Review: The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews

As a long-time fan, I look forward to the release of a new Mary Kay Andrews novel each Spring. Admittedly, my favorites go back a few years to Little Bitty Lies, Savannah Blues and Hissy Fit but I'm still enjoying her original and sometimes quirky characters and strong storylines. THE WEEKENDERS was no exception - in fact, it turned out to be more than what I've come to expect. There was a murder involved with more of a who-dunnit quality that I really enjoyed. Here's a quick synopsis . . .

Riley Griggs and her daughter, Maggy are headed to the North Carolina coast for the summer. The small island of Belle Isle was first developed by Riley's ancestors, making her family a fixture in the tight-knit community. Unfortunately, this summer won't be like previous summers because Rile and her husband, Wendell, have some difficult news to share with twelve year-old Maggy. After many months of fighting and basically living separately, they're getting a divorce. The plan is to break the news to their daughter over the Memorial Day weekend, the beginning of their summer retreat on Belle Isle with the rest of her family. But Wendell doesn't show up at the ferry on the designated day they were to meet. At first Riley assumes he's just bailing out on telling Maggy about the divorce but soon, Wendell's body is found in the marina and suddenly things get even more serious. Even as Riley is put on the growing suspect list, she is determined to find out who killed him, even as she learns that he has lost the house on the island due to foreclosure. With the help of her best friend, Parrish, she discovers that losing the house is just the tip of the iceberg. 

My Thoughts:

Over the past several months I've begun reading more books from the suspense and thriller genre and they sometimes get a little dark so I was ready for something more upbeat and less disturbing. Enter THE WEEKENDERS. An added bonus was realizing that even with the 'lighter' content, there was a change from her previous books. The big difference was the mystery aspect of who killed Riley's no-good lying husband. With several suspected characters, there was a lot ot think about while reading. Don't get me wrong, all of her stories are good, but this gave it a little more depth and I appreciated that. Of course, there was the usual romantic element along with friendship and the complications of family that are always prevalent in her books. There was also the more serious subject of juvenile Diabetes which fit nicely into this story and at the same time gave awareness to a growing problem in today's society.  I always love the locales MKA chooses for her novels and this was no exception. Having just moved away from Florida myself, I began missing the beach a little!

This is the perfect beach read for the summer, and for me it was a nice respite from some heaver books I've been reading. I think readers will like the murder mystery element as much as I did. In my opinion, THE WEEKENDERS puts Mary Kay Andrews back on top!

THE WEEKENDERS by Mary Kay Andrews
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Published: May 17, 2016
Print Length: 462:
Source: Publisher

Review: A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash (Kindle Edition)

(No Spoilers Included)
A few months back I started seeing a lot of buzz about Wiley Cash from my other Southern Lit lovers. Surprisingly, I had not heard of this author until then, so I looked into his work and saw that  he had a new book, THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY that hadn't been released yet, but his debut novel, A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME was getting a lot of positive reviews, not to mention, it was the type of book I love to read..

The story takes place in the small North Carolina town of Marshall, in 1986 and is centered around three complex narrators who tell this story of family, faith and betrayal.. First, there's Adelaide, an elderly woman who has seen a lot in her 80-something years who has strong religious beliefs that she isn't afraid to stand up for. Then there's Jess, a nine-year old boy, living with his mother, father and older brother, Stump, who was born mute and has never spoken a word. The last narrator is Clem, the local sheriff, who knows loss first hand yet does his very best to serve the people of Marshall in a fair way, even though he doesn't agree with some of the ways of certain townspeople.

Jess and Stump's mother, Julie, had a very religious upbringing  and even though her husband, Ben, didn't share her conviction and dedication to the church, she attended services several times a week.  Neither Ben nor the boys ever accompanied her to the her church.  But one day after the boys saw something they weren't meant to see, Julie was convinced by a church elder to bring Stump to church with her for a healing. Jess was upset by this but felt he couldn't tell his mother the truth as to why he felt so strongly about it for fear of getting he and his brother in trouble and upsetting his parents.

Adelaide had stopped attending the church ten years prior after the shocking death of one of its parishioners during one of its unusual worship services led by Pastor Chambliss. She felt so strongly about what was going on behind those blacked-out windows that she  even moved the children's Sunday school classes outside the church. Abigail didn't agree with Pastor Chambliss' ways, nor did she trust him so she kept her distance. But when there's another death at the church, the trouble lands on her doorstep and she can't ignore the truth any longer.

As Sheriff, Clem always tries to keep the peace but the events that took place during that Sunday evening service, and the subsequent fallout, put him in the middle of a very volatile situation. He must find answers before more lives are lost but getting people to talk proves very difficult. To complicate matters, Clem comes face to face with a man he hasn't seen in years and who bring with him very painful memories from his own tragic past.

My Thoughts:

One thing I liked about his novel is the three very different perspectives each narrator brought. The young innocence of Jess, the wise voice of Adelaidel and the calm and quiet manner of Clem work together so beautifully, though I would have to say that Clem is my favorite narrator. He's such a likable and fair character and I couldn't help but feel drawn to him.

I'm sure most people can't imagine the kind of worshipping that went on in the church of this story, but the truth is, it is real and things like snake handling and healings do go on in southern churches even today. In fact, there was a news report just last week where a pastor was killed after being bitten by a snake during a service. I had just finished reading this book and even I was shocked by it. Though I have read several southern fiction books involving worshipping with snakes, they disturb me. That said, in my opinion, Wiley Cash did a great job bringing that element without letting it cloud the main plot line. The 1980's were an interesting time in our history, with a lot of changing going on and I enjoyed revisiting that time. I was completely absorbed and had difficult putting this one down. There was a lot of history being told by Abigail and Clem, which gave a clear understanding of where they came from and what kind of people they were. In fact, I felt there was as much background being given as was current storyline, but it didn't bother me at all because it was all very interesting and relevent to the story being told.

If anyone ever wonders why I love reading Southern Fiction so much, all they need to do is read this book and they will have their answer. Nowhere else, in my opinion, will you find deep-rooted stories of family, southern culture, past and present, and genuine characters as you find in books in this somewhat overlooked genre. Wiley Cash is my favorite 'new to me' author and I will be telling everyone I know about his work. I'm very much looking forward to reading Cash's new novel, THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY, which will be released next week. I can't encourage you enough to give this writer a try - I promise you won't be disappointed.

A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME (Kindle Edition)
Author: Wiley Cash (@WileyCash)
Website: www.wileycash.com
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: April 2012
Length: 325 pp
Recommend? YES! This will be on my list of favorite books for 2014

 

Audio Review: Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain

Set in rural North Carolina some fifty years ago, NECESSARY LIES re-opened my eyes to injustices that were being carried out against lower class citizens under the guise of 'the law' during that time. The Eugenics Program, which was in affect from 1929 to 1975, was seldom talked about but frequently utilized in order to control the population in areas where living in poverty was common. Here's more about the book, taken from Amazon's website:

After losing her parents, fifteen-year-old Ivy Hart is left to care for her grandmother, older sister and nephew as tenants on a small tobacco farm.  As she struggles with her grandmother’s aging, her sister’s mental illness and her own epilepsy, she realizes they might need more than she can give.

When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County’s newest social worker, she doesn’t realize just how much her help is needed.  She quickly becomes emotionally invested in her clients' lives, causing tension with her boss and her new husband.  But as Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm—secrets much darker than she would have guessed.  Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing the battle against everything she believes is wrong.

Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina in a time of state-mandated sterilizations and racial tension, Necessary Lies tells the story of these two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy.  Jane and Ivy are thrown together and must ask themselves: how can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong?

My Thoughts:

Like most people, I'm sure, I hadn't heard the word 'Eugenics' since i was in high school and even then, I probably didn't fully understand what it really meant. Well, this book brought all of its ugliness to the forefront in a way that I will never forget. 

Jane Forrester is an unlikely person to tell this story because her life is so drastically different from the people the Eugenics program affected.  She could have very easily turned her back on the people she was assigned to assist while working for the county and just went along with it, but she simply couldn't do it. Even as her brand new picture perfect marriage to a doctor was being threatened, Jane simply could not let it go. For Jane, the secrecy and lies that were told to the victims in order to get them to comply proved to be more than Jane could bear. This story was told in such a vivid, authentic fashion that made it hard to imagine. Not only was the story authentically told, the characters were so genuine, it was like they were plucked right out of a time machine.  Chamberlain focused mainly on two families, which made it easier to form a connection with those characters and get to know them and ultimately the secrets each family harbored.  

I got so wrapped up in Jane and Ivy's story, that I'd forgotten the book began as a flashback.  I've read many books lately that went back and forth from past to present and, quite frankly, I'd grown tired of that format, but in this instance, it didn't bother me at all because most of the story was told as if it was happening at that moment. I had been totally transported back in time and was completely absorbed until at the end of the book, I was once again back with Jane's grown daughter many years later. 

Though the subject matter was a bit difficult, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I think its important to remember even the most unpleasant parts of our country's past in order to remind us how far we've come. Because of a time issue, I chose to listen to the audio version of this book and I was completely satisfied with that decision. Alison Elliot did an incredible job with the narration. The southern vernacular was spot on and the individual characters were unmistakably unique and pitch perfect. Definitely a five star performance. 

NECESSARY LIES would be a terrific selection for a book club with the wide range of topics to discuss. I'm sure it would be a very lively conversation. I would highly recommend this book, especially to readers who have an interest in Southern culture. 

NECESSARY LIES (Unabridged Audio Version)

Author: Diane Chamberlain (@D_Chamberlain)

Website: www.dianechamberlain.com

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Published: September 2013

Length: 10 hrs 51 mins

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Wisdom of Hair

It has been entirely too long since I've participated in "Waiting On" Wednesday but I'm so happy to be here today sharing the novel I've run across in my bookish travels. The book is THE WISDOM OF HAIR by Kim Boykin and it's scheduled release date is March 5, 2013. It is Southern Women's Fiction and this is Ms. Boykin's debut novel.

Here is a little about the book taken from Amazon.com -

"The problem with cutting your own hair is that once you start, you just keep cutting, trying to fix it, and the truth is, some things can never be fixed. The day of my daddy's funeral, I cut my bangs until they were the length of those little paintbrushes that come with dime-store watercolor sets. I was nine years old. People asked me why I did it, but I was too young then to know I was changing my hair because I wanted to change my life."
 
In 1983, on her nineteenth birthday, Zora Adams finally says goodbye to her alcoholic mother and their tiny town in the mountains of South Carolina. Living with a woman who dresses like Judy Garland and brings home a different man each night is not a pretty existence, and Zora is ready for life to be beautiful.
 
With the help of a beloved teacher, she moves to a coastal town and enrolls in the Davenport School of Beauty. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Cathcart, she learns the art of fixing hair, and becomes fast friends with the lively Sara Jane Farquhar, a natural hair stylist. She also falls hard for handsome young widower Winston Sawyer, who is drowning his grief in bourbon. She couldn't save Mama, but maybe she can save him.
 
As Zora practices finger waves, updos, and spit curls, she also comes to learn that few things are permanent in this life--except real love, lasting friendship, and, ultimately... forgiveness.

As a lover of all things Southern, I love reading about strong Southern women so it is easy to understand why I am so anxious for this release.  I can't wait to share it. For more information on Kim, visit her web page at kimboykin.com

To discover more yet-to-be-released books, be sure to visit Breaking the Spine for other "Waiting On" Wednesday blog posts every Wednesday.

Book Info:
Genre: Southern Fiction, Women's Fiction
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Publish Date: March 5, 2013
Length: 304 pp
ISBN-10:  0425261050
ISBN-13:  0425261057

Review: The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

THE PEACH KEEPER is another delightful example of why I love Sarah Addison Allen's books and the magical themes she puts in them. Here is a brief tidbit about the book, and as always I've left all spoilers out, so don't worry if you have't read it - I'm careful to give nothing away.

In the small town of Walls of Water, North Carolina, Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood live such separate lives, that their paths seldom cross. They've known each other since childhood yet they don't consider each other friends. 


The Jackons and the Osgoods have deep roots in their community and that history is part of the reason these two have a strained relationship. Willa's family used to be very wealthy and help to put Walls of Water on the map with their logging company that employed many of the townsmen back in the day. But as the economy suffered through The Depression, the Jackson's were forced to close the business, therefore leaving most of the employees without an income. The Jackson's themselves lost everything, including their family home known as The Blue Ridge Madam, built by Willa's great-great-grandfather. Willa has few memories of the grand home, but her connection to it tugs at her soul. Paxton's family bought The Madam and has restored it and converted into an elegant inn with a grand opening gala planned. 


Scandal arises when during the landscaping phase of the renovation, skeletal remains are dug up during the removal of an out of place peach tree.  The girls reluctantly team up and approach their grandmothers, who live in the same nursing home for answers, hopefully before the police discover the connection the two older women have to the apparent victim.


My Thoughts -
As usual, Sarah Addison Allen has woven a story rich in southern charm, suspense and that magic she is known for. Right away we get to know Paxton and Willa and realize how different they are and the vulnerabilities they share. There's a lot of self discovery within the pages, not only with Willa and Paxton, but also with Paxton's twin brother Colin and her friend, Sebastian. I really enjoyed those four characters as they grew to know each other better and trusts began to develop. I also enjoyed how each of these characters learned so much about themselves and were able to become more comfortable in their own skin and not be so guarded.

The magical element of the story is subtle but ever-present and gives the book a whimsical feel. Addison-Allen paints a lovely picture of the small town and all it's treasures, including The Madam. I could close my eyes and envision the little town in my mind and almost smell the peaches.  In fact, I did smell peaches while reading this charming book. I'm serious! I was lucky enough to win my copy of The Peach Keeper from Random House on Twitter along with a peach-scented Yankee Candle.  So when the book arrived they were packaged together so that every time I opened the book or turned a page, the scent of peaches found my nose. It was actually quite a clever idea and made the experience of reading the book even more charming!

THE PEACH KEEPER is one of those books that just makes you happier for reading it. I'd like to thank Random House for my copy that I can now add to my Sarah Addison Allen collection. With Spring right around the corner, this would be a fantastic book to read on Spring Break.

THE PEACH KEEPER
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publisher: Bantam
Published: January 2012
Pages: 304
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!

Review: The King of Lies by John Hart

THE KING OF LIES is the first novel of two time Edgar Award winner John Hart  (The Last Child, Down River, Iron House) He is a North Carolina native, who went from defense attorney to novelist, writing crime thrillers based in North Carolina.  

About The Book - (from GoodReads)
Jackson Workman Pickens--known to most as "Work"--mindlessly holds together his disintegrating life: a failing law practice left to him when his father, Ezra, mysteriously disappeared, a distant wife who shares their loveless marriage, and an estranged sister who bore the brunt of their childhood trauma.
 
And then Ezra's body is discovered.
 
Set to inherit his father's fortune, Work becomes a prime suspect.  But so does his sister, Jean.  As much as Work's life was overshadowed by his domineering father, Jean's life was nearly destroyed by him. But does that make her capable of a vicious murder?  Fearing the worst, Work launches his own investigation, crossing paths with a power-hungry detective, a string of damning evidence, and the ugly rumors that swirl within his small, moneyed Southern town.
 
Desperate for the redemption that has eluded him for so many years and stripped of everything he once valued, he fights to save his sister and clear his name--in this poignant and thrilling anatomy of a murder and its ripple effect within a family and a community.


My Thoughts

Its no secret that I am a big fan of John Hart. The first book of his I read was THE LAST CHILD last year and I really enjoyed it. Earlier this year I read IRON HOUSE, his latest and I was blown away. 

THE KING OF LIES doesn't get off to a quick start like IRON HOUSE does, but Hart methodically lays the ground work for what is, I believe, a very good mystery.  The questions surrounding Ezra's disappearance and subsequent discovery of his remains keep the story going and has many paths to travel. The convincing list of suspects and their involvements with the victim creates a believable and engaging story. The fact that the lead detective only wants to focus on Ezra's son, Work, only makes the other suspects more visible, in my opinion.  

I did feel the story dragging a little bit about half-way through.  I was ready for a tempo change and, luckily, soon after after having that thought, things began to happen at a quicker pace and with more excitement.  That said, I was pleased with THE KING OF LIES. I'm happy I took the time to read it and I do plan to read his second novel, DOWN RIVER, at some point as well. 

Having read his three later novels, I have definitely seen the progression of a really great suspense writer. In fact, IRON HOUSE  is one of my top picks of this year. His writing gets more intense and exciting with each book.  Needless to say, I am anxiously awaiting his next release. 

THE KING OF LIES

Author: John Hart

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2006

Pages: 320

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Public Library

Teaser Tuesday: 10.18.11

Today I'm taking my teasers from John Hart's debut novel, THE KING OF LIES which was published in 2006. I'm a big fan of his later work and though I've read his last two books, I'd never read his first two. i'm correcting that omission now.

My Teasers:

Eventually, I arrived at the park, my house before me like a stranger's.  It glowed in the eerie light, and loomed taller than normal against the gunmetal sky.  The cops ere there, too, at least a dozen of them; and my neighbors, like my colleagues, had gathered for the feast.  ~ page 290 Large Print Edition

If you'd like to participate in Teaser Tuesday, simply follow these easy instructions;

• Open your current book to a random page
• Choose two teaser sentences to share, being careful NOT to include any spoilers
• List the name of the book, author and page number you took your teasers from
• Go to Should Be Reading and share the link to your post in the comment section

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed my teasers!

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You Might Also Like:

• Review: IRON HOUSE by John Hart

Review: Iron House by John Hart

Two time Edgar Award winner John Hart released this, his fourth novel, in July and having read and loved his third book, THE LAST CHILD, published in 2009, my expectations were pretty high. Fortunately, he did not let this reader down. Keeping with his style, the story was filled with twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat.

About The Book:
(No spoilers)


Michael and his younger brother, Julian, knew nothing of their family. Basically, they didn't have one. Abandoned at a tender age, they were taken in by an orphanage named for the mountain where it was located.  Iron House Orphange for Boys had once been an asylum for the insane and still had dark reminders of those long ago days within it's walls.

The two brothers were extremely close and with Julian being the younger, weaker boy, Michael took the role of Julian's protector. Growing up in the orphanage among other discarded boys and juvenile delinquents, life was very hard and even dangerous, considering the lack of supervision at the orphanage. Most of the time Michael was there when his brother needed him but one night the older, tougher boys caught Julian alone and this time his brother wasn't there to save him. After the beating Julian snapped and by the time Michael found him it was too late.   Quick decisions had to be made. With his brother in shock, Michael grabbed the evidence and took off, taking the blame with him. He ran far away and ended up on the streets of New York until he was taken in by a man who he would later find out was once a street thug but had become the head of one of the most powerful crime families in the state. Through his teenage years he groomed Michael and with his natural skills and level-headedness, he became a valuable asset to the organization.

Now in his mid 30's and the old man dying, Michael dreams of a life away from crime. The old man gives him permission to leave and start a new life, but it isn't going to easy. The boss's son is against Michael leaving and vows to hunt him down.  But he also has information on Julian and threatens to kill him if Michael tries to leave. Also at risk is Elena, Michael's girlfriend, who knows nothing of his life in the mob...and who is carrying his baby.

In the following days, Michael and Elena's lives are turned upside down as they makes their way to North Carolina to the family that adopted Julian to make sure he is protected. He was adopted by a State Senator and his wife right after Michael ran away from the orphanage and from the looks of it on the outside, Julian has everything he needs, including protection. But looks can be very deceiving. Once he is able to get to the inside of Julian's heavily guarded adopted family, Michael realizes a whole new set of dangers...and questions, some of which lead him back to Iron House.

My Thoughts


I'll just get right to it and say that I loved this book. The synopsis I gave is just the tip of the iceberg to what is going on in this story. John Hart effectively and successfully develops a multi-layered story that takes you from one gripping aspect to the next. This is not just a story about two brothers and a life of crime. IRON HOUSE has many elements that are brought together seamlessly while keeping the reader in suspense the whole way through. This book has more action than his previous books which only makes the story even more suspenseful.

There are many colorful characters that add other dimensions to the story, but Michael, by far, is the main character and my favorite. Although he is a tough mob enforcer, he also has a tender side that is brought out beautifully.  I began cheering him on early in the book. There is not one slow or dull part within these pages. There is more than just one mystery to this novel. Just when you think you have all the answers, something happens to leave you with more questions. I was completely satisfied with the ending and, in fact, hated to see it end. As I was reading, I kept telling myself that this book would make a great movie! I could even see someone like Russell Crowe playing the lead part...OK, I digress....

Bottom line: if you haven't read John Hart's work, you are missing out on some thrilling fiction.  While I eagerly await his next book, I am definitely going to read his first two: THE KING OF LIES and DOWN RIVER. I have no doubt I will be equally impressed. Critics have compared his style of writing to Grisham, but in my opinion, Hart takes it to a whole new level and shouldn't be compared to Grisham at all. If you are unfamiliar with this author, I encourage you to visit his website to learn more about him and his books. You can even read the first chapter right from the website.

I would like to thank Chelsea Smialek at St. Martin's Press for my copy of this thrilling new book. It is definitely on my list of top books of 2011. If you do read it, you will soon see why John Hart is my favorite Southern Suspense writer.

IRON HOUSE
Author: John Hart
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: July 2011
Pages: 432
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars