Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Sunday, March 12, 2023
I Love When You Lie by
I Love It When You Lie by Kristen Bird
Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778333432
Trade paperback, $18.99, 352 pages
Kristen Bird’s intriguing novel I Love It When You Lie begins with Stephanie Williams, wife of the town mayor, answering questions in the sheriff’s office. Her three sisters-in-law- Tara, June and Clementine, along with Stephanie, are thought to be responsible for the disappearance of one of four men: “a preacher, a doctor, a professor and a mayor.”
The question to be answered is which one has disappeared and why. Tara is the oldest sister, the one who took care of her younger siblings when they spent a short time in foster care after the death of their parents. Their grandmother took the children in and lovingly raised them, and they are preparing for her funeral as the story begins.
Tara’s husband is the the town preacher, who spends most of his time tending to the needs of his parishioners rather than his wife and teenage daughter Lottie, who is rebellious. She is hiding a big secret from her husband and if it comes out, it could destroy their all their lives.
June is a nurse at the local hospital, married to a doctor from Peru. It took time for the townspeople to accept her husband, but he is well-respected now. June has had several miscarriages, and is despondent that they don’t have a baby. A tragedy with a patient becomes compounded when June does something desperate, something that her husband can never support.
Clementine is dating a much older married professor at her college, a man who is accused of sexual misconduct with his students. While she becomes wary of all of the signs that he is not the man she hopes he is, she knows that if she leaves him, he can destroy her career as a writer. When he accompanies her back home to her grandmother’s funeral, secrets are outed.
Stephanie catches her cheating husband during his grandmother’s funeral wake and decides she has had enough. Besides, she is the one who should be mayor of this small town, she has the brains and the drive to do it better than her husband.
The sisterly relationships are the core of this story. They protect each other, even if they are not always in agreement with the decisions each one makes. I liked the Alabama setting, and learning about the small town rituals, especially Decoration Day, when everyone gathers to honor those they lost with shared food, songs, and psalms.
So who disappears and who made him disappear? You’ll have to read to find out.
If you are a fan of the fantastic Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters, (as I am), put I Love It When You Lie on your TBR list.
Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Winter 2023 Mystery/Thrillers Blog Tours.
Friday, March 10, 2023
Friday 5ive- March 10, 2023
Firece women |
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Author Andrea Dunlop |
Publisher Zibby Owens |
5) March is Irish Heritage Month and I'm reading books set in Ireland written by Irish authors. First up is Trespasses by Louise Kennedy. Set in a small Northern Ireland town during the Troubles, Cushla lives with her mother, teaches at a Catholic school, and works at the family's bar. They are a Catholic family, and many of their patrons are Protestants, including soldiers who'd rather be back home. When Cushla meets a Protestant barrister who represents people accused of being IRA terrorists, she falls hard for him. The fact that he is married and his friends think many Catholics are terrorists causes friction between them. The story is so atmospheric, it brings the reader right into this time and place that isn't that far away. There are some parallels to things that happen here in the United States, particularly interactions between minority populations and police. Two pivotal scenes had me torn up and audibly crying "No!" I highly recommend Trespasses.
I started reading When in Rome by Liam Callanhan on my Kindle thinking I was reading When in Rome, a light rom-com by Sarah Adams. Liam's book is about a 52 year-old commerical realtor named Claire who specializes in helping religious communities sell their properties. She travels to Rome to help an order of nuns get the best price for their convent, set in the ruins of Rome. Claire becomes involved with the four nuns, whose order will disband them unless they can find another apostolate to join the order or get a buyer who will let them stay. When Claire was in college, she had intentions of joining a different order of nuns, but life intervened otherwise. Now Claire is in a midlife crisis and she has to decide what she truly wants out of life. I'm always intrigued when a male author writes a female protagonist, it's unique. If you are thinking about visiting Rome, this one should be on your list, it's another atmospheric novel.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry by Sara Read
Monday, March 6, 2023
The Sister Effect by Susan Mallery
Friday, February 24, 2023
Friday 5ive- February 24, 2023
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The finished product |
When her mother returns home, Maddie moves into an apartment with two women she doesn't know. She lands a new job as an assistant at a small publishing company, which excites her as she wants to be a writer. She also begins to date, something in which she lacks experience.
Going in a different tonal direction, Helen Ellis's upcoming book (June) of humorous essays, Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions of a Happy Marriage continues her streak of making me laugh so hard my stomach hurts. (American Housewife, Southern Lady Code, and Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light also my stomach hurt.)
Sunday, February 19, 2023
It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison
Friday, February 17, 2023
Friday 5ive- February 17, 2023
The toasted pannetone |
Diiner is served! |
Eniola is a young teen whose family is plunged into poverty when his father is one of 6000 teachers who lost their job. His father comes deeply depressed and he, his mother, and sister are forced into begging family and strangers for money for food, rent, and school tuition.
Wuraola is a doctor from a wealthy family who becomes engaged to longtime family friend. She begins to question her future when her betrothed’s behavior becomes intolerable, knowing that her family will be angry if she calls the wedding off.
Eniola’s involvement with a local group of young men with ties to a powerful politician at first seems to be the answer to his family’s money problems, but soon turns dangerous.
Adébáyo brings the reader directly into this Nigerian setting, with the dichotomy of the poverty of Eniola and the wealth of Wurola’s circle jumping off the page at you. The customs, the food, the education, political, and medical systems provide an eye-opening experience for the reader.
Once again, Adébáyo’s story is heartbreaking and you ache for these characters that you will not soon forget.