Goodreads: Dreams of Falling by Karen White
Rating: Very Good
Source: Publisher
Description: It's been nine years since Larkin fled Georgetown, South Carolina, vowing never to go back. But when she finds out that her mother has disappeared, she knows she has no choice but to return to the place that she both loves and dreads--and to the family and friends who never stopped wishing for her to come home. Ivy, Larkin's mother, is discovered in the burned-out wreckage of her family's ancestral rice plantation, badly injured and unconscious. No one knows why Ivy was there, but as Larkin digs for answers, she uncovers secrets kept for nearly 50 years. Secrets that lead back to the past, to the friendship between three girls on the brink of womanhood who swore that they would be friends forever, but who found that vow tested in heartbreaking ways.
Genre: Fiction
Why I Picked This Book: I've been wanting to read this author for awhile so when this was offered there was no way I could resist it!
My Impression: Oh this was good! It's always a trick in dual timeline books to keep each time line equally compelling but this was done so effortlessly here that I didn't even realize it had been done until I had finished the book.
There's so much to cover here but I don't want to go to much into details as part of the fun is seeing just how the secrets and past threads unravel. I enjoyed the friendship between Ceecee, Bitty, and Margaret and really appreciated that this wasn't a flawless relationship. There's bits of envy and jealously and resentment mixed in with all the love and friendship which added to the authenticity of the book. I loved Larkin and can relate to her wanting to separate herself from who she was when she was growing up. The characters aren't perfect but I did feel like their flaws were relatable. I recognized bits of myself as I was reading which wasn't always comfortable but did help with the connection to the characters and the story itself.
I could feel that heavy sticky summer heat (and not just because it's a very real thing right now here in Alabama) while I was reading and this was one of those books where it felt like the characters sprang to life on the page. I'm glad I finally managed to pick up a Karen White novel and I can guarantee it won't be last!
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely! I'm already trying to decide what book I want to read next - thinking I might try the audio version.
Would I Recommend this Book? Yes absolutely - especially if you enjoy Sarah Addison Allen and Beatriz Williams.
I have this in view at am on the list at the library. I love your observation about the realness of the relationships of the women, and the ring of authenticity there. You have really made me look forward to reading it with that one comment.
ReplyDeleteYay glad to see you enjoyed this one. I have wanted to read her books for a while now. I will have to add this one to my TBR. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThis is an author I've been wanting to try also. Thanks for sharing this book and your review.
ReplyDeleteMy Thursday review of the first book in a new cozy series is here: https://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2018/06/thursday-thoughts-blog-tourreview-and.html
I haven't read any of her book either. She's been on my list for what seems like forever. Did you have any trouble keeping the characters straight? Some other readers have said they struggled with that a bit. Just curious. I think that happens at times when there are dual timelines, but I read a lot of stories told that way. Maybe I'll be more experienced. LOL
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you enjoyed this one, Katherine. It is on my list to read as well. I've really enjoyed Karen White's writing in the past, even if not the main character of the series I've read, but I really want to give her stand alones a try.
ReplyDeleteI love this author's books, and can't even recall what my life was like before I'd read the first one of hers that set me on this journey (The House on Tradd Street, in 2009).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you loved this one...I finally downloaded my copy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Yes. Yes. Yes. All of this!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I haven't read Karen White. I should probably fix that situation. I love books with dual timelines as long as each timeline is equally interesting. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this one as well. You're in for a real treat deciding which book to read next!
ReplyDeleteAll her books are great, you can't go wrong with what you pick. Her Tradd Street series is really fun with a ghost element, but not in a cheesy way at all. I'd say The Sound of Glass and The Lost Hours are two of my favorites from her collection.
ReplyDeleteOkay; I need to move her up. I've only read the book where she collaborated with a few other authors.
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