Susan Coventry's Blog, page 42

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies is the second book I've read by the author of the popular novel, The Husband's Secret.  This story revolves around a group of "school moms" in a wealthy community, who may look perfect on the outside but are grappling with several problems.  Jane is a single parent whose son is accused of bullying, Celeste's husband abuses her and Madeliene has ongoing issues with her ex-husband.  There is an unexpected twist at the end that effects the lives of all of the characters.  What I enjoy about this author is her sense of humor and use of sarcasm in her portrayal of husbands and wives.  Moriarty puts a magnifying glass up to family life, exposing the realities without depressing the reader.  If you haven't read anything by her, try The Husband's Secret first, but Big Little Lies is a good runner-up.

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The Auschwitz Escape by Joel Rosenberg

The Auschwitz Escape is one of my favorite WWII historical fiction novels.  This is a captivating story about a group of men, led by Jacob, a resistance fighter and Jean-Luc, a pastor, who attempt to escape from the notorious concentration camp, Auschwitz.  What strikes me the most about tales of WWII, is the will of people to survive amidst the atrocities taking place around them.  The Auschwitz Escape is not all doom and gloom; it's a tale of survival, perseverance and faith.  The well-developed characters, historical details and fast-moving plot, all combine to make this a great read.  Check my website often for more reviews of WWII fiction.

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Writing Update

I recently finished writing my second novel, Starring You and Me.  Now for the not-so-fun part, editing!  The editing process will probably take a few weeks but I'm still on track to have the book available this summer!  Check back often for more updates...

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Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Still Alice is about a fifty-year-old Harvard professor, who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.  Have I lost you?  If not, this novel is actually very touching and although sad, I didn't find it to be depressing.  The story follows Alice as she first experiences symptoms through the progression of the disease.  The author does a good job depicting not only how Alice copes with her diagnosis but how her friends and family react as well.  I found myself getting frustrated with Alice's husband John, who has a particularly difficult time adjusting.  Since I don't have first-hand knowledge of someone suffering from Alzheimer's, I'm probably not the best judge but I wish he would have been more supportive.  Tough topic, but if you don't shy away from "meaty" subjects, Still Alice is a very engaging story.

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Rumor Has It by Jill Shalvis

Rumor Has It is book 4 of the Animal Magnetism series.  Having read most of the books in Jill Shalvis' Lucky Harbor series, I decided to try one of her other series.  In Rumor Has It, Griffin Reid returns to his family's ranch in Idaho to nurse a war injury and to attend his sister Holly's wedding.  Griffin will be a groomsman alongside Kate, a sweet elementary school teacher who has been a friend of the Reid family for years.  Despite Griffin's attempts to keep Kate in the friend zone, sparks fly and their friendship turns into a sweet and sexy romance.  Friends to lovers is a typical theme for a romance novel, but Jill Shalvis' writing style and character development is what makes her stories stand out.  If you like light-hearted, fun romance novels, definitely give Jill Shalvis a try.

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The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

I realize how behind the times I am in reading The Pillars of the Earth, but I just finished it and now understand what the fuss was all about!  This novel is an epic of mammoth proportions (aside from being over 900 pages long)!  The setting is 1130's - 1170's England, which was fraught with political turmoil and violence.  At the center of the story is Tom Builder whose mission is to build a large cathedral.  With the backing of Phillip, the Prior of Kingsbridge, and the support of his family, Tom sets to work.  Over the course of time, Phillip and Tom are met with many obstacles, and find themselves in the middle of a political tug-of-war.  There's violence and betrayal, love and triumph, fear and suffering and every emotion in between.  There are characters to love (Aliena, Jack, Phillip) and characters to hate (William, Waleran, Alfred) as the reader is swept along in this historical drama.  The one complaint I have is the use of so many technical terms related to the building of the cathedral.  Sometimes my eyes glazed over during those parts, but otherwise this was a great read!

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The Way You Look Tonight by Bella Andre

The Way You Look Tonight is book 9 of the contemporary romance series called The Sullivans.  This was the first book I read by Bella Andre, but I have read several more since.  In this story, Rafe Sullivan is reunited with his childhood friend, Brooke, who is all grown up and looking good!  Rafe is taking a time out from work at his parents' lake house and Brooke just bought her grandparents' place that happens to be right next door!  Their friendship blossoms into romance resulting in several steamy encounters.  What I like about the Sullivans series, is the combination of likable characters, passionate romance and the close-knit family ties.  The plots are simple and light-hearted, but sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered!  Don't worry about reading them out of order because eventually you'll be introduced to the whole family of sexy Sullivans.

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The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

The Bookstore is a realistic fiction novel about love and friendship, with a bookshop serving as the primary setting.  Esme Garland is a transplant from England who is currently attending college in New York City.  When Esme becomes pregnant, her boyfriend Mitchell is less than thrilled about the idea of impending fatherhood.  Esme takes a job at an independently owned bookshop named The Owl, where she becomes part of the "family" that works there.  As her relationship with Mitchell falls apart, she finds solace with her newfound friends and a potential new love interest with her co-worker Luke.  The Bookstore is a charming, sometimes humorous and sometimes sad tale of a young woman's life.  As I mentioned before, I'm a sucker for books about books/bookstores and I enjoyed this one as much as several others I've read.

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The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

The Invention of Wings is a historical fiction novel on the topic of slavery.  This story follows the lives of two women, Sarah Grimke, the daughter of a white plantation owner and Hetty, one of the house slaves.  Sarah and Hettie's lives are intertwined for years, each of them feeling trapped in their assigned roles.  Sarah eventually joins the abolitionist movement and vows that someday Hettie will be free.  I have read several books about slavery and The Invention of Wings ranks up there as one of my favorites.  The story is emotionally rich and detailed and the characters are well-written.  If you can handle the heavy topic, this is an excellent read.

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Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Beautiful Secret is book 8 of the Beautiful Series, a contemporary romance series, that I happen to love.  This particular book is fun, charming, sexy and sweet, which is how I would describe most of this author's work.  Niall, an uptight British executive and Ruby, a free-spirited American intern are sent on a business trip to New York City.  Ruby has been harboring a secret crush on Niall and now is her chance to seduce him.  The fun part is, Niall isn't so easy to seduce!  I loved the contrast between these two characters and the way the author built up the anticipation of their...coupling.  This story felt more realistic than some other romance novels, where the the couple gets together in the first chapter.  Witty dialog, charming characters and a great combination of sweet and sexy, makes Beautiful Secret a winner to me!

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