Friday, February 28, 2014

Fallen Beauty by Erika Robuck

“Without sin, can we know beauty? Can we fully appreciate the summer without the winter? No, I am glad to suffer so I can feel the fullness of our time in the light.”

Upstate New York, 1928. Laura Kelley and the man she loves sneak away from their judgmental town to attend a performance of the scandalous Ziegfeld Follies. But the dark consequences of their night of daring and delight reach far into the future.…

That same evening, Bohemian poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and her indulgent husband hold a wild party in their remote mountain estate, hoping to inspire her muse. Millay declares her wish for a new lover who will take her to unparalleled heights of passion and poetry, but for the first time, the man who responds will not bend completely to her will.…

Two years later, Laura, an unwed seamstress struggling to support her daughter, and Millay, a woman fighting the passage of time, work together secretly to create costumes for Millay’s next grand tour. As their complex, often uneasy friendship develops amid growing local condemnation, each woman is forced to confront what it means to be a fallen woman…and to decide for herself what price she is willing to pay to live a full life.

My thoughts:

In order to preoccupy herself and not think of the lover who has left her, Millay focuses her attention on the local seamstress, Laura Kelley. Laura, herself is a Fallen Beauty in the town of Chatham (just outside New York). Millay fixates on Laura and Laura is in desperate need of financial help. The two unlikely woman create a unique relationship, and eventually help the other to move forward.

Millay (or Vincent as she is commonly called), is a very passionate poet. I wavered on my feelings towards her a number of times--which I believe looking back makes sense. She seemed very emotional and immature. Yet, there were times she was very wise and helpful.

On the other hand, I adored Laura. She has been shunned by her community and is doing the best she can to support herself and daughter. She just deals with her lot in life and tries to almost hide from the town. I wanted good things for her and I wanted her to stand up for herself. I wished her sister Marie would have been more observant to what Laura was going through. Millay really was good for Laura even though she didn't realize it at the time.

FALLEN BEAUTY reminded me a bit of Peyton Place (the movie, I haven't read the book). The town is judgmental and in everyone's business and there is always one woman who takes it upon herself to bring others down. And oh the the surprises!!!

Once again, Erika Robuck writes a suburb novel bringing a historical writer to life. I will say, the first few chapters were more impassioned than I was prepared for. Robuck plunges right in and lets the reader understand the rawness of Millay. Millay was clearly intuned with her sexuality and allowed it as her muse to create stunning poetry.

Robuck's writing is breathtaking and captivating. She does justice to the poet. FALLEN BEAUTY took my breath away, I did not want to put it down. As I read, I was 'in' Millay/Laura's world. By far the best book I've read this year and my guess it will be one of the best books I'll read this year. Robuck is an amazing writer, breathing life into historic writers. Do not miss this book!

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Thursday, February 27, 2014

Above All Things by Tanis Rideout

Publish Date February 4, 2014

From Goodreads: 

1924. George Mallory is arguably the last great British explorer, having twice tried—and failed—to conquer Mount Everest. The mountain has haunted him, but his attempts have captivated the hearts of a nation desperate to restore its former glory after World War I. Yet George has sworn to his wife, Ruth, that he will not mount a third attempt. He will remain with her and their three children instead of again challenging the unreachable peak.

Then, one afternoon, Ruth reads a telegram addressed to George: Glad to have you aboard again.” And with this one sentence, the lives of the Mallorys, and the face of the nation, are irrevocably changed.

My Review:

I have to admit that climbing Mount Everest has never been something that I wanted to do or had an interest in.   Starting this book I had no background or information on mountain climbing.  Within the first couple chapters I was hooked.  I could not put it down. Ruth was an interesting to me as George was.   Seeing how Ruth dealt with being left behind, yet again, and raising her three young children kept me entertained.  George’s adventures on the mountains kept me on the edge of my seat.  I had to know if he would get to the next camp, would he make it through the night fighting off frostbite, and most importantly would he make it to the summit.  

Above All Things was a slow read.  I did find myself having to go back and re-read a page or paragraph and having to page back to see exactly whose memory I was reading.   I didn’t feel like the words were always smoothly written, but yet I could not put the book down.  By the time George was making the final push to make it to the summit, I loved this book and knew I would definitely share and recommend this book.   While there is romance, there is so much more to this book.  I truly feel that men and women alike will truly enjoy reading this story. 

Purchase Links
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Learn more about Tanis Rideout

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

A riveting, poignant family drama perfect for readers of Defending Jacob and The Memory Keeper's Daughter, which explores the power of the secrets people keep-the darker, hidden facets of our lives, and what happens when they come to light.

Diagnosed with XP, a rare medical condition which makes him lethally sensitive to light, Tyler is a thirteen-year-old who desperately wants just one thing: to be normal. His mother Eve also wants just one thing: to protect her son. As Tyler begins roaming their cul-de-sac at night, cloaked in the safety of the darkness, he peers into the lives of the other families on the street-looking in on the things they most want hidden. Then, the young daughter of a neighbor suddenly vanishes, and Tyler may be the only one who can make sense of her disappearance…but what will happen when everyone's secrets are exposed to the light?


My Thoughts:
Let me begin with, wow! The Deepest Secret is one of those books you almost can't put down. It starts with just daily life, an odd daily life the Lattimore family has in order to keep their son Tyler safe. I was instantly drawn to Eve, as a mother doing everything in her power to protect her son and at the same time to normalize his life as best she can. I could immediately understand her and felt for her, she is on alert until the sun goes down and even then she can't just relax.

When young neighbor girl Amy goes missing the entire neighborhood begins to unravel. What happened to her? Everyone becomes suspect. And Tyler is prowling around the neighborhood, looking around when nobody is suspecting they are being watched. Tyler begins putting pieces together. Is Tyler able to figure out The Deepest Secrets of those around him?

Again, I could hardly put The Deepest Secret down. Very well written. I found both Eve and Tyler compelling and wanted to know how their stories were going to play out. Not only do we see a neighborhood falling apart, we also watch what happens when the already stressed Lattimore family responds to the events of that tragic night. The novel is told from multiple viewpoints of Eve and Tyler and a few chapters of Eve's husband. Even though their family is dealing with Tyler's awful disease I found I could easily relate to the family. I could just go on and on about how riveting and compeling The Deepest Secret is! I am highly highly recommending!

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes

The Princess of Wonderland, Dinah, is just about ready for her coronation.  She is ready to stand besides her father, The King of Hearts, and rule Wonderland.    The closer to her coronation, the more she notices suspicious activities suggestions something is wrong in Wonderland.   With the help of her best friend, Wardley, Dinah begins to unravel the mysteries and hopes to save her own head. 

This is a twisted fairy tale with familiar characters portrayed in a different way.   Queen of Hearts is the dark take on Alice in Wonderland. 

My Review:

I have found that I love reading twists on children’s fairytales.   This is the third that I have read and I could not put it down.    The fact that this is a dark and fearful tale made it all that more appealing to me.  Queen of Hearts had it all, betrayal, humor, a tad of romance, and a lot of corruption.  There was so much to this story that I found myself telling my husband and kids to hold on, I need to finish this chapter, this page, this book. 

Dinah was a feisty princess.  She spoke her mind, didn’t mind telling anyone around her what she felt whenever she felt it.  She was strong, not letting anyone tell her what to do.  She was a good future queen, in that she understood that she had to do something just because she was the future queen whether she wanted to or not.   Dinah understood the politic of becoming Queen and ruling and was not afraid to make her own plays to get what she wanted when she wanted it. 

I loved this whole book, the journey from beginning to end was totally enthralling.   The cliffhanger at the end of this book left me needing, not just wanting, more.  I cannot wait for the next book in this series to be released by Colleen Oakes.  

About Colleen Oakes:
Colleen Oakes is the author of the Elly in Bloom series and the upcoming YA fantasy Queen of Hearts Saga, both published via SparkPress, a BookSparks imprint. She lives in North Denver with her husband and son. When not writing, Colleen enjoys swimming, traveling, and immersing herself in nerdy pop culture. She is currently at work on the last Elly novel and her second YA fantasy series, Wendy Darling.

Learn more about Colleen Oakes 
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Monday, February 24, 2014

Chicken Tractor

My husband has turned at do-it-yourself chicken coop into a chicken tractor. Over the weekend he made a you-tube video and I thought I would share it.


Sunday, February 23, 2014

Giveaway 8 of 52

From Goodreads:
Thirteen-year-old Emily Houchens doesn’t have many friends. She finds more comfort playing make-believe in the woods near her house in Roma, Kentucky, than with her classmates, who find her strange and awkward. When she happens upon a dead body hidden in the woods one day, she decides not to tell anyone about her discovery—a choice that begins to haunt her.

Susanna Mitchell has always been a good girl, the dutiful daughter and wife. While her older sister Ronnie trolled bars for men and often drove home at sunrise, Susanna kept a neat house, a respectable job, a young daughter. But when Ronnie goes missing, and Susanna realizes that she’s the only person in Roma who truly cares about her sister’s fate, she starts to question her quiet life and its value.

I am giving away MY copy of The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones.  This is a book that I have read and enjoyed.  Although the book is used it is in new condition.    Every Sunday there will be another giveaway.  Please check back weekly.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Who I am...or who I'm becoming

If someone would have told me five years ago my husband and I would be embarking on homeschooling our kids I would have been shocked. If someone would have said we'd be gardening, raising chickens and making some of our own household items--I wouldn't have believed them.

Yet, here we are. This is our second season of raising chickens and our third year of gardening Over the last few months, I have been making our own laundry detergent and glass cleaner. We've also been moving towards a more organic diet (or at least really trying too). And now we've decided to homeschooling...just the more and more I read about Common Core the less I want to do with it.

Right now we are in the information gathering stage. As far as the garden, we already have the potatoes and onions in the ground! I am so excited! We love potatoes, I am hoping to start adding more sweet potatoes to our diet since I know they are healthier for us.

Not much more right now. I should get back to reading.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Lake Como by Anita Hughes

Hallie Elliot has a perfect life. She is an up-and-coming interior designer in one of San Francisco’s most sought after firms, and has just recently become engaged to Peter, a brilliant young journalist. But when she stumbles upon Peter and her boss in what seems to be a compromising position, her trust in her perfect life is shaken.

So Hallie escapes to Lake Como, Italy to spend time with her half-sister, Portia Tesoro, an Italian blueblood dealing with the scandal of a public estrangement from her cheating husband. While staying in the Tesoro villa, Hallie falls in love with the splendor and beauty of Lake Como, and finds work designing the lakeside estate of a reclusive American tech mogul. The caretaker of this beautiful estate is a handsome man named Angus, and Hallie finds herself drawn to his charm and kindness, despite hints of a dark secret in his past.

But just as Hallie is beginning to find her footing on Italian soil, she uncovers a family secret that upends all the truths she’s believed about herself, and calls into question the new life she’s built in Lake Como.

Sisterhood, family, career, and sumptuous descriptions of Italian life fill the pages of this newest offering by Anita Hughes. Lake Como is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love, self-discovery, and the quest for truth.

Love, sisterhood, and sumptuous descriptions of la dolce vita fill the pages of Anita Hughes' Lake Como, a heartwarming story of romance, self-discovery, and the quest for truth.

My thoughts:

I was very fond of Hallie, she didn't just side step what Peter did nor did she go crazy. I liked how she wasn't hard nor a pushover. She does give herself some space and goes to Italy. Her sister, Portia has a lot on her plate and Hallie can center on her rather than herself. When she gets there Portia ends up taking off and the Italian men in the area have taken notice of Hallie. Before she knows it, Hallie has landed herself a job of a lifetime and the attraction of a new man.

Just as everything seems to be as it should be, when Hallie stumbles onto some unexpected secrets. Secrets when revealed changes lives.

I have read and enjoyed all of Anita Hughes books, but I have to say this is my favorite! Always Hughes opens the door to an upper class elite. I love how Hallie seems so down to earth even though she is has this amazing lifestyle. It makes me able to really connect to the characters. The issues of an overbearing family member, cheating husbands and boyfriends, sisters needing help, lies being told to us...no matter what we can all relate (but truthfully dealing with it while staying at Lake Como would help to soften the blow).

I felt Lake Como moved right along, it had an easy flow. The twists and turns were very natural. I didn't see everything coming the way it did.  I love how Hughes seems to answer those questions that pop up for me while reading. I normally try to write my reviews right after I read the book, but this time I didn't have a chance to. As I began writing my review, I found myself enjoying the story all over again. A great book and I'm recommending! (hey it's cold outside, so warm up with Lake Como!)



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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell

From Goodreads:  

A beautiful princess lies in a sleep so deep it is close to death. Was Sleeping Beauty revived by a prince's kiss? What really happened in that tower so long ago? 
While Beauty Slept re-imagines the legend through the lens of historical fiction, telling the story as if it really happened. A Gothic tale of suspense and ambition, love and loss, it interweaves the story of a royal family and the servants who see behind the glamorous facade, following the journey of a young woman as she lives out a destiny that leads her to the brink of death.


My Review:

I was and still am totally enthralled with While Beauty Slept.   I am a huge Disney Movie fan, I own them all, so when asked to read about Sleeping Beauty I had to stop and think.   Could I read a book about one of my favorite Disney movies?   Do I really want to know the “other” story?   I said yes and am so very glad that I did.   

This is the real story of Sleeping Beauty as told from Elsie, who knows many of the castles secrets due to her job as personal maid to the Queen, helper of Flora, and friend of the Princess Rose.    She is definitely the most loyal character in the book.   The way she keeps their secrets and stands by them when the going get toughs.  

Elsie tells the story to her grandchild and I have to say that I was swept up in the tale.  The tale is not the same as the movie, there is no magic and the happily ever after is not quite the same.  Beauty does get saved and a prince does arrive to save her, but not quite the Sleeping Beauty awaken by the Prince type of ending that I was expecting.   

This is a story that I could not put down.  I absolutely loved all the characters, even Millicent.  The story moved at a great pace and was easy to follow along.   Any fairy tale lover should read this book.  I highly recommend it.  

Purchase While Beauty Slept 
Learn more about Elizabeth Blackwell
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Friday, February 14, 2014

Look at this amazing new cover of The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes + a giveaway!

I am so excited to share the new cover of  The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes!! In truth, I love when author covers all seem to go together and I love the covers for Jojo Moyes books!

Here is a little bit about the book:

A sophisticated, page-turning double love story spanning forty years-an unforgettable Brief Encounter for our times.

It is 1960. When Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital, she can remember nothing-not the tragic car accident that put her there, not her husband, not even who she is. She feels like a stranger in her own life until she stumbles upon an impassioned letter, signed simply "B", asking her to leave her husband.

Years later, in 2003, a journalist named Ellie discovers the same enigmatic letter in a forgotten file in her newspaper's archives. She becomes obsessed by the story and hopeful that it can resurrect her faltering career. Perhaps if these lovers had a happy ending she will find one to her own complicated love life, too. Ellie's search will rewrite history and help her see the truth about her own modern romance.

A spellbinding, intoxicating love story with a knockout ending, The Last Letter from Your Lover will appeal to the readers who have made One Day and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society bestsellers.

Sounds amazing, right? Well I have a copy up for grabs to 1 US winner, but wait there is more! How about not only winning The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes, but how about winning her book Me Before You, also!!!

Here is a bit about it:

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

So let's celebrate Valentine's Day with a giveaway of two fantastic novels by Jojo Moyes, who has won the Romantic Novelists' Award twice! 

Make sure to comment letting us know, what makes you think romance! 

This giveaway is for US only (sorry! No PO Boxes).


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner Giveaway!

A beautiful scarf, passed down through the generations, connects two women who learn that the weight of the world is made bearable by the love we give away....

September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf he carries …and finds herself caught in a dilemma that compels her to confront the truth about the assumptions she’s made. Will what she learns devastate her or free her?

September 2011. On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, widow Taryn Michaels has convinced herself that she is living fully, working in a charming specialty fabric store and raising her daughter alone. Then a long-lost photograph appears in a national magazine, and she is forced to relive the terrible day her husband died in the collapse of the World Trade Towers …the same day a stranger reached out and saved her. Will a chance reconnection and a century-old scarf open Taryn’s eyes to the larger forces at work in her life?

This sounds like such an amazing book I knew I had to share about it! I'm also so excited to be able to give a copy away! This giveaway is for US only and please no Po Boxes.

Make sure to comment and let me know what one item or picture you have that carries a strong memory.





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Friday, February 7, 2014

The Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson

Published February 4th, 2014

While at Mather’s College, George meets the girl of his dreams.  They quickly become inseparable, until Christmas break.  George got a call telling him that she committed suicide while visiting her parents.  He decides to head to Florida to visit her parents and pay his respects, possibly finding closure.  When he notices a picture on the mantel, he realizes that the girl these parents are grieving for is not the same girl that he knew from college.  Eventually he did know the true identity of his college sweetheart, but then she disappears.

Twenty years later she has returned and needs George’s help.

My Review:

I have never met a more complex character in a book; Liana Decter has so many personas that my head spun at all her changes.   Each person she became was more manipulative and double-faced.  I was sympathetic to her wishes to go to college knowing that it is a real issue that kids want to go but cannot afford them.  That is where the sympathy ends.   From the minute she leaves her dad and takes on a different identity she became someone that could not be trusted. 

 Knowing that love can make people want to see the best in those they love made me understand why George wanted to believe her, why he tried to believe her.  I felt bad for George, he finally had the woman he wanted to love, the woman he wanted to be with, and then she double crossed him at every turn.  I wanted him to open his eyes, to realize that he had to walk away from EVERYTHING that involves Liana or one of her other identities.   I believe that if he had never met her his life would be so incredibly different, but probably not nearly as interesting.

I have to recommend this to all my friends.   The Girl with a Clock for a Heart is a book I could not put down.   It was a book that kept me reading late into the night. 

Here is a quote that caught my attention while reading this amazing book. 
Liana has met up with George after her finds out that she is not the person who committed suicide.   I think this quote is the closest she ever came to telling George the whole truth, the truth about who she had been, who she was now, and who she thought she was going to be. 

“Being Audrey was temporary.  I had become this different person, this person I’d rather have been-you know, in school, doing well, with a boyfriend like you-but it was like a I had a secret disease, or there was this clock inside of me, ticking like a heart, and at any moment an alarm would go off and Audrey Beck would no longer exist.  She’d die and I’d have to go back to being Liana Decter.”
 Purchase The Girl with a Clock for a Heart
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Thursday, February 6, 2014

Confessions of a Wild Child by Jackie Collins


The teenage years of Lucky Santangelo are the years that formed her into the powerful woman she has become.   This is the story of those years.   The tales of a fifteen year old who is trying to find her own way and get out from under her father, Gino, control.  It is the story of a determined girls journeys through private elite schools, a villa in South France, and her dreams of being in Las Vegas. 

My Review:

Lucky Santangelo is one of my all time favorite characters in any book, especially in Jackie Collin books.   I enjoyed learning of her past.   Many of the stories were repeated from other Lucky books but in this book it went into more detail.   Since this was the story of a fifteen year old, I expected a lot of drama.  I was not disappointed.   Lucky’s life is full of drama, although not all of it was brought on by her.   I believe that anywhere and anyone Lucky and Gino go or come in contact would contain drama. 

This was not my favorite Jackie Collins book, but it was a good read.  I always like to know the history of a character, which is all this book was…history.  It also offered much insight into why Lucky is who is she and how she got there.   I believe now that I have read this one I am going to go back and read the past books, in order, and enjoy Lucky’s whole life. 

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Sound Clip of the Audiobook version of Confessions of a Wild Child



Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Return to Tradd Street by Karen White

Facing her future as a single mother, psychic Realtor Melanie Middleton is determined to be strong and leave her past with writer Jack Trenholm behind her. But history has a tendency of catching up with Melanie, whether she likes it or not.…

Melanie is only going through the motions of living since refusing Jack’s marriage proposal. She misses him desperately, but her broken heart is the least of her problems. Despite an insistence that she can raise their child alone, Melanie is completely unprepared for motherhood, and she struggles to complete renovations on her house on Tradd Street before the baby arrives.

When Melanie is roused one night by the sound of a ghostly infant crying, she chooses to ignore it. She simply does not have the energy to deal with one more crisis. That is, until the remains of a newborn buried in an old christening gown are found hidden in the foundation of her house.

As the hauntings on Tradd Street slowly become more violent, Melanie decides to find out what caused the baby’s untimely death, uncovering the love, loss, and betrayal that color the house’s history—and threaten her claim of ownership. But can she seek Jack’s help without risking her heart? For in revealing the secrets of the past, Melanie also awakens the malevolent presence that has tried to keep the truth hidden for decades.…

I recently 'found' Karen White books and have added her as one of my favorite authors. However, I haven't read all of her books nor had I read any of the previous books, which are a part of this series. Whenever I am asked to review a later book in a series I'm hesitant. I like to let the readers know if they can follow the story having not read the previous books, as well as what I thought of the book itself.

Having not read the three previous books, I had no problem jumping right into RETURN TO TRADD STREET. White shares enough history to allow you to follow along, but not too much to bore those who have read the series. I very much enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters in this novel, especially Melanie and Jack. I actually kinda loved the characters in this book. If the other books in the series are as good as this one it is no wonder why people wanted Karen White to continue the series.

The novel has a paranormal element to it and I found it was a very balanced story. The paranormal was just enough, the story between characters was perfect, the right amount of mystery,  just a great balance to a really good book. The setting is in Charleston, South Carolina and White did a fantastic job of making me 'see' Charleston as I read. There was nothing about this book I didn't enjoy. You could read it as a stand alone, but gosh why would you? I am HIGHLY recommending RETURN TO TRADD STREET!

When the book ended, I didn't want to leave. I wanted more-- Honestly, if I didn't have stacks of books to review I would go buy the entire series, pop some popcorn and sit up all night reading the series!

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Monday, February 3, 2014

The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

This is the SheReads February Book of the Month.   Each month SheReads chooses a book and then their team of bloggers read and post their reviews during the month.  

They say behind every great man, there's a woman. In this case, there are three. Stella Crater, the judge's wife, is the picture of propriety draped in long pearls and the latest Chanel. Ritzi, a leggy showgirl with Broadway aspirations, thinks moonlighting in the judge's bed is the quickest way off the chorus line. Maria Simon, the dutiful maid, has the judge to thank for her husband's recent promotion to detective in the NYPD. Meanwhile, Crater is equally indebted to Tammany Hall leaders and the city's most notorious gangster, Owney "The Killer" Madden.

On a sultry summer night, as rumors circulate about the judge's involvement in wide-scale political corruption, the Honorable Joseph Crater steps into a cab and disappears without a trace. Or does he?

After 39 years of necessary duplicity, Stella Crater is finally ready to reveal what she knows. Sliding into a plush leather banquette at Club Abbey, the site of many absinthe-soaked affairs and the judge's favorite watering hole back in the day, Stella orders two whiskeys on the rocks-one for her and one in honor of her missing husband. Stirring the ice cubes in the lowball glass, Stella begins to tell a tale-of greed, lust, and deceit. As the novel unfolds and the women slyly break out of their prescribed roles, it becomes clear that each knows more than she has initially let on.

My review:

The three main ladies in this story are absolutely amazing.   Each character was fully developed and made to be real in their own ways. None appeared to be more or less involved than the others.   Each character had her own story to tell and secrets that were kept.  Arial Lawhon did an excellent job with these characters.

Some of the dialogue dragged a little bit for me in some places, but I still found myself having to know what would happen.  Would all the secrets come out and the disappearance of the judge solved?  I actually could not stop reading, staying up late to finish this book.
The time period of this book is one my favorites to read about.   The jazz, the smoking of cigarettes, and the prohibition are all things I associate with the 1930’s and enjoy learning more about and learning how people lived during these times.   I found it especially captivating that each of the women in this book are from a different station in life.   The classy and well to do wife, the hard working chorus line dancer, and the lowly maid and seamstress, but yet each told their story with class and knowledge of the world they lived in.   Each characters story gave the reader a glimpse into a different part of the 1930’s. 

I would recommend this book and will be looking for more to read by Arial Lawhon.

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