Now in her third act, Valerie Taylor is an author and book reviewer. With degrees from Sacred Heart University and Simmons University, Valerie had a long career in the financial services industry as a marketer and writer. After her divorce, she spread her wings, relocating her career from Connecticut to Boston and then Seattle. When she retired, she resettled in her home state to be near her two grown children and granddaughter. An avid reader, she also enjoys practicing tai chi and being an expert sports spectator. Her first novel, What's Not Said, was published in 2020, and its sequel, What's Not True, will be released in August 2021. See what she’s reading at her website.
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Valerie Taylor, author of "What’s Not Said" and "What’s Not True"
At first blush, Mitzi Perdue’s Rich Widows of Savannah Valley (Mark Victor Hansen Library) appears to be a tale reminiscent of The Golden Girls, albeit far wealthier girls to be sure. Four women, whose ages span four decades, become fast friends over such gastronomies as bluefin tuna, organic zebra tomatoes,…
Why can Joyce Carol Oates give us Babysitter — a psychological nail-biter — at a time when some readers are looking to escape to a calmer, friendlier world these days? Because she’s Joyce Carol Oates, that’s why. Highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning author of nearly sixty novels, as well as a…
Perhaps, given this is a short and concise 135-page novella. Yet, stopping there would deprive readers of a sneak peek into the psychotic world of Carlos Castillo, a young department store manager by day and the neighbor from hell by night. Since he squandered the ten thousand dollars his parents…
Someone once told me we have just one truly passionate love in our lives. Sometimes it’s our lifelong partner, but not always. In her memoir, Love’s Journey Home (Atmosphere Press), Gabi Coatsworth puts that theory to the test and ultimately validates it. In many ways, I don’t think Coatsworth’s story…
“Powerful, unforgettable, and at points verges on greatness.” — Bruce Bennett, Wells College “This compelling page-turner is one that readers of all ages will enjoy.” — P.J. McGhee —∞— Some novels entertain, others educate. At a time when books are being banned, we are fortunate that the newly-published Blue-Eyed Slave…
Let me just put it out there. I don’t drink coffee, and I hadn’t a clue what cold brew was when I started reading Cold Brew Corpse (Crooked Lane Books) by Tara Lush. Given the title, I assumed tainted coffee was killing people in some cozy town. If so, as…
What do you get when you combine The Wizard of Oz with Back to the Future? You get a delightfully nostalgic romp in Shine Until Tomorrow (Rare Bird Books) by Carla Malden. Through the eyes of Tamara Caldwell, a.k.a. Mari, and the lens of her vintage Leica camera, we behold…
“A delicious gothic, sumptuously told.” — Laura Benedict, author of The Stanger Inside —∞— "Ellison is a master of the complex and compelling tale and here she is at the top of her game." — Patti Callahan, NYT bestselling author —∞— Once again, in her newest thriller, Her Dark Lies…
“Searing and soothing, honest and elusive, Every Bone a Prayer is a gift. It’s the pure truth, told slant.” — Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January “Haunting and healing ... a powerful debut that will leave its mark on readers’ hearts.” — Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book…
Spoiler alert! The Last Flight (Sourcebooks Landmark) by Julie Clark is about a scary plane crash. Well, not really a spoiler, as the book’s cover and title imply at least that much. But a plane crash isn’t half of what will keep you up at night turning the pages of…
The sibling rivalry story in Sister Dear (Mira) by Hannah Mary McKinnon is as old as Cain and Abel. The difference is that McKinnon throws a howitzer into the plot, turning this contemporary thriller unexpectedly inside out and upside down. Its title and cover sub-text, “She’d kill to be her,”…
No matter what your age, you’ll have an emotional reaction to Truths I Never Told You (Graydon House) by Kelly Rimmer. This stirring story spans five decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s, addressing a myriad of common family and societal issues that have touched most of us at one…
The Lost Orphan by Stacey Halls (Mira), which takes place in 1747, could just as easily been titled “A Tale of Two Mothers,” with a respectful nod to Charles Dickens’ novel set similarly in Georgian London three decades later. Clearly, in both stories, “It was the best of times, it…
As I read Olivia Hayfield’s debut novel, Wife After Wife (Berkley), about a serial philanderer, I kept yelling, “Off with his … head.” As you read it, the story will seem predictable if you’re familiar with the history and legend of King Henry VIII. Even though you may think you’ve…
J.T. Ellison’s new psychological thriller Good Girls Lie (Mira) is a whopper of a dark tale, a nail-biter bound to keep you reading beyond the midnight hour. Fair warning: Before you dive in, grab your comfiest pillow and blanket and prepare to enter the paradoxical world of The Goode School.…
Do you know how many social media followers you have? Do you care? Even if you do, I bet you’re not as obsessed as the central characters in Followers by Megan Angelo (Graydon House). Flipping back and forth between the years 2015 and 2051, Followers follows three women — Orla,…