113. Strangers in the Night

Strangers in the Night. Heather Webb. 2023. 432 pages. [Source: Library] [Adults]

First sentence: Every important moment of my life could be measured in notes and captured by a song. That was never truer than the first night I saw her across the room, belonging to someone else.

Premise/plot: Historical fiction starring Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. Historical romance [of the graphic sort] starring Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. It roughly begins circa 1946. (I say roughly because the prologue is undated.) It follows the "tragic" "star-crossed" lovers across several decades and around the globe. He was a global singing star AND a movie star. She was a movie star. Together they were one hot mess.

My thoughts: Is the book flattering to Frank? Not really--in my own personal opinion. Is the book flattering to Ava? Again, not really--in my own opinion. I do think the book was meant to be flattering to both. I get the impression that the author enjoyed [greatly appreciated] both personalities--flaws and all. I think the "tragic romance" element was supposed to hook readers into sympathizing with these lovers. Was I sympathetic to Frank and Ava as a couple? NO! I thought together they were obviously extremely toxic. Individually, I think there was some toxicity. I will say that I never got the impression that it was all his fault or all her fault. I think they as individuals made repeated bad decisions. There were things he did that I would find unforgivable. There were things she did that I would find unforgivable. 

I do wish that this one had been CLEARER about dates. Each "part" was given a range of years. The first part covers three or four years. That's not so bad, I suppose. But other sections cover DECADES. And there's no specific years mentioned at all. Like "1950 to 1966" or "1966 to 1990." And HOW is that even remotely helpful???? I think the book would have been greatly improved if there were more connections to specific times--dates, months, years, events.

There were some movies mentioned for each. There were a few songs and/or albums mentioned for him. If it had been more historical fiction and less graphic romance novel, perhaps it would have done a better job doing tribute to the life and times. I do think the potential is there to tell great stories in this time period.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

112. Tenmile

Tenmile. Sandra Dallas. 2022. [November] 240 pages. [Source: Library] [Middle Grade]

First sentence: The baby stretched its arms and legs as Sissy wrapped it in the soft flannel blanket. She smiled at the wriggling infant with its tiny wrinkled face. 

Premise/plot: Sissy Carlson, the doctor's daughter, struggles with life in her hometown of Tenmile, Colorado, a mining town. When this children's novel opens, Sissy knows one thing for sure: she wants to leave Tenmile and never, ever, ever return. She sees only the negative aspects of life in Tenmile--the poverty, the poverty, the limited opportunities, the limited resources, the distinctions in social classes and in genders. (To be fair, I don't know so much that girls have it so much worse than boys in Tenmile. I think both boys and girls are expected to quit school at an early age--8 or 9--to work to help support the family.) To live in Tenmile is to live in misery from birth to death. 

This is historical fiction set in 1880s Colorado. The novel chronicles Sissy's experiences--again, mostly negative. She goes to school. She helps her father in and out of the home. She helps with his medical practice. She spends time with friends. She hates Tenmile. She knows that all of her friends and classmates are trapped in Tenmile. No bright futures for anyone unfortunate enough to live there. 

Her view shifts, however, by the end of the novel. Has she made peace with her hometown?

My thoughts: Tenmile is bleakity-bleak. Sissy is the complete and total opposite of Pollyanna. She doesn't see the good in anything or anyone. Not really. It was hard as a reader to like Sissy. She was such a downer. That's not to say that her views and opinions were unfair. I have no doubt that life in a mining town was harsh, cruel, unfair. There being no way to break the cycle of poverty. Once a child enters work in the mine, it's unlikely that they'll escape mining life. They'll risk their life every single day and still be stuck in poverty. Because the circumstances don't really change, it makes for an odd choice that Sissy decides that Tenmile is HER forever home, and that she wants to spend her life serving this community. That's not to say that attitudes can't change. But it's hard to reflect that well in the narrative. The town is peopled with characters that weren't super likable. (With one exception of Greenie.) Because the characters weren't all that wonderful to spend time with, this made for a different read. 

I think for those that like historical fiction and don't want particularly happy endings, this one could definitely work. 

I don't have to have tied-in-a-bow endings. I can accept history for history. I am thankful that the characters seem to reflect the life and times MORE than being twenty-first century characters dressing up. I think there were many elements of this one that were realistic.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

111. A Good Girl's Guide To Murder

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Holly Jackson. 2019. 433 pages. [Source: Library] [Young Adult]

First sentence: Pip knew where they lived. Everyone in Fairview knew where they lived. Their home was like the town's own haunted house; people's footsteps quickened as they walked by, and their words strangled and died in their throats.

Premise/plot: Pippa "Pip" Fitz-Amobi is a senior on a mission. Her senior project is to research a missing person's case--a suspected case of murder. If the alleged murderer hadn't been found dead in the woods, well, he might have been convicted of murder despite the fact that there was no body. Andie Bell is the missing person. Sal Singh is the alleged murderer. Pip thinks that Sal is innocent and she teams up with the alleged killer's brother, Ravi, to help her make sense of this case. The longer her suspect list gets, the more threats she receives. Will she survive long enough to break the case?

My thoughts: This one felt so familiar to me. There's no proof whatsoever that I actually read this one years ago--when it came out. But it was almost how spooky how familiar the story, the characters, the crime even. So strange. I don't think it's a case of an author writing in super predictable ways. Though I have read several YA books where the main character is investigating an old case from the community. So maybe I've just read a few too many this year. 

I liked this one.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

110. Home Away From Home

Home Away From Home. Cynthia Lord. 2023. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [Middle Grade]

First sentence: "GPS says the road is coming up," I announced from the back seat of the rental car.

Premise/plot: Mia visits her Grandma most summers. This summer is slightly different, however. Mia will be staying (by herself) for a month. Her mother (and stepfather/mother's boyfriend) are preparing to sell the house. Mia didn't want to be a part of renovating, packing, etc. There have been changes since last summer. Mia meets a new neighbor, a boy around her own age, Cayman. They share an interest in birds--an eagle's nest (with baby eaglets) is on his property. They love to visit the birds. A visiting bird--a rarely sighted bird for the state of Maine--has been spotted by the pair for several days. Mia can't resist posting pictures and descriptions online at a bird-watching hobby site. But will her posts lead to disaster for the bird(s)?

My thoughts: This is a coming of age story. I loved seeing her relationship with her grandmother and with her new friend. It is a LOT about birds, however. So if bird-watching isn't your thing then perhaps parts of this one may seem a little dull. Still, I think even if you aren't a fan of watching birds for fun (or education), the coming of age aspects still offer something to readers.

I do enjoy Cynthia Lord's novels for the most part. I am glad I read this one.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

109. Reign

Reign. (American Royals #4) Katharine McGee. 2023. [August] 432 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Link to cover image] [Young Adult]

First sentence: The sound of a door swinging open, and a sharp intake of breath. 

Premise/plot: Reign is the fourth and perhaps final book in the American Royals series by Katharine McGee. The series premise is relatively simple: what if George Washington had been crowned king and his (non-existent) descendants reigned through the centuries. The series is contemporary alternate history. The series introduces us to three Washington heirs--Beatrice (the oldest), Samantha and Jefferson (twins). These young-ish royals have a balancing act on their hands--how to balance drama-filled love lives AND maintain a good reputation in the public spotlight. Beatrice, now queen, is relatively tame--boring, even. She had her love triangle in the first two books, I believe. She chose Teddy, and that's it, right???? Well, what if she has amnesia from that car accident in book three???? Samantha is the 'spare' who loves drama. What happens if she were to LOSE her title and government funding? What if she were to be thrown out of the royal family and walk away from her duties and become a regular citizen? Read and see, I suppose. Jefferson, poor, poor, poor Jefferson. Out of all the siblings, he has NO VOICE because the author chose not to give him one. He exists solely to be the middle of a sandwich. (I jest, mostly). Daphne and Nina are the other two in this oh-so-stupid love triangle. Will Daphne marry her prince? Will Nina move on from Jefferson? (She hasn't in three books...)

My thoughts: There's one big question you may have--if you're like me. DOES THIS BOOK HAVE ETHAN? The answer is YES. Ethan returns. And Daphne's chapters are entirely better for it. Nina also gets a new love interest, another ROYAL interest. 

I have a hate-love-hate-love-hate relationship with these books. I don't know ever why I keep reading them, and why I can't stop reading them. The history is SO incredibly pointlessly wrong. The world-building is shallow and unexplained at best. The modern/contemporary world is barely different at all. You know it would HAVE to be different if we were to take the history stuff seriously. 

I loved the way most of the stories wrapped up. So I am happy that I've read this one.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews