So many words. So little time.
Author: tamaramorning
This was another great writing week! I wrote two book reviews, The Lost Dresses of Italy, by M. A. Mclaughlin and A Step Past Darkness, by Vera Kurian. Spoiler alert: I DNFed A Step Past Darkness because I found it and the characters boring, but I really enjoyed The Lost Dresses of Italy. It was a great historical fiction read!
I also got in five fiction-writing sessions! This will prove more difficult next week, as I’ll be traveling a bit for work, but we’ll see how it goes.
Happy writing!
Title: A Step Past Darkness
Author: Vera Kurian
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: DNF
There’s something sinister under the surface of the idyllic, suburban town of Wesley Falls, and it’s not just the abandoned coal mine that lies beneath it. The summer of 1995 kicks off with a party in the mine where six high school students witness a horrifying crime that changes the course of their lives.
The six couldn’t be more different.
• Maddy, a devout member of the local megachurch
• Kelly, the bookworm next door
• James, a cynical burnout
• Casey, a loveable football player
• Padma, the shy straight-A student
• Jia, who’s starting to see visions she can’t explain
When they realize that they can’t trust anyone but each other, they begin to investigate what happened on their own. As tensions escalate in town to a breaking point, the six make a vow of silence, bury all their evidence, and promise to never contact each other again. Their plan works – almost.
Twenty years later, Jia calls them all back to Wesley Falls—Maddy has been murdered, and they are the only ones who can uncover why. But to end things, they have to return to the mine one last time.
I did not realize this was meant to be like IT until after I DNFed it…I love IT, although it absolutely terrified me (I’m scared of spiders. And clowns. Enough said.). I read about 20% of this, and all I got was…bored. I didn’t care about any of the characters or what happened to them. They were walking into the party in the mine where everything supposedly gets creepy when I stopped reading (and I knew that was about to happen), and I still couldn’t work up enough interest to keep reading.
Vera Kurian lives in Washington D.C. A Step Past Darkness is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: The Lost Dresses of Italy
Author: M. A. Mclaughlin
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Verona, 1947. Textile historian Marianne Baxter comes to post-war Italy with one thing on her mind: three pristine Victorian dresses, once owned by the famous poet Christina Rossetti. Hidden away in a trunk for nearly a century, they were recently discovered at the Fondazione Museo Menigatti and Marianne’s expertise is needed before they go on exhibit. Still grieving the loss of her husband, the trip is also a reason for Marianne to start over. But when she arrives, she discovers an unsupportive but handsome museum owner, a superstitious local community, and a mysterious letter with a scribbled warning hidden among the dresses.
Verona, 1864. Christina Rossetti returns to her family’s homeland in hopes of leaving her unfulfilled personal life and poetry career in England and beginning a new chapter. After a chance encounter with an old family friend, she finds a gift her father once gave a small ornate box with the three Muses carved into the lid. When she stumbles across a secret compartment, Christina finds a letter from her father with an urgent and personal request.
The letter, speaking of a pendant and stolen book that must be returned, connects Marianne and Christina—and leaves them both with more questions than answers. Inspired by the real-life mysteries surrounding poet Christina Rossetti, A Forsaken Vow transports readers to Verona with the enchantment and intrigue of Italian art and fashion.
I was way too engrossed in both timelines of this book! I’d read Goblin Market by Christina Rossett years ago, but knew absolutely nothing about her, so this was a fascinating story to me. So evocative, and so absolutely tragic.
Marianne’s story also enthralled me from the beginning, as she arrived in Italy and then saw the dresses. I loved all the historical details and had trouble putting this book down!
M. A. Mclaughlin is from St. Louis. The Lost Dresses of Italy is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.)
This was an excellent writing week! I wrote four book reviews: The Framed Women of Ardemore House, by Brandy Schillace, When Grumpy Met Sunshine, by Charlotte Stein, One Night In A Thousand Years, by Craig Cunningham, and Why We Read, by Shannon Reed.
I really enjoyed Why We Read and found the author’s voice very appealing—and of course the subject matter was great. One Night in a Thousand Years was a short audio book and a fascinating coming-of-age tale. I thought Grumpy was funny—but it didn’t quite click for me. And Framed Women was a very solid read.
I also got in five fiction-writing sessions, and have come to the realization that this has to be dystopian of sorts, not fantasy, but I’m going to keep writing and not worry about revising the first bit right now.
Happy writing!
Title: Why We Read
Author: Shannon Reed
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
We read to escape, to learn, to find love, to feel seen. We read to encounter new worlds, to discover new recipes, to find connection across difference, or simply to pass a rainy afternoon. No matter the reason, books have the power to keep us safe, to challenge us, and perhaps most importantly, to make us more fully human.
Shannon Reed, a longtime teacher, lifelong reader, and New Yorker contributor, gets it. With one simple goal in mind, she makes the case that we should read for pleasure above all else. In this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud-funny collection, Reed shares surprising stories from her life as a reader and the poignant ways in which books have impacted her students. From the varied novels she cherishes ( Gone Girl , Their Eyes Were Watching God ) to the ones she didn’t ( Tess of the d’Urbervilles ), Reed takes us on a rollicking tour through the comforting world of literature, celebrating the books we love, the readers who love them, and the surprising ways in which literature can transform us for the better.
I enjoyed this book! Nonfiction can be hit or miss for me, but this was definitely a hit. I loved the class anecdotes from the author’s teaching career, and all of the tidbits about her own reading life. She even made The Great Gatsby sound fascinating—and I don’t care for that read at all. This book encourages readers to try something new—and to think about old favorites in a new way.
Shannon Reed grew up in Pennsylvania. Why We Read is her newest book.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: One Night In A Thousand Years (audio)
Author: Craig Cunningham
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Senior year was supposed to be the time of Colt’s life, but when he meets Lucas Oliver, a college-aged vagabond with a mysterious past, Colt’s life takes an unexpected turn.
Lucas mentors Colt and a group of eleven other senior guys, guiding them through a series of rites of passage over the course of the year. They are challenged by the power of sacred questions, courageous acts, and vulnerable authenticity, but the question remains: can Lucas be trusted with his unorthodox ideas about God, life, and death? Along the way, Colt’s feelings for Noa—a “band dork” he has known for years, deepen as he falls for her bright green eyes and charming honesty.
As Colt and the group of young men explore the wonders, romance, and adventures of their senior year, they are confronted with an event that challenges everything they hold true.
I really enjoyed this audio book! It felt like Dead Poets Society, with its whole coming-of-age vibe, although a teeny bit less sad. I loved how Colt came to realize there was more to life he’d ever imagined—and more that he wanted out of it. The friendships in this book are fantastic and realistic, with the good, the bad, and the ugly. I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much, but I was truly engrossed and listened to it straight through in one day.
Craig Cunningham lives in Waco, Texas. One Night in a Thousand Years is his newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of BooksGoSocial Audio in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: When Grumpy Met Sunshine
Author: Charlotte Stein
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.
And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.
But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend―until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending?
This made me laugh several times, but there seemed to be an unnecessary amount of profanity in this. And some of Alfie’s impulses/reactions were…completely nonsensical and random. I enjoyed the humor and the snark, and the slow way Alfie warmed up to Mabel, but I did not get the why behind the year-long gap at the end of the novel. Still, this was a fun read.
Charlotte Stein lives in West Yorkshire. When Grumpy Met Sunshine is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: The Framed Women of Ardemore House
Author: Brandy Schillace
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism.
After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history.
With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper’s wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…
I liked Jo from the beginning. The author handled Jo’s differences very well and made them believable and relatable. I loved how she randomly decided to run away to Scotland for the day on an impulse—that made me a teensy bit jealous. I loved the secondary characters in this, especially the innkeeper’s wife. I ended up binge-reading this in a singe session.
Brandy Schillace is an author and historian. The Framed Women of Ardemore House is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.)
This has been a great writing week! I wrote two book reviews: The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West, by Sara Ackerman and The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck, by Kylie Scott. Olivia was a great read. Both timelines engrossed me (and made me want to visit Hawaii). I’ve enjoyed all of Sarah Ackerman’s books I’ve read, and this was no exception. Lilah Goodluck had me laughing out loud several times, and I almost hurt myself snorting. Seriously, if you need a fun weekend read, pick this up.
I also got in five fiction-writing sessions this week. This was a bit of a struggle, because things are in such a state of flux at work, and I had two squeeze in two writing sessions on Thursday to make it work, but I did! The WIP is slowly starting to sort itself out—and I think it’s morphing from a fantasy to a bit of a dystopian. Who knew?
Happy writing!
Title: The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck
Author: Kylie Scott
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
“Be quiet and listen: He is cheating on you. The name of your soulmate is Alistair George Arthur Lennox. You will be passed over for the promotion. The winning numbers are 5-8-12-24-39-43. And I’m very sorry to tell you this, but you will die next Sunday.”
When Lilah Goodluck saves the life of Good Witch Willow as they’re crossing a busy L.A. street, the last thing she expects is five unwanted predictions as a reward. Who gives someone the winning lotto numbers then tells them they’ve only got a week to live? And who believes in that nonsense anyway?
But when the first three predictions come true within twenty-four hours, Lilah’s disbelief turns to mild panic. She’s further horrified when she nearly runs a car off the road that belongs to Alistair Lennox, who just happens to be the illegitimate son of the British king.
While Alistair is intrigued by her preposterous story, Lilah is adamant about resisting the heat between her and the playboy prince. If she denies he’s her soulmate, then the last prediction can’t come true, right? As the days count down, they become maybe friends…and then maybe more. But between the relentless paparazzi and some disapproving royals, finding time for love isn’t easy, especially when her days may be numbered.
The snark is real in this read! I have no idea how many times I snorted with laughter while reading this. Lilah and Alistair are both such memorable characters, and I enjoyed both of them very much. This really is like a modern-day fairy tale—but with attitude. If you’re looking for a fun weekend read, you’ve found it.
Kylie Scott is a bestselling author. The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Graydon House in exchange for an honest review.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 