Before Women Had Wings, by Connie May Fowler

Before Women Had Wings by Connie May Fowler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Before Women Had Wings by Connie May Fowler is an intense novel dealing with poverty, generational abuse, and hope of escape. Avocet Jackson, nicknamed Bird, is the younger of two sisters (with an older half-brother) living in Florida with their mother, Glory Marie.

After their father's death, the family moves to Tampa. While they had been poor before the move, they slid further into povery, as Glory Marie began drinking heavily, and becoming more and more abusive.

This book, a quick read, is based loosely on Fowler's early life. making it a slightly harder read. But in the end, when Glory Marie lets an elderly friend, Miss Zora, take the sisters into her care, one sees that life might be getting a little better.

While the book might be difficult to read in spots, Connie May Fowler's Before Women Had Wings is well worth the read.

View all my reviews

Rise and Shine, by Anna Quindlen

Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some books are enjoyale enough that it's easy for one to reread. For me, Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen is one of those books.

Bridget Fitzmaurice is a social worker who lives in her sister Meghan's shadow. Meghan is the popular host of Rise and Shine, "the country’s highest-rated morning talk show," until the Monday morning when she says several forbidden words into an open mic.

Within days, Meghan is off the air, has had her marriage implode, and finds her life falling apart.

Bridget's life gets difficult, too. She becomes pregnant by her much older boyfriend, who doesn't want kids. She also helps Meghan's son, Leo, get a summer job, where he is shot and left paralyzed. The book then ties all these loose ends together in a realistic way.

The characters in Rise and Shine are believable, quirks, warts and all, making it a satisfying read.

If you're looking for a good read, Anna Quindlen's Rise and Shine is one to check out.

View all my reviews

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There are many books about writing, some describing "how to" (with step-by-step rules), others more along the line of "how I did it," and some that fall somewhere in-between. If one were to choose which of these books to buy, whether for inspiration, as a guide, or simply to enjoy, which would be the best to buy?

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King is one of the two best books about writing that I have found. (The other is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.) On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is part memoir (obviously), part guide to writing, and fully enjoyable, with useful information.

The first section deals with Stephen King's journey into writing. It is interesting reading, especially for anyone who wants to delve into this master story-teller's background. At one point, he mentions being totally frustrated with writing, throwing out what he had written for his first book. Thank goodness, his wife found the pages, read them, and encouraged King to continue writing. (Thanks, Tabitha!) He goes on to tell selling Carrie, including the advance for the paperback sale, which allowed him to leave his job (teaching), and writing full-time.

The second part of the book is a guide to writing. Whether one is planning to write full-time or not, it is definitely worth reading. There is no frilliness, nothing to distract, just simply great advice, skillfully written.

For anyone looking for a book about writing, or simply looking for the next good read, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King is well worth the time.

View all my reviews

Overboard, by Sara Paretsky

Overboard by Sara Paretsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It seems that Sara Paretsky gets better with each V.I. Warshawski book, and her book Overboard is no exception.

Written during the first year of the COVID pandemic, Overboard starts off with Vic chasing after Mitch (one of the two dogs she shares with her neighbor, Mr. Contreras), who has discovered a badly hurt teen. Vic alerts the police, who get the girl to the hospital.

Of course, things go haywire from there. The girl disappears, a crooked cop tries to kill Vic, Vic has to hide several people...In the end, everything works out. Well worth the read.

View all my reviews