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Bittersweet Books: Fiction Picks
The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule
When the windshield of his Chevy Impala shatters in a dark diner parking lot in Alabama, Melvin moves without thinking. A split-second reaction marrows in his bones from the days of war, but this time it is the safety of his fiance, Bernadette, at stake. Impulse keeps them alive, and yet they flee with blood on their hands. What is life like now that they are fugitives? Pack passports. Empty bank accounts. Set their old life on fire. The couple disguise themselves as a pastor and a reluctant pastor's wife who's hiding a secret from her fiance. With a persistent FBI agent on their trail, they travel to Ghana to seek the help of Melvin's old college friend who happens to be the country's embattled president, Kwame Nkrumah.
The couple's chance encounter with Ghana's most beloved highlife musician, Kwesi Kwayson, who's on his way to perform for the president, sparks a journey full of suspense, lust, magic, and danger as Nkrumah's regime crumbles around them. What was meant to be a fresh start quickly spirals into chaos, threatening both their relationship and their lives. Kwesi and Bernadette's undeniable attraction and otherworldly bond cascades during their three-day trek, and so does Melvin's intense jealousy. All three must confront one another and their secrets, setting off a series of cataclysmic events.
Steeped in the history and mythology of postcolonial West Africa at the intersection of the civil rights movement in America, this gripping and ambitious debut merges political intrigue, magical encounters, and forbidden romance in an epic collision of morality and power.
The Next Thing You Know by Jessica Strawser
As an end-of-life doula, Nova Huston’s job—her calling, her purpose, her life—is to help terminally ill people make peace with their impending death. Unlike her business partner, who swears by her system of checklists, free-spirited Nova doesn’t shy away from difficult clients: the ones who are heartbreakingly young, or prickly, or desperate for a caregiver or companion.
When Mason Shaylor shows up at her door, Nova doesn’t recognize him as the indie-favorite singer-songwriter who recently vanished from the public eye. She knows only what he’s told her: That life as he knows it is over. His deteriorating condition makes playing his guitar physically impossible—as far as Mason is concerned, he might as well be dead already.
Except he doesn’t know how to say goodbye.
Helping him is Nova’s biggest challenge yet. She knows she should keep clients at arm’s length. But she and Mason have more in common than anyone could guess… and meeting him might turn out to be the hardest, best thing that’s ever happened to them both.
Monster in the Middle by Tiphanie Yanique
When Fly and Stela meet in 21st Century New York City, it seems like fate. He's a Black American musician from a mixed-religious background who knows all about heartbreak. She's a Catholic science teacher from the Caribbean, looking for lasting love. But are they meant to be? The answer goes back decades--all the way to their parents' earliest loves.
Vibrant and emotionally riveting, Monster in the Middle moves across decades, from the U.S. to the Virgin Islands to Ghana and back again, to show how one couple's romance is intrinsically influenced by the family lore and love stories that preceded their own pairing. What challenges and traumas must this new couple inherit, what hopes and ambitions will keep them moving forward? Exploring desire and identity, religion and class, passion and obligation, the novel posits that in order to answer the question "who are we meant to be with?" we must first understand who we are and how we came to be.
Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi, Marilyn Booth (Translator)
The eagerly awaiting new novel by the winner of the Man Booker International Prize, Bitter Orange Tree is an extraordinary exploration of social status, wealth, desire, and female agency. In prose that is at once restless and profound, it presents a mosaic portrait of one young woman’s attempt to understand the roots she has grown from, and to envisage an adulthood in which her own power and happiness might find the freedom necessary to bear fruit and flourish.
Bitter Orange Tree tells the story of Zuhur, an Omani student at a British university who is caught between the past and the present. As she attempts to form friendships and assimilate in Britain, she reflects on the relationships that have been central to her life. Most prominent is her bond with Bint Amir, a woman she has always thought of as her grandmother, who passed away just after Zuhur left the Arabian Peninsula. Bint Amir was not, we learn, related to Zuhur by blood, but by an emotional connection far stronger.
As the historical narrative of Bint Amir’s challenged circumstances unfurls in captivating fragments, so too does Zuhur’s isolated and unfulfilled present, one narrative segueing into another as time slips, and dreams mingle with memories.
#Fiction#Historical Fiction#to read#tbr#booklr#book blog#booktok#sad stories#bittersweet#Book Recommendations#reading recommendations#book recs#books to read#library books
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Why Unreliable Characters Are So Compelling - by Jessica Strawser…
Why Unreliable Characters Are So Compelling – by Jessica Strawser…
on Career Authors:
For years, I’ve taught a workshop on Acting Out of Character. The idea is that more often, too often, we hear writing advice about making sure your characters behave in character. And while that’s not bad advice… it is basic advice. It simply means to make sure you know who your characters are, and to develop them well enough and consistently enough that they feel authentic…
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All the best new seasons started this way, didn’t they?
With a messy, muddy cleanse, stretches of dreariness,
all that fallen dead brush to clear. And then one day
the whole world was transformed, full of color and sun.
New life budding even now, in the rain. Because of the rain.
~Jessica Strawser
#MyFoolishFotography #DebraFerragamoHayesPhotography
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7 Ways to Spring Clean Your Writing - by Jessica Strawser…
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Holiday Carols for Writers - by Jessica Strawser…
Holiday Carols for Writers – by Jessica Strawser…
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The Next Thing You Know Writen By Jessica Strawser
Download Or Read PDF The Next Thing You Know - Jessica Strawser Free Full Pages Online With Audiobook.
12 hours A musician facing the untimely end of his career. An end-of-life doula with everything, and nothing, to lose. A Star Is Born meets Me Before You in this powerful novel by the author of A Million Reasons Why. As an end-of-life doula, Nova Huston?s job?her calling, her purpose, her life?is to help terminally ill people make peace with their impending death. Unlike her business partner, who swears by her system of checklists, free-spirited Nova doesn?t shy away from difficult clients: the ones who are heartbreakingly young, or prickly, or desperate for a caregiver or companion.When Mason Shaylor shows up at her door, Nova doesn?t recognize him as the indie-favorite singer-songwriter who recently vanished from the public eye. She knows only what he?s told her: That life as he knows it is over. His deteriorating condition makes playing his guitar physically impossible?as far as Mason is concerned, he might as well be dead already.Except he doesn?t know how to say
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[] Download PDF Here => The Next Thing You Know
[] Read PDF Here => The Next Thing You Know
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“When you find yourself forcing things, try something novel: Stop. Take a walk, a shower, a drive. I’m stubborn about not doing this—it can feel like admitting defeat—but when I take these little reprieves, I almost always curse myself... for not having done it sooner. This is when whatever was tripping you up—whether the twist for the next scene, or the fix for the last one—will come.”
—Jessica Strawser is editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest, where she was editorial director for nearly a decade. She’s the author of the book club favorites Almost Missed You and Not That I Could Tell, a Book of the Month selection and Barnes & Noble Best New Fiction pick for March 2018 (both St. Martin’s Press). Her third novel, Forget You Know Me, is forthcoming in February 2019. She has written for The New York Times Modern Love, Publishers Weekly and others, and is a popular conference speaker. Connect with her on Twitter at @jessicastrawser and on Facebook @jessicastrawserauthor.
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#camp nanowrimo#camp care packages#writing#amwriting#inspiration#writing advice#by camp counselor#jessica strawser
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TITLE: Forget You Know Me
AUTHOR: Jessica Strawser
RELEASE DATE: February 5th, 2019
READ DATE: January 12th, 2019
PUBLISHING HOUSE: St. Martin's Press
RATING: ★★☆☆☆
ARC provided from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (thank you St. Martin’s Press!!)
hey folks let’s talk about this book for a second, because I had a really hard time getting into it and I believe this is an unpopular opinion. the premise is fine and honestly really appealing which is what drew me to Forget You Know Me at first, but it came to an extent where I honestly couldn’t see a point to the plot beyond two women whose entire existence revolves exclusively around the men in their lives. even Molly and Liza’s friendship—which is supposed to be the very life force of this book and the reason why it is classified under the “women’s fiction” genre—felt…. constrained. impersonal. apparently they’re childhood best friends and yet they mostly treat each other like acquaintances AT BEST.
I don’t want y’all to get me wrong, this is really well written. Jessica Strawser’s writing is PHENOMENAL, and you can quote me on that. absolutely no one can take that away from her. but—and that’s a BIG but—this book is just overly dramatic, bordering on absolutely ridiculous. no spoilers, but some of the stuff that happened to the characters really served no purpose in the grand scheme of things and usually went WAY beyond what I would consider “normal” in women’s fiction, especially if we choose to reflect on the fact that this book is NOT a thriller. there’s no suspense in here, no big reveal (I don’t think). Forget You Know Me is a meticulous examination of the lives of these two women and their personal relationships. but did it have to be so excessively dramatic? ostentatious? theatrical? not really!
I really did enjoy Jessica Strawser’s writing style and would love to read more from her, but I just really couldn’t connect with these characters. they weren’t relatable, and again, this might just be me. they weren’t relatable TO ME—I don’t want to take away from Jessica Strawser’s writing skills at all, because she really is talented and if I can emphasize anything from this review, let that be it. she’s an incredible writer, but this book simply wasn’t for me. thanks again to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a free review copy!!
GOODREADS LINK
#forget you know me#jessica strawser#netgalley#arc#booklr#reviews#book review#goodreads#2 stars#contemporary#women's fiction
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Forget You Know Me by Jessica Strawser-DNF at 51%-A 2/5 Star Review
Two friends separated geographically and by one friend being a new parent. They finally find time to connect via Skype. The conversation is awkward then interrupted by a waking child.
One friend is left waiting, the other struggling with pain to get to the now-wailing child.
One friend sees an intruder break-in but has no way of alerting the other friend.
What happens next?
Gripping, right? That’s not only the premise of the story but it is also the very first chapter in summation. I have to say: the first two chapters were very riveting! It felt like the plot was moving quickly and I kept being surprised. Then the resulting chapters I was either confused at the characters’ reactions or bored with the inner monologues and kept skimming. The inner ramblings of the narrating characters ended up being the downfall for the book for me. It showed that the characters are as awful internally as their actions have shown. Their secrets that they kept from one another appears to have been intended to contribute towards the idea that this book is a psychological thriller. However, in my opinion, it was just a boring novel about entitled suburban strife. However aversive the adult characters may have been, the children were redeeming in that they were adorable and pure. 2 stars: One for Nori and One for Rosie.
Back to the inner monologues: there were many diatribes in narration, mostly justifying how horribly they are treating the other characters, that I kept finding myself skimming. They were so lengthy at times that I was relieved when the chapter was finally over so I could put the book down for awhile. Or I would keep putting the book down because it was a series of the worst things that could happen to a character, happening to each character, more than once. I am not sure if the author was going with the idea that “bad things happen to good people” because these characters were not exactly great people. Which is drilled into the readers’ head repeatedly. Or maybe the author was trying to use catastrophic events to help build character. But at the point that I stopped, halfway through, that still did not appear to have happened. Instead, the characters all seem to be self-absorbed and blaming the other for one bad event or another.
There were so many bad things happening with each character that I stopped being surprised at any new element thrown in. OF COURSE! I kept screaming at my Kindle. OF COURSE the HR guy’s name is Toby, just like in The Office. OF COURSE they’re going to mention that his name is like the guy in The Office. OF COURSE Toby isn’t that great, no one in the book is. OF COURSE there’s a shady neighbor. OF COURSE the intruder is not who they originally thought. OF COURSE there are money issues involved. OF COURSE their life fell apart, everyone in this book is falling apart! You get the idea.
In conclusion: I would not recommend this book at all. I would especially not recommend it for younger than adult audiences. Lastly, I would not recommend this book for those who may be triggered or offended by: foul language, infidelity, intruders/break-ins, stalkers, addiction, marital strife, or arson.
Please note: an electronic ARC of this book was generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
#Forget You Know Me#Jessica Strawser#DNF#Book Review#2 Star review#NetGalley#2019#Fiction#Psychological Thriller
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7 Ways to Spring Clean Your Writing - by Jessica Strawser…
on Career Authors:
Spring is here and, as my kids would say, it’s a vibe. In a season of rebirth, there’s new wisdom to be found in the old routines of cleaning out our cabin fever—in our homes and on the page.
Here’s our guide to spring cleaning for writers, in seven simple steps.
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In honor of National Women's Day:
What woman, after all, couldn’t relate to feeling less than? What woman didn’t feel that pull of sisterhood
when she least expected it, when she needed it most? It was there in breast cancer screening centers,
at bridal showers, in long lines for inadequate public restrooms, in Girl Scout troops, sorority houses,
and mutually dreaded PTA meetings, in women’s marches and quilting bees and in courtrooms
and airports and alone on dark street corners at night.
It was there in Are you getting this weird vibe and Did he really just say that and Me too. It was there when
people tried to dismiss women as catty, to pit the strongest of them against each other,
to leave room only for one token female seat in a boardroom full of suits.
It was there in bucking convention and smashing glass ceilings and fighting back.
The impulse to stick together.
~Jessica Strawser #EverydayPeople #MyFoolishFotography #DebraFerragamoHayesPhotography
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Upcoming & New Releases
Some of my favourite upcoming and new releases in the first half of 2022. So many new books to dive into whether they are old or new worlds
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#Amy Licence#Anna-Marie McLemore#Bernandine Evaristo#Books About Books#Charmaine Wilkerson#Collections#Contemporary#Diana Giovinazzo#England#English History#Erika Robuck#Estelle Paranque#Fiction#Greek Mythology#Historical Fiction#History#Jean Chen Ho#Jennifer Saint#Jessica Strawser#June Hur#Kerri Maher#Marie Benedict#Natalie Jenner#Nicola Cornick#Nonfiction#Rebecca Ross#Retelling#Sarah J Maas#Sheila Williams#Short Stories
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Top Ten Tuesday: Spring Cleaning Freebie (or Last 10 Books I added to my TBR)
Top Ten Tuesday: Spring Cleaning Freebie (or Last 10 Books I added to my TBR)
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
How it works:
She assigns each Tuesday a topic and then posts her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten…
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#A Million Reasons Why#An Invincible Summer#Big Summer#Jennifer Weiner#Jessica Strawser#Kaira Rouda#Kaylene Winters#Kendall Ryan#Less Than Zero series#Looking to Score Series#Mariah Stewart#Melody Anne#meme#Paige Shelton#Sassy Blonde#Scottish Bookshop Mystery series#Stacey Kennedy#The Kobalos Trilogy#The Lost Andersons Series#The Next Wife#Top Ten Tuesday#Ty Johnson
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Why Unreliable Characters Are So Compelling - by Jessica Strawser…
Why Unreliable Characters Are So Compelling – by Jessica Strawser…
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