DIFFICULT WOMEN by Roxane Gay

A
Grove Press
January 3, 2017

Difficult Women should be read by all women, protagonists within the pages breathe truth...The pain women suffer, be it by lovers, husbands, fathers, directly or indirectly by their actions comes across raw, painfully true...

The stories are beautifully rendered, touching my heart in it's hidden places, tears came easy. 

Roxane Gay can only be described to be a beautiful soul, women's truth a precious gift she generously shares.

Having never attended a lecture given by this beautiful author, I will remedy this soon.

Thank you Grove Press and Net Galley for this ARC

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by Elizabeth Strout

B

Random House
Pub date April 27,  2017


Mini review,  FULL REVIEW UPON PUBLISHING DATE April 27

I absolutely loved 'My Name is Lucy Barton'. I loved how mother and daughter, after years of estrangement reconnected. Memories they shared of family members, neighbours, what happened to each.

In 'Anything is Possible' characters previously mentioned in ' My Name is Lucy Barton' invite us into their lives one chapter at a time, yet always connected. It is by no means a depressing read, it is filled with hope, courage, empathy and joy.
It is a stand alone novel. If you read the previous novel, you will be acquainted with many names, this is their lives as lived in Amgash, Ill.

Thank you to Random House and netgalley for this arc.

EDGAR & LUCY by Victor Lodato

A+
St. Martin Press
March 17, 2017 release
544 pages

Synopsis
Edgar and Lucy is a page-turning literary masterpiece—a stunning examination of family love and betrayal.

Eight-year-old Edgar Fini remembers nothing of the accident people still whisper about. He only knows that his father is gone, his mother has a limp, and his grandmother believes in ghosts. When Edgar meets a man with his own tragic story, the boy begins a journey into a secret wilderness where nothing is clear—not even the line between the living and the dead. In order to save her son, Lucy has no choice but to confront the demons of her past

Review

EDGAR AND LUCY will definitely be among my very favorite novel of 2017.

Throughout 544 pages I enjoyed each chapter, never felt slowed down. The characters jumped of the page, became intimate, real.

I will be anticipating other reader's feelings, not everyone will agree with Edgar's decisions. I for one chose to understand how emotions, under certain circumstances, can lead one to trust another humanbeign, perhaps wrongly so...

This is an extraordinary novel. A story of deceit, trust, possessive love, grief, misunderstanding and love, with characters I will not soon forget.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advance copy

HAG -SEED by Margaret Atwood

A

Crown Publishing
Hogarth
Publishing date October 11, 2016
                             January  2017

Mini review
In remembrance of Shakespeare's four hundred birthday celebration, our most talented authors are honouring the Bards works.
Margaret Atwood chose " The Tempest ".
I love her rendition. Keeping the essence Shakespeare gave the play, the author manages to bring us a twenty first century rendition. Choosing a prison setting which makes for quite a humorous tale, I had a lot of fun reading this version of The Tempest. Margaret Atwood's humour is a gem, I think the Bard who himself improvised while his plays took place, involving his audience, would approve.

A highly recommended read.  A+

THE WONDER by Emma Donoghue

A+

Little Brown and Company

Pub date 20 Sep. 2016

Review
If you read Emma Donohue's novel " ROOM " and enjoyed the mounting tension, you will love her latest novel " THE WONDER ".
Ireland 1850, the island is recovering after years of famine. Parents provide for their children and families once more.
Anna, a young girl, does not concern herself with earthly nourishment. The town's people look upon this child as a miracle send by God. Anna's nourishment consists of Manna from Heaven.
THE WONDER is a cautionary tale of good and evil in a country where poverty reigns and religion is the only solace.
I couldn't put the book down, the tension mounted the further I read and held this momentum to the last page.
I recommend this novel highly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advance copy.

5/5