Book Review: Sly as a Fox

By Sara Steven

Sylvia Wilson’s brother, Aaron, is working with a joint bank robbery task force. When he goes missing, she joins forces with the FBI to search for him.

But nothing is what it seems.

With very little time left, Sylvia will burn Heaven to the ground to find her missing brother and bring him back alive. FBI, be damned. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

After reading On the Sly, the first book in the Sylvia Wilson Mystery series (reviewed here), I was excited to read this latest installment and see what was in store for Sylvia. I knew going in just how rough of a ride it could potentially be for her, and true to expectations, the storyline did not disappoint. 

From the get go, Sylvia showcases her tough-as-nails attitude, particularly when dealing with the circumstances surrounding her missing brother, Aaron. If I’ve learned anything about this gritty protagonist, family is number one in her life, and given that Aaron is working undercover for the FBI, the stakes are even higher. She doesn’t know who to trust. There might be a mole out for revenge, or it could be someone on the task force who has been playing both sides the whole time. No one wants her involved, preferring to keep her safe, but Sylvia doesn’t play by the rules and nothing is off limits. 

I really like the writing style in both books in the series. The author isn’t overly flowery, preferring to get right to the point, but in a way that still highlights the scenery and everything that is going on around Sylvia really well. A great example are the moments where Sylvia is staking out a neighborhood and following a possible perpetrator, but at the same time she’s tailed by a stray cat in the area, and considering how much of an animal lover she is, she is trying her best to stay on course but wants to assist the cat, providing commentary yet in a way that is very direct. I think the writing style matches her personality and who Sylvia is as a person. In your face. Quick. Thorough. But with moments of kindness and empathy, even in the face of danger.

She is relentless. And she never backs down, even when you might think she should. There are characters from the first book who make a much-needed appearance in this book, with possible relationships budding in the future–we can never get too comfortable, though, because someone who could be a confidante in the present time can land on Sylvia’s number one hit list in a matter of seconds, while other characters who she thought she’d never be able to rely on, become her number one supports. It's intrigue and danger and overall, a really wild ride when the reader has Sylvia behind the wheel. Sly as a Fox is a great addition to this book series!

Thanks to Author Marketing Experts for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: Bodies to Die For

By Jami Denison

I believe I speak for almost all women when I say that since puberty, there has not been a single day in my life when I liked my body. Even the days when the number on the scale was relatively low, I still had body parts that were too big or floppy. These days, supposedly we’re in a body positivity moment, but with Ozempic advertisements all over my news feeds, along with ads for gastric bypass, plastic surgery, and fat freezing, it still seems like the only bodies that should feel positive are the ones that wear a size four or lower. And while Ozempic appears to be a miracle drug that cures all kinds of cravings, the side effects can be painful, or even deadly. But wouldn’t you risk death to have a body you loved?

In Lori Brand’s debut novel, Bodies to Die For, two women embody body type extremes. Gemma is a fitness influencer and body builder who’s haunted by the woman she used to be—Fat Gemma, who weighed 100 pounds more. Ashley is a morbidly obese software engineer who is sick and tired of being judged for her weight. When Ashley attends a session to learn about gastric bypass surgery, she’s thwarted by Lydia, who wants Ashley to embrace her body and fight for fat acceptance. But when Lydia’s plans start to become dangerous, and women in the body building influencer community start to turn up dead, Gemma could be the next victim.

Bodies to Die For starts with a huge bang. We’re in Gemma’s head, and while she seems to have it all—hot body, hot husband, millions of followers—Fat Gemma still torments her, and all she thinks about is the food she can’t have. Then we meet Ashley and see the abuse she gets just from living in her body, and the abuse she gives herself. These first few chapters are real and hard to read and should have a trigger warning for anyone who’s ever berated themselves for eating a piece of cake—in other words, all of us. 

As the book develops, another woman on the circuit—Bianca—is murdered, strangled by one of the waist cinchers she’s been promoting. Genna worries that she could be next, as she seems to be surrounded by suspects—her shifty husband, another rival, an incel fan, an obsessive client, her coach, etc. She doesn’t even know about Lydia, whose schemes get more outlandish, and who has a tendency to show up at Ashley’s covered in smoke and soot. Another woman in the industry dies. Then another.

I wanted to love Bodies to Die For, and the first few chapters broke my heart.  There’s so much good here, but I think first-time author Brand could have used a stronger editor. With Bianca’s death by waist cincher, the tone became uneven, and there were scenes with the fat activists that also bordered on funny. Since the book is being promoted as a psychological thriller, I found the humor distracting and sometimes borderline cruel to the characters. Further, there are so many different characters and different points-of-view, I had trouble keeping track of all of them. The inclusion of the incel character (who sometimes served as comic relief as well) felt like Brand was attempting to include issues broader than diet culture, and that was distracting.  

Still, I really liked Gemma and Ashley. I rooted for both of them to stop obsessing over their bodies, develop healthy habits, and get on with their lives. A twist near the end of the book is nicely foreshadowed and adds to the satisfying ending. 

Author Brand comes from the fitness industry, where she’s been a Playboy model, body builder, and group fitness instructor, among other careers. Her insider knowledge is obvious on every page, and her talent as a writer is undeniable. Still, I feel her natural voice is better suited to humor than thrillers. 

When confronting an athletic wear manufacturer who doesn’t make clothes in larger sizes, Ashley notes that 68% of women are considered plus size. The majority of women aren’t size four, but they also aren’t morbidly obese. I wished there had been another character in addition to Gemma and Ashley, who wasn’t a suspect, who could stand in for those of us who want to lose 10-15 pounds, and who are haunted by all the Ozempic ads on their news feeds.   

Thanks to Kaye Publicity for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kirsty Greenwood's heavenly new novel...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Antalya von Preussen

We are excited to have Kirsty Greenwood at CLC today, to celebrate the publication of her latest rom-com, The Love of My Afterlife. Melissa adored this novel and has a review right here. We enjoyed chatting with Kirsty about her writing and other fun stuff. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to share with a lucky reader!

Kirsty Greenwood was born and raised in a small-town in Greater Manchester. Previously a book editor, and named as a 2016 Rising Star in The Bookseller, she is a full-time writer of love stories that make readers belly laugh and ugly cry. She is obsessed with musical theatre and currently working on a new romantic comedy musical, as well as more novels. (Bio courtesy of Kirsty's website.)

Visit Kirsty online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.  

When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind… (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“I think the challenge in writing rom coms can be to have the laughs interspersed in a story that has real heart – Kirsty does this with aplomb.”
—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author

“A brilliant tongue-in-cheek romp that turns Meant-To-Be on its head. Complicated, dreamy, and hilarious, Kirsty Greenwood can make a romantic out of death itself. The Love of My Afterlife is Where’s Waldo for soulmates, and it’s perfect.”
—Ashley Poston, New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics

"Confident and hilarious, I lost a whole day to it and I don’t regret a second. Gave me The Good Place crossed with The Dead Romantics and The Ex Hex vibes, quirky and romantic and oh so gorgeously memorable - I only wish I’d written it first!"
—Josie Silver, New York Times bestselling author

What is a favorite compliment you received on your writing?  

Definitely when readers tell me that they laughed until they cried when reading my books! To solicit such a physical reaction from someone always gives me a kick! Making people laugh makes me feel quite proud!

If you could tell the debut novelist version of yourself one thing, what would it be? 

Ooh. I would tell "past me" to be more confident in my voice and to stop trying to emulate other writers so much. 

What is the last book you read that you would recommend? 

I recently read How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang and I thought it was excellent. Gorgeous, vivid writing, lots of drama and juicy emotions. Plus it was super horny, which is always a plus in my opinion.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
I love this question! I think maybe Titus Burgess? I love his take on basically everything and I think he would make everything sound a gazillion percent funnier.  Also he could beautifully sing parts of his narration! If it were a British person I'd choose Sofia Oxenham who narrates the audiobook of The Love of My Afterlife. I love her voice! She's so warm and friendly sounding!

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see? 

I would take you to a bunch of places that feature in The Love of My Afterlife - the beautiful Italian Gardens, the bar that inspired The Orchestra Pit, the top of the Shard. If it was sunny I'd get us some bottles of cold beer and we'd go on one of those open top bus tours, taking in all the sights and getting pleasurably tipsy. Ooh and then I'd take you to one of the cafes that serves a full English breakfast at any hour of the day. I'd buy you extra hash browns with brown sauce.

Thanks to Kirsty for visiting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends July 7th at midnight EST.

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Reviews at Amazon--May/June 2024

We're posting some reviews at our Amazon (or Goodreads) accounts, as either they've been sitting in our queue for a while and deserve their time in the sun, fall under our featuring policy, or they're new reads that we couldn't wait to post at the blog. You can check them out at the links below. Hope we can help you find your next favorite book!

Sara Steven:

Dishonestly Yours by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Some Kind of Perfect by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Heart Restoration Project by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi

Jami Denison:

The Incorrigibles by Meredith Jaeger

You're Safe Here by Leslie Stephens

Allyson Bales:

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

Melissa Amster:
Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer

It Could Be Worse by Dara Levan

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

One Alpen Day by Michele Davenport-Dutton

The Playgroup by Leah Mercer

The Widow on Dwyer Court by Lisa Kusel

Hypnotized by Love by Sariah Wilson

Matzah Ball Blues by Jennifer Wilck

The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

The Second Mrs. Strom by Kaira Rouda

The Love of My After Life by Kirsty Greenwood

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Book Review: The Lion Women of Tehran

By Allyson Bales

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“Freedom has no musts.”

This story was deeply moving. 

I teared up reading about the lives and friendship of Ellie and Homa, about the turmoil in Tehran, and about women’s rights. 

This novel is about the bravery, resiliency, courage, and deep love of women and I will think about the story for some time to come. 

Here I am again thinking that I don’t want to give away too much to you, dear reader. I often think about what I would want to know prior to reading a book, and there is so much that I could potentially ruin and take from your experience if I share too much. I really don’t love knowing too much going into a story because I love the entire experience of a favorite read. I love meeting the characters, learning about them and feeling what they are feeling, and just getting to read a beautiful and impactful story and remembering where I was and what I felt when that happens. This story was that for me and I think it will be for you too, so these few things I will share: 

Know that this book made me think of my childhood friends and what would have happened if one choice or situation were different? Would we be different people leading different lives? Would we still be in touch? I am so thankful for my friendships, especially the women that have taught me things about myself, have been a mirror to my light and darkness, and have picked me up. Women are fierce and I could not stop thinking about so many of the most meaningful women in my life including my mom, my wife, and my best friends. 

Also, this story made me realize I kind of stick my head in the sand when it comes to political upheaval and struggles in other countries. I turn on the news and lately it always seems so sad and defeating and it makes me want to immediately turn away. What this story exposed me to made me want to learn more about the women of Iran, about women and their struggles and their courage everywhere.  It made me want to be more educated and aware and more present in what is going on in the world and to be a part of doing something, of being a part of the solution. 

Lastly, this story made me proud to be a woman. To be amongst the brave, the courageous, the vulnerable, the intelligent, the lions. 

This book will move you, inspire you, educate you, and is one I highly, highly recommend.  It will definitely be a favorite of the year. 

Thanks to Gallery for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Lion Women of Tehran here.

Also by Marjan Kamali:
The Stationery Shop
Together Tea

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Book Review: Motherlove

By Sara Steven

A powerful short story collection about an often forgotten group: the mothers of children who kill. Trounstine explores the stories of ten mothers, each struggling with the aftermath of murder. While fictional, Trounstine’s characters are drawn from her more than thirty years of experience with prisoners and their families, making her stories all the more real and resonant. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

When I was in high school, a friend of mine had murdered his mother one morning, later depositing the knife and his bloody clothing in a school dumpster before attending classes for the day as though nothing had happened. That afternoon, police interrupted our English class to bring him in for questioning, a moment I haven’t forgotten in nearly thirty years. He’d been captain of the football team. Involved in several activities in school. An incredibly popular young man who I had always assumed had a charmed life ahead of him, cut short by one horrific choice.

While Motherlove reflects on the living mothers of children who kill, it reminded me of the young man I knew in high school and the aftermath of a life changed due to violence. The short stories within Trounstine’s collection focus on the strength and hope the mothers cling to, despite the various obstacles faced. And through it all, they maintain the insurmountable love they feel for their children, a bond that at times can be fragile and damaged, but it’s still there.    

Even though the stories here are fictional, they are based on real life and experiences felt by mothers who have children who are incarcerated. It gave me a different perspective, because it’s too easy to judge the parents of a child who commit crimes, assuming they may come from homes with a lack of parental supervision or care. We never truly know what someone is going through, and often don’t have the knowledge and understanding of what is really going on behind the scenes, and it was inspirational to see mothers who fight hard for their children, despite judgment. 

Thanks to Wunderkind PR for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Learn more about Jean Trounstine at her website.

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Book Review: The Mother

By Sara Steven

Sarah Westfield is unhappily married to perfect husband Nick. Handsome, devoted and kind, he should be the ideal man for her, but Sarah knows their marriage is the biggest mistake she’s ever made…and she wants out.

But then Nick offers her one last chance to make their marriage work – a baby.

Sarah is horrified – a baby would tie herself to this man forever…wouldn’t it? Or could it be exactly what she needs?

So Sarah agrees.

A terrible mother?

When the baby arrives, Sarah struggles with motherhood and her resentment towards Nick only grows. Sarah feels more trapped than ever, but she loves her precious daughter...doesn’t she?

And then baby Kaya goes missing...

And everything Sarah has ever believed in comes crashing down around her… (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I’ve read two other books by Valerie Keogh and enjoyed them immensely, so I’d anticipated another great psychological thriller experience while reading The Mother. I can honestly say that what I imagined I’d get is exactly what I bargained for. The best thrillers leave the reader unsure of who the true culprit is, and for most of the book I really wasn’t sure. The majority of the characters wonder if Sarah had something to do with Kaya’s disappearance. It made me question that theory, too. Given how unhappy Sarah is with Nick and how trapped she feels, maybe she planned it all along, in an effort to rid herself of the thrust-upon family she never truly felt ready for. 

And then there’s Nick. He seemed too perfect and too attentive, especially after the distance Sarah tries to put between them. But when Kaya goes missing, he is the most distraught, while Sarah doesn’t display much emotion at all. Is she keeping it together for Nick, or is Nick putting on a show for the authorities, in an effort to downplay his potential involvement? Lastly, Sarah’s best friend Jade has a sudden change of heart towards the whole scenario, which made me question whether she might have had something to do with it. She’s spent years as Sarah’s confidante, listening to Sarah complain about the relationship she’s been stuck in. Maybe she decided it was time to stir up some chaos in order to change the status quo. 

Step by step, it was tough to decipher what the true motives were and what really happened to baby Kaya, until it is eventually revealed by way of hidden secrets and a ton of lies. Two detectives fight like mad to get to the bottom of things, with the revelation reaching a tight crescendo into possible destruction. But who can the detectives trust? And will it be too late? The unknown kept me guessing and kept me reading–I literally read The Mother in nearly two days because I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened to baby Kaya, and whodunnit in general. It was a slow burn psychological ride with plenty of twists to keep thrill seekers like me on the hook!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Barnes & Noble

Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound. She originally comes from Dublin but now livesin Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years. Her first thriller for Boldwood will be published in August 2022.

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