Hi all:
I recently read a book by Karen M. Cox (check here my review of I Could Write a Book) and when Rosie Amber told me the author was looking for ARC readers for her new book, I had to join in. I’ve read the book and I’ll tell you more about it early in July (it’s worth waiting for, but my lips are sealed!) but here I bring you the cover reveal so you can make some room for it on your list.
Here I leave you in Karen’s safe hands:
Thank you so much for letting me visit with you and your readers today! I’m really excited about the upcoming summer release of Son of a Preacher Man. It’s a special book for me, an original story inspired by Pride and Prejudice, that was originally published as At the Edge of the Sea in 2013. For its five-year birthday, I’ve re-edited it, given back its original title, Son of a Preacher Man, and with the help of Shari Ryan, of Madhat Covers, and Joshua Hollis, who created the image, I’ve given it a new cover too.
Description:
“I forget that you’re a fella sometimes.”
“Gee, thanks.”
I never forgot that she was a girl. Not for one second…
A realistic look at first love, told by an idealistic young man, Son of a Preacher Man is a heartwarming coming of age tale set in a simpler time.
Author Bio:
Award-winning author, Karen M Cox, writes fiction brushed with history and romance. She specializes in 20th century Austenesque tales in small-town settings: 1932, Find Wonder in All Things, Undeceived, and I Could Write a Book. She has also dabbled in Regency tales: Her Frank Churchill story, “An Honest Man,” appears in the anthology, Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes and Gentlemen Rogues, and she has a short story in the upcoming collection, Rational Creatures.
Although born in Washington state, Karen has enough Southerner in her—due to family history and a long residence in Kentucky—to ask young people in her small town, “Do I know your mama?” with a straight face. She lives there with her husband, encourages her children (who, thankfully, aren’t too far away), and spoils her granddaughter.
Connect with Karen on her website: www.karenmcox.com
Access her monthly News & Muse Letter here.
See what she’s up to on social media: Facebook, (karenmcox1932), Twitter (@karenmcox1932), Pinterest (karenmc1932), Instagram (karenmcox1932), and Tumblr (karenmcox)
Thanks so much to Karen for sharing the cover reveal with us, thank to all of you for reading and remember to like, share, comment, click, review and to keep SMILING!
Hi all:
Those of you who follow my blog will know that this has been a bit of weird year, with new things (becoming an instructor at the University of the People), other things ending (volunteering at Penistone FM), pet sitting, weddings, and plans to move back to Spain. I’ve also been translating and proofreading translations of books and I’ve written a book that I’m not sure will see the light (at least not in its current form).
After writing that book I felt at a bit of an impasse and I’ve worked on other projects but I’m not sure which one I want to work on next (perhaps there are too many things going on). In the meantime, I’ve also been looking at some of the things I had written but not published. And after rereading a short file with some common sense advice, I wondered if it might make a tiny little book, with some quotes and pictures. And then, thinking about how many people I know who want to practice their Spanish (or their English), I thought I would try a bilingual edition. (Teaching English composition at the University of the People has made me think about language proficiency).
So here is my little book…
20 Things I’ve Learned from My Patients. A Psychiatrist’s Pearls of Wisdom to Help You Thrive
By Dr. Olga Núñez Miret
The description is, of course, bilingual as well:
Over the years that I have worked as a psychiatrist, writer, and blogger, I’ve collected common-sense advice and thoughts that I have passed on and shared with many (patients, friends, and readers). As people don’t have much time to read and enjoy images and quotes, I decided to publish twenty of the things I have learned over the years, illustrating each one of them with a picture and a quote. And as I know many people who want to improve their Spanish but don’t dare to take on a long book, I decided to publish it as a bilingual edition, English-Spanish. I don’t claim to have found the meaning of life, but I hope you enjoy this little book.
Durante mis años como psiquiatra, escritora y bloguera, he acumulado consejos y reflexiones de sentido común que he compartido con mucha gente, incluyendo pacientes, amigos y lectores. Como sé que la gente no tiene mucho tiempo para leer hoy en día, y les gusta compartir imágenes y citas, decidí publicar veinte de las cosas que he aprendido durante mi carrera, ilustrando cada una de ellas con una imagen y una cita. Conozco a muchas personas que quieren mejorar su inglés pero no se atreven a enfrentarse a un libro largo, así que decidí publicarlo en versión bilingüe, en inglés y español. No pretendo haber descubierto el sentido de la vida, pero espero que disfrutéis de este librito.
Here my dedication, so you understand what the subtitle refers to.
To my friend Iman, who is great at delivering accurate insights in a few words, and to Rose Upton, Sister at the A&E Department at Eastbourne DGH when I started training in Psychiatry. Her disparaging comments about her nurses’ pearls of wisdom, which Iman feedback to me at the time, have remained with me to this day. I suspect mine wouldn’t deserve a kinder opinion from her either.
And a couple of the images I’ve used (all royalty free from Unsplash, including the one I’ve used for the cover):
It is really short and, well, if you’ve read the description you know everything you need to know.
If you fancy a copy, let me know. They looked OK when I checked but images can be tricky (I’ll talk about that at some point).
It will become available in many other places, but so far you can find it here:
Thanks so much to all of you for reading and remember to like, share, comment, click and REVIEW!
[amazon_link asins=’B077P665RN,B01BDG102Q,B00YIHTW96,B00YHZ21O2,B00YHZHUYS,B0170IGWV0,B06W9M3356,149223723X’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’wwwauthortran-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’de7afaeb-d21f-11e7-9500-11a12b05f0de’]
Hi all:
As you know, I translate books for other authors and nothing makes me happier than bringing you one of this when they see the light. I must thank not only the author but also Wendy Janes for her help with the corrections. Here it is:
A BEST-SELLING NOVEL IN SPANISH. SPECIAL LAUNCHING OFFER.
RECEIVED WITH CRITICAL ACCLAIM. “Full of humour, sensitivity, action and mystery.” Discover a not-so-touristic Mexico and the bleakest Galicia.
SYNOPSIS: In the outskirts of a tiny Galician fishing village there is a huge rock that hides a mysterious submarine cave. What happens to those who dare to go diving there? Several events from their childhood drag the protagonist and his peculiar friend back to that eerie place. They meet again, years later, and set off on a seedy trip around Mexico, full of action and dangers. The unexpected outcome of that journey changes the life of the protagonist forever. This novel is one of a kind: it offers the readers a special something; a unique quality that means the story does not leave us when we close the book. Some readers are already applying its lessons to their own lives…
THE REVIEWERS SAY “‘If I jump, I’ll kill myself; if I don’t jump, they’ll kill me.’ With these words, in an eerie landscape full of rocks and black waves that reminded me of Hitchcock, begins the novel The Rock of the Missing. This book keeps moving, from the initial Hitchcockian scene, later becoming a chilling road movie that takes us across a scorched Mexico, full of gunshots, drug dealers and dead bodies, and ending in a permanent return to Galicia, where the whole thing begins… I recommend you read this novel if you wish to enjoy the art Antonio Flórez uses to carve his sentences if you want to join in an adventure full of humour, sensitivity, action and mystery.”Lavadora de textos, Ramón Alemán.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Antonio Flórez Lage (A Coruña, 1977). A vet, passionate about the sea, travelling, and books, who writes about a world he knows very well.
10% of the profits obtained from the Kindle Book will be donated to ASOCEPA Coeliac Association.
Links:
E-book:
Paperback:
Antonio was kind enough to agree to an interview that I shared in Lit World Interviews. In case you are interested and haven’t come across it, you can check it here.
A few words:
I don’t want to write a review of the book, as it would seem suspect (although I have no stakes on the sale of the book) but I could not let this opportunity pass without recommending you this book.
If you follow my reviews you’ll know that I am a big fan of narrators, and the more unreliable and suspect, the better. Here we have a wonderful narrator who tells us a story that mixes two time-lines, one when he was a teenager in the North-West of Spain, Galicia (the part of the country where my father was from, famed for its fantastic food, particularly seafood, but also fish and meat, and its natural beauty, although it rains a fair bit) and lived many adventures with a friend, and years later, as a young man, in Mexico, where by chance he meets the same friend, and old stories rear their heads and new adventures ensue.
This is one of those books (like The Great Gatsby or Heart of Darkness) where a narrator seems to be there to tell us somebody else’s story and he is no more than an observer, although…
Full of irresistible characters, set pieces you won’t forget in a hurry (one that reminded me of the Westerns my father was so fond of), and an incredible sense of landscape and menace, this is a book about male friendship that goes beyond easy jokes and tall-tales (although there might be some of those). Do not miss this great book. Ah, and check the promotion for the book launch!
Thanks so much to the author for this opportunity, to Wendy Janes for her help and thanks to all of you for reading, and remember to like, share, comment, click and REVIEW.
Hi, all!
Incredibly, another year has gone by and it’s Christmas again.
I don’t know how your year has been. Mine has been… trying, to say the least, but hey, there’s another one around the corner. And so I wish you a fabulous time if you celebrate it. Enjoy it, don’t get stressed (it’s not an exam), and live the moment.
If you don’t celebrate it, I hope you have a quiet time and survive the upheaval as best you can. Reading always helps.
I wanted to thank you for reading, for sharing and for being around all this time and for all your support. I have a new book coming out next week, and then I hope to take a bit of time to reevaluate the blog (yes, New Year calls for that kind of thing). In the meantime, do enjoy!
Merry Christmas, my dear friends!
Hi all:
Yes, I know I said I would be sharing old posts because I’m trying to carve some time for the things I should be doing… (the other things I should be doing) but I’ve wanted to share D. G. Kaye‘s new book for a while and kept thinking that perhaps I’d do it when I read and reviewed one of her books. Realistically I know it will take me some time to get there (my reading list has become all jumbled up, so anything might happen), and I don’t want to deprive the readers who follow my blog from getting started and exploring her books (even if it takes me, personally, a while to get there). D. G. (Debby for her friends and followers) writes non-fiction, some about her travels, menopause, but some that are even more personal, about her relationship with her mother, and this one is very personal indeed.
So here it is.
“I hurt for her. She wasn’t much of a mother, but she was still my mother.”
Confronted with resurfacing feelings of guilt, D.G. Kaye is tormented by her decision to remain estranged from her dying emotionally abusive mother after resolving to banish her years ago, an event she has shared in her book Conflicted Hearts. In P.S. I Forgive You, Kaye takes us on a compelling heartfelt journey as she seeks to understand the roots of her mother’s narcissism, let go of past hurts, and find forgiveness for both her mother and herself.
After struggling for decades to break free, Kaye has severed the unhealthy ties that bound her to her dominating mother—but now Kaye battles new confliction, as the guilt she harbors over her decision only increases as the end of her mother’s life draws near. Kaye once again struggles with her conscience and her feelings of being obligated to return to a painful past she thought she left behind.
My mother had been dying for years, and through those years she refused to surrender her bitterness and remained in denial of her flaws. The many times I heard she was dying reminded me of the boy who cried wolf. I almost believed she was invincible, and even though I never wanted her to suffer, she did.
I thought it was just a horrible and sad way to die—holding hatred for those she had chased out of her life, living in bitter seclusion, knowing her days were numbered. Her once vibrant life had diminished into a mere existence of watching TV and complaining. She’d also given all her caregivers a difficult time, bitching at them all and letting them know how useless they were to her because of what her life had become. Nobody was exempt.
I asked my brother Robby why God didn’t just take her out of her misery and pain during one of the many times she was on the brink of death. Why would he not spare her from suffering? He replied, “God has his own plans.” I couldn’t help but wonder if he was letting her suffer because she had hurt so many people in her lifetime, but in my next thought I couldn’t believe God would play those cruel games, tit for tat.
I wondered what thoughts had to have been going through my mother’s head. How awful it must have been to know her time left on earth was limited. I thought about how frightened she must have felt in her lonely world, although she’d never admit it. I was sad for her, knowing that the anger and bitterness she displayed was a front for the depressed state of her pathetic life. I couldn’t fathom why she remained so obstinate in her resolve to spend what little time she had left wallowing in misery instead of embracing the end and making amends with her children. I wanted to fix her, but I didn’t know how.
On the occasion of her new book, D. G. Kaye has given a number of interviews that I thought you’d enjoy too. Here I leave you links to them and that way you can go and explore her blog too.
Interviews:
http://dgkayewriter.com/mind-pen-spirit-interview-d-g-kaye/
http://dgkayewriter.com/write-memoir-savvy-book-writers/
Thanks to Debby for her books, thanks to all of you for reading and if you’ve enjoyed it, you know what to do, like, share, comment and CLICK!
Hi all:
It’s Friday and time for a new book. Today I had to bring you a new book by a great writer and blogger, Christoph Fischer. He not only writes in many genres (yes, there are a few of us) but is a generous blogger, reviews tonnes of books and features interviews and news about other writers, advice and charitable causes. He’s an all round great guy, and now he’s trying his hand writing a cozy mystery. And I, for one, I’m very intrigued.
Fading celebrity Bebe Bollinger is on the wrong side of fifty and dreaming of a return to the limelight. When a TV show offers the chance of a comeback, Bebe grabs it with both hands – not even a lazy agent, her embarrassing daughter, irritating neighbours or a catastrophic snowfall will derail her moment of glory. But when a body is found in her sleepy Welsh hamlet, scandal threatens.
Detective Sergeant Beth Cooper has a string of unsolved cases to her name. Her girlfriend left her and she’s a fish out of water in rural West Wales. Things couldn’t get much worse – until the case of the Body in The Snow lands in her lap.
Can Beth solve the case and save her career and can Bebe make her comeback? All will be revealed in this light-hearted, cosy murder mystery by best-selling and award-winning historical and crime fiction novelist Christoph Fischer.
Here are the links to preorder it:
The Body in the Snow” is now available as e-book on Amazon on pre-order via these links:
http://smarturl.it/BodyInTheSnowBB
I know the book is due on the 24th, so if you’re reading this on the date of publication, that’s tomorrow, so you won’t have to wait long. You might be still in time to get one of the ARC copies if you’re desperate to read it, but I also recommend you that you check the series of posts the author has been sharing on his blog about how the novel came to be. They are packed with information and will make you want to read it even more.
Here are a few links:
Some background for “The Body in the Snow (A Bebe Bollinger Murder Mystery)”
Welsh Wednesdays: Wales as the setting for “The Body in the Snow (A Bebe Bollinger Murder Mystery)”
Thanks to Christoph for bringing us his new book, thanks to all of you for reading, and remember to like, share, comment, and CLICK! And of course, don’t forget to check the other posts on the author’s website. He has tonnes of reviews, features about books and authors.
Hi all:
As I mentioned due to my current circumstances (a quick update. My mother had a catheterism and doctors are happy with the results. Hopefully if after further tests it’s possible that she might have been discharged by the time you read this) my posts haven’t been as frequent and structured than usual. Due to how tired both of us (Mom and I) are after these two weeks, and the many things we have to catch up with, I’ll be having a bit of a break. I don’t expect it to be very long, but it might depend on how long it takes to get back on track.
But as I also told you, I’m still reading, and here I bring one of my latest. This is an author I’m keeping watch for. I’ve mentioned before that I love horror (although I don’t read it all that often these days) and I’m a big fan of Stephen King. Well, if you haven’t met him yet, let me introduce you to the latest book by one of his sons, Joe Hill.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group Gollancz and to Net Galley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I have read three books by Joe Hill before, enjoyed them and I was excited when I saw his new novel on offer at Net Galley. In short, the book offers a post-apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by a fungus with a lyrical name, Draco incendia trychophyton (or Dragonscale for friends), that turns human beings into torches, and the adventures of a particular group of sufferers.
Joe Hill thanks both J. K. Rowling and his father, Stephen King, for the inspiration, and indeed that’s quite evident throughout the book, together with many references to a variety of pop-culture items: songs from musicals, songs from pop and rock groups (yes, there’s a fair amount of singing), hymns, foodstuffs, cars, TV cult series and books, many books. Those will, no doubt, enhance the reading experience of people in the know, although should not affect the understanding or enjoyment of the story for those who might not be fully conversant with all of them.
The story is told (mostly, apart from a few brief chapters) in third person from the point of view of Harper, a school nurse who volunteers to work in a hospital treating those affected when the school she worked at closes doors due to the spread of the infection and its terrible effects (the fungus makes people ignite, and with them, the things and beings around them. And it can set off a chain reaction of burners too). Unfortunately, she becomes infected and shortly after discovers that she’s pregnant. She also discovers that her perfect marriage to Jakob is anything but, and she ends up taking refuge at an old campsite where a group of affected individuals have discovered a way to control the illness. They welcome her into their congregation/community and although she finds it difficult to fit in at first, she becomes a member of the group, joining in the Bright (you need to read it to know what this means, but let’s say it’s a way of sharing and communicating that the younger generation refers to as social networking) and comes to love many of the residents. She also discovers things about herself she didn’t know, and of course, she meets the Fireman, John, and Englishman who seems to have learnt to control the Dragonscale much better than anybody else, and goes around driving an old fire truck and dressed in a fireman’s uniform. In a nod to Ray Bradbury, this Fireman controls fire and sets things alight, rather than putting fires out. He is a larger than life character, although we discover later in the books that he’s all too human.
As is the case in all crises, they seem to bring both the best and the worst in people, and if the point of view we follow puts readers in a sympathetic frame of mind towards Dragonscale sufferers, we gradually see that things are not black and white and not all is harmony. The congregation seems happy and a haven for people infected at first (indeed for a while it’s a case of those infected —at least the members of the group— appearing to be more humane and morally right than healthy individuals), but over time we discover that whilst the fungus seems to enjoy people’s connectedness and happy emotions, there are risks involved in channelling such power and following blindly what ends up looking scarily like a cult. There are thefts, accusations and resentments, and when two prisoners are rescued, terrible things happen and ugly behaviours rear their heads. There are many secrets, and although we might have our suspicions, by being inside of Harper’s head we only have access to her opinions and thoughts. She is curious and finds out some interesting first-hand information that helps us understand the illness (I loved some of the theories behind its spread, however fanciful they were), but she is also a human being with feelings and emotions. She doesn’t always make rational decisions and she is often wrong. And she wrongfoots us.
The characters are distinct and unique, the good, the bad, and the truly human. I liked and cared for Harper, who is a pretty special individual who comes into her own as the book advances and who indeed is one of the people who grow. She matures and becomes a hero. If her husband tells her he had expected her to be his inspiration, she finds a real family and a calling during her adventures. The Fireman is a fantastic character and I enjoyed the mystery around him at first, and also getting to know more of his circumstances. Many of the secondary characters are also memorable. Nick, the deaf boy who steals everybody’s heart; Allie, his sister, a totally believable teenager who deserves a book of her own; fantastic Renée with her love for books and her courage…
The books is beautifully written, the descriptions not overbearing but vivid and lyrical at times, the story moves along at good rhythm, with chapters that are more contemplative and share information (like the diary Harper reads), and others packed with intrigue, action and a healthy dose of fright. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I did not find it truly scary (but that’s not necessarily a recommendation for general readers, as I love horror and don’t scare easy). With regards to its genre, I’ve read a few post-apocalyptic stories but I’m not a real buff. To give you some idea based on my previous reading, I’d say that Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is more contemplative, challenging, philosophical, and made me think more. The Dead Lands by Dylan Morgan (that is more sci-fi) is scarier and grittier but more interested in action and weaponry.
I had a look at the reviews and comments about the book to see if I could shed light or at least my own opinion on the matter. I saw that many people compared it negatively to King’s The Stand, but although I love Stephen King’s books, I have not read all of them and that one has escaped me so far, so I can’t comment on that (although the reviews made me want to read it. The Fireman is much shorter, though). So if you’ve read The Stand and loved it you might want to read the comments first. Of course, you might want to make your own mind up.
Some others didn’t find Harper’s romantic relationship (I’m trying not to reveal any spoilers here) realistic and they think it seems very sudden and as if come out of nowhere. On that subject I agree that there does not seem to be a big build-up or many hints as to the interest between the two, but there are some subtle indications that they are matching souls, and it’s true that at times of emotional turmoil when life might come to an end at any minute one might hold on to the little moments of joy (that without taking into account the interesting effects of the Dragonscale). The novel would have worked without the relationship, but for me it rounds it up.
I enjoyed it as a great yarn, with strong characters easy to root for (and others easy to hate) and great quality writing. I’m not sure it will beat all other post-apocalyptic stories for those who love the genre, but it’s a good read. I look forward to Joe Hill’s next book.
Links to Kindle version (available in many other formats)
I mention in the review that I’ve read three of his books. These was before I started publishing my own books and I didn’t write detailed reviews, although I wholeheartedly recommend Heart-Shaped Box and 20th Century Ghosts (if you love ghosts and short-stories, some of them are masterpieces). I also read Horns that is a very quirky book (I prefer the other two but this one is perhaps more mainstream. I haven’t watched the movie with Daniel Radcliffe and can’t comment on how good or bad it is).
Biography:
He’s written many more things and some of his stories appear in collections, so you might want to check his Amazon page where I got this from:
The author of the critically acclaimed Heart-Shaped Box and 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill is a two-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, and a past recipient of the Ray Bradbury Fellowship. His stories have appeared in a variety of journals and Year’s Best collections. He calls New England home.
By the way, when I checked his Twitter account it seems he’s in England with the Fireman, so you might want to keep an eye open for him.
Thanks to NetGalley, Orion and of course Joe Hill for the book, thanks to all of you for reading, and do like, share, comment and CLICK!
Hi all:
On Friday I usually bring you new books and/or authors. Recently I read a new YA book by a new author and I loved it. I’ve shared the review in Lit World Interviews even before it was published, but by the time you see this, it will already be on sale. I can’t recommend it enough.
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You
Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West–and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing—down to number four.
Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben’s, including give up sleep and comic books—well, maybe not comic books—but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it’s time to declare a champion once and for all.
The war is Trixie’s for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben’s best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben’s cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie’s best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they’re on—and they might not pick the same side.
Stephanie Perkins meets 10 Things I hate About You in The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You, a fresh, romantic debut from author Lily Anderson inspired by Much Ado About Nothing.
Here is my review:
Thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin’s Griffin for providing me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
When I read this book was a modern take of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing for young adults I could not resist. It’s one of my favourite Shakespeare’s comedies and it’s had pretty good adaptations to screen. I am very partial to Ten Things I Hate About You and I hoped this would be as good if not better.
Told in the first person, this novel’s narrator is Trixie (Beatrix, of course), who is a fiercely intelligent and feisty shrew. She’s a geek, loves comic books, TV series (Dr Who among them), and attends a school for gifted youngsters, that is a fascinating ecosystem, with its own rules, its fights for top position and ranking, and it’s aristocracy (all based on merit, intelligence and hard work). Her two friends, Harper and Meg, are also very clever but very different to her in their unique ways (Harper, who is kind to a fault, lost her mother years back and her family life is fairly empty despite the money, and Meg’s psychologist parents seem to track any behaviours that might fit in some theory or other, and she is always trying to classify friends and actions around her as if they took place in a lab). Of course, there would be no school without boys, and Trixie has a long-term enmity with Benedict (Ben), who shares many of her hobbies and dislikes but who can’t open his mouth without aggravating her. Everybody but the two people involved know the pair are a perfect match, but making them see it proves a hard task. Students start getting suspended and they don’t realise at first that behind exams, essays, tests, balls and functions, there is somebody messing up with pupils’ results with dramatic consequences.
The characters are as clever as is to be expected from the school they attend, and at their age, they know everything. Their references to both pop culture and Culture with capital letters are flawless, witty and make for a great read. The dialogue is fast, clever, and funny (I must confess to laughing out loud quite a few times), and appropriate to the age of the characters. Although they are clever, they are also young, naïve, and at times very innocent and that makes them plausible teenagers. They are friends of their friends, they confront serious moral issues (for their age) and they are articulate, wholesome but sometimes mean.
I remember talking about a young adult book to a reader who told me he couldn’t remember having met girls as clever as the ones in the book. Well, I did, and although perhaps the interests might vary depending on the person and the era of our school years, I appreciate a young adult book where the young protagonists are clever, study, and care for each other. And are very funny too.
I thoroughly recommend this book to anybody who likes high-school young adult novels (I have no doubts adults will like it too), and I’m sure people who enjoy Shakespeare and pop culture references will have a field day. And I look forward to more books by the writer.
Here links:
Here a bit about the author, whom I think we’ll be hearing plenty about:
Lily Anderson is a school librarian and Melvil Dewey fangirl with an ever-growing collection of musical theater tattoos and Harry Potter ephemera. She lives in Northern California, far from her mortal enemy: the snow.
Her page in Amazon:
Here is her website:
Here a couple of scenes from Ten Things I Hate About You as I keep mentioning it (and I’m not the only one):
And just in case you want to know a bit more about the movie, here is the link in IMDB.
Thanks to Net Galley and to St Martin’s Griffith for the book, thanks to Lily Anderson and plenty of success (she’s touring the book so check where she’s going) and thanks to you for reading, and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment, and CLICK!
