January 2020

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Blog Tour w/Review: You, Me, and the Movies by Fiona Collins

I cannot think of another way to describe this book other than cinematic.

Yes, movies and movie quotes are a significant part of the plot, but it is so much more than that.

Scene descriptions were incredibly detailed and created vivid pictures. Events had depth and everything had a purpose. The book as a whole was focused and entertaining.

And heartbreaking.

Confession: I had to re-read the last few chapters twice. The first time I could barely see the pages through my tears. There was so much emotion flowing through the pages that it just got to me.

More than that, however, was the empathy that I felt for Arden.

I don’t want to give the whole thing away because it unfolds beautifully, and readers should experience it on their own. But her realization that her best years might be behind her, and subsequent understanding that she might have the possibility of a better future was heartfelt, realistic, and infinitely relatable. ‘Nuff said on that before I start crying again.

I loved the unique perspective of this story – a history told through movies that were significant to the relationship. The quotes that Arden and Mac remember prove that memories stay with us even as our lives change. It is no surprise that movies guide Arden’s life, given her mother’s propensity for fantasy and image.

I could go on and on about all of the things I liked about this book, but I am honestly having a hard time finding the words because it was just so epically beautiful in every way.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up right away.

About Fiona Collins

Fiona Collins grew up in an Essex village, and after stints in Hong Kong and London, returned to the Essex countryside where she lives with her husband and three children. She has a degree in Film and Literature and has had many former careers including TV presenting in Hong Kong, traffic and weather presenter for BBC local radio and film/TV extra. You can find her on Twitter @FionaJaneBooks.

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Blog Tour w/ Review: The Good Mother by Cathryn Grant

I always like a good plot that sneaks up on me, and The Good Mother fits the bill perfectly. What seemed like a study of suburban women and the packs that they form descended into a taut domestic thriller that explores the long-lasting effects of trauma.

I thought that the author did an excellent job of using the three women (Amy, Rachel, and Charlotte) to progress the character study. Amy, as the go-getter/Alpha, was the “Type A” mom that is familiar to many. Rachel, her supposed best friend, wanted to appease and be included. And Charlotte was the “New Mom in Town” who didn’t fit the suburban mom role.

I could find myself (at least a little bit) in each of these women, and I think that is why I enjoyed the book so much. My “allegiance” to the individuals ebbed and flowed with the story, which kept it interesting. I have been the new mom in town (although not a brazen or “artsy” as Charlotte), so I could relate to what she felt as she tried to fit in.

I least identified with Amy. I understood her desire to be the perfect mom (what mom doesn’t?) and connected with her drive to make sure that her family had everything they needed. However, her desire was more of an obsession, which was ultimately guided by childhood trauma. Her progression was the most interesting but the least relatable to me.

Rachel was the character I truly understood. She wanted to belong to the group and went along with everything, even when she thought it was wrong or didn’t want to take part. One incident with Amy stands out, as Rachel participated even as she knew she shouldn’t. I saw it as a turning point for her, as she realized that things were changing quickly and out of her control.

After all of the events of the book, I could also relate to Rachel’s feeling of wanting everything to be the way it was before. Whenever there is a monumental change, there is almost always the desire to return to what was normal (even if it actually wasn’t). That came across loud and clear to me.

I did especially like the way Amy and Charlotte’s plot lines interwove and eventually collided. I thought it was smart of the author to build the suspense – I honestly was not sure which way that was all going to go, but it was extremely satisfying.

Each mother in this story thought that they were doing what they could to be a good mother, and it was fascinating to see each of the approaches. It was also interesting to see the pitfalls and failures of each woman and where their choices could have been better. I could argue that this could be used as a cautionary tale as well as an entertaining novel.

This book started a little slow, but the tension built fast, and the author kept the pace moving. I would definitely recommend this book.

About Cathryn Grant

Cathryn is the author of the Alexandra Mallory Psychological Suspense series, Psychological Thrillers, Suburban Noir novels, The Haunted Ship Trilogy, and the Madison Keith Ghost Story series. THE GOOD MOTHER will be her second novel published with Inkubator Books.

Cathryn’s fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines, The Shroud Quarterly Journal, and The Best of Every Day Fiction. When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathrynGrant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CathrynGrant.Writer/
Website: https://www.cathryngrant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathryngrant_fiction/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cathryn-Grant/e/B004G1I484?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1566901527&sr=8-3

January 4, 2020January 3, 2020

Blog Tour w/ Review: Husband Material

Quite frankly, this book went in a completely different direction than I thought it was going to go when I started. And I’m totally okay with that because it ended up being a lot deeper and more thought-provoking than I expected.

At first, I didn’t think I was going to be able to relate to Charlotte. Her job was something that I have no passion for nor can I relate to it (tracking social media influencers makes me roll my eyes). But Charlotte’s personality ultimately won me over. Actually, she had me when she shut down Chad in the first chapter.

I liked how her story was revealed slowly. It added a bit of mystery to the plot, especially just past the halfway point. The author did a terrific job of allowing the reader to feel what Charlotte was experiencing right along with her. I love it when an author can make an unrelatable (to me) character sympathetic at the same time. That’s a trait that is often missing.

The situations that Charlotte found herself in, both overall (with her “package”) and the immediate scenarios, were realistic, and I could see them occurring in real life. The balancing act Charlotte was forced into also felt natural.

I think what I liked the most, however, was the relationship between Charlotte and Brian. Their history was a barrier at first, even as it became apparent that there was more going on (and probably had been going on for a while). I especially liked that it was not perfect.

So often in a romance novel, everything falls neatly into place. Even if there are troubles (and there always are), they are packaged up by the end with a HEA. I don’t feel that this is the case here, and that’s what sets this book apart.

Their relationship is messy, imperfect and comes with A LOT of baggage. Even as the reader can see the chemistry, the issues are still apparent. Even by the end, there is not a typical hearts and flowers/rest of our lives resolution. The reader knows they are on the right track, but there is still growth that needs to occur.

And ultimately, this story is about Charlotte’s growth. Her identity as a widow, how she interacts with the people around her, her perspective on her job…all of these change throughout her story.

Even though I’ve never had an urn of ashes show up at my front door, her discovery and the challenges she faces were ones that I could relate to. Her journey was uplifting and interesting and a great way to kick off a new year.

Buy Links

Author Bio

EMILY BELDEN is a journalist, social media marketer, and storyteller. She is the author of the novel Hot Mess and Eightysixed: A Memoir about Unforgettable Men, Mistakes, and Meals. She lives in Chicago. Visit her website at www.emilybelden.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @emilybelden.

Author website: http://www.emilybelden.com/
Twitter: @emilybelden
Instagram: @emilybelden
Facebook: @emilybeldenauthor

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020

Blog Tour: Good Girls Lie

What a way to start a new year of reading! From a body hanging at the entrance to an elite girls’ school (literally the first sentence of the book) to the shocking finale, this book was filled with twists galore and had me engrossed the entire time.

**Buy Links:**
Harlequin
Indiebound
Amazon
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Books-A-Million
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The plot on its own was intriguing because the author sets up from the beginning that not everything is as it appears; this goes for situations as well as people. I loved the way the author put little hints into the narrative to nudge the reader that something might be relevant.

Now, I realize that several authors do this, as they guide their characters and the reader through the story. What makes this author stand out, however, is how the hints are dropped. They are rarely overt and never scream out obviously. Instead, they are almost throwaways or asides that only a careful and clever reader will catch.

As an example, I re-read the first few chapters before writing this review (to refresh my memory). Having finished the story, I was amazed to see how many little hints were scattered within the first chapter alone. To me, this is just genius.

Because the plot was so twisty, I really can’t get into details (if you have read any of my reviews, you know that I loathe spoilers and book report reviews). I thought that the characters were fully realized, and I could imagine the action taking place in real life – nothing seemed too far-fetched. Given that the author had experience within an all-girls school, this makes sense.

I also liked that the chapter titles gave a hint of what would be revealed in the chapter. And that is what made this book so good; each chapter gave the reader just a little bit more of the bigger picture until the climax (or is it?) of the story. And just when you think everything is resolved…well, you’re wrong – it isn’t. Keep reading until the very last word.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the author.

Oh, and if this book is any indication of how my reading year will go, I cannot WAIT to jump in!

Author Bio

J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 novels, and the EMMY-award winning co-host of A WORD ON WORDS, Nashville’s premier literary show. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and has been published in 26 countries. Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens.