Novel Editing

This is what life looks like the day after you get an edit letter from your literary agent. But there's nothing that can't be conquered without tea, biscuits, highlighters, and lots of post-it flags.

Somebody's Baby Book Review

Somebody’s Baby by Lurlene McDaniel

Winning a reality TV singing contest changes the course of Sloane Gabriel’s life from her abused childhood to a music career complete with a manager, recording contract, and touring schedule. But it’s never easy to leave your past behind, especially when your new notoriety introduces you to a woman dying of cancer who claims to be your half-sister. Thus, begins Sloane’s journey not only into the sufferings of her past, but through them into a present where she finds forgiveness, peace, and the love she never had.

I enjoyed many aspects of this novel, but especially Sloane, who is an amazing character—a combination of strength and fragility. McDaniel nails the character’s complexity, treating her with compassion and respect, which is especially important with Sloane, a character in a previous McDaniel novel*, who made very difficult choices and now has to deal with the fallout. Over the course of the novel, the reader sees Sloane develop and grow, and you can’t help rooting for Sloane as her suffering and circumstances change her into a person who can love and care for others.

The plotting of the novel was excellent—there was never a section where I was bored or wanted to put the novel down. And all of the action propelled the novel and helped to develop the characters. The writing itself was very clean, the author never intrudes on the story—it’s always about Sloane and the people in her life.

In the end, I have to agree with the Bustle.com review, which says, “Sorry, John Green fans, but McDaniel’s been making us cry . . . for decades.” —Bustle.com

That says it all. Five star YA novel!

*If you haven’t read Losing Gabriel, no worries, this novel stands alone and the author makes sure you know everything you need to know—good thing, because I forgot a lot.

White Clam Pizza

Lately, I've been writing and editing my new novel (which accounts for the very few blog posts I've written). In spite of the consuming busyness of writing, I got a nostalgic craving for white clam pizza (made with cheese, clams, garlic, oregano, olive oil, etc.). It's been 11 years...

Pepe's white clam pizza was one of the last meals my husband and I had before we moved from Connecticut. So I searched the web and found a recipe. It wasn't as good as Pepe's...but that might be because instead of using Parmesan, I grabbed the wrong cheese from the refrigerator (a Spanish cheese flavored with agave) by accident. But it was delicious anyway.

Click here if you'd like to give white clam pizza a try. YUM!

Book Review: Jane of Austin, Great Beach Read

Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility set in Austin, Texas. And though this novel a romantic retelling and I don’t usually read romance, I’m a huge fan of Austen and couldn’t resist this book.

As a retelling, the book was fun. It updated the tropes and effortlessly set the novel in a modern world without any awkwardness or injury to the story and characters. I loved the inclusion of the tea shop as part of the setting. And as someone who also reviews cookbooks, I’m eager to make some of the recipes that the author has included in the novel—the cranberry-vanilla scones sound wonderful.

It’s important to note, that this novel is not a literary exploration of Austen’s novel, nor does it explore and expose social conventions in the way that Austen’s novels do. But this novel doesn’t set out to do those things. This book is a summer, beach-read version of Sense and Sensibility and on that level, it fulfills its expectations and is addictively readable.

Definitely four stars!

One more note, this novel is a “sweet romance,” i.e., no cursing, no sex, etc.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for a review.

Dark Matter book review

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Let me start off by saying that I read this novel in two days—it was that engrossing. And I’m not even a huge fan of sci-fi, unless it’s very well written, and this was.

Though I don’t buy the whole multiverse theory in reality, I did very much enjoy the creative possibilities of it in this novel. And it speaks to the author’s tremendous story-telling skills that I was able to set aside my skepticism and enter into the story.

Dark Matter is a wonderful blend of action, thriller, and love story. The pacing is spot on, the characters are nuanced, and the plot involved some twists I didn’t see coming. And in the end, the novel reminded me how thankful I am for my family and loved ones.

A five star read!

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for a review.

What Edward Heard book review

What Edward Heard by Megan Easley-Walsh

What Edward Heard is a young adult novel with touches of magical realism that tells the story of Edward Jamison, a World War I veteran, whose life is touched and healed by a mysterious painting. Painted hundreds of years before, the portrait has passed through many lives, pieces of which the reader is allowed to share. In each life, the portrait directs, distracts, but ultimately whispers the truth that each, including Edward, needs to hear.

The historical details of the novel are excellent and ground the reader in the various settings. The experimentation with form is creative and clever without being a distraction from the story of the novel.

Definitely an enjoyable read!

Love and Gravity Book Review

Having read and enjoyed Samantha Sotto’s debut novel Before Ever After, I was eager to read her newest novel, Love and Gravity. And I was not disappointed—it’s even better than the first book!

Love and Gravity is the story of Andrea Louviere, a cellist, who one day opens a door through time. On the other side is the man she will love. The rest of the story is a complex romance involving twists and turns, love and loss.

This is a beautiful upmarket novel. The characters are well-developed. The plot is tightly paced. And the prose itself is lyrical.

I give this novel five stars and add that it’s an absolute must-read for fans of The Time-Traveler’s Wife.