Tag Archives: Fiction

Truths I Never Told You, by Kelly Rimmer

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“What do you do if you find yourself as a new mom and you realize you’re just not capable?”

Told in two timelines, Grace struggles with postpartum depression in 1957 while Beth, in 1996, reluctantly helps her father move into a nursing home since he is suffering from dementia. Beth then helps her siblings clean out her fathers house where she finds letters from her mother, Grace, revealing untold family truths.

Synopsis below provided by the publisher.

“I want a career and I want to see other women have the option to make choices, too, instead of operating as a breeding machines for entitled men.”

The plot was very slow to build. The first half felt repetitive and the characters were hard to connect with. It was surprising to feel such a disconnect from the characters since the subjects at hand were so solemn and emotional. The second half presented some unexpected twists after a different narrator surprisingly enters… which helped move the plot along. The ending was okay.

Gender roles and the feminist movement in the 1950’s is explored and sufficiently represented. The issues brought up in the book regarding this are engaging topics.
Overall, the topics presented were interesting but the characters were flat and the plot was tedious.

Kelly Rimmer is a best selling author. Visit her website.

Read Publishers Weekly review for Truths I Never Told You.

The Things We Cannot Say was a New York Times best seller. Watch K. Rimmer discuss The Things We Cannot Say below in a Q&A.

Follow Kelly Rimmer on Twitter or Facebook.

Thank you to NeGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|

The Paris Hours, by Alex George

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This is first and foremost a work of literary fiction. I inhaled the pages because of the enhanced prose; every word and sentence was bewitching.
The author took one day in the life of four characters and turned it into a beautiful story. Set in post-WWI Paris, four ordinary people begin an ordinary day until their paths cross.

Below is the book summary provided by the publisher:

Mostly, the first few chapters start out with the characters everyday routines. Some ordinary stuff. But the polished language made these everyday things seem fascinating. As the story progresses, their past is revealed in flashbacks. Secrets, regret, loss, and betrayal loom in the shadows as each character continues throughout their day.

Chapters are short and the pacing is good. The cast of characters is colorful and engaging. It took me a few chapters in the beginning to remember which character was which. Chapters are narrated by each of the four different characters.

If you do not like prolific writing or if you want mega fast-paced, then this probably isn’t for you.

The Paris Hours is a May 2020 Indie Next List Pick. Visit Alex George’s website to learn more.

Read Publisher Weekly’s review of The Paris Hours.

Visit the publishers page for more information about The Paris Hours.

Read Bookweb’s Q &A with Alex George about his previous book, A Good American.

Follow Alex George on Twitter or Facebook.

Thank you to Flatiron books for sending me an advance print copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|

The Book of Lost Friends, by Lisa Wingate

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“Where will they hear the story if not from you- the story of being stolen away from family?”

Told in dual timelines, Hannie is an 18 year old slave living during the Reconstruction Era in Louisiana in 1875. Having been taken from her family before slavery ended, Hannie joins the plantation owner’s daughters on an odyssey of sorts to find the two girls father while Hannie herself quests to find her own mother and siblings. Benny is a first year teacher in 1987 who wants to make a difference in the lives of her Louisiana students. Benny is working on a school project about local family lineage when her timeline crosses Hannie’s.

“You been in slavery days, you know there’s things a heap less peaceable than being dead.”

It was very slow moving and I really struggled with the pacing. The beginning really dragged, but around chapter 9 something happens and it picks up….momentarily. After that moment of excitement, I found myself twiddling my thumbs for quite a few chapters waiting for the story to progress. It had a few more moments of ups, but most of the time I felt disinterested because it was so wordy. I thought Hannie’s story was powerful, and I wanted more from her. I didn’t look forward to Benny’s chapters as much as Hannie’s.

Graphic violence and gory details are completely left out. There is a scene that hints that something derogatory happened, but it must be inferred by the reader.

I would describe this as a lighter historical fiction about family, courage, loss, and friendship.

Lisa Wingate is a bestselling author. Visit her website.

Read the Shreveport Times article spotlighting The Book of Lost Friends.

Watch the book trailer for The Book of Lost Friends.

I really enjoyed Lisa Wingate’s bestselling novel, Before We Were Yours.

Follow Lisa Wingate on Twitter or Instagram.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon | Goodreads Review |

The German Heiress, by Anika Scott

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“She would have to be careful. But surely no one would recognize her now?”

Clara hides in post-WWII Germany under a different name until someone recognizes her and unveils her true identity. Is that all she is? Her whole life comes down to the years during the war when she made poor choices. The focus of this novel illuminates morality through the eyes of a female war criminal.

Clara’s circumstances put the reader in tight spot, and it is hard to trust her sometimes. As soon as I leaned one way, the next chapter would sway my feelings towards the opposite direction. I wanted hope, but I wanted justice.

Other characters thrown into the mix went well with the progress and principles of the story. One character particularly, who I don’t want to say because it would spoil it, had a really sad story regarding the influence that the war had on him even after it is over. Secrets, betrayal, and deception are buried deep within Clara’s family. Expect a twist or two!

Chapters are told in third person. While there are small flashbacks here and there, the bulk of the novel takes place after the war in 1946. There is one brief animal abuse scene near the beginning of the story.

The German Heiress is Anika Scott’s debut novel. Visit her website to learn more.

Read Publisher Weekly’s review for The German Heiress.

The German Heiress is also titled Finding Clara in the UK. Click here to learn more about the two titles.

Library Love Fest welcomes Anika Scott.

Seven things author Anika Scott wants her readers to know about her.

Follow Anika Scott on Facebook or Twitter.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|

Chosen Ones, by Veronica Roth

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(Above synopsis provided by the publisher.)

“Sometimes Sloan wondered if the world had been worth saving.”

Sloan’s character really was the redeeming factor for this novel. She was coated in an assortment of layers and I was never exactly sure what she would do next.

The storyline progressed like a herd of turtles. Once one thing was over the group of Chosen Ones would move on to something else while meandering about their day to day business. I wasn’t exactly sure the direction the story was going until after halfway through.

Part One (p.1-121): Since the beginning picks up in the aftermath of events that are (at this point) unknown to the reader, a lot of the beginning was a little confusing about exactly what had happened. You pick up pieces here and there throughout Part One about what happened to them 10 years when they defeated the Dark One. Other than trying to figure out what happened 10 years ago, it’s mainly about their lives and relationships with each other since defeating the Dark One a decade ago. Part 2 (p.123-284): Something happens, and it’s exciting. But halfway through, it gets back to that slow crawl again. Part 3 (p.285-419): Stays at a moderate pace until the twist. Can’t tell you the rest.

I was happy with the ending, which is set up nicely for a sequel. The ending did answer a lot of my questions. Things started to come together, but getting there in a reasonable and timely fashion was backbreaking.

Though marketed as an adult novel, this is a YA book through and through. I enjoy YA novels, but this one wasn’t for me. Without Sloan’s character, I would have thrown in the towel. While the characters are supposed to be adults, they talk and act like teenagers. This will still be popular with a certain YA crowd though.

Check out this EW article to read an excerpt from Chosen Ones.

Watch this video Veronica Roth has shared on her Facebook where she explains some of the research she did for the magic used in Chosen Ones.

Read The Nerd Daily’s review for Chosen Ones.

Veronica Roth is the author of the bestselling series Divergent. Visit her website to view more of her books.

Read Publisher’s Weekly interview with Veronica Roth.

Follow Veronica Roth on Instagram.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance print copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review |

Code Name Hélène, by Ariel Lawhon

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“The weapons of warfare are different for women. Rarely do we have the luxury of bullets and bombs. Our tools are benign. Silk stockings and red lipstick. Laughter. Cunning. The ability to curse in foreign languages and make eye contact without trembling.”

Synopsis above provided by the publisher.

Fictionally, Nancy is presented as a chic tough heroine who never fights without a fresh application of lipstick. The character of Nancy Wake holistically is interesting and I enjoyed her unapologetic nature.

A lot of the past, 1936, is about how Nancy met her husband, Henri. The development of their relationship takes the limelight for the first half of the book.

Nancy’s different identities, totaling four, are not exactly told chronologically. The book is told in dual timelines, but two of her identities are not described until much later in the second half of the book. But, what happens is kind of all over the place. The story of Nancy as the WWII heroine was scattered and rambling. The telling of what she did under each identity isn’t balanced, and the reader sees more from her as the fighter Madame Andrèe.

Every little thing seems to be dictated in the narrative, making it much much longer than it needs to be. As an example, a detailed description of hair color and hair texture is specified for nearly everyone that Nancy Wake meets or sees whether a significant character or just a character passing by.
There was excessive dialogue that didn’t progress the plot about day to day things unrelated to the major storyline. The book is 464 pages, but probably could have been 100-200 pages shorter if these extraneous details were cut. Because of this, I was often bored and the prose didn’t flow for me.

Read Publisher Weekly’s Review for Code Name Hèlène.

https://youtu.be/bbgWKSre4U0

Read Nashville Scene’s article about Code Name Hèlène.

This is Ariel Lawhon’s fourth book. Visit her website to learn more.

Follow Ariel Lawhon on Twitter or Instagram.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon |Goodreads Review |

Valentine, by Elizabeth Wetmore

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“Gloria could be any of our girls….”

( Synopsis above provided by the publisher.)

“Why don’t we give a shit about what happens to a girl like Glory Ramirez?”

Yes, it start’s out the day after a young teen’s rape, but it doesn’t stay there. This character driven novel orbits around race, gender, and integrity in Odessa, Texas in 1976 as seen through the female perspective only.

Rape details are not disclosed. The emotional and physical aftermath on Gloria (also known as Glory) are affirmed, but Gloria is given only 3 chapters in the book. It tends to focus on the emotional effects. There were not a lot of gruesome details.

This is primarily a literary novel that basks in a bounty literary elements. If you are looking for a quick read, this is not it. Each sentence was constructed to drive home a deeper meaning, intensify the essence of a character, or to advance the atmosphere. There were moments during the first half, that moved at a slower pace because of the excessive use of language. In the end, those longer descriptions and narrations really made me feel like I knew these women though. Some of them I won’t forget.

Chapters alternate point of view without pattern and are told from women living in Odessa during this time. The main characters are typically effected by that night Gloria was raped, either as distant witness or a community member. But, other women chime in with chapters (unrelated to Gloria’s case) to solidify a setting that reflects gender inequity.

Valentine is Elizabeth Wetmore’s debut novel. Visit her website.

Read this essay from Elizabeth Wetmore about her book, Valentine.

Check out BookPage’s interview with Elizabeth Wetmore about growing up in Odessa, Texas.

Read Publisher Weekly’s review of Valentine.

Read the Washington Posts’ review of Valentine.

Follow Elizabeth Wetmore on Instagram.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|

Lakewood, by Megan Giddings

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“You give yourself to make your country a better place. You give yourself to keep us safe.”

After her grandmother passes, Lena searches for financial comfort since her mother is medically unwell. She receives a letter offering more than enough to provide the comfort she needs if she moves to Lakewood and submits herself to the Lakewood Project. Accepting, Lena finds herself as part of a human experiment group.

“Why do you think they’re doing these experiments? What do you think they’re trying to learn?”

I enjoyed this debut young adult novel. It was a quick and easy read with a dark atmosphere. Lena’s race and socioeconomic status were rightfully featured as doormat for the government’s testing purposes. I kept wondering what was going to happen to Lena and the others that were part of the experiment group. There are a lot of unanswered questions for the greater half of the novel that build the readers suspense.

But at times it felt repetitive, and I just wanted the story to get on with it and progress. For example, the experiment group would do something they were told and the observers would watch what happened; this seemed to cycle around regularly for several chapters. The ending felt rushed for me. I didn’t feel complete closure for the full character of Lena. It skipped over a lot of the emotional and intellectual depth that was disclosed at the beginning.

Various though-provoking topics and questions surfaced throughout the story as a result of Lena’s background. What boundaries do humans have, and how do we set those boundaries? What are we willing to do to ensure the survival of our family and health insurance for ourselves and/or our loved ones? How do we justify the monetary value placed on someone else’s life?

Lakewood is Megan Giddings debut novel. Visit her website.

Read Boston Globe’s book review for Lakewood.

Read LA Times book review for Lakewood.

Follow Megan Giddings on Twitter.

Learn more about government experimentation by reading about the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, Operation Sea-Spray, Project Artichoke, or the San Quentin prison experiments.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|

Pride of Eden, by Taylor Brown

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“My opinion, the only good cage is an empty cage.”

Anse runs a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Sapelo Island, Georgia. He considers the sanctuary animals like family. But after his prized lioness Henrietta attacks him and is shot in order to save his life, Anse’s world is turned upside down and he is questioned by all those around him. Anse seeks to replace his lioness by rescuing other exotic wildlife that are in danger or being abused nearby. How far will Anse go to save the abused and caged? Is risking his friends lives worth saving the life of an animal?

Chapters alternate without pattern between characters and animals. The prose is rich in figurative language and the premise is original.

Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It has a strong premise. The foundation of the novel lays concretely in animal rights and measures the value of animals. But, to me there was nothing beyond that. Although I thought Anse was interesting, I didn’t feel connected to him or the rest of the characters. The storyline skipped around and I was confused about several scenes; I found myself re-reading quite often in order to grasp some sort of understanding of what exactly was happening. Had the storyline been stronger, I would have enjoyed it more because I did like the dialogue concerning the unfortunate realities that animals face. The ending left me feeling underwhelmed.

Triggers include animal abuse.

Visit author Taylor Brown’s website.

Read Publisher Weekly’s review of Pride of Eden.

Taylor Brown is the author of Gods of Howl Mountain and Fallen Land.

Read an interview with Taylor Brown for his book Gods of Howl Mountain.

Follow Taylor Brown on Twitter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Pride of Eden. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|

Darling Rose Gold, by Stephanie Wrobel

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“They don’t know the depths of this mother’s love.”

Does forgiveness come with limitations or should it be unconditional? Should mitigating factors be considered when speculating harmful behavior? The story starts out with Rose picking up her mom, Patty, from prison. Patty, imprisoned for aggravated child abuse of Rose, has caused a strain on their relationship and Rose’s future to be thwarted. But, is Patty the only one to blame? Where do they go from here now that she is out from prison? And, is Rose willing to look past the years of abuse her from mother…?

I really loved this one! I found both narrators so hard to trust, and as lies began to unfold the thrill of what was to come had me rapidly turning the pages. Nearly every chapter revealed a new lie or added a new element to one of the characters that seemed to put a twist on things.

The relationship between Rose and Patty is emotionally draining at times. Both characters are messy, and their story is not one that I would describe as a happy one. Rose’s life in particular unveils the superficial mask that society often has, and we see her frequently hurt by others around her. Patty’s background comes in bits and pieces, but also demonstrates a past reflecting a lifetime of pain.

I am not an expert on Munchausens syndrome, so I can’t attest to the validity of this illness as it is presented in one of the characters. If you work in the medical field, you might find fault within this presentation and might take this into consideration.

Darling Rose Gold is author Stephanie Wrobel’s debut novel. Visit Stephanie Wrobel’s website to learn more.

Publisher’s Weekly review of Darling Rose Gold calls Patty the “Mother From Hell”.

Go to this Popsugar page to read this first chapter of Darling Rose Gold for free!

Read BookTrib’s review of Darling Rose Gold.

Darling Rose Gold is also published under the title The Recovery of Rose Gold depending on your location.

Stephanie Wrobel, photo from Penguin Random House website.

Follow Stephanie Wrobel on Twitter.

Darling Rose Gold was selected as a March 2020 Library Reads book. To learn more, click here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|