What's in the (e)mail...plus a book giveaway!

Melissa:
Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia from Zando (NetGalley)

Anyone But Her by Cynthia Swanson by Columbine York (NetGalley)

The Time Keepers by Alyson Richman from Union Square & Co (NetGalley)

Summer on Butterfly Bay by/from Judith Natelli McLaughlin (print)

Group Living and Other Recipes by Lola Milholland from Spiegel & Grau (print)

Then, Again by Jaclyn Youhana Garver from Lake Union (NetGalley)

Melissa S:

What We Sacrifice for Magic by/from Andrea Jo DeWerd (print)

Allyson:

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage from Random House (print)

Going to Maine by Sally Chaffin Brooks from Kaye Publicity (print)

What could be in YOUR mail:

A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Thanks to Gallery, we have one copy to give away!

Synopsis:

The historic houses in the seaside town of Beaufort, North Carolina, have held the secrets of their inhabitants for centuries. One of the most enduring refuses to be washed away by the tide: What happened to Rebecca and Townsend Saint James on that fateful night of their disappearance in 1976?

Now, the granddaughter they never knew, Keaton Smith, is desperate for a fresh start. So when her mother needs someone to put her childhood home in Beaufort on the market, she jumps at the chance to head south. But the moment she steps foot inside the abandoned house, which has been closed for nearly fifty years, she wonders if she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Wading through the detritus of her grandparents’ lives, Keaton finds herself enchanted by their southern traditions—and their great, big love. As she gets to know her charming next-door neighbor, his precocious ten-year-old son, and a flock of endearingly feisty town busybodies, Keaton begins to wonder if the stories she has been told about her grandparents are true.

Keaton’s grandmother, Rebecca “Becks” Saint James’s annual summer suppers are the stuff of legend, and locals and out-of-towners alike clamor for an invitation to her stunning historic home. But, in the summer of 1976, she’s struggling behind the facade of the woman who can do it all—and facing a problem that even she can’t solve.

As Keaton and Becks face new challenges and chapters, they are connected through time by the house on Sunset Lane, which has protected the secrets, hopes, and dreams of their family for generations. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"If you love small towns, Southern charm, romance, family sagas, or murder mysteries, this novel needs to be in your beach bag. I loved it." 

—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author

"A Happier Life is that wistful, sparkling summer song whose notes will long linger in reader's memories."

—Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Summers at the Saint 

"Kristy Woodson Harvey has the voice of a best friend; a storyteller of the finest sort."

—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends July 10th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Sly as a Fox

By Sara Steven

Sylvia Wilson’s brother, Aaron, is working with a joint bank robbery task force. When he goes missing, she joins forces with the FBI to search for him.

But nothing is what it seems.

With very little time left, Sylvia will burn Heaven to the ground to find her missing brother and bring him back alive. FBI, be damned. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

After reading On the Sly, the first book in the Sylvia Wilson Mystery series (reviewed here), I was excited to read this latest installment and see what was in store for Sylvia. I knew going in just how rough of a ride it could potentially be for her, and true to expectations, the storyline did not disappoint. 

From the get go, Sylvia showcases her tough-as-nails attitude, particularly when dealing with the circumstances surrounding her missing brother, Aaron. If I’ve learned anything about this gritty protagonist, family is number one in her life, and given that Aaron is working undercover for the FBI, the stakes are even higher. She doesn’t know who to trust. There might be a mole out for revenge, or it could be someone on the task force who has been playing both sides the whole time. No one wants her involved, preferring to keep her safe, but Sylvia doesn’t play by the rules and nothing is off limits. 

I really like the writing style in both books in the series. The author isn’t overly flowery, preferring to get right to the point, but in a way that still highlights the scenery and everything that is going on around Sylvia really well. A great example are the moments where Sylvia is staking out a neighborhood and following a possible perpetrator, but at the same time she’s tailed by a stray cat in the area, and considering how much of an animal lover she is, she is trying her best to stay on course but wants to assist the cat, providing commentary yet in a way that is very direct. I think the writing style matches her personality and who Sylvia is as a person. In your face. Quick. Thorough. But with moments of kindness and empathy, even in the face of danger.

She is relentless. And she never backs down, even when you might think she should. There are characters from the first book who make a much-needed appearance in this book, with possible relationships budding in the future–we can never get too comfortable, though, because someone who could be a confidante in the present time can land on Sylvia’s number one hit list in a matter of seconds, while other characters who she thought she’d never be able to rely on, become her number one supports. It's intrigue and danger and overall, a really wild ride when the reader has Sylvia behind the wheel. Sly as a Fox is a great addition to this book series!

Thanks to Author Marketing Experts for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: Bodies to Die For

By Jami Denison

I believe I speak for almost all women when I say that since puberty, there has not been a single day in my life when I liked my body. Even the days when the number on the scale was relatively low, I still had body parts that were too big or floppy. These days, supposedly we’re in a body positivity moment, but with Ozempic advertisements all over my news feeds, along with ads for gastric bypass, plastic surgery, and fat freezing, it still seems like the only bodies that should feel positive are the ones that wear a size four or lower. And while Ozempic appears to be a miracle drug that cures all kinds of cravings, the side effects can be painful, or even deadly. But wouldn’t you risk death to have a body you loved?

In Lori Brand’s debut novel, Bodies to Die For, two women embody body type extremes. Gemma is a fitness influencer and body builder who’s haunted by the woman she used to be—Fat Gemma, who weighed 100 pounds more. Ashley is a morbidly obese software engineer who is sick and tired of being judged for her weight. When Ashley attends a session to learn about gastric bypass surgery, she’s thwarted by Lydia, who wants Ashley to embrace her body and fight for fat acceptance. But when Lydia’s plans start to become dangerous, and women in the body building influencer community start to turn up dead, Gemma could be the next victim.

Bodies to Die For starts with a huge bang. We’re in Gemma’s head, and while she seems to have it all—hot body, hot husband, millions of followers—Fat Gemma still torments her, and all she thinks about is the food she can’t have. Then we meet Ashley and see the abuse she gets just from living in her body, and the abuse she gives herself. These first few chapters are real and hard to read and should have a trigger warning for anyone who’s ever berated themselves for eating a piece of cake—in other words, all of us. 

As the book develops, another woman on the circuit—Bianca—is murdered, strangled by one of the waist cinchers she’s been promoting. Genna worries that she could be next, as she seems to be surrounded by suspects—her shifty husband, another rival, an incel fan, an obsessive client, her coach, etc. She doesn’t even know about Lydia, whose schemes get more outlandish, and who has a tendency to show up at Ashley’s covered in smoke and soot. Another woman in the industry dies. Then another.

I wanted to love Bodies to Die For, and the first few chapters broke my heart.  There’s so much good here, but I think first-time author Brand could have used a stronger editor. With Bianca’s death by waist cincher, the tone became uneven, and there were scenes with the fat activists that also bordered on funny. Since the book is being promoted as a psychological thriller, I found the humor distracting and sometimes borderline cruel to the characters. Further, there are so many different characters and different points-of-view, I had trouble keeping track of all of them. The inclusion of the incel character (who sometimes served as comic relief as well) felt like Brand was attempting to include issues broader than diet culture, and that was distracting.  

Still, I really liked Gemma and Ashley. I rooted for both of them to stop obsessing over their bodies, develop healthy habits, and get on with their lives. A twist near the end of the book is nicely foreshadowed and adds to the satisfying ending. 

Author Brand comes from the fitness industry, where she’s been a Playboy model, body builder, and group fitness instructor, among other careers. Her insider knowledge is obvious on every page, and her talent as a writer is undeniable. Still, I feel her natural voice is better suited to humor than thrillers. 

When confronting an athletic wear manufacturer who doesn’t make clothes in larger sizes, Ashley notes that 68% of women are considered plus size. The majority of women aren’t size four, but they also aren’t morbidly obese. I wished there had been another character in addition to Gemma and Ashley, who wasn’t a suspect, who could stand in for those of us who want to lose 10-15 pounds, and who are haunted by all the Ozempic ads on their news feeds.   

Thanks to Kaye Publicity for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kirsty Greenwood's heavenly new novel...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Antalya von Preussen

We are excited to have Kirsty Greenwood at CLC today, to celebrate the publication of her latest rom-com, The Love of My Afterlife. Melissa adored this novel and has a review right here. We enjoyed chatting with Kirsty about her writing and other fun stuff. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to share with a lucky reader!

Kirsty Greenwood was born and raised in a small-town in Greater Manchester. Previously a book editor, and named as a 2016 Rising Star in The Bookseller, she is a full-time writer of love stories that make readers belly laugh and ugly cry. She is obsessed with musical theatre and currently working on a new romantic comedy musical, as well as more novels. (Bio courtesy of Kirsty's website.)

Visit Kirsty online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.  

When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind… (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“I think the challenge in writing rom coms can be to have the laughs interspersed in a story that has real heart – Kirsty does this with aplomb.”
—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author

“A brilliant tongue-in-cheek romp that turns Meant-To-Be on its head. Complicated, dreamy, and hilarious, Kirsty Greenwood can make a romantic out of death itself. The Love of My Afterlife is Where’s Waldo for soulmates, and it’s perfect.”
—Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics

"Confident and hilarious, I lost a whole day to it and I don’t regret a second. Gave me The Good Place crossed with The Dead Romantics and The Ex Hex vibes, quirky and romantic and oh so gorgeously memorable - I only wish I’d written it first!"
—Josie Silver, New York Times bestselling author

What is a favorite compliment you received on your writing?  

Definitely when readers tell me that they laughed until they cried when reading my books! To solicit such a physical reaction from someone always gives me a kick! Making people laugh makes me feel quite proud!

If you could tell the debut novelist version of yourself one thing, what would it be? 

Ooh. I would tell "past me" to be more confident in my voice and to stop trying to emulate other writers so much. 

What is the last book you read that you would recommend? 

I recently read How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang and I thought it was excellent. Gorgeous, vivid writing, lots of drama and juicy emotions. Plus it was super horny, which is always a plus in my opinion.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
I love this question! I think maybe Titus Burgess? I love his take on basically everything and I think he would make everything sound a gazillion percent funnier.  Also he could beautifully sing parts of his narration! If it were a British person I'd choose Sofia Oxenham who narrates the audiobook of The Love of My Afterlife. I love her voice! She's so warm and friendly sounding!

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see? 

I would take you to a bunch of places that feature in The Love of My Afterlife - the beautiful Italian Gardens, the bar that inspired The Orchestra Pit, the top of the Shard. If it was sunny I'd get us some bottles of cold beer and we'd go on one of those open top bus tours, taking in all the sights and getting pleasurably tipsy. Ooh and then I'd take you to one of the cafes that serves a full English breakfast at any hour of the day. I'd buy you extra hash browns with brown sauce.

Thanks to Kirsty for visiting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends July 7th at midnight EST.

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Reviews at Amazon--May/June 2024

We're posting some reviews at our Amazon (or Goodreads) accounts, as either they've been sitting in our queue for a while and deserve their time in the sun, fall under our featuring policy, or they're new reads that we couldn't wait to post at the blog. You can check them out at the links below. Hope we can help you find your next favorite book!

Sara Steven:

Dishonestly Yours by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Some Kind of Perfect by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Heart Restoration Project by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi

Jami Denison:

The Incorrigibles by Meredith Jaeger

You're Safe Here by Leslie Stephens

Allyson Bales:

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

Melissa Amster:
Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer

It Could Be Worse by Dara Levan

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

One Alpen Day by Michele Davenport-Dutton

The Playgroup by Leah Mercer

The Widow on Dwyer Court by Lisa Kusel

Hypnotized by Love by Sariah Wilson

Matzah Ball Blues by Jennifer Wilck

The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

The Second Mrs. Strom by Kaira Rouda

The Love of My After Life by Kirsty Greenwood

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Book Review: The Lion Women of Tehran

By Allyson Bales

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“Freedom has no musts.”

This story was deeply moving. 

I teared up reading about the lives and friendship of Ellie and Homa, about the turmoil in Tehran, and about women’s rights. 

This novel is about the bravery, resiliency, courage, and deep love of women and I will think about the story for some time to come. 

Here I am again thinking that I don’t want to give away too much to you, dear reader. I often think about what I would want to know prior to reading a book, and there is so much that I could potentially ruin and take from your experience if I share too much. I really don’t love knowing too much going into a story because I love the entire experience of a favorite read. I love meeting the characters, learning about them and feeling what they are feeling, and just getting to read a beautiful and impactful story and remembering where I was and what I felt when that happens. This story was that for me and I think it will be for you too, so these few things I will share: 

Know that this book made me think of my childhood friends and what would have happened if one choice or situation were different? Would we be different people leading different lives? Would we still be in touch? I am so thankful for my friendships, especially the women that have taught me things about myself, have been a mirror to my light and darkness, and have picked me up. Women are fierce and I could not stop thinking about so many of the most meaningful women in my life including my mom, my wife, and my best friends. 

Also, this story made me realize I kind of stick my head in the sand when it comes to political upheaval and struggles in other countries. I turn on the news and lately it always seems so sad and defeating and it makes me want to immediately turn away. What this story exposed me to made me want to learn more about the women of Iran, about women and their struggles and their courage everywhere.  It made me want to be more educated and aware and more present in what is going on in the world and to be a part of doing something, of being a part of the solution. 

Lastly, this story made me proud to be a woman. To be amongst the brave, the courageous, the vulnerable, the intelligent, the lions. 

This book will move you, inspire you, educate you, and is one I highly, highly recommend.  It will definitely be a favorite of the year. 

Thanks to Gallery for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Lion Women of Tehran here.

Also by Marjan Kamali:
The Stationery Shop
Together Tea

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