Subscribe via RSS Feed

Category: Literature & Fiction

"While I’m Falling" by Laura Moriarty

[ 0 ] March 12, 2010

Reviewed by Jenny R.

I’ve seen discussions by several different bloggers in which they talk about how their impressions of a book change over time. You might love a book when you first finish it only to later realize it was pretty forgettable after all. Or you may think a book was just ‘meh’ — not so great — and then realize later it has stayed with you in a way you did not expect.

That was how I felt with While I’m Falling by Laura Moriarty. I “read” (audio book) The Rest of Her Life last year, really enjoyed it and had high hopes for this one. In While I’m Falling, Victoria, a junior in college, is living every girl’s typical college experience when her parents unexpectedly separate. They were living the outwardly perfect marriage until the father came home one day to find another man in his wife’s bed.

The infidelity and consequent separation lead to the demise of the parents as Victoria knew them. She finds herself moving from the position of a child to that of the adult having to care for her parents. Moriarty tackles that awkward moment when you realize your parents aren’t the perfect adults you may have once thought they were.

There were some things I didn’t care for in While I’m Falling, and my initial feelings were ones of dislike towards the book in general. The plot seemed a little stifled. Conflict would arise but then fizzle out without having moved in any direction. A few times I wondered what the point was or where that storyline went. I disliked both the parents, but especially the mother. I believe the reader was supposed to have some empathy for the mother, but I found her ridiculous. 

The overall tone was glum, and the main character, Veronica, was pretty depressing. The narration maintained my interest at times and lost me at others. And although most of the book was from Veronica’s point of view, there were one or two chapters from the mother’s point of view; the randomness of that threw me off.

My initial thoughts upon finishing the book were that the author could have made her points with a more engaging storyline (and I still agree with that impression). I was sure this would be a forgettable book. But like an aftertaste, I held onto something and I realized I liked the main character after all, despite her sullenness. I didn’t care for the family and all the situations, but then, neither did Veronica most of the time. She managed with what she had and grew a little as a person throughout.

While I’m Falling was just okay in my book. I would recommend it if you’re already a fan of Laura Moriarty, but otherwise, I wouldn’t start with this one.

Jenny is a social worker in her late twenties who lives with her husband and Jack Russell Terrier in the central Florida area. In her “free” time she loves reading books of all genres. She also reviews books on her book blog TakeMeAway. 

This book was provided free of any obligation by Hyperion. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review: The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen

[ 4 ] March 10, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

29-year-old Lindsey Rose has always felt inferior to her drop dead gorgeous fraternal twin sister, Alex. Unlike Lindsey, Alex has never seemed to have to work very hard for anything. Lindsey, on the other hand, has thrown herself into her demanding career at an elite advertising agency in New York. When the promotion she has worked so hard for all these years slips through her fingers, a spontaneous and reckless act costs her everything. Desperately needing a change of scenery and desiring to lay low for awhile, Lindsey temporarily decides to move back in with her parents in Maryland.

As Alex prepares to marry her perfect match, Lindsey finds herself in the midst of an identity crisis. Fate throws her into a new career path as a romantic matchmaker, she discovers a shopping addiction for trendy clothes and makeup, and she just may be in love with Bradley, her best friend from high school. Still inwardly competing with her perfect sister, Lindsey keeps the truth about her job situation a secret and hides her new wardrobe in the back of her closet. When Alex’s seemingly perfect life starts to crumble, Lindsey learns some startling facts about both Alex and herself; maybe she and Alex have more in common with each other than she ever imagined.

The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen realistically depicts sibling rivalry, jealousy, and love. The protagonist, Lindsey Rose, is an unapologizing, yet sympathetic jealous sister. At times, the reader will really be able to relate to Lindsey, especially if the he or she has a sibling of the same sex. Other times, however, Lindsey seemed rather unreasonable with her complaints and outlooks on situations. Thankfully, the good in her far outweighs the bad, or the book would not have been such a likable read.

Since the book is told from Lindsey’s perspective, I was prepared to really dislike Alex. When she was finally introduced, I found myself liking her instead. As an outsider looking in, I was able to see positive characteristics in Alex that Lindsey had ignored. I didn’t like the turn of events which brought Lindsey and Alex closer as sisters, and I disagree that Lindsey would have transformed as easily as she did into the caring sister. Overall, I was pleased with the plot line and the growth of both Lindsey and Alex in this debut novel from Sarah Pekkanen.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by SheKnows Book Club. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

"Heartache & Sin" by Charles Soto

[ 0 ] March 7, 2010
Reviewed by Jennifer J.

Ever since her mother died from diabetes, Karen Wheaton has felt empty inside. Joining the Church of Resurrection has given Karen a new purpose and direction in her life, but her husband Steven cannot shake the feeling that something is not quite right with Preacher Ryan MacDonald. The deeper Karen becomes involved with the church, the more determined Steven becomes to unravel the secrets that MacDonald keeps. His suspicions are confirmed when he converses with Pastor Ryan’s wife Mary. Once Ryan suspects that Steven is a danger to his agenda, he will do anything to keep Ryan and Mary away from one another.

When Karen discovers she is pregnant, her life and the baby’s are at risk because of her own diagnosed diabetes. MacDonald uses Karen’s pregnancy to his advantage, arranging a protest at a local women’s clinic that also performs abortions. Karen wants nothing more than to have this child, even though both Steven and her doctor urge her to terminate the pregnancy. More than ever, Steven needs Mary’s help to expose Ryan for the fraud that he is. Will the truth be revealed in time to save Karen from impending death?

Charles Soto’s debut novel Heartache & Sin can be summed up in two words: grammatical wreck. Readers with a sharp eye will be able to pick out each and every grammatical flaw and incorrect punctuation mark found on page after page of this hefty 478 page novel. A basic spelling and grammar check could have saved the majority of the errors in this book, but only a more skilled writer and editor could have improved the rest of the text. 
Soto’s lack of skillful technique was evident in his failures to cohesively create a string of words into a clear and concise sentence. Most of Soto’s sentences were written as fragments. While some authors can make this style of writing work, Soto’s poor attempt leaves him with a disjointed and at times confusing novel.

The plot itself is pretty compelling and heartbreaking, but most of the characters are too black and white. Pastor Ryan is the embodiment of human nature at its worst, while Karen is pure innocence and light. All women are portrayed as weak, with the exception of one; however, even she has to pretend to be a male to achieve her goals. Additionally, the credibility of the more educated characters in the novel becomes questionable with the incorrect usage of “who” and “whom”, using the word “antidote” instead of “anecdote”, and confusing the difference between “conscience” and “conscious”. This novel is truly every grammar lover’s worst nightmare come to fruition in a “professionally” published package.

Heartache & Sin tackles some pretty tough issues including spousal abuse, fidelity, and abortion. Though abortion is the hot topic mentioned on the back cover, Karen’s pregnancy and MacDonald’s interest in battling the abortion clinic do not even surface until after nearly 300 pages. Unfortunately, the plot wasn’t enough to save Heartache & Sin from being a gigantic disappointment. If Soto addresses the spelling and grammar issues, he might be worth considering in the future. However, after reading an excerpt from his upcoming novel, I am not too optimistic. 
Please visit Charles Soto’s website for more information.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Charles Soto. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

"Magnolia Wednesdays" by Wendy Wax

[ 2 ] March 3, 2010

Reviewed by Rachel M.

Wendy Wax’s Magnolia Wednesdays is a light, fun romp. Vivien, or Vivi as her family calls her, is a strong and interesting heroine. She starts out as an investigative reporter in New York City, but after getting shot in the behind, retreats to heal her wounds in Georgia with her sister Melanie. 

Even as her sister takes her in, though, Vivi betrays her by writing a pseudonymous column about the problems with suburban Southern life and “investigating” the mysterious death of Melanie’s husband, J.J. Wax does a great job of showing why Vivi keeps screwing up, even though, according to formula, that’s exactly what the heroine of this type of book has to do.

For me, some of the most enjoyable parts of Magnolia Wednesdays were those set at Melanie’s ballroom dance studio, chock full of fascinating female characters. There’s Ruth, the older Jewish lady who wishes her bagel-mogul husband would pay more attention to her, and Angela, the secretly once-fat beauty who second-guesses her seemingly perfect relationship. Vivi’s investigations into J.J.’s past were fun–figuring out what his sneaky best friend Clay was hiding, for example–but I was most interested in the group of female friends and their interactions in dance class.

I did get distracted by the constant references to Gone With the Wind, both the film and book versions: the siblings were named Vivien, Melanie, and Hamilton, and the pseudonym Vivi chose was Scarlet Leigh. I also found the relationship between Vivi and Melanie’s parents and their black housekeeper, Clementine, problematic: would a black woman working for a white couple in the South voluntarily act like Mammy? Perhaps this was supposed to be another example of how GWTW had pervaded Vivi’s family life, but for this reader, those scenes fell flat. Apart from these nagging distractions, Magnolia Wednesdays was refreshing and enjoyable.

Verdict: with its spunky main character and sympathetic supporting cast, this book would make for great company on a long plane ride.

Check out Wendy Wax’s website and our review of her last novel, The Accidental Bestseller.

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.

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

View Post

"A Theory Of All Things" by Peggy Leon

[ 1 ] February 28, 2010

Reviewed by Lauren K.

A Theory of All Things by Peggy Leon can only be described as interesting. The novel is filled with quirkiness, knowledge, characters both charming and alienating, and situations that are so hard to believe, yet so very relatable. Needless to say, the book is very complex and contains many layers, yet never loses the reader in too many images or too much dialogue.

Leon tells the story of a group of siblings: Mary, Mark, Ellie, Sara, and Luke who are all affected profoundly and differently by the abandonment of their mother and the suicide of their brother Peter. All the siblings are very unusual and all very connected both by blood and the cosmos in spite of their differences. 

Mary is the surrogate mother who never left home and is the primary caregiver to their father, Frank, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Mark is a physicist, a blunt and often clueless genius who massively lacks people and conversation skills. Ellie and Sara are twins and artists, one in Greece, the other in New York, each with their own new discoveries that they have to sort through. Luke is also an artist, although very little is said about him. 

When family circumstances arise, the siblings all come together in their childhood home. Much of the story is told through the email correspondence between everyone and the novel progresses in chapters divided by everyone’s respective point of view. I love when authors do this; I think it adds a level of dimension to scenes and characters that lacks if only told through one person’s eyes.

The start of the book is slow and seems to loop endlessly. Mark and Sara are the hardest characters to sympathize with and the constant use of scientific terms and theories in Mark’s chapters make his early sections difficult to troll through. His character is redeemed and shown in a new light as the novel ends, but I never really liked or got into Sara. Luke, Mary, and Ellie are fun to follow throughout. When Luke’s girlfriend Willow joins the family, A Theory of All Things really warms up. 

Peggy Leon does an excellent job of keeping the characters separate and entwined at the same time. They are individuals with very different tastes and lives, which is never forgotten or ignored. And yet, above all else they are, and remain, a family. After the slow start, Peggy Leon was really able to captivate me with the unfolding of the story and I found myself pushing through quickly in order to see where the next person would lead the novel. A Theory of All Things is a thoughtful and provoking book, one that shows that family trumps all else in the grand scheme of things.

Lauren is a freelance writer and editor. In addition to working on her own personal writing, editing Messy Magazine, and writing for multiple sites, Lauren is also currently pursuing her MFA in English. More of her work can be found at : messymagazine.org and goldiesays.wordpress.com.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Permanent Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review & Giveaway: "The Naked Nun" by M.E. Gardner

[ 1 ] February 27, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer J.

Lisa Von Bidmont was born into a life of privilege only to lose her parents in a tragic accident at the age of four. After her aunt was found too unstable to care for her, Lisa was placed into a foster family of humble means. At the age of 18, Lisa decided to escape her abusive foster father and ran away to pursue a modeling career in New York City. 

Upon arrival, a serendipitous encounter with former NYPD officer Charley Cameron throws Lisa back into a glamorous lifestyle–and into the arms of billionaire real estate tycoon Bill Brenner. When Bill’s wife Sophia threatens Lisa’s life, she is placed into the Witness Protection program under the guise of a nun. Not too soon after her arrival, Lisa (now known as “Sister Elizabeth”) and several of her sisters stumble upon a demonic presence right in their very own backyard. As Lisa and the others set out to uncover the Satanic secrets left behind by previous landowner Joseph McDonald, a mysterious figure watches Lisa from the dark.

The Naked Nun by M.E. Gardner begins at the end and works its way back to the beginning. The readers will schlep through chapter after chapter to learn why a girl who was on top of the world and had recently become engaged to a handsome billionaire has ended up with nothing–including her fiance. 

The Naked Nun tries to be too many things: a romance, a mystery, a thriller, a supernatural tale, and even erotica. The sudden shifts between the various genres were contrived and without direction. Gardner’s ambitious attempt to pack all these elements into one novel has failed miserably. The plot itself, with a bit more guidance from a capable editor, could have possibly saved this novel from being a complete disaster.

One of the most important pieces of writing advice I have ever been given is the following: “Show, don’t tell.” Throughout The Naked Nun Gardner ignores this principle and summarizes scenes for the reader rather than allowing the characters to reveal the action through their dialogue. On page 154 she writes: “Bill gave a brief description of how they met, the traumatic experiences she had as a child, her escape from the farm, and added that it was love at first sight for both of them. He also told the story about Lisa being a virgin, and taking her to Jefferies’s private island.” In cases where Gardner does use dialogue, it is very unnatural. At other times dialogue is overused as the various characters each get a spotlight moment to ramble on about their struggles in life.

I could not find one redeeming quality about M.E. Gardner’s debut novel. As I neared the end of the book (an ending Jane Austen would be proud of), I increased my pace just so I could finish it. During the day and a half I spent reading it, I would look for any excuse to put it down, including taking out the trash (which I hate doing) and engaging in some much needed retail therapy to preemptively award myself for completing The Naked Nun.

Visit The Naked Nun website for more information.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Giveaway
Win a copy and judge for yourself. The publisher will send a copy of The Naked Nun to 2 winners!

To enter, comment on this post with your e-mail address.


Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe to or follow Luxury Reading (1 entry each)
- Blog about this giveaway (5 entries)
- Share this giveaway on a social network of your choice. Click the “share” button below (1 entry each)
- Enter another Luxury Reading giveaway (1 entry each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on March 19th.


Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Langdon Street Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

"The Lumby Lines" by Gail Fraser

[ 6 ] February 25, 2010

Reviewed by Poppy J.

Gail Fraser’s The Lumby Lines is a warm story about acceptance and tolerance in a small Northwestern community. The Lumby Lines is actually the name of a town newspaper, and it highlights the latest gossip and news in the small town of Lumby. A married couple, Mark and Pam Walker decide to leave the city life and move to Lumby, where they find and fall in love with a property that used to be an old Abbey. The Montis Abbey was a monastery in 1893, but has since gone to disrepair. Pam has plans to restore the property to make it into an inn, and her husband Mark agrees with the plan.

 Unfortunately, the town is not as accepting of the couple’s intentions. The Lumby Lines begins publishing gossip and news that the proposed inn will not be good for the town, in an effort to turn the residents against the couple. The town government is sharply influenced by the Beezer family and they have a say in what does and doesn’t happen within the town borders. But the Beezer family has its own secrets that the townsfolk will or will not tolerate coming to light, and the story does square them all in the end for the reader.

The idea that a couple would move to a small town and want to turn a historic property into a profitable inn is not a new one. But The Lumby Lines is fresh and fun to read. The story shows that people want to get along, and in Lumby, they want to find a way to bury the past in a literal and figurative way, and get on with their lives. Each time the Walkers are thwarted by the town, for not pulling the proper permits, or for not having a business plan sent to the town council, the reader finds that there are people who step up to help the couple at every turn.

I highly recommend reading The Lumby Lines, which is first in a series of Lumby stories.

After a decade of working in several NYC law departments and teaching, Poppy decided she enjoyed writing full-time. She currently works as a freelance writing consultant, and lives with her husband and sons on the East Coast.

This book was provided free of any obligation by FSB Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Giveaway: "Black Hills" and "Drood" by Dan Simmons

[ 0 ] February 23, 2010

Giveaway

The bestselling author of The Terror and Drood is back with a thrilling tale of supernatural suspense set on the American frontier!

3 winners will each receive a hardcover copy of the brand new Black Hills by Dan Simmons, as well as the newly released paperback copy of Drood, courtesy of Hachette!

To enter, comment on this post with your e-mail address.

Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe to or follow Luxury Reading (1 entry each)
- Blog about this giveaway (5 entries)
- Share this giveaway on a social network of your choice. Click the “share” button below (1 entry each)
- Enter another Luxury Reading giveaway (1 entry each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on March 17th.

Giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Hachette Book Group. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
View Post
Page 85 of 97« First...102030...8384858687...90...Last »