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Hi all:

I bring you a short story for those who have little time to read, by one of my favourite authors and bloggers, one most of you have already met and whose stories have enjoyed. I won’t keep you waiting, because the story is intriguing enough already.

The Dance of Discord: A Short Story of Gilded Age Intrigue by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Welcome to the Gilded Age in Washington, D.C. The Dance of Discord short story is a lighthearted tale of spies and intrigue. In Washington, D.C. around the beginning of the 1900s, Secret Service agent Milo Quick and Duchess Felina Gattone must navigate an intricate and dangerous dance of diplomatic maneuvering. Hints are left all along the way for a twist at the end. Will you spot them?

About the author:

Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene is certain that the pen is in your hand. After a life shaped by the tragedy of losing a sibling to Mµnchaµsen §yndr◊me by Pr◊xy, along with the abµ§e she herself survived, Teagan took that metaphorical pen into her hand. She wrote her way to a new chapter of life with a successful career authoring and editing technical documentation. With another revision that pen took her to the next chapter, working alongside highly placed Federal executives to compose their communications. However, Teagan wasn’t finished. The pen was still in her hand. In her latest chapter she is an acclaimed multi-genre author, living in a high desert town in the Southwest of the USA. Rescue cats, the §coobies — Velma and Daphne, offer unsolicited advice on all stories, as well as the book covers Teagan designs.

This author’s stories range from paranormal to high fantasy and urban fantasy, to various steampunk (and other types of punk), to mysteries with historic settings. In addition to fiction, she has created the Author Tool Chest series of non-fiction works as resources for writers and anyone who loves language. In free time she enjoys conversations with friends, singing karaoke, and playing her piano.

See her book trailer videos at Youtube.

My review:

The author of this story has published books in a variety of genres, fiction and non-fiction, and her blog has become very popular as she has shared there many stories in serial format, always written with the cooperation of her followers. Some of these serials have later become books in their own right, and this is the case of this story, the latest serial the author has published on her blog. I have read many of her previous publications, and I am always eagerly waiting for anything she publishes, even when she writes in genres I am not a big reader of.

The Dance of Discord is a great example of some of the characteristics of the author’s writing: a well-researched setting, particularly important in historical fiction, like this short-story; attention to detail, especially noticeable in the use of turns of phrase and expressions of the era; richly descriptive writing; a surprising and intriguing plot, and an impressive cast of unforgettable characters.

Even in this short story/novelette, the characters are well-drawn and very distinctive. Among my favourites were Duchess Felina Gattone, one of the protagonists and narrator of the story, who is unique, full of character, and a queen of style, and Milo Quick, who reminded me of some of the characters in Oscar Wilde’s plays, witty, a dandy, but quite in earnest when it is required. I won’t discuss any of the other characters or reveal too much about the story, as I don’t want to spoil it. The story is short, but intriguing and very intense. Be prepared for secrets, mysteries, spies, and even some violence, always in the best of taste, of course.

Being adapted from a serial, this short-story is ideal for those who don’t have a lot of time to read, or read on the go, in little bursts, while they travel or go about their everyday lives, because the chapters are short and gripping, and it is short enough to read in one go for those who have a longer break but not enough time to read a full-length novel.

For those who are curious about endings, I can say I really enjoyed it and found it satisfying. There is a twist at the end, but is not a twist in the sense of a totally unexpected turn of events, because as the author explains in the preface, there are hints left all along the way. It might come as a surprise to readers, but when one goes back and reads the story again, it is all there. And it is cleverly done.

A great little story, full of glamour, intrigue, wonderful writing, and memorable characters I hope to read more about in the future.

Thanks to the author for another wonderful story, thanks to all of you for reading, commenting, liking, sharing, and make sure to take care, have fun, and keep smiling.

Hi all:

I bring you a non-fiction book, a memoir, that is a collection of articles by an author whose work I have reviewed before and met through Rosie’s Book Review Team. Although I thought I had little in common with the author, towards the end of the book I realised that was not the case, and I was touched and moved by a lot of the content. But don’t worry. I laughed and cheered at many points as well.

Oldest Mon on the Playground by Judy Haveson

Judy Haveson always believed she would one day “have it all.” Then she turned forty and wondered if she had waited too long. After countless failed first dates and fewer second ones, she finally found love, got married, and became a mother at forty-three.

Oldest Mom on the Playground is a collection of relatable, heartwarming, and humorous essays. Written in her signature conversational style and with a touch of sarcasm, Judy takes readers on her journey of getting pregnant after forty (and delivering the baby during a full moon), raising a child in New York City (including the time she lost him in a grocery store and found him standing on Broadway), leaving the career she spent decades building to volunteer as a preschool class rep, to becoming a card-carrying member of the sandwich generation.

Judy offers no parenting advice, only personal reflection. And she takes nothing in her life for granted. Her message to other midlife mamas is this: trust your gut, let your life experience guide you, and pray no one ever mistakes you for the grandmother.

About the author:

I’m Judy Haveson, a proud Texan living in New York.

My fascination with compelling storytelling plays well with my lifelong communications career of promoting products, services, companies, and individuals spanning various areas and industries, including non-profits, travel & hospitality, entertainment, fashion & retail, authors, and even rock stars and rap artists. You’ll have to read the book for details on that last piece of information.

I love to share stories about life’s observations and experiences that never seem to amaze me. These stories focus on living in New York City, raising my son, and self-publishing my first book and life.

I will never lose my Southern charm or accent and use both when the situation absolutely calls for it. I once had a boss tell me that there are two types of people in the world: those who know and those who want to know — be the one who knows. That boss fired me, but his words have always stuck in my head. I’ve been addicted to current events and People magazine ever since, and not necessarily in that order.

I like to think I’m witty, but many call it sarcastic. You decide! I thought I would be a journalist until my first journalism professor told me to pick a new major. He said I’d be an editor’s nightmare because I wrote as I talked and never stopped talking. According to my parents, this fact makes sense because I was an early talker. Those close to me have no problem believing this bit of trivia.

The most important things to me in life are (in no particular order): family, loyal friendships, staying fit to always appear younger than I am, a good cut and color, cavity-free dentist appointments, spectator sports (mainly football), travel, my son’s infectious smile and laugh, and good food and wine (or a dirty, vodka martini) along with the company of great friends to enjoy it all.​

Life is a crazy journey, but as my wise mama once told me — a long time ago — while there are many things we can’t change, our hair color isn’t one of them. And I always listen to my mama.

My review:

I thank the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book that I freely chose to review.

I had read and reviewed Haveson’s previous memoir, Laugh, Cry, Rewind, and was keen to see what else the author had written.

This collection of pieces is less uniform and compact than her previous publication, and the articles don’t follow a strict chronological order. We are reading a collection of blog posts or articles written and published at different times, and not with the initial intention of being turned into a book, and that means that some characters and situations make more than one appearance throughout the collection. Readers of her previous book will be familiar with some of the events she shares here, although that doesn’t detract from the quality of the writing, and it will be an asset for those who do not know the author.

Despite some reminders of previous episodes and the life events that had brought the protagonist (who writes in the first person, as if she was having a conversation with the readers over a drink or at a hairdresser) to this point in her life, this compilation is quite different to the previous book. Here we have a woman who is finally at a point where she has met the man of her life (Adam) and they both have decided it is time to have a child. Judy is 43 by the time her son is born (there is some mention of the difficulties getting there, but not in as much detail as in the previous book), and being a fastidious and well-prepared professional who likes to be in control, do her research, and preplan everything, she goes about the task meticulously: reading books, talking to professionals, collecting advice from friends and relatives, shopping, and selecting childminders and nannies well in advanced of Jack’s birth. There are amusing articles sharing some of her adventures as a Jewish-Texan professional woman living in New York and trying to combine work, child care, exercising, hair-colouring, choosing nurseries and schools, and keeping up with the group of younger mothers she meets. Thankfully, she has Adam by her side, her mother’s youthful genes, and also manages to find highly qualified staff who end up becoming friends of the family. Although, as I said, the articles don’t follow the family’s adventures in strict chronological order, we get to be there as Jack grows, learns to ride a bike, falls in love with the subway system in New York, learns to swim, makes friends, masters potty training, moves schools, attends his Bar Mitzvah (and that is a particularly important moment, as Judy joins in), and becomes a teenager.

We also see how Judy struggles trying to balance work and family, and finally gives up her work and stays at home, taking up writing and dedicating more time to their new home (as they also move out of New York right in time for COVID).

A later section of the book goes back in time and includes articles where Judy talks about belonging to the sandwich generation, being stuck between having to look after a young child and elderly parents, and the difficulties when you are far away, and, to make it even more complicated, are an only child. This part of the book resonated with me in particular, because although the location and the specific circumstances are quite different, being an only child, of a similar age to the author and having elderly parents who need looking after, I share in some of her reflections, doubts and feelings.

The book also includes a fun article about the new member of the family, their dog, which is a fun and happy way to conclude the volume, and it makes the book, focused on caring, come full circle.

I don’t think this is a book suited only to older mothers, or people looking for ideas or information about how to raise a child. Haveson clearly states that she is not offering expert advice or wisdom to future mothers. This is a very personal story, and she shares it with candour and honesty. I don’t have much in common with the author, and many readers will be in a similar position, but she manages to make us feel as if we belong in her family, and by the end of the book we would like to stay and see what will happen next.

A perfect book for people who don’t have a lot of time to read and prefer to read in small chunks, and for those who like non-fiction, especially that centred around the life of contemporary women facing contemporary challenges. Readers should be prepared to laugh and cry, of course.

My ARC copy didn’t include them, but from the index, I believe the book includes pictures of the author and her family. It also has a note by the author with acknowledgements.

Thanks to the author for this book, thanks to all of you for reading, and remember to like, share, comment, click, and, above all, keep smiling and having fun.

Hi, all:

I bring you a book of short stories by an author who has visited often, but this is the first time I’ve read his short stories. Impressive, as usual.

Scars of the Heart: Short Stories by Bob Van Laerhoven

Why can people be so cruel to each other? In his search for answers, Bob Van Laerhoven concentrates on individuals, but ideologies, religions, and political structures shimmer in the background.

Through ten stories set in different countries and eras, Van Laerhoven takes us through the destructive consequences of our passions as a common thread, from contemporary Syria to Algeria in the 1950s, and the civil war in Liberia to the uprising in Belgian Congo in the 1960s.

The ten stories in SCARS OF THE HEART highlight the dark side of love, which fuels our violence, inner loneliness, and greedy egos.

About the author:

Bob van Laerhoven was born on August 8th, 1953 in the sandy soil of Antwerp’s Kempen, a region in Flanders (Belgium), bordering to The Netherlands, where according to the cliché ‘pig-headed clodhoppers’ live. This perhaps explains why he started to write stories at a particularly young age. A number of his stories were published in English, French, German, Polish, Spanish, and Slovenian.

DEBUT

Van Laerhoven made his debut as a novelist in 1985 with “Nachtspel – Night Game.” He quickly became known for his ‘un-Flemish’ style: he writes colorful, kaleidoscopic novels in which the fate of the individual is closely related to broad social transformations. His style slowly evolved in his later novels to embrace more personal themes while continuing to branch out into the world at large. International flair has become his trademark.

AVID TRAVELLER

Bob Van Laerhoven became a full-time author in 1991. The context of his stories isn’t invented behind his desk, rather it is rooted in personal experience. As a freelance travel writer, for example, he explored conflicts and trouble-spots across the globe from the early 1990s to 2004. Echoes of his experiences on the road also trickle through in his novels. Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, Gaza, Iran, Mozambique, Burundi, Lebanon, Iraq, Myanmar… to name but a few.

MASS MURDERS

During the Bosnian war, Van Laerhoven spent part of 1992 in the besieged city of Sarajevo. Three years later he was working for MSF – Doctors without frontiers – in the Bosnian city of Tuzla during the NATO bombings. At that moment the refugees arrived from the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica. Van Laerhoven was the first writer from the Low Countries to be given the chance to speak to the refugees. His conversations resulted in a travel book: “Srebrenica. Getuigen van massamoord – Srebrenica. Testimony to a Mass Murder.” The book denounces the rape and torture of the Muslim population of this Bosnian-Serbian enclave and is based on first-hand testimonies. He also concludes that mass murders took place, an idea that was questioned at the time but later proven accurate.

MULTIFACETED OEUVRE

All these experiences contribute to Bob Van Laerhoven’s rich and commendable oeuvre, an oeuvre that typifies him as the versatile author of novels, travel stories, theatre pieces, biographies, non-fiction, letters, columns, articles… He is also a prize-winning author: in 2007 he won the Hercule Poirot Prize for best crime-novel of the year with “De Wraak van Baudelaire – Baudelaire’s Revenge.” “Baudelaire’s Revenge” has been published in the USA, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Russia. In 2014, a second French translation of one of his titles has been published in France and Canada. “Le Mensonge d’Alejandro” is set in a fictitious South-American dictatorship in the eighties. The “junta” in this novel is a symbol for the murderous dictatorships in South-America (Chile and Argentine, to mention two) during the seventies and beginning of the eighties. In The Netherlands and Belgium, his novel “De schaduw van de Mol” (The Shadow Of The Mole) was published in November 2015. The novel is set in the Argonne-region of France in 1916. In 2017 followed “Dossier Feuerhand (The Firehand Files), set in Berlin in 1921.

“Baudelaire’s Revenge” is the winner of the USA BEST BOOK AWARDS 2014 in the category Fiction: mystery/suspense.

In April 2015 The Anaphora Literary Press published the collection of short stories “Dangerous Obsessions” in the US, Australia, UK, and Canada, in paperback, e-book, and hardcover. “Dangerous Obsessions” was voted “best short story collection of 2015 in The San Diego Book Review. In May 2017, Месть Бодлерa, the Russian edition of “Baudelaire’s Revenge” was published. “Dangerous Obsessions” has been published in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, and Spanish editions. In January 2018 followed “Heart Fever”, a second collection of short stories, published by The Anaphora Literary Press. The collection came out in German, Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish. “Heart Fever” was one of the five finalists – and the only non-American author – of the Silver Falchion Award 2018 in the category “short stories collections.” In April 2018, Crime Wave Press (Hong Kong) brought forth the English language publication of “Return to Hiroshima”, Brian Doyle’s translation of the novel “Terug naar Hiroshima”. The British quality review blog “MurderMayhem&More” listed “Return to Hiroshima” in the top ten of international crime novels in 2018. Readers’ Favorite gave Five Stars. In August 2021, Next Chapter published “Alejandro’s Lie,” the English translation of “Alejandro’s leugen.”

My review:

I thank the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this collection, which I freely chose to review.

I have read several of Bob van Laerhoven’s novels before, and have always been impressed by the way he explores the darkest recesses of the psyche of his characters and doesn’t shy away from dealing with subjects that might be distasteful or even abhorrent to some. He is the opposite of a ‘cozy’ writer.

However, although this Flemish author with many awards to his name has published several collections of short stories, this is the first one I’ve read. And, this collection of ten stories offers readers a good insight into his writing and the kinds of subjects and characters he goes after.

The title is a good indication of what we find inside. All the main characters are scarred, some physically as well, but all of them wear scars deep in their souls. We have reporters and writers, terrorists, victims (and perpetrators) of war, artists… Some of the stories are contemporary and others are set in WWII and other past wars, and in a variety of locations (several war zones, India, Belgium, London, Germany…).

We find stories about revenge, ghosts from the past, trauma in different forms, identity crises, lust and adultery, sexual abuse, violence, rape and murder, guilt, justice, morality, and everything in between. I can’t think of a warning that would not apply to this novel, so possible readers need to think deeply and hard if it is safe for them to approach this literary work.

This book is unlikely to leave readers feeling upbeat because the author puts us inside the minds of characters most of us wouldn’t like to meet, far less be, in real life. Van Laerhoven likes to challenge his readers, and his stories make them face some ugly truths. His writing is impressive in its breadth, style, impact, and despite the subjects he chooses, it is often beautiful.

I won’t try to choose between the stories or describe them in detail. That is up to its future readers to discover. And I won’t recommend this collection to everybody, because it is not that kind of book. But those who love writing that dares to dig deeper and are unlikely to be adversely affected by the subjects the stories cover, should give it a go. These stories will make them think and will stay with them for a very long time.

Thanks to the author for this book (and I hope his health improves), and thanks to all of you for reading, liking, sharing, commenting, and always being here. Keep smiling and take care!

Hi, all:

I bring you a book by a very well-known author. I’ve read it ahead of its publication, which was due out in June, but it seems there has been a change and it is now being published in September, so sorry because you’ll have to wait a bit if you fancy it. Also, the seem to be using different covers in different countries, so don’t worry if it looks different.

The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

Description

FROM THE GLOBALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

‘A triumph… a brilliant idea carried out with confidence and brio and a deep love of an extraordinary city. The ingenuity of the time-skipping is beyond admiration’ PHILIP PULLMAN

‘Spellbinding…. Chevalier at her fabulous best. A rich, vivid and gently enchanting novel’ ELIF SHAFAK

Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle.

Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime.

Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.

The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans from Paris to Vienna – but will she ever earn the respect of those closest to her?

Tracy Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is vivid, inventive, spellbinding: a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as their glass.

About the author:

Tracy is the author of 10 novels, including the international bestseller GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, which has sold over 5 million copies and been made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. American by birth, British by geography, she lives in London with her husband and son. Her latest novel, A SINGLE THREAD, tells the story of an English woman between the Wars who forges an independent life in Winchester. Tracy is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and has honorary doctorates from her alma maters Oberlin College and the University of East Anglia. Her website http://www.tchevalier.com will tell you more about her and her books.

My review:

I thank Net Galley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for providing me with an ARC copy of this book which I freely chose to review.

I have read and enjoyed other novels by Tracy Chevalier, and most people will be familiar with some of the titles of her books, or perhaps a popular movie adaptation of one of her books.

One of the things she excels at, judging by the books I’ve read so far, is recreating not only a historical period, but also a particular craft, vocation, or endeavour, using as a guide for the readers a gifted individual (sometimes well-known in its circle and based on a real character, sometimes anonymous and fictitious) whom we accompany in their discoveries, skill development, and craftsmanship. I am always surprised at becoming enthralled by the adventures of a protagonist who spends a lot of time doing something I’d never considered interesting before (or I might have enjoyed the finished product but never given a second thought to how it is made).

Here, Chevalier uses an interesting device to cover a very long period in the history of glassmaking in Murano, a small island very close to Venice, where the population specialised in glassmaking for centuries (and to a far lesser extent, still does). She introduces us to the Rosso family, a Murano glass-making family, in 1486, and we meet Orsola, the nine-year-old daughter of the family. Rather than follow the many generations of her family up to the present, the author uses what she calls “Venetian time, alla Veneziana” and asks readers to imagine it as the skipping of a stone over the surface of the water, but, rather than water it is time we skip over. What this means is that we follow the story of this family through the centuries, but although they age (and yes, some of them die as well), they do so at a much slower pace than the rest of the world, and so do those they are in contact with. The bigger world around them moves with the times, though, but the young girl we meet at the beginning of the novel, in the XV century, is now, in the XXI century, only in her late sixties, so you can work out the speed of time for her. The author explains how this works at the beginning, and if you think you can accept that and go along with the device, I assure you that you will enjoy the novel. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it, at first, but I didn’t find it as jarring as I imagined, I became accustomed to it pretty soon, and I loved the book.

Using this framework means that we can see how things evolved without having to meet a huge number of characters (of course, the family gets bigger, and new generations appear, but it is much more manageable than it would have been otherwise), and we also have more time to get to truly know the characters (especially Orsola), and see the way the historical changes impacted on them, a family of artisans, skilled but not the most famous or best regarded. This is not history told from the point of view of the rich and powerful, of kings and politicians. More importantly, Orsola’s perspective is quite different from that of her brother (the “maestro” of the family), and readers get to learn much about a woman’s lot in life then, her limited choices, and the way some of them got to create a niche for themselves (like Orsola, who learns to make glass beads) even if their efforts were dismissed by the men in the family.

We see glimpses of History at large: some events take a big toll on the Rosso family and their neighbours and competitors (the plague, the arrival of Napoleon, the period of Austrian Rule, the floods in Venice, WWI and II, COVID), while others have little impact on their fairly isolated lives. Some true historical figures make a fleeting appearance as well (Josephine Bonaparte, although we don’t meet her in person; Casanova, and a very interesting marchioness) but their lives, like those of the many tourists that come and visit, play no important role in the story when all is said and done. The author includes a section of acknowledgements with a bibliography (basic and in more detail) for readers interested in learning more, and she also details some of her research process, as well as mentions the real characters that make it into the story (and those who are inventions), and the sources of inspiration for some of the others, including Domenego, a slave gondolier who becomes good friends with Orsola and Antonio (Orsola’s love interest, but I don’t want to go into too much detail. Read the story if you want to know more).

The love most of the characters feel for glassmaking seems intertwined with their love for Murano. Some of the funniest (and most moving) scenes were those in which we see Orsola visiting Venice for the first time or going to Terra Ferma (the world beyond Venice, not a place where you could move by gondola or a water vessel of some sort). Let’s say she’s less than enamoured with horses and their manure on her first visit.

The story is told in the third person and, as mentioned, this is Orsola’s story, and her family’s, because she can’t imagine a life without them, without Murano, and glass. She is a wonderful character, full of energy and determination, but not a woman who strays away from her role. She does not like many aspects of it, and she struggles against what she perceives as the unfairness of her situation (she craves the admiration of her older brother, Marco, who ends up being the man of the family and the maestro of the glass factory, but they are always fighting, and he dismisses her efforts), but she mostly defers to tradition or tries to get her way by allying herself with other women in the family: Laura, the wonderful mother of the family; Monica, her brother’s second wife (and one of my favourite characters); women from other glass families (like Maria Barovier and her cousin, who guide and teach Orsola how to make beads); Luciana, a Venetian woman who always speaks her mind and is disliked for it; the daughter of the German merchant they make business with, Klara, and many more. The characters are well-defined, feel true, and become almost a part of our family by the end of the novel. Readers get to know better the older generation, but that is as it should be, I am sure I’ll miss Orsola and the family Rosso and I’ll have them on my thoughts for a long time.

I’ve already said I enjoyed the novel. In case you are worried, I liked the ending as well. We spend most of the story wondering if something will happen or not. Of course, I won’t tell you what happened, but I think the ending fits the novel well, and it made me smile. As warnings go, there are sad events in the story, of course, although nothing beyond what would be expected from a historical novel covering such a big stretch of time. There are swear words galore (it seems gondoliers, in the past at least, used choice language with their kind, and they had quite an imagination!), but those are in Italian/Venetian. There are also plenty of words in Italian (and some in the Venetian dialect); most of them are easy to work out from the context, and in other cases, they tend to be explained within the text, at least the first time they appear. There is also a Glossary at the end for those who prefer to know exactly what every word means. I only had access to an ARC copy, so I am unsure if there might be a direct link to the definitions of the terms in the glossary for those who access the final version. Be prewarned, though: insults are also translated, so be careful what you check if you prefer to avoid that kind of language.

This is a great historical novel, though it requires readers to engage in the way the author has chosen to adapt the passing of time, and it is a beautiful book about Murano, glassmaking, and what life has been like for women living in that region and for glassmaking families from Murano and Venice over the years. It is an ambitious book, and it covers over five centuries, but it remains focused on a woman and her family, and that is what makes it so engaging and enjoyable. Totally recommended.

I have never been to Venice (yet), but this paragraph made me smile because it fits in with what I’ve heard, and I guess people living in many places with a big influx of tourists can identify with, at the very least, some of it:

Venetians complained about their city becoming a theme park, but Orsola knew that as long as Venice´s canals stank of sewage, its rooms were dark and damp, its people melancholy and sardonic, it would maintain its true natures, which was so seductive. A pearl needs grit to be beautiful; beauty comes from the scar on the lip, the gap int he teeth, the crooked eyebrow.

Thanks to the author, to NetGalley, and to the publisher for the book, thanks to all of you for reading and always being there, and remember to keep liking, sharing, smiling, and enjoying every minute. ♥

I have closed comments, and I will do the same for the rest of the summer, or a bit longer. I hope you all have a lovely summer, have fun, take care, and I’ll keep you posted. ♥

Hi, all:

I know there is nothing new, and some aspects of this book might sound familiar, but this is one of those books I am sure I’ll always remember, not only because of the story but also for the writing.

Shark Heart. A Love Story by Emily Habeck.

A gorgeous debut novel of marriage, motherhood, metamorphosis, and letting go.

This intergenerational love story begins with newlyweds Wren and her husband, Lewis—a man who, over the course of nine months, transforms into a great white shark.

For Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is also their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis. He will retain most of his consciousness, memories, and intellect, but his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark. As Lewis develops the features and impulses of one of the most predatory creatures in the ocean, his complicated artist’s heart struggles to make peace with his unfulfilled dreams. 

At first, Wren internally resists her husband’s fate. Is there a way for them to be together after Lewis changes? Then, a glimpse of Lewis’ developing carnivorous nature activates long-repressed memories for Wren, whose story vacillates between her childhood living on a houseboat in Oklahoma, her time with a college ex-girlfriend, and her unusual friendship with a woman pregnant with twin birds.

Woven throughout this bold novel is the story of Wren’s mother, Angela, who becomes pregnant with Wren at fifteen in an abusive relationship amidst her parents’ crumbling marriage. In the present, all of Wren’s grief eventually collides, and she is forced to make an impossible choice.

A sweeping love story that is at once lyrical and funny, airy and visceral, Shark Heart is an unforgettable novel about life’s perennial questions, the fragility of memories, finding joy amidst grief, and creating a meaningful life. This daring debut marks the arrival of a wildly talented new writer abounding with originality, humour, and heart.

About the author:

Emily Habeck has a BFA in theater from SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts as well as master’s degrees from Vanderbilt Divinity School and Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. She grew up in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Shark Heart is her first novel.

My review:

I thank NetGalley and Quercus Books/Jo Fletcher Books for providing me with an ARC copy of this book, which I freely chose to review.

Let me start by saying that this is not a book for everyone (I’m not sure there are many, if any, of those, but this one definitely isn’t). It is a love story, or several love stories (depending on our definition of love), and it does require a large dose of suspension of disbelief. I think it would fit into a definition of Magic Realism. The world in which the story takes place seems pretty close to the world we live in, but some of the things that happen are quite extraordinary. Some people suffer from rare genetic conditions that cause them to mutate into animals. Lewis, an actor who became a drama teacher but still dreams of making it in the theatre, meets Wren, quite by chance, and although (or because) they are polar opposites (she is an accountant, likes order and practical things, and has always tried to go unnoticed), they fall in love and marry. Shortly after, Lewis notices some strange changes in his body, Wren insists that he goes to the doctor, and he gets an earth-shattering diagnosis. The rest of part one chronicles the changes in Lewis, the process of his transformation, and the attempts they both make to keep their relationship going against all odds.

Part two is dedicated to Angela, Wren’s mother, who got pregnant at 15, was in a violent relationship with Wren’s father, and was later diagnosed with another animal mutation, a pretty slow one in that case, but one that affected Wren’s childhood and coloured her personality.

Part 3 follows Lewis’s life as a white shark, his meeting another human who had also turned into a shark, and what happens next.

The book ends with an epilogue where we meet Wren again and see how her life has changed, and we discover that in spite of everything, life carries on, and it can be magical again.

The plot is extraordinary, evidently, but the way the story is told is also quite special. There are parts of the story written as a play (with the names and descriptions of the characters, setting, and dialogues), and those might, or might not, be part of the play Lewis was writing before he turned into a shark. The rest of the story is written in the third person, from different points of view (sometimes Lewis, sometimes Wren, sometimes Angela…), and it is beautiful, moving, touching, at times funny, at times sad, and, if you connect with the story, it will likely make you feel a full gamut of emotions. The publishing director introduces the book by saying that editors have a rule, if a book makes you cry, you should buy it. And this one did. I must admit I was also teary in parts (especially the parts about Angela and Wren), I laughed out loud in others, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I loved the book and the story as such, although it is quite possible to read it as an allegory (we can all think of illnesses that turn people into somebody completely different, and we all have dreams and might experience many different lives and changes), but that is up to each reader to decide.

I won’t try and dissect the magic. I will simply recommend the book to anybody happy to give it a go, and not too worried about stories that push the boundaries of possibility. I am sure we’ll hear more about this author because this is an impressive and powerful debut novel. Go on, give it a try.

A few samples of the writing for those who like to have a little taste:

The surface of love was a feeling, but beyond this thin layer, there was a fathomless, winding maze of caverns offering many places to see and explore.

Feelings fled under pressure; feelings did not light the darkness. What remained strong in the deep, the hard times, was love as an effort, a doing, a conscious act of will. Soulmates, like her and Lewis, were not theoretical and found. They were tangible, built.

Maybe life has no ceiling, no floors, no walls, and we’re free-falling from the moment we’re born, lying to each other, agreeing to make invented ideas important, to numb ourselves from the secret.

So, maybe love wasn’t an unwieldy accessory in times of peril. Maybe it was the key to survival.

The world is a big and small place, and life, a terrifying and sublime journey.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for such a wonderful book, thanks to all of you for visiting my blog, reading, sharing, and commenting, and, please, remember to keep smiling and dreaming.

Hi, all:

I bring you a book by an author beloved and well-respected, especially for her historical fiction, and a novel I am sure will appeal to many of you.

The Girl from Huizen by Paulette Mahurin

The German occupation of the Netherlands brings with it food shortages, harsh treatment for resistants and deportation of Jews. The changes dramatically affect Rosamond Jansen’s life on her family’s farm on the outskirts of Huizen. When she finds herself under constant surveillance and oppressive treatment in her government typist job and the Nazis deport her best friend, her resentment turns to fear and a deepening hatred. Verbal cruelty, belittlement and emotional turmoil take their toll on her until a man arrives at the farm who, along with her uncle from Amsterdam, enlist her father into resistance work. When her father does not return home, Rosamond, too, is drawn into resistance activity. As more people disappear from her life, her involvement goes deeper, bringing her to a villa in Huizen where a woman named Madelief has a secret. As Rosamond becomes close to Madelief and the secret is revealed, her life starts to unravel.

Based on actual events at the villa, The Girl from Huizen tells the story of how Rosamond, working with Madelief, dared to defy the SS and their collaborators. But this is no ordinary Resistance versus Nazi story, rather it is a story of a shocking and unexpected unfolding where flames of tension ignite the page, as loss and grief consume and drive the girl from Huizen. It is a powerful story about the trusting friendship between two women. Ultimately The Girl from Huizen is a homage to the brave resistance members who risked everything to fight against Nazi oppression. Their efforts saved thousands upon thousands of lives.

About the author:

Paulette Mahurin is an award winning international best selling literary fiction and historical fiction novelist. She lives with her husband Terry and two dogs, Max and Bella, in Ventura County, California. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Science.

My review:

I thank BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.

This is the second novel I’ve read by Paulette Mahurin, an author who excels at historical fiction, and this book is a perfect example of it.

There are many historical novels set during the WWII period, and the best of them provide readers with an insight into what it must have been like to live at the time, especially important now that there are not that many survivors left to share their experiences. In this occasion, Mahurin chooses to focus on the experiences of those living in the Netherlands during the German occupation, and although most of us are familiar with Anna Frank and her diary, here the story is that of a gentile living in a rural area, with the advantages and disadvantages that entailed. The fictional protagonist of the story, Rosamond, Roz, an 18 y.o. girl at the beginning of the story, is an only child that lives on her parents’ farm (they grow onions and potatoes), and whose life (like that of everybody in her country, most of Europe, and a lot of the rest of the world) is totally disrupted by the war. This is not only a historical novel, but also a coming-of-age story, as she goes from a naïve and selfish girl to a brave and determined young woman by the end of the war and the narration.

The main character, Roz, works perfectly as a conduit for the readers, as she isn’t aware of the realities of life, politics, and the ins and outs of the historical situation when the novel starts. Her journey towards awareness and knowledge is followed by the readers, who get a chance to experience in the first-person (used throughout the novel) the trauma of loss, the fear of reprisals, the deprivation, hunger, and boredom at the limited supply of basic goods (and how wonderful it is to get access to the tiniest luxuries, like a bit of milk or an apple), the difficult decisions (keeping quiet and keeping safe, pretending not to know what is really going on, or doing what feels morally right), the horror at the collaborators, and the price to pay for one’s kindness and good heart. As the author explains, in a note at the end of the novel, although she has collected the experiences of many people living in Holland during the war to write the novel (and we see how Roz’s mother’s reactions and behaviour are quite different to those of her daughter, for example, and we also hear about many other people, both, working for the resistance, and Nazi collaborators), she based one of the main characters, who plays an important part in the later part of the book, on a real historical figure, Marion Pritchard. I will not go into a lot of detail (you can do your own research, or better still, read this story), but I must admit I had never heard about her, and I am pleased I have now. A remarkable and heroic woman, who comes across as such in the novel, without losing her human dimension.

The book is beautifully written, with lyrical descriptions of the scenery that go beyond the purely visual to include sounds, smells, and even textures. Although Roz is a young woman and the story is told from her point of view, it is clear from the writing style that this is meant as a reconstruction of how things were and felt at the time by the older Roz, a memoir and a somewhat nostalgic view, but not a less realistic one at that. These seem to be the reflections of a woman looking back at her youth, making sure that what she lived through is not forgotten, although that is never made explicit in the book. It is easy to see that Roz is a reflective and sensitive soul, one who feels more at home in nature and with the farm animals (her beloved horse Jongen) than in social situations, and one who hesitates and has doubts, but does what she feels is right, nonetheless. She might be annoying at times, but by the end, I really liked her and felt quite moved by her story and the events relayed in the novel.

Any warnings? At the beginning of the story, Roz tries to avoid bad news and any details of what might be going on, but later on, she learns about the real plight of the Jews and the fate of many who had tried to help them (and later, of those who collaborated with the Germans also), but this is not in lurid detail, and most readers of historical fiction of this period would know what to expect and wouldn’t take issue with it. There is also a romantic love story (as romantic as can be expected in the circumstances, but the character experiences it as such), which feels like a pretty natural part of the growing-up Roz is going through, and that includes a sex scene, not a very explicit one, but it is worth pointing out. Also, as I mentioned, the book is written in the first person, and although I felt it worked very well in this instance, I am aware some people prefer not to read books written in that manner.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially set during WWII and based on true events and real historical figures. It is beautifully written, and it makes us reflect and wonder what would we do if something similar happened again, a scenario that appears much closer nowadays than it did just a few years back. We all hope we would be brave and help resist, but things are never as simple and straightforward as we might think when reality hits. Thoroughly recommended.

Thanks to the author for this novel, thanks to all of you for reading, and remember to like, comment, and share with anybody you think might enjoy it, and, always keep smiling.

Hi, all:

I’ve shared my reviews for a couple of books by Joël Dicker before, and his popularity seems to be increasing by the minute. Of course, I couldn’t resist reading and reviewing his latest book (in English).

The Enigma of Room 622 by Joël Dicker

A September 2022 Amazon Best of the Month Pick

“Dicker salutes Agatha Christie even as he drops the reader through one trapdoor into another, so that by the end, we doubt we’ve ever read another novel quite like it. (We haven’t.) Fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley will hug this book in between chapters; the many readers who love Anthony Horowitz’s mysteries will celebrate. And me? I’ll be reading it again.”—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window 

“[The Enigma of Room 622 is an] exhilarating tour de force”–The Wall Street Journal

A burnt-out writer’s retreat at a fancy Swiss hotel is interrupted by a murder mystery in this metafictional, meticulously crafted whodunit from the New York Times bestselling author of The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair.

A writer named Joël, Switzerland’s most prominent novelist, flees to the Hôtel de Verbier, a luxury resort in the Swiss Alps. Disheartened over a recent breakup and his longtime publisher’s death, Joël hopes to rest. However, his plans quickly go awry. It all starts with a seemingly innocuous detail: at the Verbier, there is no room 622. 

Before long, Joël and fellow guest Scarlett uncover a long-unsolved murder that transpired in the hotel’s room 622. The attendant circumstances: the succession of Switzerland’s largest private bank, a mysterious counterintelligence operation called P-30, and a most disreputable sabotage of hotel hospitality. A European phenomenon, The Enigma of Room 622 is a matryoshka doll of intrigue–as precise as a Swiss watch–and Dicker’s most diabolically addictive thriller yet.

Translated from the French by Robert Bononno

About the author:

Joël Dicker was born in Geneva in 1985, where he studied Law. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR was nominated for the Prix Goncourt and won the Grand Prix du Roman de l’Académie Française and the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens. It soon became a worldwide success in 2014, publishing in 42 countries and selling more than 3.5 million copies. In the UK it was a Times number one bestseller, and was chosen for the Richard and Judy Book Club as well as Simon Mayo’s Radio 2 Book Club.

In May 2017 his novel THE BALTIMORE BOYS, already making waves across Europe and number one in several countries, will be published for the first time in English. Both a sequel and a prequel to THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR, it will centres around traumatic events that blight the lives of the Baltimore branch of Marcus Goldman’s family.

https://www.amazon.com/Jo%C3%ABl-Dicker/e/B005ZKGZWM/

My review:

Thanks to Netgalley and to Quercus Books for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.

What can I tell you about this book? I kept thinking of different accolades and even genres as I read: jigsaw puzzle, with elements of the classic mystery with an amateur (a couple) investigator, a farce (full of confusion, characters who pretend to be something/somebody they are not, pretences, hidden objects, false clues, fake identities, cheating…), a spy novel, a book set in the world of private banking and high finances, a story of thwarted love and difficult family relationships, an autobiographical book about the author and an homage to his recently deceased editor (Bernard de Fallois), a metafictional exercise about an author writing a book about a mystery (an author called Joël who has recently lost his editor and wants to write a book about him but ends up writing… something else).

This is, as is always the case with Dicker’s novels, a long book, and it jumps backward and forward in time, from the present (2018) to the time of the mystery (15 years prior) and forward and backward between those two timelines. Those who prefer straightforward narratives that follow a chronological order and are not too demanding of our attention should not attempt this book. Although the time frames are clearly indicated every time they change, any distraction could easily cause confusion. It is true that the information is rehashed and revised a number of times, because the investigators (the author called Joël and Scarlett, a woman he meets during his holiday who insists on trying his theory about writing and what would work as a good plot for a story) keep reaching cul-de-sacs and having to dismiss all the clues and suspects they had been working on, so there are options to catch up if you have forgotten any small details. In spite of that, this is one of those books that should not be read over long stretches of time, as I suspect it could become increasingly frustrating, and either it will grab your attention and keep you reading or it won’t, from pretty early on.

For those who prefer their mysteries very tight, with no loose threads and totally realistic, this novel might not work either. It does require a huge dose of suspension of disbelief (this might depend on your interpretation of the overall narrative, but I’m speaking in general terms here, and sorry, but I cannot clarify matters without toppling the house of cards), and you need to be happy to follow the characters (and there are quite a few of those, whose points of view we are offered, always in the third person apart from Joël’s, who writes in the first person) wherever they want to take you without questioning too much how plausible it all is, otherwise, you will not be able to enjoy the experience, because you will get pushed out of the story (the stories) and will no longer care what the answer to the many questions might be. So yes, you need to be happy to be taken for a ride. And quite a ride this is.

For all the reasons above, I will not try to discuss in too much detail either the plot or the characters. Let’s say that I appreciated, most of all, the comments about writing and the reflections about the nature of fiction, the homage to the editor (who might be a character in this novel but who also had a counterpart in real life), and although I kept shaking my head at the twist on twist on twist, I admire the author for daring to (try to) pull such a literary trick out of his hat, and I am sure a couple of the characters of the novel (who are skilled performers themselves) would clap admiringly at his prowess.

I am not going to reveal the ending, but you will probably imagine, by now, that the author couldn’t leave without a final twist. Did I see the twist coming? Well, which one of the many there are in the novel? I kept thinking about other books I have read about writers at work, and I must admit this is one of the most entertaining ones I have come across, and it did keep me thinking and wondering till the very end, even if at times I thought Dicker had gone too far. If you want your characters squeaky clean, nice, totally realistic, and consistent, I advise you not to read this book. Otherwise, there are no major warnings required other than the cautions I’ve shared about the way the story is written and personal preferences.

A random fact I had to mention: there is a character called Olga, and although she is not a nice person by any stretch of the imagination, she does the right thing in the end. So, I won’t take offence at the use the author makes of my name.

The other comment I’ll add is that there is a fabulous note written by the translator as part of the backmatter that illustrates beautifully the process of translating a text, especially one as complex as this novel. I also like his description of the book:

And in this way, the novel turns in upon itself, like the ever circling spirals of a gastropod shell.

The author inside of the story explains that rather than describing a series of facts, a plot should ask a question or a series of questions. And on that front, you can hardly do better than this novel. If you are happy to give it time, don’t mind books playing tricks on you, and enjoy the challenge, give it a go. It might drive you mad, but it is likely to keep you entertained and make you smile in wonder.

Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity, thanks to all of you for following and reading my blog, and remember to share with anybody who might enjoy it, and keep reading, smiling, and having fun. ♥