Wayward Reads
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Hello all and welcome to lovely February!
I'm seriously working on the next Downtown Divas romantic comedy, but writing, as usual for me, is hard.
I'll be at the Amelia Island Book Festival Author Expo this Saturday, Feb. 15. Maybe I'll see you there!
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Wayward Reads
Fiction-wise
Here are some fabulous February finds:
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
In a "sprawling Indian city," nine-year-old Jai, obsessed with crime TV, sets out to solve the mystery of a missing child. As child disappearances edge ever closer to home, the lives of Jai and his friends will never be the same again." This sounds like a wild, suspenseful ride!
The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams
Set in 19th century New England. "When a mysterious flock of red birds descends on the town, Caroline alone seems to find them unsettling. But it's not long before [her] students begin to manifest bizarre symptoms: Rashes, seizures, headaches, verbal tics, night wanderings. As the men around her continue to dictate, disastrously, all terms of the girls' experience, Caroline's body too begins to betray her. To save herself and her young charges, she will have to defy every rule that has governed her life, her mind, her body, and her world." Another creepy read!
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
Set in 1980s Glasgow. "Shuggie is...struggling to somehow become the normal boy he desperately longs to be, but everyone has realized that he is 'no right,' a boy with a secret that all but him can see. Agnes is supportive of her son, but her addiction has the power to eclipse everyone close to her—even her beloved Shuggie." This one sounds heartbreaking.
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
"Almost everything about Wallace is at odds with the Midwestern university town where he is working uneasily toward a biochem degree. An introverted young man from Alabama, black and queer, he has left behind his family without escaping the long shadows of his childhood. [O]ver the course of a late-summer weekend, a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with an ostensibly straight, white classmate, conspire to fracture his defenses while exposing long-hidden currents of hostility and desire within their community." Sounds tense but compelling.
Amnesty by Aravind Adiga
Set in Sydney. "Danny is confronted with a choice: Come forward with his knowledge about [a murder] and risk being deported? Or say nothing, and let justice go undone? ...[E]valuating the weight of his past, his dreams for the future, and the unpredictable, often absurd reality of living invisibly and undocumented, he must wrestle with his conscience and decide if a person without rights still has responsibilities." Ooh, a good read for sure!
Romance
Well, it's February...duh!
Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
"Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippie. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous...assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret... and it could demolish everything." This sounds lke a wonderful romantic comedy!
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley
"Mia Graydon's life looks picket-fence perfect; she has the house, her loving husband, and dreams of starting a family. But she has other dreams too—unexplained, recurring ones starring the same man. Still, she doesn’t think much of it, until a relocation to small-town Pennsylvania brings her face to face with the stranger she has been dreaming about for years. And this man harbors a jaw-dropping secret of his own—he's been dreaming of her too." Oh, my!
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
"A wedding planner left at the altar? Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, [she's] offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch…she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials." This one sounds like so much fun!
Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie
"[T]he job description of a Hollywood wife doesn’t cover divorce, which is the way Agnes’ life is headed after she comes home one day to find her credit cards cancelled and the security passwords to get into her enormous LA home changed. Oh, and there’s a guy there whose job it is to tase her if she tries to enter…which she does. Needless to say, Agnes’ husband is dead set on making sure she loses big time, but Agnes isn’t the type to just lie down and take it. In a world of fremenies [sic] and hot nannies, personal psychics and 'skinny' jello shots, Agnes may be losing her husband, but could that mean getting her own life back?" Sounds hilarious!
Mini Reviews*
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend
I was three-quarters of the way through this book before I realized it had no story. None at all. It was humorous and sweet, though.
My Goodreads rating: 3 stars
The Widow's War by Sally Cabot Gunning
A very enjoyable historical read. But, it appears to be the first in a series. It wasn't so good that I went right out and got the next book.
My Goodreads rating: 4 stars
With Malice by Eileen Cook
Girl wakes up without a clue how her best friend died. I really enjoyed the callousness in this one. Is that wrong of me? Read it and you'll see what I mean.
My Goodreads rating: 4 stars
Wayward Recommends
The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
Poignant. Surprising. Beautiful. Check it out.
My Goodreads rating: 5 stars
*As I've spent some time recently watching more TV (gasp!) than reading, I'm rerunning some older reviews to build up my "have read" list for you once again.
Okay, time for the shameless plug. Scroll on by for more on words...
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SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!
SCROLL! SCROLL! SCROLL!
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