Bookreview: Confessions of an Expat in Paris

 written by Vicki Lesage

"A nice memoir with humour."

Summary

From champagne bottles to baby bottles, this memoir offers a humorous glimpse
of an American expat's years abroad...

Party girl Vicki moved to Paris hoping to drink wine and fall in love. She 
accomplished both goals but not without bumps along the way: romantic
encounters gone awry, uniquely French situations threatening her sanity,
and two adorable yet tireless kids keeping her on her toes.

Journey along with Vicky as she gets her feet wet, settles in, and finally 
finds her way in Paris. All with a drink in hand and a smile on her face.
Until she must make a decision: Should she stay in her adopted city
(with all its ups and downs) or should she return home (with its
different ups and downs)?

Discover the real Paris through Vicki's eyes as she shows you the funny
side of life, love and raising a family in the city of Light. And each chapter
is paired with a delicious cocktail recipe. 

My review

It was an honest memoir: a lovely, clear and fluently written book.
It was easy and relaxing to read too. 

I enjoyed reading and sometimes the scenes made me laugh. 
However I wanted to read more about Paris than about the author's life.

I would like to recommend this book to all readers who like memoirs,
and travel stories with lots of humour.

Therefore, I would like to give this book a 4 star rating on 5. 

The author

Bestselling author Vicki Lesage proves daily that raising two French kids
isn't as easy as the hype lets on. In her spare time, she writes, sips bubbly, and 
prepares for the impending zombie apocalypse. She just moved back to the
US after living in Paris for 11 years, with her French husband, rambunctious
son, and charming daughter in tow, all of whom mercifully don't laugh
when she says "au revoir". She penned the Paris Confessions series in between
diaper changes and wine refills. She writes about the ups and downs of her life

on her site on this link. 

BookSirens

I received a copy free by BookSirens for giving my honest review. Thank you very
much for this excellent reading chance

Bookreview: The Bliss of Ignorance

Part 1 of A New Haven Trilogy

written by Ray Filasky 

"A very fascinating read"

Summary

Aspirations choose our path, however our response to life's obstacles is mostly
forged from the slag of desperation. We see their specters building on the 
horizon, all too often, choosing to believe they don't exist. Tee and Emma Haskings
now know those obstacles are there, the question is, can they live with them.

The Bliss of Ignorance leaves the reader with the unsettled feeling one gets when
fiction skirts too close to reality and keeps them engaged as the characters struggle
through this improbable turn of events. Racial tensions, political intrigue, passion
loss, and the strength of personal character are all uniquely blended to connect
us to the story and its participants as Tee and Emma model the kind of love and
commitment many of us wish for. 

My Review

The Bliss of Ignorance is the first part of A New Haven Trilogy and I was

keen to read this thriller. I didn't let me down. 

It was fluently written and a very interesting read. I really enjoyed the
storyline with flashbacks and scenes from present day. 

The characters were well developed and I do love the story twists.
Although not everything was clear.

So, I want to give this book a 4 star rating on 5, but I hope to read the
other stories as well. Perhaps that will make things more clear. 

The Author

Sometimes an idea grabs hold of you and takes you on an unexpected journey
(in this instance it went frome one book to three). Such was the case with the
story of Tee and Emma Haskins. Through their struggles, we are given a 
glimpse at the implications of rash populist decisions. The impetuts for that
journey, however, was the deep sadness I felt as we witnessed the events in 
Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland. Coming of age in the sixties, I
had been naïve enough to think we had put the worst of racial tensions behind
us. 

Booktasters

I recieved a copy of The Bliss of Ignorance by Booktasters and Ray Filansky.
Thank you very much!