Thanks to Julie Sara Porter at Bookworm Reviews for posting an advance review of my forthcoming novel Beautiful & Terrible Things. Here is an excerpt from the full review:
Review Highlights
“The best thing about this book are the well developed characters. The six protagonists have the type of friendship that makes the Reader think, ‘I want to live in that city and be a part of that group.’ They are from various ethnicities, diverse backgrounds, three genders, and have different outlooks on life yet strive to retain loyal connections with each other. They are almost like the Friends gang, only more diverse and set in the 2020’s.
“As memorable as they are as a team, they also stand out as individuals. The group’s idiosyncrasies develop them and make them come alive. From Xander’s overly flowery language, Terrence’s monochromatic wardrobe, Jessica’s insistence on referring to the others by their first initials, Buwan’s dragon tattoos, Sunny’s fascination with marriage and children, to Charley’s superstitious nature, these little quirks and characteristics reveal much about the people who inhabit them in a way that is natural and not cloying.
“Beautiful & Terrible Things is a book that is a lot like modern life. There are many terrible things [that] can test us physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, there can be beautiful things as well.”
The six protagonists have the type of friendship that makes the reader think, “I want to live in that city and be a part of that group.” They are almost like the Friends gang, only more diverse and set in the 2020’s.
The Friends line would have to be my favorite part of the Bookworm Reviews review, because Friends (and The Big Chill) featured exactly the vibe I was going for when developing the camaraderie between my characters.
Read the Full Review
Read the full review on Bookworm Reviews here.
