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Thursday, May 28, 2020
Luminous and Lovely, The Last Blue Captures Both My Interest and My Heart
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
"At her expense, readers will snatch up magazines and entertain themselves, using her as a measure against their own deficiencies, as a consolation for their incredible fortune of being ordinary" (161*).
Despite winning a Pulitzer Prize for a photograph depicting the grimness of The Great Depression, 32-year-old photographer Clay Havens is feeling uninspired. His creative juices have turned to sludge and he's fairly sure his newest assignment isn't going to provide the spark to get them flowing again. As part of President Roosevelt's plan to sell his country on his New Deal, he's sending journalists into Appalachia to "capture the rugged, steadfast nature of hill people, whether they possess it or not, and to portray their hardship in a way that will make the public sympathetic to their plight and ready to cast their votes accordingly" (14*). Feeling more like a propagandist than a photographer, Havens nevertheless travels to eastern Kentucky with his reporter friend, Ulys Massey. Another prize-winning photo may not be hiding in the hollers, but at least the assignment will keep Havens and Massey out of the breadline.
When the pair arrives in Chance, an offhand remark from one of the small town's more unsavory residents piques their curiosity. Rumors of a scorned family of people with blue skin send them traipsing through the woods to Spooklight Holler. Havens is immediately entranced when he and Massey come across a skittish young woman with skin the color of a robin's egg. A deadly snakebite lands Havens in the extended care of the woman's family. As he and Massey spend more time with the infamous Blues, they become fascinated by their way of life and horrified by how the family has been treated by their White neighbors. While Havens spends his time wooing kind, gentle Jubilee, Massey's itching to sell the Blues' remarkable story to the highest bidder. Reluctant to oust the already hunted people who have been so good to him, Havens searches frantically for a way to stop his partner from causing more trouble for Jubilee and her family. The city slickers' presence has already prompted violence locally; what will happen if Jubilee's beautiful blue face is splashed across the cover of Time? Caught between duty and love, Havens scrambles frantically for a solution that will stop Massey, protect the Blues, and convince Jubilee to give him a chance with her fragile heart. With Chance's White population already whipped into a heated frenzy against the Blues, Havens' time is rapidly running out ...
Earlier this year, I read and adored The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, which featured the Blue people of Kentucky. So, when Isla Morley contacted me about reviewing her newest novel, which was inspired by the same fascinating clan, I jumped at the chance to grab myself an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of The Last Blue. I'm so glad I did because just as The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek did, this one immediately captured not just my interest but also my heart. I loved everything about it, from its engaging heroine to its atmospheric setting to its tender love story to the ending that almost undid me entirely. While the book touches on issues of prejudice, fear, exposure vs. exploitation, identity, family, and self-discovery, at its heart, it's really about love in all its messy, life-changing glory. If you, too, are intrigued by the Blue people, or if you just enjoy rich, immersive historical fiction, I absolutely recommend picking up a copy of this luminous, lovely novel.
Intrigued? Good. Learn more by checking out this interview with Isla Morley:
(Readalikes: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson and Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (two F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, disturbing subject matter, scenes of peril, and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Last Blue from the always generous Isla Morley. Thank you!
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: Famous (But Not Always Fabulous) First Lines
Happy Tuesday, everyone! How are things going? Did you do anything fun for Memorial Day? We had a small family BBQ/swim party to celebrate the holiday and my daughter's graduation from high school last week. Warning, proud mom bragging ahead: The little smartie ended up 10th in her class of 730 seniors. We're super proud of her hard work. She'll be attending a state university on a four-year, full-ride, Arizona-based scholarship. Anyway, having a crowd of people at my house sitting elbow-to-elbow (social distancing is tough while playing game after rousing game of Dilbert Corporate Shuffle) was a little weird, but it was also good to be around family again.
Speaking of family, I always take a moment on Memorial Day to remember the men (we haven't had any female soldiers, although our military wives definitely deserve a shout-out) from my family who have served and sacrificed for this country. My ancestors have served in nearly every war involving the U.S., with deaths in all, but this is the guy I've heard the most about throughout my life:
My 22-year-old Uncle Joe (the man on the left) was killed in action in Vietnam on March 5, 1967, when he saved several members of his platoon and took the most direct hit from the land mine that threatened them all. His bravery and sacrifice deserve to be remembered and honored. R.I.P. to my family's favorite hero.
On a lighter note, it's time for Top Ten Tuesday, my favorite bookish meme. It's always a good time, so I definitely encourage you to participate. Click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details. Today's topic is a fun one: Top Ten Opening Lines. You can talk about book openers that you love or hate; those that made you laugh, cry, think; or whatever. I love a great opening line as much as the next reader, but my memory is terrible so the only one that comes quickly to mind is "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." So, I decided to use Google to check out the first lines of ten of my all-time favorite novels. Funny enough, most of them aren't that intriguing, profound, or memorable at all! Some of them you will no doubt recognize; others not so much. Hint: half of them are from traditional American or Canadian classics, while the other half are more modern.
Top Ten Opening Lines From Some of My All-Time Favorite Novels:
1. "When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow."
2. "The librarian and her mule spotted it at the same time."
3. "If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are."
4. "'Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,'" grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
5. "Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops, and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof."
6. "Marley was dead, to begin with."
7. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."
8. "Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence."
9. "Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August, 1960."
10. "I want something of hers."
Answers:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
4. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
6. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
8. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Happy TTT!
Monday, May 25, 2020
Secret Sister Novel Pleasant, Enjoyable
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Although they're as different as three women can be, Liza, Maggie, and Tricia have always formed a tight trio. The Sweeney Sisters—daughters of the universally-beloved literary lion, Bill Sweeney—were a familiar sight around the small, seaside town of Southport, Connecticut, where they grew up. Now that they're adults, the women have spread their wings, with Tricia working as a hotshot lawyer in Manhattan, Maggie attempting to make ends meet as an artist-in-residence in western Connecticut, and Liza trying to balance marriage, motherhood, and ownership of a successful Southport art gallery. Tension and distance have strained relationships between the sisters. When their father dies unexpectedly, the threesome is reunited in their hometown for a raucous goodbye party and the reading of Bill's will.
The presence of a mystery woman at Bill's wake causes some confusion, then utter shock. Unbeknownst to Liza, Maggie, and Tricia, their father had an affair with a neighbor that resulted in another Sweeney Sister. Serena Tucker, a 38-year-old investigative journalist, grew up next door to her half-sisters without any of the girls knowing they were related. Until a DNA test Serena took six months ago revealed the truth. Suspicious of Serena's timing, the original Sweeney Sisters aren't sure what to think of the new addition. What does the woman want from them? Is she after an inheritance? Or does she want the memoir Bill was reportedly writing, the juicy tell-all that could expose all the family secrets and make its finder a very wealthy woman? As the four women hunt for the manuscript together, they will make some surprising discoveries about each other, their father, and what family and sisterhood really mean.
I love books involving family secrets, family history, and DNA discoveries, so I was excited to give The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan a go. While I didn't end up absolutely loving the novel, I did enjoy it. This is a character-driven story, with four interesting women at its heart. Each is well-crafted, empathetic, and admirable in her own way. I enjoyed reading about all of them. There's not a lot of action in The Sweeney Sisters, but there was enough to keep me turning pages. In the end, I found this tale to be a pleasant, funny, and entertaining read, even if I didn't fall head-over-heels in love with it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Last Chance Matinee by Mariah Stewart and The Sisters Heminway by Annie England Noblin)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives) and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Sweeney Sisters from the generous folks at William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins). Thank you!
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
TTT: How Do I Love Thee, Goodreads? Let Me Count the Ways ...
It's Tuesday again and things in the world have changed a little bit. Has your state or country started opening up? What do you think about it? Here in Arizona, a few more places (restaurant dining rooms, movie theaters, public swimming pools, salons, etc.) have been given the green light to reopen. I'm still a little leery about the whole thing, but I'm not going to lie—I'm happy to have a hair appointment next week and to have been able to reschedule several doctor's appointments that had been postponed due to COVID-19. I'm a homebody by nature, so I plan to stick close to home no matter what. I just hope things can get back to a new normal that will feel stabilizing and safe. This has certainly been a strange Spring, hasn't it?
On a lighter note, it's time for my favorite weekly meme. This week's topic is a nice, open one that should lead to lot of interesting lists: Top Ten Reasons I Love ______ (insert your favorite book, author, genre, etc.). I'll tell you what topic I chose in a sec, but first I want to encourage you to join in the TTT fun. All you have to do is click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, read through some brief instructions, craft your own list, and then spend some happy hours hopping around the book blogosphere. It's a great way to spread the love around our wonderful community!
I've always been a list-making type of person. There's just something so satisfying about corralling my thoughts into neat columns, adding to it when needed, and then crossing out accomplished tasks. I began keeping track of the books I read and those I wanted to read in the back of a paper journal in college. When Google Docs became a thing, I switched to a spreadsheet. While I've used Goodreads here and there since its creation, it hasn't been until the last few years that I've made it my number one tool for keeping track of what I read, what I want to read, and what I think about what I've read. So, for today's list, I'm going to tell you why I love the site so much.
Top Ten Reasons I Love Goodreads (in no particular order):
1. I can keep track of what I read. Yes, I could do this on a Google spreadsheet, but I like GR's interface. It makes tracking easy and fun.
2. I can rate what I read. Like many, I have some issues with GR's limited star-rating system. Half-stars should totally be a thing! Still, I like being able to rate a book using a simple system. I can always explain my reasoning in my review.
3. I can review what I read. For the most part, I review every book I read on my blog. However, sometimes it's months before I actually get around to doing it! I'm good about ticking off the books I read on GR right away, though, and typing up a quick review on the site. It's really nice to be able to look back at what I wrote about a book when my thoughts were fresh to remind me of what to write in my blog review.
4. I can see ratings and reviews from other GR users. As always, I take other readers' opinions with a grain of salt, but I still appreciate being able to see what other people thought of a book. Both ratings and reviews help me decide which titles to add to my always-growing TBR lists and which to leave on the shelf.
5. I can follow my friends and acquaintances. It's fun to follow my friends on GR so I can see what they're reading as well as the titles on their TBR lists. My favorite feature under the "Friends" tab is "Compare Books." It's always interesting to compare/contrast my thoughts on a book with those of my friends.
6. I can make endless "Bookshelves." This is a GR feature that I should use more. Right now, I have only three bookshelves: Adult Fiction TBR, MG/YA Fiction TBR, and Non-Fiction TBR. Originally, I only had one bookshelf for all genres, but when the shelf was loaded up with more than 5000 titles, GR would no longer let me organize them in want-to-read order, so I split my main shelf into three. I could have organized my TBR list by genre or favorite author or setting or whatever, really. Other people do this a lot more than I do and it's fun to see their lists, some of which are very handy, creative, and entertaining.
7. I can organize my books in want-to-read order. This is my favorite GR feature by far. There are a number of ways you can organize your bookshelves in GR, but I like to have mine in order of most excited to read to least. In fact, I'm a *tad* obsessive about this. I spend a fair amount of time making sure the first 30 books on my shelves are in want-to-read order. Because I can pull up GR wherever I may be, this prioritizing helps when I'm browsing for books at the library or bookstore.
8. I can take GR with me wherever I go. See above. Bringing up a Google spreadsheet on my phone when I'm at the library or bookstore is not easy. Firing up GR is simple. The site helps me see what books are on my TBR list as well as find other authors/books when I'm on the go. Super helpful.
9. I can participate in GR's annual reading challenge. I love me a reading challenge, so I've had a ball with this GR feature. The site makes it a cinch to set a personal reading goal and keep track of your progress. GR even gives me a fun widget to put on my blog so everyone can see how I'm doing. Who cares if I never actually reach my GR goal? I still have a good ole time with it!
10. Everything else. GR has tons to offer book lovers. You can follow favorite authors, interact with authors and other readers, enter book giveaways, join groups of like-minded bibliophiles, vote for your favorite reads in the annual Goodreads Choice Awards, etc. There are tons of great features on GR, probably more than I'm even aware of. It's an awesome website that I definitely recommend using. If you haven't checked it out yet, do it! And if you want to follow me, just click on the GR icon on left sidebar of my blog. Easy peasy.
There you have it, ten reasons I love Goodreads. Do you use GR? What do you think of it? What are your favorite features? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
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