The 23rd Hero Book Review

Content warning: this review discusses trauma and sexual assault.

Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

You know what I haven’t read in awhile? A time travel romance! The last one I read was Transcendence by Shay Savage, which involved a caveman. This time I wanted something different. Luckily, I finished one that involves time travel to prevent climate change. What was that book called? It’s The 23rd Hero by Rebecca Anne Nguyen. It had great worldbuilding and a memorable main character although I had issues with certain plot points and the overall structure.

The 23rd Hero is about an ordinary woman with an extraordinary memory who travels back in time to sixteenth century France to stop climate change before it starts and return to the man she loves. In a world ravaged by climate change, a mysterious time travel agency called The Program sends carefully selected Heroes back in time on missions to prevent environmental damage from occurring. Sloane Burrows longs to be a Hero and restore the natural world from her childhood – a place that she can recall vividly because of her powerful memory. However, her father made her believe that her “freak memory” was shameful and that it should be hidden from the world. She buries her dreams of becoming a Hero and conceals her memory to the point of making her sick. Her only break from the shame is the recurring dream that she’s been having for a decade. In it, a beautiful man makes her feel accepted in a way that she never has experienced before, not despite her memory, but because of it. When that man, named Bastian, shows up in the real world, Sloane’s life turns upside down. It also turns out that Bastian is from The Program, and he wants her to do the one thing that will shatter her chances of winning her father’s love: become a Hero, travel back to sixteenth century France, and use her superpower memory to save the world.

Let’s start off with the good. I loved the world building in The 23rd Hero. Nguyen does a great job with establishing the dystopian place that Sloane lives in. It reminded me of the districts in The Hunger Games series, with more technology. I especially love the descriptions of the sight and smell of smog. Additionally, the time travel in the novel is fascinating. I have read and watched stuff that deals with that trope, but The 23rd Hero takes it in a whole new direction. Usually, when people go back in time, it’s usually to see what the past was like and stop whatever is going to alter the timeline (ie Doctor Who). In this case, the objective is to deliberately change the past, so the future would be better environmentally. The Program sends one Hero to stop something that would result in climate change. If something else occurs as a result, they can send another to fix that. While there isn’t much logic surrounding the time travel, there’s enough for readers to piece it together. It was intriguing to see it portrayed in this way.

Another plus is Sloane herself. She is one who believes that her superpower is a curse. Sloane has a wonderful memory, but anything that she has to access it reminds her of the father’s emotional abuse, and she vomits. As a result, she barely has any self-confidence despite her dreams to become a Hero. Her issue is absolutely relatable to any person who’s gone through something similar. Sloane’s romance with the mysterious man later known as Bastian helps her to build her confidence. Even though it would’ve been nice to have a bit more character development from Bastian, their chemistry is undeniable, which hurts more when Sloane has to enter the portal into 1500s France. This would no doubt remind readers of The Outlander series.

There have been people who have taken issues with certain elements of the book. One of them includes the depiction of religion. Some have said that it is used to manipulate others to spread their version of God’s word. There’s no doubt that priests in Catholic France would have done something like this to suit their view of Catholicism. My problem is that Sloane does something similar to advance the message about Mother Earth. It’s like when bad people cajole others to believe a message, it’s wrong, but when a good person does it, it’s good?

Also, at one point, one of the priests sexually assaults Sloane while he’s trying to get her to confess her sins. She is no doubt traumatized, but she deals with it by trying to have sex with another man. Many readers had a problem with it because it’s not how people should handle a situation like that. I had a similar initial thought with, “Ok…why? Wouldn’t you not want to have sex for a while after that incident?”

But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it makes sense for Sloane. Since she has a powerful memory, she remembers everything, both good and bad. For her, she wants to rewrite it with a better one. There are people who are like Sloane and have to have different associations with places and things. For example, I had a friend who went through a terrible break up last year. One of the places they went to was a restaurant in Grand Rapids. When I visited her, she wanted to go to that place to “erase” the memory of the dude she dated. The point is that with Sloane, wanting to have sex after experiencing sexual assault is a realistic response even if it’s not the most appropriate. After all, she makes some incredible stupid decisions, but once readers know why, it’s understandable. Plus, if every character had perfect reactions to bad things, they would be quite boring.

My main issue with The 23rd Hero is the structure. From the blurb, one would think that Sloane would spend plenty of time in sixteenth century France. Surprisingly, she doesn’t. In fact, she doesn’t actually travel through time until over halfway through the novel. The book spends a good chunk of the time on her training and her romance with Bastian, which makes sense since they all are a part of her journey. I wish that Sloane would’ve gotten to time travel sooner. It’s like what if Cinderella went to the ball in the third act as opposed to the second one. Also, once Sloane is in France, her time is brief. I wish that there was more time spent on the mission once she’s in the past. As it is, it felt underwhelming.

The 23rd Hero by Rebecca Anne Nguyen is a fine time travel romance. The first half got me invested in the world the characters live in and in Sloane. However, once the time travel happened, it kind of lost me. I wish that occurred sooner, so more time could be spent in 1500s France. I still liked it though. I would only recommend this to those love time travel romances like The Outlander series and to those who enjoy reading about characters embracing their “superpowers.” While it’s not a bad book, I think it could’ve been better. Maybe I’ll read another one that involves a caveman.

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The Cheesemaker’s Daughter Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by Author Marketing Experts in exchange for an honest review.

When I search for books online or at a store, certain words will pop out. These include “girl,” “woman,” “wife,” and “daughter.” This is especially true with the last word as I have seen that in several novels, usually in the The ___’s Daughter format. This was big back in the 2000s and 2010s, but the trend has died down since then. But, books like today’s subject The Cheesemaker’s Daughter by Kristin Vukovic prove that it hasn’t gone away entirely. The novel earns that title for its exploration of the main character and identity along with having a wonderful setting.

The Cheesemaker’s Daughter is about a woman who tries to save her family’s cheese factory in Croatia. As her marriage unravels, New Yorker Marina Maržić returns to Pag Island to help her father with his struggling cheese factory, Sirana. She is forced to confront her Croatian-American identity and her past as a refugee from the former Yugoslavia while she lives with her parents and starts a new life working at the factory. While she gradually settles into the place that she once called home, her life becomes inextricably intertwined with the island’s cheese. On top of that, when her past with the son of a rival cheesemaker comes back to haunt her on the divided island, she must find a way to save Sirana and learn to belong on her own terms.

First, let’s get this out of the way: I like cheese just fine. I like it on burgers, hot dogs, pasta, salads, crackers, and pizza. I won’t eat it by itself. In other words, it needs to be on something if I’m going to eat it. However, Vukovic does such a great job describing the various cheeses, especially the taste, made throughout the novel that it makes me want to take a bite out of them. It’s also clear that she loves the process of making cheese as there are plenty of descriptions of how Sirana puts them together. Normally, I would put my recommendation towards the end, but I have to say that for the descriptions alone, cheese lovers will enjoy this, both for the food and how it’s created.

The setting and how Vukovic paints it is exquisite. Much of the story is set on Pag Island, which is a part of Croatia. Vukovic portrays it as a rugged, but beautiful place filled with tradition. Readers also get to learn about its history being influenced by regions like Venice and Yugoslavia as well as the impact that the Bosnian War (1992-1995) had. For those who don’t know, the Bosnian War took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was a key factor in the collapse of Yugoslavia. Even Operation Storm – the last major battle for Croatian Independence and major outcome of the war in general – has a pivotal role in the book. On top of that, the book takes place in 2012-2013 when Croatia was about to enter the European Union. The author does a great job with depicting Pag Island realistically but not forgetting what makes it special, especially its cheese. This is important, for why would Marina return to it if she didn’t think of Pag Island in those ways?

In addition, Pag Island is a great location to reflect on identity. As mentioned earlier, the island was influenced by a bunch of cultures and world events. Marina, too, is a product of similar circumstances. Even though she grew up on Pag Island, her father sent her to live in New York City as a Croatian refugee during the Bosnian War when she was a teenager. As a result, she has many conflicting identities, both as a Croatian and as an American since she has survivor’s guilt for escaping the war when there were people, especially ones she knew, who didn’t. Moreover, she also reconciles her role as a wife, sister, and daughter, while she forges her own.

Finally, Marina is a wonderful character. The Cheesemaker’s Daughter wouldn’t work without such a multi-faceted person like her. When readers meet her, she has left her marriage in the United States to spend time in her homeland of Croatia, but her problems don’t go away. When she was a teenager, she had a romance with a guy from a rival cheesemaker family on the island, yet she may or may not still have feelings for him. Additionally, she has a lot of trauma, not only with the national one as a result of the Bosnian War, but also she experienced a miscarriage. She goes through depression, but she finds purpose in working at Sirana. Mirana is a strong-willed individual, yet she’s vulnerable. Her relationship with her equally strong-minded father Nikola is also interesting. A lot of Marina’s trauma was the result of the decisions that he made from sending her to New York City to the origins of the feud with the rival cheesemaker. I was wholly invested in her journey to find where she truly belongs and to transform into the cheesemaker.

If I had one complaint about this book, it would be that it has too many conflicts happen right after another. Let me elaborate. There’s always something that occurs without much breathing space, especially in the second half. Granted, the novel spends some time divulging into how Marina feels about all of these developments, so it’s not like they don’t get brought up again. It simply felt a bit too melodramatic. 

The Cheesemaker’s Daughter by Kristin Vukovic is a good story about one woman’s journey for a sense of belonging. Pag Island was a wonderful location that reflects the conflicts the main character goes through. I enjoyed how the novel explores identity, and a lot of the book wouldn’t work without such a character like Marina. Also, it’s got plenty of descriptions of cheese and a loving portrayal of the process. Along with cheese lovers, I would recommend this book to readers who love stories that take place in Croatia and in other countries that were formerly part of Yugoslavia; tackle identity, national and generational trauma; and the sense of belonging. It’s been awhile since The ___’s Daughter became a trend, but this one rightfully earns it because it proves that Marina is more than just the cheesemaker’s daughter. The Cheesemaker’s Daughter is out tomorrow, August 6, so go grab it wherever you get your books.

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Adapt Me Podcast – The Haunting of Maddy Clare

Hi Everybody!

Grab your 1920s ghost hunting kits and take a trip to the countryside because returning guest Mel B. – owner of BDA Publishing – and I talk about how we would adapt “The Haunting of Maddy Clare” by Simone St. James on the latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast. You can check it out at this link.

In the meantime, you can see my review of The Haunting of Maddy Clare here.

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The Haunting of Maddy Clare Book Review

I’ve read a handful of mysteries, yet there’s one kind that I haven’t encountered in a while: a ghost story. The fact that it has taken me this long to read a book with this kind of plot is actually not surprising. I’ve never cared that much about ghosts, for I haven’t had any formal experiences with them. But, I can imagine how it would feel especially after I read today’s book The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James. It’s a mystery novel that beautifully blends many genres together and richly explores characters and trauma even if the mystery itself was easy to figure out.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare is about a woman summoned to assist a ghost hunter. In 1920s England, Sarah Piper lives a lonely life when her temporary agency sends her to aid Alistair Gellis – a rich, handsome, and obsessive ghost hunter who’s also scarred by World War I. He has been sent to investigate the spirit of the 19-year-old maid Maddy Clare. It has been said that she still haunts the barn in which she took her own life. Maddy hated men while she was alive, and she refuses to speak to them in death. Sarah is unprepared to confront the angry ghost on her own. She’s even more so when Matthew Ryder arrives. He is Alistair’s rough associate. He, too, fought in the war, and his scars go deeper than Sarah realizes. Soon, she is caught up in a desperate struggle, for she discovers that Maddy is real, angry, and has powers that defy all reason. Sarah and Matthew must discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and her reason for vengeance before she destroys them all.

On the surface, The Haunting of Maddy Clare may seem like a mystery that deals with ghosts in the 1920s, but it’s more than that. It blends history, the paranormal, and romance that sparks between Sarah and Matthew naturally. Each is given its attention in ways that reflect the characters and the times, while the others are actively working in the background. I especially love how it addresses the historical context. Since the book takes place in early 1920s England, the Great War (aka World War I) was still fresh in people’s minds. Alistair and Matthew both were in the trenches and suffered the consequences of engaging in constant warfare. The latter even more so, but people didn’t talk about the mental health of soldiers at that time. This colors Matthew as a character, his struggles, and the relationship between him and Sarah. 

Each of the three main characters are well-developed and have a clear reason for why they want to go on this ghost hunt. For Alistair, he’s obsessed with the paranormal, and it’s a good way to get out of his dull life living by himself in a mansion with a bunch of servants to attend to him. For Matthew, it’s a distraction from his personal demons as he works on the recording equipment. Then, for Sarah, it’s the feeling of being important and secure. Prior, she felt like she was unimportant as she went from job and job without much security. She becomes more confident in herself when Alistair and Matthew discover more of her potential as she interacts with Maddy. As a result, I was wholly invested to see how these characters interact with each other and react to how the mystery unfolds, especially when Maddy starts manifesting herself in other ways.

I also love how it explores the theme of trauma and its effects on people’s wellbeing. Both Alistair and Matthew have varying degrees of that after fighting in a war, and both deal with it in different ways. Sarah has trauma related to the death of her parents due to the Spanish Flu. The way that they, especially her mother, died made her feel insignificant and that no one cared for her. Even Maddy had a horrific experience being taken advantage of, which led to her refusing to speak and avoiding men in general while she was a servant to the Clare family. Even her death was related to that event.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare reminded me so much of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny. It was in the way that the story was about the people involved just as much as the mystery. I could tell that St. James enjoyed writing characters, which in turn, made me – the reader – feel invested in their journey to find the truth about Maddy. It’s a shame that the book is not part of a series because it would’ve been a good debut. I would have liked to see one with Sarah, Matthew, and Alistair as they go ghost hunting in other places.

As much as I praise the book, it will always be good, but not great for one reason: the mystery itself. It was easy to figure out why Maddy remained in the Clare barn and more importantly, who assaulted her when she was alive. It wasn’t a loud hint per se, yet there weren’t many other suspects who knew her. And, the ones who did were arrogant, had something to hide, or both.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James is a good historical mystery. Even if the mystery part was easy to deduce, I was still invested because of the characters. They were well developed, and I wanted to see how they were going to figure it out and react to the latest developments in the case. It also helps that the historical, paranormal, and romantic aspects were well handled. St. James definitely did her research on how England acted after World War I. I would recommend this novel to readers who love historical mysteries, want more character development in their whodunits, and watch Acorn TV. I’m not into ghosts all that much, but I was into this story.

Before I go, I want to let everyone know that I have recorded the latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast recently. Returning guest Mel B – owner of DBA Publishing and I talk about how we would adapt this novel. Keep an eye out for the link.

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Go West, Girl! Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given a free kindle copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Move over, Annie Oakley! There’s a new sharpshooter town. Her name is Jeannie Delaney. I usually don’t read a whole lot of westerns, but when I heard about Go West, Girl! by Kit MacKenzie, whose main character is a bisexual cowgirl, I was intrigued. And overall, it was pretty good, for it had an intriguing framework, a unique voice, and compelling characters.

Go West, Girl! is the first book in the Jeannie Delaney series. Jeannie is devastating and charismatic. She can be tough as nails, and her looks can kill by staring at anybody. She grew up in New Orleans with her parents and several brothers. Her mother wants her to act like other girls, while her father is fine with who Jeannie wants to be. The family moves to Wyoming when she is 10 years old. As Jeannie grows up, she discovers that she has a phenomenal gun hand, a powerful persona, and a fluid sexuality. Many men and women desire her, and there are some that she yearns for as well. However, she finds it difficult to live on a land, where a number of men want her dead. She kills two of them in self-defense and is wanting to take revenge on a group who harmed a dear friend. Will she be able to live the life she wants to live?

Go West, Girl! is essentially a biography of the fictional Jeannie Delaney. What makes it interesting is the framework. The first two chapters center around a journalist named Kate Howard. She’s desperate to write a book about Jeannie because of how much she admires her. At first, Jeannie is not keen on the idea, but later on, she tells Kate to “give it to ‘em in a barrel load” and make it pretty.

I wonder what parts that Kate “wrote” about Jeannie are the truth. Sadly, she disappears afterwards. Maybe Kate will come back in the second volume. I’m also curious to know how Jeannie will react to it when the biography is done. Regardless, this framework shows the motive of writing such a story about someone the writer admires so much. The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers by Sarah Tomilson does this too, but it emphasizes the ghostwriter so much that it leaves behind what makes the subject that they’re working on so special. Go West, Girl rightly focuses on Jeannie while still finding the time to develop the journalist.

Since the novel mostly takes place in the American West, various characters speak in that dialect. Words like “I” and “something” are turned into “Ah” and “summat.” This is on purpose because people living in such a rugged area are not going to talk like those in more refined locations. I was able to understand what the characters were saying even if I had to read it outloud sometimes to get it. So, no, it doesn’t need a professional edit.

But of course, the book’s crowning achievement are the fleshed-out characters. Jeannie is quickly established as a strong and confident woman. She always knew that she was different since she was a kid when she favored pants over dresses. There are plenty of scenes that demonstrate that side of her personality. However, I felt more for her when she showed her softer side. I enjoyed the scenes, in which she tells stories to people, especially the children (much to the dismay of their parents.) It displays one more side of why people like her. She’s even vulnerable and doubtful at times. These come in the second half of the story when she’s discovering more of her sexuality, and she doesn’t know what to do. I wondered how she was going to deal with that since she couldn’t always shoot it away nor retort with a witty line.

It’s not just Jeannie who’s fleshed out. I love her dad Dean (lovingly called Pa.) He was the parent who supported her decision to wear pants and dress more masculine when she was a child. Pa was also the one that allowed her to work with the farmhands when they relocated to the west, particularly during their cattle drives, and taught her how to use a gun. At the same time, he later ponders on what would’ve happened if Jeannie acted like a lady once in a while. Even her brothers have a variety of thoughts on her choices. Most are supportive and try to help (even if it’s not what she wants), yet her oldest brother is religious and expresses his disappointment with her “lifestyle” in one scene.

This book is not for everyone. The language can be quite foul, especially with the f-word being dropped on several occasions. Some readers might interpret it as vulgar. Furthermore, there are a handful of scenes, in which Jeannie has her rendezvouses with men and women. These are tastefully done, yet I understand that there will always be people who don’t like love-making depicted in books and in media in general.

I have only one minor complaint. Some characters are of color, and they mainly exist to help Jeannie – a white woman. For example, when Jeannie gets herself into a fight with some men at the saloon, an Asian man notices and performs martial arts to defeat them. She asks him if he could teach her his moves, and he agrees. Readers never hear from him again. Earlier in the book when her family are in New Orleans, Jeannie goes to Jackson Square and sees some Africans dancing in a way she’s never seen before. They show her their moves. Like with the Asian man, they are never heard from again, but the dancing comes back into play when she attends a barn dance in Wyoming years later, proving how different she is from other women. 

Go West, Girl! by Kit MacKenzie is a wonderful story about a courageous bixsexual cowgirl. Jeannie Deleany is an interesting character who’s more than just a sharpshooter. The exploration of her vulnerable side is what elevates her. Other characters like her father and brothers are well developed too. Also, the language fits well with the environment, and the framework makes me wonder how much truth is being presented. I would recommend this to readers who want more strong, confident women and LGBTQ+ characters in their western novels. The second volume The Outlaw’s Return is coming out on Saturday, August 3, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to order my copy.

Interview with Bari Beckett

Full disclosure: this interview was recorded at the Bloomfield Township Public Library in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and has been edited for clarification.

Hello Everybody,

We have something special on Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything today. Our guest is the author of the book Big Love. Please welcome, Bari Beckett.

Bari: Hello! Thank you for having me.

Emily: Of course! How are you doing today, Bari?

Bari: I’m doing great. It’s sunny out and warm, my kind of weather.

Emily: Absolutely, and as we do this interview in a library, where it’s nice and cool and quiet. What was the catalyst for writing Big Love?

Bari: You know, I am online dating. I’m divorced, and I met someone. He’s a recruiter for hockey. He owns his own company. But I never really met him. I talked to him and everything, and then, he found someone else before I could meet them. But I did a story off of it. What would it be like to be in love with a person like that or any person really, but it got me to writing. How it started was I wrote [to] him like I texted him the sexy note saying what I would do if we were with your friends at a table. I would pass you a note to meet me in the bathroom, and then he wrote this really romantic sexy text back.

Emily: Ooo!

Bari: So then what happened was I started writing these little mini stories. So I would write him one, and then, he would love it, and then he met someone, but I continued to write the stories, and that’s why it’s 40 short stories. But really, it’s one book about the same characters into their 90s.

Emily: Wow! That’s really wonderful. I’m glad that you were inspired to make a book like this because if anything, books are always about imagination. Yes, there’s a lot of things that are based on some reality, but sometimes we take too much of the truth. I’m glad that we still act like every story that we put on is still based in some form of imagination.

Bari: Exactly! It’s like that, and I think everybody wants somebody to really love that, you know, and then you know, I write hot spicy romance. But really wanting this spice to communicate your love is one of the ways, and that’s what the book’s about.

Emily: Oh, that’s wonderful. To you, what is big love?

Bari: Big love is big. It’s gorgeous love. It’s like loving somebody for who they are and who they’re not and being really intimate with them because you want to express how much you love them. But also outside the bedroom, being okay with the way like some of their weirdness do you know? And, just loving them like one of the things in the book, one of my favorite ones is called “The Dance.” It’s one of the chapters, and it’s really romantic, where he looks at her across the room, and they can read each other. And, they come together to dance. And then, they make this beautiful love, but it’s like they know each other, and that’s what Big Love is all about, just really being there for each other.

Emily: That’s so wonderful. I was just looking at that chapter, and I definitely see where you’re coming from with the big dance and just how much love they have for each other whether it’s private or public.

Bari: Exactly.

Emily: What are some ways people can tap into big love? I know you discussed being out and open about your love and accepting your partner no matter who they are, no matter their flaws.

Bari: You know, love is different for everyone. So, my way of love is expressing, you know, really being straight with them and telling them, “Hey, I love you. And, I love you for all these reasons and even the goofy ones.”

And, that’s why in the back, I have pages where they can make up their own love stories because love is different for everyone.

Emily: Absolutely! I’m glad you mentioned those blank pages at the end because my next question was about that. One of the most unique things about this book is that there are over 60 pages, which allows readers to tell their own love story. What made you think of that?

Bari: I just thought that people sometimes forget after a number of years of being married of why they’ve been married. And, even single people, what do they want in a relationship? What kind of love story do they want and how can they imagine it? So, it’s for the couples that maybe it’s stopped getting spicy, and they start spicing it up by reading these. I encourage them to read what they wrote to each other and then act it out. And, it’s for the single people to really imagine what it would be like to have this love story you’ll always want and create it.

Emily: It’s so wonderful. Even my husband and I have been looking at parts of Big Love. We have a good relationship, but in any relationship, we always can be better, and there’s things that we want out of it, and we’ve been doing more of it. Thank you, Bari.

Bari: You are welcome. That’s the purpose of the book. That makes me happy. Even though it’s hot and spicy, there’s a purpose to the book. The purpose is that people forget how much they really fell in love and that, you know, being spicy in the bedroom is a good thing and that kind of gets you closer together.

Emily: Big Love is one of those books, where it’s very much chasing your dreams and passions, especially when it comes to relationships. What do you say to women who hesitate to chase after their own dreams? 

Bari: Right. I’m 64 years old, and I’m not embarrassed to say it, and I am living my dream as an author right now. And, one of the things I do is a couple of things. I have a Facebook page called Dream Up, where women older can get support and live their dreams and advertise what they do. Women own businesses, you know, get skills, and I just started it for that reason because the characters in the book are older. And, you know, we think women after a certain age don’t have passion, don’t have love, and we are the same people. We just happen to have a lot more wrinkles and gray hair. So yeah, so that’s what encouraged me. I’m a really creative person and writing makes me, it calms me and makes me so happy. So, everybody still has a dream, whether you’re 20 years old or whether you’re 80 years old, I want you to be able to. I want to encourage people to not give up.

Emily: Lovely on that! I have to confess that I cried while reading parts of it, especially when you were defining big love. What kinds of reactions have you gotten from people about the book?

Bari: It’s just, you know, a love story. People think it’s smut. You know, people would think it’s a smutty book, but when you read the book, it’s really truly like a Romeo and Juliet book, you know, like it’s just love, and that’s what that’s part of the reason it’s big love. So, and that’s why there’s parts of it that there isn’t, you know, sex in it. There’s you know, what does it mean to be in love? And, you know, like one of my favorite things I say is that the man reaches his hand out and makes sure you don’t walk behind and look beside him. 

Emily: I remember that part. It was so beautiful.

Bari: And, then the spicy part, you know, I write about that too is, you know, one of you sleeps naked, and one of you wears something a little fancy. And then, if that’ll spice up your ‘cause you’re there, you know, how do I say it your love life.

Emily: That’s certainly wonderful. How does your husband feel about the book?

Bari: I’m not married. I’m single. I think if I had a husband because I’ve learned from this book, I think it would be magical. And, I’m committed that other women and men have magical relationships. It helped me to figure out what I wanted in a relationship. So, as I was going through it, I was like the reader.

Emily: That’s really nice because I imagined that anybody would see themselves in this book to various degrees because love is different for everybody. And, I’ve heard they’ll find different things that they’ll get attached to.

Bari: Exactly.

Emily: I run the “Adapt Me Podcast,” where a guest and I talk about books that have never been adapted and how we would go about it. Who would you cast as yourself and your fantasy lover in a possible adaptation?

Bari: I love Minnie Driver, but she’s getting older. I don’t know how old she is. She’s not as old as me. And…..I don’t know who I put, for he would have to be calm and sturdy and tall cause the guy in this book Big Love is tall, so I don’t know I would have to think about that.

Emily: I certainly have some options. You got Robert Redford, and he’s still alive.

Bari: That actually would be great. I want to show young people that there is a life for you after you grow up, you know. And, I want to show people that are my age or, you know, you’re in your 40s and you’re like, “I don’t want you to be counting the years. I want you to be living the years.”

Emily: And, that’s the beauty of it. You know how we always try to live life to the fullest and pursue our dreams as much as we can, and sometimes it just gets caught up in everything. So, I’m glad you mentioned that.

Bari: Thank you.

Emily: Besides being a writer, since we’ve talked a lot about dreams, what are some of your own dreams?

Bari: I am writing a book called Ungraceful, and it’s about a girl Grace that’s ungraceful.

Emily: Oh no!

Bari: She’s in her 30s, and she’s never really stepped out in her life. She has a mother that’s very perfect. And she’s like ballerina perfect and always wanted a daughter that was perfect. And, she got Grace. 

Emily: Ah geez!

Bari: So, it goes from there. I’m still writing it. It’s going to take me to write it. So, it’s a story I’ve had in my head for 10 years, and I hope eventually it becomes a movie.

Emily: Oh, that will be wonderful. That sounds like a wonderful, powerful story.

Bari: Thank you.

Emily: Besides Ungraceful, what are some other projects that you are working on now?

Bari: I have The Frenchman out. Sometimes, books are based on experiences I had, and I met a Frenchman that was a producer at the Whitney in New York. And, it started from there, and then, I met somebody that I actually fell in love with in an elevator.

Emily: Wow!

Bari: We looked at each other, and we fell in love. So, that’s the second part of the book and how it transitions into that. So, that also is out right now.

Emily: For readers who constantly check on Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything, I will have my review of The Frenchman out in the near future.

Bari: Great!

Emily: Indeed, where can people find you?

Bari: Well, they can find me on baribeckett.com, or they can email me if they have any questions or anything at barilynn1218@yahoo.com. I’m on Amazon. Our books are on Amazon, Etsy, and Kobo Worldwide.

Emily: That’s absolutely perfect! So, thank you so much for talking to me today. This was so wonderful.

Bari: Thank you!

Emily: You’re very welcome.

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Big Love Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

In all my years of reviewing books, there’s one thing that I haven’t done before, and that’s crying while reading. I don’t get super emotional most of the time, but when I do, it’s for a good reason. Which book made me cry? It was Big Love by Bari Beckett – a beautifully effective collection of stories that guides readers on creating their own love story.

Normally, I would sum up in my own words about what the book is about, but I personally think the blurb on the back did this perfectly.

“Big Love by Bari Beckett is forty short stories about love, sex, and romance. Use these stories as a guide for yourself or with your partner to act out or to learn what you want in a relationship. These stories are to encourage you to discover your own love story, manifest your passions, and solidify your wants and needs. You are encouraged to read the stories and then use the journaling pages to write your own.”

Beckett was inspired to write these stories by a man she knew but never met in person. She wanted to make it clear what romance looks like to her. Part of what she desired was lots of sex with her partner. She wants it so much that she’ll never say no to it “because it is an expression of how much” she loves him (p.17). Some people might take issue with that, but it’s Beckett’s fantasy. No one will have the same love story. In addition, the ones that depict sex are always consensual.

Beckett encourages readers to think and write their own love stories with empty lined pages at the end. Even though the book is advertised as 137 pages, the 40 stories take up 73 of them. This leaves over 60 sheets for the readers to jot down their own love story, passions, wants, and needs. As a result, Beckett gives readers, who are inspired by her own story, agency to tell theirs.

Now, I must reveal why I cried while reading Big Love. I had a feeling that I was going to get emotional because romance does that to me sometimes. It happened when I was reading the story called “Loving You, Big Love.” In it, Beckett lists the ways that big love is to her like reaching for her partner’s hand at dinner to learning patience and dealing with inpatients. I lost it while reading the part about holding hands and kissing each other good morning and good night because I do that with my husband. It gave me some good ideas for other ways that I can express my big love.

Big Love by Bari Beckett is an undoubtedly helpful guide for people to strengthen their relationships and what they want from them. I love how the author gives her love story as an example and how she gives space for readers to do the same. Also, it made me weep in a good way. I would recommend it to those who, regardless of relationship status, love to read about romance and need guidance on how to express what they want in a relationship. I will definitely reread and use it to build up mine even more.

Before I go, I want to let you know that I had the opportunity to interview Bari Beckett for the website. The transcript can be seen here. Enjoy!

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Cul-de-Sac Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by Author Marketing Experts in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: this review discusses sex and swinger parties.

There are certain topics that I never would have encountered without this website. I could list them here, but it would be too long. One thing that I can add is swinger parties in well-to-do neighborhoods. What book tackled that topic? It was Cul-de-Sac by Liz Crowe, which is an excellent slow-burner about a tight-knit neighborhood.

Cul-de-Sac explores how well one truly knows or should know about their neighbors. Connelly Court in the suburbs of Ann Arbor, Michigan is a secluded old money neighborhood. It harbors a web of desires and deceit behind pristine facades and manicured lawns. This is where a group of neighbors – bound by their secrets and unconventional lifestyles – will see their lives unravel. Amelia and Michael Ross move into their dream home and get seduced into the allure. However, their house once belonged to a previous family whose lives were ruined by their participation. This leads Amelia to question everything about the neighborhood and her new-found friends. Suspicions run wild as the close-knit group turns on each other, and secrets and lies are revealed one by one.

I love the location. I grew up in a cul-de-sac, where many of the neighbors were friends with my family. Luckily, there were no swinger parties in my neighborhood, or at least to my knowledge. Also, I like how it takes place in Michigan. As a Michigander, I’ve noticed that not many stories take place in that state. The only titles that I can think of are The Women of Copper Country, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and books written by Robert C. Jones. And of course, did you think I was going to leave out The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides – a novel with similar themes to Cul-de-Sac? The fact that Cul-de-Sac takes place in Ann Arbor is an inspired choice that reflects the neighborhood’s mentality. That city is famous for being liberal, but it also reeks of privilege. The neighbors, in turn, may seem open-minded, yet they are set in their traditions no matter how much they try to get out.

The novel has a strong ensemble with fully-developed characters. Each scene focuses on one couple at a time. Our protagonists are Amelia and Ross, who want the perfect home in the city they went to college in and have a two-year-old son. Then, there’s Janice and Allen – the older, alpha couple; Emily and Sai – the childless pair; and Cassie and Barnett – the duo who are expecting a child, but no one is certain who the father is. Even though they have been engaging in sex parties orchestrated by Janice and Allen, each has their own reasons for ending it. It doesn’t help that a man from one couple who had previously lived in the neighborhood died while living there. The emphasis on each pair results in slow pacing in the beginning, yet this was done on purpose. The book establishes the personalities of each character and how they interact with others, and then it gets to the action. When things started to unravel, it was exciting to see how each couple reacted. 

While reading it, one of my first thoughts was that Cul-de-Sac could make a good play. Since the focus is on the characters, one could have a black box or roundabout theatre production of the book. Different props can be used to signify the house of one couple, yet Janice and Allen’s house is the one with an actual set. Or, it could be like the musical Into the Woods with three sets all at once, and then, they could roll away to reveal the home of the older couple. No matter how the production does it, I would love to see that show.

Now, I have to address the elephant in the room: the sex. Since this novel explores swinger parties, some readers might not want to pick it up. Like many who have read the book, I will say that while there’s plenty of erotica depicted, it’s not explicit. I mean, yes, take a drink anytime the book mentions hard nipples, but that’s besides the point. Even the way that the swinger parties are portrayed is actually nuanced. Sure, many of the couples don’t want to get involved anymore because they’ve gotten too entangled with the other pairs, especially pregnant Cassie, who doesn’t really know who the father is. At the same time, Janice initiated these parties to not only get closer to the neighbors, but also to keep an eye on her husband Allen, who had cheated on her before. All she wants to do is to be a good wife and mother, yet she realizes how difficult that can be. On top of that, it’s all consensual. If a couple wants to leave, they would have to exit together. However, some start to have businesses and sexcapades with each other outside of the parties, which leads to more complications.

Cul-de-Sac by Liz Crowe is a fascinating look at a suburban neighborhood and how the residents try to get close to each other. I love the setting, and it’s not just the fact that it takes place in Michigan. It informs the environment, which the sex parties thrive on. In addition, it had a strong cast that I was invested in. It’s a pure slow-burn, so it was fascinating to see how each person acts when things start to fall apart. And yes, its sexual landscape might turn off some people, but it’s still entertaining. To quote Chewable Orb on Goodreads, “In a nutshell, if you love your novels steamy with a penchant for lies, secrecy, and betrayal, this book is for you.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Cul-de-Sac  is out now, so go grab it wherever you get your books. 

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Adapt Me Podcast – Nightbitch

Hi Everybody!

Grab some raw meat and channel your inner dog because Sam Meltzer from the Oscar Buzz YouTube Channel talk about how we would adapt Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder and the upcoming movie version on the latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast! Check it out at this link!

In the meantime, you can see my review of Nightbitch here.

Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates. Also feel free to email me here for any review suggestions, ideas, or new titles!

Literary Travel – Las Vegas Edition

Hi Everyone!

About six months ago, my husband and I traveled to Las Vegas, so he could attend the Consumers Electronics Show. Like the previous trip, neither of us had been there before. While he was writing articles about the latest technologies, I decided to do the most sinful thing I could do while in Sin City: go to four book-related places. Today, I’ll show them all to you. All of the photos used were ones that I took.

First up is Diamond Sutra Books.

Located in the Art District north of the Strip, Diamond Sutra Books specializes in vintage, rare, and out of print books and ephemera. The earliest ones date back to the 1700s.

I found it in a building that held a gallery and several other businesses. It occupies a single space, but the owner knew how to use it well.

They also have first editions of classic novels like Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

In addition, they sell vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, 1980s and 1990s nostalgia-related items, and other objects.

One of the most unique things I found there was a basket full of walking canes carved from trees. These could’ve fit right in the Lord of the Rings universe. I also saw an artillery shell with Albert Einstein’s face on it with the description “Forces Always Attract,” which was pretty cool.

Another thing I noticed while at Diamond Sutra Books was a display of sex-positive books. It was placed near the entrance, so people would notice it going in and especially as they were leaving. Knowing how Las Vegas is known for its sensual atmosphere, this became a theme in the bookstores I visited.

I was the only person in the store at the time, which allowed me to chat with the owner Aaron. He’s a nice guy who love books. He even told me why he decided to open a bookstore since he spent years selling rare prints online and wanted to have a physical place for them. He even showed me the display sign that turns on. Bottom is the picture I took of the both of us.

In case anyone is wondering, I got the graphic novel Giraffes on Horseback Salads: Salvador Dali, the Marx Brothers, and the Strangest Movie Never Made by Josh Frank and Tim Heidecker. It’s another book for my Marx Brothers shelf!

Overall, Diamond Sutra Books was impressive in the items it held. It contained a variety of objects that appealed to a wide range of people. The space might be small, but it was spacious. You can check them out on Facebook, Instagram, and eBay. It’s definitely not your average bookstore.

The second bookstore is Avantpop Books and Art Gallery.

According to its website, Avantpop Books is “a specialty, subversive, subculture, independent bookstore and publisher based in Las Vegas, Nevada.”

When I went there the day after my trip to Diamond Sutra Books, I was not disappointed. Although it was confined to one space, it was full of books, new and used, and pieces of art curated for the most unique of individuals. Specifically, it had a diverse collection of titles to help readers to have a better understanding of various ideas and concepts.

They are absolutely committed to the diversity, equity, and inclusion because they had this sign at the front of the store. Browsing through the store made me realize that they put their money were their mouth was. This was especially true with this sign.

I also love how it knows that people might come in with drinks like bottled waters. It was really dry when I was out there, even in January.

It contained books who subjects ranged from the Illuminati to John Waters. If that’s not subversive nor diverse enough, I don’t know what is.

Furthermore, they had paperbacks in plastic bags. I had to take this picture because of the Doctor Who ones on the left.

The artwork was pretty cool. Think of the weirdest stuff you’ve seen in a gallery and make them 10 times stranger. I like the monkey with the fez the most. Fezes are cool.

In addition, they had plenty of merchandise. They included magnets, newspapers made to look like ones from the olden days, and art prints. And, they even had their own published books on the shelves. I bought one called Oh, The A**holes You’ll Meet by Shwa Laytart – one of the owners of Avantpop Books – as well as The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan and a sticker.

My favorite part of the store was a mirror that displayed the following text.

I’m glad that I got to meet one of the owners Sugar. Her mother was there too. Both were very cool. While talking to Sugar, it became clear of how passionate she was about books, art, and diversity. They have author events and a podcast called Avantpop Books Presents, where they interview said authors as well as artists and businesspeople in the area. You can see the latest videos here and on YouTube.

All in all, Avantpop Books lived up to its name. It fully commits to selling a wide range of books and art pieces and to highlighting creators living in the Las Vegas area. Along with their website, you can check them out on Facebook and Instagram. It brings out the reading freak in anyone who comes in.

Next up is The Writer’s Block also located in the Art District.

According to its website, The Writer’s Block is “a bookshop, coffee shop, young writers’ workshop, & artificial bird sanctuary in downtown Las Vegas.”

Yes, you heard right. It actually contains an artificial bird sanctuary. We’ll get to more of that in a bit.

When I walked into the bookstore, the first thing I saw was the coffee shop. Specifically, I encountered a giant bird cage that held artificial birds, magazines, and other items for sale.

There was a little entrance to the bookshop itself off to the side. What I saw was amazing. It had books galore in every possible genre, and they were organized in well put together displays. Also, it contained stationary, puzzles, and toys for sale. For the latter, many of which like kites and puppets hung from the ceiling. I’ll admit that some of the puppets were a bit creepy, but they were still cool to look at.

I also enjoyed seeing rulers that showed off the famous people in specific categories.

What makes this a truly unique bookshop is the artificial bird sanctuary. I had never seen a bookstore with a reserve like that before. On top of that, each bird had a name and an autobirdography. My favorite is Lillian the Blue Jay. I wish I would have bought her, yet I have cats, and they might try to eat her.

Another cool aspect about the sanctuary was where the birds were placed. There were some types that were all over the store like blue jays and cardinals. And, there were others that could be found in one spot. For example, the penguins were in the Photography & Fashion/Art Folios section, chickens were in Cooking, doves were in Romance, and ravens were in Horror. In addition, I thought it was cute that the flamingos were in the Graphic Novel part of the store.

The other cool thing about the bookstore was the amount of cardboard cutouts of famous historical figures. They included people like Frederick Douglas, Amelia Earhart, and Rasputin. It adds to the charm.

One last thing that made the store special was that it had a rabbit mascot named “The Baron.” He was chilling in his cage when I saw him back in January. What other bookstore has a mascot like that?

While I was there, I bought Sun, Sin & Suburbia: The History of Modern Las Vegas by Geoff Schumacher as well as a smoothie. I hope to read the book before or during my next trip to The City That Never Sleeps.

The Writer’s Block easily proved to be one of the unique bookshops I’ve ever went into. The artificial bird sanctuary goes without saying, but the diversity of books and how they were organized were impeccable. Along with their website, you can check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you only have time to check out one bookstore in Las Vegas, go to this one.

On my last day, I was able to squeeze in some time to visit the Meadows Library.

Located in the Stupak Community Center near the Strip, the Meadows Library is a part of The Library District in Las Vegas. The district itself consists of 27 libraries. Meadows Library was the closest one to my hotel.

The library was no bigger than a living and dining room combined. Nonetheless, it still offered plenty of items to check out and services for its patrons.

This included books, DVDs, S.T.E.A.M. kits, and braille books. They also had citizenship toolkits available. This makes sense since Las Vegas has a huge Spanish-speaking population, and I’d imagine that many of them are trying to obtain their citizenships. It’s a wonderful way to address community needs.

As for the services, the library has computers, a 3D printer, and a Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station. The last item permits patrons to charge many devices at one time. This is quite nice for anyone who needs to plug in their devices.

Another cool thing that the library was doing was growing herbs and spices. They had them in Idoo Hydroponics Growing System pods. Apparently, a group of children had planted them prior, so the library was keeping an eye on them as the plants grew. This is another great way to address community needs by teaching children how to plant stuff.

Although the Meadows Library may have been the smallest place I went to while I was in The Meadows (that’s the literal translation of the city’s name), it still had a lot of things patrons could do. It was also creative in how they offered various services. You can check them out on their website.

And that concludes the fifth installment of “Literary Travel!” I hope all of you had a great time on this trip. I traveled to Wisconsin again, this time to Elkhart Lake, as well as to Gaylord, Michigan this past May, so stay tuned for that!

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