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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
slow-paced
The Liz Taylor Ring is, as you can imagine, a big nod to Elizabeth Taylor, which was interesting in itself. It's also a book about family, and we can't forget the epic love story between Lizzie and Ritchie. The story follows 2 timelines - in most cases, I tend to like one timeline over the other, but I honestly can't pick one here. I thoroughly enjoyed them both. Brenda Janowitz has a writing style that pulled me in, and it didn't take long before I was invested in this story. I found myself trying to keep track of where the ring was at different points in the story as well as being drawn into the relationship between the siblings. This is kind of a slow-burn story with a slower pace than I usually like, but it works very well here, and it made this the kind of book I could curl up with in the evenings. The Liz Taylor Ring turned out to be so much more than I expected and it's one I won't soon forget. I could easily see this being a good book club pick with so many elements to discuss.
Four and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz is a sweeping family saga that covers several generations of the Schneider family. The book is full of family drama and conflicts with twists and turns that had me guessing all throughout the book.
Lizzie Morgan and Ritchie Schneider had an extremely passionate and tumultuous marriage, much like that of Lizzie’s idol, Elizabeth Taylor, and her relationship with Richard Burton. Ritchie was a gambler, and at first, Lizzie found his gambling exciting and fun, but after he gambled too much, they separated for nine months. Richie, desperate to get her back, won a huge diamond ring, similar to the huge 33 carats Krupp Diamond that Richard Burton gave to Elizabeth Taylor, and gave the ring to Lizzie in order to win her back.
After their deaths, their three children gather after hearing from a lawyer that a safe deposit box in their father’s name was found in the Cayman Islands and they need to go and see what could be in the box. They are all surprised to learn that their mother’s ring is in the box, as they all three thought the ring had been stolen, lost, or gambled away.
This fascinating story gripped me from the very beginning and never let up. The story is complex, but I found it easy to follow as the author did an excellent job of switching POV’s and settings just enough to keep the story moving along, without confusing the reader. The book has it all, great characters, a complex mystery, and a bit of romance.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz is a sweeping family saga that covers several generations of the Schneider family. The book is full of family drama and conflicts with twists and turns that had me guessing all throughout the book.
Lizzie Morgan and Ritchie Schneider had an extremely passionate and tumultuous marriage, much like that of Lizzie’s idol, Elizabeth Taylor, and her relationship with Richard Burton. Ritchie was a gambler, and at first, Lizzie found his gambling exciting and fun, but after he gambled too much, they separated for nine months. Richie, desperate to get her back, won a huge diamond ring, similar to the huge 33 carats Krupp Diamond that Richard Burton gave to Elizabeth Taylor, and gave the ring to Lizzie in order to win her back.
After their deaths, their three children gather after hearing from a lawyer that a safe deposit box in their father’s name was found in the Cayman Islands and they need to go and see what could be in the box. They are all surprised to learn that their mother’s ring is in the box, as they all three thought the ring had been stolen, lost, or gambled away.
This fascinating story gripped me from the very beginning and never let up. The story is complex, but I found it easy to follow as the author did an excellent job of switching POV’s and settings just enough to keep the story moving along, without confusing the reader. The book has it all, great characters, a complex mystery, and a bit of romance.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was my first book by Brenda Janowitz. I wish I had discovered her books sooner! This was completely my kind of book. The Liz Taylor Ring is “a story of sibling rivalry, an all-consuming love affair and an eleven-carat diamond.”
This book had all of my favourite things. It was full of family drama, secrets and dynamics, it was written from different perspectives – all the kids and the parents, dual (or maybe more than dual) timelines, and lots of references to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, conjuring up images of Old Hollywood. The author even includes an explanation of the references at the end of the book, which I really appreciated. I love this idea of drawing inspiration from real celebrities for the plot and characters of a novel, especially celebrities from decades ago whose stories I am not as familiar with.
Now I need to put all of Brenda Janowitz’s previous books on my to be read list, and I’m even more excited her next book, The Audrey Hepburn Estate, coming out on April 18. I’m also going to have to move that new Elizabeth Taylor biography up on my reading list.
Ok, I KNOW I reviewed this. I remember. I had made an overlay graphic in Canva and everything. I'm going through my book stuff today, doing some admin work, and I don't see it anywhere. None of my social platforms, not here, I didn't even have the graphic in my phone. And I KNOW I made it. I felt like I was going mad. The graphic was indeed in Canva, but a review was nowhere to be found. I even swear I have a memory of the author thanking me. Alternate universe? False memory? Time Keepers messing with the timeline? No idea. In any case, I loved the book. I always love Brenda's stories.
When I saw that she had a book coming out about Liz Taylor's ring, I had to read it. Let me say, she did not disappoint. The story centers around three grown children, the truth of their parent's marriage, and the heirloom they thought long gone. Intriguing, with multiple POVs and drama, this book hit the spot.
AND I KNOW I WROTE A REVIEW.
When I saw that she had a book coming out about Liz Taylor's ring, I had to read it. Let me say, she did not disappoint. The story centers around three grown children, the truth of their parent's marriage, and the heirloom they thought long gone. Intriguing, with multiple POVs and drama, this book hit the spot.
AND I KNOW I WROTE A REVIEW.
A solid 4 star read. Fast paced and entertaining, maybe a little fluffy, but overall I’d recommend.
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Life Is Messy And Beautiful And That Is What Makes It So Wondrous. The title here is ultimately the message of the book - that no matter how messed up things get or seem, there is also great beauty to be found even in some of the most messed up situations one finds themselves in. The true power of the tale lies in its ability to show how even at our most broken - both visible and not so visible - families can still come together and work through differences. Truly an excellent look at a few different generations of very broken characters in a wide variety of ways and how they all come together. Very much recommended.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes