ARC Review | ASHES by Steven Manchester

Ashes by Steven Manchester

Published by Story Plant

February 21, 2017

Contemporary Fiction

Buy the book on Amazon

Summary:

Middle-aged brothers Jason and Tom Prendergast thought they were completely done with each other. Perceived betrayal had burned the bridge between them, tossing them into the icy river of estrangement. But life and death has a robust sense of irony, and when they learn that their cruel father has died and made his final request that they travel together across the country to spread his ashes, they have no choice but to spend a long, long car trip in each other s company. It s either that or lose out on the contents of the envelope he s left with his lawyer. The trip will be as gut-wrenching as each expects it to be . . . and revealing in ways neither of them is prepared for.

At turns humorous, biting, poignant, and surprisingly tender, ASHES puts a new spin on family and dysfunction with a story that is at once fresh and timelessly universal.

My thoughts... 

As you know, if you have followed this blog for very long, I am a fan of Steven Manchester's work.  I have read nearly all of his books and I always enjoy them very much.  This was no exception. This book was a little different than the last few of his that I have read in that there is no hint of romance to be found.  Other than that aspect, it's very on par with the rest of Steven's books.  It's very heartfelt and full of subtle messages that hit you right in the feels.

Jason and Tom Prendergast are estranged brothers who are brought back together when their father dies.  His will states that they will not get what's been left to them until they travel across the country to spread his ashes in Seattle.  The brothers haven't spent any real time together for more than 30 years; truth be told they hate each other almost as much as they hated their father so this is bound to be a miserable trip.  As they travel they are forced to relive some horrific moments of their childhood that they really just want to forget.  They move closer to resolving their differences and to forgiveness the closer they get to Seattle. They never expected what they find when they get there, but, will it be enough to mend their long forgotten relationship?

At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but in the end I did really enjoy in and just like all the others it did make me cry.  There is just something in Steven's writing that gets me every single time!

XOXO, 

Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.* 

Review | "The Changing Season" by Steven Manchester

The Changing Season by Steven Manchester
Contemporary published February 23, 2016
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

This was supposed to be a simple summer for Billy; one more lazy expanse of time before college began. He'd fill the hours playing with Jimmy – his canine best buddy – going camping and doing all the things he promised Jimmy they'd do before Billy left.

But that was before the accident that shook the entire town.

It was before the summer job that turned into something so much more than a way to get a paycheck.

And it was before Vicki.

This summer was destined to be many things to Billy, things he didn't truly understand until now. But it was definitely not going to be simple.

An enormously touching, richly textured, deeply moving novel of new adulthood, THE CHANGING SEASON is an experience to savor.

My Thoughts...

This was actually the first book that I have taken the time to sit down and read since this school semester had really gotten started for me.  I enjoyed it, as I do all of Steven's books, but it wasn't my favorite.  There was a time when I probably wouldn't have even cared for it at all because until this past year, I was not a dog person.  I never understood how people could get so attached to their animals, but our kids talked us into getting a dog a little over a year ago and now I finally get it.  

This is the story of the last summer that Billy spends at home before he goes off to to college.  He is kind of adrift.  He doesn't know what he wants to do with his is life and he seems to be the only one of his friends who is in this position.  He takes a summer job at an animal shelter and this turns out to be the best decision he's ever made.  He is even able to take is long time companion Jimmy, a mutt he adopted from the very same shelter years before, in to work with him.  Throughout the summer Billy is also dealing some very hard issues.  He's keeping a secret for a friend, one that has the potential to change many things including a new relationship with Vikki, the girl he is in love with.

This is the story of how Billy grows up and learns that things don't always turn out the way you hope, but the way they do turn out may be better for you in the long run.  I won't say that I am a huge fan of how everything was resolved in the end.  I feel like there were things that could have been handled better or at least with a little more closure, but I do understand why it ended the way it did.  And as always Steven managed to make me cry at the end!

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Review | "Gooseberry Island" by Steven Manchester

Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester
Contemporary published January 6, 2015
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

They met at the worst possible moment...or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party, capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?

Gooseberry Island is the most nuanced, dramatic, and romantic novel yet from a writer whose ability to plumb the depths of human emotion knows few peers. 

My Thoughts...

I think up to this point I have read all of Steven Manchester's books from Twelve Months on and I have enjoyed each and every one of them.  I know that I can sit down with one and read it in a couple of hours and I know that it's going to be emotional.  This book was no exception, though I will say it wasn't my favorite of Steven's work.  I think that maybe it's just because I didn't quite connect with the characters in this particular story the way I have with some of the other books.  That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the story, though.  This story is largely about PTSD and the ramifications of dealing with life "after the fact", if you will.  I guess this just isn't a subject I know a lot about so it was hard for me to connect with that part of it.

David is an Army Ranger who meets Lindsay the day before he ships out to Afghanistan for a year long tour.  It's an insta-love scenario, where they both kind of know that they want to try the long distance thing even though they don't really know each other.  They stay in pretty close contact over the year that David is gone. David is optimistic at first, but things happen to him in Afghanistan that will haunt him for the rest of his life.  Back home in the States, Lindsay is dealing with her father who is a soldier fighting his own battle with PTSD and having a rough time of it.  She never confides this to David though, not until much later in their relationship.

More than half the book deals with David's return and all the things that follow him back from overseas.  He's not the same person he was when he left and he has a lot of issues to work through before he can be the same man that fell in love with Lindsay.

There were so many things is this book that frustrated me.  I just wanted to smack David and tell him to talk to her about what was going on.  I wanted Lindsay to tell him about her father so he would know that it's something she could handle.  This is where I felt the disconnection with the characters and I know that this comes from not really having any way to quantify PTSD personally.  I have no personal experience with it so it's hard to identify with the actions of a person who has.  I know that there are a lot of people out there who will identify with this book and I think that Steven did a great job writing about this particular subject.  It was a very emotional story and if you enjoy Mr. Manchester's work then this book will be no exception.

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Review | "The Thursday Night Club" by Steven Manchester

The Thursday Night Club by Steven Manchester
Contemporary published November 18, 2014
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon


Synopsis from Goodreads:

Five college friends, three men and two women, have been getting together every Thursday night to share humble meals and an abundance of laughter. But when tragedy takes one of them, leaving the others to question the fairness of life, the Thursday Night Club decides to embark on a contest in the memory of the generous spirit of their fallen brother. The objective of the contest is simple: whoever performs the kindest deed by Christmas night wins the pot – four quarters. And there are only two conditions: the benevolent deed must be anonymous, and it cannot cost a single penny to pull off.

As the four friends undertake the contest, the healing begins and they become inspired beyond their expectations. There might be a winner in this competition, but it is very clear there will be no losers.

A story of Christmas spirit that will strike a chord in your heart any time of year, The Thursday Night Club will make you look at the holiday season in new ways. 

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My Thoughts...

If you are looking for a good inspirational Holiday read, look no further.  This is a quick read, but there is no lacking for good content in this one.  The story does just what it sets out to do and it's an emotional journey.

I'm not going to do a summary of the book because the synopsis does a wonderful job of that and the story it too short to add much without spoiling anything.  This story is about what it truly means to have a generous heart and to do things with no expectation of anything in return.  It also shows that one person can truly make a big difference in the world.  These four friends make a huge difference in the lives of the people around them and make changes that will impact others for years to come and in doing so they are able to honor the friend that they lost.

This story is wonderful and while it's the perfect time of year for it, it should be something we all aspire to all year round.  I loved it, as I do all of Steven's work.  I love that it made me thing about what I could do to make a difference in someone else's life.  I encourage everyone to pick this up and read it, it will only take an hour to read and it will be well worth it!

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Review | "Father of Fear" by Ethan Cross

Father of Fear by Ethan Cross
Mystery/Thriller published August 19, 2014
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A father returns home to find that his family has been kidnapped and the only way to save their lives is for him to kill another innocent person…

So begins a journey that will force Special Agent Marcus Williams of the Shepherd Organization to question all that he believes, unearth his family's dark legacy, and sacrifice everything to save those he loves. In order to stop the serial murderer whom the media has dubbed the Coercion Killer, Williams must enlist the help of one of the world's most infamous and wanted men...the serial killer Francis Ackerman Jr.

Rippling with intensity, charged with tension, and brimming with a relentless spirit of humanity, FATHER OF FEAR is the latest evidence that Ethan Cross is one of the finest suspense novelists on the planet.

My Thoughts...

I said it in my review of the last book in this series and I will say it again....these really should be made into movies, they would be excellent!  This book was more of a psychological thriller than the last one, at least in my opinion.  Ethan Cross can definitely write crazy and it's so, so good.

In this installment we find Marcus and his crew in Kansas City trying to catch the Coercion Killer.  He is someone who kidnaps every family member but one and forces the remaining member of the family to kill someone he has chosen.  If they refuse he kills a member of the family until they complete the task, if they follow his orders he releases the family unharmed and virtually unaware of the situation.  Marcus enlists the help of his brother, who happens to be a wanted serial killer.  He's also the perfect person to help because of the way his mind works. Both Marcus and Francis are quite brilliant and they work well to kind of balance each other out.  Marcus the light half to Francis' dark.

Marcus is having his own problems, trouble sleeping, headaches, etc... He's kind of a loose cannon on the job, but Maggie helps keep him in check.  Despite his qualms he's also bonding with Francis as they work together.  Things go from bad to worse and Maggie is forced to work along side Francis, whom she despises.  It's a race to the finish to save someone they care about as well as the lives of countless others and they have to learn to trust people they wouldn't ordinarily trust in order to see it through.

This book is written in third person through the eyes of many different characters depending on what's happening at the current time.  It's fast paced and most of the chapters are short and succinct.  That combined with the quick pace makes for a very quick read if you have the time to sit for a couple hours.

This is a very dark read filled with lots of action, but a fair amount of gory imagery as well.  Not only from the serial killers view, but from Francis as well.  I have to admit that I loved Francis' character in this book.  He is clearly still a very unstable person, very prone to violent outbursts, still a killer no doubt about it, but he's changing.  He's a smart guy who knows that someone made him this way, and it's not necessarily who he wants to be anymore so he's trying very hard to change.  He reminds me of Dexter just a little bit.  He knows that what he is is wrong, but it's not entirely his fault that he's like this.

If you like a good thriller then I highly recommend this series.  You will be on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Blog Tour Review | "Favors and Lies" by Mark Gilleo

Favors and Lies by Mark Gilleo
Mystery/Thriller published July 1, 2014
The Story Plant

Where to find Mark Gilleo Online:

Website
Goodreads Author Page

Buy the Book:  Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads

Dan Lord is a forty-year-old private detective with a law degree working the blurred line between right and wrong in the Nation’s Capital. As a self-employed solutions broker and legal consultant, he works for a very select clientele. He doesn’t advertise and only takes cases on referral. But when two people close to him are murdered, Dan's work becomes very personal.

With the assistance of a newly hired female intern, extracting clues from a ladder of acquaintances, Dan bounds through both the underbelly and elite of society, each step bringing more questions and yet ultimately taking him closer to the answer he seeks. A bail bondsman, a recluse hacker, a court clerk, a university student, an old-school barber, a high-class madam, an intelligence officer, a medical doctor, and a police detective are among the list of people Dan must cajole for help. His quest will lead him to discover things he never wanted to know, and put him in the position to reveal things that important people would prefer remain unrevealed.

Tense, ingenious, and filled with the unforgettable characters that have become a Mark Gilleo trademark, FAVORS AND LIES is the most thrilling novel yet from one of the great new voices in suspense fiction.

My Thoughts...

This is the second book by Mark Gilleo that I have read and I must say that I enjoyed this one even more than the first one.  I think I managed to finish this one in 2 sittings, I was hooked from the first chapter and I really didn't want to put it down.  

Dan Lord is a 40 year old man with a very complicated past that lends a thick air of mystery to his character throughout the course of the book.  Dan gets a call in the middle of the night that changes the course of his life and it takes all the resources he has in his repertoire to solve this case.  As he gets more involved things become more dangerous for him and anyone he has contact with.  Even the people he starts to trust aren't who they seem and when we finally find out who is behind the whole thing it's a huge shock.  This is all I am going to say about the plat for fear of spoiling it and that would be a shame to do since this whole book is so plot driven.

The whole book is full of twists and turns and it's pretty much non stop from the very first chapter.  The characters are very well written and Dan is just one of those guys you love from the first page.   There were a few rambling bits that I didn't feel were altogether necessary to further the story.  They did provide back story for some of the more minor characters and I suppose they did lend them an air of credibility in the end.  Marks' writing style is very easy to be drawn into and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next, although I would love to see more of Dan Lord in the future!

If you love a good suspense, murder mystery story then I can't recommend Mark Gilleo enough and this book is a great way to get a sense of his writing style for sure.

XOXO, Shelly

Author Bio

Mark Gilleo holds a graduate degree in international business from the University of South Carolina and an undergraduate degree in business from George Mason University. He enjoys traveling, hiking and biking. He speaks Japanese. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, he currently resides in the D.C. area. His first two novels were recognized as finalist and semifinalist, respectively, in the William Faulkner Wisdom creative writing competition. 

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Blog Tour | "Pressed Pennies" by Steven Manchester

Pressed Pennies by Steven Manchester
Contemporary Romance published May 13, 2014
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon


Synopsis from Goodreads:

Rick and Abby grew up together, became best friends, and ultimately fell in love. Circumstance tore them apart in their early teens, though, and they went on to lives less idyllic than they dreamed about in those early days. Rick has had a very successful career, but his marriage flat-lined. Abby has a magical daughter, Paige, but Paige's father nearly destroyed Abby's spirit.

Now fate has thrown Rick and Abby together again. In their early thirties, they are more world-weary than they were as kids. But their relationship still shimmers, and they're hungry to make up for lost time. However, Paige, now nine, is not nearly as enthusiastic. She's very protective of the life she's made with her mother and not open to the duo becoming a trio. Meanwhile, Rick has very little experience dealing with kids and doesn't know how to handle Paige. This leaves Abby caught between the two people who matter the most to her. What happens when the life you've dreamed of remains just inches from your grasp?

PRESSED PENNIES is a nuanced, intensely romantic, deeply heartfelt story of love it its many incarnations, relationships in their many guises, and family in its many meanings. It is the most accomplished and moving novel yet from a truly great storyteller of the heart.

My Thoughts...

I think I have read all of Steven's books now and this is definitely my favorite of all of them.  This is a romance, but like all of Steven's other work there is something deeper there than just what is on the surface.  Abby and her daughter Paige are moving to a new town to "start over".  Abby has made Paige a priority and is always stressing to her that it's just the two of them and in a way Abby is making what is about to happen even harder on both of them.

Abby is recently divorced from a verbally abusive man and she wants to make a better life for her daughter.  Rick is also recently divorced, he's been in a loveless marriage for years and finally decides he's had enough.  Rick and Abby were childhood friends and just happen to re-connect at a backyard party of mutual friends.  They are both  extremely happy to see one another and to catch up and before long that connection they had as teenagers has struck a spark and they want to spend more and more time together.  The problem is that Paige isn't ready for there to be more than just she and Abby.  She loves her dad and counts on him for more than he is willing to give her.  He is consistently letting her down and all those times he does, Rick is stepping in trying to be there for her.  She is not at a place where she is ready to allow her mom to be happy with anyone.

This story hit home for me because I remember that feeling when my mother started to date again.  I connected with Paige to a certain degree.  The difference was that Rick was a nice guy and if Paige had stopped to think about the goodness he was contributing to each of their lives she wouldn't have needed to make them all so miserable for so long.  I get that she was young, but at the same time, this book spans the course of several years and she was still so stubborn!  

I loved this story.  I loved that it was so real and that the story wasn't just another romance.  I enjoy all of Steven's books because there is always something good just under the surface of the story.  They only think I didn't like was the inner thoughts of the characters and I think this is something that I have pointed out in other stories.  To me they are just a little more telling than I need.  

If you are looking for a good clean romance then I highly recommend this book!

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Blog Tour Review | "Fortunate Son" by David Marlett

Fortunate Son by David Marlett
Historical Fiction published February 25, 2014
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet James Annesley, son of 18th Century Ireland. Though you may have never heard his name before, his story has already touched you in profound ways. Now, for the first time, novelist David Marlett brings that incredible story to life.

Stretching from the dirty streets of Ireland to the endless possibilities of Colonial America, from drama on the high seas with the Royal Navy to a life-and-death race across England and up the Scottish Highlands, from the prospect of a hangman’s noose to a fate decided in the halls of justice, FORTUNATE SON is a powerful, relentless epic. Here nobility, duels, love, courage, revenge, honor, and treachery among family, friends and ancient enemies abound. And at its center is the most momentous trial in Irish history – the trial of Annesley v. Anglesea from which our modern “attorney/client privilege” was forged, and our concept of a “jury of one's peers” was put to the test.

Carefully researched, vividly evoked, and lovingly brought to the page, FORTUNATE SON is an unforgettable work of fiction based on fact, one that will resonate deep within you long after you finish it.

My Thoughts...

This is one of those books that it took me a little bit to get into, but once I did I really quite enjoyed it.  From what I gather this book is a work of fiction based on fact.  The story part of it is fiction, but it's all based on true facts about the trial of Annesley v. Anglesea.  The book contains pieces of actual testimony from the trial.  It's all very interesting.  

This is the story of James Annesley.  His father was killed when he was only 12 or 13 and his uncle Richard wanted the Anglesea title so he claimed that James was not legitimate.  Richard had his men put James on a ship and he was sold as an indentured servant in America.  This is James story, it follows him from the streets of Ireland to America where he stayed in servitude for nearly 14 years.  He finally makes his way back to Ireland where he fights to regain what is rightfully his in one of the biggest trials in Ireland's history.  Along the way James becomes quite a fine man.  Despite his situation he grows up to be a good man.  He does have the good fortune to have a couple of good male role models as he is growing up.  He also falls in love and is blessed to have a family of his own in the end.  There is a nice little twist at the end that I didn't expect and that made the book even better for me.

Overall I really enjoyed the book.  I would say the only thing that I didn't care for was how the accents were written and that's totally a personal thing.  I think sometimes it makes the reading a little slower going when you have to wade through all the odd spellings and stuff.  This is also why it took me a little longer to get into the book.  Once I got used to it the reading went smoother.

I did really enjoy the characters and the history of the story.  I liked the combination of fiction and non-fiction quite a lot.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good historical read.

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*