> The Things You Can Read: William Morrow

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Showing posts with label William Morrow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label William Morrow. Show all posts

Monday, October 14, 2013

Review: The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly



Review: The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly

Author:   Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Mystery
Themes:  Relationships,  Love, Motherhood
Setting:  Hobnob, Mississippi 
Point of View:  3rd Person

Publisher/Publication Date:  October 1, 2013 by William Morrow & Company

Source:  Edelweiss
Rating:  Four of Five Stars
Finished/Not Finished:  Finished

First Line:  "Dixie Clay was squelching through the mud along the creek's swollen banks, shooing mosquitoes with her hat when she say a baby coffin bobbing against a sycamore sang."-The Tilted World  by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly

One-sentence summary:  It is 1927 and two federal revenue agents arrive in Hobnob, Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of two of their fellow agents; however what they find will change them forever.

Cover Art:  I think the cover captures 1927 Mississippi, and also establishes the tone of the novel.

Try The Tilted World   if you liked The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell, The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore, or Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin.

Buy, Borrow, Listen, or Avoid:  Buy, Borrow, or Listen if you are looking for a well written suspenseful, gritty novelwhich deals with the types of themes previously mentioned.

Why did I get this book?:  I liked the summary and I am a fan of Tom Franklin's body of work.

Review:

Are you a fan of southern historical fiction?  Well, if you are then The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly is a must read.  Yes, it is historical fiction, but it's historical fiction with a fascinating mystery thrown into the mix.

The story opens in Hobnob Mississippi just as Mississippi is threatened by The Great Flood of 1927. Two revenue agents have arrived to investigate the disappearance of two fellow agents, but what they find is an abandoned child left at a crime scene.  What unfolds will surprise the reader at every twist and turn.  The poetic language used to create 1927 Mississippi and its rich characters is simply stunning.  The novel is gritty and full of suspense as it moves at a rapid pace.  The big question that develops is can a revenue agent befriend the best female bootlegger in the country?

The novel is co-authored, which often causes a novel to lack a coherent story line.  However, the fact that this novel is written by a husband and wife team is a positive, rather than a negative. Neither author has allowed the book to become disjointed in spinning the tales narrative.  In fact they have played off each other strengths as writers to create a poignant, well-constructed, well-balanced story of a bygone time.

I'd like to thank Edelweiss and William Morrow & Company for allowing me access to an advance readers copy (ARC) of The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly.

Does The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly grab your attention?  Is it a novel you'd be interested in reading?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!





Happy reading to all! ☮

Happy Reading
The Things You Can Read!
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
 

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Review: Vintage: A Novel by Susan Gloss


Review: Vintage: A Novel by Susan Gloss

Title:  Vintage: A Novel
Author:   Susan Gloss

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Themes:  Relationships, Identity, Divorce, Motherhood, Loss, Infidelity, Friendship, Love
Setting:  Madison, Wisconsin
Point of View:  3rd Person

Publisher/Publication Date:  Expected publication: March 25th 2014 by William Morrow & Company

Source:  Edelweiss
Rating:  Four of Five Stars
Finished/Not Finished:  Finished

First Line:  "Beneath the Ash Trees on Johnson Street just east of campus, Hourglass Vintage stood in a weathered brick building, wedged between a fair-trade coffee shop and a bike-repair business." Vintage by Susan Gloss

One-sentence summary:  A Midwestern vintage clothing store is the cornerstone for the transformation of several women's lives.

Cover Art:  I like the red border, however, in my opinion, the dress displayed in the shop window does not have a vintage feel.

Try Vintage: A Novel if you liked The Friday Night Knitting Club  by Kate Jacobs or if you are a fan of chick-lit in the vein of Jennifer Weiner's body of work.

Buy, Borrow, Listen, or Avoid:  Buy, Borrow, or Listen if you are looking for a refreshing read, which deals with the types of themes previously mentioned.

Why did I get this book?:  I liked the summary and I am a vintage gal at heart.  I shopped vintage back in the 70s and 80s before it was the cool thing to do.

Review:

I have to admit, I was once a vintage-aholic.  I loved nothing better than to spend my weekends shopping the plethora of vintage stores in my hometown, which is why Vintage: A Novel grabbed my attention.  A key element in the success of any vintage shop worth a grain of salt is the owner's relationship with her customers, and this key ingredient is what makes this novel work.  

In the novel, Susan Gloss creates a world where women are the central force.  Her novel delves into the intricacies of these women's lives at varies key life-moments, which means there is something for women of all ages to identify with in the novel.  Each chapter opens with a description of a vintage item, "Inventory Item:  wedding gown, Approximate Date: 1952, Condition: good, minor discoloration on lining, Item description:  Ivory, tea-length gown with scooped neckline and cap sleeves.  Silk taffeta with crinoline understructure.  Source:  Dress acquired from the couple's daughter, born weeks after her father's death."  Each item is used as a means to set the tone for what is to come, which, in my opinion, is a unique technique to move the story forward.

I enjoyed my time at Hourglass Vintage and highly recommend you walk through the shop's doors if you are looking for a break from heavier reads.  

I'd like to thank Edelweiss and William Morrow & Company for allowing me access to an advance readers copy (ARC) of Vintage: A Novel by Susan Gloss 

Does Vintage by Susan Gloss grab your attention?  Is it a novel you'd be interested in reading?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!





Happy reading to all! ☮

Happy Reading
The Things You Can Read!
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
 
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