Perfectly Crazy

Author: Mitzi Penzes
ISBN: 9781-9355473-3-4
Publisher: New Year Publishing

Purchase Link: Perfectly Crazy
Source: Pump Up Your Book

 

About Perfectly Crazy

Sexy, stylish and successful, Nell always prided herself on her common sense. So why is she suddenly crazy for David, her married best friend of twenty years? With a single kiss, Nell s perfect Californian life turns upside down. All the safety of her well-adjusted marriage to a respected plastic surgeon and her growing fashion business pale in comparison to the passion experienced in that kiss. Can she go on as before, or will she make the biggest change of her life? Will she face disaster and tragedy, or perhaps adventure and a second chance? Or possibly both? Find out from this fast paced book where the sceneries are changing as fast as the movies. Life is full of surprises and challenges that anyone would call perfectly crazy yet they may become reality one day. Or will they?

Review:

Perfectly Crazy was a short yet fun read.  The writing style is different.  The narrator tells the story in a concise manner.  I felt it was very straight to the point, without much fluff.  This enabled me to read the story quickly and wonder what was going to happen, but I didn't ever feel connected to the story.  I wasn't lost in the book.  I never felt like I was there or forgot I was reading, even though I remained interested in the storyline.

The storyline itself was fun.  It seems not uncommon to have a best friend of the opposite sex that one might fall for.  I think this is why people say your spouse should be your best friend as well.  I guess it would have helped Nell if she had realized her feelings for David before they both married.  Regardless, this was a fun story to read, though it took me a little bit to get used to the writing style.  I like to have a good short read every once in awhile, especially if I have just finished a longer book.  This one did that for me. At 177 pages, the longest part of the process was obtaining Internet access to post this review! 

The characters are conflicted among other emotions and show the human side of internal conflict well. The book has a few twist that make it interesting and enables certain events to take place.  If the synopsis grabs your attention, give this one a try!  I enjoyed it.

About the Author:

Mitzi Penzes grew up in Hungary, where she trained and practiced as a neurologist. She has lived in the US for the last twenty-five years, where she pursued a career in lab management before becoming an entrepreneur. She lives with her son, husband, and cat in Napa, California.

You can visit her website at http://www.perfectlymitzi.com/.

Sign Up for the Westmore Blog & Goodreads Tour

I am now accepting reviewers for the Westmore

Blog & Goodreads Tour!

On Tour in August and September

Author: Carol Cassada

ISBN: 978-1460125504

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Create Space

Format: Print & e-book

Want to join the tour or find out more about this title?  Visit the Blog Tour Page via this link: http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com/p/blog-tours.html

I am also still accepting reviewers for LIFE, DEATH and BACK by Cynthia Vespia!  This YA novel is getting wonderful feedback from my current reviewers!  Visit the link above to sign up for this tour.  It runs through July. 

Questions?? Comment below and make sure to leave your email in the email field.  Thanks!!

Faith

Author: Jennifer Haigh
ISBN: 978-0-06-075580-5
Publisher: HarperCollins
Purchase link: Faith: A Novel
Source: TLC Book Tours
Tour Schedule

Synopsis

It is the spring of 2002 and a perfect storm has hit Boston. Across the city's archdiocese, trusted priests have been accused of the worst possible betrayal of the souls in their care. In Faith, Jennifer Haigh explores the fallout for one devout family, the McGanns.

Estranged for years from her difficult and demanding relatives, Sheila McGann has remained close to her older brother Art, the popular, dynamic pastor of a large suburban parish. When Art finds himself at the center of the maelstrom, Sheila returns to Boston, ready to fight for him and his reputation. What she discovers is more complicated than she imagined. Her strict, lace-curtain-Irish mother is living in a state of angry denial. Sheila's younger brother Mike, to her horror, has already convicted his brother in his heart. But most disturbing of all is Art himself, who persistently dodges Sheila's questions and refuses to defend himself.

As the scandal forces long-buried secrets to surface, Faith explores the corrosive consequences of one family's history of silence—and the resilience its members ultimately find in forgiveness. Throughout, Haigh demonstrates how the truth can shatter our deepest beliefs—and restore them. A gripping, suspenseful tale of one woman's quest for the truth, Faith is a haunting meditation on loyalty and family, doubt and belief. Elegantly crafted, sharply observed, this is Jennifer Haigh's most ambitious novel to date.

Review

Jennifer proves again her talent as an author with her most recent novel, Faith. Faith explores the circumstances surrounding a priest who is blamed for a crime he did not commit. The novel is written from his sisters’ point of view as she looks back on that time in their lives and explains the effects it had on her brother, family and friends.

Faith is a compelling novel. Though the subject matter is difficult to read, Jennifer does a wonderful job bringing the characters emotions and thoughts to the surface making the harsh reality of the situation evident to the reader. While this family appalled me at times, they also intrigued me. The book reflects a life lived, that is so unlike my own, but one that many might relate too. Jennifer pens the novel with ease, keeping you intrigued and curious. I wanted to understand all the details surrounding this story. I wanted to find out what would ultimately happen with the characters in the end even though it was hard to read at times.

The novel surrounds the Catholic faith and traditions, though it is not a religious novel. It is much deeper than that, focusing instead on the basic thoughts, survival tactics and faith that we as human beings have in delicate and difficult situations it raises questions like what if? What would you do? How would you react?

I can’t say I loved the characters of this book. It’s not really the type of book to which you attach yourself to the story. It was better to read as an outsider with less involvement and attachment to the story. I did however; find them a well developed group of individuals. They fit their roles and personalities very well. I thought they depicted a truthful and honest look at the situation, as twisted as it can be. I basically couldn’t see the characters in any other light. It’s as if they lived and breathed. As if the story was not a work of fiction, but the sad tale of life.

I enjoyed the setting of this novel immensely! I grew up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The places mentioned felt like home to me. It is always nice to read a novel where you recognize the towns. Overall, the book was well written and has a steady pace. I was intrigued by the storyline. It was a story that was hard to turn away from, the characters drew me in and I wanted to understand them.

About the Author

Jennifer Haigh is the author of three novels: THE CONDITION, BAKER TOWERS and MRS. KIMBLE. She has won the PEN/Hemingway Award for debut fiction and the PEN/L.L. Winship Award for outstanding book by a New England author. Her books have been published in fifteen languages. Haigh's short stories have appeared in Granta, One Story, The Saturday Evening Post and many other places. Her short story "Beast and Bird" is published in a special Atlantic Monthly Kindle edition.

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Jennifer now lives in the Boston area.
You can connect with her via her website: http://www.jenniferhaigh.com/

Broken Wings - Guest Post by Carla Stewart

I am thrilled to have Carla Stewart with me today as part of her blog tour for her newest novel, Broken Wings.  I asked Carla to tell us all about herself and her books.  Without further adieu, Carla Stewart.

BROKEN WINGS: A Novel

By Carla Stewart

Thanks so much for inviting me here to talk about books and writing!

I’m a wife, mom to four grown sons who’ve all married lovely girls and gifted us with six amazing grandchildren. I grew up in a tiny community in the Texas Panhandle and love all things nostalgic from my childhood era—the fifties and sixties. Even today I long for the lazy days of summer and remember the twang in people’s voices. Not surprisingly, those things have wormed their way into my books.

My dream of writing novels came early, but it wasn’t until my boys began leaving the nest that I began writing in earnest. In 2002, I received an invitation to the Guideposts Writers Workshop in Rye, New York. Since then, I’ve had stories in Guideposts, Angels on Earth, and various anthologies. I’ve been fortunate to be able to write about things that resonate within me—my family, my experiences as a nurse, small town values. And it was great practice for writing novels!

My debut novel, Chasing Lilacs, was set in the 1950s in a petroleum camp like the one where I grew up. It’s been said that most authors’ first books are autobiographical, and mine is in the sense that I chose the community that had nurtured me during my childhood. The plot, though, was purely from my imagination, but based on questions I had about people with “nerve” problems and shock treatments. In those days, it was whispered about but never discussed openly. I chose a young girl whose mother had these problems and took off from there. Writing that first novel was an exhilarating experience, and the book has resonated with many readers.

My current release, Broken Wings, is a contemporary story, but I managed to sneak a bit of nostalgia into this tale of an unlikely friendship that forms between two women. Putting the story together was a fun challenge and actually had its roots in a short story I’d written several years ago about three children who were orphaned on Black Sunday (during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s). I knew the oldest of those kids had a story to tell. She became the main character, Mitzi. While I was thinking of a way to find her story, I read about a Tulsa jazz hall from the 1940s that was going to be renovated. I knew at once that she’d been a jazz singer who was now in the sunset of her life, so the story would have the past and present interwoven. I chose a young professional woman in need of a friend and let Mitzi be that friend. It turned out they needed each other in this tale of providence and grace.

My desire is that all of my novels will portray the human condition honestly, but when the last page is turned, there will be a sigh of satisfaction leaving the reader with hope for the future.

Blessings to you and your readers! I’ve enjoyed being here.

Thank you Carla!

Broken Wings is available for purchase on Amazon: Broken Wings: A Novel as well as BN: Broken Wings

You can connect with Carla via Carla’s website: http://www.carlastewart.com/, her blog: http://carlastewart.blogspot.com/, and her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/carlastewartauthor

How Huge the Night

Authors: Heather Munn & Lydia Munn
ISBN: 978-0-8254-3310-8
Publisher: Kregal Publications
Purchase link: How Huge the Night: A Novel
Source: Litfuse Blog Tour

Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens.

Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father's dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair.

Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough-and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death.

Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon-the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust-How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.

Review:

How huge the night was a wonderful, young adult, historical fiction novel. I was impressed with how well written the novel is for having two authors, since collaborating as an author can be difficult. The story is not a light read. It chronicles the coming-of-age period in Julien’s life while also telling the story of Nina and her little brother Gustav who are on the run from the Nazis because they are Jews. The stories are told side by side, flipping back and forth between the two, until they meet and merge. From the synopsis on the copy I was provided with for this tour, which is not the same as the synopsis above, I expected that Nina and Julie would meet much earlier in the novel than they did. I also expected their stories to be more of one story than two. This was not the case for a majority of the novel. The stories are very separate for the most part.

Though the story has a slow and thoughtful pace to it, I still enjoyed it. I loved the point of view in this story. Not many historical are written about the children affected by war, though those who survived have grown up with plenty of stories to pass on, fears to overcome and memories of life lessons learned at far too innocent an age. I was also drawn to the setting of this novel. When I think of WWII I don’t immediately thing of Southern France, thought the war did have its place in France. I enjoyed reading a WWII novel that stepped outside the boundaries of Germany. I also enjoyed learning a few new things from the historical facts in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel despite its slow start. The story compels you to keep reading to find out what happens next with the characters. I found the events and circumstances that lead to the choices and actions made by Nina and Julien to be interesting and well written. The story of their lives and how they intertwine amidst a harsh environment and unfortunate reality was eye opening to read. I think the authors did a good job working together and telling this story, which is based on actual events though it is fiction. While it is not your beach read for this summer, it is a thoughtful and compelling story of faith that is tested and tried, friendship, family, loss and turmoil in the midst of war. This story leaves you with plenty to think about and be thankful for.

About the Munn's:
Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in southern France where her parents were missionaries like their parents before them. She has a BA in literature from Wheaton College and now lives in a Christian intentional community in rural Illinois, where she and her husband, Paul, host free spiritual retreats for the poor, especially those transitioning out of homelessness or addiction. When not writing or hosting, she works on the communal farm.

Lydia Munn, daughter of missionary parents, grew up in Brazil. She received a BA in literature from Wheaton College, and an MA in Bible from Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions. With her husband, Jim, she has worked in church planting and Bible teaching since 1983, notably in St. Etienne, near the small town in the central mountains of France which forms the background of How Huge the Night. The Munns now live in Grenoble, France.

About the Giveaway! -- Kregel Publications is sponsoring an $50 Amazon.com giveaway!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about How Huge the Night or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use the hashtag (#litfuse). If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy.

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea.

TWEET THIS: How Huge the Night - compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens and adults alike turning the pages! #litfuse http://ow.ly/4RBXc

Friendship Bread: Review & Giveaway

Author: Darien Gee
ISBN: 978-0-345-52534-5
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: Pump Up Your Book Promotions
Amazon Link: Friendship Bread: A Novel
Website: http://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/

Synopsis:
In Avalon, Illinois, a woman and her young daughter return home to find a plate of Amish Friendship Bread along with a bag of starter on their doorstep. There’s no note, just a yellow sticky with the words, “I hope you enjoy it.” The instructions tell them to feed the starter over a ten-day period, then bake two loaves and share the remaining starter with three other people.

At the insistence of her five-year old daughter, Julia Evarts reluctantly follows the instructions. Soon, the bread and its starter are making their way through the town of Avalon, touching the lives of its residents in ways both comical and unexpected. Julia befriends Madeline Davis, 74, owner and proprietor of Madeline’s Tea Salon and Antiques who harbors a secret of her own, and Hannah de Brisay, 28, a concert cellist who relocates to Avalon after the premature end of her career and marriage.

Julia’s sister, Livvy, is struggling with her own loneliness as she and her husband, Tom, try for a child of their own. Julia’s husband, Mark, is tired of the sadness that seems to have taken over their lives for the past five years. As the town of Avalon becomes overrun with the Amish Friendship Bread starter, a kernel of a story presents itself and activist and reporter Edie is quick to jump on it, even if it means pointing a finger at Julia as the instigator and dividing the small community that they live in.

When a neighboring town is devastated by high floods, Julia and her friends supply loaves of the bread to the residents and volunteers. As word spreads, so does help. Soon the entire town of Avalon is doing their part to aid their neighbors in need as they put their differences aside. Friendship Bread is a captivating, engaging novel about life and loss, friendship and community, and what endures even when the unthinkable happens. 
 

Review

Friendship Bread is a heartfelt, poignant novel with treasured moment hidden within its pages.  The story is full of emotion and secrets that held me captive.  I felt as if I was a welcome spectator to the lives of the residence of Avalon through the good and bad times.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters of this novel.  The author does a beautiful job of telling their stories through her writing, each story told in their own point of view.  There are a wonderful assortment of colorful and satisfying characters in this story as the reader is introduced to most of the town.  They are the kind of characters you can imagine being friends with or spending time with.
 
I enjoyed the reality of this story.  It shares the intimate details of day to day life as it happens in its rawest form.  I was compelled to keep reading because I wanted to know more about the town and its residents.  This book was extremely easy to read and flowed beautifully.  It is the type of book that I prefer to know nothing about before reading it.  Knowing to much would have ruined the story for me.
 
In the spirit of the Amish Friendship Bread, I recommend this novel.  It is a novel of hope, comfort and endearment to its reader.  I highly suggest it for book clubs.  There is so much content that would be wonderful for a book club to discuss.  If you have a friend or a sister who enjoys reading grab them and read it together.  It's the spirit of the book!    The story is one that will remain with you as it refuses to be forgotten.

About the Author:

Darien Gee lives with her husband and three children in Hawaii. She is the bestselling author of three previous novels (Good Things, Sweet Life and Table Manners) written under the name Mia King. You can visit Darien Gee’s website at www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com. And check out the Friendship Bread Kitchen Facebook fan page.

Want to win a copy?  One copy is available to followers or subscribers of this blog with a US or Canada address who comment on this post telling me something you love or admire about a friend.  MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT THE FORM AS WELL!!  Share the giveaway via Twitter or Facebook for an extra entry!  My twitter handle @cozyreadersnook

Sands of Time

SANDS OF TIME

Guest post by Karen White, Author of The Beach Trees

I’ve written fourteen books and in all of them I’ve found myself writing about either sisters, old houses, the beach, or a combination of all three. What’s so interesting about this is that I was raised with three brothers (no sisters), always lived in brand new houses (with one notable exception), and I’ve never had a house by the ocean.

As a writer, I’m supposed to write what I know. But I’m a believer in also writing what I’m passionate about—and about what I’ve spent a lifetime of studying. That’s why my books usually contain an old house or old structure that’s like another character in the story, and if my protagonist isn’t an only child, then she has at least one sister. And, with few exceptions, my books are set somewhere near the water.

I’m actually petrified of deep water, and have been since as far back as I can remember. Yet some of my happiest childhood memories revolve around visiting my paternal grandmother who lived in the Florida panhandle near Pensacola. I loved the powder-like white sand that dusted my feet as I walked in it, and searching for treasures on the beach at low tide. My two older brothers would swim far out until they were just specks on the water, but I would stay next to my father and grandmother, under their protective umbrella, and listen to them talk about people they knew or had passed on, or what so-and-so brought to last week’s Sunday School picnic.

I was mesmerized by the sounds of the waves slapping the shore, at the sight of frothing bubbles and tiny creatures that left holes in the sand. I still love the smell of the sea, of the salt air and sound of the shore birds squabbling over food. It’s such a part of my childhood that every time I visit the beach, I feel like a child again listening to those voices and old stories, feeling the hot sun on my face. It’s a piece of home I carry with me always.

When I was in third grade, my father’s job took us to Venezuela. We lived too far inland to be near the beach, but we weren’t too far from Lake Maracaibo. My best friend, Tina, and her family went to the Lake every weekend and usually invited my brothers and me.

Lakes are different than the ocean, and I found it easier to swim in despite the dark green appearance of the water. My brothers would push me way out in an inner tube, leaving me while they swam back to shore right after pointing behind me and yelling, “shark!” That’s one of many reasons why I don’t write about brothers.

But the feeling of being by a large body of water, of the slower-pace, of wet bodies drying in the sun, of emerging from quiet depths into the open air, is the same. Those memories and scents, too, are a part of my childhood.

Despite the fact that my mother wasn’t a beach-lover, we still managed to get her on a family vacation to Greece when I was in high school. We spent two weeks cruising the Greek isles, snorkeling in crystal blue water, watching our skin brown under a relentless sun. We were living in London, England at the time and I craved the warmth of the sun—and the lovely tan I’d bring back with me. Greece was an intoxicating mix of astonishing history and glorious sun and water; a piece of heaven. I’d love to go back some day.

For college, I attended Tulane University in New Orleans. One of my sorority sisters and closest friends, Lynda Ryan, was from a family who’d lived in New Orleans for several generations. The Ryans owned a modest beach house on the Mississippi Sound in Waveland, Mississippi. The Sound, protected from the Gulf of Mexico by barrier islands, is like a cross between a lake and an ocean—without high waves and the color of iced tea, yet salty like the ocean. I loved it because you could walk very far from shore and still have the water reach just around your knees. Great for cooling off in the hot Mississippi sun! I spent many happy weekends at the house where the Ryans treated me like family and where I could get away from the stress of college life. My parents had moved to The Netherlands from London, and Waveland was a little piece of home away from home. I loved sitting at the end of the long dock, dangling my feet in the water, sipping Tab (yes, I’m dating myself) and working on my tan. Lynda always invited lots of friends, and we all camped out on cots on the “sleeping porch”—a long open-air room at the back of the house upstairs that looks a lot like summer camp. And for me, it was.

In August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina took away the house and most of Waveland, too. News footage focused on New Orleans, but Katrina made landfall not far from Waveland, taking out homes, business and lives long before New Orleans began to flood.

I cried when I heard about Lynda’s beach house, feeling as if a part of my growing up years had been permanently erased. But I have pictures, and memories. And when it came time to write my latest book, THE BEACH TREES, I knew I had a great idea for a setting.

In the book, a woman searching for her lost sister finds herself the owner of a beach house (that bears a striking resemblance to the Ryan’s house!) in Biloxi, Mississippi. The house is devastated by Katrina, and Julie, the protagonist, has to decided whether or not to rebuild. Going only on memories, Julie makes her decision, and each nail and each new roof tile brings her closer and closer to what she’s been really searching for.

This summer, as we do most summers, I’m taking my family to the beach for a week of sun-soaking relaxation. This year it’s Watercolor, Florida—with that glorious white sand! And with each whiff of salty air and suntan lotion, I’ll be back in my childhood reliving all those wonderful memories of the times spent by the water.

Thank you Karen, for sharing with us and being on my blog today!  I highly encourage those reading this to check out my review of The Beach Trees HERE.  It is a wonderful novel.  You won't want to miss it!

The Beach Trees

Author: Karen White
ISBN: 978-0-451-23307-3
Publisher: New American Library
Source: TLC Book Tours
Purchase Link: The Beach Trees

Synopsis
In the aftermath of tragedy, life goes on—painful and forever altered, but ripe with new beginnings. For Julie Holt, traveling to the beautiful but ravaged coast of Biloxi, Mississippi, is a journey into a secret past and a life she never expected. Julie first knew loss at the age of twelve when her sister disappeared, never to be found. As her once close-knit family grew apart, Julie’s mother obsessively searched for the girl and when her mother died, Julie took up the search, never letting go of the hope.

Then at an art exhibition in New York she meets Monica—a struggling artist and single mother who reminds Julie so much of her sister that she can’t help feeling drawn to her. Monica paints a vivid picture of her family, but never says why or how she lost contact with them. She has another secret: a heart condition that will soon take her life.

When Monica dies, Julie inherits from her an antique portrait as well as custody of her young son, Beau. Taking him back to Biloxi and New Orleans to see the family he has never met, Julie discovers a connection of her own. The portrait, of an old relative, was done by her great-grandfather—and unlocks a family history she never knew.

Review

The Beach Trees is a perfect example of fiction mixed with mystery and light suspense elements.  While the beginning of the novel was slow to start, it quickly became a story I didn’t want to put down.  The novel is full of secrets that will immerse and bring shocking revelations to light for Julie and the Guidry family.

Plot - While I had my assumption of who did what in this novel, I was left guessing at some parts of this mystery and second guessing my assumptions. The plot is interesting as well as addictive and thrilling to read.

Characters - What a diverse group! The characters of The Beach Trees are easy to fall in love with. They each bring something special to the novel, completing the story in their own ways. Everyone seems to have something to hide as Julie discovers the deep, dark secrets of the Guidry family.

Setting - set in New Orleans and Biloxi, this novel is the heart and soul of the south. From the deep roots to the dark family secrets, belles of the ball and loyalty of friends and family, The Beach Trees portrays the southern legacy and pride it is known for. The setting is perfect. It is clear the author had a deep love for her own roots.

Writing style - This book flowed effortlessly. While the story was a tad slow to start and didn’t quite capture my full attention, it picked up quickly and soon became a novel that was hard to put down. The authors writing style is easy to read. She paints a clear picture for the reader and carries you deep into the story. I really enjoyed reading this novel and will read more titles by Karen White because of it.

Length - The Beach Trees is 403 pages and is a perfect length for the story. The author ties up major aspects of the story while leaving some issues unresolved, which works for the story even though my curious nature made me wonder. The novel is a satisfying read that left me a fan of Karen. I wouldn’t change the length or results of this story.

Overall, The Beach Trees is a wonderfully entertaining read. It is full of charm, loyalty, family history, tradition and determination. I highly recommend this novel. You’ll be glad you read it!

**Check back this afternoon and read a "behind the scenes" guest post by Karen!!**

About the Author

From her first moments on the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, novelist Karen White was in love. Was it the history—especially that of Charleston and Savannah—the architecture, the sound of the sea, the light, the traditions, the people, the food, the lore? Check all of the above. Add Karen’s storytelling talent, her endless curiosity about relationships and emotions, and her sensitivity to the rhythms of the south, and it seems inevitable that this mix of passions would find its way into her work.


Known for award-winning novels such as Learning to Breathe, the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance 2009 Book of the Year Award finalist The House on Tradd Street, the highly praised The Memory of Water, the four-week SIBA bestseller The Lost Hours, Pieces of the Heart, and her IndieBound national bestseller The Color of Light, Karen has shared her appreciation of the coastal Low country with readers in four of her last six novels.

Italian and French by ancestry, a southerner and a storyteller by birth, Karen has made her home in many different places.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she has also lived in Texas, New Jersey, Louisiana, Georgia, Venezuela and England, where she attended the American School in London. She returned to the states for college and graduated from New Orleans’ Tulane University. Hailing from a family with roots firmly set in Mississippi (the Delta and Biloxi), Karen notes that “searching for home brings me to the south again and again.”

Visit Karen's website and her Facebook page.

4.5 out of 5