen. This is a free offering to Audible Plus members.
I like this one but I don't love it. If you're looking for a romance story with a completely closed door and touches of Christmas, this could be a great option for you! ...more
"The Gift" by Freida McFadden is a Jaw-Dropping Christmas Thriller Novella!
Newlyweds, Stella and Justin Hansen are spending their first Christmas tog"The Gift" by Freida McFadden is a Jaw-Dropping Christmas Thriller Novella!
Newlyweds, Stella and Justin Hansen are spending their first Christmas together as a married couple and Stella wants it to be special.
Stella's the breadwinner and currently working two jobs, while her husband attends law school, so money is tight and right now they're broke.
On Christmas Eve, Stella is working at the diner and knows she'll be exchanging gifts with Justin tonight when she gets home.
Stella tells her co-worker, Bessie, about her plans after work, about not having a gift for Justin, and about not having the money to buy one.
Right before closing, Stella sees a strange old lady in a back booth who heard Stella telling Bessie about her dilemma.
The old lady, Helga, owns a business that is always open and she'll help Stella find the perfect gift for her husband. No money? No problem! They'll make a deal...
If you think this is a retelling of a classic Christmas story, like I did, think again. I was so wrong and so surprised!
For me, this was the perfect Holiday Fiction Novella to read during my lunch break today. The twist at the end was very unexpected. If you're looking for a Christmas story that's a bit of a jaw-dropper, this is one for you. I highly recommend!...more
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is Beautifully Written Prose!
This is the first time I've read this book rather than choosing to watch one of th"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is Beautifully Written Prose!
This is the first time I've read this book rather than choosing to watch one of the numerous movie versions of this holiday tale.
We are all familiar with this classic story about the elderly miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, visited by the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley, and the three spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, and how it changed his life overnight.
Reading or listening to the written word of this novella is a wonderful experience and will never get old to me. The writing of Charles Dickens is unbelievably beautifully written prose that gives the feel and sound of a Shakespearean play. It's dramatic, formal, and true to the era it was written in. It has a traditional Christmas feel that's both comforting and familiar.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Simon Prebble who has an incredible range of voicing. His abilities as a narrator is truly amazing.
The first edition of "A Christmas Carol" was published in London on December 19, 1843 and was sold out by Christmas Eve. Remarkably, this book has never been out of print.
I highly recommend the audiobook and plan to make listening to this an annual Christmas tradition! 5 stars!...more
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things" by Iain Reid is this Author's Debut Novel!
Jake and his girlfriend have been dating for six weeks and now it's time for"I'm Thinking of Ending Things" by Iain Reid is this Author's Debut Novel!
Jake and his girlfriend have been dating for six weeks and now it's time for her to meet his parents. They're driving to the family farm for introductions and plans to stay for dinner.
As they drive together Jake's girlfriend has serious thoughts of ending things...
Let me tell ya', this book is one crazy ride!
You know something's going to happen. You expect it to happen at any moment. Jake's girlfriend is talking in her head the entire time, until she doesn't...
Are you curious yet?
This is the second Iain Reid audiobook I've listened to and both experiences were unique yet satisfying. I found each narrator to be perfectly matched to the story they were voicing. This type of detail gives the listener that "what the heck is going on" experience. Isn't that the allure of reading this author's writing?
I listened it and then I listened to it again. Then I watched the Netflix movie and it totally confused the crap outta me! This author certainly knows how to draw the reader in and hold them hostage wondering what the heck's transpiring.
I'm still not completely done with this book. I just ordered the paperback so I can read it next... backwards!
"Euphoria" by Elin Cullhed is a Women's Literary Fiction Story!
I knew little about Sylvia Plath before I decided to listen to this audiobook. I've hea"Euphoria" by Elin Cullhed is a Women's Literary Fiction Story!
I knew little about Sylvia Plath before I decided to listen to this audiobook. I've heard of her only novel "The Bell Jar", which I've never read, and I'm aware she wrote poetry, and lastly, that she took her own life at a fairly young age.
Despite the few things I did know about Sylvia Plath, listening to this story, with its beautiful prose and exceptional narration, is both disturbing and enlightening. It's deeply thoughtful, thought-provoking, and smothered in the mid-century "yin and yang" of marriage.
However, the reader is told up front that this is a fictive story of Sylvia Plath. This Sylvia wants a perfect marriage and family, to be the perfect wife and mother, all while striving to keep pace with her artistic side, her writing, and her brilliance.
This re-imagined story is of the last year of the fictive Sylvia's life. The audiobook narrator, Kelley Burke, is so believable in her voicing as the main character in a manic state while attempting to be a ceaseless voice of reason. She's bursting with unfiltered emotion and her tirades on the contrasting juxtapositions in her life are often hard to listen to.
With that said, this reader enjoyed the heck out of this story. It drew me in and has made me hungry to discover more about the real Sylvia Plath, the woman, the gifted artist and writer, and I couldn't imagine a better introduction. I highly recommend this audiobook!
Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and Elin Cullhed for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. ...more
"The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander is this authors' debut novel!
The definitions of "Vanish": To pass quickly from sight; Disappear; To"The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander is this authors' debut novel!
The definitions of "Vanish": To pass quickly from sight; Disappear; To pass completely from existence; To assume the value zero.
Vanish is exactly what happens to seven-year-old Margaret in 1947 when her maternal grandmother and Mr. Gray decide she should be 'dropped off' at St. Mary's Hospital, a long-stay institution for children with learning and physical disabilities.
This is where Margaret remains until, at thirty-two years old, she's told she can leave St. Mary's to live in a small group home while receiving guidance from an assigned Support Worker.
When we first meet Margaret it's 2015, she's seventy-five years old, living alone, and unable to read or write. Her current Support Worker, Wayne, is attempting to convince her the letters she's receiving, aren't from her favorite singer, Cilla Black. He assures Margaret they'll get down to the bottom of the mystery of who is sending them...
Silly me, I thought this audiobook was going to be a simple, easy, lickety-split listen. Was I ever mistaken but what a pleasant surprise!
Told in two timelines, this story is an intensely emotional journey with top-notch characterizations. It's impossible not to love Margaret, as she's definitely the one who holds this story together. She may be a bit slow but she has an inner beauty that's impossible to resist.
Margaret's early life wasn't easy, but once given the chance, she melds into a new life outside of St. Mary's and into a welcoming community without issue. She proves herself to be a survivor with a kind heart, without bitterness for many years spent in a cruel institution, looking forward and not backward at life.
The audiobook is narrated by Annie Aldington who does a remarkable job of bringing Margaret to life, as well as, providing believable voicing to the other characters.
I was surprised to find out "The Vanishing of Margaret Small" is this author's debut novel. The author's note at the end, gives brief detail of what brought this amazing story to life. I do hope this book finds its way in front of a large audience of readers and listeners for the well-written and meaningful story it is. I highly recommend it to all!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier UK Audio, and Neil Alexander for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. ...more
"A Hard Day for a Hangover" by Darynda Jones is Book #3 in the "Sunshine Vicram" Series!
This story picks up just days after Book #2 "A Good Day for "A Hard Day for a Hangover" by Darynda Jones is Book #3 in the "Sunshine Vicram" Series!
This story picks up just days after Book #2 "A Good Day for Chardonnay" left off and it's the wildest ride yet for Sheriff Sunshine Vicram and her Del Sol Crew! Sunshine wishes her days would slow down just a little but today isn't that day!
Today, Sunshine and her team have their hands full with one incident after another: - Doug, the town flasher, stabbed with a knitting needle... - Randy, the pesky raccoon, on the loose again... - An assault victim rescued at Cooper Canyon... - A friend reports a home break-in... - A teenage daughter, goes rogue investigating on her own... - A prisoner escapes custody from a hospital...
To top it off, Sunshine sees a basket of Ruby's muffins' sitting on a desk in the sheriff's office. Could the presence of those 'cursed muffins' be causing another sudden spike in crime? It's quite possible!
The momentum is whip fast, faster than Sunshine would like while in the throes of a raging Tequila hangover. It's wild, it's fun, it's super mysterious and handsome Levi Ravinder is still hanging around. Sunshine is smiling and doesn't care what Levi's up to as long as it happens within her viewing range. He's such a distraction! She's loved that man since they were both kids, so it's all in a day's work, right?
This is definitely the best book and my favorite of this series but it's also the last one, which stinks! My only niggle is the ramp-up of more bloodiness than its predecessors, but the story is solid, the small-town humor first rate with an appropriate amount of snarkiness, and the quirky mix of characters is almost perfect!
This is the first book in this series I've read a digital copy rather than listened to the audiobook. It's strange how I hold the memory of what these characters sound like, so reading the words was like listening to the audiobook in my head. Does it make sense that I can hear their voices without actually listening to the audiobook and what does that say about me, I wonder? Regardless of what y'all think, it was a fun experience!
Simply said, I just adore Sun & her Del Sol Sheriff's Crew, her friends and her family. I'm awfully sad to see them all go but I'm thinking this author has something up her sleeves for another series and I'll be waiting patiently. I highly recommend this book and the entire series where each book was a solid experience! 4.5 stars!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review....more
"Do I Know You?" by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka is Married Romance Fiction at its best!
Eliza and Graham are heading to the Northern Calif"Do I Know You?" by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka is Married Romance Fiction at its best!
Eliza and Graham are heading to the Northern California coast to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary at a resort that caters to those looking for love or those already in love.
Sadly, this couple is experiencing a lull in their relationship. It's a mutual awkwardness and feelings of not being enough for their spouse. They feel like strangers and wonder when the romance left their marriage. Neither is sure how a vacation at a resort that focuses on love is going to work for them and traveling by car for seven hours to get there with nothing to say to each other is painful!
At the resort, when an opportunity crops up for Eliza and Graham to spend their week getting reacquainted in a most interesting, fun, and romantic way, it begins to spark the fire and steam back into their relationship. Will the heat wave they've created with one another continue once the vacation fun ends or will there be a cooling trend expected in the forecast?
What a fun premise! I was rooting for these two married main characters from beginning to end and I love the creative measures used in the attempt to get their relationship back on track. As someone who has been married for many years, I happen to believe that "Married Romance" is highly under rated! This story proves it!
I stayed up into the wee hours finishing this book because I couldn't put it down and, mostly, so I could 'ugly cry' without my husband watching. Disclosure: A fair amount of tissues were devoted to the reading of this book!
Kudos to the husband and wife writing team for this well-written story that's creative and original, tender and romantic, with a touch of heartbreak (for the tissues), and a fair amount of "open-door" sizzle. If you enjoy a great romance, but a Rom-Com isn't your thing (like me!) this could definitely be one for you. I highly recommend! 4.5 stars!
Thank you to Elisha and Berkley for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review....more
"The Mark on the Wall" by Virginia Woolf is Twenty-one Minutes of Wonder!
She thinks she saw the mark on the wall, for the first time, in the middle o"The Mark on the Wall" by Virginia Woolf is Twenty-one Minutes of Wonder!
She thinks she saw the mark on the wall, for the first time, in the middle of January. She was smoking a cigarette by the fire, looks up and remembers seeing three chrysanthemums in a small round glass bowl on the mantelpiece and a steady flow of yellow light on the pages of her book.
The mark is small, black, and round on the white wall. It's six or seven inches above the mantelpiece. She decides it's too big to be made by a nail, and too round.
As she looks at the mark, in a certain light, it looks to be projecting from the wall, not entirely circular and casting a shadow. Her mind continues to wander to this and that, one topic shifting into another, and back to the mark on the wall, time and time again.
Then, suddenly, she feels distracted...
I love this incredible twenty-one-minute piece of wonder by Virginia Woolf. I love the beautifully simple language she uses to describe the rapidly changing pictures the woman sees in her thoughts. There is a feel of tranquility and rest, yet there's an anxiousness that is quickly breaking the calm.
The audiobook narrator, Teresa Gallagher, is perfect as she makes all the right stops, starts, sighs, and voice inflections giving expressive movement to the woman and her inner thoughts. How many times can I listen to this and never tire of it? Countless times.
It starts and ends with "the mark on the wall" and you'll never guess what it turns out to be, not in a million years. I highly recommend! 4.25 stars!...more
"The Wilderwomen" by Ruth Emmie Lang is a blend of Family Fiction and Magical Realism!
"Nora Wilder was supposed to be a bird. At least that's what she"The Wilderwomen" by Ruth Emmie Lang is a blend of Family Fiction and Magical Realism!
"Nora Wilder was supposed to be a bird. At least that's what she thought when she looked at herself in the mirror and saw arms where wings should be."
"Although her wings were imaginary, Nora felt an almost continuous desire to stretch them, to unclench the knot in her back that tied them down and with one powerful flap, lift off into a cloudless sky."
Nora loves her two very special daughters, Zadie, and Finn, even though five years ago she simply flew away and disappeared from their lives.
For the past five years, twenty-three-year-old Zadie, and seventeen-year-old Finn have been forced to live apart because of their ages. Zadie, mostly with boyfriends, and Finn with a loving foster family.
What makes Nora's daughters so special? Zadie can see things before they happen, and Finn can experience other people's memories, she calls 'echoes'.
On the afternoon of Finn's high school graduation party, she experiences a powerful 'echo'. She wakes up to find herself on the floor of an aviary, remembering a woman and a song about a bird she's heard before. Finn realizes it was Nora's memory from a decade ago. She's convinced Nora is reaching out, asking to be found.
Finn talks Zadie into a road trip following Nora's tracks guided by Finn's 'echoes' of Nora's memories with hopes of piecing together a path leading to their mother and discovering why she left five years ago...
I loved this author's debut novel Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance and was more than hopeful for a similar experience with her sophomore novel. It was a quick and easy read, however, I didn't realize it would have a YA feel to it. With that said, this is thoughtful storytelling with topics that will linger with you long after you finish. It's a mother-daughter story that will, without a doubt, appeal to a wide audience.
The Magical Realism surfaces throughout the entire story, not just little dabbles here and there. With this book, you've hit the 'Mother Lode' of magical nuggets. Yay!
What I appreciate most from this story is the depth of symbolism. The roads Zadie and Finn choose in their travels leads them to unexpected people and places. As a reader traveling along with these sisters, I experienced unexpected moments when I discovered various 'pieces of importance' in the story. These were always fun "Aha Moments"!
A beautifully written story that I highly recommend to readers who enjoy stories about family, magic, and the magic of family! 4.25 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ruth Emmie Lang for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review....more
"Aesthetic" by Allie Rowbottom is a powerful debut novel!
Social media does crazy things to people in their drive to gain followers. Nineteen-year-old"Aesthetic" by Allie Rowbottom is a powerful debut novel!
Social media does crazy things to people in their drive to gain followers. Nineteen-year-old Anna's insatiable drive to be an influencer takes her from her mother's home in Houston to the unknown of L.A. and directly into the clutches of sex, drugs, and addiction.
Anna refers to herself as a model, but is it really modeling or something else? Is her boyfriend really her manager or is he something else? There's Botox, breast implants, and multiple cosmetic surgeries. "It'll make you look younger and more salable" they tell her!
She's obsessed with everything about the life she's enters. It's like the air she needs to breathe. As she shares her life on social media her followers continue to increase exponentially. Tick, tick, tick... Then something happens that rattles her world...
This story is told in two timelines in the first-person voice of Anna: - Nineteen-year-old Anna as the social media influencer - Thirty-five-year-old Anna remembering her past
This is a powerful debut novel. It's raw and ugly, honest and frightening, and you have a good sense that the author does not want to hold anything back. Her writing is beautifully descriptive and the topics are dark and edgy.
The audiobook narrated by Chelsea Stephens is an enlightening listening experience where you hear what feels like an authentic voice of Anna telling her story. The narrator does an amazing job!
A memorable story and listen that, perhaps, everyone should read or listen to as a reflection of the times we live in. I know I will definitely be looking forward to what this talented author comes up with next and I highly recommend this audiobook to one and all! 4.25 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio and Allie Rowbottom for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review....more