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Thursday, November 13, 2014
Atmospheric and Alluring, Bayou Bridge Books Should Not Be Missed
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Some kids might find living in a dusty old antique store fun. Not 12-year-old Larissa Renaud. She thinks it's embarrassing. And creepy. Especially when she receives a mysterious call from a girl who refuses to identify herself on an antique telephone that's not even hooked up to an outside line! Impossible. Unless the anonymous caller is not of this world ...
As crazy as chatting it up with a ghost may sound, that's not even the strangest thing that's happening to Larissa. There's the creepy porcelain doll that moves when no one's watching, the swarm of magical fireflies that surrounds her on the banks of the bayou, and an intriguing plantation home that simply cannot exist. All of them are messages, giving her clues to the secrets of her family's past. Larissa wants to listen, but she's scared. Then, her mother disappears.
Larissa's desperate to keep the tragedies of the past from repeating themselves in the present, but what can she do? Listen to a ghost? Rely on an old swamp witch? Only by uncovering her family's long-buried secrets can she change its curse-ridden course. The task will take every ounce of courage, trust, and determination Larissa possesses—the only question is, can she do what needs to be done?
Ever since I read the first of Kimberley Griffiths Little's middle grade books set in Bayou Bridge, Louisiana, I've been fascinated by the world the author's created in these inter-related stories. With a rich, vibrant setting; memorable characters; and plots that are part mystery, part magic, they're infused with a whimsical warmth that continually enchants me. Like its predecessors, The Time of the Fireflies offers some chills with its charms, but that only makes the story more appealing. Atmospheric and alluring, the Bayou Bridge books offer something for everyone. Trust me when I say they should not be missed.
(Readalikes: Little's other Louisiana books—The Healing Spell; Circle of Secrets; and When the Butterflies Came)
Grade:
As crazy as chatting it up with a ghost may sound, that's not even the strangest thing that's happening to Larissa. There's the creepy porcelain doll that moves when no one's watching, the swarm of magical fireflies that surrounds her on the banks of the bayou, and an intriguing plantation home that simply cannot exist. All of them are messages, giving her clues to the secrets of her family's past. Larissa wants to listen, but she's scared. Then, her mother disappears. Larissa's desperate to keep the tragedies of the past from repeating themselves in the present, but what can she do? Listen to a ghost? Rely on an old swamp witch? Only by uncovering her family's long-buried secrets can she change its curse-ridden course. The task will take every ounce of courage, trust, and determination Larissa possesses—the only question is, can she do what needs to be done?
Ever since I read the first of Kimberley Griffiths Little's middle grade books set in Bayou Bridge, Louisiana, I've been fascinated by the world the author's created in these inter-related stories. With a rich, vibrant setting; memorable characters; and plots that are part mystery, part magic, they're infused with a whimsical warmth that continually enchants me. Like its predecessors, The Time of the Fireflies offers some chills with its charms, but that only makes the story more appealing. Atmospheric and alluring, the Bayou Bridge books offer something for everyone. Trust me when I say they should not be missed.
(Readalikes: Little's other Louisiana books—The Healing Spell; Circle of Secrets; and When the Butterflies Came)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for intense/scary situations
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Time of the Fireflies from the always generous Kimberley Griffiths Little. Thank you!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
New Regency Romance Surprisingly Substance-full (With a Giveaway)
1:00 AM
(Image from Jennifer Moore's blog)
With all the possibilities the opening of her London Season will surely bring, Lady Emma Drake should be looking forward to it with glee. Her mind should be swirling with thoughts of fancy gowns, glittering balls, and catching the eyes of the city's most eligible bachelors. Instead, she's pining away for a man who's as unattainable as the moon—her brother's best friend, Sidney Fletcher. Emma's been infatuated with the charming sea captain since she was 11. The problem? Sidney still sees her as a pesky child, the kid sister he never had. Even if she could convince him that she's all grown up now, it's not as if he would give up his exciting sea-faring life in exchange for a dull gentleman's existence. Emma knows the union she dreams of will never be, knows she should give up childish fantasies and find herself a more practical match, but she simply can't erase Sidney from her mind.
When Emma receives news that Sidney's been captured by French soldiers in war-torn Spain, she's frantic. Knowing she can't sit around doing nothing while the man she loves is in danger, she stows away on her brother's ship, determined to be part of the rescue mission. Surely, such a heroic gesture will show Sidney just how much she loves him. It doesn't take long for Emma to realize what a foolish decision she's made—a war zone is no place for a sheltered, well-bred lady. With death and destruction all around her, Emma has no idea how she is going to survive Spain, let alone help rescue Sidney. As the violence escalates all around her, her courage, her cunning, and her conviction will be put to the test. Will Emma escape unscathed? Will Sidney? Most importantly, will Emma's secret desires ever come to fruition?
Although I don't read a lot of Regency romance, I generally find the genre entertaining with its genteel settings, frivolous plots, and witty banter. It's the kind of light reading I like to sandwich in between "real" books. Lady Emma's Campaign, Jennifer Moore's second novel, surprised me by going deeper than the usual parlor dramas. With its treatment of war violence, PTSD, physical abuse, and other weighty subjects, it offers a lot more substance than I was expecting. All the derring-do kept the story exciting, heightening the romantic suspense to create a fuller story. A few things kept me from loving Lady Emma's Campaign, namely Moore's tendency to tell rather than show, which made her characters and setting seem a bit flat. Overall, though, I enjoyed this one, especially that there's more to it than just a silly romance.
(Readalikes: Although I haven't read it yet, I assume Becoming Lady Lockwood, Moore's first book [starring Emma Drake's sister-in-law] is similar)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a copy of Lady Emma's Campaign from the generous folks at Covenant Communications. Thank you!
****
Interested in reading more reviews of Lady Emma's Campaign? How about entering a giveaway for a $75 gift card to Sweet Salt Clothing? Stop at each of the following blogs to get more opinions on the book and a chance to win the big prize!
*Nov 10th: http://www.
*Nov 12th: http://www.
*Nov 13th: http://www.iamareader.com (Review by Cheryl), http://www.
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Warm Southern Novel Kind of a Hot Mess (Not Unlike Its Heroine)
6:41 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When Joy Talley, the 40-something-year-old spinster of Spavinaw Junction, Oklahoma, decides to fetch a secret something out of her crumbling chimney, she ends up in a coma. Talley luck being what it is, no one really expects her to come out of it. What her family and friends don't know is that while Joy might not be able to talk or open her eyes, she's aware of her surroundings. She can hear her siblings planning her funeral, see the hopeful face of her handsome young doctor, and feel her heart beat a little (okay, a lot) faster when her high school sweetheart walks into the room. All of these things make her realize how much she needs to wake the heck up and change her pathetic little life.
As soon as Joy is back on her feet, she plans to come to terms with the secret she's been hiding since she was a teenager. To do that, she'll have to be honest about all the pain, the ache, and the bitterness that's been corroding her heart for so long. Once that happens, maybe the old town spinster can even start making decisions for her future, like choosing a man to spend it with—will it be the kind doctor or the very man for whom she's been pining away for two decades? With her daddy's ghost whispering reassurances into her ear, Joy's determined to put the past behind her and start living again. If only it were that easy ...
I agreed to read/review Waking Up Joy by Tina Ann Forkner because the book's premise sounded cute. Plus, I always dig a good Southern yarn filled with warm prose, quirky characters and, most of all, lots of juicy skeletons molding behind genteel facades. Forkner does include these genre staples in Waking Up Joy, which she also infuses with lighthearted banter, humorous situations, and an inspirational message about forgiveness. Still, these promising elements just aren't enough to camouflage a rambling, overlong plot; a flat, forgettable cast; and some really, really poor editing. My biggest beef, though, was with Joy herself—for a "beloved" member of Spavinaw Junction society, she's awfully petty, vindictive, and self-absorbed. In the end, this novel reminded me of a first draft: the bones of a great story are there, they just needed to be honed and polished into a tighter, more focused narrative. As is, I'm sad to say, the novel's kind of a hot mess (not unlike Joy herself), which is a pity because it truly did have a lot of potential.
(Readalikes: The tone and setting [not the writing] of this book reminded me of novels by Karen White, Dorothea Benton Frank, and Anne Rivers Siddons)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, mild sexual innuendo/content, and references to illegal drug use
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Waking Up Joy from the generous folks at Tule Publishing via those at BookSparks PR. Thank you!
Monday, November 03, 2014
Gasp! Another Exciting Series-Ender for McMann
4:33 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
After two traumatic experiences with visions predicting deadly, catastrophic events, Jules DeMarco knows not to fool around with the strange gift/cure she and her friends have been given. That's why the 17-year-old refuses to wait around; she's determined to figure out who will be the next person plagued with the disturbing visions. Yes, they'll think she's insane. No, they won't believe her. It matter—the sooner Jules finds out who's seeing crazy images of a future disaster, the sooner she can stop the tragedy from happening.
With the help of her older brother and her boyfriend, Sawyer Angotti, Jules seeks out all the survivors of a recent school shooting. But, even when they find the next visionary, they're still stuck. How can you prevent something awful from happening when you don't know when or where it will occur? As the teenagers try to make sense of the visions, the horrible scenes become more and more intense, signalling the imminent arrival of a terrible tragedy. Can they stop it in time? Can they save innocent lives? Will rescuing people from certain death mean becoming victims themselves?
If you enjoyed the first two books in Lisa McMann's fun, fast-paced Crash series, you're certain to find this one just as compelling. The final book in the trilogy (waaahhh!), Gasp follows the same formula as the others. With a mix of humor, suspense, action and romance, it follows Jules & Co. as they race against the clock to solve a mystery using only the hazy clues they see in strange, supernatural visions. The I-see-the-future thing is not a terribly original plot device, but McMann uses it well, creating another fast, exciting story that will appeal to even reluctant readers. I enjoyed Gasp as much as the first two books and am sad to see the series end. Here's hoping McMann starts up another great teen series—and soon!
(Readalikes: Crash and Bang by Lisa McMann, as well as McMann's Wake series [Wake; Fade; Gone]
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence, and sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
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