Book Review: Silent Voices by Fran Lewis

Creepy. Raw. Disturbing. Fran Lewis' collection of stories from beyond the grave will have you on edge as she explores the depth of evil in these ordinary people who inflict pain on others.

Silent Voices includes the story of Rosie, who wants to tell her story in her own words before she can no longer do so. The old stone where Bertha is buried is hard to read, but she wishes to share her memories. A grandmother attempts to outwit her cunning granddaughters. And, what book about evil acts would be complete without stories about con artists and lies.

Silent Voices is not my typical read, which is why I requested it. Maybe 25 years ago creepy ghost fiction would be on the list, but not as often now. Lewis has developed a distinct voice, which flows through each of the stories in this collection. A short read, diving into the psychology of these characters is fascinating.


Paperback: 107 pages
Publisher: Independently published (June 9, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1099882451
ISBN-13: 978-1099882456

Book Details:

Genre: Horror, Suspense 

Published by: Southern Owl Publications, LLC

Publication Date: June 10th 2019

Number of Pages: 51

ASIN: B07S75JPQW

Series: Silent Voices

Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Fran Lewis taught for 36 years as a staff developer in reading and writing and a dean. She is the author of the Bertha and Tillie series and the author of the Faces behind the stones series as well as her books for caregivers on Alzheimer’s and mj magazine and mj network.

Catch Up With Fran Lewis On:

tillie49.wordpress.com

Goodreads

BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

 

Reaching the Masses: How to Promote Your Book Workshop at Wilbraham Public Library

Your book is published. Now what? These days, authors are responsible for the lion's share of book promotion. Local children's author Cheryl C. Malandrinos shares her personal experience of promoting books online and in person. Learn tips on how to write a press release, contact the media, set up a virtual book tour, and how to use social media to expand your reach.

Cheryl is the author of four children's books. She also spent seven years as a virtual book tour coordinator for Pump Up Your Book. A blogger and a book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and an acquisitions editor for 4RV Publishing.

Day and Time: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 from 6 to 8 pm
Location: Brooks Room, Wilbraham Public Library, 25 Crane Park Dr, Wilbraham, MA 01095

Registration required

Contact Caroline Welch of the Wilbraham Public Library at 413-596-6141 or by email at cwelch@wilbrahamlibrary.org

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Sept 2

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Good golly, Miss Molly. Could someone please stop the train and let me get off? Ever since I came back from North Carolina it has been one thing after another. I've missed blogging and reading, though I did manage to finish this one last week. Look for my review soon.

I cracked opened the cover of this one, but I've been working late to stay on top of things, so haven't really dived into it yet.

Next up are these two:

Then I really need to focus on these:

I'm thinking maybe one of these will be next in line if I can ever stop requesting new books to review. I really am my own worst enemy.

What is going on in your reading and blogging world? Anything new to share?

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Tropes

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Feeling a bit embarrassed because I had no idea what a trope was until I looked it up. Sigh! I guess I can't know everything. This sounds like such a fun one.

Top Ten Favorite Tropes

1. Treasure hunting - Often this involves historical fiction, but Karen White's The House on Tradd Street was a contemporary southern fiction novel with a ghost and the infamous Confederate treasure. 
2. Fun occupations - Duffy Brown has two series which feature amateur sleuths with fun occupations. One runs a consignment shop and the other a bicycle shop. I've also read a cozy mystery where the main character was a real estate agent. 
3. Small town romance - Those set during Christmas are my favorites, but often you find someone who has left home and returns after the death of a loved one and ends up falling in love and settling back into the hometown they had been so eager to leave.
4. Opposites attract - Romances where the two main characters are polar opposites, but fall in love.
5. Good versus evil - The Stand by Stephen King is the ultimate good versus evil story, but even if it is as simple as an awkward teenager facing a mean girl, it's fun to see how it turns out.
6. Sympathetic villains - I don't believe people are born evil. Something happens to them. Stories where you get a glimpse into what happened in a villain's life to make them who they are now fascinate me.
7. Coming of age - I've always loved stories where the character is coming into his own, making up his own mind, and deciding what to believe. 
8. Family secrets - All families have them. Exploring them with book characters is great.
9. Strong faith or rediscovering faith - I'm drawn to Amish fiction because of the strong faith displayed by the people in these communities. I also enjoy stories where a character might have come away from her faith, but through circumstances rediscovers that faith.
10. Family drama - Maybe it is because I grew up around drama, but family drama--especially when the drama winds up with a reconciliation--makes for a great read. 

What are some of your favorite tropes? 

Book Review: You've Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman

If you are looking for an outrageously funny read, then the second book in the Class Mom series by Laurie Gelman is the perfect choice.

In You've Been Volunteered, Jen Dixon not only gets roped into being class mom again, she gets "volunteered" to help with a new safety project at school. She must balance these duties while trying to keep track of what Max is up to at school with the new kid, helping her daughters navigate adulthood, dealing with her ever absent husband, and finding a way to cope with her aging parents.

Are you tired yet? I sure am.

Though I didn't read the first Class Mom novel, You've Been Volunteered was the perfect light read for me to delve into. Jen is the person who is as bold as you wish you could be. Like any busy mom, she has a ton going on, but she might just surprise herself and the reader. There are more serious storylines running through the novel, which make the Dixon family feel very real.

Gelman has created a diverse cast of characters you enjoy spending time with. I'm eager to see what they are up to next. I'm sure it will be equally as hilarious.

Paperback
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company (July 23, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250222206
ISBN-13: 978-1250222206

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

For more tour stops visit http://lauriegelman.com/blogtour.html

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Aug 19

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

We are back in MA. So, the extra little vacation was nice--a little bit of rain, but still enjoyed the beach and spending time together. The drive home was a bit scary. While driving on 113 North, a car speeding the wrong way (southbound) at about 80 miles an hour drove down the lane next to us. Had to call the state police, hoping they caught up with him before he hurt himself or someone else. Really put the guardian angel to work that night.

Other than that little adventure, things went well. We enjoyed our time away, and now I can prepare for my mother-in-law to come stay with us for a while.

Finished these two while we were away:

I'm also reading this one:

I'll have a few more for reviews after that:

Then I really need to focus on these:

After that, I just want to pick something from the pile and read it because I can--no deadline, no have to finish it, no reason to read it other than that I want to.

How is your reading week shaping up? Anything good you've read that I should know about?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Aug 12

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Hello from the Outer Banks. This is a picture I took from the beach this morning before 9 AM. This is the time to come--temperatures are more comfortable and no one is here. I really enjoyed the walk.

I finished this book yesterday. What a riot. My review will appear on August 19.

I'm starting this one today.

Next up are these ones.

That's it for me. What have you been reading?