Am I Ugly by Siobhan Hill


Am I Ugly by Siobhan Hill
Publisher: B&N Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (30 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The story of a little angler fish, who asks a very big question. Am I Ugly is the first book published by indie artist Siobhan Hill. This book is rated PG-13 for language.

Some questions are too sensitive to ignore.

I’d never heard of a picture book that was written for adults instead of children, so I was quite curious to see what sort of material it would cover. The blurb and title describe everything new readers need to know in advance. In short, there was an angler fish who wondered if they were ugly. This is something people of all ages think about at times, of course, but the answers were definitely meant for a mature audience. I enjoyed the way the author played around with the audience’s expectations of what should and shouldn’t be included in this sort of storytelling. It was as clever as it was unexpected.

It would have been nice to know why the angler fish began thinking about their physical appearance in the first place. The first scene started off with them asking if they were ugly without any hints about what brought that thought to mind or why they decided to find an answer to it. Knowing what was going on there would have bumped my rating up by a star or so.

With that being said, the ending was well done. It was exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to see, especially as the angler fish wandered further away from home in search of an answer for their question. Seeing how everything wrapped up gave me a strong sense of satisfaction. While I would have loved to continue following the angler fish on their journey of self-discovery, I also felt like we’d reached the perfect stopping point.

Am I Ugly should be read by anyone who has ever wondered what others think of them.

Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown


Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Full length (317 pages)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

In this captivating dual narrative novel, a modern-day woman finds inspiration in hidden notes left by her home’s previous owner, a quintessential 1950s housewife. As she discovers remarkable parallels between this woman’s life and her own, it causes her to question the foundation of her own relationship with her husband–and what it means to be a wife fighting for her place in a patriarchal society.

When Alice Hale leaves a career in publicity to become a writer and follows her husband to the New York suburbs, she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone in a big, empty house. But when she finds a vintage cookbook buried in a box in the old home’s basement, she becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner–1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that within the cookbook’s pages Nellie left clues about her life–including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother.

Soon Alice learns that while baked Alaska and meatloaf five ways may seem harmless, Nellie’s secrets may have been anything but. When Alice uncovers a more sinister–even dangerous–side to Nellie’s marriage, and has become increasingly dissatisfied with the mounting pressures in her own relationship, she begins to take control of her life and protect herself with a few secrets of her own.

Recipe for a Perfect Wife is a dual narrative novel, cleverly written, and connecting the lives of two housewives who lived decades apart. When Alice and her husband move into an old house once occupied by Nellie and her husband, Alice discovers a few surprises when she dusts off old books and letters from the 1950s.

Alice wants to write a novel but has writer’s block. She hopes delving into Nellie’s old letters she can find inspiration for her book. As it turns out, Alice finds more than just inspiration for a juicy story. She is prodded into certain actions.

Both couples have problems, and both keep serious secrets from each other. Nellie is abused, and readers’ hearts will go out to her. How can she escape this life? Can she, or is she trapped? Nellie decides to take drastic action, capable of shocking readers.

Alice and her husband keep things from each other, but Alice’s secrets and lies escalate. She becomes increasingly irritated, perhaps goaded on by the memoir of a desperate 1950s housewife. Alice, like Nellie, makes some poor decisions in reaction to the less-than-stellar treatment of their husbands.

Suspense keeps the pages turning, and unfolding occurrences are not what one is likely to expect. There are surprises in this book. Both wives find their voices and their strength but not in the typical positive way. This is an interesting story that leaves a reader thinking.

January Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Blind Sympathy by Roberta Bombonato


Blind Sympathy by Roberta Bombonato
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full length (239 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Vafara is a blind composer who creates new symphonies for the world. Alone in a cabin with only her service dog, she’s not concerned in the slightest for zero cell phone reception in a secluded in the woods. This is her special time where she can be free to let her musical compositions speak to her.

Israfel is a demon one assignment short from graduation: possession of an innocent soul. He’s always known he was different from others of his kind, and meeting the pure Vafara confirmed it.

Will he be able to possess the passionate musician when all he wants to do is hold her? Or will he throw it all away and risk an Angels and Demons war to save her innocent soul from the dark fate that awaits?

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Followers by Megan Angelo


Followers by Megan Angelo
Publisher: Graydon House
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (384 pages)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Orla Cadden is a budding novelist stuck in a dead-end job, writing clickbait about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Then Orla meets Floss—a striving, wannabe A-lister—who comes up with a plan for launching them both into the high-profile lives they dream about. So what if Orla and Floss’s methods are a little shady—and sometimes people get hurt? Their legions of followers can’t be wrong.

Thirty-five years later, in a closed California village where government-appointed celebrities live every moment of the day on camera, a woman named Marlow discovers a shattering secret about her past. Despite her massive popularity—twelve million loyal followers—Marlow dreams of fleeing the corporate sponsors who would do anything to keep her on-screen. When she learns that her whole family history is based on a lie, Marlow finally summons the courage to run in search of the truth, no matter the risks.

Followers traces the paths of Orla, Floss and Marlow as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. At turns wry and tender, bleak and hopeful, this darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection.

This is the story of three women: Orla, Floss, and Marlow. One wants fame more than anything else, one already has more fame than she can handle, and a third who wants nothing but to be left alone. However, their lives are forever entangled in a way none of them expected. As social media grows, explodes, and reinvents itself, all three are intent on achieving what they most want. But will they discover how or will they forever be a slave to their followers?

Floss, Orla, and Marlow are nothing alike. Floss is an attention seeker of the highest order. Orla, while wanting fame – as a writer, not an internet sensation – doesn’t necessarily want to be in the spotlight either. Marlow, on the other hand, has all the fame a person could want and more. The path that brings Floss and Orla together is pretty ordinary, but that’s where the usual stops and the crazy begins.

Orla was my favorite of the three women. Although she has a toxic crush on her high school pal, Danny, she mostly does what she can to survive. Once Floss enters her life, she finds a way to help her friend gain the notoriety she craves, even if it nearly leads to their destruction. I could relate to Orla in the way that she constantly gave things up for Floss, even when she didn’t want to or felt like Floss wasn’t deserving. In a lot of ways, most of Orla’s relationships were a bit toxic.

Floss annoyed me in so many ways. She was abrasive, unrepentant, and walked over anyone who stood in the way of her gaining followers – Twitter, Instagram, whatever. Her downfall was caused by a careless mistake, one that had dire consequences, but even then, she strove to rebuild her brand and become famous again. She mellowed out a bit by the end, but I never really warmed up to her.

Marlow was probably the most interesting of the three, however. Her role plays out in the near future, thirty-five years after Floss and Orla’s role, but it isn’t as crazy a future as you might think. As a well-loved reality star, Marlow’s situation was unlike any other I’ve read about. I thought that she was a bit spoiled and whiny at first, but as her story unfolded, I really began to empathize with her.

For me, the most interesting part of the book was the idea of The Spill – an incident that occurred online that caused a complete upheaval of the world as Floss, Orla, and everyone of their generation knew it. The Spill made way for a new and more intrusive form of internet, one that was government controlled. As far-fetched as this might have sounded ten years ago, today, it is frighteningly possible. Although Marlow’s timeline is set in 2051, it seems like it could be 2021 in so many ways.

Followers is one of the most interesting and in-your-face books I’ve read all year. The author realistically portrays influencer culture and its effect on the internet and the real world. Even Marlow’s futuristic life isn’t all that unimaginable in today’s world. It’s partly a social commentary and partly a warning, wrapped snugly in a wonderfully written and addictive narrative.

Dear Girls by Ali Wong


Dear Girls by Ali Wong
Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Memoir, Humor, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (240 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In her hit Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, an eight-month pregnant Ali Wong resonated so strongly that she even became a popular Halloween costume. Wong told the world her remarkably unfiltered thoughts on marriage, sex, Asian culture, working women, and why you never see new mom comics on stage but you sure see plenty of new dads.

The sharp insights and humor are even more personal in this completely original collection. She shares the wisdom she’s learned from a life in comedy and reveals stories from her life off stage, including the brutal single life in New York (i.e. the inevitable confrontation with erectile dysfunction), reconnecting with her roots (and drinking snake blood) in Vietnam, tales of being a wild child growing up in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Though addressed to her daughters, Ali Wong’s letters are absurdly funny, surprisingly moving, and enlightening (and gross) for all.

I laughed, snorted and had a great time while reading this book.

I love the humor of Ali Wong. It’s unapologetic and bluntly honest. She pulls no punches. This book is no different. If anyone thought she hadn’t written it, read the first chapter and it’s evident she was fully in charge.

She’s blunt and talks about the things in her life that affected her—her father’s passing, meeting her future husband, her time abroad, learning to be okay with being different and children. She definitely made me look at having children in a different way. I’ve never thought about saying some of the things she does in this book but that’s okay. It’s her book. It’s also a long letter (in chapter form) to her children. I liked how she told it how she saw it. I also loved the epilogue from her husband. It’s sweet, honest and touching. I should add, she talks about butts a lot. I mean, a lot! If you’re not interested in her affinity for butts, then you might want to turn away. If it doesn’t bother you, then no worries. Read away!

If you’re looking for a book that’s funny, heart-wrenching and will stick with you after the final page, then this might be the book for you.

December Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Pirate’s Prey by Colleen O’Connell


Pirate’s Prey by Colleen O’Connell
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (323 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Shane Christian scorns danger as the notorious pirate, Falcon. Feared and respected for his realm over the sea, his exploits are only surpassed by his devilish charm. No battle waged or venture dared is as great as the ploy he devises to protect Maura Brent – a spirited beauty whose willful nature captures his heart. His strategy to thwart the law risks exposure and potential introduction to the hangman’s noose. If he succeeds in safeguarding their love, will he live long enough to treasure the victory?

Maura Brent agrees to a contrived marriage with a manipulative English land baron in exchange for sparing her father imprisonment. A chance encounter with Shane Christian sets the course for a voyage of discovery awakening her passion, broadening her knowledge and strengthening her resolve to guard Shane’s identity from his nemesis. Determined to dissolve her marriage to remain with Shane, has her decision ensured his demise?

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

November Book of the Month Poll ~ Siren’s Call: Cursed Seas by Amy McKinley


Siren’s Call: Cursed Seas by Amy McKinley
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: Full length (223 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Chamomile

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Fate will not be denied.

Nerissa thinks she’s safe from the gods and elders that rule her village. She’s wrong. It’s only a matter of time before she is chosen to pay the ultimate price—her life.

For decades, the gods have protected the small seaside village where she lives. That’s about to end. Fishermen return with empty nets, trees cease to bear fruit, and the winds whisper of an ancient curse. There’s still hope that the offering of an unmarried woman will return the god’s favor.

As the maiden sacrifice nears Nerissa takes matters into her hands. All she needs is a husband to escape the terms of the offering. When she meets Zeer, a visiting fisherman, he sweeps her off her feet.

Are her prayers truly answered?

Everyone around her is keeping secrets, and there is no one left to rely on but herself. As the night ushers in a violent storm that echoes the god’s anger, she realizes the worst is yet to come. When the first rays of dawn arrive, a knock sounds at her door and she knows her entire world is about to turn upside down.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell


The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell
The Saxon Stories #5
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Full length (336 pages)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

In a clash of heroes,the kingdom is born. At the end of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in ill health; his heir, an untested youth. His enemy, the Danes, having failed to conquer Wessex, now see their chance for victory. Led by the sword of savage warrior Harald Bloodhair, the Viking hordes attack. But Uhtred, Alfred’s reluctant warlord, proves his worth, outwitting Harald and handing the Vikings one of their greatest defeats. For Uhtred, the sweetness of victory is soon overshadowed by tragedy.

Breaking with Alfred, he joins the Vikings, swearing never again to serve the Saxon king. Instead, he will reclaim his ancestral fortress on the Northumbrian coast. Allied with his old friend Ragnar–and his old foe Haesten–he aims to invade and conquer Wessex itself. Yet fate has different plans. The Danes of East Anglia and the Vikings of Northumbria are plotting the conquest of all Britain. When Alfred’s daughter pleads with Uhtred for help, he cannot refuse her request. in a desperate gamble, he takes command of a demoralized Mercian army, leading them in an unforgettable battle on a blood-soaked field beside the Thames.

In The Burning Land, Bernard Cornwell, “The reigning king of historical fiction” (USA Today), delivers a rousing saga of Anglo-Saxon England–an irresistible new chapter in his thrilling Saxon Tales, the epic story of the birth of England and the legendary king who made it possible.

Has Uhtred abandoned Wessex forever?

Before reading this tale, I strongly recommend reading the previous four books of the series in order to better understand the characters and their actions. Again, as with the preceding books, this story contains graphic violence.

The Burning Land is definitely a dark chapter in Uhtred’s life. Uhtred has fought for Wessex countless times. Instead of receiving the rewards and gratitude he deserves, Uhtred is met with mistrust from Alfred and jealousy from Alfred’s advisors. A lesser man would have left Wessex long ago, but even though he has no love for Alfred, Uhtred remains true to his oath to the king. I admire Uhtred for standing by a king who continually denies him the credit he deserves. However, even Uhtred has his limits. When Uhtred is finally pushed to far, he lashes out in anger and makes a grave mistake. In this moment, I hoped that Alfred would show Uhtred some mercy and understanding, not only because Uhtred had recently suffered an immense personal loss, but also because he was deliberately provoked and not entirely to blame in the situation. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed by Alfred yet again. Uhtred flees Wessex and becomes an outlaw.

My heart broke for Uhtred as I read. Even though the previous books had hinted at some of the darkness coming in Untred’s story, it didn’t make it any easier to bear. His loss is deep and something that continues to pain him in his old age as he recounts the story of his life. Uhtred makes several bad decisions in his grief, and I have a feeling that some of those will come back to haunt him. When Uhtred leaves Wessex, he goes to Ragnar. It was wonderful to see them together again, but the reunion felt bittersweet. I knew Uhtred’s time with Ragnar wouldn’t last because Uhtred has forgotten a promise he made years ago. Once Uhtred is reminded of this promise, I knew he would leave Ragnar to keep it.

Even though Uhtred has left Wessex, Alfred still manages to manipulate Uhtred from afar, which of course only leads to more resentment from Uhtred. I find this extremely frustrating. I wish Alfred could understand that he would get much further with Uhtred if he would only talk to him and show some appreciation for all that Uhtred has done. I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again. I would love these two men to have an honest conversation. I know they admire and respect each other more than they will ever admit publicly, but they just can’t seem to move beyond their personal differences. It truly is a shame. I can only hope they find a way to resolve their differences before it is too late.

I’m completely captivated by this series, and I can hardly wait to see what fate has in store for Uhtred next! I highly recommend this gripping series to fans of historical fiction.

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott


The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (325 pgs)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice–inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth century: Doctor Zhivago.

At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their mission: to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where no one dare publish it, and help Pasternak’s magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world–using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally’s tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops, and invisibly ferry classified documents.

The Secrets We Kept combines a legendary literary love story–the decades-long affair between Pasternak and his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, who was sent to the Gulag and inspired Zhivago’s heroine, Lara–with a narrative about two women empowered to lead lives of extraordinary intrigue and risk. From Pasternak’s country estate outside Moscow to the brutalities of the Gulag, from Washington, D.C. to Paris and Milan, The Secrets We Kept captures a watershed moment in the history of literature–told with soaring emotional intensity and captivating historical detail. And at the center of this unforgettable debut is the powerful belief that a piece of art can change the world.

The story of how Dr. Zhivago was published. You won’t believe it.

This is the first novel by Lara Prescott and it reads like a first novel. I loved the cover and the idea of a book about the writing and publication of Dr. Zhivago had my attention. The writing flows well enough, but this book didn’t quite grab me in the way I’d expected. The characters are plenty and at times it was hard to keep them straight. I did have a few characters I really liked and they showed up about halfway through, so that kept me reading.

There were moments when the story was tedious and I got lost. I admit I put this book down more than once and struggled to get back to it. The switching between story lines was a tad confusing and irritating when I wanted to follow one or the other. It was jarring to go back and forth.

The woman who is the inspiration for Lara is interesting. I liked Sally and her situation with Irina. This kept me reading.

This might not have been the perfect book for me, but it might work well for you. If you want to read about the publishing of Dr. Zhivago or the craziness during the cold war, then this might be what you’re looking for. Give it a try.

Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien


Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien
How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History
Publisher: Eamon Dolan/Mariner Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full length (382 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Between the world wars, no sport was more popular, or more dangerous, than airplane racing. While male pilots were lauded as heroes, the few women who dared to fly were more often ridiculed—until a cadre of women pilots banded together to break through the entrenched prejudice.

Fly Girls weaves together the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high school dropout from Fargo, North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama divorcée; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, who chafed at her blue blood family’s expectations; and Louise Thaden, the young mother of two who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to fly and race airplanes—and in 1936, one of them would triumph, beating the men in the toughest air race of them all.

Five women wanting to own the sky.

I’ve been on a bender reading historical non-fiction books. I’m in awe of the space program, but this book shows where things all began–flight. When I saw the name Amelia Earhart, I thought, okay, this is about her big flight. But it’s really not. It’s about the women who wanted to learn to fly and were part of the twenty-nine who originally got pilots licenses when it wasn’t considered something women should do. I loved the pioneering spirit of these women and the “never give up” attitude.

The writing flowed well, but there were times when I wasn’t sure who I was reading about. The lead-up to the reveal about which woman was being spotlighted in any given chapter was a tad long. At times it read a bit like a textbook, but I wanted to know about these women, so I kept going.

I’ve heard of Earhart, but have you ever heard of Ruth Nichols? Louise Thaden? Ruth Elder? They were giants in airplane racing. Yeah, racing. Never heard of them? You should. If you read Fly Girls, you will. If you’re a fan of flight and pioneers in flight, then this might be the book for you.