The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover- HFVBT Book Review and Giveaway

The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover by Susan Wittig Albert

Publication Date: March 6, 2018

Presevero Press

Hardcover; ISBN-13: 978-0996904032

eBook; ISBN 978-0-9969040-5-6

Series: The Darling Dahlias, Book 7

Genre: Historical Mystery

Publisher's Summary 

NYT bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert returns to Depression-era Darling, Alabama…​where the ladies of the Dahlias, the local garden club, are happy to dig a little dirt!

In the seventh book of this popular series, it looks like the music has ended for Darling’s favorite barbershop uiquartet, the Lucky Four Clovers—just days before theDixie Regional Barbershop Competition. Another unlucky break: a serious foul-up in Darling’s telephone system—and not a penny for repairs. And while liquor is legal again, moonshine isn’t. Sheriff Buddy Norris needs a little luck when he goes into Briar Swamp to confront Cypress County’s most notorious bootlegger. What he finds upends his sense of justice.

Once again, Susan Wittig Albert has told a charming story filled with richly human characters who face the Great Depression with courage and grace. She reminds us that friends offer the best of themselves to each other, community is what holds us together, and luck is what you make it.

Bonus features: Liz Lacy’s Garden Gate column on “lucky” plants, plus the Dahlias’ collection of traditional Southern pie recipes and a dash of cookery history. 

Reading group questions, more recipes, and Depression-era info at www.DarlingDahlias.com.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound

Why?

I'm a sucker for anything written about the South...especially Mississippi and Alabama.  

Throw in a ladies' group, a mystery, some history, and a comforting series, and I'm all yours.
**marked in red above are the aspects of this story that made me say yes to reading it.

First Impressions

I was a little worried at first because The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover is the 7th book in the "Darling Dahlias" series.  I've read a lot of series in the past.  Sometimes I need to start from the beginning and sometimes not.  It just depends.

I did appreciate the Susan Wittig's "Club Roster" at the beginning of the book and letter to the reader to help me make a few necessary connections and most importantly, a quick place to look back to later in the story if I was confused about characters.  

Golden Lines

Yes, it was all very old fashioned and staid and decorous.  But it seemed to Lizzy to represent what people were seeking when they climbed the stairs: if not justice, then something close to it, something established, reliable, constant, and trustworthy.  (47)

Can't somebody have a talk with Mr. Whitworth?  He needs to know he's a stumbling block in the path of Darling's progress. (69)

Darling was behind the times, for nearby Monroeville had real post-office boxes with brass-plated doors and little glass windows and combination locks, so you didn't have to ask the postmaster for your mail.  Lizzy's mailman (a pleasant fellow named Tootie Blue) carried the mail in a big leather shoulder bag and delivered hers right to the door.  (112)

The woman seated in the chair on the other side of Lizzy's desk was wearing a plain cotton housedress and no gloves, and her going-to-town straw hat was trimmed with a wilted-looking red crepe paper rose. (174)

Once it was all in the blackpot, the mash was left to ferment, with an occasional stir.  Then a fire was lit under it and the mash was boiled, releasing the alcohol in the form of steam.  The steam was run through a coil of copper pipe (the worm) in a vat or box of cold water, cooling it into a liquid.  At its most potent, what came out of the worm was 150 proof - 75 percent alcohol, with a knife-edged, explosive jolt.  White lightning.  White dog.  Tiger spit. Hooch. (194)

My Perspective

As I mentioned before I have been a big series reader in the past, but lately have not been in the least bit interested in starting another. 

Y'all, I'm interested. 

While the gardening "stuff" and the clover theme of this particular story didn't necessarily grab me, the Darling community got me hook, line, and sinker. 

Oh those slow days.  

The days when everybody knew everybody from birth to death.

Days when the simplest aspects of life were celebrated...with pie :)

While the mystery was well-written...and the murderer out of the blue...never saw that coming...I felt compelled to wonder what's next.  The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover almost feels like just a beginning...like there's more to this mystery that might be worked out further in the next installment.  I also may or may not have missed the conclusion of the $50 a month mystery?

I left the Dahlias story wanting to get to know them more and disappointed that when I curl up with a book tonight, I won't be getting caught up in Darling, Alabama.

Cast of Characters and Tidbits I Can't Wait to Read more about...

Whitney Whitworth

Ophelia - the female reporter

Charlie Dickens - editor The Dispatch

Mr. Mosely and Lizzy, his secretary, the aspiring writer

Grady - Lizzy's ex whose wife just died...their history and maybe future?

Beulah's beauty shop - reminded me of Steel Magnolias
Champaign's Darling Chapeaux - Charlie's wife's hat business (Fannie) - love a small town girl makes it big story.
Sheriff Buddy Norris

DessaRae, Sally-Lou, and Fremon

Regina Whitworth and her driving instructor

bootlegger Bodeen Pyle

ordering from Sears and Roebuck catalogue

"chipped chocolate cookies" - I love this kind of trivia when built into a story just right. 

Betty Crocker radio program - what the what?  

Deputy Wayne's cat - The Beast

The Google Factor (I'm a nerd)

bullet fingerprints

FDR social security

Black Monday, 1929

The CCC Camp

Huey P. Long

Babcock cylinder press

Miles proofing press

Linotype

Kellogg Switchboard Company 

Alabama State Prison Farm - 

Woolworth's - Frank Woolworth

Five & Dime

FDR's right-hand-man, Harry Hopkins

the WPA - the Works Progress Administration

Publishing industry during The Depression

the switchboard

The Author

Susan Wittig Albert 

is the NYT bestselling author of over 100 books. Her work includes four mystery series: China Bayles, the Darling Dahlias, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, and the Robin Paige Victorian mysteries. She has published three award-winning historical novels, as well as YA fiction, memoirs, and nonfiction. Susan currently serves as an editor of StoryCircleBookReviews and helps to coordinate SCN’s online class program. She and her husband Bill live in the Texas Hill Country, where she writes, gardens, and raises a varying assortment of barnyard creatures.

For more information please visit Susan Wittig Albert’s website. 

Visit the Darling Dahlias Facebook Page. 

You can also find Susan on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, February 28

Review at Back Porchervations

Thursday, March 1

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Friday, March 2

Review at Trisha Jenn Reads

Interview at Dianne Ascroft’s Blog

Feature at What Is That Book About

Saturday, March 3

Review at Cup of Sensibility

Monday, March 5

Review at Peppermint Ph.D.

Tuesday, March 6

Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Feature at A Literary Vacation

Wednesday, March 7

Review at Linda’s Book Obsession

Thursday, March 8

Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Monday, March 12

Feature at Susan Heim on Writing

Tuesday, March 13

Review at The Lit Bitch

Review at Clarissa Reads it All

Wednesday, March 14

Interview at Passages to the Past

Thursday, March 15

Review at A Bookaholic Swede

Friday, March 16

Review at View from the Birdhouse

Interview at Donna’s Book Blog

Darling Dahlias

Buying In by Laura Hemphill - TLC Book Review and Giveaway

Buying In by Laura Hemphill

Houghton Mifflin, 2013

Source? the publisher via TLC Book Tours
**FTC Disclosure - The publisher provided me a complimentary copy of Buying In in exchange for an honest review.  The review below and the opinions therein are my own and offered without bias.

Format? paperback, 297 pages, ARC

Why?  I'm an English teacher, so the life of Wall Street is totally almost out of my imaginable zone, but I'm curious about it at the same time...especially when the main character is a young, very intelligent, independent young woman, trying to make her way in the world.

I was reminded of? The Devil Wears Prada

What Now? the publisher is offering a copy of Buying In for one reader of Peppermint Ph.D.  Leave your name, blog name, and email address in the Comments section, and I'll announce a winner next week.  I'm a little behind on giveaways, so next Monday I'll announce winners for Buying In as well as several of my past reviews.  Get in on the action while you still can :)

The Prodigal

The Returned

Freud's Mistress

Golden Lines

Ethan slid his markup across the table.  "Finish the presentations by 5 a.m.  Leave them here.  I'll pick them up before my flight.  I want both of you at your desks, queued up, 8 a.m. In case we need to run any analysis on the fly."  Ethan rose, fastening the top button of his suit jacket with a quick flick of his thumb and index finger: they were dismissed. (5)

Mergers are like marriages: only one spouse can be depressed.  (41)

Little Prince Sinclair had been trying to poach AlumiCorp from Morgan Stanley for years, but it was Ethan, the state-school kid from High Point, North Carolina, the son of an assembly-line worker, who bagged the suckers. (87)

"I don't understand why you can't take off just two days."
She took a deep breath.  "Please come."
"Me and cities, we don't mix."
They both knew this was true.  (97)

Cho made a frustrated noise, like a car grinding its gears.  "This isn't summer camp.  You're going to make enemies no matter what.  It's an occupational hazard.  Besides, who doesn't want a worthy adversary?" (157)

"When you started at Sterling," he said, "you laughed at the banker boys.  Now you're a poster child for that place." (193)

Come on, Camille, how urgent can it really be?...Coming home not isn't an option...Well you'll just have to sit tight. (223)

Jobs were like a religion: the only people who understood were the ones on the inside with you. (271)

Short and Sweet Summary

Sophie Landgraf is a small town girl living in NYC, trying out her wings on Wall Street.  She knows the business and has the smarts, but she's got a lot to learn about saaviness.  Her job takes a toll on many of her personal relationships, and Sophie struggles to find some balance.  However, at the same time she craves balance, she very easily gets lost in the highs of "making the deal."  If she's going to survive Wall Street, she's got to learn to compartmentalize and ride the wave...or drown and go home.

What I Liked

Ethan Pierce - at first when he launched into Sophie heartlessly about her suggestion, I thought, "What a jerk!"  But, it didn't take me long to get past that.  Hemphill cleverly makes sure we know enough about Ethan to humanize him.  Not enough to root for him in any stretch of the imagination, but just enough to "get" him.  

I appreciated Hemphill's dual perspective on Sophie's life choices.  Her father, Will, and even her closest childhood friends couldn't see why it was necessary for Sophie to keep punishing herself (and them) by working at Sterling.  But, even though the work was brutal, Sophie fed on it...even liked it.  She needed the numbers and the reality checks of the business world.  While I cannot even imagine this kind of job (I would be a basketcase), Hemphill reminds us that different people thrive on different things.

Sophie's relationship with Ethan - I can't say much here bc I don't want to spoil one of the major "keep your attention" and "keep you guessing" tactics.  But, I kept my fingers crossed that this relationship would go the way I wanted it to.  I felt if Hemphill decided to go one way with this part of the story, it would completely undermine the bigger story.  Is that vague enough?  I could hug Hemphill for not copping out where this relationship was concerned.

Nancy Cho - straightforward, brutal, but a good friend for Sophie.  

Alternating perspectives - I really like this writing format; I seem to always want to know everything about everybody, and alternating narratives seem to give me just what I need.

What I Didn't Like

Some of the technical language...the aluminum business, smelters, marketing and finance speak, was confusing to me...I sometimes had to just skim past it.  

Sophie's habit of sneaking into offices and looking in drawers freaked me out...my heart pounded each time she did it.  A very weird characteristic indeed for someone who was so intent on succeeding in big business and most of all, not getting fired.  

Will - no offense, Will, but geez, dude, as much as I understood your way of life more than Sophie's, you simply wanted her to be what you wanted her to be...and that's never a good thing.  

Overall Recommendation

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to live in NYC and work in big business, whether you can actually imagine yourself doing just that or not, I think you'll like this book.  Hemphill provides just enough detail about the characters to make you fall for them even if you're not a big city person.  

The Author

Website

Twitter

Other Stops on the Tour

Monday, November 4th:  Kritter’s Ramblings

Tuesday, November 5th:  Entomology of a Bookworm

Wednesday, November 6th:  Peppermint Ph.D.

Thursday, November 7th:  BookChickDi

Friday, November 8th:  Bibliotica

Monday, November 11th:  The Well Read Redhead

Tuesday, November 12th:  Tiny Library

Wednesday, November 13th:  Staircase Wit

Thursday, November 14th:  Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

Monday, November 18th:  Luxury Reading

Tuesday, November 19th:  Sarah’s Book Shelves

Wednesday, November 20th:  A Bookish Affair

Thursday, November 21st:  Walking with Nora

Friday, November 22nd:  Classy Cat Books

Monday, November 25th:  Reading Reality

Tuesday, November 26th:  Books and Movies

The Expats - TLC Book Review

The Expats by Christ Pavone

Crown Publishers, 2012

Format?  Hardback

Source? the publisher via TLC Book Tours

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of The Expats from the publisher via TLC Book Tours.  However, the following review and the opinions within are mine and offered without bias.

Why?  I'm particularly interested in female CIA operatives, spy stories, government secrets, etc. honestly because of the fantastic show "Homeland."  When I read the synopsis of The Expats, I knew I wanted to give it a go.

Cover? the cover is what drew me into The Expats in the first place...female spy and international locations in the background.

Title? I'm going to be honest here...While I've heard and seen the word "expats" a bazillion times, I had to look the word up just to make sure I completely understood the connotations.  The word is used frequently within the story and I somehow convinced myself that the definition must have something to do with secrecy of some kind or government work, etc.  On the contrary, an "expat" is just someone who is living or working in a country other than the one they grew up in.  

Ahem. Learned a new vocabulary word.

I was reminded of? "Homeland" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" mostly, but a few times my brain thought about Gone Girl just because of this husband and wife who haven't been completely honest with each other about some really important things.

What Now?

The publisher is generously offering one copy of The Expats to one of my readers!  Just leave your name, blog address and email in the comments section and you're entered!  I'm going to start leaving Giveaways open for a couple of weeks at least and make one announcement and shipment at the beginning or end of each month. 

Golden Lines

The last time she'd worn a scent had been in college, a tiny bottle given by an aspiring boyfriend as a Valentine's present.  But perfumes were habitually eschewed in her line of work: they were noticeable, identifiable, memorable, traceable.  All the things she didn't want to be.  (48)

Much later, Kate realized that Chicago should have been her first clue. (48)

Unless someone had tampered with her car, and for example installed a battery-operated GPS transmitter in the hollow under the supple gray leather of the passenger seat. (104)

She's now become convinced that she will indeed find what she's looking for.

That duplicitous bastard.  (113)

Kate shared with many of her CIA brethren a lifelong disdain for the feds who reported into the Hoover building.  The animosity between the spies and the cops was almost entirely irrational, born from the political considerations of the men who'd run both agencies, distrusting one another, playing poorly in the sandbox, vying for the attentions of the succession of dads who'd lived in the mansion on Pennsylvania Avenue. (133)

"Okay," she said.  "I have a strange question: is it possible they're after me?" 

"No."

Kate waited, but he didn't elaborate.  "How do you know?"

"Because if anyone was after you, it'd be us," Hayden said.  "It'd be me." (137)

Kate was never going to understand the extent to which men were stupid. (274)

She shook her head: no, this wasn't true.  Or was it?  Kate had never imagined that Dexter might know everything about her.  But tonight, for the first time, she had doubts.  Because Dexter was much more clever, much more deceptive, and much more devious than she'd thought possible.  She'd been wrong about him, all these years.  How wrong? (283)

Summary

Kate is an ex-CIA operative, trying to make a life out of being a stay at home mom while her husband's IT/banking career seemingly takes off.  A quick move out of the country and her husband's new, secret job send up Kate's alarm bells, however, and she begins to dig.  Like a colored scarf being drawn from a magician's hat, Kate is shocked to find that the secrets go much deeper than she anticipated.  

What I Liked

Vivid descriptions of the locales...Luxembourg, Paris, Switzerland...all areas of Europe I hope to be able to visit one day.

Even though the time switches changed and confused me some, I do very much appreciate even a spy novel like this one keeping me on my toes.  

Just enough of an inside look at the lives of FBI agents and CIA operatives to intrigue me even more than I already was.  

I appreciated the attention the author (who is a man) gave to the idea that Kate would find being a full time mom not quite as stimulating as her previous profession.  These descriptions and Kate's feelings as well as her inability to completely let go of her former operative suspicions and investigative behaviors, felt right on to me.

Kate's secrets - especially the one secret that torments her.  The life of a spy is many times romanticized.  Not here.  

The intricacies of Dexter's work...especially once all the explanations have been gathered.  Whoa Nelly.  

My bubble was burst a little though after reading Pavone's Acknowledgments where he offers a disclaimer about the "completely fictional nature" of his descriptions of cyber-hacking as well as specifics about the CIA.  Dangit.

What I Didn't Like

There were teasers throughout the story that while kept me reading...but tended at times to be obvious or give up too much information at once.  

There were a few times where it was obvious what was going on...even Kate was being duped...especially by two coincidental "friends."  But, somehow even Kate, the ever alert, CIA operative missed those clues.  Really?  Kate eventually figures out most of the twists and turns of the overall plot...but it never occurred to her that it was strange that Julia insisted on retrieving her cell phone from Kate's car alone?  Even though it was raining, and this particular incident was at the beginning of the story, this was obvious to me.  I felt it was unrealistic that Kate would miss this and a few other clues like this.

The timeframe switches also reminded me of Gone Girl, and especially at the beginning, I got a little confused and had to backtrack.  I never really grew comfortable with the switches.  I appreciated that the "Today" sections were actually in a different font than the rest of the story, but the two other back and forth time switches were difficult to decipher sometimes.  I read this book as a thriller and found myself having to backtrack more than I usually would.

At the end, when Kate is putting the pieces together, there are parts of the story that the reader can figure out where Kate got them, but then there are other parts that the reader just has to trust Kate's acumen.  I didn't feel like the reader was given enough info to piece together all the puzzle or see the connections that Kate eventually does...even after she explains it.

Julia - I strongly disliked this character from the very beginning.  I wasn't sure why, but of course, it all comes out in the end.  

The ending.  Julia, especially.  Am I supposed to believe that after juggling years of deception and manipulation that all of a sudden she becomes meek and mild?  This didn't ring true for me.

Overall Recommendation

The Expats is a quick (I read it pretty much in two afternoons) spy/thriller novel, and even though I poked a few holes in it above, I still liked it.  

The Author

Chris Pavone

Website

Other Stops on the Tour

Tuesday, January 22nd:  Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, January 23rd:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Thursday, January 24th:  My Bookshelf

Friday, January 25th:  The Blog of Litwits

Monday, January 28th:  Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Tuesday, January 29th:  Literally Jen

Wednesday, January 30th:  Peppermint Ph.D.

Thursday, January 31st:  BookChickDi

Friday, February 1st:  Book Club Classics!

Monday, February 4th:  She Treads Softly

Tuesday, February 5th:  House of Crime and Mystery

Wednesday, February 6th:  Chaotic Compendiums

Thursday, February 7th:  A Bookworm’s World

Friday, February 8th:  Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, February 11th:  Book Addict Katie

Tuesday, February 12th:  Jenny Loves to Read

Wednesday, February 13th:  Crime Fiction Lover

Friday, February 15th:  Dolce Bellezza

Monday, February 18th:  Reviews by Elizabeth A. White

Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop - June 29-July 5

I've been blogging for 3 years, and I've only had one Giveaway :( 

The biggest reason for my lack of giveaways is that I really use my books...I write in them, highlight, annotate, break the bindings etc. I know for some folks this is sacrilege, but it's just natural to me.
I love my books; they were meant to be loved and read and loved again...kinda like a beloved toy from your childhood :)

Anyhoo, being new to this giveaway thingie, I wasn't sure how other bloggers feel about getting books that have obviously already been read.
So, for my first giveaway prize, I'm offering a book from Amazon up to $20.  As long as Amazon ships to you, I'm game.

All I ask is that you become a Follower of Peppermint Ph.D., GFC or Networked Blogs, and leave a comment telling me how you feel about receiving pre-read books for giveaway prizes :)
Also, leave your email and blog address so I can contact you if you win.
You can pick out your prize after you win :)
That's it.

You're certainly welcome to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, via email and/or Google reader if you want to do those too, and I'll be glad to count those as extra chances to win; just be sure to mention any extra follows in the comments as well.

The hop runs through July 5 so I'll choose a winner the old fashioned way...probably names in a hat kinda thing unless things get too crazy (I can only hope, right?) ;)
I'll post the winner on the afternoon of July 6.

Here are the rules for the Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop
.Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Katie @ Mundie Moms

June 29th to July 5th

• You must host a giveaway on your site, you are responsible for obtaining a prize for giveaway and taking care of the shipping charges. 
• You must giveaway something a reader, author or blogger would enjoy. 
• Your giveaway post must include the hop image & linky (or links to the host's sites if you can't get the linky to work). 
• Please only 1 mandatory entry - all others must be optional - Keep It Simple! No long lists of things for people to do. If you have dozens of things for people to do I will delete your blog from the linky. 
• Your post must be live by 12:01 EST on June 29th. (That is 9 pm June 28th if you live in California) 
• The giveaway must be specifically for this hop. 
• Your site must be family friendly - no erotica or 18+ sites. Your site & giveaway must be free of steamy images and book covers. If it would embarrass me to have my teenagers see it, it can't be on your site. 
• It is your responsibility to check the linky on June 29th to be sure you are still on the linky and that your link is accurate. Please send me a direct link to your post when it goes live. 
• If you are using Rafflecopter set it to begin on JUNE 28th and to end on JULY 6th. Do not use the Point Values +4, +5, +10 or +25.

GO AHEAD NOW AND HOP ALL AROUND...IF YOU DON'T HOP, YOU WON'T WIN!!!