Thursday, August 20, 2015

Review: Moonshine by Tess Oliver // A Circus and Bootlegging (oh my!)

Moonshine by Tess Oliver
Amazon // Goodreads
Kindle Edition
Published May 2015

Having been 'dry' long before Prohibition, locals living in Virginia, along the base of the Blue Ridge mountains, had a head start on the moonshine business. And went the country craved something to quench its thirst, the Tidewater bootleggers were ready.

In his small hometown in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jackson Jarrett is known as a decorated war hero, a damn successful bootlegger and a man who never gives his heart to anyone. Personal tragedy and fighting on the front line in France have left Jackson scarred and hardened to the notion of falling in love until the traveling carnival with its colorful tents, exotic side shows and Charli Starfield, the beautiful and fearless motorcycle stunt rider, rolls into town.




"And not just flesh either. They left their hearts over there. They came back with souls so tattered, they can't ever be patched."


Y’all know I love me some new adult novels. Wanna know something else? I’m fascinated with the 1920’s. Prohibition and flappers and females begin to actually get rights. Now, a new adult novel with a swoon-worthy (broken yet laughing) bootlegger, a motorcycle-riding circus preforming main girl and murder. Oh, hell to the yes. Where do I sign? A slick as a snake gangster? Please. A five-foot-nothing girl who lets her python named Rusty wrap itself around her body? A family with secrets set aflame in tragedy? GIVE ME THE BOOK. Oh, wait. I read it. It’s you who needs to now. I don’t see you dragging your booty over to Amazon? Are you buying? Still need more convincing, huh? Well, I can do that. Please, oh no, make yourself comfortable. I’ve got a bunch to say.

COME ONE! COME ALL! To the carnival! See The Enchantress. What? The Death Ball Motorcycle Thing is DEADLY? *LE LARGE GASP* It has killed before? *EVEN BIGGER LE LARGE GASP* And he’s making (well, sort of) his step-daughter ride it after her mother had already been killed on it. Wait- hot broken boy who’s love died when he was 17? Flowers, you say? Catch him in the act (if you know what I mean, the birds and the bees) you say? LOVE? Prohibitions and city slickers? Corn distilled whiskey? Pythons and strong men? War and romance? A WHOLE NEW WORLD?

Yes. Yes, there is all this. His name is Jackson and her name is Charli, and they’re the best couple in new adult I think I have ever read. They’ve both suffered a great loss, but they mended themselves and laugh and love (sort of) and have family. Whether it is circus folk or brothers. This book. It hit so many things that I try to say but never can find the words too.

One- Family is more than blood, but not always greater than a love for material things. Whether it is money or the bottle of (goodness) SHOES! It could be shoes. Sometimes family isn’t everything. And sometimes that’s okay.

Two- It’s okay to love again. I think the biggest one for me here is Rose and Jackson. Rose’s husband died fighting in the war against Germany. And, as I mentioned before, Jackson’s love died leaping for flowers. But they love again. Goodness, do they ever love again.

Three- It’s important to dream the dreams you dream. Like, please don’t stop dreaming. Whether you want to contrast the world with wood beams and bricks, or, I don’t know, find the place where your feet stay planted in the ground, dream.

Four- YAY FOR THE ACTUAL PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN THE TWENTIES. Fine, girlie, ride your motorcycle around the death sphere. That’s’ spell-biding and wicked cool. But- OH! Oh, noooo. No. No. No. Don’t you flash me that ankle of your’s. Is that your stomach? Goodness, Lordy. Darling, cover yourself! These fools made me laugh. Laughter of sadness and laugher of happiness. Because, y’all. Look how far we’ve come. I think that’s awesome.


So this book is the moon and the stars. Sorry this isn’t really a review. But I think it fits. Now, hurry on and go get yourself a copy, love. You can thank me later. 




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