I’m going to start this by borrowing the author’s own words and saying to Chris Whitaker . . .
“Can’t you see how beautiful you make tragedy?”
In my house my husband and I often use the turn of phrase “We Got Shawshanked.” If you are familiar with the film The Shawshank Redemption, you most likely have experienced this yourself. It happens less frequently in the time of streaming services, but occasionally we still flip through channels trying to decide on something to watch and run across that movie. Getting Shawshanked starts off innocently enough. You say “oh this is the scene where _____________ happens – I’ll just watch for a minute.” Then two hours later you realize you completely lost time and ended up watching the entire movie.
That’s what happened with this book. I went in completely blind and I’m not going to provide a summary of any sort to anyone reading this, so go to other reviews and risk being spoiled if you dare. I loved both We Begin at the End and Tall Oaks so when I saw this author had a new release I put my name on the library waiting list. Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for Whitaker and his book sales), it was after Jenna already made it her “Read With” selection so I was about eleventy-seven down the list. Luckily I have a great library system who acquired a trillion more copies of this so my wait was nearly non-existent. Then I realized it was 600 pages long – and if you know me you know I will die on the hill that 350 pages is the magic maximum number for nearly everything out there. But I dove in anyway . . . and then it was midnight, I turned the final page and found myself 100% in a bookhangover and mourning the loss of all of my new best friends.
Not only was this an exception to my “ugh this has too many pages” rule, it was an exception to nearly alllll of my personal tics. I loved the multiple viewpoints, I loved jumping from location to location, I loved the cobwebby storylines that eventually came together, I effing LOOOOOVED the youngsters (and that’s only happened like twice this year), I loved the descriptive prose when it was utilized. Everything. I loved everything about this book. I made half a gazillion notes and highlights, but I still have a feeling that should anyone question me about nuanced plot points or any other details in a week I’ll still be like . . .
Of course I never read it because why would I ever read things I own???? However, I am a big fan of humorous essays and my ride-or-die here is a true Southern belle so when I was perusing the Hoopla looking for an audiobook to check out I snatched it right up.
I had no idea of the original publication date having only purchased this a couple of years ago, but unfortunately it has aged like milk in the 20 years since it originally came out. Rivenbark was apparently one of a handful of original “mommy bloggers” who contributed to the local newspaper (insert youngsters asking what are those?!?!?!) back in the day. Had I known this collection would feature not only outdated material, but a heaping helping of “aint’ she sweet” tales of child-rearing I would have steered clear. I am more than happy to admit I only enjoy my own children . . . . and I made sure to NOT be one of those people who overshared every unremarkable thing both little Billy and Bobby did whilst marking their milestones.
Also, Neil Diamond is a natural treasure so anyone who dares besmirch his name can kindly kiss my grits. And also 2.0, every woman I know who is roughly my age wants to bang the bearded middle-aged Marshall Mathers (and some of us even named one of our cats after him) so take that, Boomer . . . .
(Oh and since this was on audio: I don’t know if it was because I am old and need to crank things up to eleventy to hear or the recording or the reader, but OH MY GOD THE MOUTH NOISES! Y’all know what I’m talking about, right? Like a smacky sort of noise while she opened her mouth before speaking? Barf!)...more
I’m fairly certain A Grown Up Kind of Pretty ended up on my TBR after an Instagram “drive-by” of sorts where I noticed someone I follow loved it and tI’m fairly certain A Grown Up Kind of Pretty ended up on my TBR after an Instagram “drive-by” of sorts where I noticed someone I follow loved it and then I thought to myself “hey, Joshilyn Jackson – I’ve liked her stuff before” so I requested it from the library and then kept it (unread, natch) for so long it became overdue and I wasn’t allowed to renew it anymore. Yesterday it was 70 degrees and beautiful outside, I had the house to myself and once I had quite literally mopped myself out the door and onto the deck I figured I’d give it a shot, knowing if it wasn’t for me I would have to return it today and remind myself I’m a reading failure.
I’m happy to report that did not happen and instead I read this puppy cover-to-cover while soaking up some Vitamin D. I’m also happy to say at this point I would not hesitate to recommend this author to anyone who follows me and is interested in books about family with just a titch of mystery thrown in to the mix to keep things interesting.
The story here is about three generations of Slocumb women. “Big” (and can I just say shame on the blurb for referring to this character as “Jenny” rather than her actual name “Ginny”), her daughter Liza (“Little”) and granddaughter Mosey are all simply trying to hold it together after Liza has a debilitating stroke at only 30 years old. That’s how things go for the Slocumbs, though. Every 15 years like clockwork some misfortune befalls the family. Generally it’s in the form of an unplanned pregnancy, but both Big and Little have been doing their best to terrify Mosey about all things that may come along with inviting a penis into her life. But when Liza’s beloved willow tree is uprooted in order to install a pool that will hopefully aid in the physical therapy required to get kick her rehabilitation into high gear, a tiny unmarked grave is revealed making both Big and Mosey question everything about what they thought they knew about their family. And Little’s inability to explain things certainly isn’t helping.
Like I said, I read this sucker from start to finish and only stopped for refills of sweet tea (duh) and to use the potty. I fell in love with each of these women and was bummed when my time with them ended. I’m giving it every Star because I wouldn’t change a dingly dang thing about this story and I’m so happy this author has a backlist for me to fall back on whenever I need a guaranteed winner. ...more
“You know, it’s like that old saying goes. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing, or something along them lines.”
I have been puFLOAT FOR PUB DAY!
“You know, it’s like that old saying goes. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing, or something along them lines.”
I have been putting off writing this review for pert near two months now simply because I can’t find the words to do it justice. I’m also afraid that when this book gets released there will be backlash that David Joy wasn’t the right person to be telling this story. If that’s your opinion, go ahead and preemptively block me because I’m telling you I’m not sure anyone other than David Joy could write this novel. I’m going to go on record and say he’s one of the greatest authors of this generation, right up there with a Dennis Lehane whose latest release I’m currently flying through. And he writes about the South like Lehane writes about Southie. Not only are the people fully fleshed out, but the place itself is a viable character and you can feel his connection to where he’s from . . . warts and all.
Joy’s story of race relations in the present South is one that has its finger directly on the pulse of our nation. This upcoming release tackles the goings on in America more so than any corrupt windbag who sits in the Capital Building or well-intentioned social justice warrioring keyboard commando could dream of doing.
As I said, I don’t really have the words to do this novel justice. Hell, I didn’t even bother writing up a synopsis, so you’ll have to go read the one the publisher provided. All you need to know really is this is part whodunnit/part social commentary and 100% brilliant. Oh, and he also doesn't think his audience is full of dummies either and gladly provides you the who of the dunnit if you just pay attention.
I logged on to Instagram today and saw a post from David Joy (one of only a handful of authors I follow) expressing his appreciation to those who help spread the word about his stuff since you most likely won’t ever see his face on a Times Square billboard and I thought it was about time I got off my butt and typed something. Here it is. Take my opinion with as many grains of salt as you see fit – just know that if you aren’t familiar with me 5 Stars is a mighty feat when it comes to my stingy ass and he generally gets every single one of them.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!...more
Everyone and their dog has been falling all over the place expressing their love for Barbara Kingsolver’s latest release. And then there’s me . . . . Everyone and their dog has been falling all over the place expressing their love for Barbara Kingsolver’s latest release. And then there’s me . . . .
I’m not here to yuck your yum so Imma keep it real short. In a nutshell, Kingsolver is an author who is consistently trying to write the “Great American Novel” and nothing demonstrates that more than her undertaking a modernization of David Copperfield. In short, I just don’t think she’s my jam. Nearly 25 years ago The Poisonwood Bible knocked my socks off, but it’s a book I could never re-read in fear that I wouldn’t have the same reaction a second time around.
My main issue with this one is that I am so over clichéd, stereotypes of Appalachia. Boy oh boy did Demon Copperhead deliver them in spades. Our impoverished lead goes from bad to worse when it comes to an abusive household, to being orphaned, to one awful foster home situation to another (but don't worry - it ends at neglect - Kingsolver isn't ready to go to the darkest of locales when it comes to Demon's childhood). Eventually genetics get on young Demon’s side and he becomes a local high school football hero . . . until, you guessed it, his knee gets blown out and he becomes an addict. But don’t worry – he still gets a fairly happy ending and sees the ocean *eyeroll*
In addition to the been there/done that feel of this entire story, you can’t re-write history in an attempt to prove how “woke” you are. A high school English teacher (and a black teacher in the middle of the Holler, at that) in the early to mid-1990s wouldn't have dared to explain the movement of literature changing the term “black” to “Black.” Not to mention how regular folks were not aware of the dangers of opioids or how Big Pharma was controlling the narrative when they first hit the market, but the nurse in here was 100% in the know of what's going down. You want to learn more about the modern-day drug crises and how it came to be? Read Dopesick....more
As much as it physically pains me to do so, I’m going to have to agree with my pal Dan 2.0 when it comes to Tiffany McDaniel’s style . . . it’s probabAs much as it physically pains me to do so, I’m going to have to agree with my pal Dan 2.0 when it comes to Tiffany McDaniel’s style . . . it’s probably not for me. I looooooooooved Betty and agree that there is an excellent story within the pages of this latest release regarding a series of prostitutes who are found in Chillicothe, Ohio (inspired by the true tale of the “Chillichothe Six”). Unfortunately, it was so mired in the purple prose that I could not feel all of the feels that I was supposed to be feeling. I have actively avoided The Summer that Melted Everything for fear of being a wrongreader and I will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future since the main complaint was regarding how it too was overwritten.
Also, I already dislike a face cover, but if you're going to commit to one at least get it right. One sister lipsticked her TOP lip, the other the BOTTOM. Stuff like that drives me batshit.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Shelby told me to read this the other night when we were chatting on the phone and despite having about eleventy-three library checkouts and a pooptonShelby told me to read this the other night when we were chatting on the phone and despite having about eleventy-three library checkouts and a poopton of NetGalleys I put her on speaker and downloaded it instantly because, well . . . . .
The Girls in the Stilt House offered a “you had me at hello” opener that consisted of burying a body. Um, yeah I’ll take that with cheese. What followed was the story of Ada and Matilda’s unlikely cohabitation in the swamp during prohibition era where all of the various moving parts tied together pretty much seamlessly by the end. The blurb is accurate that this should be a winner for most fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and will probably work for many who didn’t fall head over heels for that one since it doesn’t feature a romance whatsoever.
This author’s name might look familiar to a lot of you seeing that her most recent release (These Sil“The past is never dead. It isn’t even past.”
This author’s name might look familiar to a lot of you seeing that her most recent release (These Silent Woods) has been running the 5 Star gamut both here and on the ‘Gram. Despite having a house on the cover and some of my most trustworthy compatriots singing its praises, I just had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a story for me . . . .
Like I have ESPN or something. When my friend Zoeytron posted a review that warned of instalove and frequent bible verses I knew I had made the right decision. Buuuuuuuut, I have FOMO so I went to see if this author had any other offerings and by golly what a gem I discovered.
Damn this book was good. The story here is about lifelong friends Chase, Transom and Laney. Transom and Laney were off again on again for the majority of their the lives, but when Transom moved away she and Chase started catching some feelings. And speaking of Transom going away – well, he came back to Fallen Mountains, Pennsylvania just in time to purchase Chase’s family farm before the bank was fixin' to take it back since he’s such a “good buddy.” Yeah, good buddy that immediately starts logging the hell out of it and selling off the mineral rights to frackers. And now he’s missing to boot. Did he just run off again as he’s been known to do in the past? Or did something nefarious happen?
“Life is complicated, isn’t it? People are complicated. We think we know someone’s story, but we never do, not the whole story.”
I’ve been having a difficult time awarding all the stars this year, but there was zero hesitation when it came to Fallen Mountains. A fine contribution to the griterature genre that fans of David Joy should pick up pronto, every single thing about this one was satisfying. Like a hearty meal I felt full and a bit hungover upon finishing. And I still got my house cover!...more
No offense to the state of Idaho, for I am sure it is beautiful, but I have to be honest and say despite this one having a fairly attractive cover, I No offense to the state of Idaho, for I am sure it is beautiful, but I have to be honest and say despite this one having a fairly attractive cover, I was never inclined to remove it from the library shelves and bring it home with me. You see, although I am inclined to imbibe in the griterature (I just invented that), I tend to seek out either my own personal regional neck of the woods and the Ozarks, or the Appalachians, or the deep South. But then Kelly J. Ford of Cottonmouths and the upcoming Real Bad Things fame (both of which were ginormo winners for me) had the gall to recommend it on her Instagram and, well . . . .
So I checked it out immediately and then promptly forgot about it because I am Dug from Up and get distracted by a new download about once every 3.5 seconds. But then I was talking to my book bestie and she said I should read Idaho next . . . and so I did.
Personally, I thought this book was phenomenal. It’s also not going to be for everybody. The timeframe presented is 100% NOT linear. In fact, you not only jump around all over the place from the 70s to a few years from now, but you also do so via different characters – that are all related to the story in some way, but definitely not all related to each other and not equally as important. The featured players are Wade, his former wife Jenny and his present wife Ann. But as I said before, there is a bounty of other people participating in this storytelling.
The main thing to know (aside from the time-hoppy delivery) is that this is a story about a family who befell an incomparable tragedy and not only the aftermath, but the before and all the in between of their story is told as well. Although not disclosed in the blurb, I think readers should know the jumping off point of this is a child being murdered. While not really a spoiler since it happens at the very beginning of the book, I won’t provide any other details. I don’t need a sensitivity disclosure myself, but I would feel a little poorly if my recommendation caused someone to put a book they weren’t quite ready for on their to-read list. (Just know in the future I usually don’t post any warnings and I am a fan of super dark stuff so my recommendations may always be terrifying to you ha-ha.) Gory details aren't provided, but maybe it should be noted that many details are left for the reader to fill in themselves. If you are someone who needs your beginning, middle and ending all spoonfed to you and tied up in a bow this probably isn't the book for you....more
And was actually a book I had seen out and about on the interwebs before so when there was zero wait list I happily snagged a copy without bothering even getting familiar with the plot.
Despite this being a story where you simply get plunked right into the action without bothering with much (if any) character development/backstory, when said action is drug smuggling – and possibly other forms of trafficking – by a young woman whose daddy did the job previously I was definitely saying . . . .
And I continued feeling that way for about half of the book and then things drug on sort of forever and it all boiled down to your typical good vs. evil with never-ending action scenes and I’ve said plenty of times that that is not my idea of great fun.
I’ll give this one 3 and simply leave it as this is a story that’s probably more fit for someone more inclined to a bit of magic with their mayhem while I’m a simple gal who only is looking for some hick in her lit....more
Up until I started this book I wasn’t even aware that the leaf isn’t the part of the plant that people smoke so I am maybe not the right person to truUp until I started this book I wasn’t even aware that the leaf isn’t the part of the plant that people smoke so I am maybe not the right person to trust when it comes to my opinion of Humboldt. I am truly an ....
I’m also someone who digs tales of living off the grid and criminal lifestyles and the drug trade and ocassionally vigilante justice. And mainly I’m someone who binged Murder Mountain and wanted to know more about the Emerald Triangle. When I say I wanted more let me be clear that I wanted more backstories of the people who chose to reside there - not more statistics and the detailed history of the "Just Say No" and C.A.M.P. campaign and other snoozer mumbo jumbo. This book gave me exactly what I was looking for. Humboldt follows the storytelling format of other nonfiction books that have worked for me in the past like Nomadland and Evicted where you become invested in the people while learning of how things came to be. While some will consider this dated since it takes place before legalization, the "before" story is exactly what I was interested in. The "after" story is sure to be a page turner as well. We'll see how long we have to wait to find out what changes happen to this region and those who reside there with the ever-changing climate surrounding the marijuana industry.
The story here is about Mick, an Army CID agent on leave who returns to his hometown to discover a baby he ain’t so positive he should be happy about and his newly elected sheriff sister dealing with a dead body an old ‘seng hunter happened to stumble upon out in the woods. Now it’s a game of beat the clock to solve the case while keeping the Feds at bay and doing so without raising the body count unless it’s absolutely necessary.
This book was dang near perfect for me. I mean what’s not to like?????
My friend Caroline over on Instagram takes the blame for a few of my upcoming selections thanks to her namedropping the shortlist for this
[image]
My friend Caroline over on Instagram takes the blame for a few of my upcoming selections thanks to her namedropping the shortlist for this year’s Dylan Thomas Award. Having read both My Dark Vanessa as well as Luster and not hating either one I figured I might as well see what the library had to offer when it came to the others pictured below . . . .
[image]
(Excluding the short stories because homey don’t play that.)
Now for what I feel is a fairly amusing aside. So the “highbrow” library (a/k/a the Central – downtown library) had wait lists for all of these, but the good ‘ol pornbrary up in the ‘burbs? All three were available for immediate download. Keep only requesting smut, fellow moms, because I love instant gratification when I have FOMO for these potential award winners : )
Okay, so back on track. Kingdtomtide is told in a dual narrative. Cloris is a 72 year old woman who is on a puddle jumper from Texas to Montana for a little vacay with her husband when the plane crashes leaving her the sole survivor. Ranger Lewis is . . . well, she’s pretty much a wino . . . . who is assigned to the search and rescue for the aforementioned crash. What follows is a tale of not only survival, but of a whole gaggle of unique and quirky individuals, the resiliency of the human spirit, and a little bit of good in even a potentially evil person (as well as vice versa regarding quite a bit of bad being in one who would be considered good). The backdrop of the Montana wilderness was perfection (I’ve become sort of fascinated with all things Montana during quarantine – at first probably due to their infection rate remaining nearly nonexistent, but then more so because of its beauty).
I can’t say I looooooved this book, but once again I award stars for page turnability and uniqueness so this gets three. Fair warning, though, don’t try to take a drink every time Ranger Lewis mentions swigging some merlot or . . . .
Meet Doyle – he’s done left his philandering wife and is going back to his roots in the Ozarks (in the ex’s Volvo, no less).
I always get called a crime writer, though to me they are slice-of-life dramas. They remind me of my family and friends, actually. I hate to think I’ve led a “genre” life, but that seems to be the category I’m boxed in.
In other words, he’s basically Daniel Woodrell.
His brother Smoke is about to make him an offer he can’t refuse. Basically, if Smoke had a favorite song it would be . . . .
Wacky backy croppin’ might not make ‘em millionaires, but when you live off the land and require very little in the form of creature comforts $15K a piece will make for quite some time of easy living.
In case you are new here, hillbilly noir is most definitely my jam. Winter’s Bone was the library recommendation for this author and I’m so glad I dug a little further into his reserves to find this one. Unlike the title Woodrell has become most known for which is about as black as effing night, Give Us A Kiss was surprisingly light and humorous. And there’s just something about a book that references your own stomping grounds. While the majority takes place in the sticks, the 39th and Rainbow shout out had me like . . . .
It takes about eight to ten hours to hand-dig a grave, more if you was doing it in thFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
It takes about eight to ten hours to hand-dig a grave, more if you was doing it in the dark. Five to six if you have a helper. It ain’t like the movies.
I went into this book completely blind. Basically it had a good title and an even better cover. I’m a real cheap date like that. I didn’t read a blurb and I didn’t pay any attention to who the author was. I simply waited for my turn at the library, downloaded this sucker and was instantly grabbed by that opening paragraph.
For those of you who aren’t so willing to take a risk, I’ll give you a brief rundown of the basics. Ten years ago a girl named Trumanell went missing from her family’s farm with only a bloody handprint left behind as a clue as to her whereabouts. The most obvious suspect was her brother – although without a body no one could ever pin him down with the crime. But now . . . .
Wyatt Branson has a girl out there.
And it’s up to the town’s young female police officer Odette to figure out what’s going on. That’s the jumping off point for reopening old wounds, revealing past connections and a whole mess of WTFery come the halfway mark.
I was finished with this book before I realized that this author had previously given us some Black-Eyed Susans. This go around it was all about the . . . . .
"Don't you wish you had a sack full of good days, Betty? Whenever you were havin' a baFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
"Don't you wish you had a sack full of good days, Betty? Whenever you were havin' a bad day you could reach into the sack and make everything better."
Between the ‘Rona being errrrywhere and homeschooling (both high school and college versions) and entirely new systems at work despite no one being at actual work, I haven’t been on here in a hot minute. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut I’m still reading like a maniac and had to say a lil’ summin about Betty. Pause for a brief synopsis . . . . .
Srsly. Oh poor Betty. My notes are full of “holy shits” and “make me stop feeling things, you fucker” (that last one was specifically for Tiffany McDaniel). In case you aren’t familiar with this novel, it’s a fictional biography inspired by the life of the author’s mother that spans from 1901 to 1973. It’s about family and race and class and prejudice and evils of men (and women) and life in Appalachia and a little folklore and a spot of ‘shine. And it is a nearly 500 page kick in the face. But somewhere in all that misery is a little hope and humor as well. Hope in the form of the best daddy I've ever met and humor in Betty herself . . . .
"I've never seen a colored before."
"And I've never seen a butt for a face before but if you don't turn around right now, I'm gonna take my daddy's pocketknife and cut you up into tiny pieces to mail to your momma in a heart-shaped box."
I’ve had The Summer That Everything Melted on my Kindle as an advanced copy since well before its release date, but continue to avoid it like the black plague due to fear of disappointing either My Bestie or My Nemesis when I read it wrong. I’m not going to make any promises that I’ll bump it up the TBR anytime soon, but after reading Betty I think I would likely lean more toward Shelby’s side of the fence.
This book is not going to be for everyone. In case you aren’t familiar with me, I don’t shy away from dark subject matter and when I say this one is brutal, I’m not kidding. Absolutely no punches were pulled so if you are of the sensitive nature or require your reviews come with a trigger warning, consider this your notice that EVERY trigger will be triggered.
4.5 Stars rather than 5 because it was just a weeeeee bit long in the tooth and not every page was necessary....more
I freaking created LIFE (on accident) in our compost heap. But look how perfect it is!!!! I’m pretty sure the ‘Rona has given me superpowers and this is just the first I’ve discovered so you better stay on my good side.
For me, Autumn also signifies the start of Cozy Mystery season. Sure, you can read cozies all year long, but the entire term “cozy” conjures images of fireplaces and snuggly blankets and those thoughts in July or August here in flyover country? Well, when the temps are like this . . . .
The last thing you want to think about is a blanket.
But come September 1st I just crank up the AC and let ‘er rip. Hahahaha! I keed I keed. Come September 1st we usually get a teaser 60-something degree day around my neck of the woods that gets you breaking out the sweaters and picking a light and cozy to read . . . only to discover the next day is going to be back to Satan’s ballsack degrees outside with one trillion percent humidity and a bonus negative one trillion air quality due to the combo of ragweed and forest fire. Yay Fall!
Anyway, I was all over this release as soon as the idea of it was mentioned and made sure to get my grubby little mitts on it as soon as it was seasonably acceptable. If you aren’t familiar with the Winstons . . . well, you’re really missing out because they are absolutely splooshtastic . . . . but this could probably work as a standalone. It certainly would benefit you to read Cletus/Jennifer’s book prior simply for their backstory, but hell it’s a porny not rocket surgery so you could probably decipher what’s going on with little to no brain power.
Anyway x2, this spinoff is the start of a new series where Cletus and his fiancé Jennifer are apparently going to become small-town sleuths. This time it’s about all the local farmers being sabotaged by someone for some reason. If you are addicted to the Hallmark Murders & Mysteries like I am, you’ll love it. I wasn’t a Jennifer fan (to say the least – poor gal probably still is feeling the smackdown I gave her fictional ass back in the day when I read their book), but she’s okay in this one and the rampant case of blueballs both Jen and Cletus have going due to various interruptions was pretty fun. I’ll certainly be first in line for the next one of these....more
Here’s an embarrassing confession: I noticed this book sitting on the “new release” shelfFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Here’s an embarrassing confession: I noticed this book sitting on the “new release” shelf behind the counter at Barnes and Noble while I was waiting in line to pick up my pre-ordered copy of Midnight Sun by Sparkles the Vampire. Since I had already blown my book budget on that sure to be Pulitzer winner, I had to go home and get this one from the library.
I didn’t know anything about Shiner before beginning aside from the fact that the cover didn’t make me want to gag since it didn’t have a face on it, there was no “girl” in the title so it most likely wasn’t a thriller, and shiner probably meant there was either going to be moonshine or someone getting punched in the face - which are both generally good times when it comes to me and fiction.
The story here is about Wren and her coming of age as the daughter of a snakehandling preacherman in Appalachia. Basically, as soon as I started this I was pretty much like . . . . .
I did question where things were going right about the thirty percent mark, only to discover the narrator was set to change (and then change again and again) and rather than turning me off the story I became even more invested. This was another heartbreaker of a tale – although not quite the gut punch that Betty was. If you were a fan of Where the Crawdads Sing, I certainly don’t feel I’d be steering you wrong to point you in the direction of this story. ...more
I have avoided this author duo for eternity in fear of upsetting the fanbase. I mean, you gotta admit the love for this husband and wife writing team does to tend to go a bit toward the . . . . .
But I finally broke down because this was a recommendation for the library’s summer reading program and would get me one step closer to obtaining free shit – which sadly rates higher than all of my friends’ recommendations due to the fact that I am trash.
And speaking of . . . .
“Go brush your teeth, comb your hair, put on dry clothes, and get the guns. We’re going to Wal-Mart”
You had me at the Wal-Mart. Why the eff didn’t anyone say “please ignore that cover, I am well aware that it is fug, but note that this is all about trailer parks and white trash and everything that makes you, you so you’re probably gonna like it and just STFU and read it already.”
Or that the dang thing opens with meeting Grandaddy in the backyard who might just be a little . . . .
Everyone was right about this book. Magic, a handsome nobleman, a mystery to solve. What’s not to like? I’m not sure when/if I’ll read more of the series after falling down the Sookie Stackhouse rabbit hole a million years ago only to suffer a severe disappoint that kind of turned me off reading anything past first books, but this was a fun start and there’s a solid chance I might break my own rule....more
Kelly (and the Book Boar)
>
Books:
lil-bit-of-chickenfriend
(76)
Loading...
