W — WINTER GARDEN, written by Kristin Hannah; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

Published by St. Martin’s Press.

If you don’t like to cry from time to time, don’t read this book. If you don’t like to feel a lot, don’t read this book. If you have a weak stomach when it comes to graphic turmoil, don’t read this book. But, if somewhere inside you there is a fairy-tale heart waiting to be stroked, read this book. Don’t wait, because as WINTER GARDEN will prove, you never know what tomorrow will bring.

It’s a story of love as much as it is of war, and about hope as much as fear and oppression. Mostly, it’s a story of acceptance, forgiveness, and moving forward. It’s a literary work of living in its best and worse sense. The plot glides back and forth between a Russian history and current day life in America, showing one woman’s struggle to get through the past and the thawing of her lost fairy-tale heart as she brings her family together again.

There were times I wanted to throw the book across the room, but I didn’t. Couldn’t. I had to know how these people got to where they are today. I’m so glad I stuck with it. It was never a dislike for the story or the writing that tempted me to toss WINTER GARDEN. It was the strong emotions it triggered that had me worried whether or not I could continue reading. Could I find even a fraction of the strength these characters needed, these characters who lived it? Yet this skilled author made me live it too. You can’t read this story and not feel every piece of it. The writing is excellent. The characters are real. The story is powerful. Don’t give up on reading it regardless of the emotions it triggers. You’ll be glad you stuck with it.

Happy reading!

V — VERITY, written by Colleen Hoover; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

 

Published by Grand Central Publishing, a home of such authors as David Baldacci, Harlan Coben, Sandra Brown and  Nicholas Sparks.

This is the psychological thriller that made me the Colleen Hoover fan that I am. VERITY is the first of Hoover’s books I ever read.  I plan to read it again, and again.

I love mysteries, love a little romance, love MG and YA, and, I live for suspense. Tension? Won’t read without it. But I usually don’t like to be scared or pushed into s studying the shadows on my walls, or to force my dog to walk everywhere with me all through the night. But I did, after and during this book. (Poor, Teddy!)

Character Lowen is a novelist who isn’t doing too well, career-wise, and she’s not big on self-promotion or marketing. Add to that a few other circumstances, and she takes a job finishing a few planned novels for the well-known author—Verity—who was in an accident and is now unable to complete her series. Verity’s husband, Jeremy Crawford, convinces Lowen that she is the best writer for the job, because Lowen’s writing style matches Verity’s.

Sounds like the perfect scenario. And possibly, it is, until Lowen finds a manuscript that may not be meant for the public. It’s personal and horrifying. It’s an autobiography.

Lowen convinces herself to read the secret pages by telling herself that knowing Verity’s story will help her understand the woman whose writing she’s trying to emulate. It will help Lowen in finishing the series. That’s her job, after all. But naturally, unexpected relationships come into play, as well as a wealth of unexpected discoveries.

Twists and surprises await you in this haunting reality that will surely stay with you and make you, too, a Colleen Hoover fan. Happy reading!

U— UGLY LOVE, written by Colleen Hoover; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

Published by Atria Books.

UGLY LOVE isn’t my favorite of Colleen’s books, but it’s a good read if you’re looking for romance. In this particular book, Hoover writes a hot lovemaking scene much like Stephen King writes a setting—lo-o-ong, and extremely detailed. That may appeal to some, not to others. Either way, the storyline is good. It’s solid. As always, Hoover's characterization is top-notch. You really feel you know these characters. You can smell the air where they live and feel the heat of any given moment.

The backstory is excellent. Though we don’t get to know much about the female main character, Tate, through her youth (we do later), we get to know a lot about Miles, the young adult male character. Good plan, considering in present day he’s one of those quiet, mysterious types. That can be  romantic, for a while, but it’s not hard to understand how a relationship with Mr. Quietly Mysterious would get old, frustrating.

And that’s where I had the problem. Despite liking the book a lot, because I did, I was disappointed to find out that I was more interested in Miles’s story back when he believed in communication than I was in his present-day life. I kept wanting to rush through the present day sections of the novel and feel my way through his life as a young adult. Luckily, his young adult self grabbed me enough to get me to read the book as a whole. I’m so glad I did. UGLY LOVE was worth the wait to see these characters figuring out their lives.

Happy reading!

T — THE CASE OF THE VANISHING CONMAN, written by Mithran Somasundrum, and THE FAMILY ACROSS THE STREET, written by Nicole Trope, reviewed by Debi O’Neille and Amanda Ruzsa, respectively.

THE CASE OF THE VANISHING CONMAN, published by Joffe Books, LTD.

I first read Mithran Somasundrum’s writing fifteen or twenty years ago through an online (writing) critique group. We haven’t kept in touch, but I do remember how his writing stood out among many members. I always scanned the list of submissions for his name, knowing that if I critiqued his story, he’d likely critique mine. The truth is, even if he hadn’t (and polite as he is, he always did), my time would’ve been well spent reading his work. So when I was recently browsing through titles for something to read and saw his name on a book, excitement rose up in me as if I had just won a Pulitzer.

Mithran has had many short stories published over the years in well-known publications such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, The Sun, and one close to my home turf, The Minnesota Review, and I’ve enjoyed every one that I’ve read. I could go on and on raving about his writing and accomplishments, but for now, let me tell you about his book THE CASE OF THE VANISHING CONMAN. Talk about attention to detail, Mithran takes it to a new level. His story takes place in Bangkok, and the way he mentions different Thai foods and paints vivid pictures of teak trees and noodle carts, Mithran puts you right there—comfortable in an unfamiliar culture—with his main character, Vijay, who pounds the streets looking for the truths.

Owing some nasty people a lot of money, Vijay plans to pull himself out of debt by serving the area as a translator. But he’s just starting out and the money isn’t coming in fast enough, so he doubles as a private investigator. He ends up with three cases going at once, not knowing until later that they are interrelated.

Between translations and detective work, Vijay is a master juggler. He’s working for a crime boss who wants his name cleared since a soon-to-be published book shows him in a bad light, and at the same time, the crime boss’s wife hires Vijay to do a little snooping into her husband’s love life. Working both sides of a marriage involving a crime boss? What could possibly go wrong?

And then there’s the case leading Vijay from one character to another trying to uncover what happened to the conman.

But crime bosses, jealous spouses, and missing people aren’t all that will keep mystery lovers turning the pages; Mithran also throws in a murder to be solved. THE CASE OF THE VANISHING CONMAN offers excellent tension, striking detail, and just enough humor to keep the story lively. Vijay, the translator — detective, is an absolutely lovable character with a great sense of humor. I sure hope to see him in more stories.

Mithran has two other books out, which I haven’t read yet, but I most certainly will soon. THE CALCULATOR AND OTHER STORIES is his collection of short stories (currently free on Amazon Kindle format), all previously published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. THE MASK UNDER MY FACE: A Novel is also ready for your enjoyment. I can’t wait to read every page. I’ll be reviewing these works sometime in the future.

AND NOW…

THE FAMILY ACROSS THE STREET, written by Nicole Trope; reviewed by Amanda Ruzsa, Blood of My Pen

Published by Bookouture.

I finished reading this psychological thriller in just one day, and I was absolutely immersed in it. The unexpected twists continuously took me by surprise, and I'm sure it will have the same effect on you. The imagery is so well-written that pieces of this story crept into my dreams!

I highly recommend giving THE FAMILY ACROSS THE STREET a read. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout, evoking unease, anxiety, and intense mental battles. The characters are so vividly portrayed that I found myself connecting with them as if they were real people. This book ignited a sense of fear and anguish in me that cannot be ignored. Trust me, you won't regret picking it up.

Enjoy the read! Amanda Ruzsa, Blood ofMy Pen

S — SHE SAID: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement, written by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

 SHE SAID is the story of the investigation that Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, Pulitzer prize-winning reporters for the New York Times, led when they broke the news of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment and assault. 

Published by Penguin books and reviewed by Debi O’Neille.

Though most of my reviews have been on fiction, this book is the true story of two brave and determined reporters covering what many did not want told. The book includes private interviews, off-the-record information, and facts of the turmoil many women suffered during and since their victimization.

Parts of this novel literally made me sick to my stomach, and yet I never doubted a word of it.  SHE SAID is  hard to read because each disgusting and horrifying event mentioned really happened. Much of it angered me, as I’m sure it will you, but don’t turn away from reading it. It’s history. It’s important. Only by knowing facts can we begin to understand how to reshape our futures.

Hopeful reading!

 

c

R —RUBY IN THE SKY, written by Jeanne Zulick Feruolo; reviewed by Debi O’Neille.

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

The first third of the this book rose midway up the ladder to stardom, not boring nor exciting but somewhere in the middle. The next chunk had me more intrigued. The back story now created more questions, making me curious. I enjoyed the book a lot through here, yet I was pretty sure I knew the answers to the major questions. I read the last third of the book to see if I my guesses were right and to see how the author delivered the answers.

There were sad things mentioned in the early and mid-portions of the book, but nothing really created the kind of immediate sadness that wraps around you when you read, and makes you feel as though you’ve just been through a tremendous loss or hit by a truck. Still, this author put subtle grip-holds on me that I didn’t even realize until the last hundred pages. That’s when this story brought me to tears.

After the first time RUBY IN THE SKY had me crying, I didn’t expect tears again until the very end, if at all. Boy, did I get that wrong. Most of the last hundred pages had me in tears. (Prepare in advance for that; grab the tissues!) I didn’t cry just once or twice. I cried closer to six or seven times with one stream rolling into another.

I’m not saying that a book’s ability to trigger tears defines whether or not it’s a good read—no one can say that tears make a story all happy or all sad, because to put it in Ruby’s words, “Sometimes when people cry, it’s out of joy, not sadness, and there’s no way to know that until you know the whole story.”

And that quote sums up Ruby’s story.

Don’t skip this book. Even if you don’t think the beginning is grabbing you as much as you’d like, keep reading. The author is working her magic in building a case for this book, deep inside you, without you even knowing it. Trust me. Keep reading.

Happy and sad reading!

Q — QUEEN BEE, written by Dorothea Benton Frank; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

Published by William Morrow

Wow! If you ever want to study voice, read this book. QUEEN BEE is set in the Low-country of South Carolina, and you can hear the lovely region in the voice. But voice isn’t all this book offers. There’s also great tension and characterization. I had to know what would happen next every minute and how things would pan out for Holly, the quirky but true-to-the-bone main character.

You can feel the tension Holly feels from her domineering mother. You can taste the sweet tea of their small town in South Carolina, and feel the southern breeze on your skin. You’ll hear the laughter and voices of the children next door who’ve stolen Holly’s heart, and if you have a sibling, you’ll relate to the dynamics between Holly and her sister. 

You’ll forget that Holly’s home isn’t your home; her life isn’t your life. Every day will seem like every other day as you eavesdrop on Holly talking to the buzzing bees like best friends. This book is real even in its silliest or strangers moments. When something outlandish happens, you won’t doubt it for a minute. In this place that feels familiar, people are real enough to be your friends. That said, is it possible one of them is a murderer? Oh, yes!

Read this book during your most stable moments. The story will have you wondering who you might’ve upset lately, and what they might do. I’ll definitely be reading QUEEN BEE again. It’s the first time I’ve ever read this author, but you can bet I’ll be reading more of her work.

Happy reading!

P — PERCY JACKSON, THE LAST OLYMPIAN (series book 5), written by Rick Riordan; reviewed by Debi O’Neille.

 Published by Disney Hyperion

 I bought this book for my grandson, and because I’m a sneak and love stories for middle-grade and young adult, I read it (carefully so I didn't snap the binding) before I dropped it into a Christmas bag and set it under the tree for my unsuspecting grandson. Sneaky, I know.

Sneakiness aside, I enjoyed PERCY JACKSON, THE LAST OLYMPIAN. Anyone who has read any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books is going to be excited about this one, the fifth in the series. There’s a lot of continuing setup for a big battle to come, and newbie writers should take note of how Riordan stretches out the tension for the coming battle—an amazing talent! Talk about stress. This book is nonstop action, and what’s more, as if it were written just for me, there's a touch of romance given with a first kiss. Just want my fairy-tale heart ordered.

O — ONE OF US IS LYING, ONE OF US IS NEXT, both written by Karen M. McManus; reviewed by Debi O’Neill

Published by Delacorte Press.

Karen M. McManus, I salute you. You belong in the Hall of Fame of YA writers, and you deserve every degree there is for knowing the deepest level of the inner workings of different people.

I never heard of this author until my daughter, a middle school teacher who shares my love for young adult and middle-school literature, recommended that I read ONE OF US IS LYING. One of her students recommended the book to her. And now I aim to devour every Karen M. McManus novel I find.

We all know the power of gossip. Do you remember it at its worst? Remember the magnetic lure it had back in middle school and high school? Wow. Karen McManus captures it beautifully. This novel opens to tension on the first page, with Simon, the creator of a gossip app, introduced in the first paragraph. Then he and four other students wind up with detention. They are all secluded in the detention room, and yet Simon never gets to leave. He’s dead, just before he was about to post something in his gossip app that could destroy lives.

Naturally, the other four students are all suspects. They all have something to hide, a secret to protect. Did one of them really do it?

The sequel, ONE OF US IS NEXT, follows in the wake of Simon’s disaster at the same school. Now, a bunch of copycat gossip apps have popped up all over social media, and this time, a scheming puppeteer is masterminding a game of devious truths or deadly dares among the characters.

A third book to the series, ONE OF US IS BACK, is next on my TBR list. I can’t wait! I’m just sorry I didn’t read it in time for this blog-hop. (The Kindle version and the hardcover copy are available now, and the paperback is available for pre-order and will arrive in November.)

Happy reading!

N — NO ONE NEEDED TO KNOW, written by D.G. Driver; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

Published in book form by Schoolwide, Inc.

Regardless of my review, let it be known that this book won the following awards:

• the 17 Literary Classics Awards Seal of Approval
• the 2017 Human Relations Indie Book Awards – Gold Medal for Special-Needs Awareness for Children's Fiction
• the 2017 Literary Classics Awards – Silver Medal for Preteen Fiction 
• an honorable mention in the special-needs awareness category in the 2017 Purple Dragonfly Children's Book Awards
  

That said, and though I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to understand more about living with an artistic sibling, NO ONE NEEDED TO KNOW is not one of my favorites. The author did a fairly good job creating a preteen just starting that selfish age we all endure, but I wasn’t pulled into the story as deeply as I would’ve liked to have been. Heidi feels she has to put up with a brother who brings her mountains of embarrassment. That seemed real. The problem I had with the novel is that reading it, I felt like I was being told how she feels, rather than me experiencing the anger, embarrassment and frustration along with her. I didn’t feel part of it. I was an outsider looking in, and I think the book would have ten times the power if all readers felt like they were on the inside of that world.

Yet look at the awards it won! (So it’s very possible it’s just my pickiness.)

All the information was good, and the author did a fine job showing that not only does Donald, the autistic brother, get laughed at and belittled at school, but the main character, Heidi, gets bullied as well. The book isn’t as graphic as I thought it should be for the situations, nor did it create the tension I usually like, but many people wouldn’t want it to be overly graphic for this age of reader—8-14.

One other thing I want to mention is about the cover, because the artist in me just has to say it. The cover art of this book, done by the author, is probably the best I’ve seen in a long time. Perfect for the subject matter and perfect for the characters. It matches the tone of the story so well. I’ll be honest, I purchased the e-book and read it on my Kindle. Then I purchased the paperback because I just had to see that cover in person, touch it, and look at it whenever I want to. 

Now No One Needed to Know sits on my shelf like a knickknack, and it's ready to read any time.

Happy reading!

M — MYSTIC RIVER, written by Dennis Lehane; reviewed by Amanda Ruzsa, Blood of My Pen, freelance copy editor.

Published by William Morrow.

As a suspenseful murder mystery, MYSTIC RIVER does not disappoint. I could not put this book down.

In 1975, three boys of working-class Boston families are signing their names in the wet cement of the city sidewalk with a stick when a car pulls up with two supposed police officers. One gets out of the car and has a chat with the boys. Knowing they were not to be “vandalizing” a new sidewalk, the kids expect a harsh talking to. But this officer insists they go for a ride. One boy gets into the car, the other two don’t; yet all three boys are forever changed from then on.

Twenty-five years later, Sean is a detective. Jimmy is an ex-con. Dave, the one who’d gotten into that car back in 1975, is trying to feel normal. And now they all meet again when Jimmy’s 19-year-old daughter turns up missing.

There are a lot of family and social dynamics in this novel. Lehane brings us inside the mind of each character. We are completely immersed in their world and understand why each of them does what they do. I couldn’t put this book down.

Readers will need to examine and question their own stereotypes and beliefs. Can it be that what seems so clearly obvious and right in front of us is only a product of our own prejudice? Maybe. Maybe not. But here’s a sure thing: MYSTIC RIVER, a superiorly written novel, is well worth your time.

Enjoy the read! Amanda Ruzsa, Blood of My Pen

L — LAYLA, written by Colleen Hoover; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

Published by Montlake, an imprint of Amazon Publishing.

Let me stop any negative thoughts right now. You may assume that because LAYLA is published through an imprint of Amazon Publishing that it’s the same quality as less than stellar self-published books. Not so. First, many self-published books have found their way into my list of faves, and I’m picky.

And, I loved the book!

Second, LAYLA is published through a real publishing house and underwent the critical editing that all good books receive. And, I loved the book!

Third, Colleen Hoover has also been published by Grand Central publishing (imprint of Hachette Book Group), a house that has also published Nicolas Sparks, and Hoover  has been published by Atria Books, who has also published Jodi Picoult. Sparks and Picoult. two major winners in the writing world, both had novels made into films. Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us” is expected as a movie in theaters coming out this June and later to stream on Netflix.

And, did I mention I loved LAYLA?

The story revolves around the lives of the people affected by a car accident that takes place a few years before the novel begins. Kenna, the driver, was under the influence. She was also in the early stages of pregnancy, and therefore gave birth while in prison. She lost a lot, but one thing she clutched with her might, the hope that the day would come that she’d reconnect with her daughter. Four years later she was released from prison and meets someone else affected by the accident, someone who unknowingly becomes close to her.

LAYLA is well-paced, beautifully written story that speaks largely of love, expectations, disappointment and a whole lot of heartbreak tastefully sprinkled with hope. Hoover is a master at taking a raw subject and laying it out in front of you in a three-dimensional world you cannot walk away from. You’ll be asking yourself who’s unstable, and who isn’t.

There’s so much to explore in this novel, but I’ll shut up now so I don’t spoil the experience you’ll get from reading it. It’s a keeper.

Happy reading!

K — KOSA, written by John Durgin; reviewed by Amanda Ruzsa, Blood of My Pen.

Published by DarkLit Press.

PRE-ORDER HERE FOR FREE DELIVERY MAY 17th!

This book was written in the vein of a Rapunzel story, with the young girl, Kosa, living under her controlling mother’s rules. She is taught and warned never to step outside the shelters of their home area and to fear the darkness beyond their home. As a youngster, Kosa accepts whatever Mama says. But as Kosa gets older, her curiosity may save her or destroy her. You have to read the book to find out.

This book was amazing. I am still processing it days after reading it. I wish there was more, but in a good way. KOSA is an immersive, anxiety-inducing story. With threads of the classic fairy tale and vivid imagery, we are pulled into a horrific twist on an already creepy tale. The characters are so well portrayed that at times it’s easy to love/hate them, because they feel alive. I thoroughly enjoyed this haunting tale.

Enjoy the read!

J — JUST ONE LOOK, written by Harlan Coben; reviewed by Debi O’Neille

Published by Dutton Books

Wow. That’s the first word that always comes to mind after reading a Harlan Coben novel, and JUSTONE LOOK is probably at the top of that wow-list.

Because I’d already read many of his books, I dove into this one thinking I’d have the mystery part figured out fairly soon. Hah! As for the premise, Grace Lawon picks up a set of family photographs she’s had developed, and one of the snapshots isn’t hers. At least, not to her knowledge. It’s a photo from twenty years ago, and yet there’s a guy in it who looks an awful lot like her husband, Jack. When he denies that the photo is of him, you’ll barely have time to pop a potato chip into your mouth when he turns up missing. Gone. 

Something about that photograph is very important to someone, and Grace needs to figure out what before she, or someone else, ends up gone, too.

As is his style, Coben fills the story with twisty turns and surprising outcomes. The biggest twist rears up at the end, nothing you’ll see coming even if you’re used to his style. Don’t start this book on a day you have a lot to get done. Seriously. Once you pick up JUST ONE LOOK, it won’t let go of you, not even once you’ve finished it.

Happy reading!