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The Litertarian | Book Reviews & More

Welcome to my bookish little corner of the internet!

I am a Litertarian, a term I invented for a (hopefully) catchy blog title. What does it mean? Well, similar to the way vegetarians consume vegetables and carnivores consume carne (that’s meat in Spanish), a litertarian consumes literature. Books. Stories. Legends. Because like Thomas Jefferson once said:

I cannot live without books.

I read a lot. More than most, probably. I used to keep casual book blogs years ago where I would post reviews, and I realized recently that I missed it. I love having something to look back on when I read a book I really enjoyed. It’s like a journal, you know? Looking back on the reviews bring me joy, and can remind me of what was going on in my life at the time I read them. It’s special.

I also love helping people connect with books they love. When someone asks me for a book recommendation, I take it seriously. When I recommend something someone truly enjoys, the satisfaction is immense. There is nothing better than a good book, and everyone deserves to have that feeling as often as possible. No one can read them all, and there’s nothing wrong with being selective.

So here I am, embracing the responsibility that is book blogging. I’m ready to have a place to record my reading in a more personal way again. I’m ready to have a place to rant and word-vomit about book nerdy topics that only other people who are as obsessed with books as I am will care about. I’m ready to commit myself to something I love, that also isn’t all that demanding. All I have to do is read books and jot down some thoughts after, right? That’s pretty much my favorite thing to do anyway.

So let’s do this, folks! Let’s grab a book from the top of our TBRs and dive into the pages! If you’ve read a book that pops up on my review list, I’d love to know your thoughts about them in the comments. Books are pretty much my favorite thing to talk about, so don’t be shy! Feel free to bookmark my site and check back periodically old-school blog style. Or, you can sign up for emails every time I post in the sidebar signup. Or, if you’d rather follow along on via social media, click the ‘Socials’ tab above to connect with me on Goodreads, Threads, or Instagram. And of course, if you know of a book I should read, just shout!

I want to help you find a new book you’ll love.

Happy reading, everyone.

-e.

Book Review:: Daughter of Ruins | Yvette Manessis Corporon

Historical fiction isn’t something I read often. Not unlike sci-fi/fantasy novels, it requires a higher level of effort from the reader than other genres. It can be slower to suck you in, demanding patience as the story threads weave themselves together. But if you’re lucky, as the pieces dance and settle into their places, you’ll be left with an intricate tapestry that takes your breath away. Daughter of Ruins stands in testament of that truth. It serves as a beacon to how powerful the genre can be.

Daughter of Ruins Yvette Manessis Corporon Book Cover

Demitra is a motherless daughter brought back to her father’s home country of Greece after losing his wife in America. She uses drawing as a coping mechanism in her childhood loneliness, sketching Italian soldiers of the World Wars where they find leisure on the Greek beaches. Then the war takes a turn and the once lithe and eager bodies are piled high and lifeless. There are many hard lessons like this one in store for Demitra as she navigates the world, and this book follows her through many trials and tribulations through her life, though it is not all hardship. Her journey takes her from Greece to America and back again, and all the while she is developing into the woman she was destined to be.

I think the story captured the life of a young woman so well. It was a difficult time in Greece, and a difficult time for women. Though she had no direct maternal influence, there were many strong women mentors in Demitra’s life. With an artist’s curiosity she observed the world around her, turning her wisdom and unique understanding into art.

I am still quite stunned by the intricate structure of this novel. Demitra uses many figures of Greek mythology to analogize the human lives around her and translates them into her art. She dives deep into her understanding of the gods before she draws them, and though they are done with simple materials, her art has a depth that is undeniable by those who witness it.

This is an emotional book. There is grief and sorrow and growth and healing and hope and faith and passion and curiosity and pain and confusion and determination and love. There is tenderness and betrayal. There is scheming and outsmarting and deceit and compassion. There is everything under the umbrella of human emotion, because this is a human story.

I will not soon forget this story. Demitra and Maria and Elena and Aphrodite and all of those who weave in and out of these pages. I listened to this as an advanced listeners copy from netgalley and the publisher and I have nothing but great things to say about the incredible narrator Alex Sarrigeorgiou. Phenomenal work. There is something special about the story of a woman coming into her own. I hope you will read it.

Details

Title:: Daughter of Ruins
Author:: Yvette Manessis Corporon
Genre:: Historical Fiction
Publisher:: Harper Muse
Length:: 416 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 24m
Audiobook Narrator:: Alex Sarrigeorgiou
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Muse
Published:: October 8th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Cheesemaker’s Daughter | Kristin Vukovic
The Weight of Ink | Rachel Kadish (no review on the blog as I read it years ago, but another sweeping historical fiction tale I think you’ll love if you liked this book).

Book Review:: What the River Knows | Isabel Ibanez

When a book lists The Mummy as a comp in the blurb, you know your girl’s gonna pick it up. That’s as far as I got in the description (I love going in blind), and it was everything I’d hoped and more. There is something so intriguing about ancient Egypt, and when you add a touch of actual magic, you get What the River Knows.

What the River Knows Isabel Ibanez Book Cover

Young Argentinian Inez Olivera’s parents spend half of every year in Egypt, working alongside and funding archeological digs there. They’ve never let Inez make the treacherous journey so far across the globe with them, but when Inez receives a letter that the two of them have been lost in the sands of the desert, she sneaks away from her family in Buenos Aires and steals away to Egypt to meet her uncle, who worked with them there. Inez is determined to find out the truth of what happened to her parents, their lives in Egypt, and whatever she can about the magic ring her father secretly sent to her before he died. Between her tight-lipped uncle who tries to push her onto an Argentina-bound boat every chance he gets, and his handsome rogue ‘aide’ he sets to mind her the rest of the time, Inez has to scheme to find out the secrets her parents kept from her, and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, her uncle is in a race to discover the tomb of Cleopatra before his biggest rival, and the ring Inez’ father sent her might just be the key he needs to do it.

This book is a grand adventure with stakes that reliably rise ever higher the whole time, down to the last line (which had my jaw on the floor). It reads like nineteenth century historical fiction, if there were magic rings, and magic sandals, and magic neckties back then. I absolutely loved the tangled webs of secrets and lies that build and build and leave you wondering if what you think you know is the truth, or just another deception. It was seriously compelling, but the pacing was maybe slower than some readers might prefer. Inez takes time to describe the things around her, which adds to the complexity of the world and gives the novel a rich, complete flavor.

The best part, perhaps, is our heroine. Inez is a spunky, resourceful woman in a time when those of her gender had very little power, if any at all. A book like this doesn’t work well with weak or arrogant main characters, and luckily, Ibanez gives us a smart, cunning woman we can trust to act rationally with the information she has. With so many trying to hide their truths from her, anything less would have been torturous to endure.

Did I mention the will-they-won’t-they slow burn forbidden romance plotline? Inez and Whittford Hayes, her uncle’s ‘aide’, are undeniably attracted to one another, but life isn’t that easy, and when she doesn’t know who she can trust, the tension is utterly delicious. Every little moment that betrayed their feelings I ate up with relish, including probably the shortest chapter I’ve ever seen:

Bloody hell.

Whit

I consumed this story as an audiobook narrated by Ana Osorio & Ahmed Hamad. Ana, especially, impressed me. There are several accents to juggle, and in general she handled it gracefully. It was a real pleasure to listen to.

The worst part? Having to wait until November for the sequel. The ending has you begging for what happens next. Masterful storytelling, honestly — and I cannot wait for more! So if you’re looking for a little more mystery and adventure in your life, What the River Knows will certainly scratch that itch.

Details

Title:: What the River Knows (Secrets of the Nile, #1)
Author:: Isabel Ibanez
Genre:: Historical Fantasy
Publisher:: Wednesday Books
Length:: 404 pages
Audio Length:: 16h 36m
Audiobook Narrator:: Ahmed Hamad & Ana Osorio
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: October 31st, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross
Ruthless Vows | Rebecca Ross

Book Review:: The Death King | Penelope Barsetti

This book is an indulgent escapist dark erotic romance fantasy. It is fiction. Please go into this one with the right expectations. This book will NOT be for everyone. Especially none with any sensitivity toward SA (se*ual as*ult).

I received this as an advanced listeners copy from Netgalley & the publisher, and though it did warn of dark themes, I’m not sure I was quite prepared for what this book is.

The Death King Penelope Barsetti Book Cover Sword Sheathed in a Broken Skull

Calista’s father was a King. When the Death King conquered the continent, her father killed himself before the conqueror could get to him. Calista witnessed it all before being shipped off to be a slave in the far reaches of the new kingdom. When she finds one of the coveted black diamonds in the sands, everything changes. Suddenly she finds herself a different kind of prisoner in the King’s own castle, and he’s fascinated by her. She doesn’t know him or what the war he’s clearly preparing for is about, and he’s not forthright with any information either. All Calista wants is freedom, and she’ll do just about anything to obtain it.

This is kind of the dark erotic answer to fourth wing. There are dragons, there is a dark leader love interest, there is a world to save (kind of?). Take that for what you will.

When this book began I was all in. The set up and the world this takes place in feels like a really great setup for an epic fantasy adventure/romance…whatever it might be. But as soon as Calista met the Death King, it turned into straight up erotica. The King is obsessed with bedding our dear Calista, despite the horrific trauma’s she’s endured. Like, literally her second night in his castle after rescuing her from her perpetual r*pist he’s wanting to bed her. And he does bed her, just not that first night. He gives her some choice, though not really the level he gaslights her into believing she has.

I’m not going to argue that this book takes things too far, because I know there are people out there who love a book like this one, it just wasn’t for me.

Anyway, there is a whole lot of sexy times in this book, and we’re not talking love-making. The King (Talon) is a damaged man. He’s basically allergic to intimacy. But Calista alights something new within him he’s unfamiliar with.

Personally, I wish the dirty stuff was toned down quite a bit because I think the skeleton of the plot is actually really interesting and I’d really like to find out what happens next. To me, the incessant lust really distracts from what the book could have been. For me it was 20% great setup, 70% nothing but sex and the pursuit of sex, and 10% hurry-and-wrap-up-the-plot. I also wondered a few times about consistency in the world. It’s a world where seamstresses are making the lingerie (not factory machines), but they have books of matches, and shave their nether regions? With what, a straight razor? …..it disconnected me from the story a few times when things like this would pop up.

There are three more books slated to be in this series, and while I added them all to my goodreads TBR soon after starting this book, I’m not sure if I’ll continue or not.

I thought the female narrator, Ramona Master, did a great job. The voice of Michael Ferraiuolo wasn’t really what I was expecting of a character called The Death King, and while I noticed every time narrators switched, I wouldn’t say it was distracting.

Details

Title:: The Death King (Death #1)
Author:: Penelope Barsetti
Genre:: Dark Erotic Fantasy
Publisher:: Hartwick Publishing
Length:: 341 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 7m
Audiobook Narrator:: Michael Ferraiuolo & Ramona Master
Audiobook Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars
Spice Rating:: 5!

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Not in Love | Ali Hazelwood
King of Wrath | Ana Huang

Book Review:: If We Were Villains | M.L. Rio

What is more important, that Cesear is assassinated or that he is assassinated by his intimate friends? … ‘That,’ Frederick said, ‘is where the tragedy is.’

If We Were Villains M. L. Rio Book Cover

After years in prison, inmate Oliver Marks is released on parole. Detective Colborne, the man in charge of the crime that put Oliver behind bars, is no longer in active duty. Lingering questions over the case has him approaching Oliver for the truth of what happened all those years ago. Being the Shakespearean thespian he and his friends are, he recounts the tale in all its detail and subtlety.

At Dellecher, an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends are in their fourth year of theater studies, where they perform endless Shakespearean plays. The friend group is very close-knit, and each of them play their respective roles dutifully on stage, and off. But things are changing, and after a strangely intense performance, one of them ends up dead.

The students in this theater program are dedicated to their craft, most certainly to a fault. They read deep into the verse, and quote it, frankly, constantly. I’ve never wanted to do a deep-dive into Shakespeare’s cannon more than I did while reading this book, and perhaps those with more background on the plays in question would have understood the deeper levels of meaning I’m convinced were there for a more astute reader. As it was, Oliver as the narrator did a good job of explaining enough that even a novice reader like me was able to follow the subtext of the scenes presented well enough. But these kids sure have a way with language, and as the author, M.L. Rio impressed me with such an expansive, luxurious writing style. It made me feel smarter and vastly ignorant all at once (ha).

One thing I’m sure Colborne will never understand is that I need language to live, like food-lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.

Oliver is a great supporting actor, and his place in the friend group mirrors that role. It is a great POV from which to experience the story. He sees the others for who they are without his own ego getting in the way, and is profoundly loyal to them, and is entirely too trusting of them, as it turns out. His character did not have a front row seat to the tragedy, and has to piece together what happened himself as the cracks in the story begin to show.

Did you love Donna Tartt’s The Secret History? Did you like it but wished it had less Latin & philosophy and more Shakespearean verse? Then this was written for you. The gist of the story was very similar, with mirrored themes and pacing in both plot and language. To me, this is essentially a re-telling of The Secret History, although having read it doesn’t give anything away of this one. But if you loved it, you’ll love this, and vice versa.

This Gothic mystery is not for the casual reader. The prose is dense and poetic and requires concentration and patience to get through (listening to it as an audiobook might help if you’re finding it too tedious). But if you’re a seasonal reader and like to lean into the vibes of autumn, this is a perfect companion to the chilly, snow-crusted, dim evenings of October.

Details

Title:: If We Were Villains
Author:: M.L. Rio
Genre:: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Flatiron Books
Length:: 354 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 50m
Audiobook Narrator:: Robert Petkoff
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: April 11th, 2017
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Book Review:: The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Socttoline

A dead body. Brotherly love. This book starts out with a bang.

The Truth About the Devlins Lisa Scottoline Book Cover

John Devlin, the golden boy of the family, comes to his brother with a terrified confession: he’s just killed someone. TJ is the ‘messed up’ one of the family, so of course John chose him for his absolution. TJ is an alcoholic. He’s served jail time. But he’s been sober two years now and is on the straight and narrow – making something of himself. TJ also works as an investigator for their family’s law firm, and he loves his brother, so he agrees to help…but when they get back to the quarry, the body is gone. They don’t know if the guy was still alive, or if he had some conspirators cleaning up what happened, either way, John is fucked, and TJ is determined to help him. But the guy has disappeared, and weird shit starts happening-then John changed his story, throwing TJ under the bus. Now TJ isn’t just fighting to keep his brother safe, but himself, his reputation, and the lives of those around him.

Gah, I loved this book. I’ve already ordered several more titles from Lisa Scottoline and can’t wait to read more from this incredible author. But let’s talk about this one first!

So if you can’t tell by my summary, TJ is an underdog, and damn if we don’t love an underdog story. He isn’t a loud person – he plays his cards close to his chest – and he’s one to show them through actions, not words. Sometimes people are slow to see that, and when there are other people telling lies about you, and you’ve already done the worst possible thing a scumbag can do (in the past), you don’t feel like you can defend yourself. But TJ is a changed man. He’s doing his best, one day at a time. He’s a hero I love to root for. A character like this carries the whole book on his back like it’s nothing. Excellent character.

The rest of the characters were also pretty great. The father seemed a little wishy washy with how strong his convictions were, then turning on a dime at one point, but that’s a father for you (lol), and my only complaint.

The plot is complex and layered and so frigging juicy. There is a lot going on and it’s all a mystery to unravel, but it doesn’t tug apart too easy.

Basically, it’s a banger, and I cannot recommend it more highly. If you’re in the mood for a thriller…”pick me, choose me, love me!”

Details

Title:: The Truth About the Devlins
Author:: Lisa Scottoline
Genre:: Thriller/Suspense
Publisher:: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 40m
Audiobook Narrator:: Edoardo Ballerini, Lisa Scottoline
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: March 26th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whelan
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: The City in Glass | Nghi Vo

Where have I been all my life where I haven’t experienced the work of Hugo Award winning author Nghi Vo? By happy circumstance, I’ve been given the opportunity to review her latest book before its release, The City in Glass. Now I will take it upon my own responsibility to make sure you don’t miss out on this unique and riveting story.

The City in Glass Nghi Vo Book Cover Romanesque statues of a man and woman on either side of a burning city in the background.

This is a book unlike anything I have read. It is poetry and philosophy. Biology and sociology. It is Anthropology and metaphysics. It captures at once the fragility of a human life, and its unique, irreplaceable beauty. Perhaps most of all it explores the most potent and universal human desire: to be remembered.

Azril is an ancient city that has grown and developed through the ages. It has done so by the careful and loving influence of the demon Vitrine, who records its most special figureheads, events, and traditions in the book she stores in the glass case within herself. When a group of vengeful angels comes to destroy what she most loves, she is almost destroyed in her grief and curses the angel nearest her before giving in to her despair. Unwilling to give up the place she loves, she sifts through the wreckage slowly and methodically and coaxes the rivers to return to the once prosperous land. The angel she cursed is ostracized from his own kind so long as he bears the mark she’s given him, and she refuses to remove it, so he keeps close and watches as Vitrine scrambles to recreate that which was once so precious to her. Decades pass. Then centuries. More.

Gazing upon the Earth from the astral perspective offers such value to consider. When we realize as humans how fleeting we are, does it not humble us? Does it not force us into gratitude for the present moment, every moment, we happen to be granted?

I received a copy to listen to for free, and before I was halfway done with it, I had pre-ordered a hardcover copy. This is the kind of book that begs to be read with regularity. I have no doubt in my mind that revisiting these pages will reveal new and fascinating insights each and every time I turn them.

Details

Title:: The City in Glass
Author:: Nghi Vo
Genre:: Fantasy
Publisher:: Tordotcom
Length:: 224 pages
Audio Length:: 6h 5m
Audiobook Narrator:: Susan Dalian
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: October 1st, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross
The Familiar | Leigh Bardugo
Heartless Hunter | Kristen Ciccarelli

Book Review:: Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter

Life is good. After struggling through so much of life, you’ve finally found the place you belong, and the one who is meant to stand by your side. Then, in the blink of an eye, all the memories of discovering these things are wiped from your mind. Before We Were Us is the story of Lauren Wentworth, who fell from a ladder and lost an entire, formative, summer.

Before We Were Us Denise Hunter Book Cover. New Hampshire Latefront in fall foliage.

As a new college graduate, Lauren took a job as the manager of a tourist lodge in New Hampshire as a condition to winner her dream job in Boston: being a bona fide party planner at one of the most prestigious firms in New England. It’s her chance to prove her capabilities to her future employer and she won’t let anything get in the way of the future she’s dreamed of for so long. Except one day she wakes up in the hospital and finds that four months have passed since her last memory, and suddenly the owner’s son she couldn’t stand is saying that somehow they’ve been in a loving relationship all summer long. The two realities are impossible to reconcile in her head, and she’s unsure if she wants to regain her lost memories.

Jonah, her almost fiancée, is devastated. Just on the cusp of their happily ever after, the woman he loves is suddenly all but repulsed by him. He steps back, gives her the space she desperately needs, and waits for her. All he can hope for is that she’ll remember their time together, but when nothing changes even weeks after her injury, he isn’t sure what their future might hold.

What a concept! I think a premise like this naturally tugs at our human heartstrings. Memory is fallible, and so deeply, deeply personal. You can’t convey to another person exactly how something felt, or how it affected you. Even journals probably couldn’t evoke the same feelings if you don’t have the memory to accompany it. You can try. Lord knows, we all try. That’s what literature is. Poetry, and music too…all art in its various shapes forms strives to capture and convey human emotion.

This is a very strong story with many moments of sweetness and heartbreak and necessary, if reluctant, soul searching. There are strong examples of family with themes of overcoming hardships and long-held grievances. Jonah was exemplary in his role as supportive, loving partner. Finding out that Thomas Nelson is a Christian publisher is not surprising. Though I wouldn’t say this book is blatantly religious, but it does serve as a good example of what I imagine a healthy religious practitioner should look like. It’s not a story about characters making conflict-ridden choices, but rather navigating difficult circumstances with all the nuance it entails.

Any reader, especially of romance, might enjoy this story. I know I did. I was lucky enough to be chosen as an advanced listener by netgalley and the publisher. The narrator, Kim Churchill, did a wonderful job.

Details

Title:: Before We Were Us
Author:: Denise Hunter
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 9m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kim Churchill
Audiobook Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Published:: September 10th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Rating:: 1 (smooches only)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

It’s All Relative | Rachel Magee
Hello Stranger | Katherine Center
Funny Story | Emily Henry

Book Review:: Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks

Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Jasper did, once. Now, after an insurmountable tragedy he’s convinced God has abandoned him. He hasn’t lost his faith entirely though, because when a white deer shows up in the forest surrounding his property, he takes it for the symbol it is: a harbinger of change.

Counting Miracles Nicholas Sparks Book Cover | Old man and his dog walking away into the North Carolina autumnal forest

A veteran named Tanner is on the search for his father-a man he’s never known, nor known anything about until his grandmother’s deathbed confession, when she left a note with his name & the town he lived in. He’s a drifter, never staying in one place too long or committing to anything but his job. On his first day in Asheboro North Carolina his brand-new sports car is backed into by a teenaged driver and changes the trajectory of his trip. He’ll be in town far longer than anticipated, and the young girl’s mother is one of the more interesting women Tanner’s ever met. Kaitlyn is her name, and her young son is friendly with Jasper, the old man living nearby who teaches him to whittle.

This tale weaves these characters together in interesting and emotional ways. The narrative bounces between Tanner, Kaitlyn, and Jasper’s voices. There is mystery, tragedy, hope, parenting struggles, romance, and a whole lot of facing reality thrown in too. There are real family relationships, and a religious throughline that is, if not convincing, at least something to make you ponder.

For most of the book the prose felt quite calming to read. It has a nice steady rhythm that kind of lulls you as you read into this serene sort of interest. I haven’t read many characters like Tanner. He’s a middle-aged bachelor who is just cruising through life to whatever the next opportunity may be. He doesn’t seem to have a destination in mind, just enjoys the ride along the way. And Jasper, sweet Jasper. His only companion is his beloved dog and Mitch, Kaitlyn’s son. He lives in a cabin built by his father’s hands living out his days in as much peace as he can manage. Until that dang deer shows up.

For Kaitlyn, who is divorced, the romantic fling that begins to develop with Tanner is a risk. He’s just visiting, and she has a lot to lose. I really enjoyed reading this romance from her perspective.

I’ve never read a Nicholas Sparks book before, though I’ve seen a few movies based on his writing (The Notebook, obviously). While I wasn’t blown away by its brilliance, the experience of reading it was really nice, and I’ll certainly read more of his backlist! Do you have any recommendations on which I should read (there are so many!).

This is an arc review & my honest opinions.

Details

Title:: Counting Miracles
Author:: Nicholas Sparks
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Random House
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 45m
Audiobook Narrator:: Holter Graham & Nicholas Sparks
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Large Print Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Last Love Note | Emma Gray
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife | Anna Johnston

Book Review:: Splendid Little Schemes | Robin Strong

As a 30-something middle-ish-class woman, I have been approached by a lot of MLMers through the years, and even joined a few (for the discount, of course). Essential oils, beauty products, ‘adult’ things, jewelry, children’s books, and even packaged food and mixes. I know how they operate. I know the jargon they use and the sickly positive vibes they project like the batman spotlight for encouragement and motivation…and damn, if this book did not capture that vibe perfectly.

Splendid Little Schemes Robin Strong Book Cover

Vicky is a high ranking Puremetics consultant looking for the next great team member to recruit and push her up over the next line of promotion in her business. She is currently the fastest growing upper tier star of the company and wants to keep up the momentum. When she meets Anna, a new member of their community, she pounces on the opportunity to get her (and her contacts back in Oregon) in her downline. But a mistaken address leads Anna to a different sort of meeting that will change the course of both their lives. Instead of a spy-day style girl’s night to sample Puremetics products, Anna has stumbled upon one full of anti-MLMers looking to take down the beast that is Puremetics and its enigmatic leader.

This is a scathing commentary on MLM pyramid scheme style direct-sales marketing companies and the way they prey on the vulnerable (women, mostly, but really any and everyone new consultants can convince to join). While the book does not mention any real MLM companies (except a brief reference to the OG Avon) and is perhaps a caricature of some of their most despicable practices & of those who lead companies like these, it certainly takes a stance against them.

Religion is another rampant theme. Vicky’s husband’s career is in the Mormon church, and her family has always been devout in that religion (yep-it’s set in Utah, how’d you guess?). I’m not sure if it was a critique of this religion in particular, or stringent religious beliefs which encourage deep life-long guilt for making very human mistakes, and sometimes simply being who you are in general. Either way, the issues are characterized well within the plot of the novel, driving character decisions and living rent free in the character’s heads. There may also be a nod to scientology mixed in there somewhere that I didn’t miss (but seriously, where are you Shelly Miscavige?!).

The perspective shifts between a few characters to show many aspects of the issues. There is the diehard ‘business owner’ Puremetics consultant, an anti-MLM hero with a personal vendetta, and a normal-ass chica with her own problems who gets swept up in all of it. The ‘mission’ to take them down gives the novel clear focus and makes it so compelling.

I don’t watch a lot of reality tv myself, but I imagine fans of it would eat this novel up. It’s got suburban drama with a side of Stepford going on. I loved it, I think you will too.

Note: I received this title as an advanced listening copy from netgalley and the author for free in exchange for my honest review.

Details

Title:: Splendid Little Schemes
Author:: Robin Strong
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction/Satire
Publisher:: Strong Stories LLC
Length:: 309 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Robin Strong
Audiobook Publisher:: Strong Stories LLC
Published:: October 10th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [eBook]

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Book Review:: The Reappearance of Rachel Price | Holly Jackson

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson is a nonstop whirlwind of twists and clues and intrigue I couldn’t put down. It’s about a young girl’s search for the truth, but more than that, it’s about the stories we tell ourselves. To make sense of the world. To cope. To survive.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price Holly Jackson Book Cover

Bell and her family are in the middle of filming interviews for a new true-crime documentary coming out about the disappearance of her mother sixteen years ago, when she was presumably taken from their car with Bell still in the back seat. Bell was so young she doesn’t remember the woman, but considering her body was never found, she always suspected her mother left her voluntarily. Now, Rachel Price walks back into town, ragged and ruined, claiming she’d been locked in someone’s basement all this time. Bells’s world is turned upside down with her mother invading every space that used to be just her and her father. And she’s also noticed a few inconsistencies in Rachel’s story. She tries to be accepting, tries to ignore the oddities prickling the back of her mind, but then she notices another, and another, and can’t let it go. With the help of one of the members of the documentary crew, and her cousin Carter, Bell continues to search for the answers to unlock the past of her family.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. The YA/Not YA distinction is blurry at best these days, and I was thinking this was going to be a kind of ‘soft’ mystery either way, but oh boy, this thing gets dark. Think Veronica Mars. Young girl investigator (18), real, horrible crimes.

The length is perfect, the pacing is excellent, the tension and mystery propelled me forward irresistibly. The investigation was just so compelling! We didn’t know if Rachel really was lying, hiding something, or she was just traumatized and that explained away the inconsistencies. I was on board with Bell all the way through, and man, it really had me going. This is the kind of book where you dream of getting that first read back.

Tis the season for dark suspense novels, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend this one with enthusiasm. The Reappearance of Rachel Price is an excellent novel, and I can’t wait to read more from Holly Jackson!

Details

Title:: The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Author:: Holly Jackson
Genre:: Suspense/Thriller
Publisher:: Delacorte Press
Length:: 448 pages
Audio Length:: 16h 34m
Audiobook Narrator:: Sophie Amoss
Audiobook Publisher:: Listening Library
Published:: April 2nd, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

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Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen