As some of you may know, Joan was an eccentric. Or perhaps it is more judicious to say that she was set in her ways, ways that would not be considered conventional. There was, to paraphrase Robert Lowell, something about her both enchanting and reproachful. For example, she did not answer the telephone. And she […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2022/09/28/write-it-again/
Sophia Rose is here with a new romantic suspense for you. Come check out Spells For Forgetting by Adrienne Young and see why Sophia recommends this atmospheric tale.
Spells For Forgetting
by Adrienne Young
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
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Heat Level: 
A rural island community steeped in the mystical superstitions of its founders and haunted by an unsolved murder is upended by the return of the suspected killer in this deeply atmospheric novel.
Emery Blackwood’s life was forever changed on the eve of her high school graduation, when the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her best friend, Lily. Now, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence among the community that fractured her world in two. She’d once longed to run away with August, eager to escape the misty, remote shores of Saiorse Island and chase new dreams; now, she maintains her late mother’s tea shop and cares for her ailing father. But just as the island, rooted in folklore and tradition, begins to show signs of strange happenings, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that no one wants to remember.
August Salt knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night that changed everything. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother’s ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from the past that has never healed—Emery. But the town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises that span generations threatens to reveal the truth behind Lily’s death once and for all.
Evocative and compelling, Spells for Forgetting is a vivid exploration of lost love and the unraveling of a small town and its many secrets.
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Years ago, a teen boy set fire to an orchard and there are strong suspicions he murdered a teen girl. Now, years later, the mystical island he left under a dark cloud of suspicion is his destination. Something stirs with his return and secrets won’t stay buried.
Adrienne Young is a popular Young Adult author and I’ve been curious about her books for some time, but this atmospheric, adult standalone was my first engagement with her writing. Wow, she can make the very air of the story resonate with the reader.
Magical realism is employed early and to ominous effects to set a mood on this remote Washington State island. A storm is coming, the locals see in every omen and the storm is led by the return of August Salt. August made a huge teenage angsty mistake, but was it more than that and he killed a girl? That is what his old small community thinks. This includes the girl now woman who never got over what he did and that he left her behind. Emery never left the island and it is emotional when she sees August for the first time in years.
August had my heart from the beginning even as I learned he was an accused murderer. Lily Morgan was dead, and the orchard is now in the town’s hands, but August’s very presence stirs up the past and someone- a lot of someones want him gone. His first love seems to have moved on with another guy, though she didn’t and refused to commit. Now, there is an adult romance possibility and as the menace toward August grows, Emery is determined that August stick around and they unbury the truth once and for all.
This was an adult story, but it was not a long stretch to see the author was used to writing YA because the main characters seemed to be in an arrested development situation in that they had to deal with their teenage selves and that time. In fact, there are flashback timelines to reinforce this impression with me.
There is lag in bits of the middle so that I got impatient for the plot to get going, but after reading it I can see how some of that was set up and explanation for what comes later. The last quarter was the best, and this book ended on a high note for me. I had my suspicions early of what was really going on. I come from a small town so I can say this and still love where I came from. But sometimes small town roots, particularly isolated communities, can get twisted and growth is stunted so that people lose a sense of proportion and rightness. Not so great in real life, but oh so choice in a suspense story. I say all that because I enjoyed this darker aspect going on to give the murder mystery added complexity and made the denouement make a good sense the way it’s very ho-hum normalcy balances out what came before.
If you’re looking for a tasty atmospheric magical realism fall read, I highly recommend this one. Meanwhile, I’ll be bumping up a few from the author’s backlist on my reading list.
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Spells For Forgetting by Adrienne Young delivered an atmosphere fall read. #NewRelease #MagicalRealism #bookreview #RomanticSuspense #SophiaRose
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Adrienne Young is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sky and Sea duology, the Fable series, and Spells for Forgetting. When she’s not writing, you can find Adrienne on her yoga mat, on a walk in the woods, or planning her next travel adventure. She lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
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Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/09/spells-for-forgetting-by-adrienne-young%ef%bf%bc.html
Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes is a historical military memoir that delves into enslavement in Southampton County, Virginia, during the American Civil War. The author references published sources, family history, and anecdotes that narrate the true story of his great grandfather, Parson Sykes, and his quest for liberation. The book details the harrowing escape from enslavement in Southampton County during the American Civil War in 1864.
The author does an excellent job of exploring the socio-cultural environment of the time through the recorded experiences of Parson Sykes, his friends, and his family. At the age of 17, Parson is a charismatic leader in his community with great promise. The book has a compelling narrative that details his journey of escaping enslavement. Each chapter discusses the era’s events, including military movements and tactics, Mason’s military background, expertise, and how he addresses the oppressive and systematic ways that were used to dehumanize black people.
This enlightening story provides a glimpse into the brutality of this oppression, and the inhumane hardships enslaved people had to endure. Despite the vulnerability and helplessness experienced by many, the author highlights the strength and resilience of black women and women’s rights through the character of Frances Hill.
I highly recommend this informative and thought-provoking novel for its candid and realistic narration from the perspective of enslaved people and their families. Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes is a must-read for its importance and relevance in society and how many aspects of this history remain in the present day. I recommend Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes for its brilliant writing style and educational value. It’s an important topic that needs more attention and is a great educational read for anyone who wants to learn about the realities of slavery and the American Civil War.
Pages: 236 | ASIN: B0BG6954LL
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/28/the-self-liberation-of-parson-sykes/
What Your Doctor Wants You to Know to Crush Medical Debt by Virgie Bright Ellington gives readers hope of achieving financial freedom from extensive medical debt. They say ‘good health is wealth,’ and in Dr. Ellington’s book, the author expounds in detail on how trying to lead a healthy lifestyle will save you money and free you from medical bankruptcy.
The average American knows how expensive health care is and the impact of medical bills. In this educational book, the reader is enlightened on navigating medical bills, negotiating for better health care, how insurance companies operate, handling Covid-19 and its implications, and debt management tips, among other things. Dr. Ellington is kind enough to share her story, her experiences with the American healthcare system, and the lessons she has picked along the way.
What Your Doctor Wants You to Know to Crush Medical Debt is divided into three parts, each focusing on diverse topics and answering questions Americans have regarding the healthcare system. The author starts by discussing how to crush your medical bills and advises on how to locate mistakes in your medical bills. Dr. Ellington is thorough, explains using simple terms, and even decrypts medical terms and codes. By doing this, she enables the reader to fully grasp the subject being discussed.
One of the most profound quotes in the book is, “Americans are one serious medical illness or injury away from financial catastrophe.” This statement is tragic and true at the same time. I appreciate the author for her boldness and for exposing the damage that is the U.S healthcare system. While she appears to lament in some pages, she also offers solutions. I appreciate the vulnerability Dr. Ellington displays as it gives the reader a true picture of how the situation is.
Some of the key topics in the book are discussed in the chapters that cover insurance plans, documenting conversations, and negotiating medical bills. The author also writes that no one is immune from being overbilled and gives steps on how to avoid overbilling. The complete book is helpful. The author’s experiences and the expert opinion she has given are enough to help you avoid medical bankruptcy. Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington’s style of writing enables young readers and senior citizens to understand the content without difficulty. I recommend What Your Doctor Wants You to Know to Crush Medical Debt to every reader, mindful of their financial and health status. Dr. Ellington made complex topics easy to read.
Pages: 100 | ASIN : B09VJ577FZ
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/28/what-your-doctor-wants-you-to-know-to-crush-medical-debt/
Tackling Complexity, by Anu Rathninde, is a book written for and intended for leaders. Its aim is to help them become a better version of themselves and to learn from their own or other leaders’ mistakes. The book’s seven parts each focus on a different aspect of the SIILA model. In addition, they include the writer’s personal experience, giving readers a real-life look at things.
Rathninde writes in a very detailed way, guiding the reader through every concept, even writing a short summary of each part at the end of it. This helps readers review concepts and internalize them. The author also addresses the reader directly, more than once, to strengthen the point and to give suggestions on how to be and become a better leader.
As a reader keen on details, I appreciated the examples taken from contemporary situations. The writer provides the reader with plenty of examples, complete with data, names, and everything that might help contextualize them and that will help the reader understand the concept explained in the paragraph. Furthermore, the focus on variety, complexity, and interdependency helps readers feel part of the process as common situations happen in every work context.
In addition, the book revolves around the SIILA model, a loop of system thinking, internalizing, interaction, learning, and adapting. This model helps the entrepreneur or CEO in question to analyze their own habits and correct them when necessary. It is well described and uses the metaphor of parental love to explain the tough love one has to feel for their own work, which matches their dedication to the process.
Tackling Complexity, by Anu Rathninde, is an enlightening business management book focusing on the personal growth of a leader. With its suggestions and examples that make the reader understand what a good leader is, it can help everyone achieve good results in their own workplace. I recommend this book to any reader keen on self-help books, leaders in need of a guide, and anyone interested in leadership development.
Pages: 221 | ASIN : B09XVMLZ6C
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/28/tackling-complexity/
This is a riveting historical fiction novel set in 1640’s Portugal under the rule of King Filipe. The discontent of those who live under him continues to grow. The people begin to revolt against the many changes that benefit only one person, the king. A masked man, also known as Captain Gualdim, fights the king’s soldiers in order to give back to the townspeople. Three knights Don Diogo, Don Afonso, and Don Pedro, all considered fine men by anyone’s standard, set out to unmask captain Gualdim and find out who he is once and for all. The three knights fight for the hand of Laura de Noronha, the beautiful daughter of Don Antonio de Noronha, who has become involved with the masked man. Will Laura’s secret life be uncovered? Will the knights discover who the masked man is?
Author Isabel Ricardo provides readers with an action-packed historical fiction novel that’s colored with Portugal’s rich history. Each character is introduced with a description of what they look like and their mannerisms. While I think this makes it easy for readers to visualize the characters, I would’ve liked to have the characters introduced through the story, rather than the author telling us. I like that Laura’s character is still feminine, but she also has a spunky side to her. This makes her character fun to follow because you don’t know what she’s going to say next.
The author’s writing style is playful yet serious at the right times. I enjoyed the playful banter between the three knights. The flirting between Laura and Don Pedro is sweet and it shows his charming side. The tension begins to rise as everyone in the story begins to suspect that one another is the masked man. This made the story hard to put down because I too wanted to know who he was. The plot twist threw me for a loop and was something that I did not expect. It was a shocking but pleasant surprise and I wouldn’t change the ending.
The Last Conspirator is a lively historical fiction novel for fans of Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers or for readers looking for an adventure story that channels Johnston McCulley’s The Curse of Capistrano.
Pages: 476 | ASIN: 1949868699
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/28/the-last-conspirator/
Alabaster Box is the explosive sequel to Will You Be Made Whole.
Find out what happens when Cookie Spencer and Kat Jennings try desperately to escape their scandalous pasts and put their lives back in order only to be shunned by a society that won’t forgive and doesn’t forget.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/28/alabaster-box-two-women-one-struggle-book-trailer/