The Restoration of Celia Fairchild by Marie Bostwick

 

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This was another book I saw at B&N and the cover grabbed me right away. It didn't look like a romantic comedy (it isn't), and when I read the blurb on the back cover, well, seeing it was set in Charleston had me adding it to my stack of books. I left B&N that day with a hefty bag of books and zero regret. Which, to be honest, is how I always leave B&N. 

I'll be honest again and say I started reading it and thought, uh oh, I don't think I'm prepared to read a novel about a woman who is seeking to adopt a baby. It just wasn't what I was looking to read about. However, I kept reading (it was a welcome break from The Sanatorium!) and sure enough I got past the first 50 pages and settled into a charming novel about creating a family and finding a new beginning when it seems that all is lost. 

Celia Fairchild is newly divorced and working in New York City as the popular newspaper advice columnist Dear Calpurnia. She's decided the only way to have the family she desires is to adopt a baby on her own. Marching into her boss' office, she's prepared to ask for a raise in order to help finance a new place to live-a place to raise a baby. 

However, Celia finds herself unemployed and devastated by the sudden turn of events. Soon after, she receives a phone call from a lawyer in Charleston, telling her she is the sole heir to her Aunt Calpurnia's home and she must come down to take care of it. Celia hadn't spoken to her Aunt in years, and feels horrible Calpurnia died without Celia making her peace. With no job on the horizon, she heads to Charleston.

What Celia finds is a big surprise, and the beginning of a brand new life-one that Celia isn't sure she wants. However, she's a potential match for a baby, and has twelve weeks to get the house in shape for a visit by the birth mother. And the house is a DISASTER. A host of characters enter the picture-neighbors, an ex-con contractor, a delightfully sunny young man who works at a local coffee shop; even an old high school friend. And yes, the lawyer who wears ill-fitting suits even shows up to help Celia. Little does Celia know it, but her family is taking shape and changing her life. 

As I said before, this was a charming novel. I am always up for a novel where people are starting over, changing their life in big and small ways, and discovering what makes them truly happy. Time and time again, what we think we want and what we actually need are usually two different things-and it can take big changes to recognize the difference. For Celia, it's a big change in both her attitude and her idea of a picture perfect life that generate her happily ever after. 

There are some interesting issues throughout this book: most importantly, the issues of loneliness and isolation. Family, forgiveness, doing what's right versus doing what society thinks is proper. Understanding we have a family we are born into, and a family we create from those around us who support, nurture, and love us through all the crap. 

If you're looking for a gentle read, this is it. Marie Bostwick has written many other novels, and I suspect they are also gentle reads, too. There is a letter from the author in the back, as well as reading group questions. This is the kind of novel you finish at night before you go to bed, smile, then get a good night's sleep. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that surprised me with the many lively characters and their back stories, the evolution of Celia's life plans, and the happily ever after that was not a big blow out, but a soft, gentle, satisfying conclusion. Oh-there is knitting, too! 

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The Restoration of Celia Fairchild by Marie Bostwick

Read Off the TBR Pile: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

This is a novel I've been wanting to read for quite some time. February is African American History Month, and I felt this was the perfect time to read it. I finished last night, and had to take some time to digest, because it's a book that left me gobsmacked. 

First of all, Colson Whitehead is an amazing writer. Amazing. This was a novel that grabbed me and occasionally let me come up for air. I  read it in chunks, because some of it was brutal, and left me feeling a bit sick and horrified. 

Cora is a young slave working the cotton fields at the Randall plantation in Georgia. Two brothers own two parts of the plantation, and while she is under the ownership of the less brutal brother, it is still a harsh life. Her mother Martha had run away when Cora was very small, and the famous slave catcher Ridgeway had failed to bring her back to the plantation. Ridgeway just could never let that go, and that plays a big part in Cora's journey throughout the novel. Cora herself is at turns angry and bitter at her mother for leaving her, and desperately missing her mother. 

Cora's owner dies, and his brother Terrance takes ownership of the whole plantation. Terrance is quite possibly the most sadistic and horrible character in the novel. He has his eye on Cora, and she is terrified of what's to come. Caesar, a fellow slave, decides to run, and asks Cora to go with him. The two run away and so begins Cora's amazing flight to freedom. 

The underground railroad is stunning; it's an actual railroad, complete with trains and tracks. Cora travels from Georgia to South Carolina and beyond. At each stop she thinks she's found a safe place. The people who help along the way are all part of a huge network of folks who risk their lives to keep the railroad moving. Some of them pay a harsh price. 

I can't tell you more, because if you haven't read it, you should and discover Cora's journey for yourself. While some reviewers expressed disappointment in not getting to know Cora on a deeper level, I didn't find that to be true. The brutality she experiences is told in a matter of fact way which makes it that much more awful. This was every day life. I was reminded at times of witch hunts--people taking the opportunity to turn others in on suspicion in order to get even for imagined slights. I was reminded of World War 2, when people took great risks to hide Jews and help them get to safety. I was reminded of those people who were so afraid for their own safety that they willingly, and sometimes gleefully betrayed others in order to survive. Time and again, Whitehead reminds us that the machine of the South was relentless, asking for more and more human flesh to keep it churning, greedy for more cotton, more money. 

The "magical realism" of the railroad and some of Cora's experiences portray a world gone mad and out of control. Time and again, Cora meets and loses someone; she must continue on this journey alone. Ridgeway has not given up on finding Cora and bringing her back to the plantation. He's obsessed with her, and will not let Martha's daughter escape. 

Will Cora make it to freedom? Is it worth the sacrifices and loss she must suffer?   Will she ever find Martha?

This is a novel that will stick with me for a long time. I feel emotionally exhausted. Worthy of all the accolades, and definitely one of the best books I've read in a very, very long time. 

Rating: 6/6 for a Pulitzer prize winning novel that is astonishing in the brutal portrayal of slavery and a flight to freedom. A cast of unforgettable characters and excellent writing make this truly an epic read. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio.  

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Read Off the TBR Pile: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street by Karen White

It's safe to say I'm a HUGE Karen White fan, and especially of her Tradd Street series. I eagerly await the next in the series, and dang it all-- I found out there's going to be just one more in the series. I'm glad, because this one ends with a bit of a cliffhanger that absolutely must be resolved. 

I don't want to give a lot away, since this is the sixth in the series. But the basics of the series I can certainly share: Melanie is a real estate agent in her hometown of Charleston. She sells a lot of old historic homes, and she loathes them, mostly because she can see and hear the dead. A town with the history of Charleston has spirits everywhere, and Melanie isn't a fan of her talent, inherited from her opera singing mother. 

Melanie's home on Tradd Street was inherited from an old man who enjoyed Melanie's company, and knew of her talents. He was convinced his home would be safe in her hands. And through this series, it is safe in her hands after she reluctantly takes ownership and begins restoration work. Of course, there are spirits, both helpful and malevolent hanging around, and Melanie has to solve the historical mysteries before someone gets hurt. Through it all is Jack Trenholm, a dashingly handsome author of historical novels, who is intrigued with Melanie's home and the possibility of writing a new novel based on the history of her home. Jack is, of course, interested in Melanie, too. The attraction between the two moves through all six of the books, and I guess I'm not giving anything away when you see that by this novel, they're happily married, with toddler twins. But the course of love and marriage doesn't run smooth, mostly because Melanie's upbringing left her with some trust issues. Those trust issues drive the plot toward an ending that had me anxious for Melanie, and completely irritated at her, too. 

This sixth novel finds Melanie again dealing with some really unhappy spirits who seem to have been stirred up by the excavation of an old cistern in her back yard. She sees a man with no eyes, a bloody shirt, and some pretty serious anger issues hanging around upstairs, and she just knows trouble is around the corner. Juggling her family, her job, her marriage, and her insecurities, along with the latest threat from Marc Longo, a total jerk who is out to take Melanie's home away from her...well, it's all a big pot that will boil over, with unexpected consequences. 

I rarely, if ever, finish a series. They tend to "jump the shark" about half-way through and I lose interest. This is one series I will read until the end. I absolutely love it. Melanie has come a long way, but she still has moments of annoyance that make me want to shake her! I love the full cast of characters--her parents, her sister, her friends, and yes, even her enemy Marc. Jack is pretty yummy, too. I love the blend of history and paranormal, and of course Charleston is on my list of places to visit. It all combines to make a series that will remain one of my favorites. I don't know how I'm going to wait for the final book in the series! 

And yes, I would recommend reading the series in order, because so much of what happens develops over time, and it will make more sense if you follow the books in order--especially to see the developing relationship between Melanie and Jack, and Melanie and her mother. 

Rating 5/6 for an interesting historical plot about a Revolutionary War spy ring, ghosts, clues, and a race to put it all together. A satisfying addition to the Tradd Street series. Loved it! 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street by Karen White

Dreams of Falling by Karen White

I've had a discussion with a number of people in the past few weeks about how I don't seem to have the time I used to for reading, and how it bothers me a lot.  They've all said the same thing: I just have more stuff going on day to day, and it leaves less time for reading. 

BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO. Dang it. I've eagerly awaited Karen White's latest novel, and was excited to check it out at the library last week before I took a few days off for a family visit and party. I was happy thinking I could read this book in just a few days, in the quiet of my home. 

Nope. That didn't happen. Instead, I was so busy with family, the only time I had to read was when I went to bed at night, and that lasted just a few minutes before my eyes were drifting shut.  It took me much longer to read Dreams of Falling that I expected or wanted to take. I finally finished it today when I got home from work. Phew. 

You probably know I'm a big fan of Karen White, in particular her paranormal series that started with The House on Tradd Street. But, I also love her stand-alone novels.  They usually mix a contemporary issue rooted in a story that is either one or two generations behind. Add in a Southern setting, and I'm all in for an enjoyable read. I've never been disappointed, and that includes her latest, set in South Carolina. 

Larkin Lanier is from Georgetown, SC. She's been living in New York City for the past nine years, fleeing after high school graduation; angry at her parents, her best friends, and pretty much everyone. Beautiful and loved by many, Larkin was raised to believe she could be anything, do anything she wanted-she was special, and a star. A humiliating incident with her high school crush ruined her friendship with her best friends, twins Mabry and Bennett. Now she's been called back, as her mother Ivy has gone missing, and everyone is frantic to find her. 

Once back in Georgetown, Ivy is found, badly injured and unconscious at the ruins of her family's once stately plantation, Carrowmore. In the hospital, in a coma, we listen to Ivy's thoughts, as she struggles to find peace and forgiveness before she can leave her family behind. We also have Larkin's point of view, as she tries to figure out why her mother was at Carrowmore, and what she wanted to tell Larkin about her past. Ceecee and Bitty, two old friends of Larkin's grandmother Margaret, have practically raised Larkin, and before her, her mother Ivy. The fire at Carrowmore, fifty years before, killed her grandmother, and no one knows what happened. All of these things keep Ivy tied to her comatose body, and she can't leave until not only she finds peace, but Larkin figures out all of the secrets that Bitty and Ceecee have been holding since 1951. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I wish I could have read it much faster. It's the kind of story I like to sink into, and devote large chunks of time to reading it. I couldn't wait to get back to it everyday. I thought the use of Ivy's perspective, given that she was in a coma and dying, was pretty interesting, and helped me, the reader, understand her a little better. The dynamics between Larkin and Bennett, her childhood friend turned hottie, and her strained relationship with her father helped balance the big chunk of time devoted to the back story regarding Ceecee and Bitty; their relationship with Margaret in 1951, and how they fit into both Ivy and Larkin's lives. It's definitely an interesting family dynamic-one that is not made of blood, but friendship and promises written on ribbons and tucked into a tree. 

Fans of Karen White won't be disappointed. I certainly wasn't, and darn it all, now I have to wait another year for her next novel. 

Rating:  4/6 for an intriguing family tale that spans decades. Larkin learns that never asking questions can leave you with a hollow space that should be filled with family history, and a sense of knowing where you're from and who came before you. Larkin is a bit prickly, but I warmed up to her, and you will, too. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Dreams of Falling by Karen White

Christmas at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer and I'm Done With Christmas Reads!

I've made a pretty good dent in my month of Christmas reads, but I decided today that I just can't read anymore holiday themed novels.  I'm ready to get back to my regular reading.  So much so that I've already put so many books on my mental January reads list that it's impossible for me to read them all.  I'm afraid to sit and actually write down what I'm planning on reading for January. The bone chilling cold that has visited Iowa in the past few days (and not leaving any time soon) has me yearning (and yes, I do mean yearning) to plant my tush on the couch and read for days.  Those are my plans for this coming weekend, so I hope they become reality.

I bought this novel last month while perusing the holiday reads at B&N.  I hadn't read a holiday romance since last year, and when I read the back cover, I had to buy it. Anything that is set in Charleston has me won over.  I've never been to Charleston, but it's on my travel list as a must see. I'm halfway in serious like with a city I've never been to, but someday I'll get there.

After my unhappy reading experience with Christmas in London, I was ready for a romance with some heat, and Deacon Banks, hailing from New York City, was just the ticket.  He's in Charleston for the month of December to help his Aunt Fran settle into her winter condo and make her entrance into Charleston society.  A famous talk show host, she's retired and wanted to make a change, so Charleston was her change.  She wants Deacon to settle down, so he's reluctantly promised her he'll date a few women while he's in Charleston, just to make his Aunt happy.  Enter Two Love Lane, where Macy Frost and her two friends run a matchmaking service.  They've got the magic touch, and are well known as matchmakers who help folks find their true love.  Deacon just wants a few dates with no strings attached, but the first time he lays eyes on Macy, it's lust.  Macy tries to keep it professional, but she feels the pull of attraction, too.  

Macy is a matchmaker who believes in love, but not for herself.  That, and Deacon's unwillingness to admit that it's more than lust with Macy make the road to happily ever after a bit bumpy. As they spend the December social scene  together, and get to know one another, it's clear this is a love match.  Clear to everyone but the two of them.  I got a little lost in some of the finer details as to why they just couldn't admit to their deeper feelings; it seemed to take way too long, even after they did sleep together.  I think the story could have been shortened by about 50 pages by cutting out some of that dragging plot.  But, that was about all I had to complain about.  The sparks between Macy and Deacon were hot, they were cute and funny together, and the secondary characters were delightful.  I can't imagine that Charleston is as small town as it appears to be in this novel--everyone knows everyone, and everything is in walking distance--but that is part of the charm of the setting. I'm willing to overlook it. 

There is a sequel coming out next week, called Wedding at Two Love Lane.  It is the story of one of Macy's partners, and it looks like fun, too.  I'll probably be reading it just to see how things turn out.  I suspect there will be a third, to round out the trio of ladies who own Two Love Lane.  

So, I am ending my Christmas reads with this novel.  I have a few that I didn't get to, or gave up on, and I'll have a roundup of those in a later post. I'll say goodbye until next year to my holiday reads.  I'll be ready to tackle another pile of them come December 1, 2018.  

Rating:  3/6 for an entertaining romance set in Charleston in December.  The chemistry between the two main characters is palpable, and the secondary characters are pretty fantastic. Available in mass market, and ebook. I'll read the sequel coming out next week.   

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Christmas at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer and I'm Done With Christmas Reads!

The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers

Well, I kicked off February with a fantastic tale of love and marriage during the Civil War.   I confess I might have a little crush on Gryffth Hockaday.  This was one surprisingly good read, and will probably be one of my favorites of the year.  

Placidia is a young woman living on her father's plantation in South Carolina in 1863. A chance meeting with Major Hockaday, who has come to buy a horse, sparks an attraction between the two that they both seem utterly unable to resist.  Hockaday asks for Placidia's hand in marriage, and they are married a mere two days later.  Riding through the night to reach Hockaday's farm (Holland Creek), they begin their marriage tentatively. Before they can settle in, Hockaday is called away to battle, and Placidia is left to run the farm on her own, with just a few slaves to help with the crops.  Hockaday has also left his two year old son Charles to be raised by Placidia.  She's over her head, but struggles to carry on through a whole lot of bad luck.  Through it all, she writes Hockaday with news of the farm, yearns for him at night, and worries for his safety.  Hockaday himself manages to get a few letters to Placidia, pledging his love to her.  He's a pretty intense man, and at age 32, quite a bit older than Placidia.  Yet somehow they work, and the quick, intense love they share seems very believable.  They are meant to be.  

Coming home two years later, in 1865, Hockaday hears that his wife was pregnant, and the baby died.  Hockaday, scarred by the war, angry at the apparent faithlessness of his wife, wants nothing to do with her while she awaits trial in the murder of her child.  What the heck happened?

This novel is told through letters between Placidia and her Aunt while she awaits her fate; letters between Placidia and Hockaday during the war, and a diary Placidia keeps during her struggle to keep Holland Creek running by herself.  It jumps ahead 30 years about halfway through, so you know what happens, yet it circles back to Placidia and Hockaday as they tell their tale through their own words.  Oh!  Placidia just makes your heart break.  What a tough young woman, battling against the odds.  And Hockaday, seeing the horror of war, waiting to die, and wishing he was back with his love.  This would make one heck of a great movie.  

Susan Rivers writes the story of Placidia and Hockaday with beautiful language; it's not corny or overly dramatic but believable.  Two damaged people fighting to find their way back to each other and the promise of what their life together could be.  

Rating:  8/10 for a novel that has two remarkable main characters, a powerful love story, and plenty of family angst that echoes through the generations and asks the question:  what do we keep hidden from our family in order to protect them?

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book. 

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The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers

A Quick Review of The Guests on South Battery by Karen White AND Books for February

January sped by and now I'm staring February in the face.  Of course all the books I've asked for through the library are now rolling in, so I've got a glut to read.  Gee, twist my arm.  😉  But before I get to what I'm reading for February, I've got a quick review of The Guests on South Battery by Karen White.

I'll tell you right now that I absolutely adore this series.  This is fifth book in the series, so please don't start with this one, but start at the beginning with The House on Tradd Street.  You'll be a bit lost, and darn it, come into the story after all the really good stuff happens between Melanie and Jack.  **Warning:  spoiler alert**

Melanie is returning to work as a realtor specializing in historic homes in her hometown of Charleston, SC.  Work continues on her home, as do the odd paranormal events that come with her home.  Jack is working on a book, and having twin babies means they need a nanny.  Melanie's latest client has inherited a historic home on South Battery Street, and Jayne is eager to sell it.  Very eager to sell it.  It's obvious Jayne is very uneasy around the house, and will do anything to avoid stepping foot in it.  Lucky for Melanie, Jayne is a nanny looking for a job while the house is looked at by a team of historical renovation experts, restored, and all of the valuable antiques are evaluated and sold.  Jayne is a perfect fit for Melanie's household, and her twins Sarah and JJ (both adorable 10 month olds) take to her instantly.  

Meanwhile, lots of recent rainfall has caused part of Melanie's back yard to sink in, exposing a cistern that requires archaeologists from the local college to excavate it, as it's clearly from the early days of Charleston and may be of historical significance.  Only bad thing about it is that something dark and evil has been released and has taken root in Melanie's home.  Also, touring Jayne's home has given Melanie a sense that not only are there spirits around, but one isn't very nice.  Reluctant to embrace her gifts, but frustrated that during her pregnancy they seemed to be blocked, Melanie knows she's being called on to solve another mystery haunting historical Charleston.  But, in doing so, both her and Jack uncover a whole lot more that has repercussions for Melanie and her family.  

I dived right into this novel, and was happy to read the continuation of Melanie and Jack's story.  Here they are happily married, and new parents.  Melanie still suffers from moments of "I can't believe this guy is my husband!" and fresh off of a difficult pregnancy, she doesn't feel her most attractive.  Being a first time mom in her early 40's has given her great joy, but also a bit of a confidence issue.  This is a big part of the story, and while I understand completely, there were times I wanted to shake her!  Just goes to show that marriages always need work, and communication is so important between partners.  I liked the paranormal plot a lot, but I figured it all out pretty quickly so there weren't any surprises.  Still very enjoyable.   I give it a 6/10; it's available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.  If you're a fan of the South, and like a bit of paranormal, family drama, history, and romance, pick up this series.  Can't wait for the next one!

Now, onto my February reads.  I've got a plateful, for sure. 

Moms and drama at a school in small town England

John Wilkes Booth.  Should be interesting

Epistolary novel set during the Civil War

Sequel to the Lace Reader.  I'm giving her another chance

Publisher review.  Thriller. 

 And I'm going to try and squeeze in a romantic read...after all it is the month of love! 
 

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A Quick Review of The Guests on South Battery by Karen White AND Books for February