The Sunday Salon: Getting Back in the Groove

Welcome to the Sunday Salon, a great place to talk about books, or other stuff going on in your life. Today, I'm talking about books. I'd mentioned in a previous post that I've been having a bit of trouble getting going with my reading lately. Lots of books I want to read, just having trouble actually starting them.  But this week, I think I finally crossed over that ditch in the road. not only did I start a new book that I'm halfway through already, but I even posted a review last week! Progress!

Monday I received an email offering an ARC of a debut novel that was coming out the very next day. I really enjoy debut authors and this is not a long book so figured it would be a great choice to get me jump-started. The book is LILLIAN ON LIFE and it's written by Alison Jean Lester. Its not exactly a novel, but more like a collection of compressed chapters revealing the life of Lillian, an older woman who is reflecting back on her unconventional, sometimes wild life, which she has lived both abroad and here in America. Its a very easy to read book that, so far, I'm enjoying. Lillian is brutally honest with a wry sense of humor, which gives me the feeling that I'm sneaking a peek into someone's private journal. I find it to be an interesting read and one that will probably get a lot of attention. It was released just this last Tuesday. In fact, it is featured today in the Washington Post. I'll be finishing it up either later today, or if the football playoffs are good, maybe tomorrow, and I'll post my thoughts later in the week. (I'm on a roll!)

The review I posted last week was THE SILENT SISTER by Diane Chamberlain, who is becoming an author I really like. This novel is about a young woman who returns to her family home in North Carolina to settle her father's estate after his death and while there uncovers evidence that he had been harboring secrets about their family for years. Also that the sister she, and everyone else, thought had committed suicide twenty years ago was probably alive and living under an assumed name.  If you like, you can read my complete review of the unabridged audio version here.

There's a new book I ran across this week over at Beth Fish Reads (click the link to read her review) that has really intrigued me. It called DESCENT by Tim Johnston. Its a mystery/thriller and I think its going to be an 'it' book this year. That's just what I gather from all the hoopla I've been hearing. I plan to read it next month if all goes according to plan.

Well,that's it for me today so now I'm off to make a hot pot of Mexican chili since we've got another cold front coming in later today. Yes, we do have real cold fronts in Central Florida! Later, I'll be reading some more of Lillian and watching the games. Have yourself a wonderful Sunday and thanks for visiting!

The Sunday Salon: A Preview of New Releases Headed My Way

Thankfully, Mother Nature has not let me down. We are finally enjoying some fall-like weather down here in Florida. Now, that's not to say it won't get hot again before it's all over, but I'll take what I can get. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. I love having the windows open and giving my air conditioner a break but the best part is getting up early, grabbing a cup of coffee and a book and enjoying the cool morning air on the porch. Soon, the heat from the sun won't run me off as quickly and I can stay out there as long as I like.

Along with the promise of cooler weather, is the anticipation of some great new books coming out in the next few months. I've been really lucky lately with the books that have found their way to my mailbox and inbox. Here are some of the new books that will be arriving very soon. These are courtesy of St. Martin's Press. Click on the titles for more information and cover image.

• SNOWBLIND by Christoper Golden (January 2014)

The publisher is touting this as a 'thrilling contemporary  ghost story with both horror and heart'. And Stephen King has raved about it as well, so it didn't take me long to add this to my list of choices.

• LOST LAKE by Sarah Addison Allen (February 2014)

Since I am a huge fan of Ms. Allen's, I jumped at the chance to get my hands on an advanced copy of her latest! It was a no-brainer for me.

• SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler (March 2014)

There is a lot of talk about this debut novel becoming a huge bestseller. This moving saga tells the story of four Wisconsin-born friends who grow up together. One of them never left their small town but the other three moved on to bigger lives. Now, years later, they are all back home but secrets, old hurts and differing memories arise that change all their lives. I haven't really explained it well, but I'm really looking forward to this one.

• ONE WAY OUT by Butch Trucks (February 2014)

This is a biography of one of my favorite rock bands ever, the Allman Brothers Band. I'm a huge southern rock girl and I was even lucky enough to meet Greg Allman many, many years ago at a friend's house right here in Ocala. This is sure to be an enlightening history of this legendary band.

• THE HEADMASTER'S WIFE by Thomas Christopher Greene (February 2014)

This novel has been described as 'haunting' and 'moving', so naturally I was in right away. It focuses on one couple, at their best and at their worst. When I saw that Richard Russo, who is the king of great sagas, raved about his book, I knew I couldn't miss it.

• CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews (October 2013)

A funny Christmas tale featuring two of my favorite MKA's characters, Weezie and her best friend Bebe. I am so happy to be able to read this for the holiday season. I'm sure these two crazy Savannah girls will provide me with many laughs and adventures. Wouldn't miss this for anything!

***************************

Those are just a few of the books I'll be featuring here on my blog in the coming months. I hope you'll check 'em out. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Jessica Hatch for the generous opportunity to have first crack at these new releases.. 

Now I'm off to make my first batch of chili for this new season and do some reading. Enjoy your Sunday and hopefully some terrific Fall weather! 

"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

[TSS] And the Winner Is . . .

This giveaway was part of a TLC Book tour for BRAND NEW HUMAN BEING, a terrific debut by Emily Jeanne Miller. And the winner is . . . 

Bermudaonion!!

Thanks to everyone who entered the drawing. This debut is well worth the time in reading and I'm sure you'll feel the same way. A special thanks also to Lisa at TLC Book Tours. 

Review: Brand New Human Being by Emily Jeanne Miller (A TLC Book Tour Event) & Giveaway!

BRAND NEW HUMAN BEING is a story that is probably all too familiar in many marriages.  Logan Pyle, a grad student, met his future wife, Julie, at home in Montana while on a break from school back east and they both felt an instant connection. Julie was working for Augustus Pyle, a revered, well-known and respected attorney and also Logan's father. When Logan returned to school, neither one of them really knew if they would spend time together again. But fate decided to step in and when Julie announced to Logan a short time later that she was pregnant, Logan, although reluctant at first, stepped up and did the right thing by Julie. He left school, moved back to Montana, married Julie and prepared to be a father. Now, his son, Owen, is four years old and Logan and Julie are in a well-worn pattern of daily marital life.  


Augustus Pyle lost a long and painful battle with Cancer four months before and with his death, many changes have come.  The already strained relationship between Julie and Gus's much younger wife, Bennie, has come to a head, not to mention the financial burden Logan's outfitter store that he owns with his old friend, Bill, is not bringing in any money and is basically sitting there doing nothing. They are all trying to cope with the loss of Gus in their own way. Even little Owen is having difficulty.  He has begun sucking his thumb again and demanding to drink out of a baby bottle. Logan doesn't agree with Julie's assessment that this is 'normal behavior' according to the parenting book she is reading.

On top of that, everyone seems to have an opinion on what Logan should do with the land Gus left him in his will. Logan feels he knows what his father would want, but is met with alot of opposition. This is quickly becoming a sore spot in the marriage and Logan is feeling ganged up on. Tensions reach an all-time high when Logan walks in on something that shakes his world and makes him question everything that he has based his life on up until that point. From that moment on the decisions he makes are not good ones and have reverberating effects that could change his family forever.

My Thoughts:

 I found this to be an engaging story and because it had a quick pace, it kept me focused to find out what would happen next. Ms. Miller did a fine job of explaining the dynamics of the characters and their relationships with each other. That being said, I have to admit that there were a few characters that I didn't like very much. Julie being the one that stood out the most for me. I didn't like her dismissive attitude towards Logan and how she could make him feel as if his opinions didn't measure up to hers. I never got the feeling that she was on his side, no matter what issue they were facing. Bennie sometimes confused me and given her history with Logan, I felt she created confusion for him as well. In the end, however, she won me over.
There were times I would get frustrated with Logan when he would try to explain things to Owen in terms that a four-year-old would never be able to comprehend or he did it in a way that upset and even scared the child. Those were the times that I didn't care for Logan at all. This story certainly shows the difficulties that can surface in a marriage. Especially one that wasn't planned.  


That being said, I realize and appreciate that that is all part of the fabric of what makes this story what it is. A realistic and difficult look into what can happen when two near strangers unexpectedly create another human being and try to do the right thing for that child.  Learning as they go, not only how to be parents but about each other as well.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Learn more about this author by visiting her website here and if you would like to win your own copy of this exciting debut novel, now is your chance! All you have to do is leave a comment either about this book or how you feel about debut authors, along with your current email address. You have until midnight on Saturday, June 23rd to enter this giveaway. Winner will be announced Sunday, June 24th.  This offer is only valid for residents in the U.S.

Special thanks go to Emily Jeanne Miller for allowing me to be one of the first to read her debut novel and to Lisa at TLC Book Tours for asking me to be a part of this tour. There are still many more dates for this tour so please stop by to see what other readers thought of this book. You can find the complete schedule by clicking the link below.

BRAND NEW HUMAN BEING Tour Schedule




BRAND NEW HUMAN BEING
Author: Emily Jeanne Miller
Publisher: Houghton Miffin Harcourt
Published: June 12, 2012
Length: 272pp
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Source: TLC Book Tours/Netgaalley.com

[TSS] Review: Lamb by Bonnie Nazdam (Kindle Edition)

My very first thought after finishing LAMB by Bonnie Nazdam was simply, 'Wow'. Here's my brief description of the book, with no spoilers...

David Lamb just buried his father.  His marriage is all but over - his own doing - and he could be very close to losing his job. After the funeral, he finds himself in a moment of solitude in a parking lot in an area of town not known for it's beauty, natural or otherwise. 


While David is in this desolate parking lot, he encounters Tommie, an eleven-year old girl who has just been dared by her 'friends' to approach him. David quickly figures out what is happening and convinces the somewhat reluctant Tommie to play along with him and pull a trick on her friends. The trust that Tommie so quickly gave to David, a complete stranger, that first day is the basis for what turns out to be an unbelievable journey that is both deeply disturbing and horrifying from a parent's perspective, yet at times could also be interpreted as a loving and nurturing experience between a man who loves and appreciates all that nature has to offer and a young girl who has never been away from the concrete and coldness of urban life. 


(Read Goodreads Synopsis)

My Thoughts


LAMB has been on my radar ever since it came out in late 2011 and I read about the accolades it had received (2011 Flaherty Dunnan First Novel Prize).  Then I read a few reviews and I felt I had to add it to my Must Read List. If you do pick up this book, right away you will notice what a quick read it is. It's a complex story simply told that will grab you and not let go until you finish. That is how it was for me. The story is bizarre and once I got over the initial feeling of 'Oh my God, how can this be happening?', I was able to recognize the talent of Ms. Nadzam. It kind of reminded me of ROOM by Emma Donoghue, in that, the writing was methodically consistent  and didn't waver once. Her well developed narcissistic characteristics of David coupled with his parental-like yearning to nurture this young girl was maddening to me. David Lamb is also a master manipulator who repeatedly amazed me at how he could get Tommie to do what he wanted her to do while making it seem that it was her idea and he was just following her wishes. I was constantly waiting for the unspeakable to happen. Without a doubt the story of LAMB is every parents worst nightmare.

For me, I judge a book by the affect it has on me and how memorable that book is to me.  It is easy for me to say this book will stay with me for a very long time. No matter how unbelievable and unsettling the story is, I give credit to Bonnie Nadzam for writing a most unique, eye-opening and frightening account of what can absolutely happen when a child is left alone.

As a first novel, in my opinion, this book is completely impressive. Bonnie Nadzam is an author that I will not hesitate to read again. That said, LAMB may not be for everyone but I believe it would make an incredible book club selection given the myriad of conversation and discussion it creates.

LAMB
Author: Bonnie Nadzam
Publisher: Other Press, Inc.
Published: September 2011
Length: 329KB/289pp

When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman - A TLC Book Tour

I am especially excited to be featuring Sarah Winman's book, WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT today. When I was first approached about reading this debut novel, right away, the title caught my attention. I thought Where in the world is this book going to take me? With a title like that, it's bound to raise some eyebrows, right? Once I reached that moment in the book where I understood the title, it made perfect sense. (I love those Aha! moments!)

On the TLC Website, it states that. . . 'This is a book about a brother and a sister. It’s a book about best friends, the secrets forged in childhood, and starting over; about triumph and tragedy, and everything in between. More than anything, it’s a book about love in all its forms.'

It is that and so much more. The story begins in 1968 in England where we meet Elly, her older brother, Joe and their doting parents. They are a loving family, but not without their issues. The bond that develops between the two siblings is the basis for this remarkable story. Early on, we learn of an event that happens and the result of that act becomes the cement that binds them together through loyalty and secrets. Elly has an equally special bond with her best friend, Jenny Penny, who is a fixture in her life, even though not always a physical presence. The secrets and promises that bind the two girls is another beautiful part of this story. It is truly a testament to lasting relationships and loyalties.

Over the years we follow this family through good times and bad, from England to America and we watch as their relationships develop. Its a great story about how life brings people together and the power of true friendship. In a word, this is a story of love.

My thoughts:

From the very first pages I knew that I had made the right decision to read this book and that I was in for a treat. It was written in two parts: Elly as a child and then as an adult in the second half. Part One had much more humor, which I liked right away. Much of it was dark, ironic humor but it really did work with the story and I enjoyed that aspect of it very much. There were moments when I'd laugh out loud and then think, Oh my gosh, I shouldn't be laughing at that! But I just couldn't help myself. The writing overall is what won me over. The lyrical phrasings that Sarah Winman used throughout the book were so beautiful I would re-read them and take the time to let them sink in. For me, that's the mark of a good writer and I appreciate that in her work. Part Two of the book was more serious than the first and we really got to know the characters as mature adults and saw how the family had developed and dealt with the many challenges along the way. It was moving and heartfelt and I loved it.

There are many wonderful characters and relationships that were so believably written, it made me wish I was a part of their group. They were so tight-knit and devoted to each other, even when miles and oceans separated them. Obviously, I loved the characters of Elly and Joe, but I also admired their Aunt Nancy for her unwavering loyalty and unconditional love. Another favorite character was Arthur, a 'true' older gentleman, who becomes a fixture after staying at the family's Bed & Breakfast. I especially loved his relationship with Elly and his free spirit that really shone when his old friend Ginger came to visit. The special bond between them was undeniable and it once again made me want to be included in their clan.

WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT is the kind of book that leaves you with a warm feeling even though there is also a fair amount of tragedy and heartache. I really enjoyed the book and I will definitely be watching out for more from Ms. Sarah Winman. Not only will I not hesitate to pick up her next book, I highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a great story.

Thank you TLC Book Tours for including me in this tour and giving me the opportunity to read this special book. You can find more tour dates for WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT here. Please be sure to check them out.

WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT

Author: Sarah Winman

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Published: May 10, 2011

Pages: 304

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Source: TLC Book Tours

[TSS] Review: Cleaning Nabokov's House by Leslie Daniels

Barb Barrett, newly divorced and living in upstate New York, is trying to cope with the fact that she has lost custody of her two young children. She has no money, a ratty old car and a part-time job that barely pays anything. She's afraid of what her children are thinking - do they think she's abandoned them? Do they think she doesn't want them to live with her? When she made the decision to leave her controlling husband, she had no idea it would go this badly.

Barb finds a little house to rent that apparently has literary history: the great Vladimir Nabokov used to live there while writing Lolita, listed as number 4 on the Modern Library Top 100 books. While struggling to adjust to only having occasional visitation with her kids, Barb is desperate for her children and begins preparing the extra rooms for their visits. While cleaning the house, she discovers a bundle of index cards with notes written on them - possibly an unfinished manuscript belonging to Nabokov himself.

Barb begins going through the cards, putting the pieces together and realizes its a story about Babe Ruth. The only friend she has in this new town is her mailman's wife, Margie, who just happens to be an agent. Upon Margie's advice, Barb consults an attorney to figure out how to validate her claim that it is, in fact, a manuscript written by Vladimir Nabokov.

In the meantime, Barb realizes that she must get her life back if she plans on getting custody of her children. The first thing she must do is make some money. So she comes up with a plan - to open a whorehouse. That is as far my synopsis goes, because you must read the rest of the story yourself since any synopsis I would write just wouldn't do the story justice.

My thoughts:

If you have not read this book, I'm sure you're scratching your head wondering Why would a woman desperate to get custody of her children back open a cathouse?! That is just one example of the quirkiness of Leslie Daniels' debut novel. I could use so many adjectives to describe this book: odd; funny; sad, witty, dark. But one word stands out among all the others: Original.

From the beginning, I really didn't know if I even liked Barb Barrett. I certainly didn't understand her choices. I could not relate to her at all yet some of the things she did made me laugh out loud. After awhile, there was a sort of endearing quality about her.

I suppose this isn't the type of book that you can take too seriously, and maybe that's my issue. I'm more of a pragmatic person therefore I had trouble with the believability of it. That being said, the characters were very original - even the children had original, quirky personalities.

The part of the story involving Nabokov, however, left me wanting more of it. This is a difficult book for me to sum up due to my mixed feelings. Sometimes I think I really liked it and then others, I'm not really sure. I appreciate the humor and the uniqueness of the book, but I'm still left feeling like I wish I wouldn've liked it more. The only suggestion I have is to read it and judge for yourself.

I do believe that Leslie Daniels is an up-and-coming author to watch out for. She has a style that is interesting and I will be on the look out to see what she comes up with next. Have you read this book? If so, I'd love to know what you thought of it.

CLEANING NABOKOV'S HOUSE

Leslie Daniels

Date Published: March 1, 2011

Publisher: Touchstone Books

Pages: 336

Rating: 3 Stars

Source: Jessica Roth, Touchstone Books

Teaser Tuesday 5.3.11

Today I'm excited to share my teasers from a gem of a debut novel called WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT by Sarah Winman. I'm currently reading this book for a TLC Book Tour later this month and with every chapter it is becoming more and more endearing to me.

WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT is the coming-of-age story of Elly, a girl we first meet when she is a little girl of 5 or 6 in England, living with her loving parents and older brother, Joe, with whom she shares an incredible bond. It's also a story of friendship, loyalty and love. The teasers I've chosen to share with you today represent the lovely writing style of Sarah Winman that I am thoroughly enjoying.

My Teasers -

Arthur and Ginger were inseparable when they got together. They had first met years ago on the London scene when their faces were smooth and devoid of experience, and had ended up sharing many things, including a flat in Bayswater and a ballet dancer called Robin. Their banter was rich and comfortable, their teasing intimate and profound, their "I love you" without the use of those startling words. ~ page 137

Be sure to check out all the stops on the book tour from TLC Book Tours that begin on May 16th. Click here for a complete schedule. I'm not yet finished reading it but I'm a fan already. The tour stops at Books and Cooks on May 26th, so please stop back by for my full review then.

For more great teasers, visit Should Be Reading each and every Tuesday to get a peek at some really great books! Have a wonderful day!

Teaser Tuesday: Cleaning Nabokov's House

This week my teasers are from a debut novel by Leslie Daniels. It is called CLEANING NABOKOV'S HOUSE. I talked about it a little bit in my Sunday post and you can read that here if you'd like. The teaser sentences today are from a point in the book where the main character, Barb, is driving back from New York City after a meeting with Sotheby's where they gave their opinion of whether or not the index cards she found that make up a manuscript were authentic and did, in fact, belong to Vladimir Nabokov...

My teasers:

I pulled up one of the index cards in my mind's eye. Sometimes he wrote so fast that not a single i was dotted. he was going places. That was one of the elements of passion: urgency. He had no time for complacency, for boredom. Wasn't that a sure mark of genius? ~ page 114

Teaser Tuesday is hosted each week by MizB at Should Be Reading. Its a great way to get a glimpse into some great books!

Friday Finds: 7.9.10

This week I found my pick for Friday Finds while visiting the website for St. Martins Press. I stumbled across a brand new author and her book reached right out and grabbed my attention. Here's the 411 -

The book is called STILL MISSING and the author is Chevy Stevens. Here's the synopsis from the author's website:

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

She's got a terrific website that you can check out right here. The book just came out and the reviews have been amazing. Since I love reading debut authors, I am anxious to read it for myself.

If you'd like to read about more Friday Finds, visit MizB at Should Be Reading.

Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa (ebook)

Let me first start by saying that this book is not for everyone. This is not light reading and it's not necessarily what you'd want to take on your family vacation, in my opinion. That said, you'll notice that I gave this poweful novel by Chris Tusa a high rating and there are several reasons. But first, let me tell you a little about the book.

DIRTY LITTLE ANGELS is the edgy, haunting story of Hailey Trosclair, a 16 year old girl living with her parents and older brother, Cyrus, in the slums of New Orleans. The story is told through Hailey's eyes and with her voice. Hailey's family has had nothing but bad luck recently and she is scared that her family is falling apart. All her parents do is fight, so Hailey slips in and out with no one really keeping an eye on her. It's not that her parents don't love her, they're just so caught up in their own problems that they just don't notice Hailey half of the time. She lives in fear that her parents are going to get a divorce. And to make matters worse, the home they are living in is about to be in forceclosure. Hailey is desperate for God to answer her prayers and save her family.

Things only get worse when Cyrus starts hanging out with Moses, a self-proclaimed follower of Christ who has his own ideas of how to interpret the Scriptures. Hailey, having asked God through her prayers over and over to help her family, is vulnerable and easily influenced by this dangerous man.

At 16, Hailey is a bright girl who is trying her best to find answers to some of life's biggest questions, all while trying to survive the day to day in the slums she lives in. There's no doubt the most important thing to her is her family, but Hailey is, after all, still just a kid.

This is one of the grittiest novels I've read in awhile. While reading, I was at times uncomfortable, angry and even horrified. You get thrown into the story on page one and it moves quickly thereafter. I have to say that even though this is fiction, things like what happen in the pages of this bold book are happening right now in real life in our cities. it's not candy coated and filled with fluffy dialogue. It's real, honest contemporary fiction that packs a punch.

Even though my childhood was the polar opposite of Hailey's and I can't relate at all with what she went through, I still felt a connection to her. I didn't want her to give up on her faith and I cringed at so many of the things she did.. Hailey is an incredible character and Chris Tusa did an amazing job of telling her story with dialect that was spot on.

Again, this book isn't for everyone, but I promise it is worth the time in reading it. I'd like to thank Chris Tusa for graciously sending me an ebook of this gem of a novel. Born and raised in New Orleans, he is a writer and poet as well as an English Professor at LSU. This is an author I will most definitely be looking out for in the future.

Chris Tusa website

Read the first chapter here

DIRTY LITTLE ANGELS

Author: Chris Tusa

Publisher: Livingston Press (AL)

Published: March 2009

Pages: 170

Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5 (Highly Recommend!)

Friday Finds 6.26.9

What great books did you discover this week? Friday Finds is hosted weekly by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Here's what I found this week:

• THE BIG STEAL by Emyl Jenkins - This is the second book in the Sterling Glass Mystery Series, the first being STEALING WITH STYLE. After reading Carrie's review at Reading To Know, I was hooked. You can read her review here. This new addition to the series is set to be released in July.
• BACK CREEK by Leslie Goetsch - This debut novel takes place in a fictiional small Virginia town and the writing of Leslie Goetsch has been compared to the early works of Pat Conroy. Publishers Weekly calls it 'an accomplished and impressive debut'. I discovered this book while visiting Staci's blog, Life In The Thumb. She wrote a great review [here] and is hosting a giveaway of this very intriguing book. The deadline is June 27, so be sure to stop by for your chance to win.

Did any books grab your attention this week?

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

It's 1962 and Skeeter Phelan has returned to Longleaf, her family's cotton farm in Jackson, Mississippi after graduating college from Ole Miss. Her mother still insists on calling it a plantation, a term Skeeter would rather forget. According to her mother, coming home from college with a degree wasn't enough. She is reminded almost daily that most girls come home with fiance's, but not Skeeter. Getting married is not on the top of her list. She has a dream of becoming a journalist.

Her two best friends, Hilly and Elizabeth are both married with young children and are very involved in the community. Like Skeeter's family they have black maids who cook, clean and take care of the children, who they become very close to. Skeeter was raised by a black woman who worked for her family for 29 years. But when she came home from college she learned that she was gone and no one would tell her why. Constantine was like a mother to Skeeter and she felt ashamed that she didn't show enough appreciation to the woman who dedicated much of her life to raising her.

As she spends more time with her friends, Skeeter notices things that she wouldn't have given a second thought to before. Maybe it's because of Constantine's mysterious absence or could it be she's seeing her friends through different eyes.

When Hilly makes a big deal about Elizabeth's maid, Aiblileen, using the same bathroom the family uses, she convinces Elizabeth to talk her husband into building one in the garage for the help. Skeeter can see the humiliation on Aiblileen's face while the two white women talk openly in front of her about their fear of catching diseases from blacks. She begins to realize how degrading this is for Aibileen and she doesn't like it.

Skeeter gets hired on at the local newspaper to do a weekly column on housecleaning, but since she's never actually done any, she gets permission from Elizabeth to ask Aibilieen for help. In writing these articles, Skeeter and Aibileen get more acquainted and eventually Skeeter confides to her that she wants to write about important things - not household cleaning tips. She wants to write a book from black women's perspectives on what it's really like to work for a white woman in Jackson. An honest, truthful account. But Skeeter can't do this alone. She'll need Aibileen's help to convince other maids to come forward, because no black woman is going to talk to a white woman about that. Not without someone they know and trust being there. If word got out they could lose their jobs or worse. Both women understand that this could be a very dangerous thing. It is, after all, the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the year Medgar Evers was shot and killed in his own front yard by the KKK right there in Jackson. Skeeter's decision to write this book will have a profound effect on her life. Lines will be drawn and choices will be made that cannot be undone.

THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett is without a doubt on my list of Best Books of 2009. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. Kathryn Stockett speaks the language of the south seamlessly with her truly unique and believable characters. The voices of the three women who tell this incedible story are genuine and at times raw with emotion. Her skilled storytelling has a mix of drama, humor and a true sadness at the reality of what life was like in the south before the Civil Rights Movement.

Living in the south myself, and as a child having been cared for by a black maid when my family lived in New Orleans, at times while reading, I felt shame for how these women were treated by their white employers. They went to work everyday leaving their pride at home while they were made to feel less than, while raising and loving their white babies with little or no gratitude at all. That was very evident with the character of Aibileen, which was my favorite character. Aibileen tells much of the story and her voice painfully portrays the hurt and struggles of her life.

Aibileen's best friend Minny is quite a character who I adored. I loved her sense of humor and even her defiant nature, especially when trying not to show affection for people she didn't want to like. I laughed the most when Minny was talking. Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny each have their own reasons for getting involved in such a project. Many people they know will likely never understand why they would put themselves in so much danger.

As it states in the back of the book and on her website, Kathryn Stockett tells this story with experience, being raised by a black maid herself in Jackson, Mississippi. It's obvious this is a subject near to her heart. You can feel it in her writing. I can't say enough about this wonderful book and would recommend it highly to anyone looking for a deep, satisfying story of a painful time in our nation's history.

THE HELP

Author: Kathyrn Stockett

Publisher: Putnam

Published: February 2009

Pages: 444

Rating: 5 out of 5 (Amazing!/Wonderful!/Highly Recommended!)

The Sunday Salon - A Southern Sunday

This past week I concentrated more on reading than on blogging. Sometimes, as you know, when you get a few extra minutes a day, its hard to decide - Do I read? Or do I blog? I'm always torn. This week, though, I chose to read. I didn't participate in the weekly memes that I usually enjoy and quite frankly, I missed the interaction with the other bloggers that play along. I did participate in Musing Mondays at Just One More Page with the topic being 'New Authors'. Being a reader who chooses to read a lot of debut novels, I was excited about that post. Personally, I read as many debut authors as I do established, sometimes more.

I finished reading JANE EYRE this week and was sorry when it came to an end. It was my first reading of it and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last. You can read my thoughts on the book here.

I posted my review of THE TRIUMPH OF DEBORAH and was delighted when I received emails from the author, Eva Etzioni-Halevy, expressing her appreciation and joy with my review. I had stated that I had never read biblical fiction before and was nervous about it, but she quickly put me at ease about what I had written. You can read that review here, if you like.

I started two very exciting books this week. The first is a review copy of a book coming out in May in the christian fiction genre called SAINTS IN LIMBO by River Jordan. River is the host of a radio show in Nashville, along with being a motivational speaker. The second book, THE HELP, is by debut author Kathryn Stockett. I absolutely love southern fiction and when I tore open the package, while still standing at the mailbox, and read the first paragraph, I knew I was going to love this book.

So for the rest of my Sunday, I'm planning to return to 1960's Jackson, Mississippi, where there are three very interesting and completely different women who have a great story to tell and who have completely captured my attention. It's early on in the book for me, but its easy to see that Kathryn Stockett knows the ways of southern people and brings perfect voices to her characters. I guess you could say that I'm hooked!

Where are you this Sunday and what book are you hooked on?