Tag: Book Talk Tuesday

Book Talk Tuesday: Quick Reviews

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The last of the books I read on vacation, what I’m reading now, and what’s next on Mount To Be Read (TBR).

THE WEDDING VEIL by Kristy Woodson Harvey (ebook)

This is my second novel by Ms. Harvey and (I believe) her first time-slip (two storylines in different time periods). The story follows the real life Edith Vanderbilt and her daughter, Cornelia, and the wedding veil they both wore that had been in their family and worn by all the brides for generations. That’s the historical time line. The contemporary story is about Julia whose family also has a legacy veil with a legend that each bride who wears it will be blessed with a long and happy marriage.

I enjoyed this fictionalized glimpse of what life may have been like in the early 20th century for one of the wealthiest families in America, the owners of the largest private home in the country and the upkeep and maintenance it required. Julia’s story was well done also, with a loving and supportive grandmother. Both women embark on journeys with the other one to cheer them on.

THE MESSY LIVES OF BOOK PEOPLE by Phaedra Patrick (ebook)

Liv is a wife/mum/daughter/cleaning lady who is shocked to find that one of her clients, a reclusive and best-selling author, asks Liv to complete her current manuscript. The task gives Liv a set of experiences and life lessons that test her marriage and her faith in her family and her memories.

I enjoyed watching Liv’s journey from feeling like a nobody and embarrassed about her lack of marketable skills to a woman, confident in her knowledge, instincts, and people skills.

Currently Reading:

THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams (ebook)

I love Beatriz Williams’ historical stories, both her own titles and the ones she writes with Lauren Willig and Karen White. I’m slowly working my way through the backlists. THE GOLDEN HOUR is from 2019, so not terribly old. There are 3 timelines, following two main characters. Elfriede in Germany in 1900, Lulu in 1941 and 1943. I don’t want to say much more because I’m about halfway through and I don’t want to give anything away. And while I see how Elfriede’s story will intersect with Lulu’s, I’m not there yet. But so far, it’s up to what I expect from Williams: sharply drawn characters, an intricate plot, and intense dilemmas.

THE LOST GIRLS OF IRELAND by Susanne O’Leary (paperback)

This was given to me on vacation by a friend who’d finished it and was passing it on. Her assessment: It’s pretty good, I guess. Mine: I set it aside after the first few chapters and decided not to finish it. But at the last minute I stuffed it in my suitcase and brought it home. I will finish it. It’s not a hard read and I can knock it out in another couple of hours.

It tells the story of a “society” wife in Dublin whose husband dies suddenly and she finds she’s broke and he was leaving the country after defrauding his company. But luckily, she owns a cottage in west Ireland left to her by her aunt, so she takes her teenage daughter and moves there.

The writing has no nuance, no real voice. The story is predictable and not very well told. Not recommended, at this point. I’ll let you know if I change my mind when I finish it.

On top of my TBR:

WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN by Susan Wiggs (paperback)

**I won a copy of this upcoming June 2023 release through a Goodreads giveaway.**

From the Amazon description:

Every town has its secrets…

In idyllic Alara Cove, a California beach town known for its sunny charm and chill surfer vibe, it’s graduation day at the elite Thornton Academy. At Thornton, the students are the worldly and overindulged children who live in gated enclaves with spectacular views. But the class valedictorian is Nikki Graziola, a surfer’s daughter who is there on scholarship. To the shock of everyone in the audience, Nikki veers off script while giving her commencement address and reveals a secret that breaks open the whole community. As her truth explodes into the light, Alara Cove will face a reckoning.

Nikki Graziola’s accusation shakes the foundation of Alara Cove, pitting her against the wealthy family whose money runs the town. Her new notoriety sends Nikki into exile for years, where she finds fame—but not fortune—overseas as a competition surfer…until a personal tragedy compels her to return to Alara Cove.

 As Nikki struggles to rebuild her future, she finds that the people of the town have not forgotten her. But time has changed Alara Cove, and old friendships, rivalries, and an unexpected romance draw her back into the life of the beach town she’s never quite forgotten, and where joy and redemption may be possible after all.

I’ve read and loved Susan Wiggs’ other books so I’m looking forward to this one!

FLYING SOLO by Linda Holmes (ebook)

Once I finish THE GOLDEN HOUR, this is next in my Kindle queue.

From the Amazon description: Smarting from her recently canceled wedding and about to turn forty, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown of Calcasset to handle the estate of her great-aunt Dot, a spirited adventurer who lived to be ninety-three. Alongside boxes of Polaroids and pottery, a mysterious wooden duck shows up at the bottom of a cedar chest. Laurie’s curiosity is piqued, especially after she finds a love letter to the never-married Dot that ends with the line “And anyway, if you’re ever desperate, there are always ducks, darling.”

Laurie is told that the duck has no financial value. But after it disappears under suspicious circumstances, she feels compelled to figure out why anyone would steal a wooden duck—and why Dot kept it hidden away in the first place. Suddenly Laurie finds herself swept up in a righteous caper that has her negotiating with antiques dealers and con artists, going on after-hours dates at the local library, and reconnecting with her oldest friend and her first love. Desperate to uncover her great-aunt’s secrets, Laurie must reckon with her own past and her future—and ultimately embrace her own vision of flying solo.

With a cast of unforgettable characters and a heroine you will root for from page one, Flying Solo is a wonderfully original story about growing up, coming home, and learning to make a life for yourself on your own terms.

I’ve seen many recommendations for this one, as well as Holmes’ previous book, EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER. Stay tuned for my thoughts on this one in a few weeks.

Book Talk Tuesday: What I’ve Been Reading

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I read some really good books at the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023. Rather than post long reviews of each, I decided to give a few sentences about what really stood out to me.

The last two books of 2022:

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt: The title refers to the Giant Pacific Octopus, specifically Marcellus, a captive specimen at a Pacific Northwest aquarium, and one of the Point of View characters. I listened to this one on audio and loved it! It’s fun and funny. Besides Marcellus, the POV characters include a widow in her sixties and a young man searching for his biological father.

LOVE LETTERING by Kate Clayborn: A young woman who does custom hand lettering/calligraphy is blocked. She’s also developed a bad habit of weaving secret messages into some of her projects. She’s shocked when one of her clients wants to know how she knew his marriage was doomed. I read this as an ebook and loved it. The writing is beautiful and the characters engaging. (Open door sex. I often skip/skim sex scenes, but this one actually added to the character’s growth and I found myself actually–gasp–reading it!).

January 2023:

ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS by Nicole Deese: This won all kinds of awards and rave reviews and I finally got around to reading it and I’m so glad I did! A faith-filled romance about a social media influencer who volunteers at a home for teens and young adults transitioning out of foster care finds herself changed forever. I read this as an ebook and plan to read the next book in the series.

THE PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry: I’d read Emily Henry’s books before and and after this one, but hadn’t gotten around to this one yet. Two best friends since college have vacationed together every summer for twelve years until an unfortunate incidence in Croatia. Two years later, she’s determined to get their relationship back and invites him along to Palm Springs. In July. What could go wrong? I read this in paperback. (Open door sex that I skimmed.)

February 2023:

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin. When this was released as a movie last year, I saw lots of people rave that it was one of their favorite books of all time. I listened to it on audio and while I enjoyed it, I wouldn’t call it an all time favorite. I’m not even sure it’ll make my Top Ten of the year. Though it definitely could. It tugs at the heart strings and it’s set in a bookstore. What’s not to love? It covers several years in the life of A.J. Fikry and his adopted daughter who was abandoned in his bookstore as a two-year-old. I also watched the movie after I finished the book and the movie followed the book very closely. Both are worth the time.

THE CARTOGRAPHERS by Peng Shepherd: This is another that was raved about and it sounded intriguing. A young woman cartographer’s career was ruined seven years ago by her father, a renowned and respected cartographer, over a cheap, mass-produced road map from the 1930s. But when her father and another New York Public Library employee are found dead, Nell realizes that map may be a lot more valuable than she thought. This has a fantasy element I wasn’t expecting, but I still enjoyed it. I read it as an ebook and found the ability to enlarge the included maps and sketches very helpful.

A DAY LIKE THIS by Kelley McNeil: I read this for a book club. The member who recommend it said she enjoyed it because the author kept her guessing until the end. I got some inklings of the solution a bit before that, but I still found it a satisfying read. A mom of a young girl is in a traffic accident and when she wakes up, the doctor and hospital and EMS responders insist there was no daughter in her car. When her husband arrives at the hospital, he tells her they lost their baby in a miscarriage over five years ago. This sends Annie on a quest to find the daughter she knows exists. I enjoyed this one and read the ebook in a day and a half.

Have you read any of these? What have you been reading? Any recommendations? I’d love to hear from you!

Book Talk Thursday: SUNDOWN

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Sundown is the final installment in Susan May Warren’s Sky King Ranch trilogy. I’ve been eagerly waiting for Colt and Tae’s story since Colt was introduced to us with the Kingston triplets in the first book, Sunrise. We got a bit more of Colt and Tae in book 2, Sunburst, but their story comes to a full and satisfactory conclusion in Sundown.

Colt Kingston is determined to get to the bottom of Taylor–Tae–Price’s story. His brother Dodge and Dodge’s fiancee, Echo, found Tae in a blizzard in book 1, Sunrise. She suffered amnesia and wasn’t speaking for a long time. Once Tae remembered some things, she was too terrified to speak. When she does tell her story, it’s almost too preposterous to be believed.

Tae knows her tale sounds crazy, but it’s true, every word. When her past follows her and endangers the whole Kingston family, she has to leave to keep them safe. Too bad Colt can’t let her go alone.

Adventure, suspense, and intrigue follow to the nail-biting conclusion. Another worthy addition to the Warren tradition of romantic adventure stories with strong and determined heroines and the wounded but willing men who love them.

I love Warren’s stories and Sundown was worth waiting for. I love the twists and turns. I love the interconnecting stories and cross-over characters. I love how a story thread that Warren started stitching in book 1 will complete a lovely pattern in the final book. Although each book can be read as a stand alone, I think they’re enjoyed more if read in order. And since all 3 are available, why not? I highly recommend this book and the whole series!

I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, but that did not induce me to leave a review, favorable or not.

Book Talk: A PLACE TO LAND

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I was introduced to Lauren K. Denton a couple of years ago when someone mentioned her covers as being especially lovely and I agreed. I bought and read and enjoyed her novels HURRICANE SEASON and THE HIDEAWAY. I heard her talk about her new release, A PLACE TO LAND, and managed to snag an advance reader’s copy.

Trudy and Violet Figg are sisters living in Sugar Bend, Alabama, a small town along the banks of Little River. A traumatic night 40 years ago robbed Trudy’s voice and cost Violet love and happiness, but they’ve built a life and they’re content with their lives. Trudy creates art from found objects and Violet runs their small gift shop and counts birds.

Maya, a young adult fresh from the foster care system, lands in Sugar Bend and in the Figg sisters’ lives. As the river reveals secrets Violet would rather it keep, Maya blossoms under Trudy’s attention and care.

A PLACE TO LAND is full of secrets (I used it to meet a reader challenge I’m doing for 2022. October’s book is a “Family Secret” story.) It’s also a very Southern book. I could feel the humidity of the summer and taste the brackish air. There’s a little bit of magical realism woven throughout, with the recurring pelicans and another element I don’t want to give away.

Denton did a great job doling out the details of that night so long ago and threading together the various sub-plots. I enjoyed this one a lot, and I’ll continue to read both her backlist and new releases.

I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley, but it did not induce me to review it, favorably or not.

Book Talk: HOME SWEET CHRISTMAS

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Wow, have I neglected my blog! Time has flown since the last time I posted. I’ll do much better. Or at least I’ll try, from here on out. I read so many great books, I should be posting here all the time about them, not just the ones I get free copies of. But that’s the rut I’ve fallen into. Sigh.

HOME SWEET CHRISTMAS is the newest offering from Susan Mallery in her Wishing Tree, Washington series. We haven’t been to Wishing Tree since last year’s The Christmas Wedding Guest. (Reggie and Dena are doing great, by the way!)

Camryn Neff left her life in Chicago to come back to Wishing Tree to take care of her dying mother and twin teenage sisters. Her mom has been gone a year now, and the three Neff ladies are healing and finding happiness again. Camryn is just marking time though until the twins start college and she can resume her old life in Chicago. Until her plans are derailed by a local woman’s plan to marry off her son and get some grandchildren.

River Best is new to Wishing Tree and while she’d like less snow and warmer temps, she’s enjoying her new home and new friends. She resolves to get more involved in the community so her friends nominate her for Snow Queen. She’s alternately terrified and gratified to be chosen. The one thing that helps is her Snow King. Dylan Tucker is kind and considerate and she could see herself falling for him. Until she discovers his secret.

Wishing Tree is the town we all want to visit at Christmas time and this book got me ready for hot chocolate and cookies and snuggling by the fire. After not loving Mallery’s last book, I’m so glad I truly loved this one. All the characters could be my friends. I’d shop at Wishing Tree’s charming stores and eat at the restaurants. There’s also a cute dog sub-plot. If you’re looking for a sweet Christmas read, I highly recommend HOME SWEET CHRISTMAS!

As a bonus, Susan Mallery is giving away a Christmas Cookie Cookbook on the Wishing Tree website. I downloaded it and it’s full of scrumptious looking recipes.

I received a free copy of the book, but it did not induce me to review it, favorably or not.