Category: books

Book Review: Things that Happened Before the Earthquake, by Chiara Barzini

Eugenia, a typical Italian teenager, is dragged by her family to a new life in Los Angeles just weeks after the 1992 riots. Her hippie filmmaker parents are in heaven as they try to break into Hollywood. Eugenia and her brother are not quite so impressed.

She flounders in the world of her public high school, where the Bloods and Crips, Persian gang members, and fast food culture reign supreme. As she tries to figure out who she is, Eugenia meets Henry, who runs his mother’s movie memorabilia store, and Deva, who introduces her to the countercultural environment of Topanga Canyon. Just when Eugenia starts to imagine a future for herself, the 1994 earthquake shakes her world down to the foundations.

Things that Happened Before the Earthquake is a beautifully written book, with lush, evocative images and rich cultural details. That did not make me love it. I never connected with Eugenia, and frequently found myself wondering why she felt compelled to do the things she did. And her family—and their motivations—completely baffled me. This is not a bad book, just a bad book for me. The writing is fantastic, but I never connected to the characters, so the writing lost its impact for me.

Chiara Barzini is a writer from Rome who was raised in Los Angeles and lived in New York before returning to Rome. Things that Happened Before the Earthquake is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Doubleday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Any Dream Will Do, by Debbie Macomber

Shay Benson loved her younger brother, Caden, so much she would do anything for him. That “anything” landed her in prison, where Caden left her to her fate. Now, after having served her time, Shay is determined to start her life over and forge a future she can be proud of, leaving Caden—and the rest of her bad memories—behind. Homeless and with nowhere to go, Shay enters a church looking for a warm place to spend the night, and maybe some answers.

Pastor Drew is struggling to raise his children in the wake of his wife’s death three years ago. All he can feel is the pain of her loss, and everything else, including the kids and his church, takes a backseat. Desperate for a change, Drew goes to his church looking for answers, and meets Shay, another seeker. The two become friends as Drew tries to help Shay get back on her feet. Their friendship blossoms into something more, until Shay’s past and a secret threaten to end her dreams of a future for good.

I don’t typically read a lot in the romance genre, although I used to. It’s just not my favorite anymore. However, I do make an exception for Debbie Macomber, as her characters and stories are usually so engrossing. Any Dream Will Do was no exception, and Shay has a dark past that left her struggling to find herself in her present. These characters face many obstacles as they slowly grow to love each other, and their struggles are believable and realistic. If you’re looking for some light reading with a great message, Any Dream Will Do is a great choice.

Debbie Macomber is the best-selling author of many books, including non-fiction and romance. She loves to tell stories. Any Dream Will Do is her latest novel.

(Galley provided by Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The List, by Patricia Forde

Ark is the last safe place on Earth, and every resource is utilized fully. After the polar ice melted and the seas rose, the world changed, and Noa was smart enough to create Ark and hold it in his iron fist. He doesn’t allow art. Or music. And there’s a list of 500 words that are the only ones allowed to be used.

Letta is an apprentice Wordsmith, and can read all words, not just those on the list. When her master vanishes and Letta is made the new wordsmith, she’s told to cut even more words from the list. Then Letta meets a boy who knows all the old words, and he warns her that Noa intends to take language from people forever. Letta must decide between fighting for words and art and music, or facing banishment in the wilds.

As an avid reader and writer—and as a former environmental biology major—the premise of The List horrified me. The environmental disasters that led to the changed world are not far-fetched to me, but the idea of forbidding almost every word is horrifying beyond belief. While I’ve seen a lot of comments that this book is middle-grade, I don’t really agree with that. It’s not written on a middle-grade reading level, and it deals with much deeper issues than most middle-grade books I’ve seen. I would classify it as solidly YA, and while the premise isn’t totally unique, the worldbuilding and characters are solid enough to make it worth reading…even if the idea of someone who controls spoken words is terrifying.

Patricia Forde lives in western Ireland and has written children’s books, plays, and television drama series. The List is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Books I Read in July

I had an excellent reading month in July and read 16 books.

the mourning parade

The Mourning Parade, by Dawn Reno Langely. (Read to review.) Wow. Just wow. I loved this book! It’s a bit sad, about a veterinarian who goes to Thailand for a year to work with rescued elephants. She’s dealing with PTSD from the loss of her sons, and needs the escape.

Ship Breaker, by Paola Bacigalupi. (Just because.) Very different distopian set in a future American where the seas have risen, and some have to scavenge items from the past to survive. Nailer rescues a rich girl after one of the city killer hurricanes, and finds that his life will never be the same.

trust

Trust, by Kylie Scott. (Read to review.) I LOVED THIS! From the opening scene all the way to the very end, I couldn’t put it down. Can I tell you how much I loved Edie? Her sass and way of looking at life was fantastic. Bonus points for not being the typical gorgeous and skinny main character. Her interactions with John were so real, and I felt like I was her, experiencing every second. (Speaking of John Cole…I may have made a new collection in my reading bullet journal after reading this book, called Book Boyfriends, just to put him on it…allegedly. He was THAT appealing.)

awkward

The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky, by Summer Heacock. (Read to review.) Another book I loved! (I’ve had fantastic luck with books lately.) This book made me laugh, cringe with embarrassment, and crave a cupcake (several times simultaneously). The scene when the ladies come running out of the kitchen with…toys…clutched in their hands was the greatest!

Gather the Daughters, by Jennie Melamed. (Read to review.) I only read half of this, then I had to stop. The writing is great. The setting–dark dystopian–is believable and realistic. But some of the cultural details…were too disturbing for me to continue reading.

all things new

All Things New, by Lauren Miller. (Read to review.) The MC lives with panic attacks in this novel that deals with serious issues in a relatable way, and Marshall, the love interest, is so quirky and fun that I wanted to hang out with him!

kissing max holden

Kissing Max Holden, by Katy Upperman. (Read to review.) Boy and girl grow up next door to each other. Boy turns rebellious and troublesome, girl’s father catches them making out and forbids her from seeing him ever again….That’s the basic premise, but there’s so much more to this story. From Max’s struggles in the aftermath of his father’s stroke, to Jillian’s about-to-arrive sibling and her parents fighting all the time, this story is full of real-life struggles, along with the tension between Max and Jillian.

Ash and Quill, by Rachel Caine. (Because I love this author. And this series.) The ending of this book emotionally broke me. Jess and his band of friends are so amazing together, in a world where books are both treasured and burned outside the all-powerful Great Library.

emma

Emma in the Night, by Wendy Walker. (Read to review.) This is a disturbing book. Actually, the family it’s about is troubling. When Cass and Emma disappeared 3 years ago, they left no trace. Now Cass is back, desperate for help to find Emma. Not what I was expecting.

the innkeeper's sister

The Innkeeper’s Sister, by Linda Goodnight. (Read to review.) A sweet Southern romance about characters dealing with the sins in their past while trying to solve a Civil War-era mystery.

holding

Holding, by Graham Norton. (Read to review.) A cozy mystery set in rural Ireland. At first, the characters do not seem all that interesting, but they definitely grow on you.

Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. (Cultural book of the month.) I’ve been meaning to read this for a while. Now I kind of wish I hadn’t, since I found it pretty sad.

The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James. (Classic book of the month.) I’m not really a fan of this. I never really figured out what was going on–probably because I wasn’t intrigued enough to care.

One in a Million, Priscilla Shirer. (Spiritual book of the month.) Great read, and Shirer is a fantastic speaker, because I’ve heard her speak at my church.

The List, by Particia Forde. (Review forthcoming). It’s hard to imagine a world where there’s only 500 “approved” words that people can use, but Forde does a fantastic job with this dystopian story about a girl who finds out the truth of her world—and the man who wants to take language away from the human race forever.

Lifeblood, by Gena Showalter. (Just because.) This gets all the stars! I’m a huge fan of Showalter’s work, but this trilogy has such a unique set-up and premise. Loved this!

***

Linking up with Quick Lit at Modern Mrs. Darcy.

Book Review: Holding, by Graham Norton

In the small Irish village of Duneen, nothing ever happens. At least, nothing new ever happens. So, when human remains are discovered during a building project, the entire town is in an uproar, wondering who the bones belong to—and who put them there.

The smart money is on the remains being Tommy Burke, who disappeared years ago, leaving two women to suffer his loss. Sergeant PJ Collins, overwhelmingly shy and conscious of his weight, just wants to solve the first real case of his life, but finds himself drawn into the secrets of Duneen’s past as he attempts to unravel the mystery of what happened all those years ago, and what’s going on now.

I’ve never seen The Graham Norton Show—a horrible lack, I’m sure, but I don’t watch much TV—so the author wasn’t a draw for me with this one. The rural Ireland setting, however, was a draw, and the novel did not disappoint. The characters in Holding aren’t that interesting on the surface—an overweight small-town Garda, a middle-aged woman who lives with her sisters and stays at home, the wife and mother who likes to drink—but they end up being compelling and real. PJ has struggled his whole life with his weight and his lack of accomplishments, and his struggles are so relatable they make the reader sympathize with him. The small-town setting of Duneen mixed with the cozy mystery aspect make Holding an engrossing and very readable story.

Graham Norton is the start of the award-winning The Graham Norton Show. Holding is his first novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Innkeeper’s Sister, by Linda Goodnight

Grayson Blake and his brother have come home to Honey Ridge, Tennessee to turn an old gristmill into one of their up-and-coming restaurants. Grayson has a strict schedule he plans to stick to, no matter what. Time is money, after all. But when an old skeleton is found in the basement of the mill, his schedule comes to a screeching halt.

Valerie Carter is a former ballet dancer and now co-owner of a charming inn in Honey Ridge. The secrets from her past haunt her, as does the love of the dance she still yearns for. Regret and memories threaten to overwhelm her, when she meets Grayson and finds herself swept into a Civil War-era mystery that ties the skeleton in the mill with her beloved Peach Orchard Inn.

I didn’t realize The Innkeeper’s Sister was part of a series when I started reading. Fortunately, it’s also a standalone, so readers who haven’t read the other books will be fine. I’m from the South, and this novel is Southern through-and-through, from the sweet iced tea to the everything-is-perfect façade put on by Valerie’s mother. Both Grayson and Valerie have faced tragedy in their lives, tragedy they are still struggling to overcome. There are two storylines here: the modern-day one of Valerie and Grayson, and the Civil War one that tells the story of the skeleton in the mill. Both lend depth to each other, and strengthen the family bonds of the Carters. An uplifting story about characters that are flawed and struggling to find their strengths while overcoming their weaknesses.

Linda Goodnight is a best-selling and award-winning fiction writer. Her newest novel is The Innkeeper’s Sister, part of the Honey Ridge series.

(Galley provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Emma in the Night, by Wendy Walker

Three years ago, sisters Emma and Cass disappeared one night, leaving no trace of where they’d gone—or why they left. Then Cass shows up at the family home, alone. She tells a story of kidnapping and being held on a mysterious island against her will, and is desperate for the police to find Emma.

But forensic psychologist Abby Winter sees holes in Cass’s story, and it will take delving into her own past to uncover the truth hidden behind a narcissistic mother who twisted the lives of her daughters until they no longer knew the truth. Only Abby can find Emma, because even Cass doesn’t know the true story.

Emma in the Night is not a happy family tale. Not in the least. Cass and Emma’s family is troubled, controlled by their narcissistic mother, an expert at twisting things to get what she wants. There are so many twists in this story! While I knew Cass wasn’t telling the whole truth—there are little signs of that—I had no idea what the truth actually was. The author does a great job of drawing the reader in and bringing them along for a ride filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Wendy Walker is a former lawyer who now writes psychological thrillers. Emma in the Night is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Kissing Max Holden, by Katy Upperman

Jillian Eldridge has lived next door to Max Holden for years. They grew up together, going through life as friends who just happened to live close. But lately, they haven’t been so close. Not since Max’s dad had a stroke, and Max took a dark detour as he struggled to deal with the way his life has changed. When Max climbs through her window one night, lost and looking for a friend, Jill just can’t turn her back on him, and her dad catches them kissing.

Jillian knew it was a terrible idea even before her dad caught them. Max has issues. And a girlfriend. But the lost look in her friend’s eyes made her forget all of that. Her parents are fighting all the time and she has a new sibling on the way, so Jillian needs someone she can turn to. She’s not sure Max is the right person for that, but she’s not sure she can resist finding out.

A lot of people think YA books just deal with romance and popularity contests, but that just isn’t the case. Kissing Max Holden does have romance, of course, but it deals with deep issues: family tragedy, troubled marriages, hard decisions. Jillian is a great character, driven and determined, who faces obstacles to her dreams that she never imagined. Max is struggling with almost losing his father and the immense changes in his family, and he copes by turning to things he knows he shouldn’t. Max and Jillian help each other with the battles they face, as their friendship turns to something more. Sweet with the spice of adversity, Kissing Max Holden is a great read that will keep you turning the pages long after you should be sleeping (ask me how I know).

Katy Upperman is a writer who loves country music and Instagram. Her debut novel is Kissing Max Holden.

(Galley provided by Swoon Reads via NetGalley.)

Book Review: All Things New, by Lauren Miller

Jessa Gray is seventeen, with a boyfriend she loves, a few friends, and a place she belongs. At least, a place she looks like she belongs: living with her mom and hanging out with her boyfriend’s crowd. But inside, Jessa is a mess, suffering horrible panic attacks that medication and therapy haven’t helped, and always feeling like an outsider. When a terrible accident leaves Jessa with a brain injury, she sees bruises and scars on everyone around her, and thinks she must be going crazy for real. The chance to move to Colorado with her dad and start over is Jessa’s lifeline.

Instead of being the haven she was looking for, the move makes Jessa’s anxiety worse, until she meets Marshall, the quirky boy with a heart defect who makes her see life a whole new way. Though Jessa starts to feel like she belongs in this new life, she still sees wounds on everyone around her, and wonders if she’ll ever be “normal” again.

I’ve never suffered from anxiety quite like Jessa did, although I do have the occasional panic attack that sends my brain into a frenzy and throws the world into chaos. All Things New captures the pandemonium of anxiety and panic attacks, and shows readers just what if feels like to live with these issues. More importantly, it shows what it’s like to survive with them, and to grow. Jessa is entirely relatable, she doesn’t think she’s normal, but she is: everyone is dealing with something, which she eventually learns. Marshall is funny and sweet, and he helps Jessa look at the world without the veil of her anxiety. Both humorous and heart-wrenching, All Things New is an enthralling read, bursting with vivid life.

Lauren Miller grew up in Georgia, studied at Yale, and now lives in California, where she writes and works. The author of Parallel and Free to Fall, her newest novel is All Things New.

(Galley provided by Three Saints Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky, by Summer Heacock

Running a successful bakery takes time. Lots of time. So much time that Kat is astonished to realize it’s been almost two years since she’s had sex with her boyfriend. It isn’t that she doesn’t want to, but last time they tried, it proved physically painful and impossible. And Kat’s been so busy, she forgot to follow up with her physical therapy. Oops.

With their anniversary looming, Kat gives Ryan a break from the relationship, while she works on her physical therapy, with a little—okay, a lot—of advice from her best friends/business partners. Their best customer is Ben, who just happens to be a physical therapist, so Kat enlists his help in her crusade. But Ben isn’t interested in just being a means to an end, and Kat has to figure out what is really important to her (besides cupcakes).

The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky is a hilarious romp of a novel, filled with awkward—of course—moments, lots of friendly banter, and cupcakes. So. Many. Cupcakes. I laughed so hard at Kat’s escapades with her friends: she has a knack for open-mouth-insert-foot, usually loudly and when Ben can overhear. If you need a laugh, a dose of friendship, or an appetite stimulant, this is the book for you.

Summer Heacock writes contemporary women’s fiction. Her newest novel is The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky.

(Galley provided by Harlequin/MIRA via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

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