E. Lockhart's Family of Liars is an exceptional follow up to We Were Liars. Put this on your must-read list! I consider We Were Liars as one of the best books I’ve read in the last decade, with probably the most powerful twist ending ever. So I’m not sure why it took me so long to read Family of Liars. Perhaps I thought there was no way it could compare to the first book, even though it’s a prequel. But I’m so glad I finally decided to pick it up. Family of Liars takes …
My Book Reviews
My favorite genres are contemporary romance, women's fiction, suspense, and psychological thrillers. I mostly read books on my kindle, and I listen to audio books every morning when I go for my run.
I do NOT love star ratings for novels. For each book review, I give background, my thoughts, and if I would recommend it. Full disclosure: if I'm not into a book, I don't finish it. Since I review books I finish, most of them will be positive.
Book Review: Never Lie by Frieda McFadden
Never Lie, by Frieda McFadden, was definitely a page turner. Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are stuck in a remote house during a blizzard, and oh yeah, the house's past owner is missing, probably murdered. Tricia starts seeing things like strange footprints and moving portraits, and then she discovers a secret room full of secret recordings... The premise is great, and McFadden is a master at creating suspense. Her writing style, with short chapters alternating between past and present, …
The Blurry Line Between Charlotte Brontë and Jane Eyre
Late last month, my short story, “You and Jane” was published by Abandon Journal. It’s about a modern-day, parallel universe Charlotte Bronte who’s receiving genetic counseling, and she must reckon with grief and the deaths of all her siblings and her mother. I know that doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs, but the piece is meant to be funny, with dark, absurdist humor. You don’t have to understand the connection between Jane Eyre and her creator, …
Fabulous Feminist Writers: Eve Babitz
Late in her life, Eve Babitz became both a cultural and a feminist icon. But for decades, she was overlooked, dismissed even. I see her as the Dorothy Parker of her time. Eve Babitz was author, artist, and socialite whose writing style has been widely acclaimed for its wit and insightfulness. She was best known for her works of non-fiction, including Sex and Rage and Slow Days, Fast Company, as well as her collections of short stories, L.A. Woman, Black Swans, and …
Women’s Psychological Fiction? What’s That?
Recently, I’ve made a habit of combing through Amazon’s book categories, in an effort to finesse my marketing efforts. That’s how I noticed the category, women’s psychological fiction. I’d heard of the psychological thrillers, and of course, of women’s fiction.