Category Archives: Rated A

March 25, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Way It Should Be by Christina Suzann Nelson

Title: The Way It Should Be by Christina Suzann Nelson
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Women’s Fiction
Length: 351 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

After years of estrangement, the lives of Zara Mahoney and her twin sister, Eve, are suddenly and completely intertwined again. Eve’s troubled lifestyle causes the state to take custody of her two children and contact Zara and her husband, asking them to consider foster care. Newlywed Zara thought she’d finally been given a fresh start and feels wholly unprepared to care for a niece and nephew whose existence she wasn’t even aware of.

Meanwhile, Eve may have a real chance to start over this time with the help of Tiff Bradley, who’s dedicated to helping women everyone else has given up on after facing a heartbreaking tragedy in her own family.

Over the course of one summer, all three women’s hearts and lives hang in the balance as Eve desperately works toward a new life. Can they redefine their expectations of how life should be to find the hope they–and those they love–so desperately need?

Review:

The Way It Should Be by Christina Suzann Nelson is an emotionally compelling Christian novel of healing and grace.

Zara and Chad Mahoney are newlyweds who have just settled into their new home. The farm and house need some TLC but Zara is absolutely delighted with her new life. She is eager to begin planting the herbs, flowers and plants that she uses to make soaps, lotions and loofahs. However, they have barely finished unpacking when she receives a letter from  DHS. Zara’s estranged twin sister, Eve, is in the hospital and social services needs a temporary home for her young children, five-year-old Charlotte and eighteen-month-old Sammy. Zara is uncertain about taking in the kids but Chad has no qualms about bringing them into their home. After agonizing over the decision, Zara agrees and with the help of her mother-in-law, Sharon, and their church, Charlotte and Sammy are now in their care.

Eve is addicted to heroin and living with a man whose beating puts her in the hospital. Devastated over losing her children, she is determined to kick her habit and make the necessary changes to get her kids back. With the help of her unlikely friend, Tiff Bradley, Eve has the support she needs but giving up heroin is so much harder than she believed it would be. Luckily, Tiff is not giving up on her and she gets her into detox and finds her a place to begin her recovery. Eve is well on her way to turning her life around but will her ex-boyfriend, Joey, let her go?

Tiff is an unlikely savior since she and her husband Bruce are wealthy.  But the couple learned the hard way that addiction does not care what about your socio-economic status. They lost their daughter Lindsay to drugs and Tiff works through her grief by helping women on the outer edges of society. Unfortunately, her desire to assist these women is a source of contention between her and Bruce.

With a gentle undercurrent of faith, The Way It Should Be is a moving novel with a realistic storyline. Zara’s struggles with guilt ring true as does her wariness at opening her heart to temporary custody. Chad is a charming and outgoing with a huge heart. Charlotte’s reactions to her new situation are heartbreaking but understandable. Eve’s struggles with addiction and extremely low self-worth are heartrending. Tiff’s grief and self-recriminations over not doing more for her daughter are natural and her desire to help others comes from her heart and her strong faith. With a surprising plot twist, Christina Suzann Nelson brings this poignant yet redemptive novel to an uplifting conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this emotional and well-researched novel.

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Filed under Bethany House Publishers, Christian, Christina Suzann Nelson, Contemporary, Rated A, Review, The Way It Should Be, Women's Fiction

December 2, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: This Is Not a Lie by S.C. Farrow

Title: This Is Not a Lie by S.C. Farrow
Publisher: Dixi Books Limited
Genre: Historical (80s), Gay, Literary
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In 1984, St Kilda is the heart and soul of Melbourne’s thriving music scene. Joel Reed, a brilliant young guitarist and songwriter, followed his sister Karen to the bohemian beachside suburb to chase his dream of becoming a rock star. On the surface, it seems like Joel has got it all together. He’s in an up-and-coming rock ‘n’ roll band and is surrounded by people who want to see him succeed. However, Joel is also a high-functioning heroin addict and closet homosexual. Desperately lonely and dangerously self-destructive, he hides his true self, lives a carefully constructed lie, lest he be discovered, outed, and shunned by the city’s legion of hard rock fans. When the band is forced to audition for a new frontman, Joel’s world is turned upside down. Harry Engel, offbeat, charming, and disarmingly charismatic, walks into the rehearsal room to audition and rocks Joel’s carefully constructed world. Joel’s never met anyone like him before – and it’s not long before he falls in love. However, there’s no way he can tell Harry how he feels. There’s no way he can’t tell anyone how he feels. He can’t do anything to jeopardise the band’s success. And so, he lives the carefully constructed lie – until tragedy strikes and threatens end Joel once and for all.

Review:

Taking place in Australia in 1984, This Is Not a Lie by S.C. Farrow is a captivating novel that is quite poignant.

In his early twenties, Joel Reed is the founder and lead guitarist of  hard rock band The Blackhearts. After losing their lead singer, Harry Engel joins the band over the objections of Joel’s sister and band manager, Karen. With the opportunity to finally score a record deal, turmoil roils within the band as Joel wrestles with his feelings for Harry and his addiction to heroin. Karen is worried about the band’s future so she makes a decision she believes is in The Blackhearts’ best interest. The other band members are supportive of one another, but they have financial concerns as they practice long hours in hopes of finally reaching their goal of stardom.

Joel is willing to put in the hard work to make The Blackhearts a success. He is a little quick to anger and he can be stubborn.  Although Joel knows he has to stay in the closet in order to achieve success, he uses heroin and alcohol to dull his pain.  He has successfully managed to keep his desires under wraps, but his strong attraction to Harry is almost impossible to hide.  And resist.

Harry is a charming, charismatic and gifted singer. He is also a very talented songwriter whose suggestions take the band’s songs to a whole new level. Harry is also drawn to Joel but he is haunted by the events that precipitated his move to Melbourne.  His demons threaten to derail The Blackhearts shot at finally finding success.

Joel is deeply flawed with realistic issues that he refuses to talk about or deal with. His addiction to heroin is not glamorized but rather serves a reminder that many addicts are functional with families and careers.  Joel’s pain is palpable as he struggles with hiding who he is in order to achieve success.

Full of heartbreak and hope, This Is Not a Lie is an emotional novel that is well-written with vibrantly developed characters. The subject matter is true to the time period and difficult topics are realistically handled with sensitivity. S.C. Farrow brings this compelling novel to a surprisingly upbeat conclusion. I absolutely loved and HIGHLY recommend this outstanding novel.

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Filed under Dixi Publishing Limited, Gay, Historical, Historical (80s), Literary, Rated A, Review, SC Farrow, This Is Not a Lie

June 21, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin

Title: What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Lex was taken–trafficked–and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again.

After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn’t trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that’s what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things.

But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.

Kate McLaughlin’s What Unbreakable Looks Like is a gritty, ultimately hopeful novel about human trafficking through the lens of a girl who has escaped the life and learned to trust, not only others, but in herself.

Review:

What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin is a poignant young adult novel of healing.

Groomed by Mitch, a friend of her alcoholic mother, Alexa “Lex” Grace becomes a victim of trafficking. With her name changed to Poppy, she endures horrific abuse made bearable by the drugs supplied by Mitch. Knowing all too well how difficult it is to adjust to their new circumstances, she takes newcomer Jaime (who is renamed Ivy) under her wing. When the police raid the motel where they live and work from, Poppy and Ivy are taken to the hospital where preparations begin for the next phase of their lives. Unfortunately, Ivy returns to Mitch while Poppy eventually goes to live with her Aunt Krys and her husband Jamal Morgan.

Reclaiming her legal name, Lex begins her arduous journey of recovery at a nearby rehabilitation home.  She is not addicted to drugs but she craves the numbness she experiences while under their influence.  Her coping mechanism is indifference as Lex compartmentalizes her experiences. After her time at the home comes to an abrupt end, she moves in Chrys and Jamal where she struggles with trust issues and extremely low self-worth. Lex is often detached with a fatalistic attitude about what she perceives is a precarious new life.

Lex finds a small circle of support with new friends, Elsa and Zack.  Her recovery from what happened to her is slow as she catches up on school work and prepares for her senior year of high school. A fateful decision that exposes her past unexpectedly becomes a turning point in her healing process.  Despite a few missteps and poor choices, Lex finally begins to reflect on her time with Mitch.  With the help of her aunt, Jamal, Elsa and Zack, Lex is truly on the path to recovery.

What Unbreakable Looks Like is a heartrending young adult novel with a complex storyline.  Lex is a multi-faceted teenager with an authentic voice and realistic reactions to what she has endured. The secondary characters are diverse and well-developed. The subject matter is difficult to read but Kate McLaughlin deftly handles these issues with sensitivity. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and surprisingly uplifting novel to older teen and adult readers.

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Filed under Contemporary, Kate McLaughlin, Rated A, Wednesday Books, What Unbreakable Looks Like, Young Adult

November 10, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens

Title: Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Historical (’70s), Fiction, Mystery
Length: 305 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In a small town where loyalty to family and to “your people” carries the weight of a sacred oath, defying those unspoken rules can be a deadly proposition.

After fifteen years of growing up in the Ozark hills with his widowed mother, high-school freshman Boady Sanden is beyond ready to move on. He dreams of glass towers and cityscapes, driven by his desire to be anywhere other than Jessup, Missouri. The new kid at St. Ignatius High School, if he isn’t being pushed around, he is being completely ignored. Even his beloved woods, his playground as a child and his sanctuary as he grew older, seem to be closing in on him, suffocating him.

Then Thomas Elgin moves in across the road, and Boady’s life begins to twist and turn. Coming to know the Elgins-a black family settling into a community where notions of “us” and “them” carry the weight of history-forces Boady to rethink his understanding of the world he’s taken for granted. Secrets hidden in plain sight begin to unfold: the mother who wraps herself in the loss of her husband, the neighbor who carries the wounds of a mysterious past that he holds close, the quiet boss who is fighting his own hidden battle.

But the biggest secret of all is the disappearance of Lida Poe, the African-American woman who keeps the books at the local plastics factory. Word has it that Ms. Poe left town, along with a hundred thousand dollars of company money. Although Boady has never met the missing woman, he discovers that the threads of her life are woven into the deepest fabric of his world.

As the mystery of her fate plays out, Boady begins to see the stark lines of race and class that both bind and divide this small town, and he is forced to choose sides.

Review:

Taking place in a rural Missouri town in 1976, Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens is a captivating coming of age novel with a slight mystery element.

Fifteen year old Boady Sanden is desperate to leave the small rural town where he lives with his mother, Emma.  Thrust into the local Catholic high school after running with the wrong crowd, Boady is invisible to his classmates until he catches the attention of school bully Jarvis Halcomb and his pals. Luckily the school year is almost over so he goes to great lengths to stay out of Halcomb’s sight. However, his confidence is misplaced and the last day of class, Jarvis demands Boady spray paint racial slurs on Boady’s new neighbors’ house. Despite his less than impressive first meeting with Thomas Elgin, the two teenagers have become close friends so Boady has no plan to do Halcomb’s bidding. With racial tensions worsening over the course of the summer, Thomas and Boady find themselves in the crosshairs of the local white supremacy group after the teenagers make a shocking discovery.

Until Thomas moves to town, Boady remains friendless and an outsider who is unnoticed until his protective nature puts him at odds with Jarvis.  He yearns for a life away from his small hometown and he has a plan in place to achieve his goal. Boady is saving all of the money he makes working part-time for his mom’s boss, Wally Schenicker, in order to run away.  Jarvis’s uncle Milo and cousin Angus also work for Wally which could possibly complicate his plans to lie low in an attempt to avoid Jarvis.

Thomas is none too pleased with his family’s move to rural Missouri. He has no idea how rampant racism is in the local community and he is stunned when Boady explains some of the ways in which African Americans are targeted. Despite the more serious issues occurring around them, Thomas and Boady spend much of the summer exploring the surrounding woods and camping on their own.

But the Sanden and Elgin families find it impossible to escape the rising tension. Thomas’s dad Charles is the new manager of the local factory where Jarvis’s father works. The disappearance of African American Lida Poe, who is suspected of embezzling from the factory, remains unsolved.  Charles is very aware of the seething resentment and outright hatred directed his way, but he is determined to uncover the truth about Lida’s guilt or innocence. His efforts are stymied by the lack of investigation by the local sheriff. As events play out, Boady’s neighbor and mentor, Hoke Gardner, is instrumental in bringing in the state police but is it too late to protect them from the peril that is heading their way?

Nothing More Dangerous is a fraught novel that delves into serious topics such as racism, police corruption, and  bullying. All of the characters are beautifully rendered and vibrantly three-dimensional. The small town setting vividly springs to life through Thomas and Boady’s adventures and daily activities.  Allen Eskens challenges readers to explore their own unconscious biases as Boady comes to terms with his.  I absolutely loved and highly recommend this spellbinding and thought-provoking novel.

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Filed under Allen Eskens, Fiction, Mulholland Books, Mystery, Nothing More Dangerous, Rated A, Review

August 12, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs

Title: The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

“Stitched together with love, this is a story just waiting for your favorite reading chair. With her signature style and skill, Susan Wiggs delivers an intricate patchwork of old wounds and new beginnings, romance and the healing power of friendship, wrapped in a lovely little community that’s hiding a few secrets of its own.”
— Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

The #1 New York Times bestselling author brings us her most ambitious and provocative work yet—a searing and timely novel that explores the most volatile issue of our time—domestic violence.

At the break of dawn, Caroline Shelby rolls into Oysterville, Washington, a tiny hamlet at the edge of the raging Pacific.

She’s come home.

Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.

And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.

But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.

Caroline returns to her favorite place: the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.

Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.

Review:

The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs is a poignant, heartwarming novel that features a meaningful and topical storyline.

Caroline Shelby is on the cusp of attaining her dream of becoming a successful fashion designer when her hopes and dreams are soon dashed by her boss Mick Taylor. She is still reeling from her professional loss when her best friend Angelique Baptiste unexpectedly dies. Caroline is now the guardian of Angelique’s two young children, six year Flick and his five year old sister Addie. Soon after, she packs up the children and leaves New York to return to Oysterville, her hometown on the Washington coast.  Living with her parents, Caroline hopes to salvage her tattered career but getting used to instant motherhood takes some adjustment. Determined to understand what happened to Angelique, Caroline puts together a domestic violence support group for the women in her area.  Growing into her new life, Caroline finds unexpected success with her fledgling design line. But will the opportunity for success slip through her fingers when she decides to confront her past in New York?

Growing up, Caroline is the only one in her family whose future plans did not include working in her family’s wildly popular restaurant. She has spent the past several years working hard and barely scraping as she pursues her career goals. Powerless when she is betrayed by someone she trusts, Caroline is frustrated at being forced to start over again. She is also very concerned by her suspicions that Angelique is being abused. After her friend’s death, Caroline has no choice but to return home. She is grateful for her family’s support but Caroline is troubled by the uncertainty about their future.

Caroline’s happiness over reconnecting with Will and Sierra is tempered by her unresolved feelings about her childhood friends. The high point of her childhood summers revolve around Will’s yearly visits with his grandparents. They spend every waking minute together and their easy camaraderie results in shared secrets and a deep emotional bond. Fast forward a few years, and Caroline is now best friends with Sierra. But the addition of Sierra to her summers with Will causes unforeseen complications for Caroline. Deciding the best course of action is moving to New York after high school graduation, Caroline tries to forget how she feels about Will. After he and Sierra marry, her friendship with the couple gradually fades away. Which is why Caroline is so stunned to discover she still has feelings for Will. What impact will Sierra’s decision to chase her own dreams have on Will and Caroline?

The Oysterville Sewing Circle is a captivating novel of family, redemption and ultimately, love. The narration weaves back and forth in time and provides a touching portrait of Caroline’s and Will’s magical summers and close friendship. The characters are richly developed with relatable strengths and all too human foibles. The coastal setting is idyllic and quite healing as Caroline, Addie and Flick settle into their new life together. The domestic abuse aspect of the storyline is heart-wrenching and realistically portrayed.  Caroline’s struggles with her former boss shine a much needed light on how easy it is for powerful men to take advantage of the women who work for them.  With a realistic storyline and endearing characters, Susan Wiggs has deftly woven together a multi-layered and deeply affecting novel that will touch readers hearts and linger in their minds long after the last page is turned. I absolutely adored and highly recommend this charming yet sometimes bittersweet novel.

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Filed under Contemporary, Rated A, Review, Susan Wiggs, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

March 17, 2019 · 11:56 pm

Review: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

Title: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
Publisher: Graydon House
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Fiction
Length: 432 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the Russian refugee camp she calls home, a young woman speaks her wedding vows. It’s a decision that will alter her destiny…and it’s a lie that will remain buried until the next century.

Since she was nine years old, Alina Dziak knew she would marry her best friend, Tomasz. Now fifteen and engaged, Alina is unconcerned by reports of Nazi soldiers at the Polish border, believing her neighbors that they pose no real threat, and dreams instead of the day Tomasz returns from college in Warsaw so they can be married. But little by little, injustice by brutal injustice, the Nazi occupation takes hold, and Alina’s tiny rural village, its families, are divided by fear and hate. Then, as the fabric of their lives is slowly picked apart, Tomasz disappears. Where Alina used to measure time between visits from her beloved, now she measures the spaces between hope and despair, waiting for word from Tomasz and avoiding the attentions of the soldiers who patrol her parents’ farm. But for now, even deafening silence is preferable to grief.

Slipping between Nazi-occupied Poland and the frenetic pace of modern life, Kelly Rimmer creates an emotional and finely wrought narrative that weaves together two women’s stories into a tapestry of perseverance, loyalty, love and honor. The Things We Cannot Say is an unshakable reminder of the devastation when truth is silenced…and how it can take a lifetime to find our voice before we learn to trust it.

Review:

Weaving back and forth in time, The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer is a heartrending novel about the Nazi occupation in Poland.

In the present, Alice Michaels is heartbroken her beloved grandmother, Hanna, has suffered a stroke. Alice is already stretched to the limit caring for her and her husband Wade’s special needs seven year old son Eddie, and their highly intelligent ten year old daughter Pascale “Callie”. When Hanna indicates she wants her to find her husband, Tomasz, Alice and her mother, Julita, are confused because he has passed away. Due to Hanna’s tearful insistence and her anger at Wade, Alice makes an impulsive decision to go to Poland to try to figure out what her grandmother wants her to find.  Despite her concern that Wade is not at all prepared for caring for Eddie, she sets off on an uncertain journey in hopes of finding the answer that will bring her ninety-five year old grandmother peace.

When she and Wade married, Alice never intended to be a stay at home mother. But after doctors confirmed that Eddie is on the autism spectrum, she dedicated herself to giving their son the best possible life. He is non-verbal and thrives on routine. Wade works long hours so most of the household and childcare duties fall to Alice who is growing resentful of his lack of involvement. Their marriage is a minefield of bitterness and anger as they avoid discussing their issues.

During the Nazi occupation of Poland, Alina Dziak and her family labor in harsh conditions on their family farm. They are forced to hand over the food they grow in exchange for rations that barely keep them alive. Alina is also very worried about her fiancé, Tomasz, who is away at college in Warsaw when Germany invades Poland. Not knowing whether he is dead or alive, Alina lives in hope he will return to her.  Adding to her and her family’s worries, the Nazis have built a labor camp where Poland’s Jews are forced to live and work under untenable circumstance.  They are also worried about who they ca trust since alliances among their friends and neighbors are harshly divided.

Despite her worries about Wade caring for their children, Alice tries to focus on her mission to figure out what her grandmother wants her to find. Aided by a Polish tour guide and a list of names and places from Hanna, they first journey to  the small town where Hanna lived during the war.  Alice is confused by the conflicting information she finds and she is frustrated by a local woman’s refusal to help her. With Hanna’s condition worsening, will Alice find what she needs to comfort her grandmother?

The Things We Cannot Say is a very poignant and highly emotional novel that offers a heartbreaking glimpse of life in Poland during the Nazi occupation.  Equally enlightening is the story arc with Alice’s domestic life and her inability to voice her frustrations. Both Aline and Alice discover their inner strength as they are forced to handle difficult situations.  Kelly Rimmer’s outstanding research brings the horrors of Nazi occupied Poland vividly to life. Despite the difficult subject matter, I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this absolutely riveting novel.

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Filed under Contemporary, Fiction, Graydon House, Historical, Historical (40s), Kelly Rimmer, Rated A, Review, The Things We Cannot Say