![]() ![]() The novel had a desirable blend of familial drama and romance, making it a great summer read. Characters are mostly believable - in truth, I had issues with a few of Amanda’s choices/reactions, and these minor blips took me out of the story briefly - and though there is a host of major players, their personalities and circumstances are easily distinguished from one another. There’s a strong sense of setting in the work, which I am appreciative of: for this western Kansas girl, anything that transports me from the dry, vacant plains is a welcome distraction. If I had to characterize this novel, I’d call it contemporary literature focusing on family drama with a touch of romance. Their lives become entwined as both deal with family crises and secrets from the past that bubble and erupt from the surface. ![]() Meanwhile, Amanda, 28 years old and finishing her PhD abroad, returns to the valley when she discovers her emotionally-distant father has been diagnosed with cancer. At the start of the novel, she’d died a year or two previously in a tragic accident, leaving Uriel to wallow in a pit of bachelor-despair. Uriel, a 30-year-old ranch hand and horse trainer, is recovering from heartbreak: after an early-20s fling dissolved in the bat of an eye, he married a spirited young woman on a dare. The novel is set in modern-day Sonoma Valley, California, where a number of integral characters’ lives intersect via a winery + stable combination farm. If I’m going to read a full book on my phone, it had better be appealing.įortunately, The Vines We Planted met my e-reading standards and proved itself worthwhile. I read the whole thing on my 4″ screen! Which is kind of a feat in itself, as I’ve only ever finished one other book on my iPhone, having abandoned the other 4-5 I started. My optometrist friends are probably smacking their foreheads at this point but I did it. ( Print life 4-ever!) As such, I had to read the book on my phone. I received an e-copy of the book, which promptly resulted in an “Oh, damn” reaction on my end: I’m somewhat of a fervent anti-ebook activist. Spoiler alert: The Vines We Plantedis not a bust. It seems safer receiving a book from the publisher, you know? That way there’s no personal connection or awkward feelings if the book is a bust. I always get a little nervous about reviewing books that authors have specifically sent to me (I’m acting like this happens all the time, but really, it’s only happened a few times). A few weeks ago, debut author Joanell Serra shot me a DM and asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing a copy of her first book, The Vines We Planted. (If you’re on Insta, shoot me a DM & introduce yourself –> Anyway, one such example: author engagement. There is just so much to love about the bookstagram universe. The world of bookish photography featuring beautiful locales and steaming lattes (that I will never have in southwest Kansas)? The friendships forged from afar, betwixt book mavens with an affinity for chocolate and cheese? The fact that such a community exists online, where people share a love for something and positively engage with each other to share and revel in that passion? It’s hard to tell what I love most about the bookstagram community.
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