I just love the writing of Fiona Davis (The Lions of Fifth Avenue among others) so I was excited to get her latest read off Net Galley. This was a fun story for me since we love the Rockettes and the Holiday Spectacular, and my mother used to tell me stories of seeing them in NYC in the 1940’s (she wanted to be one but at 5’0 was too short!). This story was an interesting mix of mystery, romance, and historical fiction. And it has quite a bit of truth to it (beyond the Rockettes!) in that there really was a “mad bomber” in NYC at that time who was a disgruntled worker from an electrical company.
Thank you for my e-galley. I’ll be recommending this one to others who enjoy historical fiction of this period. Ms. Davis has a way of making the past come alive through her attention to details. You won’t be disappointed!
From the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Magnolia Palace: A thrilling story about love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.
New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion Brooks knows she should be happy. Her high school sweetheart is about to propose and sweep her off to the life everyone has always expected they’d have together: a quiet house in the suburbs, Marion staying home to raise their future children. But instead, Marion finds herself feeling trapped. So when she comes across an opportunity to audition for the famous Radio City Rockettes—the glamorous precision-dancing troupe—she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer.
Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the “Big Apple Bomber,” who has been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a yearslong manhunt, the police turn in desperation to Peter Griggs, a young doctor at a local mental hospital who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling.
As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled in to the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that as much as she’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.
Okay so this picture has nothing to do with audiobooks – but I liked it! And I feel like this is a picture of the inside of my head: thousands of books!
If you know me, you know I commute a lot (over 2 hours a day) during the school year. I find it rather deadly, so my saving grace is audiobooks. I have an Audible subscription, and I just remembered that Net Galley has audiobooks, so I will try to get more of those, too.
Recently, I listened to three different stories, all gotten through my Audible subscription. I liked them all!
What happens when a relationship with a new friend turns into a nightmare of lies and a web of deceit? Lisa Jewell is a master at this type of suspenseful writing and she’s one of my favorite “listens” for when I’m driving. My mind doesn’t wander! (Note: this story had multiple narrators.)
Here’s the scoop:
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her “superb pacing, twisted characters, and captivating prose” (BuzzFeed), Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.
But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.
Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?
Another suspenseful read, by another master of suspense, was Shari Lapena’s Everyone Here Is Lying (With narration by January LaVoy).
In this story, where a young girl goes missing, everyone really is lying! I was practically squirming while listening and I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.
Here’s the overview:
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door
“The most addictive book I’ve read in ages—so slick and disquieting and clever. Just brilliant.” —Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Family Remains
“Lapena is a master of manipulation.” —USA Today
Welcome to Stanhope. A safe neighborhood. A place for families.
William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.
Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing.
Suddenly Stanhope doesn’t feel so safe. And William isn’t the only one on his street who’s hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery’s neighbors become increasingly unhinged.
Who took Avery Wooler?
Nothing will prepare you for the truth.
Finally, a friend recommended Maggie O’Farrell’s The Marriage Portrait (with narration by Genevieve Gaunt and the author). I loved loved loved her Hamnet. I loved this story, too. This was historical fiction, as O’Farrell builds us a story of Lucrezia de Medici and her short life as the wife of ruler of Ferrara in the 1500’s. What was it like to be married at 13? Sent away to live with your husband at 15? And then dead at 16? O’Farrell’s writing is so beautiful. She captures a phrase and describes a moment so beautifully, that listening to her work is as lovely as reading it.
(I’m just seeing that this was a Reese Book Club pick, too)
Here’s the scoop:
WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION FINALIST • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • The author of award-winning Hamnet brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de’ Medici as she makes her way in a troubled court.
“I could not stop reading this incredible true story.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Pick)
“O’Farrell pulls out little threads of historical detail to weave this story of a precocious girl sensitive to the contradictions of her station…You may know the history, and you may think you know what’s coming, but don’t be so sure.“ —The Washington Post
Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf.
Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now enter an unfamiliar court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appeared to be before their wedding, the aesthete happiest in the company of artists and musicians, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble?
As Lucrezia sits in constricting finery for a painting intended to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferranese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.
Full of the beauty and emotion with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell turns her talents to Renaissance Italy in an extraordinary portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her very survival.
Currently, I’m listening to Chris Bohjalian’s The Lioness with The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post up next!
Coming out this month is the first of a new series – eco-mysteries – featuring detective Hugo Sandoval. I really enjoyed reading this one. Not only was the plot interesting, but it was beautifully written. If you know me, you know I always enjoy reading books that take place in Northern California, too! This novel is not overly long (it’s 200+ pages), so if you are in the mood for a shorter, more manageable read, this could be a good choice for you!
Here’s the scoop:
When the natural world and the build world collide, the earth needs a good building inspector…
In this first case in the new Hugo Sandoval Eco-Mystery series, an old-school San Francisco building inspector must reluctantly venture outside his beloved city and find his sea legs before he can solve the mystery of how a 90-ton blue whale became stranded, twice, in a remote inlet off the North Coast.
Set on the turbulent Mendocino Coast against the backdrop of a failing fishing fleet and illegal cannabis grows, Sandoval encounters roadblocks and lies as he grapples with the connection between a red tag posted on the historic Chicken Cove ranch and the decomposing marine mammal at the foot of its cliffs.
Debilitated by more than a few idiosyncrasies, reluctant media darling Hugo Sandoval is a people’s hero, fighting the good fight in a modern era where development and climate change butt heads – and where each requested permit attempts to eclipse the old San Francisco Sandoval loves.
Here’s some background on the author:
Working as a hands-on, independent woman contractor in San Francisco for twenty years, Jann Eyrich resided in the legendary shacks of Telegraph Hill where the writer was gifted anchorage to the City, along with insight into the lives of the characters she continues to create. First as a documentary filmmaker, then as a screenwriter, Eyrich’s stories always seem to be set within an environmental footprint. Later, as a writer and an activist in Sonoma County, Jann heard about a real blue whale stranding itself on the Mendocino Coast in 2009 and, with that, the adventures and character of Hugo Sandoval were born.
Thank you for my review copy! I look forward to more titles in this series!
Author Maggie Fleming reached out to me about her new book: The Art of Entertaining. This is a very manageable, beautifully depicted book that covers entertaining, both as the host and as the guest.
Here’s the scoop from Amazon (where you can get it in the kindle version):
★★★★★ A Yahoo Must-Read and Internationally Recognized Book ★★★★★
This Specialty Hospitality Essentials Book is the Polished Solution for People On the Go!
★ With Sections on Modern Manners, Food, Decor, and More
★ An All-Encompassing Way to Entertain
★ Based on Experiences spanning decades as a Host, Guest, and Running Events for Thousands of People
★ Designed by Anita O’Hara
★ Lifetime Access to Book
★ From Hospitality Essentials Author with a Climate-Friendly Focus, Maggie Fleming
And here’s what Maggie herself has to say:
I’m Maggie Fleming, a seasoned host, guest, and event manager who ran events for thousands of people, was a debutante and has etiquette school training. I’ve penned a comprehensive guide on mastering social settings, from food to décor etc., for both novices and professionals and everything in between. The Art of Entertaining encapsulates decades of expertise, offering essential insights, tips, and tricks for effortless hosting, all in one engaging read. I’m thrilled to request a review of my book on your blog.
In my latest release, The Art of Entertaining: A Guide to Hospitality, Food, Decor & More, I offer an indispensable and essential guide to mastering the art of social gatherings in a way that is rarely done and that has been internationally recognized. This comprehensive manual is designed to cater to a wide audience, from the everyday reader planning intimate gatherings to professionals advising new hosts. I leverage my extensive experience spanning decades as an accomplished host, guest, and professional corporate event manager to provide the blueprint for successful and wonderful entertaining without the fuss.
Maggie kindly sent me a PDF of her book and I thought it’d make a great gift for my daughter when she gets an apartment!
I’m happy today to be part of Bookouture’s tour for a new thriller by Emily Shiner: The Hotel. I found this story a little hard to get into at the start as the pacing seemed a tad slow. Then I felt that things sped up about a third of the way in. The last quarter of the book was filled with twists and turns and surprises! I thought at first I liked the characters, but by the end I disliked everyone but the toddler.
While I enjoyed the novel (I do love suspense!), I had to suspend disbelief a bit for the last part of the book. This story did keep me on the edge of my seat and I look forward to more from Ms. Shiner.
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Book Description:
As we welcome the Rowe family to our beautiful clifftop hotel, a shadow passes over my husband’s face. In that moment I see it: my husband is hiding a terrible secret. Has he put us all in danger?
Mark and I pride ourselves on giving visitors to our hotel, high on the rugged Maine cliffs with views of the ocean, a vacation they won’t forget. But the Rowes arestrangely over-familiar when they arrive with their teenage daughter. The wife puts a hand on Mark’s forearm and her husband meets my eyes with a knowing look as I hold my little son tight. They gush that they loved their previous stay here… But I’m certain I’ve never seen them before.
Mark reassures me that the Rowes are just being friendly. We have so many visitors, maybe we forgot meeting them. When I am locked in the master bedroom for over an hour, he later soothes my panic and says it was just an accident. But I know one of the Rowes was out in the hallway listening to me cry for help. I hear one of them whispering a lullaby to my baby on his monitor. I cannot trust these people.
But as the relentless icy rain gives way to the biggest blizzard of the season and we become cut off, I realize my son and I are trapped. Mark knows more about the Rowes than he’s letting on. I’ll do anything to protect my gorgeous baby boy. But how far will I have to go, to keep him safe?
The Hotel is a totally twisty locked room thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Fans of Shalini Boland, Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose will be glued to the pages!
Author Bio:
Emily Shiner always dreamed of becoming an author. After spending years devouring stacks of thrillers, she decided to try her hand at writing them herself. Now she gets to live out her dream of writing novels and sharing her stories with people around the world. She lives in the Appalachian Mountains and loves hiking with her husband, daughter, and their two dogs.
I’m starting off my fall blog tours participation with a feel-good story about a young woman whose life is pretty much going nowhere until she has the chance to find herself and create her future when her aunt leaves her a villa in southern France.
Jamie Varon is an author, branding expert, course creator, and graphic designer living in Calabasas, California. Her nonfiction book Radically Content was published in 2022 with Quarto and is currently being adapted into a feature film with Camilu Productions LTD. Main Character Energy is her debut novel.
Book Summary:
“This book absolutely dazzled me from the opening scene until the very last page. Highly recommend!” —Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading
“a sparkling debut” -PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Poppy Banks would rather be writing mysteries than writing listicles for her dead-end job at Thought Buzz. But after a series of rejections, she’s ready to accept life on the sidelines as a plus-size woman. Her aunt Margot is the one person unwilling to give up on her niece’s dreams and tells her so at their secret yearly lunches.
But all of Poppy’s beliefs about herself are challenged when her beloved aunt dies and leaves her niece a grand surprise—a trip to her villa in the French Riviera. There, she learns her aunt intends to leave her stunning villa and secretive writer’s residency to Poppy—if she can finish her novel in six months.
When the writing countdown begins, Poppy realizes she has more to confront than her writer’s block. Family drama, complicated romances and self-doubt all threaten to throw her off course. In this fun and heartwarming debut, Poppy must decide if she can live up to her aunt’s—and her own—desire to be the main character in her own life.
I loved this story of Poppy, but I honestly did not like Poppy at the start of the book. She was so self-centered and throwing a big pity party for herself that it was a bit annoying; but she changes, and that was great to see. I liked the romance in the story and I particularly liked that Poppy was described as plus-size so she seems authentic and real, and her problems and self-doubt and self-pity seemed believable.
This is Varon’s debut novel, so I look forward to others in the future from her!
Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!
If you know me, you know I really enjoy Melanie Benjamin’s novels. My very favorites of hers were The Aviator’s Wife (about one of my heroes, Anne Morrow Lindbergh) and The Swans of Fifth Avenue. This novel was slightly different for me as she was writing about people who didn’t really exist. The read felt like historical fiction, but there was no nonfiction for me to hang my hat on, if that makes sense. So this read more like a novel set in the past (1960/70s) in California. Once my mindset was in that space, I easily latched on to the characters and storyline. This was a moving story: at times I wanted to cry for how neglected these young girls were, and I found that storyline very engaging. I loved reading about California as I grew up there (though I’m a wine country girl, not a SoCal beach person).
Melanie Benjamin’s prose is always a treat. She writes artfully, placing the reader into the character’s head and helping us to understand their motivations and desires. I look forward to seeing what she brings to us next!
Thank you for my review copy via Net Galley!
Description
Two sisters navigate the thrilling, euphoric early days of California surf culture in this dazzling saga of ambition, sacrifice, and the tangled ties between mothers and daughters from the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife.
“A shimmering rendering . . . pairs the surf culture of the Beach Boys with the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll of Daisy Jones & The Six.”—Entertainment Weekly (“Best Books of the Summer”)
Southern California, 1960s: endless sunny days surfing in Malibu, followed by glittering neon nights at Whisky a Go Go. In an era when women are expected to be housewives, Carol Donnelly breaks the mold as a legendary female surfer struggling to compete in a male-dominated sport—and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, bear the weight of Carol’s unconventional lifestyle.
The Donnelly sisters grow up enduring their mother’s absence—physically, when she’s at the beach, and emotionally, the rare times she’s at home. To escape questions about Carol’s whereabouts—and to chase her elusive affection—they cut school to spend their days in the surf. From her first time on a board, Mindy is a natural, but Ginger, two years younger, feels out of place in the water.
As they grow up and their lives diverge, Mindy and Ginger’s relationship ebbs and flows. Mindy finds herself swept up in celebrity, complete with beachside love affairs, parties at the Playboy Club, and a USO tour in Vietnam. Meanwhile, Ginger, desperate for a community of her own, is tugged into the dangerous counterculture of drugs and cults. But through it all, their sense of duty to each other survives, as the girls are forever connected by the emotional damage they carry from their unorthodox childhood.
A gripping, emotional story set at a time when mothers were expected to be Donna Reed, not Gidget, California Golden is an unforgettable novel about three women living in a society that was shifting as tempestuously as the breaking waves.
Beth's Book-Nook Blog 