Fiction Archives

February 7, 2020February 7, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): The Orphan’s Daughter by Sandy Taylor

A beautifully written story that packs an emotional punch, The Orphan’s Daughter just rocketed to the top of my favorites list. Set in 1920s rural Ireland, it is filled with rich detail and memorable characters. The author made everything (down to inanimate objects) come alive (more on that in a bit).

Amazon: http://bit.ly/2RTpHo1
Kobo: http://bit.ly/36YeVS1
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2vLhycR
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2tstj7e

One of the strengths of this book was the way the author circled back around to moments or thoughts. For example, the book starts with Nora and her friend Kitty grading a funeral. Their doing so illustrates the innocence of youth. Later in the book, when there is a personal loss, Nora realizes how much they did not consider the feelings of the mourners. The book is filled with moments like this, which showed real character growth.

Nora is a character one can naturally root for because she is just a good person. I enjoyed Nora’s interactions with people. I especially liked the exchanges with Kitty when Nora used a big word (“Grandad Doyle?” “The very man.”) That was a little detail, but it illustrated the closeness of the girls and the respect that Nora had for her grandfather (which arguably set her at least partially on her path mid-way through the book).

As to those inanimate objects coming to life? Seemingly innocuous items (a wall, a chair, a dress) have an impact on Nora’s life as much as a person might. While the objects can’t show emotion, they can undoubtedly evoke it. This is another aspect that I thought the author did very well. In a like manner, the town of Ballybun was a character in its own right. The author did a phenomenal job of describing rural Ireland so that the reader got a full picture of the town and its people.

There is real emotion throughout the book as well, and the author does a spectacular job of conveying the highs and lows as Nora experiences them. Her joy and sadness, her sense of wonder at finding something amazing, and her confusion when she can’t sort out her emotions are all detailed and completely natural within Nora’s personality.

Ultimately, the story is about love, loss, and the sacrifices that one makes. The tag line calls it “heartbreaking and unforgettable,” and both are true. I cried more than a few times (which rarely happens to me), and there were moments of beauty that will stay with me for quite a while. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up today.

Author Bio

Sandy Taylor grew up on a council estate near Brighton. There were no books in the house, so Sandy’s love of the written word was nurtured in the little local library. Leaving school at fifteen, Sandy worked in a series of factories before landing a job at Butlins in Minehead. This career change led her to becoming a singer, a stand up comic and eventually a playwright and novelist.

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019

Book Review: The Scent Keeper

Simply put, this was one of the most stunning books I have read in a long time.

The beginning was very mysterious, and I liked that the reader was kept off balance as to the location of the story. I felt that added to the intrigue of Emmeline’s story, and left the question as to whether her life was similar to those of the fairy tales that her father tells her.

The imagery is absolutely beautiful. One passage about the rain talking to the roof and the fire snapping at it to be quiet actually stopped me from reading for a moment. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that described quite so perfectly.

The author evokes so much emotion just through the descriptions of locations and events, but it’s not false emotion. I really felt like I was with Emmeline and feeling her experiences right along with her.

Especially school. I could totally empathize with that.

But what I liked best about this book, what will stick in my memory and what inspired curiosity and a desire to learn more was the whole concept of smells and what they can capture.

We know this to be true, right? I can name certain smells that take me immediately to places that I had thought long forgotten. For example, if I smell cinnamon and sugar baking (like Snickerdoodle cookies) I instantly remember what one of my best friend’s bedrooms looked like…because her mom was always baking Snickerdoodles.

Or the smell of Aqua Net brings back memories of high school. (Yeah, I’m an 80s gal, and proud of it!)

But the way Emmeline treats smells, and her thoughts later in the book about missing notes was fascinating. The author made me want to learn more about the science, as I am sure that it is accurate.

I have also found that I am more aware of my sense of smell when I enter a store. Read the book, and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

But seriously, this is one unique book, and you should really give it a try. It is one I plan to re-read (knowing how it ends) because I think I will have a different perspective on the beginning. I love when a book can do that.

The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I honestly did not know where this book was going when I first started reading, but I quickly became engrossed in Emmeline’s story, and then I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. At times poetic and haunting, at other times exhilarating – but always fascinating, I felt everything right along with Emmeline. I loved the concepts, especially of smells as colors, and was thoroughly intrigued by Emmeline’s abilities. This was a fantastic book that should go on everyone’s “Must Read” list. Visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews for more detailed thoughts on this book. A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press (via NetGalley) for a pre-release digital ARC of this book.

View all my reviews

May 15, 2019May 15, 2019

Book Review: Emily, Gone

There is no beating around the bush: this was an incredible book that had me avidly turning pages . From the Woodstock-like concert that kicks everything off to the final resolution, the plot never let up.

I especially liked how the author handled the reasons for why Vicki did what she did. This is a sensitive subject, and (taking the time period into account) I think it was an extremely accurate portrayal. Vicki’s character is written in a way that enabled her actions to be perfectly plausible while also allowing other characters to have reasonable reactions to her.

(I know that sounds cryptic, but you know how I hate to give away plot points)

On the flip side is Rachel, a mother who never gives up and learns how to adapt. I think she changes most throughout the book (although Mama Dixon gives her a run for the money). However, by the end, we see that Rachel is still the same nurturing, caring person who never gave up hope. That was a powerful message.

Mama Dixon was an interesting character as well. Her revelations regarding her own actions show the importance of forgiveness and taking other people into consideration. Although Rachel travels the longer journey, Mama Dixon’s transformation is more profound. She becomes the one person who can ultimately help Rachel.

I loved how the author plotted the passage of time. Even though there were events that were lightly skipped over, the pivotal events were detailed. This balance allowed the plot to flow smoothly to the end.

The only thing I missed in this story was a resolution to Murphy’s part in the whole thing. It almost seems as if the author forgot about him because he just disappears roughly two-thirds of the way through. He makes a decision about something that warrants further explanation, but then *poof* he’s gone. I definitely wanted more of a resolution for him, especially since a few of the characters were in the proper location for things to happen.

But to be clear, I didn’t want it to be over the top. Even a “near-miss” incident would have added an interesting touch to the whole story, and it would have wrapped up his part instead of just kind of leaving it.

Regardless, this was an excellent book that detailed the power of a mother’s love, with a few unexpected twists thrown in. It’s available now, so give yourself a treat and pick it up now!

Emily, Gone by Bette Lee Crosby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is very fitting that I read this book in one day on Mother’s Day because it is ultimately a study of the love a mother has for a child. I thought that the author did a fantastic job of laying out the plot, and there were enough gentle twists for it all to be plausible. I only wish that there had been more of a resolution with Murphy; it seemed as if he was just forgotten, and I would have liked to have seen him have some closure. Other than that point, I thought the dual message of hope and faith was powerful, and I loved how everything played out. I highly recommend this book. For some more in-depth thoughts on this novel, visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary digital ARC.

View all my reviews

May 3, 2019May 7, 2019

Book Review: The East End

I was very excited to be invited to be a part of the blog tour for this book and I couldn’t wait to read it. I was not disappointed.

Right away, the reader gets the feeling of the socio-economic divide that is part of the tapestry of the area commonly known as the Hamptons. While there are people who live there year-around, it really “comes alive” in the summer when ultra-rich Manhattanites make their pilgrimage to the shores of Long Island for a few months of sun and fun.

It is ironic, then, that the characters in this novel actually feel quite dead; whether it is due to dead end jobs, or having to put up a front in one’s personal life, the main characters consistently find themselves at loose ends and without many prospects.

It was evident that the author was writing from experience (or at least personal knowledge) because his detail painted extremely vivid pictures. What was extremely illustrative, however, was how he was able to draw parallels between the characters. When faced with tragedy, they each come to some stark realizations.

The exploration of themes such as “money can’t buy love,” and “there’s no way out of a bad situation if you’re poor” are juxtaposed perfectly. Each character ultimately realizes that they DO have control over their situations, and it is very interesting to see the choices that each of them make.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was deep and had an interesting plot. The characters were well-developed and their actions were realistic. I highly recommend this study of human nature. My Goodreads review is below.

The East End by Jason Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This page-turner set in the Hamptons perfectly illustrates that adage that money can’t buy happiness and of how quickly lives can become intertwined due to a single incident. I thought that the perspectives of the characters and how each of them reacted to their situations was extremely well-done. The character studies were a fascinating juxtaposition of roles: in some cases, the people who usually felt powerless held the most power, while the people who usually controlled everything completely lost control. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews for some deeper thoughts on the book. This review was written based on a pre-release digital ARC provided by NetGalley.

View all my reviews