2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge
2026 52 Club Reading Challenge
2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)
2026 Countdown Reading Challenge
Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo
2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge
2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)
2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge
European Reading Challenge 2026
2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)
2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Showing posts with label U.S. Settings: Georgia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. Settings: Georgia. Show all posts
Friday, March 05, 2021
Intriguing Dual-Timeline Novel Brings Little-Known American Maritime Disaster to Life
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Later nicknamed "The Southern Titanic," the luxury steamship Pulaski left Charleston, South Carolina, bound for Baltimore on June 14, 1838. Her passengers were wealthy, well-heeled, and wholly unaware of the tragedy they were about to be a part of. When a boiler explosion on board destroyed the ship that night, the vessel sunk in just 45 minutes, leaving about 128 people dead. The others were stranded on the water, forced to endure hunger, thirst, exposure, terror, and illness before being rescued. Only 59 people survived. In January 2018, 180 years after Pulaski sank, divers found the wreckage of the doomed ship.
Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan (available March 9) brings the event to life in a dual-timeline novel that explores the sinking and its aftermath in an intriguing blend of fact and fiction. The story features Everly Winthrop, a modern-day history professor who is asked to help curate an exhibit of Pulaski artifacts for a Savannah museum. Still reeling from the death of her best friend a year ago, she finds purpose in studying the famous ship and her elite passengers. She's especially intrigued by the story of a large family of passengers—some members died in the tragedy, some survived, and others' fates remain unknown. Everly wants to change that. As she investigates in the present, the reader taken back to 1838 where they're introduced to Lilly Forsyth, an abused aristocratic wife who's forced to make impossible decisions when Pulaski sinks, giving her an unexpected chance at freedom. What does Lilly choose? And how does her life change because of it? What happens to her after the Pulaski sinks?
I had never heard of the Pulaski, so I learned a lot about the ship and its tragic end from Surviving Savannah. The dual-timeline format is one I always enjoy. As per usual, I found myself more invested in the past story than in the present one, although both had enough meat to keep me interested. Even though the historical characters didn't get enough development, I still found them to be a likable, sympathetic lot. Same goes for the present cast, although I didn't love Everly, who's just too victim-y for me. I'm all for a sympathy-inducing lead, but I get impatient with too much wallowing—a character has to be at least a little bit selfless for me to really care about them. Plot-wise, Surviving Savannah moves along at a steady pace, which kept me turning pages. As for its storytelling, Callahan's prose gets heavy-handed at times (Everly's dialogue, for instance, often feels too formal and flowery). Still, I enjoyed this novel for its colorful historical backdrop, its engrossing story, its intriguing characters, and its capable (if at times overblown) writing. If you like dual-timeline novels about little-known historical events, definitely check this one out.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of novels about Titanic and other maritime disasters)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), blood/gore, violence, and mild sexual content (including references to sexual abuse)
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Surviving Savannah from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Monday, December 30, 2019
I'm Not Dying With You Tonight An Exciting Thrill-Ride of a Debut
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When her mother decides to relocate to Venezuela for a job, Campbell Carlson is sent to live with her father in Atlanta. She's trying to fit in in her new environment, but things aren't going well. When she reluctantly volunteers to work the concession stand at a high school football game, Campbell never expects that the night will turn into a frantic race through a rioting city with an unlikely ally by her side. But that's exactly what happens when a fight breaks out at the school and quickly turns into an uncontrollable free-for-all, with fists and racial slurs flying to-and-fro like deadly arrows.
Lena James doesn't know the white girl cowering in the concession stand, but she can tell her pale-faced classmate needs someone with some backbone to help her out of the nightmare happening all around them. Good thing Lena's got backbone to spare. Taking Campbell under her wing, she leads her off school property into the dangerous nearby hood, where the two of them race toward what they think is safety—only to find that nowhere is safe, not with riots breaking out all over the city. Can the two learn to trust each other enough to find their way home? Or will they become victims of the violence that's raging like wildfire through Atlanta?
I'm Not Dying With You Tonight is a debut novel for both Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones. The book tells a wild, adrenaline-fueled story that had me burning through pages so fast it's a wonder I didn't sprain my wrist! The tale is so intense that I actually had nightmares after reading it. With a white girl in the minority, it offers a unique view of race issues, which is furthered by the dual narrative that shows two different perspectives, highlighting the assumptions and prejudiced thoughts each had about the other. With minimal personal details about either of the girls, I'm Not Dying With You Tonight is hyper-focused on the action, which brings up issues of racism, unfair police targeting, stereotypes, etc., but still keeps the plot moving at a dizzying pace. It's an exciting but thought-provoking novel that will appeal to both thriller and action/adventure fans. Personally, I loved it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of SLAY by Brittney Morris)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, innuendo, scenes of peril, and depictions of underage drinking and illegal drug use
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of I'm Not Dying With You Tonight from the generous folks at Sourcebooks for the purpose of Cybils Award judging. Thank you!
Friday, December 20, 2019
Hard-Hitting Family Drama Highlights Dangers of Opioid Abuse
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Still grieving the loss of her stillborn daughter, 46-year-old Sylvie Snow keeps her sadness at bay by staying busy. Very busy. She scurries around making meals, cleaning messes, chauffeuring her son to and fro, working full-time, and lately, playing nursemaid to her needy husband as he recovers from a broken ankle he sustained while on a rigorous bike ride he never should have attempted. Add to her already overloaded schedule the planning of her son's upcoming bar mitzvah—the one he cares zilch about—and she's about ready to explode. When the three-year anniversary of her daughter's death dawns, Sylvie realizes she just can't handle another day of her frenzied life. Not without some help.
Paul Snow refuses to take the Hydrocodone his doctor prescribed for his ankle. Sylvie's in pain, too, so she decides to pop one of his pills, just to see. The results are almost instant. Her sadness blurs a little; she feels kinder, more patient, calmer. Amazing! Before she realizes it, Sylvie has become a bona fide junkie, willing to do anything—risk everything—for another hit. The more desperate she gets, however, the more her life really starts to fall apart. Soon, the truth will out and Sylvie must face some startling truths about herself before she loses everything that means anything to her.
With opioid abuse constantly in the news, Invisible As Air by Zoe Fishman, is a timely, affecting novel about the holes in our hearts and the alarming ways in which we sometimes try to fill them. Sylvie is a relatable Everywoman whose utter normality makes a hard-hitting statement about just what a junkie looks like these days. With his own "harmless" coping mechanism wreaking havoc on the family, Paul's is an additional cautionary tale about the destructive nature of burying feelings, hiding pain, and seeking help in all the wrong ways and places. Stuck in the middle, Teddy represents all the innocents damaged by people trying to get by instead of getting real. As you can tell, Invisible As Air is not a happy read. It's heartbreaking, eye-opening, and depressing. Compelling and ultimately hopeful, yes, but also not the most uplifting or mood-boosting read in the world.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Heroine by Mindy McGinnis)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, sexual content, and depictions of prescription drug abuse
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Invisible As Air from the generous folks at HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The Downstairs Girl: There's A Reason It's One of My Favorite Books of the Year
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Few people stand out in 1890 Atlanta as much as 17-year-old Jo Kuan. Although she was born in the U.S., her distinctive features proclaim her Chinese heritage for all to see, marking her as a foreigner despite her American speech and mannerisms. The fact that she's a bit of an opinionated "saucebox" doesn't help her blend in. Besides Old Gin, the elderly Chinese man who has raised her, Jo has no family to shelter her. In fact, she and her adoptive father are squatters, living in hidden abolitionist tunnels beneath a printing shop.
When Jo overhears her unknowing landlords discussing their failing newspaper's need for an "agony aunt" to up the rag's sales, she gets a brilliant idea. Using a secret identity, she soon becomes an advice columnist by night. Her day job as a lady's maid to a wealthy, obnoxious debutante gives her an insider's views into the glitzy lives of Atlanta's elite. Using this insight as well as that she's gained from her own daily struggles, Jo uses the column to school the city about gender equality, racism, women's suffrage, and the cruel hypocrisy lurking under so many Southerners' genteel facades. Soon, the whole city seems to be up in arms. Everyone's dying to know the true identity of the outspoken "Miss Sweetie." While Jo desperately tries to keep her secret under wraps, she finds an intriguing clue to the mystery of her unknown parentage. Juggling her controversial advice column, a dangerous investigation into her own past, and even a surprising romance, Jo has more on her plate than she can handle. Can she find the answers she's seeking? Will Atlanta learn anything from Miss Sweetie's pleas for fairness? Or will the lynch mobs come after her next?
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee is a quick, enjoyable read about one young woman's fight to belong in a world where she doesn't fit in for a multitude of reasons. It touches on a number of issues, maybe too many for one book, but still, it's a thought-provoking historical novel. Which isn't to say it's preachy or heavy-handed. It's not. In fact, it's funny, engrossing, and compelling. Jo is the kind of heroine who's easy to like and root for—she's smart, loyal, hard-working, and brave. She's surrounded by equally interesting characters, who make for a colorful, fun cast. With all these elements combining against a vivid historical backdrop, it shouldn't be difficult to see why I enjoyed The Downstairs Girl so much. It's one of my favorite reads of 2019 and I highly recommend it for both adult and teen historical fiction lovers.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, innuendo, and references to sex and prostitution
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Downstairs Girl from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Monday, April 15, 2019
Atmospheric, Affecting YA Novel Teaches Powerful Lessons About Fitting In and Standing Out
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Atlanta, Georgia, feels as foreign as the moon for Upper East Side native Ruth Robb. At first, the 16-year-old can't help comparing everything about her new home to New York City, where her family was complete and happy. Living in her grandparents' guesthouse in the sweltering South sans her beloved father, whose sudden death has left her numb with grief, will never feel right. Still, Ruth finds that she desperately wants to fit in with the "pastel posse," a group of wealthy debutantes whose lives revolve around weekly etiquette lessons, shopping for the perfect tea dress, and vying for the honor of being crowned Magnolia Queen. Ruth's mother and older sister eschew such frivolous frippery; is it so wrong that Ruth longs for that life with every beat of her shallow little heart?
It's 1958 and one thing stands in the way of Ruth "passing" as a member of this exclusive club—she's Jewish. Keeping her secret under wraps becomes more and more difficult as Ruth's eyes are slowly opened to the ugliness that lurks beneath the pastel posse's genteel veneer, a snake in the magnolia bushes that mirrors the tension simmering all over the South. With increasing demonstrations of discrimination, hate, and violence against Negroes, Jews, and other minorities happening all around her, Ruth finds herself caught between two worlds. When push comes to shove, which one will she choose?
In the Neighborhood of True by Susan Kaplan Carlton is an atmospheric, affecting YA novel that teaches some effective lessons about the dangers of conformity, the necessity of compassion, and the power of crusading for what is right. With plenty of fascinating historical details, the setting comes to vivid life, helping the reader really feel the tension, hypocrisy, and confusion reigning in Ruth's world. The characters are complex, the plot engaging, and the prose skilled. I whipped through this engrossing novel in a matter of hours, eager to know what was going to happen next. Not only is the story absorbing, but it's also relevant and thought-provoking. I enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: No specific titles are coming to mind. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, depictions of underage drinking, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of In the Neighborhood of True from the generous folks at Algonquin Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Quirky and Compelling, Jackson's Novels Are Always Winners in My Book
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Despite my tendency to overwrite and overshare when I craft them, I generally like to write my own plot summaries for the books I review. In some instances, however, the professional version is done so well that I don't even bother. Case in point: Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson. This says everything you need to know about the novel in one succinct, but intriguing paragraph:
Nonny Frett understands the meaning of the phrase "in
between a rock and a hard place" better than any woman
alive. She's got two mothers, "one deaf-blind and the
other four baby steps from flat crazy." She's got two
men: a husband who's easing out the back door; and a
best friend, who's laying siege to her heart in her front
yard. And she has two families: the Fretts, who stole her
and raised her right; and the Crabtrees, who won't forget
how they were done wrong. Now, in Between,
Georgia, a feud that began the night Nonny was born
is escalating and threatening to expose family secrets.
Ironically, it might be just what the town needs...if only
Nonny weren't stuck in between.
I've enjoyed every book I've read by Jackson and Between, Georgia is no exception. It tells a poignant story, but one that's filled with humor, heart, and hope. Like Jackson's other novels, this one is filled with unique, interesting characters doing unique, interesting things in a quirky, atmospheric Southern town. The plot skips along at a steady pace, making Between, Georgia a hard-to-put down saga. In traditional Jackson style, this story hits on themes like identity, tradition vs. new ideas, and the true meaning of home and family. Although this one isn't my favorite of Jackson's (that would be The Almost Sisters), I really enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Joshilyn Jackson, including Someone Else's Love Story; A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty; and The Almost Sisters. Although sassier, Jackson's novels also remind me of those by Karen White and Anne Rivers Siddons)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Between, Georgia with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Tantalizing Psychological Thriller a Satisfying, Fast-And-Furious Kind of Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Thanks to the best-selling horror novel her mother wrote forty years ago, 24-year-old Meg Ashley lives the glittery, aimless life of a wealthy debutante. The abundant royalties pave Meg's way with gold, even if it is blood money, a poor substitute for a childhood filled with loneliness, manipulation, and abandonment. So bitter is Meg that when she's offered a large sum to write a juicy tell-all book about her mother and Kitten, the cult classic that made Frances Ashley a household name, she agrees.
To research Kitten, a murder mystery based on a real killing, Meg travels to remote Bonny Island, Georgia. There, she meets Dorothy Kitchens, the owner of a crumbling hotel, and a woman whose life changed irrevocably when Frances' novel insinuated she was the real-life murderer. Stalked and exploited by Kittie cultists her whole life, Doro has a unique perspective on Frances Ashley. As Meg learns more and more about what really happened on Bonny Island all those years ago, she uncovers disturbing secrets about her mother, the real murder, and the islanders who know more than they're saying. Unable to leave well enough alone, Meg finds herself in a terrifying nightmare that's scarier than anything her mother's ever written.
The Weight of Lies, a tantalizing psychological thriller by Emily Carpenter, is a complex, engrossing tale that kept me deliciously off-kilter. With an atmospheric setting, intriguing characters, and a plot that twists and turns all over the place, it's a fast-and-furious kind of read. Although I saw some of the ending coming, I didn't guess it all, which made the story even more satisfying. I enjoyed this compelling novel; in fact, it's my favorite Emily Carpenter book to date.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Emily Carpenter [Every Single Secret; Burying the Honeysuckle Girls] as well as novels by Ruth Ware, Sharon Bolton, and Carol Goodman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought an e-copy of The Weight of Lies from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Southern Gothic Psychological Thriller Immersive and Engrossing
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
The electricity crackling between them is the first thing Daphne Amos notices when she meets gorgeous real estate developer Heath Beck. She can tell right off the bat that he's experienced the same kind of darkness she has. When they get together, they decide to start anew—they'll leave their pasts in the past, hiding them even from each other, and focus instead on creating a bright new future for themselves. That dream is interrupted when Heath starts experiencing debilitating nightmares. Daphne wants to marry Heath, but this new development is decidedly unsettling, so when he suggests they attend a week-long couples retreat to get some help, she reluctantly agrees.
Daphne's immediately unnerved by both the retreat's remote Blue Ridge Mountain setting, as well as its rules—no leaving the grounds, no cell phone use, no socializing with the other guests, video monitoring during daytime hours, and no roaming about at night. The longer the retreat goes on, the more worried Daphne becomes. Something is not right here and she plans to get to the bottom of it. What she discovers are shocking secrets that someone will kill to keep under wraps ...
Tense, puzzling psychological thrillers are my guilty pleasure and Every Single Secret by Emily Carpenter certainly qualifies. With its shivery Gothic vibe, a cast of complex characters, and a plot that keeps the reader guessing throughout, it's an engrossing, stay-up-until-3-a.m.-to-finish-it kind of book. Like most of these kinds of novels, Every Single Secret is dark, depressing, and twisted. Still, it makes for an immersive, consuming read—I basically read it in one sitting. I had never heard of Emily Carpenter before picking up this book, but I've now read every one of her books and am eagerly anticipating her newest, Until the Day I Die, which comes out in March 2019. That says a lot about how much I enjoy this author's books, disconcerting though they may be.
(Readalikes: other books by Emily Carpenter [Burying the Honeysuckle Girls; The Weight of Lies) and those by Ruth Ware, Sharon Bolton, and Carol Goodman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, depictions of illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought an e-copy of Every Single Secret from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Heartfelt Southern Romance Authentically Messy and Satisfying
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Living with her mother has been a blessing for 21-year-old Shandi Pierce as she tries to finish college and raise her young son on her own. As reluctant as she is to leave the only home she's ever known, Shandi knows it's time. She needs to be closer to the GSU campus in Atlanta and her brilliant boy needs the kind of education that can't be had in the small town where they now live. While she tries to stay out of her parents' bitter post-divorce battles, this time Shandi's father has made her an offer she can't refuse—a condo in the city. It's far enough away to allow her and her 3-year-old some independence, but also close enough for little Nathan to visit both of his maternal grandparents often. As much as she will miss her mother, Shandi knows making this move is the right thing to do.
She doesn't get very far away, however, before disaster strike. A gas station robbery turns ugly, trapping Shandi, Nathan, and several others inside the mini-mart with a very agitated gunman. It's a strange place for romance, but Shandi can't help but fall hard for the handsome stranger who bravely steps between Nathan and a loaded gun. The alarming incident may be over, but Shandi's relationship with William Ashe is just beginning. Although the 33-year-old geneticist is haunted by an aching loss and watched like a hawk by his disapproving bulldog of a best friend, Shandi's determined to make him hers. She's willing to fight for her unexpected hero, even if it means embracing someone else's love story instead of her own.
I've enjoyed several of Joshilyn Jackson's heartfelt Southern novels and this one, Someone Else's Love Story, is no exception. It's not my favorite of those I've read, but I still found the story authentic, touching, and realistically messy. The characters are sympathetic, their challenges compelling. While none of them get neat, perfect endings, the novel still feels satisfying. Yes, I could have done with a less sexed-up, more PG-13 version, but all in all, I liked this one.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other Joshilyn Jackson novels, especially The Almost Sisters)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, February 08, 2018
Promising Mystery Series Opener Convinces Me to Read More
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Earl Marcus left Coulee County, Georgia, twenty years ago with no intention of ever going back. Scarred—both physically and emotionally—from growing up in the snake-handling obsessed Church of the Holy Flame, he's cut ties with the "church," his cult leader father, and his haunted past. Now a private investigator in North Carolina, he's compelled to return only when a photograph of his dead father surfaces with a recent time stamp. The man in the picture is no corpse. It appears as if the powerful, legendary R.J. Marcus is still alive. Either that or, as his followers believe, he's come back from the dead. Earl has experienced the mystical power of his father's presence enough to believe almost anything. Thing is, he can't put his own demons to rest until he knows for sure.
R.J. isn't the only person missing in Coulee County. "Rebellious" teenage girls from the Church of the Holy Flame's congregation are also disappearing, only to return changed. The strange marks on their skin could be signs of almost anything. Hoping to find answers before another girl is traumatized, Earl starts digging. Unearthing old secrets doesn't sit well with some people and Earl finds himself in danger once again.
Heaven's Crooked Finger by Hank Early is a debut novel and the first in a promising series. The novel tells a tense, compelling story that's both atmospheric and suspenseful. Although the tale feels a bit flimsy and far-fetched, it's still engrossing. In the end, I didn't love Heaven's Crooked Finger, but I liked it enough to continue with the series.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, August 01, 2017
Sweet, Small-Town Romance an Entertaining, Inspiring Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Fast forward two years. After a stinging betrayal, Noah and Josephine are divorced and pursuing separate lives in little Copper Creek, Georgia. Noah lives on a remote ranch, preferring solitude to ever seeing his ex-wife again. Josie sees plenty of men at the barbershop she owns, but she vows she'll never make the mistake of giving away her heart again.When the two discover their divorce was never finalized, they're both shocked and angry. Thrown together in an effort to end their marriage once and for all, Noah and Josie find themselves trapped at Noah's ranch in the middle of a freak Spring snowstorm. As circumstances get more and more dire, the couple must learn to trust and rely on each other once again. With the secrets of Josie's past finally coming to light, there's a new honesty between them. Will it be enough to bring the embittered pair back together? Or will it tear them further apart?
Sweetbriar Cottage, a Christian romance by Denise Hunter, is a light, compelling novel about family, forgiveness, and faith. Although the leading characters are not all that unique or memorable, it's easy to care about them. While I didn't find Josie super convincing, I did like that the rekindling of her romance with Noah felt realistic. There was definitely a slow-burning chemistry between them that kept things interesting. I generally find Christian fiction too preachy for me, but Sweetbriar Cottage had just the right amount of religion sprinkled throughout the story. It's nice to read about a normal, everyday Christian character who's faithful without being a raving fanatic. Overall, then, I enjoyed this fast, romantic read turned survival story. It's entertaining and inspiring without being over-the-top.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't really think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for disturbing subject matter (not overly graphic, but enough to merit a caution)
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Sweetbriar Cottage from the generous folks at Thomas Nelson via those at TLC Book Tours. Thank you!
Monday, October 17, 2016
Siddons Saga a Surprising Disappointment
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Stifled by the expectations of her proper Southern mother, there is only one place tomboy Thayer Wentworth really feels free—Camp Sherwood Forest. Nestled in the lush North Carolina mountains, the place offers her a warm respite from her chilly home life, a chance to ride horses, run wild, and fall in love for the first time. It also brings the kind of heartache from which she'll never truly recover.
Now an adult, Thayer is married to Aengus O'Neill, a handsome professor of Irish literature and folklore. Living in the grand river home she inherited from her grandmother, Thayer is content. That is, until Aengus starts to sour on his new job at The University of the South. When he's invited to a nearby summer camp to share folk tales around the campfire, it seems Aengus has found his true calling. But, the more time he spends at Camp Edgewood, the more unsettled Thayer becomes with the situation. Especially when it causes her to remember and confront some very dark secrets about her family, her first love, and her increasingly enigmatic husband.
I always like juicy Southern family sagas and Anne Rivers Siddons usually delivers a good one. Burnt Mountain (2011) starts out like a typical Siddons novel, with its slow-building introduction to its characters and plot. It's only around the middle that it starts to flounder. That's where the story gets ... weird. While I like the idea of an eerie, not-quite-right summer camp, Aengus' strange transformation comes way too out of the blue to be realistic. It just feels ... odd. And the novel grows more and more bizarre from there. I wanted to like this one, but the story's themes and plot lines seem too disparate, creating an unbalanced tale that did not satisfy in the end. Since I've enjoyed many of Siddons' novels, Burnt Mountain is a surprising disappointment. I'd advise readers to skip it and stick the the author's earlier books, which are much better.
(Readalikes: Other books by Anne Rivers Siddons)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I think I picked Burnt Mountain off a clearance shelf at Barnes & Noble or Changing Hands Bookstore. Not really sure.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Southern Novel Enjoyable Despite Cliché, Predictable Plot
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Cassie Madison never planned to stay in her backwards little hometown. At twenty, she shook the Georgia clay off her shoes for good and headed for the bright lights of New York City. Fifteen years later, she's pleased with the life she's managed to create for herself. From her Upper East Side apartment to the successful ad agency she helps run to her polished fiancé—it would be obvious to anyone that Cassie's living the good life. She's attained the existence she always wanted for herself, a glamorous life far, far away from the tiny hick town where she was reared.
A late-night phone call shatters Cassie's carefully-constructed life in the Big Apple. It's from Harriet Warner, her estranged younger sister. Cassie's barely spoken to Harriet since she stole the boy Cassie loved since she was twelve years old—and married him. After almost two decades of silence between the sisters, Harriet's calling with tragic news: their father is dying. Nothing else could force Cassie into returning to Walton. Going "home" to say goodbye is hard enough, but Cassie can't stand the thought of seeing her sister enjoying the perfect family life that should have been her own. Along with the pain, though, Cassie's stunned to realize that there are some things she still loves about little ole Walton, Georgia—things that might just convince her to stay.
Torn between her old life and her new one, her family and her fiancé, her heart and her mind, Cassie must decide who she really is, what she really wants, and how to heal her aching heart, once and for all.
As much as I enjoy Karen White's novels, I have to say that Falling Home is not one of my favorites. Although it's written with White's trademark warmth and sincerity, it becomes awfully cliché awfully quick. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it—I did—I just would have liked some surprises here and there. Overall, I found Falling Home engaging, but not all that original or impressive. I liked it, didn't love it.
(Readalikes: Other books by Karen White, especially A Long Time Gone)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Falling Home from the generous folks at Penguin via Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting. Thank you!
Friday, June 20, 2014
LOST-Ish YA Adventure Novel Enjoyable-Ish
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
The last thing 17-year-old Charley Crowder remembers doing is standing in the Target parking lot in Roswell, Georgia, clutching a bag full of clothes she needed to return. Which makes no sense at all. How did she go from doing the most ordinary task in the world to waking up naked in a bed of rocks on a deserted island? It's not an ordinary island either—some kind of weird juju swirls in its tropical air. But what does it mean? How did she get to this mysterious place? Why is she all alone? And how does she return to her life in Georgia?
Just when Charley's convinced she's going to die alone on the island, she meets Thad Blake, a 17-year-old snowboarder from Whistler, Canada. The leader of a small, ragtag band of teenage refugees, Thad welcomes her into their village and tries to explain the rules of the strange world they call NIL. No one understands all the ins and outs of the place, but there is one indisputable point: each of the island's residents has exactly 365 days to escape the island or else they die. Thad's time is running out, a fact that distresses Charley the more she gets to know—and love—him. If they're going to have any kind of future together, they both need to get back to the real world. The key to freedom is figuring out how NIL works. Charley's got some new theories, but can she figure out NIL's mysteries before it's too late? Or will she lose the man of her dreams just when she's finally found him?
I love the whole LOST meets The Maze Runner premise behind Lynne Matson's debut novel, NIL. It promises mystery, adventure, romance, suspense—all the ingredients for a perfect YA thriller. The real question is, does it deliver on its promise? Not exactly. The story does offer plenty of mystery and high-stakes adventure, but it's also plagued with insta-love, underdeveloped characters and plot holes. Not to mention a cheap, anticlimactic ending. I'm not saying the book's not entertaining—it is—I was just hoping for more complexity, more mystery, and better development of both the setting and the characters. In the end, NIL disappointed me a little. Maybe my expectations were too high, but hey, I get excited when I see a premise with such great potential. And it makes me sad when a book doesn't quite reach it. I'd still recommend NIL if you enjoy a quick, entertaining adventure/survival story, just don't expect too much from it.
(Readalikes: reminded me a little of The Maze Runner by James Dashner)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence/gore, mild sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of NIL from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Readin'
Beach Thriller by Jamie Day
Listenin'
Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson
Followin' with Feedly
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
