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Category: Literature & Fiction

Review: The L.A. Commandments by Gillian Duffy

[ 2 ] April 24, 2012

Reviewed by Rachel Mann

At first glance, The L.A. Commandments, by Gillian Duffy, is a light-hearted twist on traditional chick lit. The heroine, Jo, and her friend Suzie, take time out from their bad economic situations in Ireland to blow off steam in Los Angeles. Practically as soon as they hit LA, they end up in a situation that seems almost too good to be true. They get jobs right away (as a bartender and shopkeeper), find a place to live, and locate some cute guys to hook up with. It doesn’t hurt that at least one of the cute guys, Marc, is in a rock band that’s about to go big.

The more you read, the more serious the book becomes. Yes, Marc is hot, talented, and famous, and he and Jo seem to be forming a real connection. Bonus: he’s from Ireland too. Suzie has trouble with finding the right guy, even though she’s got a great alternative right under her nose, and she, Jo, and Marc spend a lot of time drinking. (So does Jo’s father.) The relatives of several main characters encounter serious health problems, which brings the action back to Ireland. In the last quarter or so of the book, the action gets even more dramatic—just when you’d wish it to—although it does seem like the characters have a mixture of excellent and horrible luck. Some plot twists seem rather predictable (can’t reveal them without spoiling), while others may take you totally by surprise.

For instance, the very end of the book includes a twist that may shock readers looking for traditional chick lit. In fact, at first I thought the moment was a narrative fake-out, and had to reread the scene to make sure it wasn’t a joke. It’s hard to go into too much detail without ruining the book for someone else: without getting into the final plot points, I was shocked and disappointed about one male character’s fate.

Rating: ★★½☆☆ 

 (for this reader, the ending kept this book from being a 3)

Rachel, who has a Ph.D. in English, is a freelance writer/editor and a voracious reader. You can talk to her about books at http://twitter.com/writehandmann.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by the Gillian Duffy. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Glow by Jessica Maria Tuccelli

[ 3 ] April 24, 2012

Reviewed by Alysia George

Characters from several generations combine their voices and stories to form the epic novel Glow, by Jessica Maria Tuccelli. Their personal histories run amidst the days of slavery, the Civil War, the turn of the 20th century, and all the way up to the time just before World War II. Turn by turn, they tell of love, heartache, family, social injustice, and supernatural gifts.

In 1941, a young girl named Ella is sent on a train to Georgia but never reaches her destination. She is attacked and left on the side of the road, where two old women find her and take her home. When Ella’s mother, back in Washington D.C., realizes something is amiss, she heads back to her hometown in Georgia to find her daughter and get to the bottom of the situation. As she travels south she is immersed in memories of her childhood. Here the book starts shifting, chapter by chapter, between Ella’s point of view and her mother Amelia’s.

Pretty soon Willie Mae Cotton, one of the women who rescues Ella, begins a narrative of her own. A few other characters have the chance to tell their stories as well. This could get confusing quickly, especially because the chapters dip and maneuver throughout 100 years of history, but the beginning of each chapter is labeled with the name of the character who is currently in the narrator seat. Also there is a very helpful family tree at the beginning of the book, which I referred to frequently as I read.

Glow is rich in southern history and character detail. Reading about topics such as slavery and Ku Klux Klan lynchings from several different view points provides a unique vantage point. Because there are several narrators, all from the same town and dealing with the same families throughout different points in history, the reader gains a better understanding of the bigger picture. This is a book that requires diligent attention, but it’s worth the effort.

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Alysia lives in Metro Detroit with her husband and four children. She writes about family life, parenting issues, and other things of interest to her on her blog, Michigal.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Viking Adult. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Red, White and Blood by Christopher Farnsworth

[ 2 ] April 23, 2012

Reviewed by Caleb Shadis

Cade is back! And so is the Boogeyman! You heard right, the Boogeyman really exists and most of those stories you heard about the hook on the mirror and the escaped felon on the loose murdering away are the work of the Boogeyman. Cade has sent him to hell many times but his followers keep calling him back. This time he’s got a little extra help and he’s set his sights higher. Cade keeps thwarting him so he’s going to make Cade pay; his first order of business is to make Cade fail by assassinating the President.

It is reelection time and the president’s numbers are slipping. So the president and his staff decide to do a bus tour of the Midwest to try and boost his popularity. Then a brutal murder with two victims is discovered at one of the party’s branches. A message in blood is scrawled on the walls, “It’s good to be back”. It’s not the first time Cade has seen this message.

Red, White, and Blood is the third Nathaniel Cade book in the series and it’s just as good as the previous two. While the first two were a little more tongue-in-cheek and made me laugh at times, Red, White, and Blood got straight down to business.

Farnsworth still pays homage to Lovecraft with hints of Cthulhu popping up. He also seems to be giving the slasher movie makers of the 70s and 80s a nod. I enjoyed the fast-paced vampire story but the first two books took themselves less seriously. I personally hope that that sense of humor comes back in the fourth installment.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Also by Christopher Farnsworth: The President’s Vampire & Blood Oath

Caleb is a software engineer and amature woodworker living in southern Minnesota. He has more hobbies than he has time or money for, and enjoys his quiet time reading.

A review copy was provided free of any obligation by Putnam Adult. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Heft by Liz Moore

[ 2 ] April 23, 2012

Reviewed by Carrie Ardoin

Arthur Opp is 58 years old, well over 500 pounds, and has not left his home in Brooklyn in ten years. Kel Keller is an 18 year old high school senior who excels at baseball. What could these two men possibly have in common? Kel’s mother, Charlene, was once a student of Arthur’s and has been his pen pal for the last 20 years.

Kel goes to a school where he only fits in because he is great at sports. None of his rich friends know that at night he must come home and take care of his alcoholic mother, who doesn’t do much besides sit on the couch and drink all day. Arthur Opp is also stuck on the couch all day–his weight has made it difficult for him to do very much of anything. But in a moment of clarity, Charlene reaches out to Arthur…and this sets off a chain of events that changes both Kel’s and Arthur’s lives completely.

I liked Heft a lot. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I was really hooked from the first chapter and I ended up finishing it in just a couple of days. Liz Moore’s writing style flows easily and is real–there aren’t a lot of wasted words or superfluous adjectives.

I actually went through the range of emotions that both of the main characters did. When Arthur described his situation and reasons for his life as it is now, I felt such pity for him. In a way, I wanted to scream, “You could have changed this!” but I came to understand his fragile state of mind and the front he put on. His escaping from the weight of his life was not possible to do alone. Kel was also a great character. As an 18 year old kid, yes, he made a few stupid decisions, but with the way his life was going you can hardly fault him for it.

I think the main reason I liked Heft so much was that while I was reading it, I just kept thinking, “Yes, this is real life.” Moore has a gift for creating very real, raw characters and telling their life stories in a way that makes you feel for them. I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars only because by the end I was hoping for something, ANYTHING good to happen, and a bit more of closure and a happy ending. But, of course, that’s not always real life.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Carrie runs the blog Sweet Southern Home, and is a stay at home wife and mom to one little boy. When she’s not reading, she’s usually watching Netflix with her husband, playing outside with her son, or baking. Her family would describe her as sometimes annoyingly sarcastic, but mostly lovable. 

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by W. W. Norton & Company. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green

[ 2 ] April 20, 2012

Reviewed by Ann Liu

Thirty-seven year old  Andi gets married for the very first time.  She not only gets a husband but also two of his kids from a previous marriage. Andi has always wanted children so she lovingly raises them yet the parenting does not come easy. The eldest child Emily, age 11, challenges her and creates chaos at every turn.  Emily resents Andi for marrying her dad and feels she is in the way. It is a tense relationship for many years.

Things build up slowly as we see how manipulative Emily becomes.  Andi struggles with a husband who constantly sides with his daughter and just when you think the marriage is going to crumble, things take another turn.  Emily does not take responsibility for her actions and ends up becoming a rebellious,  misunderstood teenager, and seeks a place to belong.  She makes one bad choice after another and yet never takes responsibility for her actions. Her behavior leads her to continue to play out her dysfunctional role in the family and keeps all members locked in this unhealthy dance.

Another Piece of My Heart has a beautifully designed cover with a fitting title, but what lurks beneath is much more complicated.  Part of me thinks that in real life things would not play out the way they do. I kept wondering why this dysfunctional family didn’t seek any family counseling since there were deeply unresolved issues between the husband and his ex-wife. It was frustrating to read about the struggles that Andi had to go through and I always felt very sorry for her.

This story will anger you and also warm your heart by the end.  I finished the book in two sittings since it grabbed my attention and drew me into the depths of each family members’ perspective, allowing me to feel each person’s pain.

Jane Green writes with such intensity and creates real characters who are flawed yet redeem themselves in some way as they work through the challenges. I was only concerned with a minor story line about Andi’s infatuation with another man.  It was so minor that I didn’t see the point or even the possibility of it being significant to the whole story.

The beginning half of Another Piece of My Heart moved very slowly but I am glad I got through it because the second half was intense. Just when I thought things were calm in the family, they only became disturbed again because the past never rests. This book certainly leaves a lot to think about in terms of what defines a family and the troubles that result from issues that are not dealt with openly.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Also by Jane Green: Promises to Keep

Ann Liu loves to read women’s fiction, chick-lit, romance, and self help books. She lives in sunny Southern California, where she can enjoy her time reading outdoors.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by St. Martin’s Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Empress of the Seven Hills by Kate Quinn

[ 2 ] April 19, 2012

Reviewed by Colleen Turner

Corruption, honor, war, love, loyalty, power…these topics and many more are tackled in Empress of the Seven Hills, the newest novel of Rome by Kate Quinn. You hear the term “action packed” used to describe many books but this is one of the few times I have actually read a book and thought it fit. Tipping the scales at 500 pages it was hard to put down as the excitement and intrigue just kept going, resulting in a cliff hanger ending that left me seething about having to wait to find out what happens next.

The story is told in alternating narratives between four very compelling characters – Sabina, a much loved senator’s daughter with a determination all her own; Vix, the gruff ex-gladiator returning to Rome to conquer the city that nearly killed him as a child; Titus, a young nobleman from a respected family that is honest and practical and longs for nothing more than an uneventful life; and Plotina, the plotting, nasty wife of Emperor Trajan that will stop at nothing to see her protégé, Hadrian, become Emperor after her husband. Each character has a very distinct voice that helps the reader get into their frame of mind, whether that is a wonderful self-deprecating humor (as with Titus) or a delusional fantasy world (as with Plotina). The one thing that seems to unite all of these characters is their individual determination to have the life and future they want, regardless of what others around them have planned.

Sabina wants nothing more than to be free to travel the world and do what she wishes. She is the daughter of a respected nobleman, however, and therefore is a prime asset on the marriage market. Titus is her youngest suitor and, despite his love for Sabina, they are destined to become nothing more than lifelong friends. Plotina plots to marry Sabina to Hadrian, her cold and calculating favorite, in the hopes that the love and familial bonds between Sabina and Emperor Trajan will lead to Hadrian being named as the heir to the throne. While Sabina does not love Hadrian, his apparent yearning to see the world makes him seem as good a choice as any and she agrees to his proposal. Vix, a guard in the senator’s home and Sabina’s lover, is angered by the match and decides to launch a career in the military and make a name for himself to rival his past. As their lives advance, twining together and moving apart throughout, they all seem set on the paths they’ve chosen. That is until Emperor Trajan dies and their lives change in an instant. Now all of them with face new challenges and their futures are anything but clear.

I am so excited to see where these characters will be going in the next installment. My favorite character by far was Titus and the new romance he begins to develop towards the end of Empress of the Seven Hills has me itching to read more. Kate Quinn is definitely an author I will be keeping an eye on and I am excited to go back and read her previous two novels, Mistress of Rome and Daughters of Rome.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Check out Kate Quinn’s guest post

Colleen lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband, son, their dog Oliver and their fish Finn. When not working or taking care of her family she has her nose stuck in a book (and, let’s face it, often when she is working or taking care of her family as well). Nothing excites her more than discovering a new author to obsess over or a hidden jewel of a book to worship.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Berkley Trade. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Fear index by Robert Harris

[ 2 ] April 19, 2012

Reviewed by Shannon Hopkins

Dr. Alexander Hoffman is a pioneer in the realm of artificial intelligence. After years of work he has created VIXAL-4, an algorithm that trades in the global markets by capitalizing on the Fear Index – financial movements based on the current level of risk. The success of the algorithm has made billions for Hoffman and his clients even in a falling market, and they are preparing to solicit even greater investments to move forward.

On May 6, everything turns upside down.

A mysterious book, a late-night intruder, and a series of communications Hoffman doesn’t remember having…all these things and more are somehow connected, and Hoffman is convinced that someone is out to ruin him. But who could it be – a disgruntled employee, a client, or a competitor looking to drive him out? As coincidences pile up and his life is torn to shreds, Hoffman must discover a truth more frightening than his worst assumptions.

Robert Harris’ The Fear Index begins slowly but draws the reader in with a gripping sequence of events taking place in the first few pages and setting the tone for the rest of the novel. The exposition is somewhat slow, focusing on the technical aspects of VIXAL-4 and the politics of dealing with investors, until a sudden frenzy of plot movement propels both protagonist and reader to a dramatic conclusion both wholly predictable and utterly shocking.

Not every part of the story fits together seamlessly, however. There are vague references to a potential subplot that, if further developed, had the potential to add greater depth to Hoffman’s journey; instead, the subject is tersely addressed in a few short asides and forgotten. In addition, the web woven around Hoffman is so intricate that a few rereads of different sections were necessary to establish how each element of the mystery fit into the larger whole.

Perhaps, though, that was Harris’ goal. The twists and turns that Hoffman faces are sure to keep the reader guessing, and there are quite a few surprises along the way. Ultimately, the effort to keep the facts straight was well worth it.

The Fear Index is an excellent psychological thriller, with dashes of crime drama and technology thrown in. Don’t be afraid to give it a read.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Shannon lives in Cleveland, Ohio with her fiancé and a room full of books that she peruses when she isn’t trolling Apartment Therapy for new decorating ideas. In her free time she enjoys maintaining her blog, The Writer’s Closet, planning her wedding, and baking tasty gluten-free treats.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Knopf. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

[ 4 ] April 19, 2012

Please welcome Rachel Hauck, author of The Wedding Dress, who is touring the blogosphere with LitFuse Publicity!

Reviewed by Amanda Schafer

Charlotte Malone owns a bridal shop where she helps brides-to-be find the perfect dress. She’s also supposed to be finding the perfect dress for herself since her own wedding to Tim Rose is just a few weeks away. But Charlotte is feeling out of sorts so she goes up to Ludlow Estates (a well-known mountain attraction) to think and have quiet time. What she finds instead is a beautiful old trunk at an auction and impulsively buys it. However, a short time after Charlotte buys the trunk, she and Tim break off their engagement. They both realize they rushed things and are not really ready to get married.

Emily Canton gave her love to Daniel Ludlow before he went off to play baseball. Since Daniel didn’t write to her to profess his mutual love, Emily decided to marry Phillip Saltonstall. Phillip is a young and handsome man who is a part of a wealthy and prominent family in Birmingham. But when Daniel comes back and tells Emily that he did in fact write to her while he was gone, she begins to doubt her decision. When she suspects Phillip of being unfaithful to her, she questions herself even further.

Emily’s mother insists on a particular wedding dress, made by a popular designer in town. But Emily’s heart is set on wearing the wedding dress designed by Taffy Hayes, a black seamstress from the “other” side of town. Taffy’s dress is simple, elegant, beautiful, and timeless.

Charlotte finally decides to open the trunk with Tim’s help and discovers a beautiful wedding dress inside that looks as if it’s never been worn or altered in any way. But who would part with this dress and lock it away in a trunk? In the process of finding out about the dress, Charlotte also finds out that she is deeply connected to the dress in ways she never imagined.

Rachel Hauck is a great writer and can really draw a reader in. I was a bit disappointed at first because The Wedding Dress did not “grab” me in the way her books usually do. But I kept reading and within a few chapters I was hooked!

While at first I was expecting the book to be about a dress that was handed down through generations in a family, The Wedding Dress was about so much more. A wedding dress and generations, yes, but Hauck threw in plenty of twists and turns that made the story more exciting.

At the end of the book Rachel Hauck states that the book is a symbol of the Gospel in that it never wears out, is timeless, and fits everyone who tries it on. But I also came away with the idea that we’re always connected to past generations even when we don’t feel like we are. Charlotte felt completely alone in the world because she had no immediate family. What she didn’t realize at the time was that she has always been connected to her ancestors through her town and through the people she met.

Again, Rachel Hauck has done a great job with The Wedding Dress and her writing style is very easy to read. The only thing about the book that disappointed me was that she never came back to address Daniel’s letter to Emily while he was away. She found them and started to read them, but stopped and hid them away. We never get to finish those letters to know what else he said in them. However, this was a minor issue for me and did not affect the plot at all. As a whole, this was a very enjoyable book!

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

RSVP for the Facebook party to win some great prizes!

Amanda lives in Missouri with her engineering husband, two sons, and one daughter. In between homeschooling and keeping up with church activities she loves to read Christian Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and any Chick-Lit. She never goes anywhere without a book!

The review copy of this book was provided free of any obligation by Thomas Nelson. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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