BLOG TOUR: I Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for I Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander! I received a free electronic copy for an honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to MIRA and Beth Kander for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: I Made It Out of Clay

Author: Beth Kander

Published by: MIRA

Released: December 10, 2024

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

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Synopsis: In this darkly funny and surprisingly sweet novel, a woman creates a golem in a desperate attempt to pretend her life is a romantic comedy rather than a disaster.

Nothing’s going well for Eve: She’s single, turning forty, stressed at work and anxious about a recent series of increasingly creepy incidents. Most devastatingly, her beloved father died last year, and her family still won’t acknowledge their sorrow.

With her younger sister’s wedding rapidly approaching, Eve is on the verge of panic. She can’t bear to attend the event alone. That’s when she recalls a strange story her Yiddish grandmother once told her, about a protector forged of desperation… and Eve, to her own shock, manages to create a golem.

At first everything seems great. The golem is indeed protective—and also attractive. But when they head out to a rural summer camp for the family wedding, Eve’s lighthearted rom-com fantasy swiftly mudslides into something much darker. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this. I really liked the incorporation of myth from another culture. It sort of reminded me of when Sabrina the Teenage Witch makes a boy out of bread dough, but this story was much more than that.

This story deals with a lot of hard topics that are kind of hidden by the cute/funny cover. Eve is dealing with a lot in her love, stress and grief. Those do take a starring role in this story.

I enjoyed the idea of the golem, he wasn't the star of the show that I thought he was going to be.

This is really the story of Eve and the difficulties that can come with life. It's not the most lighthearted story, but it was a good read.

Beth Kander is a novelist and playwright with tangled roots in the Midwest and Deep South. The granddaughter of immigrants, her writing explores how worlds old and new intertwine―or collide. Her work has been described as “riveting,” “emotional,” “expertly crafted,” and “habit-forming." Expect twists, turns, and secrets, with surprising heart and humor. Beth has too many degrees and drinks too much coffee. Her favorite characters are her dashing husband and their two lovely kids. www.bethkander.com

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for I Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander! Thank you to MIRA and Beth Kander for letting me be a part of the tour. This is definitely a fun one to add to the TBR.

BLOG TOUR: The Greatest Lie of All by Jillian Cantor

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Greatest Lie of All by Jillian Cantor! I received a free electronic copy from the publisher for an honest review. Thanks so much to Park Row and Jillian Cantor for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: The Greatest Lie Of All

Author: Jillian Cantor

Published by: Park Row

Released: December 3, 2024

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

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Synopsis: A glamorous romance novelist and an aspiring starlet share an unexpected secret in this addictive story about love, ambition and how far we’re willing to go to protect our hearts

Fledgling actress Amelia Grant is at rock bottom when offered the opportunity of a to star in a biopic about the world-renowned romance author Gloria Diamond, who used her own tragic love story as inspiration for her bestselling books. To prepare for the role, she’ll spend a week with Gloria at her secluded Washington estate. It’s a chance to get out of LA, away from her cheating ex-boyfriend, and to make her recently deceased mother proud.

Amelia’s excitement is short-lived, however, once she actually meets Gloria, who is cold, verging on rude and mostly unavailable. If not for Gloria’s frustratingly handsome son Will, the visit might be a complete waste of her time.

But when Amelia stumbles upon a secret from Gloria’s past, she realizes Gloria’s life story is more fiction than fact. And as the movie’s filming date draws nearer, Amelia must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to uncover the truth. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. The premise is the first thing that really got me. I love books about stardom and the movies. This was just a really fun book to get lost in.

I loved the intrigue of it all. What is Gloria Diamond's secret! I enjoyed following Amelia as she's trying to find out what makes this romance author tick.

I think a lot of people would enjoy this one.

Jillian Cantor is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next and Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into thirteen languages. She has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Jillian currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for The Greatest Lie Of All by Jillian Cantor! Thank you to Park Row and Jillian Cantor for letting me be a part of the tour. This is an easy add for anyone's reading list.

BLOG TOUR: Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo! I received a free electronic copy for an honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Hanover Square Press and Gu Byeong-mo for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Apartment Women

Author: Gu Byeong-mo

Published by: Hanover Square Press

Released: December 3, 2024

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

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Synopsis: From the New York Times Notable author of The Old Woman with the Knife comes a bracingly original story of family, marriage and the cultural expectations of motherhood, about four women whose lives intersect in dramatic and unexpected ways at a government-run apartment complex outside Seoul When Yojin moves with her husband and daughter into the Dream Future Pilot Communal Apartments, she’s ready for a fresh start. Located on the outskirts of Seoul, the experimental community is a government initiative designed to boost the national birth rate. Like her neighbors, Yojin has agreed to have at least two more children over the next ten years. Yet, from the day she arrives, Yojin feels uneasy about the community spirit thrust upon her. Her concerns grow as communal child care begins and the other parents show their true colors. Apartment Women traces the lives of four women in the apartments, all with different aspirations and beliefs. Will they find a way to live peacefully? Or are the cultural expectations around parenthood stacked against them from the start? A trenchant social novel from an award-winning author, Apartment Women incisively illuminates the unspoken imbalance of women’s parenting labor, challenging the age-old assumption that “it takes a village” to raise a child. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I was interested in the story and learning about the characters. It was a slower paced story focused on a family, and people.

This is translated fiction. I'm always open and on the lookout to trying more translated fiction.

I could see a lot of people enjoying this one.

Gu Byeong-mo an award-winning author. Born in Seoul, South Korea, she now resides in Jinju, South Korea, with her family. The Old Woman with the Knife is her first book to be translated into English.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo! Thank you to Hanover Square Press and Gu Byeong-mo for letting me be a part of the tour. You should definitely give this one a read.