Taylor Jenkins Reid debut novel, “Forever, Interrupted”, begins her story with 26 year-old newly weds lazing a3.5 stars For the love of Fruity Pebbles…
Taylor Jenkins Reid debut novel, “Forever, Interrupted”, begins her story with 26 year-old newly weds lazing about, when Elsie Porter (new wife) has a hankering for Fruity Pebbles. Her husband, Ben Ross, will do anything for her, gets on his bike to get her requested snack. Soon Elsie hears sirens. Her life is irrevocably changed.
This is a meditation on grief. Jenkins Reid is wonderful at showing the complexities of grief, especially after an unexpected death: the shock, the stun, the overwhelming weight of grief. She creates an interesting spin on her narrative: Ben and Elsie’s relationship was one of “love at first sight.” It was fast and intense. In fact, they only knew each other for 6 months prior to getting married. They were young and very passionate.
Sadly, Ben never got around to telling his mother that they were dating much less married. He worried about her being able to handle his relationship. She had lost her husband, his father, a little over a year ago. Susan herself is still over her head in grief. In Ben’s opinion, he was her everything, so he couldn’t tell her about Elsie without crushing his mom. I had issues with the reasonings that Jenkins Reid provided for Ben not telling his mother. I found it strange. I kept reminding myself that he was in his mid-twenties. If you get past that, the story works.
Jenkins Reid formats her story with the “now” interspersed with Elsie and Ben’s romance. They were an adorable couple. Part of the “now” is Elsie trying to get through her struggles. Elsie feels that no one takes her grief seriously because they were only married a few days, with a 6-month relationship in total. Doesn’t she have the right to grieve?
One of the best nuggets I took from this was when Elsie was struggling that her parents’ reaction to her news was with little interest, after all, she barely knew him. “People give you what they would have wanted; they don’t know what you want. So, there’s always a difference.” Very true. Another notable observation is that a widow doesn’t like being a 3rd wheel. The previous relationships with other couples fall apart, which further isolates a widow. How does one get over such a terrible, unexpected life event?
I listened to the audio, narrated by the fabulous Julia Whelan. It’s about a 9-hour listen. Interesting layers of grief are examined.
I enjoy the homespun wisdom that Viola Shipman (aka Wade Rouse) knits into her narratives. In “The Edge of Summer”, prota3.5 stars: TW: Covid aftermath
I enjoy the homespun wisdom that Viola Shipman (aka Wade Rouse) knits into her narratives. In “The Edge of Summer”, protagonist Sutton Douglas ventures into the unknown after her secretive mother dies. Sutton was raised in the Ozarks by her seamstress mother who did her best to give Sutton everything she needed. Sutton, however, wanted to learn more about her family history. Her mother told her that the family house burned down, and her family perished. They are alone in the world with no living relatives. The only clue Sutton had regarding her family history was the sewing notions that were her toys as she grew up.
Button cards play prominently in this story. I recall button cards from my youth. Shipman brought back sewing to me, as a child of the 70’s. Every mother sewed at that time. Our mothers sewed at least 90% of our clothing back in the day. Patterns were used, I recall the McCall’s Patterns fondly. Shipman uses sewing terms as chapter headings, which I enjoyed. Examples: Bumblebunching; notions; drape; invisible zipper; and patchwork to name a few. It elicited fond memories. Singer Sewing machines were prized possessions of the “everyday housewife” at the time.
As with all Shipman’s stories, the majority of the narrative takes place in Michigan, the “mitten” of Michigan to be precise. I have not had the opportunity to be a visitor to the mitten area of Michigan, and every time I read one of Shipman’s novels, I want to book a trip.
Sutton finds a button card with Douglas Michigan as the place the buttons were manufactured. I didn’t know that pearl buttons were manufactured in Michigan, using child labor to extract the meat from the oysters to get to the peals to create the pearl buttons. Because her last name is Douglas, Sutton believes she may find answers to her lineage questions.
Sutton lost her mother to Covid. As a result, she has emotional issues re-entering society. She is fearful to be around people, to hug people, to be in their breathable air space. I found being inside Sutton’s head interesting. It helped me understand some people’s fears.
I enjoyed the sewing parts, the fond memories of sewing. The story line didn’t grab me like a couple of her(his?) others. Reading Shipman always elicits nostalgia for me. The story of Sutton understanding her mother’s plight wasn’t as satisfying as I had hoped. It’s a solid read, just not a great one.
It’s summer and that means it’s time for an Abby Jimenez summer read! Jimenez is one of my go-to authors for a fun, witty, quick, and enjoyable read.
TIt’s summer and that means it’s time for an Abby Jimenez summer read! Jimenez is one of my go-to authors for a fun, witty, quick, and enjoyable read.
The novel begins in a lighthearted way. Emma, a traveling nurse, reads a Reddit Thread “Am I the Asshole” about a man in Minnesota who says he’s cursed because every woman he dates, and breaks up with on good terms, immediately finds “the one”; the final straw which led him to write to the Reddit Thread, was when his ex-girlfriend dates his best friend and now they are getting married! Emma finds this hilarious because that happens to her as well. Men she’s broken up with find their soulmate right after their breakup!
Emma is intrigued, and texts Justin (the cursed man). It begins with a playful plot structure. Emma and Justin decide to date each other (just for the summer), break up, and then they will find their soulmates! What could go wrong?
In Jimenez fashion, she brings in heavy themes. The reader then learns that Justin’s mother will be incarcerated, and Justin will be his sibling’s caretaker. Justin cares deeply for his very young siblings. He wants the transition to be as easy to their psyches as possible.
Meanwhile, Emma has her own childhood baggage. Emma’s best friend is Maddy, with whom she’s been friends since childhoods. Maddy has been her constant.
“Just For the Summer” is the story about unhealed childhood trauma disguised as a rom/com. As expected, if one’s childhood trauma is not dealt with in a healthy manner, one has major roadblocks when it comes to relationships. This is romance lite, so for those who want steam, you will not get it.
Outlier alert! I was disappointed in Holly Gramazio’s “Husbands”. I thought the premise was interesting: a woman discovers she has a magic attic that Outlier alert! I was disappointed in Holly Gramazio’s “Husbands”. I thought the premise was interesting: a woman discovers she has a magic attic that replaces husbands. One husband goes up, looking for something, a different one comes down. So, if you don’t like your current husband, request that he goes up to the attack and retrieves something for you, and voila! New husband!
The protagonist, Lauren, finds this out accidentally. She also discovers that time keeps going, the only thing that changes is her history.
To me, Lauren was unlikable. A husband would start down the attic stairs, and if she didn’t like his socks, shoes, hair, apparel, she’d send him back. She would exchange men at a rate of 2-3 a day. Not only was she vacuous, but she was also petty. I think Gramazio intended this to be a madcap romp, but it became ridiculous. A couple of the alternative universes were interesting. However, Gramazio’s ability at world building was not as impressive as I would have liked.
Given the high reviews, I kept reading, thinking this was going to get deeper or more interesting. It didn’t for me. Lauren did question what she was looking for in a spouse. But it wasn’t fully fleshed out. There were a lot of what she did NOT want. She rarely ruminated about herself and if she was a good person in each of these scenarios
Again, outlier. I’m bummed because I’ll never get that reading time back…. ...more
3.5 stars: After reading all the delightful reviews from my GR friends, I thought “Nosy Neighbors” by Freya Sampson would suit my spring-time-fun book 3.5 stars: After reading all the delightful reviews from my GR friends, I thought “Nosy Neighbors” by Freya Sampson would suit my spring-time-fun book adventure. I chose the audio, as I wanted something chuckle worthy whilst I engaged in spring cleaning. It was a great choice.
From the title, one can assume that there will be busybodies involved. When done right, the busybody troupe is amusing. The busybody in question is 77-year-old Dorothy Darling who opens the story, while glancing out her window, notebook, and pen in hand, noting all the neighborhood violations. These violations are not limited to the residents of her apartment building, the Shelley House. She’s also penned a few sharply worded letters to the City Council, along with any other government agency who has slackened in their duties.
Freya Sampson this character-driven story from the POV’s of Dorothy, and Kat Bennett who parks illegally (a rear tire of her car is on the curb) when stopping by to checkout a sublet. Oh, and sublets are strictly forbidden, and you can bet that Dorothy has taken note of THAT infraction. Kat is in her mid-twenties, and we learn early she’s changed her name, and has a “past” from which she’s trying to hide.
Kat does take the illegal sublet from a septuagenarian man, Joseph, who owns a sprightly dog, Reggie. Soon after moving in, Kat finds out that the residents in the Shelly House are being evicted. Enter evil landlord Fergus Alexander. Once the residents learn that Shelley House is being demolished, they band together; well, all the residents except for the curmudgeon Dorothy and the anti-social guy Vincent in flat 4.
Dorothy’s background is unraveled, and we learn how she came to be such a nosy neighbor. Kat and Dorothy become unexpected colleagues in their goal to save the Shelley House. Kat has her own background in dealing with unfair landlords.
It’s a fun story, where a misunderstood woman goes from being a hideous neighbor to an interesting character. The tenants from the Shelley House unite, and we are treated to a heartwarming story showing how community is important.
The audio was narrated superbly by Sarah Lambie. Her voice range for the varying characters is outstanding. I highly recommend this for a light, entertaining, touching story. ...more
“Only if You’re Lucky” is a popcorn thriller that started off slowly for me. Margot narrates the story, and she is a questionable narrator. Is she an “Only if You’re Lucky” is a popcorn thriller that started off slowly for me. Margot narrates the story, and she is a questionable narrator. Is she an unreliable narrator?
Margot begins the prologue by stating that with a blink of an eye, she became tight friends with college coeds Lucy, Sloane and Nicole, with Lucy as the ringleader. Lucy’s favorite game, a dangerous game, is “Truth or dare”. Margot states “College friends are different. We would do anything for each other…anything.”
Author Stacy Willingham splits timelines, beginning her story at the end. A boy has been found dead, with Lucy’s blood on him. Lucy is missing. Who killed the boy? Where is Lucy?
Willingham provides the backstory…slowly. A bit too slowly for me. Margot is from the North Carolina outer banks; she had the grades to go to Duke, where her parents wanted her to attend. She ended up in South Carolina’s tiny Rutledge College because her BFF wanted to go there, and she wanted to be with her BFF. Said BFF, Eliza, died tragically and mysteriously the summer after graduating from high school. Margot always believed it was Eliza’s boyfriend who killed her. Margot still went to Rutledge, fulfilling her BFF’s dream. Her freshman year was one of sloth and depression, until beguiling Lucy picks her out to room with Lucy’s BFF’s, Sloan and Nicole their sophomore year. Margot needs someone to direct her, and she falls into Lucy’s charms.
When Eliza’s boyfriend comes to Rutledge and becomes intwined into the girls’ lives, Margot tells her new BFFs of her suspicions. It becomes, a “what really happened to Eliza?” I guessed early what happened, and I was correct…in part.
When Eliza’s boyfriend is the boy who is murdered, and has Lucy’s blood on his body, it becomes a “what happened to the boyfriend? Who killed him? Where is Lucy?”
Willingham has a couple doozies of plot twist that I did not see coming. Kudos to her. At first, after finishing the story I was conflicted as to whether I was impressed with the story. I intended to rate it 3.5 star, down to 3 stars. But, upon reflection, I decided to round up to 4 stars…it’s more 3.75. is it a great thriller? No, but it is satisfying if you have patience.
I wanted a quick, absorbing thriller, and “My Perfect Daughter” by Sarah A. Denzil is offered on the Audible Plus catalogue. I’m in!
Narrator Zoe beginI wanted a quick, absorbing thriller, and “My Perfect Daughter” by Sarah A. Denzil is offered on the Audible Plus catalogue. I’m in!
Narrator Zoe begins the story explaining that she found her daughter when she was abducted by a serial killer. Actually, it was daughter, Maddie, who lured her to the killer’s home when Maddie was five years old. While in captivity, Zoe bonds with Maddie, and persuades Maddie to help her escape. Zoe ends up killing the man to get away. Both Zoe and Maddie escape.
Obviously, Maddie has some serious emotional issues. Zoe is stubbornly attached to Maddie’s future; she wants Maddie as a daughter. As Zoe narrates, it becomes clear she’s an unreliable narrator. Facts of Maddie’s issues are conveniently set aside in Zoe’s mind. She knows that Maddie is a good girl. She knows that she can love. She just needs constant vigilance.
When there is evidence to the contrary of Maddie’s emotional stability, Zoe brushes it aside, making excuses that makes the reader rolls their eyes in haughty derision. Even after Zoe marries, has a son, and sees sociopathic tendencies in Maddie, Zoe continues to make excuses.
The audio is narrated by Lucy Paterson. She possesses a very lovely voice. Her soothing voice kept me listening. It’s almost 10 hours long, but it’s a fast audio that keeps one involved. It’s a creepy tale. Maddie wins “The Most Clueless Mother” award!
3.5 stars: “The Busy Body” by Kemper Donovan met my current need of reading a witty, original “who-dunnit” involving a “mature” female protagonist. How3.5 stars: “The Busy Body” by Kemper Donovan met my current need of reading a witty, original “who-dunnit” involving a “mature” female protagonist. How can a man, Mr. Donovan, write a mystery in the voice of a mature woman? Well, Kemper is known as an Agatha Christie uber fan who hosts the podcast “All About Agatha”. The dude knows how smart women think (at least on pulp).
Kemper’s protagonist, an unknown narrator, is asked by an ex-senator, Dorothy Gibson, who just lost a US presidential election (yes, he channels Hillary in many ways) and wants our narrator to ghost-write her memoir. Our protagonist must come to Maine where Dorothy lives. We learn a lot about Dorothy’s beloved State. I know understand what “Down East” means in Maine vernacular. There’s more, but you need to read the book to find all the other interesting tidbits Kemper throws in.
I digress. Soon after our protagonist moves into Dorothy’s Maine home to begin her assignment, the women become entangled in a suspicious murder. The way the women have cause to interact with the future murder victim is implausible, but I rolled with it because Kemper has some writing chops. I loved being in the head of our unnamed protagonist. She’s a hoot! Plus, I enjoy Kemper’s wit. For example:
**I’m not sure I like the cut of your jib. **Each of us is a mysterious combination of our experiences, and any number of predispositions divorced from experience. **I’ve always maintained you can tell a lot about people by the way they laugh. Someone should create a dating app where all you have to do is upload an audio feed of yourself laughing, none of this “I like to take long walks on the beach” crap. **it’s easier in winter than any other time to remember that each tree has as much going on hidden from view as it does in plain sight. I guess trees and humans are similar that way. **My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Carney, used to say that the best punishment for bad-tempered people was being stuck with themselves. **..it’s his great beak of a nose that comes to mind more than anything else. I swear that schnozz could have done Shakespeare, it was so expressive
A woman dies under mysterious circumstances, and Dorothy is one of the last people she saw before meeting her untimely death. The death piques the interest in Dorothy, and she persuades our narrator in becoming a sleuth with her, much to the horror of Dorothy’s personal secretary and her security staff.
And speaking of the security staff, there’s one yummy bodyguard. Well, she just refers to him as “the bodyguard”. It’s fun. Also, I leaned of the “Incel movement!” Thank heavens for fiction, it keeps me abreast of pop culture.
I enjoyed reading “A Busy Body”. It was fun and smartly written. Where there some holes in the plot? Yep. But I didn’t care. It was pure entertainment.
Thank you GR friends Tina and Kaceey for reviewing Abby Jimenez’s “Worst Wingman Ever.” This short is 61 pages long and a 1 hour and 17 minutes audio,Thank you GR friends Tina and Kaceey for reviewing Abby Jimenez’s “Worst Wingman Ever.” This short is 61 pages long and a 1 hour and 17 minutes audio, narrated by Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber. This is part of “The Improbable Meet-Cute” series, which is a series of romantic shorts about finding love when and where you least expect it. Given the month of Saint Valentine, I decided to get on the romance bandwagon.
Jimenez uses narrator Zachary Webber often for her novels. I just love his voice. It’s perfect for her male characters.
For a romance short, this satisfied all my requirements: witty, clever, likeable characters ...more
3.5 stars: One of my favored book candy genres is a good witty novel, which can sometimes mean a snarky novel. Some like romance, I like reading snark.3.5 stars: One of my favored book candy genres is a good witty novel, which can sometimes mean a snarky novel. Some like romance, I like reading snark.
“Meet the Benedettos” is one of those snarky novels that left me chuckling throughout my read. It’s advertised as a “novel where “The Kardashians” meets “Pride and Prejudice” and I’ll agree. But I’m going to add that I dislike the Kardashians. Author Katie Cotugno reimagines the Kardashian “sisterhood” in a more tolerable light. The matriarch of the Benedettos…well… she is written closely to Momma Kardashian.
Why read this? Well, first you must enjoy snark. Most enjoy wit, but snark is a bit darker. Some of my favorite prose:
**Whenever he comes upon all five of his daughters in the wild, there’s always a moment when his expression is the slightest bit befuddled, like they sautéed the vegetables in butter instead of olive oil at Spagos, and he’s trying to recalculate the macros in his head.>
**I know that to hear you talk about it, we’re one order away of General Tas’s from a life of penury on Skid Row.
**Here’s a hard conversational swerve!
**“We contribute!” Olivia protest looking wounded. “ I know you do sweetheart” their father says, “but I am sorry to report that the bank does not take loan repayment in the form of a lifetime supply of essential oils no matter how compelling the health benefits might be.”
**The quartet of sisters draped dramatically over the upstairs railing, like old women on a fire escape back in Sicily.
**Caroline thinks, as they stand there in silence waiting for the bleeding to stop, surprised at the sudden depth of her own annoyance….. Their decisions however, small or stupid, have consequences! And people can get hurt trying to clean up their mess.
**Her mother was running her own Instagram account, and she kept accidentally posting badly, little selfies taken at unflattering “up” angles and offensive memes that she didn’t actually understand.
**How are you supposed to know who someone is going to be in 3 decades? How can you even know who they are right now?
It was a fun read. It accomplished what I wanted....more
Kirkus Review referred to Kate Christensen’s “Welcome Home, Stranger” as smart, yet unfocused. I couldn’t say that better. Christensen created so manyKirkus Review referred to Kate Christensen’s “Welcome Home, Stranger” as smart, yet unfocused. I couldn’t say that better. Christensen created so many great opportunities to explore: midlife reckoning, grief, homelessness, work force discrimination, abusive childhood, poverty, to name a few.
The story begins with Rachel, our middle-aged protagonist, returning home after her estranged mother passes. She’s a Pulitzer-prized winning writer, living in DC, and barely catches the flight to Portland, her hometown. Christensen starts out strong with sentences like “My jeans are flecked with lint, my eyes are gritty, my teeth skuzzy, my hair a cloud of chao., I look and feel exactly like what I am: a middle-aged childless recently orphaned menopausal workaholic journalist.” There are other great quotes, “It’s a weird age, isn’t it? I can feel myself become invisible. It’s a diminishment and a superpower at the same time.” (Personally, I love being invisible, it’s a great superpower!).
Rachel returns home to her estranged sister, who has never forgiven her for leaving her mother’s care to her. That alone held much fodder to explore further, but Christensen air-brushed over the reasons for Rachel staying away, and for her sister’s own childhood trauma. I was expecting more there.
Rachel drives the story, narrating in first person. This allows the reader to be inside her head. It’s a busy head. Rachel also has work issues, with a young executive gunning to eliminate her work. She’s dealing with two ex-husbands. There is a lot going on here.
I enjoyed reading “Welcome Home, Stranger”. I enjoyed Christensen’s prose. I was left wanting more. ...more
I’m a huge fan of Audible Original Christmas Stories. The production is always superb. The stories they produce are solid.
“The Christmas Star” by KateI’m a huge fan of Audible Original Christmas Stories. The production is always superb. The stories they produce are solid.
“The Christmas Star” by Kate Forster is the perfect “romance-lite” story of a quirky, kind, generous, and thoughtful protagonist who finds herself in a pickle when her bullying stepsister goads her one time too many. Julia loves Christmas because she loves Christmas movies, and she runs the local cinema. Julia and her father, who passed, loved movies and shared their passion. Julia’s mother remarried a man who has an awful daughter who took over Julia’s mother’s life, including her home.
When the stepsister says she’s bringing a pilot home for Christmas and provokes Julia and her lack of dating life. Julia decides to bring a man she recently met, who bears a striking resemblance to famous movie star. This man, Sam, likes her quirky and whimsical ways.
It’s a charming story of the humble and kind girl who finds a man of her dreams in an unexpected way. But it’s also about forgiveness. I loved it and I will look for more works by Kate Forster. ...more
This pains me to write, but I am not the target audience for this one. I chose to listen to the audio, narrated by Brittany Pressley, whom I enjoy. BuThis pains me to write, but I am not the target audience for this one. I chose to listen to the audio, narrated by Brittany Pressley, whom I enjoy. But in this, there was much whining. I am not a fan of whining. I’m not sure if I read it, I wouldn’t have been as irritated; thus, my review is based upon the audio.
The protagonist, Maggie Ellis, is a bit dull in that she didn’t see who the good guy was and who was the bad guy. It was obvious right away. As she struggled, I was annoyed. I have difficulty with weak and stupid female protagonists.
Again, I think there are far better reviews out there, so don’t take mine to heart. ...more
I understood that in her newest novel ,“Rouge”, Mona Awad pokes fun at the beauty industry. As a woman who has, through the years, spent an ungodly amI understood that in her newest novel ,“Rouge”, Mona Awad pokes fun at the beauty industry. As a woman who has, through the years, spent an ungodly amount of money on cosmetics, who currently has 3 different serums, who has heard about the beauty property of snail slime, who has bought the Kool aide that sea algae is the way to go, and don’t get me started on collagen….yes, I needed that smack upside my head. “Rouge” explores the insanity and cult-like nature of beauty industry. Awad found the perfect narrator in Belle who realizes the craziness of the beauty regiment (yes it a war) yet cannot bring herself to say no. There are many Belles out there.
“Rouge” opens with Belle learning that her mother, Noelle, has died. She hasn’t seen her mother in a long time, but her memories of her mother involve skin care routines and fashion obsessions. Belle flies to California to settle her mother’s estate. Once there, she learns that her mother sold her dress shop and was in deep financial debt. On what did she spend her money? Why is she so in debt?
I listened to the audio narrated perfectly by Sophia Amoss. Noelle is French and Amoss switches seamlessly from a French accented English to “California-accented” English. The beginning of the story is hysterical. Belle starts speaking those “Freudian slips” when she arrives at her mother’s apartment. She awakes and begins her morning ridicule, I mean ritual. She sits at the insanity, I mean vanity. A Spa contacts her and she ponders their usual severings, I mean services. It’s clever.
Awad examines at what price beauty. Beauty relies on insecurity, and Belle, as a grieving daughter is the perfect mark.
My complaint is that it is far too lengthy. It becomes some gothic-type tale that goes far to OTT for me. It’s nearly a 15-hour audio, and I got frustrated midway through. It seemed not to be progressing with the story. And then it got very ridiculous and I wanted to stop, but I was already 9 hours invested!
Do I recommend? Yes, borrow, don’t buy. The beginning is worth getting the book or listening to the audio. It is fun and witty. Did it accomplish that smack upside my head? Yes it did, although I most likely will always be concerned about my skin texture ...more
Ridiculous! Silly! Raunchy! A comedic romp of a story! It was noted as “Cosmopolitan’s Best Book of the Year”…need I say more?
“The Big Swiss3.5 stars:
Ridiculous! Silly! Raunchy! A comedic romp of a story! It was noted as “Cosmopolitan’s Best Book of the Year”…need I say more?
“The Big Swiss” is a farcical tale about a woman who works as a transcriber for a sex therapist/coach in Hudson, NY. She sits in her dilapidated farmhouse, which is full of bees, stink bugs, spiders and maggots, transcribing other people’s sexual fetishes and issues. She’s single, bisexual, and adrift.
Hudson is a small community in which everyone recognizes everyone else. Greta, the transcriber, can recognize people by their voices, which adds to the silliness. For example, she clocks a guy at her coffee shop as the guy who describes his penis as “Darth Vader in a turtleneck.” One particular client of the sex coach is a woman from Switzerland who is seeing the therapist because she’s never achieved an orgasm. Greta has nicknamed her “Big Swiss”. The story takes off when Greta is at a dog park and an unknown dog aggressively attacks her tiny dog. As she’s panicking, this beautiful blonde comes along and saves her dog. Once the blonde opens her mouth, Greta knows it’s Big Swiss. Of course, Greta infiltrates herself into Big Swiss’s life, and it’s hysterical.
This is a raunchy sex comedy, one that I’m not sure I want to admit that I not only listened to, but laughed out loud at while listening. The blatant sexual content was a bit much for me at times. Yes, I’m a senior so I get a pass at the “blushing” thing. But there was more than the fluffy comedy. There are dark issues and trauma explored. Greta was raised by her aunts after her mother committed suicide. Big Swiss was attacked and left for dead, something she continues to recover from, especially after her attacker is released from prison. Even Greta’s roommate has a sad backstory.
I can attest that this is an interesting work in that the major dark themes explored are sparsely sprinkled amid silly gags. In other words, it’s a romp of a slapstick comedy with dark undercurrents, which one doesn’t realize immediately.
I chose the audio format, which used very talented narrators: Rebecca Lowman, Carlotta Brentan, Stephen Graybill, Joy Osmanski, and Matt Pittenger. This farse was made possible by the narrator’s talents. Every voice was perfect. Highly recommended if you don’t mind major ...more
“My Murder” by Katie Williams is a cautionary tale of futuristic medical advancements. The premise revolves around the cloning of five women3.5 Stars:
“My Murder” by Katie Williams is a cautionary tale of futuristic medical advancements. The premise revolves around the cloning of five women who were victims of a serial killer. A vocally strong feminist group (similar to the “Me Too” movement) influenced a government agency, the replication commission, to clone these women who were savagely taken providing them with a second chance at life.
Louise was the final victim of Edward Early. She was a young mother with a nine-month-old baby, and she is the novel’s narrator. She refers to her earlier self in the third person. We are privy to her internal dialogue, and we learn she feels like she’s an interloper in her own life. Her memories, feelings, and original personality remain, other than the few days prior to her murder and the murder itself. Louise is uneasy as a clone. She struggles with motherhood and her baby doesn’t seem to like her. Her memories are of her struggles in her marriage and motherhood. She finds a packed duffle bag in her closet that Original Louise (her) packed because she was considering running away from her marriage and life. Now she wants to understand the few days prior to her murder; did she intend to leave her marriage and child?
Cloning isn’t the only futuristic part of the story. There are driverless cars and virtual-reality games to go into alternative universes. Louise’s employment involves her avatar (ensconced in her work skin) providing therapeutic hugs in a virtual space called the Room. Edward Early, the convicted serial killer, is given empathy-enhancing drugs as a form of torture. A virtual reality game was created in which video game players can experience the murders from the perspective of Early, or the perspective of one of his victims. The worse game of all, someone made a game of the six murders. The point of the game is to instill fear in women.
Louise(Lou) is a member of the serial killer survivors’ group, the six cloned women of Early’s rampage. The reader learns of the other victims, their struggles and choices. The women confront their personal issues of returning to their former lives. They confront depression and ambivalence. Louise confronts her complicated feelings around motherhood, marriage, and the domestic life. Of course, they discuss the game involving their murders.
This is a sci-fi, speculative fiction, and domestic fiction book all in one! Through Lou’s internal contemplations we are treated to a brooding mystery that is complicated by our culture’s appetite for technology. It’s an interesting read!
I listened to the audio, narrated by Rebecca Lowman. Her voice added to the noir-feel of the story. This is a thoughtful cautionary tale. ...more
Author Katherine Center said in an interview that she was listening to a Valentine Day issue of “This American Life”, and one of the stories3.5 stars:
Author Katherine Center said in an interview that she was listening to a Valentine Day issue of “This American Life”, and one of the stories was about a woman who had fallen in love with a man who had face blindness. Apparently, it didn’t end well. In this interview, Ms. Center said that she loves to take unhappy love stories and fix them. Hence the inspiration for “Hello Stranger.”
Protagonist Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist who, at the beginning of the story, learns she has made the finals for a highly respected North American Portrait Society competition. She is one of 10 who were selected from a pool of 2000 applicants. This is important! It’s her lucky break! And then, right at the start of the story, (no spoiler) she has a medical emergency that requires brain surgery. Yikes! She learns from her hospital bed that she has a “probably temporary” condition known as Prosopagnosia (Face-Blindness). She can see, but every face looks like a jumbled puzzle, like a Picasso painting. Sadie has been categorized as a “Norman Rockwell” styled portrait artist, not Picasso.
Center explores what happens when we fall in love. Is it visual? How do you love someone? Do you need to see someone’s face? How does it work? I categorize Center as “romance lite” in that there is little embarrassing ...more
This is my first Viola Shipman novel, and it will not be my last. By chance, via the library, this sweet story came into my possession. This is a noveThis is my first Viola Shipman novel, and it will not be my last. By chance, via the library, this sweet story came into my possession. This is a novel that I needed to read. This is a love letter to northern Michigan and their “cherries are life” mentality.
What legacy are you leaving? Mary Jackson, in her eighties, has always believed in the feminine power. Her mother and her grandmother instilled in Mary the belief that she can be her own hero. All three women married no-good-men. Mary has always believed that her Very Cherry General Store would be run by women; yet,Mary’s one child is a son, and he had another son. Mary has been searching for her female replacement.
Becky Thatcher (yes, her parents named her Becky) is an assistant principal in St. Louis. The story opens with her longtime boyfriend, Matt, surprising her at recess on the last day of school. He presents her with a velvet box. Given that Becky is turning 40 today, she believes what any sane woman would: she’s getting an engagement ring. But no, that’s not what was in the box. In a very ugly public break-up, in front of children, Becky finally sees her relationship with Matt as unpassionate and stale.
Lucky for Becky she has a fabulous BFF: Q, short for Angelique. The women decide to do a girl’s trip to northern Michigan, a place where Becky spent many summers with her beloved grandparents. Becky wants to rediscover her joy, her inner child. She needs a reset after her ugly breakup.
Viola Shipman’s writing reminded me of Fanny Flagg with her homespun charm. Shipman honors northern Michigan and their cherry-picking life. Reading this, I wanted to drink the cherry margaritas; eat the cherry chip cake with cherry vanilla buttercream (the recipe is included). I wanted to walk under the Tunnel of Trees. Fanny Flagg paid homage to the Midwest and simpler times. Shipman celebrates the wonder and beauty of Michigan. Shipman had me googling the Cherry Republic, Good Hart Michigan, and Good Hart General Store.
I highly recommend this story when you want a gentle, charming read. This is a life-affirming read with girl-power vibes. I needed this story….....more
I can understand the differing reviews/opinions of Ashley Audrain’s “The Whispers”. This makes the TV Series “Desperate Housewives” look darned near aI can understand the differing reviews/opinions of Ashley Audrain’s “The Whispers”. This makes the TV Series “Desperate Housewives” look darned near altruistic. The women in this story are full of resentments, hostilities, and anger. Motherhood is portrayed as a self-sabotaging act resulting in diminishment and bitterness.
“There’s something animalistic about the way the middle-aged adults size each other up while feigning friendliness in the backyard of the most expensive house on the street.” Yikes! This is how Audrain frames her story, characterizing neighbors at a barbecue hosted by Whitney, a working mother of three. Whitney is easy not to like. She’s not only successful but she’s quick to anger. Her oldest child, a ten-year-old son Xavier, is allegedly a handful, although the reader doesn’t get firsthand knowledge, just hearsay. At this party, Whitney loses her temper in such a way that makes her guests incredibly uncomfortable.
Across the street lives Blair, mother of one little girl, a school chum of Xavier’s. Blair works part time at a toy store but identifies as a full-time mother. Her resentment is of her marriage or lack-there-of. She loves her child. She doesn’t love her loss of identity.
Next door to Whitney lives Mara, a Portuguese immigrant who lives with her husband. She resents her husband as well. Mara lost her son a long time ago, and she holds her husband somewhat responsible for her loss.
Rebecca is an emergency room doctor, childless with fertility issues. She and her husband have suffered numerous miscarriages. She resents the fertile women who have children and are horrible mothers.
This moves from a gossipy story to a suspenseful story, when Xavier falls from his third-floor bedroom window early one morning. The neighbors can’t help but wonder, did Whitney have anything to with Xavier’s fall? The story takes place over the course of three days, Xavier in a coma, and we learn backstories of the three women. Rage is the common emotion.
I chose to listen to the audio, narrated by Jill Winternitz. This is a story that works well in audio. Audrain works her magic on the ending. The story itself is a sad commentary on motherhood.
I’m going to rate this for the Women’s Fiction genre. The theme of maternal rage is dramatized and exaggerated (I hope) for theme purposes. The men in the story are props, with little addition to the plot. For women’s fiction, this is a 3.5-star novel. I’m bumping it to 4 because of the interesting ending. The narrator is a solid 4 star performer. ...more
3.5 Stars: I wanted an easy, yet engrossing read. Author Fiona Davis recently released “The Spectacular”. All her novels center around an iconic New Yo3.5 Stars: I wanted an easy, yet engrossing read. Author Fiona Davis recently released “The Spectacular”. All her novels center around an iconic New York City landmark, in this case Radio City Music Hall. In researching the building’s history Davis discovered that there was a man who planted 32 bombs over 16 years at multiple busy New York landmarks, one being Radio City Music Hall. He was known as the “Mad Bomber” and eluded police for 16 years in 1940-1957. The bombs injured 15 people. In January 1957 he was charged, and eventually committed to a mental institution for 17 years.
In her author’s note, she provides details of the Mad Bombers antics and trial involving the real psychiatrist and criminologist who worked and resided in Creedmoor State Hospital. She loosely used some facts of the bombing incidents and admitted taking poetic license to make the story more engrossing. Her protagonist is a Rockette, and she researched what that experience was for a young woman in 1957.
Davis blends facts with her historical fiction. In researching Rockettes, most in their 80’s, she found the incredible bravery these women possessed. It was during a time when women were to live with their families or a husband. If they worked, it was limited to secretarial work, nursing, or teaching. There were 46 women living independently in Radio City Music Hall. Davis learned that the schedule was tough. The Rockettes danced four shows a day (600 kicks a day), for 3-4 weeks in a row.
To the story: Marion Brooks, is 19 years-old in 1956. She lives with her father and sister in the suburbs and teaches dance to young girls. Marion learns of the Rockette auditions from a girl who takes dance with Marion. On a lark, she decides to give it a go. Much to her father’s derision, she takes the job and stays in the dorms in NYC. Meanwhile, her father is insistent that she marry a man who he picked for her, stop her silly job and have children. Marion loves the independence, female comradery, and grueling schedule. She loves to kick and dance. Her father makes her feel trapped. Davis exemplifies the controlled environment women were expected to endure. In Davis fashion, historical details abound, mostly about the Radio City Music Hall building itself, but also the lifestyle of the Rockettes, and expectations for women. As a woman raised in the Gloria Steinman wave of feminism, this story was difficult to read. The lack of agency women possessed over their own future was frustrating to read.
Marion meets a young psychiatrist, Peter Griggs, on a blind date. Peter “profiles” them and helps to de-escalate a situation at the restaurant. Impressed with his abilities, Marion calls on him when the Big Apple Bomber hits Radio City Music Hall. She introduces him to the police although they don’t take him seriously.
Marion and Peter sleuth their way to uncover evidence linking a man to the events. Davis does a brilliant job in writing tension into her plot. It’s a page-turner, although a bit unbelievable. This is fiction!
I can always count on Davis educating me on New York life and iconic buildings. Her writing is easy to read. Her stories border on chic-lit with a historical bent. I love learning, and this provides great info on the formation of the Rockettes and the lifestyle of these high-kicking ladies. This is also a period study on the frustrations women endured in the 1950’s. I recommend this as an easy read that spotlights the Radio City Music Hall, life of Rockettes, and life of women in the 1950’s.
Barbara (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS!)
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