Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Featuring: Before She was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney

How could being a good Samaritan and checking on your neighbor in a retirement community turn into a disaster even though Helen was used to being helpful as well as having disasters in her life?

BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN should be your next read because you never know what goes on in a retirement community. 

A delightful read. 5/5

FULL REVIEW HERE.


 

Monday, February 27, 2023

Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy


PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA

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ATOMIC FAMILY
CIERA HORTON MCELROY
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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF ANGELA MELAMUD | PUBLICIST | KAYE PUBLICITY
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Ciera Horton McElroy's debut novel, ATOMIC FAMILY, publishing February 7, 2023 from Blair. 
 
It's historical fiction meets eco-activism meets The Twilight Zone meets doomsday-domesticity...

Though it's a work of fiction, the story is heavily inspired by real events and people. 
 
Ciera's grandfather—who died in 1976, nearly twenty years before she was born—was a chief agronomist, responsible for disposing of nuclear waste at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). 
 
At the time, this meant burying irradiated materials in the ground. 
 
This also meant his work was top secret: his wife and son knew nothing about his other life.
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February 28, 2023
Blair
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PRAISE FOR ATOMIC FAMILY:

Publishers Weekly gave it a gorgeous starred review"Powerful debut...McElroy writes with veracity about the effects of nuclear waste on the land and water, and brings to life the strange mix of terror and naivete of the era."

Atomic Family is a wholly original, gripping, and stunningly crafted story of one family’s attempt to cope with the fears and uncertainty of the nuclear age. Ciera Horton McElroy captures the fragility of a young boy and his parents as they struggle with their own personal demons in the face of potential catastrophe. Atomic Family is as lyrical and assured as it is devastating.”—Diane Chamberlain, NYT bestselling author of The Last House on the Street

“Ciera Horton McElroy is a magician of prose and psychology. Atomic Family is a Mrs. Dalloway updated for the nuclear age, an intense excavation of memory, trauma, and hope. Her characters, so deeply felt, will whisper to you at night long after you finish the book."—Brenda Peynado, The Rock Eaters

Atomic Family is a gorgeous, suspenseful story of the Cold War and of complicated characters living in the wake of the second Red Scare. Historically precise, but never a history lesson, the novel explores a series of moments as resonant and relevant to America today as they have ever been. A glorious debut announcing the arrival of an astonishing talent on the literary scene.”—David James Poissant, Lake Life and The Heaven for Animals

“In Atomic Family, McElroy writes with authority and astonishing lyricism. Fearlessly delving into her characters’ private pain and their deepest desires to be seen and understood, McElroy masterfully reminds that suffering paves the road to redemption. This is an astonishing achievement from an extremely gifted storyteller.”—Gina Ochsner, The Hidden Letters of Velta B.

“Full of beauty and pain, humor and horror, Atomic Family is the real deal: a historical page-turner that pulls readers through a gripping day in the life of a family, and a country, searching for light in the darkness. McElroy is a welcome new voice on the literary scene, and Atomic Family is a reminder that the best historical fiction matters today more than ever.”—Jake Wolff, The History of Living Forever

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ABOUT ATOMIC FAMILY:

It’s November 1, 1961, in a small town in South Carolina, and nuclear war is coming.

Ten-year-old Wilson Porter believes this with every fiber of his being.

He prowls his neighborhood for Communists and studies fallout pamphlets and the habits of his father, a scientist at the nuclear plant in town.

Meanwhile, his mother Nellie covertly joins an anti-nuclear movement led by women in town—and his father, Dean, must decide what to do with the damning secrets he’s uncovered at the nuclear plant.

When tragedy strikes, the Porter family must learn to confront their fears—of the world and of each other.

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ATOMIC FAMILY:

Debut novel from a powerful emerging voice: In addition to fiction published in a number of journals, Ciera has written for film and digital projects. In Atomic Family, shemasterfully evokes the early 1960s—the  daily life of housewives on the edge of a revolution, as well as the fraught atmosphere of the duck-and-cover era.

Inspired by McElroy’s real-life family story: This impeccably researched story is inspired by McElroy’s grandfather, who was a nuclear physicist at an atomic plant in the
South in the 1960s. McElroy drew from a rich family history, photographs, declassified reports, and primary sources in crafting this novel.

An enduring and timeless environmental fiction: While a general audience will also enjoy this book, fans of Charlotte McNaughty’s Once There Were Wolves and Richard Powers’ The Overstory will find a new favorite eco-fiction novel in Atomic Family. Despite the book's Cold War setting, this narrative is increasingly relevant to a world combating environmental crisis.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ciera Horton McElroy (b. 1995) was raised in Orlando, Florida. She holds a BA from Wheaton College and an MFA from the University of Central Florida. 
 
Her work has appeared in AGNIBridge EightIron Horse Literary Reviewthe Crab Orchard Review, and Saw Palm, among others. 
 
She currently lives in St. Louis with her husband and son.

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Mailbox Monday - 2/27/2023

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.

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Warning:  Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.
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Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at  MAILBOX MONDAY.
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Here is a shout out to the administrators:

Emma @ Word and Peace

Serena @ Savvy Verse and Wit

Martha @ Reviews By Martha’s Bookshelf


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THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.
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I hope you had a good mailbox.
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On Wednesday, February 22, I received:

1.  THE PARIS MAID by Ella Carey, courtesy of Bookouture and NetGalley.

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It's Monday!! What Are YOU Reading? - 2/27/2023


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I hope you had a great reading week.
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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE!

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.
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Books Completed:
 
THE GREEDY THREE by Karen Katchur - review will be on March 12.
 
Very graphic, but very good.

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THE COLLECTED REGRETS OF CLOVER by Mikki Brammer - review will be on May 9, 2023.
 
Truly enjoyed this book.  
 
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MY GRANDMOTHER'S INN by Kristin Harper - review will be on April 3.
 
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!!

A family secret and much more.

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WITH MY LITTLE EYE by Joshilyn Jackson - review will be on April 27.
 
Very disappointing read - confusing, and I was not anxious to get back to the book.  2/5
 
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FIFTH AVENUE GLAMOUR GIRL by Renee Rosen - review will be on April 25, 2023.
 
Another entertaining, well-researched read by Ms. Rosen.

Fans of Ms. Rosen, cosmetic lines, this era, women succeeding, and name dropping will enjoy this book. 5/5
 
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THE DUTCH ORPHAN by Ellen Keith - review will be on April 20, 2023.
 
A very emotional read - historical fiction and women's fiction fans will enjoy this book.
 
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ONLY THE BEAUTIFUL by Susan Meissner - review will be on April 19, 2023.
 
Oh my...this book is FABULOUS!!
 
Do not miss it if you are a fan....you won't be able to put it down....I didn't want to.  ❤️
 
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 WHERE COYOTES HOWL by Sandra Dallas - review will be on April 18, 2023.
 
WHERE COYOTES HOWL was a sweet but tragic, sad read.
 
If you need something different with genuine characters and would like to learn of the difficult life on the prairies of Wyoming, give WHERE THE COYOTES HOWL a try. 
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THE CUBAN HEIRESS by Chanel Cleeton - review will be on April 11.
 
LOVED it!!  
 
Great characters and story line, and I learned about the SS Morro Castle - a ship that caught on fire at sea.  
 
I had never heard of that ship.
 
 
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THE POLISH GIRL by Gosia Nealon - review will be on February 26.
 
Historical fiction fans won't want to miss this book.  
 

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THE GOOD LUCK CAFE by Annie Rains - review will be on March 16.
 
A very sweet read with an adorable main character.   
 
You won’t want to stop reading or want the book to end.
 
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JUNIPER ISLE by Ava Roberts - review will be on March 4.
 
A great debut - it is out NOW!! If you are a mystery fan, check it out. 
 
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THE SOULMATE by Sally Hepworth - review will be on April 4, 2023.
 
WOW!!  This is a good one....hope you get to read it!!
 
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THE ECHO OF OLD BOOKS by Barbara Davis - review will be on March 29.
 
FABULOUS READ!!  Do NOT miss this one!!  Her BEST one yet!!
 
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 HANG THE MOON BY JEANNETTE WALLS - review will be on March 28, 2023.
 
Pretty good!!
 
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THE LONDON SEANCE SOCIETY by Sarah Penner - review will be on March 21, 2023.
 
Very disappointed in this book.  
 
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IT'S ONE OF US by J. T. Ellison - review will be on February 25, 2023.
 
Fans will be glued to the pages.  

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THE LOST ENGLISH GIRL by Julia Kelly - review will be on March 9, 2023.
 
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book...I hope you get to read it.
 
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THE LAST CAROLINA GIRL by Meagan Church - review will be on February 28, 2023.
 
LOVED it - well researched, but it is heartbreaking.
 
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WHAT HAVE WE DONE by Alex Finlay - review will be on March 7, 2023.
 
Disappointed because I really enjoyed his other two books.  This was very dark and difficult to follow.
 
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WHEN THE MOON TURNS BLUE by Pamela Terry - review is in the book's title.
 
Disappointed...loved her book, THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES.
 
This book was VERY confusing and all over the place with too many characters.
 
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ONCE WE WERE HOME by Jennifer Rosner - review will be on March 14, 2023.
 
Another beautiful, but heartbreaking read by Jennifer Rosner.  Don't miss it!!
 
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Book Currently Reading: 
 
THE PARIS MAID by Ella Carey - review will be on April 8.
 
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Books Up Next:

NO LIFE FOR A LADY Hannah Dolby - review will be on May 11.
 
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BETWEEN TWO STRANGERS by Kate White - review will be on May 16.
 
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THE SENATOR'S WIFE by Liv Constantine - review will be on May 23.
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THE REVENGE LIST by Hannah Mary McKinnon - review will be on May 24. 
 
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THE WISHING GAME by Meg Shaffer - review will be on May 30, 2023.
 
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THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel - review will be on June 6, 2023.
 
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THE BOOKSHOP BY THE BAY by Pamela Kelley - review will be on June 7, 2023.

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WHAT REMAINS by Wendy Walker - review will be on June 13, 2023.
 
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THE LAST LIFE BOAT by Hazel Gaynor - review will be on June 14.
 
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WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW by Melissa Adelman - review will be on June 21.
 
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A MOST AGREEABLE MURDER by Julia Seales - review will be on June 27, 2023.

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THICKER THAN WATER by Megan Collins - review will be on July 11.
 
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THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day - review will be on July 18.
 
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GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen - review will be on August 1.
 
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DARK CORNERS by Megan Goldin - review will be on August 8, 2023.
 
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THESE STILL BLACK WATERS by Christina McDonald - review will be on August 9.
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DEAD AND GONE by Joanna Schaffhausen - review will be on August 10.
 
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