Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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When Indiespensable arrived this month, I looked at the Book of Jonas, but decided to dive into the Advanced Readers Copy of Battleborn (a free gift) first. What a great decision. The stories in this collection can be dark in places, gritty in others. The book is a mix of forms, characters and styles, making it an adventure through the collection, as you never know who or what will come next. I am highly impressed with this debut by Watkins and highly anticipate further stories from her.
Wanderlust is a decent, quick read if you go in with the right expectations. Eaves’ memoir is not a travel log of all the places she’s been, but rather a recollection of all the emotions she experienced while traveling, due mainly to her relationships with men, and only sometimes to her interactions with different cultures. (excerpt from review at www.luxuryreading.com)
The Time In Between is a twist on the normal coming of age stories. In the beginning, Sira is young, a daughter of a single mother, working as an assistant to her mother and Dona Manuela, running errands and sweeping floors. Duenas moves quickly through this portion of Sira’s life and gets us to the moments that shape her fate and send Sira on her adventures. In the end, she’s evolved into a strong-willed, charming and, at moments, quite cunning woman.
We travel with Sira through tough times, happy moments, loneliness, and true bliss. She breaks out of the life that is laid out before her and fights (sometimes unwillingly) to create a life of her own. She grows from a confused teenager into a woman who knows what she wants and in many ways, how to obtain it. She takes extreme risks, and some moments of The Time In Between will have you hanging on every word. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to future offerings from Maria Duenas. (excerpt from review at www.luxuryreading.com)
Ephron’s stories are flat with very little emotion. In one of the later stories, Ephron comes close to something truly personal, meaningful, something deep and then vows never to speak of it. Her stories are about a privileged woman residing in Southern California. I would imagine with effort these stories really could have been touching and heartfelt, but they are presented here as shallow and unmemorable. I have no doubt Ephron has some really good stories to share, but these are not those stories…not yet. (excerpt from review at www.luxuryreading.com)
I'm torn with this novel. The American Heiress is a novel of frivolity and it's consequences. It was a quick read with wonderful descriptions of England and the time period. Many scenes were filled with intricate and delicate details that draws you into the era. The novel is well written and organized. The characters are unique to each other. Some are well developed, while others are left shallow and undefined. However, the fact that Cora is (and maybe it is purposeful) oblivious to what those around her have made very obvious is a bit unnerving and frustrating. You really want to yell in her face and tell her to smarten up a bit. It may be the intent of Goodwin to have the reader react in this manner and if that is the case, she is quite successful. While I would not actively search out this novel, The American Heiress is extremely readable and worth the time if it ever lands on your night table. (excerpt from original review at www.luxuryreading.com)
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Alisha C has commented on (30) products.
Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins
Alisha C, April 13, 2012
When Indiespensable arrived this month, I looked at the Book of Jonas, but decided to dive into the Advanced Readers Copy of Battleborn (a free gift) first. What a great decision. The stories in this collection can be dark in places, gritty in others. The book is a mix of forms, characters and styles, making it an adventure through the collection, as you never know who or what will come next. I am highly impressed with this debut by Watkins and highly anticipate further stories from her.Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents by Elisabeth Eaves
Alisha C, January 14, 2012
Wanderlust is a decent, quick read if you go in with the right expectations. Eaves’ memoir is not a travel log of all the places she’s been, but rather a recollection of all the emotions she experienced while traveling, due mainly to her relationships with men, and only sometimes to her interactions with different cultures. (excerpt from review at www.luxuryreading.com)The Time in Between by Maria Duenas
Alisha C, January 14, 2012
The Time In Between is a twist on the normal coming of age stories. In the beginning, Sira is young, a daughter of a single mother, working as an assistant to her mother and Dona Manuela, running errands and sweeping floors. Duenas moves quickly through this portion of Sira’s life and gets us to the moments that shape her fate and send Sira on her adventures. In the end, she’s evolved into a strong-willed, charming and, at moments, quite cunning woman.We travel with Sira through tough times, happy moments, loneliness, and true bliss. She breaks out of the life that is laid out before her and fights (sometimes unwillingly) to create a life of her own. She grows from a confused teenager into a woman who knows what she wants and in many ways, how to obtain it. She takes extreme risks, and some moments of The Time In Between will have you hanging on every word. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to future offerings from Maria Duenas. (excerpt from review at www.luxuryreading.com)
Loose Diamonds: ...and Other Things I've Lost (and Found) Along the Way by Amy Ephron
Alisha C, January 14, 2012
Ephron’s stories are flat with very little emotion. In one of the later stories, Ephron comes close to something truly personal, meaningful, something deep and then vows never to speak of it. Her stories are about a privileged woman residing in Southern California. I would imagine with effort these stories really could have been touching and heartfelt, but they are presented here as shallow and unmemorable. I have no doubt Ephron has some really good stories to share, but these are not those stories…not yet. (excerpt from review at www.luxuryreading.com)The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Alisha C, January 14, 2012
I'm torn with this novel. The American Heiress is a novel of frivolity and it's consequences. It was a quick read with wonderful descriptions of England and the time period. Many scenes were filled with intricate and delicate details that draws you into the era. The novel is well written and organized. The characters are unique to each other. Some are well developed, while others are left shallow and undefined. However, the fact that Cora is (and maybe it is purposeful) oblivious to what those around her have made very obvious is a bit unnerving and frustrating. You really want to yell in her face and tell her to smarten up a bit. It may be the intent of Goodwin to have the reader react in this manner and if that is the case, she is quite successful. While I would not actively search out this novel, The American Heiress is extremely readable and worth the time if it ever lands on your night table. (excerpt from original review at www.luxuryreading.com)1-5 of 30next