This is a lovely story and so full of heart! It’s about families and relationships and how we live our lives and the choices we make. It’s about love This is a lovely story and so full of heart! It’s about families and relationships and how we live our lives and the choices we make. It’s about love with its many facets and relationships and finding out who we are and what life is all about.Just so much. It’s a tad different than what her last few books have been like, but not in an integral way, just the storyline or set up I guess. All her amazing characterizations, the unspooling of romance and emotions, the vibrant dialogue, and the way she creates the setting so clearly you feel like it’s a memory rather than a place in a book, is all still front and center. I loved it, and the secondary story within a story was so engaging. Definitely a 5 ⭐️ read for me....more
I liked the story and characters, but didn't really feel connected to it. The historical parts were fascinating, as were the details of Japanese cultuI liked the story and characters, but didn't really feel connected to it. The historical parts were fascinating, as were the details of Japanese culture and life during WW2. I really appreciated that perspective and found it to be well done though it left me wanting more. The present day story was good, just didn't have the same emotional depth. I did like the overall story and thought it had a mostly satisfying conclusion. ...more
This was intriguing, and kept me turning the pages. I really liked the characters, and the building of the story. The emotional pull, the secret slowlThis was intriguing, and kept me turning the pages. I really liked the characters, and the building of the story. The emotional pull, the secret slowly being revealed, the reality of how messy real love is, and how easily life can get very complicated…. It was all rolled up in this story and made for super great reading! ...more
This was atmospheric, entertaining, and lovely. A novel that entwined characters, thrown together by the revelation of unexpected secrets, and a searcThis was atmospheric, entertaining, and lovely. A novel that entwined characters, thrown together by the revelation of unexpected secrets, and a search to unearth the truths of the past. I loved the way the broken, but fabulous house played its own role; the parallel storyline set in an era where the glamour of movies and movie stars was real; and just the entire reading experience. Also, something must be said about the names. Apatha, Hank ( a female character), Lemon Neely, Adelbert, Tate (another female character), Lindy........these are some of the entirely delightful names of characters in this novel. Maybe I'm the only one, but I adored the unique use of names and felt it added its own special flavor to the overall enjoyment of this story. Totally recommend this if you enjoy a couple of shots of mystery and romance mixed with equal parts historical and contemporary fiction, and garnished with a slice of movie star glamour.
Thanks to FirstReads for a chance to read the book in exchange for an honest review....more
I have had this book on my TBR shelf, and radar, for a while, but it's turn didn't come up til I took it on vacation this week. I am super surprised tI have had this book on my TBR shelf, and radar, for a while, but it's turn didn't come up til I took it on vacation this week. I am super surprised that it wasn't a runaway hit! I absolutely loved the writing, the atmosphere, the setting, but oh my goodness, the characters! Wow, and wow again! This story made me feel, all kinds of feels, and I couldn't stop reading, till I turned the last page and I was heartbroken to have to leave it and return to the real world. All the best words and summarization I could write would not do this justice, or be able to explain just how lovely and wonderful this book is. It's so many things, but super condensed down to a few basics, it's a story about family, and love and loss and emotions and connections and just so much life. I wish I could get this book into the hands of the movers and shakers out there who put books on everyone's radars and then they are catapulted to bestseller lists and named winners and touted as best of the best, because I think this writer and this book deserves it so much more than many of the ones I've seen raved over, and topping the lists recently! Alas, it's just my small voice, humble opinion, and unabashed head over heels love for this story I have to appeal to you to read this one. I don't often reread books, as there are so many more coming down the pipes I want to have time to read also, but this is going on my very small, teeny tiny, will-definitely-read-again-and-again shelf!...more
Thanks so much to the First to Read program, who provided me with the opportunity to read an electronic ARC of this for my review.
The Sound of Glass Thanks so much to the First to Read program, who provided me with the opportunity to read an electronic ARC of this for my review.
The Sound of Glass is the best work of this author, so far, in my humble opinion. I have liked her books in the past and really enjoyed the last book of hers that I read, but this one was certainly a notch above that. The characters were just so endearing, so likable. I am very partial to past/present parallel stories and this one was done so well. Both eras and their intertwining stories were engrossing and capable of pulling out such emotion as I read. The setting was so viscerally written that I could feel the stifling heat, hear the sea glass wind chimes in the breeze and see the sassy red dress that Loralee finally coaxes Merritt into. The well executed plot gave us mystery, romance, drama, and so very much more. I became immersed in the story, loved the characters it was peopled with and totally enjoyed the entire experience of reading this book. It is an emotionally rich and warm portrayal of love, family, good people who do bad things for the right reasons and the connections we forge when life doesn't turn out exactly how we had planned or hoped.
This is highly recommended. It's destined to be one of the favorite "beach read' books this summer, but pack some tissues in your beach bag; the emotional wallop from some of the characters will touch even the jaded.