Neither Gabriel García Márquez nor Mario Vargas Llosa had yet been born when the Guatemalan Miguel Ángel Asturias began to write his first novel, El Señor Presidente, in December 1922. He labored on it for a decade while living in self-imposed exile in Paris, then returned home when the Great Depression left him strapped for […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/the-inventor-of-magical-realism-mr-president-asturias/
Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas had all the makings of a successful politician. His rugged good looks accompanied an energetic personality that fit well with his “cowboy” image. His widely accepted exaggerations about his military service and childhood poverty diverted attention from his numerous extramarital affairs and neglect of his children, not to mention […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/the-frontier-justice-william-o-douglas/
Are novelists required to like humans? It’s fair to say, on the evidence of her published writing, that Sara Baume is not a people person. Her first novel, Spill Simmer Falter Wither (2015), tells the story of Ray, a self-proclaimed misfit who goes on the run in rural Ireland with One Eye, his adopted dog. […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/seeing-through-it-all-seven-steeples-sara-baume/
If you order Jennifer Homans’s Mr. B.: George Balanchine’s 20th Century, you might want to tell the delivery man to bring a hand truck. With the endnotes, nearly 1,500 of them, the book is close to eight hundred pages long. Balanchine deserves such coverage, though. His career spanned most of the twentieth century, during which […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/from-russia-with-love-mr-b-george-balanchines-20th-century/
This past December the American Society of Hematology held its annual meeting in New Orleans. More than 30,000 attendees listened to presentations of the most recent research on blood and its disorders. As you might expect, the audience was primarily composed of people working in the field—clinicians, laboratory scientists, and trainees in fellowship programs—who focused […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/saving-lives-and-making-a-killing-for-blood-and-money-vardi/
An author recommended The Change by Kirsten Miller and I grabbed a copy from Libro.fm. Narrated by January LaVoy this audio shares friendship, revenge and rediscovery of self. The three women work to solve the murder of a young woman and discover a dark secret in their quiet beach cove communities.
The Change
by Kirsten Miller
Narrator: January LaVoy
Length: 15 hours and 25 minutes
Genres: Women’s Fiction
Source: Libro.fm
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.5x
Big Little Lies meets The Witches of Eastwick—a gloriously entertaining and knife-sharp feminist revenge fantasy about three women whose midlife crisis brings unexpected new powers—putting them on a collision course with the evil that lurks in their wealthy beach town.
In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment…
After Nessa James’s husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, she’s left all alone in a trim white house not far from the ocean. In the quiet of her late forties, the former nurse begins to hear voices. It doesn’t take long for Nessa to realize that the voices calling out to her belong to the dead—a gift she’s inherited from her grandmother, which comes with special responsibilities.
On the cusp of 50, suave advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. She hasn’t left her house in months, and from the outside, it appears as if she and her garden have both gone to seed. But Harriet’s life is far from over—in fact, she’s undergone a stunning and very welcome metamorphosis.
Ambitious former executive Jo Levison has spent thirty long years at war with her body. The free-floating rage and hot flashes that arrive with the beginning of menopause feel like the very last straw—until she realizes she has the ability to channel them, and finally comes into her power.
Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl whose body was abandoned beside a remote beach. The police have written the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker, but the women refuse to buy into the official narrative. Their investigation into the girl’s murder leads to more bodies, and to the town’s most exclusive and isolated enclave, a world of stupendous wealth where the rules don’t apply. With their newfound powers, Jo, Nessa, and Harriet will take matters into their own hands…
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This was a clever tale with a little magical realism, or perhaps each woman was touched. Either way, the three come together, and together they bring change to their community and give voice to the dead girl and others.
First, we have Harriett Osborne, a fifty something married and successful ad agent who suddenly finds herself passed over for a leadership position and by her husband whose success she helped nurtured. She keeps the house and soon finds herself at odds with the local HOA, but Harriett has never felt more free. Harriett was my favorite character. I loved her wild & free nature.
Next we have widower Nessa James, who suddenly finds herself an empty nester when her twins go off to college. Nessa is in her late forties and begins hearing voices. She knows of her grandmother’s gifts and is surprised to see her own gift emerging. The voices she hears will not rest. Nessa was lovely, and I felt for her and respected her. I loved the changes we see in her throughout the story, including a budding romance.
Last but not least, we have Jo Levison. Married mother of two who is at war with the rage and hormonal changes she feels. She is bright and the breadwinner of her family. Recently she opened a fitness center and the women in town love it. I connected with Jo from her fear for her young daughter, to her desire to succeed.
When the three come together and discover the body of a young woman abandoned in the dunes along the coast, things change. I laughed, cried, and often held my breath as they uncovered clues and dealt with some ruthless and powerful men.
Friendship, loss, corruption, inequality, human trafficking and magic come together to create an addictive tale you won’t want to set down. This tale touches on relevant issues and weaves them throughout the mystery to create a wickedly entertaining tapestry.
January LaVoy brought voice to these women. From pacing to her tone, she enhanced the story and made listening an experience. LaVoy is a gifted narrator and one who will make me choose the audio over the book.
Amazon | Audible
Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. At seventeen, she hit the road and moved to New York City, where she lives to this day. Kirsten’s first adult novel, The Change, is a feel good feminist revenge fantasy–with witches. The Change is a Good Morning America Book Club pick for May 2022. Kirsten also the author of over a dozen middle grade and YA novels, including the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, which tell the tale of the delinquent girl geniuses who keep Manhattan safe, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. She is not the Kirsten Miller who wrote All That Is Left (which appears on the list of the books she’s written), but she assumes that Kirsten is lovely and talented.
January LaVoy is a stage, television, and voice actress. She performed on Broadway in Enron and on television in One Life to Live, All My Children, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU, and Guiding Light.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/05/the-change-by-kirsten-miller.html
What is Atrial Fibrillation? This question is asked by students in this edition of the Nurse Florence series. A group of students see the school nurse at lunch and ask if they can sit with her; once they are all settled, Nurse Florence asks what they want to learn about today. One girl says that a family friend has just been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation and wants to know what that means. This leads to an in-depth discussion about what one is, how it can be caused, what this means for the person with it and things that can be done to prevent getting one. The girls learn a lot of science and medical terminology and have a great discussion on things to do to keep one’s body healthy.
Nurse Florence®, What is Atrial Fibrillation? written by Michael Dow, is written about a fictional nurse, but all the information in the story is based on facts. Dow uses correct medical terminology to explain things, and while this may be daunting at first, there is a glossary to look up the term. As an adult, I learned a great deal from this book, so I am positive that this would benefit children interested in science and medicine. The illustrations done by Lorie Brooker are done in colored pencil drawings. This allows younger children to look at things like blood pumping through the heart without being too graphic for sensitive readers. It is a great way to introduce these concepts in an approachable manner.
For children with an interest in medicine or teachers wanting to expand students’ interest in STEM, Nurse Florence®, What is Atrial Fibrillation? is a fantastic book to introduce to kids. This easy-to-follow children’s book teaches readers about A-fib and helps them understand how it is diagnosed, how it occurs, and what can be done to treat and prevent it.
Pages: 119 | ISBN : 1329376684
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/05/nurse-florence-what-is-atrial-fibrillation/
Wanderlust, by Lucia Catherine, follows the blossoming romance between two kindred spirits, Erica and Chase. Despite loving the lives they’ve built, they both suffer from a fear of commitment, which serves as a common thread that brings them together. The story begins with Chase, a best-selling author, who decides to settle down in Sandy Brae, a small coastal town in Virginia. It’s here that he meets Erica, a world-renowned photographer, and their connection is undeniable.
Initially, they both agree to a friends-with-benefits relationship but soon realize that they were meant to be more than just that. Chase’s life is further complicated when tragedy strikes, and he becomes the guardian of his sister’s children. Erica steps up to help him navigate this new normal, and as she falls in love with him and his family, they decide to get married to retain custody of the children. However, this causes conflict in their relationship, and they begin questioning their feelings for each other.
Catherine’s writing style is consistent and flows seamlessly, and her tone is both earnest and colloquial. The main characters are well-developed, and the author expertly reveals different layers of them throughout the novel. The communication between Erica and Chase can sometimes be frustrating, but it adds depth to their dynamic and immerses the reader further into their story. Despite the many important pieces to the plot, the author avoids confusion, making it easy for the reader to follow.
Wanderlust is a beautifully written novel that expertly weaves together romance, family, and commitment themes. It explores how relationships change over time and how people change with them. It’s a story of learning to love, trust, and find the things that matter in life. It’s a perfect read for fans of made-family and romance genres.
Pages: 216 | ASIN : B0BNGB1LXT
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/05/wanderlust/
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan #BookAwards May 2023
Join us in congratulating these #AwardWinning #authors. These fascinating #books expertly convey original and riveting ideas in unique and memorable ways that have amazed us.#WritingCommunity #Writers #WritersLifthttps://t.co/MZGuZeIalI pic.twitter.com/uDwKTdLXOX— Literary Titan (@LiteraryTitan) May 5, 2023
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/05/literary-titan-silver-book-award-may-2023/
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/05/literary-titan-gold-book-award-may-2023/
