What would you do if you knew the date of your death? Would you live life recklessly, knowing your actions would not have consequences because your future was set? Or would you live more cautiously, trying to create order out of chaos because you felt a lack of control? Or, does knowing result in a self-fulfilling prophecy, rather than the fulfillment of a destiny? These are … [Read more...]
‘The Last Romantics’ a Compelling Family-Driven Drama
I'm a sucker for family dramas. There's something about flawed characters with complex relationships that pulls me in every single time. The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin was no different and I raced through the book in three days. I found myself reaching for it when I couldn't sleep at 3 a.m., and again when I woke up in the morning.The Last Romantics is about the four … [Read more...]
‘Before We Were Yours’ a Story of History, Corruption, and Love
Avery Stafford was a woman who knew exactly who she was. The daughter of a congressman, her family's ties to southern wealth and power ran deep. From a young age, Avery had a sense of purpose; a sense that she would always achieve what she set out to do. So when a quick run-in with a strong-willed woman at a nursing home leaves her shaken and with questions about her own … [Read more...]
The Role of Guilt Plays a Major Role in ‘The Life We Bury’
Life is hard, but it's harder for some. Take Joe Talbert, for example. He's a college student from a poor and toxic home environment who works harder than most to get an education and build a better life for himself. But no matter how hard he tries to win his race against the past, it keeps catching up with him.Carl Iverson also had a hard life, but of a different nature. … [Read more...]
‘Bitter Orange’: A Delicious Slow-Burn of a Read
Shy and socially awkward, Frances was not one who made friends easily. For most of her life, she avoided social situations that would highlight her awkwardness and instead withdrew into her immediate surroundings. But when a job documenting the architecture of a rundown mansion came along, she took it. Remote and secluded, the mansion offered the exact type of living Frances … [Read more...]