BOOK REVIEW: Love and Entropy: A Hollywood Lights Novella / Katie Rose Guest Pryal

TITLE: Love and Entropy: A Hollywood Lights Novella 

AUTHOR: Katie Rose Guest Pryal

PUBLISHER: Blue Crow Books
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE

Women's Fiction

REVIEW

LOVE AND ENTROPY is the prequel novella to ENTANGLEMENT, Katie Rose Guest Pryal’s novel about two young women searching for new beginnings in 1990s LA. I read Entanglement a little while back and really enjoyed the story of Daphne, a charismatic fashionista with a dark past, and Greta, an awkward physics nerd, so I was excited to read the story of how the two became best friends in the first place.

In LOVE AND ENTROPY, both Daphne and Greta are students at a top-notch school. But whereas Daphne is a social butterfly with a frat-boy boyfriend, Greta is an isolated geek who’s more comfortable with numbers than people. Yet when Daphne meets Greta, she feels an instant friend connection. And when Daphne’s boyfriend suggests setting Greta up with a frat brother, Daphne sees it as an opportunity to help Greta come out of her shell. But it turns out that Daphne’s boyfriend has ulterior motives – one that could shatter the budding friendship before it begins.

I loved that LOVE AND ENTROPY tells the story of a strong female friendship. There’s no pitting women against women, no stereotypical mean girls or anything. Just two young women who support each other (that’s part of what I loved about ENTANGLEMENT too). In a way, LOVE AND ENTROPY is a romance – two dissimilar people meet, experience a mutual (friend) attraction, hit some rough patches, but deal with them and have a happily ever after. A friend-romance, if you will. It’s quick, delightful read, full of fun and feels.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie is a novelist, freelance journalist, and erstwhile law professor in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She is the author of the Hollywood Lights Series, which includes ENTANGLEMENT, LOVE AND ENTROPY, CHASING CHAOS, and HOW TO STAY all from BLUE CROW BOOKS. With Raven Books, she is the author of LIFE OF THE MIND INTERRUPTED: Essays on Mental Health and Disability in Higher Education (2017).

As a journalist, Katie contributes to QUARTZ, THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THE (late, lamented) TOAST, DAME MAGAZINE and other national venues. She earned her master’s degree in creative writing from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins, where she attended on a fellowship. Katie has published many books on writing, including HOW WRITING WORKS with Oxford University Press. A professor of writing for more than a decade, she now teaches creative writing through Duke University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and works as a writing coach and developmental editor when she’s not writing her next book.

BOOK REVIEW: Just the Trouble I Needed / Lauren Faulkenberry

TITLE: Just the Trouble I Needed (Bayou Sabine, #2.5)
AUTHOR: Lauren Faulkenberry
PUBLISHER: Blue Crow Books
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE
Contemporary Romance

REVIEW
Seeking a refuge from her chaotic life, Kate McDonnell agrees to dogsit for a friend in another town. There’s one problem: the last time she visited the Bayou, she had a fling with the town’s good-looking sheriff, Andre, and she’s not sure where they stand. When the two meet up again, sparks are reignited. But Kate isn’t ready for a new relationship so soon after her last one blew up…

Just the Trouble I Needed is a lovely contemporary romance novella by Lauren Faulkenberry, full of character and charm. The whole thing is really well-written, especially the descriptions of emotions. It’s easy to feel as Kate feels, to find yourself wrestling with the same complexities as she does. As for Andre, well, what’s a romance without a swoon-worthy love interest? ;-) I love that he’s not a stereotypical “alpha male,” but has emotional depth of his own (and more than Kate gives him credit for at first). The two have great chemistry, and it’s easy to root for them. I also appreciated the lush descriptions of the setting and the way it seems to be a character as well.

While this novella is part of a series (the Bayou Sabine series), it stands on its own. I hadn’t read any of the other books before diving in, but I had no trouble getting into the story.

Sometimes, you just want a quick romantic read full of human drama and sympathetic characters, and Just the Trouble I Needed really hits the spot! It’s a fun, fast-paced read that gets you right in the feels.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Faulkenberry is author of the novel BAYOU MY LOVE (Velvet Morning Press, 2016), the novella BACK TO BAYOU SABINE, and the children's book WHAT DO ANIMALS DO ON THE WEEKEND? She is a contributor to the anthology HUNGRY FOR HOME: Stories of Food from Across the Carolinas With More Than 200 Favorite Recipes. 

Lauren divides her time between writing, teaching, and making artist books. Originally from South Carolina, she has worked as an archaeologist, an English teacher, and a ranger for the National Park Service. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Georgia College & State University, where she attended on fellowship, and earned her MFA in Book Arts from The University of Alabama. She was a finalist for the Novello Festival Press First Novel Award, won the Family Circle short fiction contest for her story "Beneath Our Skin," and was nominated for an AWP Intro Award. 


She currently lives in western NC, where she is at work on her next novel in the Bayou series.

REVIEW: How to Stay (A Hollywood Lights Novella) / Katie Rose Guest Pryal

TITLE: How to Stay (A Hollywood Lights Novella)

AUTHOR: Katie Rose Guest Pryal

PUBLISHER: Blue Crow Books

AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE

Romance - Contemporary

REVIEW

Miranda George is legal-industry royalty: the daughter of two high-flying lawyers with their own firm who’s now got a cushy paralegal job with them right out of college. She has zero patience for smarmy junior lawyers. You know the type—fresh out of law school, a little too good-looking, and definitely too confident. Arrogant, narcissistic little douchebags. So when she meets her parents’ new hire, Matthias Pino—a guy who seems to fit right into the mold—she dismisses him right away. Determined to prove that he’s more than a stereotype, Matthias takes Miranda on an unconventional date to a dog rescue—and wins her over. But though the two crackle with immediate chemistry, life’s complications get in the way. Miranda’s picture-perfect family is harboring a devastating secret, and she fears that letting Matthias into her life will reveal it and hurt the people she loves most. Matthias, meanwhile, has an unexpected background that shatters Miranda’s initial assumptions about him.

Equal parts passionate romance and heart-wrenching family drama, Katie Rose Guest Pryal’s standalone novella, How to Stay (part of the Hollywood Lights world but completely self-contained), is a tightly written and emotionally layered story that touches on several complex topics, including mental health and the paradoxes of the American justice system. I was surprised by just how much richness could be packed into this little book, which is fast paced (I read most of it in a day) without being rushed. Both Miranda and Matthias are well-drawn, complex characters who really come to life on the page, and their interactions feel completely organic. I loved how Miranda could be both the take-charge type on the outside and yet still vulnerable in ways she’s loathe to admit. And as a romantic lead, Matthias is totally charming. It’s so easy to root for these two, even as life’s complications keep trying to get in the way. It all leads up to a wholly satisfying ending, and I’d recommend this book for anyone who’s looking for an intelligent romance that’s as much about the people involved as the passion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie is a novelist, freelance journalist, and erstwhile law professor in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She is the author of the Hollywood Lights Series, which includes ENTANGLEMENT, LOVE AND ENTROPY, CHASING CHAOS, and HOW TO STAY all from BLUE CROW BOOKS. With Raven Books, she is the author of LIFE OF THE MIND INTERRUPTED: Essays on Mental Health and Disability in Higher Education (2017).

As a journalist, Katie contributes to QUARTZ, THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THE (late, lamented) TOAST, DAME MAGAZINE and other national venues. She earned her master’s degree in creative writing from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins, where she attended on a fellowship. Katie has published many books on writing, including HOW WRITING WORKS with Oxford University Press. A professor of writing for more than a decade, she now teaches creative writing through Duke University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and works as a writing coach and developmental editor when she’s not writing her next book. 

BOOK REVIEW: Entanglement (A Hollywood Lights Novel) / Katie Rose Guest Pryal

TITLE: Entanglement (A Hollywood Lights Novel)
AUTHOR: Katie Rose Guest Pryal
PUBLISHER: Velvet Morning Press
AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE
Contemporary Fiction--Women's Fiction

REVIEW
Recent college grads Greta, an awkward nerd, and Daphne, a charismatic glamor girl, couldn't be more different on the surface, but have been close friends since university. After Greta's philandering father kicks her out of the house, she moves across the country to LA to live with Daphne, who helps her navigate the world of 1990s Hollywood. Soon, she finds an unlikely job at a lighting production company and finds herself drawn to her handsome new boss.

Daphne, meanwhile, aspires to be a screenwriter and presently works a day job as the assistant to a producer best known for yesteryear's hits. She soon finds herself losing Greta to a budding romance and resorts to desperate measures to win back her friend. But her actions have dire consequences... ones that could cause her to lose Greta forever.

ENTANGLEMENT, Katie Rose Guest Pryal's novel about friendship, Hollywood, and finding your way in your early twenties, opens with Greta in the hospital in December 1999, having been attacked by someone she knows. The book then goes back to the beginning of 1999 and follows Greta and Daphne as they settle into their new lives as roommates, leaving you to wonder which of the interesting new characters in Greta's life will ultimately try to kill her--and why. But though the book opens with danger and mystery, it's not a thriller. It's a complex, finely wrought, richly human story about two young women.

Can I just say--I love love loved that a female friendship was at the heart of this book. There's a romance too, but the story's really about Greta and Daphne's relationship. The story is told in a nonlinear fashion, with "present day" chapters alternating with flashback chapters that reveal details about how the girls met, how they became such close friends, and their relationships with their families. What I enjoyed most about this book is how well developed the two central characters are. Greta: the physic major who takes things too literally and relates to facts better than to people. Daphne: the fabulous popular girl who you'd never guess came from an abusive and underprivileged childhood.

I really enjoyed the way Pryal used the flashback chapters to add complexity and color bit-by-bit to the characters--to show how they became the way they are, sometimes in unexpected ways. Both Daphne and Greta really came alive on the page, and I quickly became invested in them and their intense friendship. 

ENTANGLEMENT is a character-driven story of friendship, dysfunction, Hollywood glitz, and obsession, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's got so many elements--finding your way in the world after college, discovering that people aren't who they seem, what Hollywood in the late '90s was like, how two people who seem so different connect on such visceral levels... I started reading it while getting my hair dyed, and the book made the whole three hour process fly by (in fact, I probably should have been paying more attention when the stylist asked if my hair was the right color, instead of just nodding so I could get back to reading!). And then I went home and kept reading reading reading, staying up till 3AM because I didn't want to stop until I was finished.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katie enjoys her three professions—novelist, freelance journalist, and lawyer—for one reason: her love of the written word. Fiction or nonfiction, Katie thrives on putting thoughts to paper and sharing them with the world. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the energy of the campus and cafes inspires her writing. She is the author of the Entanglement Series, which includes ENTANGLEMENT (Velvet Morning Press 2015), LOVE AND ENTROPY (VMP 2015), and the forthcoming CHASING CHAOS (VMP 2016). She is also a contributor to the anthology CHRISTMAS, ACTUALLY (VMP 2015).

You can grab free copies of Katie's novella, NICE WHEELS, and her writing guide, WRITING ISN'T SEXY, by subscribing to her monthly email letter:http://bit.ly/pryalnews.

As a journalist, Katie contributes to QUARTZ, THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THE TOAST, DAME MAGAZINE and other national venues, including THE HUFFINGTON POST, where she writes a monthly column on writing. She earned her master’s degree in creative writing from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins, where she attended on a fellowship.

Katie has published many books on writing, the most recent with Oxford University Press. A professor of writing for more than a decade, she now leads writing workshops and works as a writing coach and developmental editor when she's not writing her next book.

Katie is a member of the Tall Poppy Writers (http://tallpoppies.org/), a community of writing professionals committed to connecting authors with each other and with readers.

BOOK REVIEW: The Fourth Wall / Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

TITLE: The Fourth Wall
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Maria Naranjo
PUBLISHER: WiDo Publishing
AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE
Young Adult--Contemporary/Paranormal

REVIEW
15-year-old Marin has been lucid dreaming since she was little, when her mother told her that her ability to control her dreamscape was a gift. After a tragic accident claims her mother's life, she uses her power over her dreams to create a fantasyland to escape into. In addition, her mother's death has caused her baby brother to regress inexplicably, while her father struggles to care for them both alone.

When she's advised by a counselor to join group therapy at school, Marin is initially skeptical. Meanwhile, the fantasyland in her dream soon turns into a nightmare as monsters invade, trying to keep her from something... something whose consequences could touch the real world.

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo's YA novel THE FOURTH WALL is nothing short of mesmerizing. Every sentence feels like it was spun from fine silk and woven together into a flowing, hypnotic tapestry. There's a rhythm and a poetry to the writing, which truly sings through gorgeously arranged words.

It's hard to pick a sub-genre within YA for this book because of the dual storylines--the real world Marin lives in and the fantasyland she dreams in. Much of the novel is about how Marin handles the double grief of losing her mother and handling her brother's new developmental challenges. A mature and quiet teen, she struggles to heal herself while trying not to burden anyone else. Her emotions and inner turmoil really come alive on the page, until you're there with her, remembering her mother and experiencing her sorrow and confusion as much as she is. The heavy burdens she carries have caused her to withdraw, and throughout the book, you watch as bit by bit, she begins coming out of her shell and taking control of her own life again.

The book also intersperses fantastical scenes from Marin's dreams amid her attempts to get through her daily life. These dream sequences parallel her real world struggles, eventually leading to an unexpected and rather devastating twist.

A gorgeously rendered exploration of grief, THE FOURTH WALL comes to life and pulls you into Marin's journey. Everything about it is well crafted--the narrative, the dialogue, the characters, the plot. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer poetic quality of this book, and I highly recommend it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Maria Naranjo grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, before escaping the cold winters and settling in the Sonoran Desert. She lives in Tempe, Arizona with her husband and two children.

Elizabeth also writes short fiction and creative nonfiction. Her work has been published in SLAB Literary Magazine, The Portland Review, Hospital Drive, Literary Mama, Babble, Brain, Child, and Bartleby Snopes. She likes dark chocolate and strong coffee, and she loves hearing from readers. Visit her online at elizabethmarianaranjo.com.

BOOK REVIEW: Suffer Love / Ashley Herring Blake

TITLE: Suffer Love
AUTHOR: Ashley Herring Blake
PUBLISHER: HMH Books for Young Readers
AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE
Young Adult - Contemporary/Romance

REVIEW
"In Romeo and Juliet, the stars didn't cross. They collided." That's a line from SUFFER LOVE that perfectly sums it up, and that will stick with me for a long time (disclaimer: I was typing that from memory, so it might not be *exactly* as it is in the novel). This stunning contemporary YA romance is told from the POVs of Hadley and Sam, two teens from dysfunctional families whose relationship, as the tagline says, was complicated before they ever met.

The official description leaves out exactly how it's complicated, but it's not hard to guess (and gets revealed pretty early on), so I don't think it's a spoiler. Hadley's family is still reeling from her father's recent affair with an unknown woman, with her parents in marriage counseling and her doing her best to keep pretending everything's okay. Meanwhile, Sam and his little sister move into town after their father left them because of their mom's infidelity - and Sam knows exactly who the Other Man is. He's instantly attracted to Hadley and somewhat thrilled when he's paired with her for a Shakespeare assignment... until he learns her last name and realizes that the Other Man was her dad. Holy moly, there's no way this can end well... especially since Sam can't bring himself to tell Hadley what's going on.

This dramatic irony creates a simmering tension throughout the whole story, which follows Hadley and Sam's emotional struggles with life, their families, and each other. While their romance is at the heart of the story, it's just one piece of a profound exploration of the characters' lives - how each of them handles the difficult realities they live in. Both characters are wonderfully written with voices that feel genuine and relatable, yet are very distinct from each other. Sometimes strong, sometimes vulnerable, sometimes cautious, sometimes impulsive - complex people in complex situations, making choices that aren't always the best ones, but ring true. I found myself instantly pulled in and tore through the whole thing in about two days (at one point staying up far too late, but no regrets!).

I loved that this is something of an unconventional romance, with characters who aren't your typical romantic leads. Hadley's gained a reputation around school for being a tease, since one of the ways she copes with her parents' relationship falling apart is by seeking comfort and escape in the arms of boys. The novel aims to blast apart the stigma surrounding girls who like to hook up by exploring Hadley's motivations and emotions, as well as showing how she deals with the subsequent slut-shaming. Sam, meanwhile, is simultaneously older than his years and a confused teen. With his dad gone and his mom somewhat absent, he's taken it upon himself to act as his little sister's surrogate parent. Yet he's still a kid himself, and the tension between the two sides of him help create an interesting and multifaceted personality. Also worth noting is that I loved the role that Sam's little sister (Livy) played - the sibling relationship between her and Sam, the developing friendship between her and Hadley, her own feelings and confusion around her parents' split.

This was a book that gave me ALL THE FEELS and left me somewhat stunned at the end, like "whoa, that was awesome, and I don't know whether to smile or weep or smile-weep or WHAT!" The stars collided, love was suffered, and the complicated got even more complicated. And I loved every moment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ashley Herring Blake is a poet, teacher, and YA novelist. Her debut novel, SUFFER LOVE, follows two teens as they attempt to wade through an intense relationship complicated by their parents' infidelities. Ashley lives in Nashville, TN.

BOOK REVIEW: Dumplin'/ Julie Murphy

TITLE: Dumplin'
AUTHOR: Julie Murphy
PUBLISHER: Balzer + Bray
AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE
Young Adult -- Contemporary

REVIEW
Willowdean Dickson, nicknamed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mother, is a self-proclaimed fat girl living in a small Texas town where the local teen beauty pageant is the biggest event of the year. Despite the anti-fat prejudices around her, Willowdean is confident in her own skin. That is, until she starts secretly dating Bo, her hot colleague at the fast food joint she works at. Meanwhile, the next pageant draws closer, and Willowdean's mom, who basically runs the show, can't stop obsessing. As a tribute to her late aunt, who had wanted to enter the pageant as a teen but never worked up the courage to, Willowdean defies expectations and signs up.

Dumplin' follows Willowdean's life as she navigates her topsy-turvy high school life. It's a hard book to summarize because it has so many elements... her first real romance, friendship drama, grief and discovery around her late aunt, grappling with body image... And all of it is great fun to read about. Willowdean's snappy and sassy voice springs to life and feels instantly relatable. I've seen some reviews criticizing her for not always being the nicest, or for being insecure about her fatness, to which I say... Dude. The whole point of Willowdean is that she isn't perfect. She's a good person at the core, but, like everyone else, she can be catty or petty at times. She can both love her body and waver in her confidence. It's hard being a teen, and every little thing feels like the biggest deal in the world. Which is why even though Willowdean can be a little dramatic (like all teens!), I still found her endearing. This is a character whose ups and downs, decisions and indecisions, make her feel like a real person. She can be both tough and sweet, both commendable and annoying, both confident and insecure, but whatever she's doing, she's always authentic.

I was listening to the audiobook, and I really enjoyed how the narrator brought Willowdean's voice to life. She did a great job of capturing Willowdean's charm and spirit.

Full of small-town charm, teen escapades, and the torments of young love, Dumplin' is a complex and thoroughly entertaining YA contemp that explores a lot of complicated issues. It's funny and heartwarming, yet isn't afraid to explore the harder parts of being a teen... a falling out with a friend, wrestling with grief, body insecurity. I loved reading about Willowdean's challenges and quirks, flaws and triumphs. Whether she gets the crown or not, she's a winner in my book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julie lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cat who tolerates her. When she's not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she works at an academic library. Side Effects May Vary is Julie's debut novel.

BOOK REVIEW: Just Visiting / Dahlia Adler

TITLE: Just Visiting
AUTHOR: Dahlia Adler
PUBLISHER: Spencer Hill Contemporary
AVAILABILITY: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

GENRE
Young Adult - Contemporary

REVIEW
Just Visiting is told from the first person POVs of two best friends, Rae and Vic, who are both eager to get out of their small Kansas town, albeit for different reasons. Living in a trailer park with a freeloading mom who doesn't seem to give a lick about her, Rae yearns to escape poverty and start fresh at college. Vic, meanwhile, dreams of being a fashion designer and hopes that in college, her Mexican heritage won't make her stand out. In their last year of high school, Rae and Vic go on a series of college visits together, but eventually learn that their wildly diverging paths and the secrets they've kept from each other might tear them apart.

First of all, can I just say how amazing it is to read a book that's all about a female friendship? Rae and Vic's relationship is the heart and soul of the novel, and the two go through many ups and downs and twists and turns... as many as any romantic couple. There are plenty of stories out there about male friendships, but I think this is the first time I've read a book that's all about a female friendship, and damn, it was awesome! That isn't to say there isn't romance in the book. During the first college visit, Rae meets an adorkable Indian American boy named Dev (who introduces himself as Dave in an effort to make his Indian-ness stand out less... boy, can I relate!) and finds herself falling for him despite herself. The romance doesn't take up a lot of page-time, but when it's present, it sure packs a punch, whether the two are making adorkably awkward conversations or dealing with the fallout of their decisions. 

Anyway, Just Visiting is one of those books I almost didn't want to review because I knew that, no matter how much I gush, I won't do it justice (especially since I don't want to give out any spoilers, but a lot of the stuff I love comes after the twists!). Rae and Vic are both amazing protagonists (and they really are co-protagonists - both have equal prominence) with kickass voices. Both are super sarcastic (which made me laugh) and strong-willed, and it's easy to see why they'd be best friends... and why their fire-and-fire combo would eventually clash. The writing is truly amazing - quick-witted and clever in some places, evocative and poignant in others. And totally addictive. Once, I forgot to eat because I was too busy reading. Which is kind of ironic because I kept reading about the bacon tuna melts Rae serves at the diner she works at. Every scene comes to life on the page and just feels... real.

I also loved the diversity in this book -- not just racial (through a Mexican co-protagonist, and Indian love interest for Rae, and an Asian possible love interest for Vic) -- but socioeconomic as well. As a white girl in America, Rae possesses a certain degree of racial privilege, but at the same time faces a lot of hardships that come with being poor. Because she has to work and count every penny -- not to mention deal with a mom who not only won't support her, but barely seems to care that she exists -- she has to grow up a lot faster than most teenagers would. Which also means she has to deal with a lot of adult issues she's sorely unprepared for. It's not a perspective that's often explored, and it was fascinating to read.

Just Visiting alternates between light-hearted teen fun and profound explorations of human emotion... how the past can haunt you, how difficult it can be to figure out what you want. Being a teenager is a tumultuous time, and Adler perfectly captures it on the page through her two protagonists. I tore through this book and loved every moment. I was pretty sure I'd enjoy it before I started, but I found myself unexpectedly addicted (like I said, I forgot to eat at one point). And I came out of it with that satisfying feeling of, "Damn, that was a good book!"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dahlia Adler is an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day, a blogger for B&N Teens by night, and writes Contemporary YA and NA at every spare moment in between. She's the author of the Daylight Falls duology, the upcoming Just Visiting, and Last Will and Testament, as well as over five billion tweets as @MissDahlELama. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves.

REVIEW: While You Were Gone / Kate Moretti

GENRE

Contemporary Fiction - Women's Fiction

REVIEW

WARNING: This review will be a bit spoiler-y to those who haven't read Kate's first novel, Thought I Knew You.

Let me start by saying I'm coming into this novella biased for a number of reasons. First of all, I'm a huge fan of Kate Moretti's previous works: Thought I Knew You and Binds That Tie. Secondly, I'm a sucker for books about classical music, and OMG THE HEROINE'S AN ORCHESTRA VIOLINIST!!! Thirdly, I like Kate's writing so much that I published her myself in Brave New Girls, the anthology about girls in STEM that I co-edited. Fourthly, I watched this book go from a vague idea to an actual book, which is always thrilling. I chatted with Kate  when she was first brainstorming what she'd do with a Thought I Knew You companion novella (I may have pestered her about writing about the Other Woman you meet in TIKY because I'm a fangirl and wanted to know what happened from her POV). And fifthly, Kate sent me an early draft to vet for classical music-type things (I play violin and spent my teen years as a dedicated orchestra girl), so I kind of feel like one of the book's aunties (not my baby, but sometimes feels a little like it).

Also, *disclaimer time* Kate and I share a publisher (Red Adept Publishing), but this is NOT one of the reasons I'm biased (neither Red Adept nor Kate asked me to review this book, and my opinions are completely my own honest thoughts, etc. etc. Sage's Blog Tours did send me a free review copy, but I'd already bought and paid for the novella with my own cashie money because I love Kate's work and I wanted to read more).

Damn. I think that intro's longer than my review's going to be. Let's get to it then.

Karen Caughee's life is a mess. As a dedicated member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, she dreams of being the next Concertmistress and taking her passion for music to the next level. But with an alcoholic mother to take care of, a boyfriend she's drifting apart from, and stiff competition from her frenemy in the violin section, she ends up succumbing to the whirlwind of pressures and botching her audition. Just when it seems things can't get any worse, she's in a car accident that causes a devastating injury - one that keeps her from playing her violin.

She finds solace in the man who pulled her from the wreck, an American named Greg whom she'd met earlier that evening by chance. Greg gives her the support she sorely needs, but she only sees him when he's in town for a business trip. And though she's fallen hard for him, she starts to realize that he's not who she thinks he is... and he's put her in a terrible position.

I love that Kate used this novella, a companion piece to Thought I Knew You, to explore Karen's untold story. Karen's only seen briefly in TIKY as the infamous Other Woman. TIKY is about Claire Barnes coming to grips with her husband's disappearance and struggling with his betrayal, and Karen's more of a symbol than a person. While You Were Gone takes what TIKY set up and flips the infidelity tale on its head. Karen becomes a fully realized character, and I love seeing the story from the other side.

WYWG is really, in many ways, a character study. It delves deep into Karen's struggles and passions, letting her tell her side of the story in her own voice. I love that it shows that the Other Woman is a person too. Kate has a real talent for breathing life into her characters and making them feel real. The conversational voice and the complex emotions, the romance and the betrayal... I enjoyed every moment in this novella. Especially the scene in which Claire confronts Karen... same dialogue as in TIKY, but told from Karen's perspective.

We live in a world that loves to make quick, snap judgments of people and is always in a rush to put them into little boxes with labels on them. Readers of TIKY (including myself!) did just that to Karen, the Other Woman in an extramarital affair. By giving Karen a voice, Kate shows us how every story has multiple sides, and even unlikable figures are also human beings. And sometimes, they aren't what you think.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Despite Karen Caughee’s intense focus on her music, her life is drifting out of its lane. Her alcoholic mother keeps calling from bars for early-morning rides, her boyfriend doesn’t think she gets him, and that Toronto Symphony Orchestra position she applied for ends up going to her friend, Amy. By chance, she meets American Greg Randolf just before she’s in a car accident. He pulls her from the wreckage, but after major surgery, her recovery is slow. Without her music, her life’s pursuit, Karen is pushed further adrift.

Greg stays by her side while she heals, and he sees her every time he’s in Toronto for work. Without any other support or friendship in her life, Karen craves his enthusiastic attention, and their friendship deepens to love. Though she’s fallen hard for him, he doesn’t share everything with her. In one heartrending moment, Karen’s life comes to a crossroads, and she must face the full truth about who Greg is, and about who she has become.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Kate Moretti lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids, and a dog. She’s worked in the pharmaceutical industry for ten years as a scientist, and has been an avid fiction reader her entire life.

She enjoys traveling and cooking, although with two kids, a day job, and writing, she doesn’t get to do those things as much as she’d like.

Her lifelong dream is to buy an old house with a secret passageway.

Visit Kate:

Goodreads page: http://bit.ly/1W4cgMS

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katemorettiwriter

Twitter: @KateMoretti1

Blog: A Beaker’s Reflection

Red Adept Publishing Page: http://bit.ly/RAPWhileGone 

REVIEW: Play On / Michelle Smith

TITLE: Play On (Lewis Creek)
AUTHOR: Michelle Smith
PUBLISHER: Spencer Hill Contemporary
AVAILABILITY: Purchase links on author's website

GENRE
Young Adult - Contemporary

REVIEW
PLAY ON is a small town tale about a high school baseball star and the new girl in town. Austin needs help maintaining his grades to stay on the team, and chem whiz Marissa, who just recently arrived, offers to help tutor him. She also works at his mom's flower shop. Sparks soon begin to fly, but Marissa's demons emerge to haunt them both.

This book tackles the tricky issue of mental illness with nuance and does a great job at both depicting Marissa's clinical depression and Austin's attempts to understand. Austin's father committed suicide a few years back, and he never understood why. Now, with Marissa, he finds himself once again faced with the specter of mental illness.

Smith does a great job of developing her characters and guiding both Austin (who narrates the story with a distinctive voice) and the reader to understand depression. Marissa is much, much more than her illness - she's quirky, smart, and a hardcore sports fan.

This book is really about the characters, which I love. Each one is fully developed and comes to life on the page. The interaction and drama kept me hooked, and each time life got in the way of reading, I found myself very reluctant to stick the bookmark between the pages and put the book down.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle Smith was born and raised in North Carolina, where she developed a healthy appreciation for college football, sweet tea, front porches, and a well-placed “y’all.” She’s a lover of all things happy, laughs way too much, and fully believes that a little bit of kindness goes a long way.

Michelle lives near the Carolina coast with her family.

REVIEW: The Silver Cord (Lily Lockwood, #2) / Alison Caiola

TITLE: The Silver Cord (Lily Lockwood, #2)
AUTHOR: Alison Caiola
PUBLISHER: Wonderland Press
AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE
Contemporary Fiction

REVIEW

Life as a famous actress isn't as easy as it looks. Lily Lockwood has found success on film and on stage, but her personal life is in tatters. Not only is she still in mourning for her mother, but she's also a new mother who left the baby's father after he cheated. Now, he wants to return to her life, but her heart is with a handsome doctor named Robbie – who also happens to be the adoptive brother of her mother's firstborn, given up at birth. As if this tangle of personal drama isn't enough, Robbie's mission to Somalia with Doctors Without Borders takes a disastrous turn, leaving Lily to wonder if she'll ever get a chance with the man who could be the love of her life.

The title of The Silver Cord refers to a story-within-a-story that Robbie tells Lily in a flashback, about two lovers separated in the Holocaust. As one said to the other, no matter what, there would always be a silver cord tying her heart to his. This is an apt title for the second Lily Lockwood story, since even though Robbie and Lily share very little page-time, the bond between them is palpable through Lily's longing and ruminations. 

Like the first book, The Seeds of a Daisy, The Silver Cordoffers a glimpse behind the scenes of a seemingly glamorous life. Despite the limelight, Lily remains down-to-earth in her day-to-day dealings, treating her glitzy career the way any hard worker would treat a job. The attention and wealth are all superficial trappings to her, and what really matters are her personal relationships. Though being famous has its perks, it can't help her when she reaches her most desperate hour. Caiola portrays Lily with remarkable vulnerability and humanity, depicting the person behind the perfect face the tabloids take for granted.

To say that The Silver Cord is an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement. The story is full of drama as it follows Lily's attempts to get her life in order and then, later, to find a way to rescue Robbie from the clutches of ruthless terrorists. While The Seeds of a Daisy was pretty straightforward contemporary fiction, The Silver Cord has a dash of thriller thrown in. Lily finds herself dealing with a situation her life as an actress could never have prepared her for, and we're privy to her deepest fears and anxieties.

Caiola has a wonderful way of bringing emotion to life on the page. In addition to seeing what happens next to Lily, we also learn more about other characters introduced in The Seeds of a Daisy, in particular Robbie and David, Lily's half-brother who was given up for adoption before Lily was born. All in all, The Silver Cord is an enjoyable follow-up to The Seeds of a Daisy and an entertaining read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alison Caiola's many years in Hollywood, first as a PR Executive and then as a writer, makes her qualified to write about the entertainment industry and the behind-the-scenes craziness that ofte it often spawns.

Like Daisy, the mother in The Seeds of a Daisy, her son JD Daniels is a successful and award-winning actor. Alison recently wrote, directed, and produced the television series The Tyme Chronicles. She currently resides on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island with her Malti-Poo daughter-dog Emma, surrounded by vineyards, farms, and wonderful friends.

RELATED CONTENT:

Review of The Seeds of a Daisy (Lily Lockwood, #1)

Interview with Alison Caiola about The Seeds of a Daisy

Interview with Alison Caiola about The Silver Cord