About the Book: 

I always wanted to live at the beach. It had been my dream since I was a little girl. I longed to experience the sand and sea. My heart’s desire was to become a famous artist who painted scenes with palm trees and blue waters. Finally, I was moving to a coastal town. It was only three hours from where I grew up, but it might as well have been paradise with how excited I was… From the moment I got off the ferry, I was sure this island would be my new home. I knew I had finally found my muse. What I didn’t know was that I would also find my soulmate.

Review: 
Tess Cohen and her sister Abigail are moving to the small coastal town of Galveston, Texas for the summer of 1968.  They are looking to put some distance between themselves and their parents, but only manage about three hours from their hometown of Starks, Louisiana.  Tess dreams of painting coastal scenes along the shore and Abigail will return to college after the summer. Tess didn't count on Billy Castro coming into her life.  Billy has been collecting debts and after he gets into a fight with one of the boys from Marvin Jones' Bank Street Boxing Club, Billy is recruited by Marvin to train with him.  Billy and Tess' relationship grows.  Although Tess doesn't know if she'll be staying in Galveston past the summer and Billy believes that he is not good enough for a woman like Tess.

 
Easy Does It is the first book in the Bank Street Stories Series. I believe it does a lot of set up for the next nine books in the series that follows the same family.  This is a sweet romance that focuses on how Tess and Billy met, formed a relationship and made a life together.  While their relationship was sweet and it was nice to see two people from what seemed like opposite sides of the track come together, there wasn't really any conflict in the story.  I was surprised that everyone was accepting of their quick romance, especially in the 1960's.  I did like the setting of Galveston in 1968.  I got a good small town feeling with the hardware store, apartments, boxing club, diner and dances.  I liked Tess and Billy as well but wanted a little more from their characters other than Tess was a sweet, helpful twenty-two-year-old who enjoys painting and Billy had a difficult childhood and now enjoys boxing.  This is a shorter book, and a lot is told rather than shown, so I wasn't pulled into the story as much as I wanted.  Overall, a sweet and easy to read romance that is set up for many books in the series. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

About the Author: 
Brooke St. James was born to write a love story. A USA Today bestselling author and Amazon Kindle All-Star with 2 million copies sold, Brooke writes contemporary romance novels with Christian and inspirational themes and happy endings. She was born and raised in south Louisiana but has had the opportunity to travel and live throughout the U.S. An avid reader, writer, audio book addict, and fan of all things artistic, she constantly has her hands in some creative activity. She has written and published more than 70 books. She’s currently back home in Louisiana enjoying life with her husband, children, and two lazy dogs. To find out more about Brooke, visit brookesaintjames.com and follow her on Facebook (facebook.com/ brookesaintjamesauthor) and Instagram (@brooke_stjames).

About the Book: 
THE CARNIVAL OF ASH
BY TOM BECKERLEGGE
US Publication Date: March 15, 2022
UK Publication Date: March 17, 2022
Rebellion Publishing/Solaris
Hardcover; 528 pages
Genre: Renaissance Historical Fiction


An extravagant, lyrical fantasy about a city of poets and librarians. A city that never was.

Cadenza is the City of Words, a city run by poets, its skyline dominated by the steepled towers of its libraries, its heart beating to the stamp and thrum of the printing presses in the Printing Quarter.
Carlo Mazzoni, a young wordsmith arrives at the city gates intent on making his name as the bells ring out with the news of the death of the city’s poet-leader. Instead, he finds himself embroiled with the intrigues of a city in turmoil, the looming prospect of war with their rival Venice ever-present. A war that threatens not only to destroy Cadenza but remove it from history altogether…

“A gorgeous, immersive triumph of Renaissance-flavored worldbuilding” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | BOOKSHOP | INDIEBOUND | TARGET


Review: 
Cadenza is a city ruled by words.  Poets, writers and storytellers vie for power by sharing their works.  Libraries and printing presses create the economy.  Cadenza's Artifex Tommaso Cellini, an adept poet, dies mysteriously on the day Carlo Mazzoni arrives in town trying to find his place among the wordsmiths.  Cellini is replaced by an Artifex more worried about budget numbers than words and the city rebels.  Soon crime, plague and internal strife plague Cadenza as they prepare for war against the invading Venice. 


Carnival of Ash is the story of a fictional city that is at its apex only to fall spectacularly and possibly begin to rise from the ashes.  Written in Cantos, each Canto shows a point of view from a different citizen of Cadenza. As the Canto's continue, the character's stories begin to combine.  Even though there are about a dozen characters and different stories to keep track of, the story seems to not be about the characters as much as the city itself and what can happen without a well-rounded society. The writing was verbose and pompous, fitting for characters who lived in a city of words; however, I expected some more word play, lightheartedness and poetry.  The characters were all interesting and unique, each with their own flaws and failings.  I felt most drawn to Vittoria's character and the tragedy of her circumstance.  I was entranced by her story and how her words eventually took over. Carlo and Ercole, the gravedigger were another great pair.  Carlo, who seemed doomed from the beginning, slowly finds his place.  Ercole, an alchemist in a city of words brings in the next era.  Carnival of Ash is an unexpected work with violence, ego and destruction.; it may not be for everyone but was an interesting read.