Review: The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman

Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 320
Released: 2012
Source: Publisher/Egalley
Rating: 5/5



Synopsis:

Patience Murphy is a midwife working in Appalachia during the 1930’s. Times are rough, money is scarce and Patience is running away from her past. She struggles with confidence and worries that she’s not capable of delivering babies on her own, the midwife she assisted has passed away, and Patience is on her own. Her clients have little to no money, which doesn’t help Patience when she needs to feed herself, at the same time, she can’t say no to a mother and child in danger. While Patience begins to settle into her new life, she’s always looking over her shoulder and waiting for her past to catch up to her.



Review:

A brief bio mentions that Harman herself started out as a midwife, and it clearly shows in her writing. I’ve read other books that had midwives as the main character, but this one has become one of my favorites. The historical aspect really sets this book apart. The Great Depression left everyone rich and poor in desperation. Patience needs to feed herself and keep her house warm, but she can’t turn away a delivery and risk harming anyone. Each time she delivers the baby, she has no idea if she’ll get any pay. She hopes they’ll at least give her some food. Patience doesn’t have the heart to say no.

Patience’s back story really adds to the tension of the novel. Readers are slowly told why Patience had to change her name and run. Her childhood was great, and then everything was ripped away from her. The social angst during this time period plays an important role in novel. When Patience decides to help out a young black girl, and possibly train her as a midwife, the racial tension amongst her clients becomes an issue. Their safety is questioned.

I thought the pace of the book was great. It never felt like it dragged on, and I never wanted to rush ahead. This is one you’ll want to curl up with, and hope for no distractions. When you do have distractions, you’ll try to ignore it. The Midwife of Hope River is a captivating and stunning read. Harman’s prose is beautiful and engaging, readers wouldn’t think that this is her first novel. I really hope she intends to publish a second book. Overall, I highly recommend this one.

Review: The Light Between Oceans by M L Stedman

Publisher: Scribner
Pages: 352
Released: 2012
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5/5



Synopsis:

Tom Sherborne and his wife Isabel live in seclusion for most of the year, they live as lighthouse keepers on a tiny island in western Australian. Once a season they travel by boat to see Isabel’s family, Tom had no contact with his family. Isabel has yearned to be a mother, but she’s suffered multiple miscarriages and a stillborn son. When a boat turns up on shore with a deceased man and a crying baby, Isabel asks her husband to wait before reporting the boat. Once Isabel has the child in her arms, she believes the baby girl is a gift from God. Isabel convinces her husband to keep the child, bury the man and send the boat back out in the ocean. No one would find out, and Isabel believes the mother may have fallen into the ocean. She couldn’t possible give this baby back. Tom agrees, but his conscience won’t let him forget. This child may have a family and mother looking for her.



Review:

The Light Between the Oceans is a debut novel that will keep readers thinking. In Isabel’s defense she truly believed that the child had no mother, she didn’t want to send the child to an orphanage. However, readers will be forced to ponder if that really was her decision to make? Tom is constantly worried and feeling guilty for what they did. Passing the child off as their own is very easy since Isabel miscarried two weeks before. As time passes, and they settled into life as a happy family, the truth is uncovered. Tom went against his better judgment and he can’t ignore the reality of the situation, they stole an innocent baby. There is no right way to handle this situation, their actions have great consequences. Stedman has created a wonderful story line, one that is believable, emotional and heartbreaking. Tom and Isabel’s comfortable life is about to be shattered, but little Lucy is confused most of all.

Review: Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

Publisher: Bond Street Books
Released: 2012
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5



Synopsis:

Nick and her cousin Helena have always been inseparable. When the Second World War comes to a close, the young women find themselves parting ways. Helena moves to Los Angeles to marry an up and coming producer, after the death of her first husband, she will sacrifice everything to make this marriage work. Nick tries to settle into a domestic life with her husband, but Hughes is always working and very distant. Nick has never been comfortable in the kitchen, but she tries her best to make her husband proud. After the two cousins become mothers, their lives change even more and they can’t wait to spend a summer together. Everyone seems to have a perfect life, and bright future. When Nick’s daughter, Daisy, and Helena’s son, Ed, discover the body of a maid who was gruesomely murdered, the charade becomes to unravel and readers discover what’s really going on in the lives of these women. Helena’s husband can’t spare one moment when his life revolves around producing a movie about an ex-love. He wants Helena to give up her family’s money to support his dream. Nick seems to have the perfect life, but she’s bored and tempted. She tries to help Helena as much a possible but she doesn’t necessarily want the help. The last ten years have been rocky.



Review:

Klaussman’s debut novel is extremely well written, and worth the read. Tigers in Red Weather is an entertaining and suspenseful read. The story is told in 5 character perspectives, and really adds to the storytelling. This is not something that I would normally enjoy, but Klaussman develops each character so well, that I couldn’t help but enjoy each new perspective. It was a great way to get a glimpse into each character’s mind, and how they each interpret situations. A character’s actions towards another, doesn’t necessarily show what they think of the other person. The intimate insights are thought provoking.

The chronological order of the story line is not linear, character flashbacks forces readers to go back through time and relive a memory through a different character’s perspective. This mostly adds to the story and builds a better understanding of what happened to each individual. While it may sound repetitive, it is not. I thought this style of the story was incredibly well done.

Tigers in Red Weather is a perfect summer read, filled with great characters, and strong writing. This is not a simple, light read, it is an intelligent summer read filled with historical details. This book is highly recommended for those who like character driven stories.

Review: Overseas by Beatriz Williams

Publisher: Putnam
Pages: 464
Released: 2012
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5



Synopsis:

Kate Wilson is trying to make it on Wall Street; she’s working for a great firm and hoping to go back to business school the following semester, in order to advance her career. When she hears that the legendary, Julian Lawrence will be coming into her office, she’s excited and nervous. Unfortunately, Wall Street is a cut throat business and Kate is rushed out of the boardroom, with only a quick glance at Julian, her manipulative boss decides to present the presentation herself. As Kate walks past Julian, she has no idea, but he instantly feels a connection with her. Julian knows his past may be a problem, but he really doesn’t want to walk away from Kate. Their relationship quickly grows, and Julian struggles with Kate’s independence and strong will.


The story alternates between 1916 France, where Julian and Kate’s story began to New York in 2008. There’s reason why Julian can so easily admit to loving Kate after a few weeks, their story began long ago, and Julian doesn’t know how much, if any, of the story he should tell Kate. He’s been patiently, waiting for her.



Review:

I’m not a time travel or a romance reader, and I couldn’t put this book down. I was amazed that this is Williams debut novel. Wow, she is talented! Overseas is the type of book that fully consumes the reader. You’ll want to hide, and not be found until you’ve finished. This one is difficult to categorize, but very enjoyable!

I will admit I was fully expecting Julian to shower Kate with gifts, and money and he didn’t. She wouldn’t allow it, which I respected. I thought it added to the romance, and didn’t cast Kate in an unfavorable light. Julian has been waiting for her, for a long time but he can’t scare her away. His past is potentially very dangerous for Kate, and he must protect her which is not easy to do when someone is as stubborn and hard headed as Kate.

I was fully invested in Julian and Kate’s relationship. While their relationship is fast paced, it’s believable. I really enjoyed the Wall Street setting and the twists and turns that resulted in that world, especially in 2008 when Wall Street was a very difficult place to be. I thought it added a great dimension to the story. The time travel was not overpowering and confusing; it helped to facilitate the romance and built the story. Williams did a great job incorporating the time travel, giving readers enough to remain curious and intrigued, but not too much to completely pull the reader out of the present-day storyline.

I highly recommend this one! It will be on my 2012 list of favorite books.

Debut Novels That Have Caught My Eye

The Bellwether Revivals (Already Released)

Part Secret History, part Brideshead Revisited for the 21st century, The Bellwether Revivals is a page-turning, romantic, eerie tale of genius and, possibly, madness; a stunning debut for fans of Sarah Waters, Donna Tartt, and Lauren Goff.


The Bellwether Revivals opens and closes with bodies. The story of whose bodies and how they come to be spread about an elegant house on the river near Cambridge is told by Oscar, a young, bright working class man who has fallen in love with an upper-class Cambridge student, Iris, and thereby become entangled with a group of close friends, led by Iris's charismatic, brilliant, possibly dangerous brother. For Eden Bellwether believes he can heal -- and perhaps more -- through the power of music.

In this masterful debut, we too are seduced by this gilded group of young people, entranced by Eden's powerful personality and his obvious talent as a musician, and caught off guard by the strangeness of Iris and Eden's parents. And we find ourselves utterly unsure as to whether Eden Bellweather is a saviour or a villain, and whether Oscar will be able to solve this mystery in time to save himself, if not everyone else.

Above All Things by Tanis Rideout (Releases in June)

The Paris Wife meets Into Thin Air in this breathtaking debut novel of obsession and divided loyalties, which brilliantly weaves together the harrowing story of George Mallory's ill-fated 1924 attempt to be the first man to conquer Mount Everest, with that of a single day in the life of his wife as she waits at home in England for news of his return.


A captivating blend of historical fact and imaginative fiction, Above All Things moves seamlessly back and forth between the epic story of Mallory's legendary final expedition and a heartbreaking account of a day in the life of Ruth Mallory. Through George's perspective, and that of the newest member of the climbing team, Sandy Irvine, we get an astonishing picture of the terrible risks taken by the men on the treacherous terrain of the Himalaya. But it is through Ruth's eyes that a complex portrait of a marriage emerges, one forged on the eve of the First World War, shadowed by its losses, and haunted by the ever-present possibility that George might not come home.

Drawing on years of research, this powerful and beautifully written novel is a timeless story of desire, redemption, and the lengths we are willing to go for honour, glory, and love.

Gilded Age (Releases June)

A debut author transforms Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth into a powerful modern story of one woman’s struggle with independence and love.Ellie Hart made a brilliant marriage in New York, but it ended in a scandalous divorce and thirty days in Sierra Tucson rehab. Now, returning home to Cleveland, she finds that, despite feminist lip service, she will still need a husband to be socially complete. A woman’s sexual reputation matters, and so does her family name in the treacherous social terrain where old money meets new: charitable benefits and tequila body shots, inherited diamonds and viper-bite lip piercings, country house weekends and sexting. Ellie finds that her beauty is a powerful tool in this world, but it has its limitations, even liabilities. Through one misstep after another, Ellie mishandles her second act. Her options narrow, her prospects contract, until she faces a desperate choice.

Review: The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen

Publisher: Harper Perennial
Pages: 352
Released: 2012
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5


Synopsis:

American-born Rosalie fell in love with her husband during college; they were inseparable and full of dreams. Abdullah defied his parents when he announced they would marry, knowing they would eventually settle-down and accept her. Abdullah gave Rosalie everything she wished for, including life in Saudi Arabia; a country she has been fascinated with since she was a child. Twenty-five years into the marriage and two children later, Rosalie discovers she is not the only wife. For two years, Abdullah has taken a second wife, and she was oblivious. She honestly believed he was travelling on business, and had no reason to doubt him. She was clueless until a local jeweler made the mistake of asking her about a piece of jewelry she knew Abdullah would never buy her. When she confronts Abdullah, he confesses and explains that he has no plans to live without either wife. He plans to love and provide for both wives. Abdullah has always prided himself on being progressive, and Rosalie is shocked that he would do this to her. Rosalie struggles to keep her family safe, knowing she would never be able to leave the country with her children. Faisal is sixteen and becoming more and more of an extremist in terms of his religion. Their daughter Marium is constantly pushing the boundaries and they need to keep her in check. Rosalie struggles with heartbreak, confusion and bitterness. She has no idea where to go or what to do. Her children remain her priority.



Review:

I loved, loved, loved this one! A stunning debut that had me hooked immediately. The emotions of each character were incredibly written. Rosalie was heartbroken and shocked, but she knew her husband’s actions were legal. She struggled with what to do next. Does she leave him? She’ll never gain custody of her children. Their life is in Saudi Arabia. Does she accept the second marriage and go forward? She still loved her husband but didn’t understand how he could do this to her. Abdullah understood her hurt, was conflicted with that fact that he caused the hurt, but he still loved her. He still wanted to be married to her. Overtime, Rosalie became a “Saudi” wife and her “Texas” personality has long been gone. She was no longer the woman he married and fell in love with.

Parssinen is an incredible writer, and I’m really glad I decided to read this one. Rosalie and Abdullah’s relationship captured me in from the beginning. I didn’t like one character over the other, which really surprised me. I expected to be on Rosalie’s side and hate Abdullah but Parssinen portrayed both characters beautifully. I was shocked that I was actually rooting for Abdullah. I wanted their love to remain intact. I wanted it somehow to work out. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how I felt toward Abdullah.

I highly recommend this one. It will no doubt be placed on my list of favorites for 2012. The descriptions were vivid and stunning. At this point, I will state it was my favorite debut so far this year. Parsinnen is without a doubt an extraordinary writer!

Review: A Good American by George Alex

Publisher: Amy Einhorn/Putnam
Pages: 400
Source: Personal Copy
Released: 2012
Rating: 4.5/5



Synopsis:

James Meisenheimer opens the story with a retelling of his grandparent’s voyage to America. Jette and Frederick were hopelessly in love, inseparable and denied by Jette’s wealthy parents. In their eyes, Jette would never marry below her rank. When Jette discovers she is pregnant, she wants to leave Germany and escape the wrath of her mother. She takes a few valuable items from home, and tells Frederick that they must leave right away. Frederick afraid that her parents would think it was him who stole from them is panicked, afraid to loose Jette, he decides they must go right away. The couple book passage on the first available ship to America. Shortly after their arrival, before they are settled-their first son is born. The couple decide to stay in Beatrice, Missouri where they feel comfortable living amongst many Germany immigrants. Jette is immediately home sick, and Frederick throws himself into work and finding out what it means to be American. Mistakes are made, a world war happens, prohibition, and life goes on even during the hardships.


Review:

I couldn’t ignore the amount of buzz that surrounded this book when it was first released, and I’m happy to state that it deserves all the recognition. A truly amazing debut novel, that covers three generations and keeps the reader engaged. The characters are rich, multidimensional and captivating. Alex’s prose is beautiful and well-crafted. I fell in love with the Meisenheimer family, and I was glad to be taken on their journey.

This is a story that I’m sure many can relate to. Jette and Frederick had many hopes and dreams, unfortunately life happens and not everything is happily ever after. It was really interesting to see how the war impacted them. Jette couldn’t agree with German-American’s fighting against Germany, while Frederick sided as an American. Jette was my favorite character; she was strong but realistically flawed. Her emotions and reactions really shined through for me.

James takes readers through his grandparents’, parents’ and then his own generation. I would forget about James, and be taken out of the story which bothered me at first but I did get comfortable and really began to enjoy his narration. Each generation has their own set of issues, and they discover what it means to be American. This book will appeal not only to readers who enjoy historical fiction but readers who enjoy a great family story filled with ups and downs.

Review: The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books
Pages: 288
Source: Publisher
Released: 2012
Rating: 4/5



Synopsis:

Grace Winter is newly married and newly widowed, her husband of a few short weeks, secured her a place in one of the lifeboats but now she is on trial for murder. After an explosion on the Luxury liner, the Empress Alexandra has no chance. Two years prior, the Titanic sunk and everyone is hoping that better regulations have been put into place to ensure they will be rescued shortly. The survivors in Lifeboat 14 quickly learn that their boat is over capacity, and they must fight for their survival. As much as they would like to help those in desperate need, they’re own survival is on the line. Seaman John Hardie takes charge of the lifeboat, and causes contention within the boat. Charlotte Rogan has readers questioning if murder is justified for survival.


Review:

The Lifeboat is set during 1914 just before the onset of war. Grace’s husband Henry broke off his engagement to his fiancé, and despite his parent’s wishes, he married Grace. She has yet to meet her in-laws, and now, sitting in a lifeboat she doesn’t know if Henry has survived. As the hours on the boat turn into days, the moral on the boat drastically changes. The boat is overcapacity and they have dwindling supplies that Hardie has taken control over. Survivors are initially relieved to have Hardie take command of the boat, eventually they’re attitudes changed when Hardie keeps a tight reign on the dwindling food and water. Desperate times cause for desperate measures, and now Grace is on trial.

I normally wouldn’t have picked this one up for myself, but Rogan is a 2012 debut author and I wanted to give her a chance. I ended up really enjoying the book. As readers are introduced to the present trail and past flashbacks, we begin to question Grace’s reliability. It’s clear that in this situation there are no easy answers. It becomes evident that some must be sacrificed for the majority to live.

The Lifeboat was a great debut novel for Charlotte Rogan. Once you begin the story, you won’t want to put it down. Readers dive in and are anxious to find out what really happened on the boat. I recommend this one for those looking for a great survival story that will leave you questioning the actions of those survivors. Who should decide who lives and dies? How long do you wait before making these decisions?

Debut Spotlight: Absolution by Patrick Flanery

Synopsis:


In her garden, ensconced in the lush vegetation of the Western Cape, Clare Wald, world-renowned author, mother, critic, takes up her pen and confronts her life. Sam Leroux has returned to South Africa to embark upon a project that will establish his reputation – he is to write Clare’s biography. But how honest is she prepared to be? Was she complicit in past crimes; is she an accomplice or a victim? Are her crimes against her family real or imagined? As Sam and Clare turn over the events of her life, she begins to seek reconciliation, absolution. But in the stories she weaves and the truth just below the surface of her shimmering prose, lie Sam’s own ghosts.

Absolution shines light on contemporary South Africa and the long dark shadow of the recent past, the elusive nature of truth and self-perception and the mysterious alchemy of the creative process.


Bio:

Patrick Flanery was born in California in 1975 and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. After earning a BFA in Film from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts he worked for three years in the film industry before moving to the UK, where he completed a doctorate in Twentieth-Century English Literature at the University of Oxford.

He lives in London.

Review: The Darlings by Cristina Alger

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Released: 2012
Rating: 4/5



Synopsis:

The Darlings are New York, high society, billionaires. When Paul Ross losses his job in 2008, during one of the biggest economic downturns since the Great Depression, he’s fortunate that his father-in-law is Carter Darling. Not wanting to lean on this father-in-law but not willing to change this lifestyle, Paul accepts Carter’s offer to head the legal team for his prosperous hedge fund. Just as Paul begins to get comfortable within the company, things take a turn for the absolute worst. Carter’s best friend and business partner Morty Reis commits suicide, and the Darlings are thrust into a financial scandal that no one could have foreseen. In hindsight, Carter learns that he was too trusting and he should have questioned Morty’s perfect numbers. Now, it may be too late, the family is in jeopardy. Paul is put into a position to either save himself or protect the family.


Review:

The Darlings is a timely book that will surely grasp your attention. Debut author, Cristina Alger does not simplify the financial world but she does a great job plotting her story, keeping readers engaged. Alger skillfully weaves the financial complexities into the novel, but is careful not to overwhelm the reader. I was surprised by how readable the novel was, I was expecting to be bogged down with financial terms and titles and I found a well written character driven novel.

Alger introduces many points of views throughout the novel, and at times it may take a moment or two to remember who is who. In the end, it comes together rather nicely. The Darlings is seen through the eyes of the wealthy investment bankers, the lawyers, the secretaries who work for them and the journalists who write about them. Despite the initial financial recession, the Darlings are relatively stress-free, as they continue to maintain their lifestyles. Charity functions are toned down a little, but they’re more about the women who organize them and not really about the charity. When the scandal hits, the Darling family is aware that regardless of their innocence, their name has made them front row-center of the action. It’s much more impressive to bring down a Darling, rather than a no-name employee.

Overall, The Darlings was much more than I anticipated. Alger clearly has an insider’s view on this world, and she delivers her story well. I highly recommend this one!

Debut Spotlight: The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

Book Description:

It is the summer of 1914 and Europe is on the brink of war, but Grace Winter’s future finally seems secure as she and her new husband set sail for New York, where she hopes to win over a disapproving and status-conscious mother-in-law. When a mysterious explosion sinks their ship, Grace is thrust into a lifeboat by a quick-witted crew member, who climbs in after her even though the boat is already filled beyond capacity.


As the weather deteriorates and the passengers are forced to choose sides in a brewing power struggle, Grace realizes that her survival could depend on whether she backs the ruthless but experienced John Hardie or the enigmatic but increasingly forceful Ursula Grant. Over the course of three perilous weeks, the lifeboat passengers plot, scheme, gossip and console one another while questioning their deepest assumptions about goodness, humanity and God.

Grace is finally rescued, only to be put on trial for her life. Unsure what to make of their client, Grace’s attorneys suggest she write her story down. The result is a page-turning tale of moral dilemmas, and also a haunting portrait of a woman as unforgettable and complicated as the events she describes.

About the Author


Charlotte Rogan graduated from Princeton University in 1975. She worked at various jobs, mostly in the fields of architecture and engineering, before teaching herself to write and staying home to bring up triplets. An old criminal law text and her childhood experiences among a family of sailors provided inspiration for The Lifeboat, her first novel. After many years in Dallas and a year in Johannesburg, she and her husband now live in Westport, Connecticut.

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Debut Spotlight: The Land of Decoration

Description:

A mesmerizing debut about a young girl whose steadfast belief and imagination bring everything she once held dear into treacherous balance


In Grace McCleen's harrowing, powerful debut, she introduces an unforgettable heroine in ten-year-old Judith McPherson, a young believer who sees the world with the clear Eyes of Faith. Persecuted at school for her beliefs and struggling with her distant, devout father at home, young Judith finds solace and connection in a model in miniature of the Promised Land that she has constructed in her room from collected discarded scraps—the Land of Decoration. Where others might see rubbish, Judith sees possibility and divinity in even the strangest traces left behind. As ominous forces disrupt the peace in her and Father's modest lives—a strike threatens her father's factory job, and the taunting at school slips into dangerous territory—Judith makes a miracle in the Land of Decoration that solidifies her blossoming convictions. She is God's chosen instrument. But the heady consequences of her newfound power are difficult to control and may threaten the very foundations of her world.

With its intensely taut storytelling and crystalline prose, The Land of Decoration is a gripping, psychologically complex story of good and evil, belonging and isolation, which casts new and startling light on how far we'll go to protect the things we love most.

Debut Spotlight: Comeback Love by Peter Golden

Author's website:

A little about Comeback Love:


Over thirty-five years ago, Gordon Meyers, an aspiring writer with a low number in the draft lottery, packed his belongings and reluctantly drove away, leaving Glenna Rising, the sexy, sharp-witted med student he couldn’t imagine living without.

Now, decades later, Gordon is a former globetrotting consultant with a grown son, an ex-wife, and an overwhelming desire to see Glenna again. Stunned when Gordon walks into her Manhattan office, Glenna agrees to accompany him for a drink. As the two head out into the snow-swept city, they become caught up in the passions that drew them together then tore them apart, and as the evening unfolds, Gordon finally reveals the true reason for his return.

Moving between past and present, Comeback Love is a journey into the hearts of two lovers who came of age in the 1960s and is a sensual exploration of youth, regret, desire, and the bonds that mysteriously endure in the face of momentous change.

RELEASES APRIL 2012

 

Debut Spotlight: Forgotten Country

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2012

On the night Janie waits for her sister, Hannah, to be born, her grandmother tells her a story: Since the Japanese occupation of Korea, their family has lost a daughter in every generation, so Janie is charged with keeping Hannah safe. As time passes, Janie hears more stories, while facts remain unspoken. Her father tells tales about numbers, and in his stories everything works out. In her mother's stories, deer explode in fields, frogs bury their loved ones in the ocean, and girls jump from cliffs and fall like flowers into the sea. Within all these stories are warnings.
Years later, when Hannah inexplicably cuts all ties and disappears, Janie embarks on a mission to find her sister and finally uncover the truth beneath her family's silence. To do so, she must confront their history, the reason for her parents' sudden move to America twenty years earlier, and ultimately her conflicted feelings toward her sister and her own role in the betrayal behind their estrangement.
Weaving Korean folklore within a modern narrative of immigration and identity, Forgotten Country is a fierce exploration of the inevitability of loss, the conflict between obligation and freedom, and a family struggling to find its way out of silence and back to one another.

Debut Spotlight: A Good American by Alex George

Goodreads Description:

An uplifting novel about the families we create and the places we call home.


It is 1904. When Frederick and Jette must flee her disapproving mother, where better to go than America, the land of the new? Originally set to board a boat to New York, at the last minute, they take one destined for New Orleans instead (""What's the difference? They're both new""), and later find themselves, more by chance than by design, in the small town of Beatrice, Missouri. Not speaking a word of English, they embark on their new life together.

Beatrice is populated with unforgettable characters: a jazz trumpeter from the Big Easy who cooks a mean gumbo, a teenage boy trapped in the body of a giant, a pretty schoolteacher who helps the young men in town learn about a lot more than just music, a minister who believes he has witnessed the Second Coming of Christ, and a malevolent, bicycle-riding dwarf.

"A Good American" is narrated by Frederick and Jette's grandson, James, who, in telling his ancestors' story, comes to realize he doesn't know his own story at all. From bare-knuckle prizefighting and Prohibition to sweet barbershop harmonies, the Kennedy assassination, and beyond, James's family is caught up in the sweep of history. Each new generation discovers afresh what it means to be an American. And, in the process, Frederick and Jette's progeny sometimes discover more about themselves than they had bargained for.

Poignant, funny, and heartbreaking, "A Good American" is a novel about being an outsider-in your country, in your hometown, and sometimes even in your own family. It is a universal story about our search for home.

Debut Spotlight: The Darlings by Cristina Algers

 **Releases Feb 16th

Description:

Sometimes (more often after she met Paul), Merrill wondered what she would have been like if she had grown up outside New York. Would she be herself but more open, less circumspect? Sunnier? Less sarcastic? Manhattan children were like armadillos: sharp-clawed and thick-skinned, deceptively quick-moving. They had to be. Manhattan was a Darwinian environment: only the strongest survived. The weak, the nice, the naïve, the ones who smiled at passersby on the sidewalk, they all got weeded out. They would give up. They would opt out.


The ones who stayed long enough to raise children were the tough ones, the tenacious ones, the goal-oriented ones, the gold-digging ones, the deal-closing ones, the “kill or be killed’ ones, the “whatever it takes” ones. They looked out for themselves and slept with one eye open.

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A sophisticated page-turner about a wealthy New York family embroiled in a financial scandal with cataclysmic consequences.

Now that he’s married to Merrill Darling, daughter of billionaire financier Carter Darling, attorney Paul Ross has grown accustomed to New York society and all of its luxuries: a Park Avenue apartment, weekends in the Hamptons, bespoke suits. When Paul loses his job, Carter offers him the chance to head the legal team at his hedge fund. Thrilled with his good fortune in the midst of the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression, Paul accepts the position.

But Paul’s luck is about to shift: a tragic event catapults the Darling family into the media spotlight, a regulatory investigation, and a red-hot scandal with enormous implications for everyone involved. Suddenly, Paul must decide where his loyalties lie—will he save himself while betraying his wife and in-laws or protect the family business at all costs?

Cristina Alger’s glittering debut novel interweaves the narratives of the Darling family, two eager SEC attorneys, and a team of journalists all racing to uncover—or cover up—the truth. With echoes of a fictional Too Big to Fail and the novels of Dominick Dunne, The Darlings offers an irresistible glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society—a world seldom seen by outsiders—and a fast-paced thriller of epic proportions.

Review: American Dervish by Ayad Aktar

Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 368
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5


**2012 Debut Adult Fiction Author**

Hayat is a Pakistani-American coming from a wealthy, dysfunctional family living in the outskirts of Milwaukee. His mother and father have become very americanized, both have shunned the Qur’an and the community. His parent’s marriage is fragile; his mother warns Hayat against Muslim men and wants him to be nothing like his father. His mother is depressed and lonely; she holds little details from Hayat about his father’s indiscretions. When his mother’s best friend comes to live with them from India, Hayat is immediately infatuated with her. While Mina was giving birth to her son, her husband divorced her, causing her parents great shame. Mina is distraught to be told her son would have to be given to her husband upon his seventh birthday. She escapes to America, hoping for a better life and security for her son. When Mina comes into the household, Hayat is relieved to have a change in atmosphere. He is immediately fascinated with her faith, which she openly begins to teach him. Hayat immerses himself in these teachings, but has a lot to learn about life and literal interpretations.

American Dervish is a captivating read, an amazing debut novel. Hayat is an innocent boy who quickly gets caught up in the beauty of faith, and the ugliness of stereotypes. For the first time in his life, Hayat is showered with attention by someone other than his mother. He hangs on Mina’s every word, and hopes that nothing will come between them. He does everything in his power to stay golden in her eyes. When Hayat realizes that Mina’s attention is divided by a Jewish suitor, Hayat is distressed. What comes next is a surprise, even for Hayat.

Akhtar does not shy away from a difficult topic. There is great comfort that comes from faith, but when literal interpretations begin to cloud ones thoughts, it can be devastating. The book opens in 1990, when Hayat is in college, he begins to reflect on his past. Hayat may not be proud of his past, but he was young, naïve and misguided. Akhtar warns of the dangers that come from being narrow-minded. Tunnel vision can be devastating.

Hayat’s parents do not have likeable personalities, but their intention to give their son a better life is commendable. They want nothing but the best for Hayat however, instead of guiding him in the right direction they want nothing to do with his Qur’an curiosities. Both of his parents seem to be lost, struggling to find their place in this new world. Hayat is struggling to gain acceptance, and wants to be seen. American Dervish is an amazing coming-of-age novel that readers will love. Akhtar presents characters who are trying to make sense of the new world, trying to understand the old world, characters who are lost in the shuffle. The writing is compelling, beautiful and readable. The story is engaging and engrossing. Highly recommended!

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Debut Adult Fiction Challenge Reviews

What is this challenge about?


This challenge is for anyone who intends to read/spotlight 2012 Adult Fiction Debut Novels. This challenge was inspired by The Young Adult Debut author challenge hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.



1. Challenge will run from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

2. Once the challenge has begun, each month there will be a post with a Mr. Linky, please come and add your link. 

3. You may link your review, guest post or interview. The goal is to spotlight these 2012 debut authors, and get the word out about their debut books. 

4. Please sign up for the Challenge using the linky (If you do not have a blog, you may use the comment section). 

5. You do not have to choose your books ahead of time.

Sign up Post

Below you may post your review links. Help spread the word about Debut Adult Fiction authors.

Wow: Absolution

 *2012 Debut novel*

Goodreads Description:

In her garden, ensconced in the lush vegetation of the Western Cape, Clare Wald, world-renowned author, mother, critic, takes up her pen and confronts her life. Sam Leroux has returned to South Africa to embark upon a project that will establish his reputation – he is to write Clare’s biography. But how honest is she prepared to be? Was she complicit in past crimes; is she an accomplice or a victim? Are her crimes against her family real or imagined? As Sam and Clare turn over the events of her life, she begins to seek reconciliation, absolution. But in the stories she weaves and the truth just below the surface of her shimmering prose, lie Sam’s own ghosts.



Absolution shines light on contemporary South Africa and the long dark shadow of the recent past, the elusive nature of truth and self-perception and the mysterious alchemy of the creative process. It is a debut of extraordinary strength and power.

*released March 27, 2012.

Wow: The Darlings

 *2012 Debut novel*

Goodreads Description:

A sophisticated page-turner about a wealthy New York family embroiled in a financial scandal with cataclysmic consequences.

Now that he's married to Merrill Darling, daughter of billionare financier Carter Darling, attorney Paul Ross has grown accustomed to New York society and all of its luxuries. When Paul loses his job, Carter offers him the chance to head the legal team at his hedge fund. Thrilled with his good fortune in the midst of the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression, Paul accepts the position. But Paul's luck is about to shift: a tragic event catapults the Darling family into the media spotlight, a regulatory investigation, and a red-hot scandal with enormous implications for everyone involved. With echoes of a fictional Too Big to Fail and the novels of Dominick Dunne, The Darlings offers an irresistible glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society--a world seldom seen by outsiders--and a fast-paced thriller of epic proportions.