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afrenette's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chezler24's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"Her crime is the only reason they know her name." p.348
I enjoyed this read; it's perfect for fans of historical fiction novels, coming-of-age stories, and suspenseful thrillers. The story takes a bit to get to the murder, but it is totally worth it as you're immersed in this 70s, country/blues music world Caroline Frost has conjured for us. The whole package of both backdrop and tone is crafted perfectly, and I never once was taken out of the period she chose for us. You grow to love Twlya as she sets out on her own to make it to Nashville and pay respects to Elvis after his passing. While out from under her mother's religious thumb, she learns more about life, love, and music than she could have ever fathomed. I also enjoyed seeing the various songs that were written and found throughout the book. The mysterious crime is what pulled me in, but I stayed to see how far Twyla would go after leaving her roots in Texas. The ending was nothing I could have ever anticipated.
Learned a new term for genre-defining: BILDUNGSROMAN - a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of a character from childhood to adulthood.
uncorrected proof/galley copy
I enjoyed this read; it's perfect for fans of historical fiction novels, coming-of-age stories, and suspenseful thrillers. The story takes a bit to get to the murder, but it is totally worth it as you're immersed in this 70s, country/blues music world Caroline Frost has conjured for us. The whole package of both backdrop and tone is crafted perfectly, and I never once was taken out of the period she chose for us. You grow to love Twlya as she sets out on her own to make it to Nashville and pay respects to Elvis after his passing. While out from under her mother's religious thumb, she learns more about life, love, and music than she could have ever fathomed. I also enjoyed seeing the various songs that were written and found throughout the book. The mysterious crime is what pulled me in, but I stayed to see how far Twyla would go after leaving her roots in Texas. The ending was nothing I could have ever anticipated.
Learned a new term for genre-defining: BILDUNGSROMAN - a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of a character from childhood to adulthood.
uncorrected proof/galley copy
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Addiction, Death, Infidelity, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
corytak's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
nerdygnome's review against another edition
5.0
Oh Twyla, how I fell in love with you! I'll be honest, country music is not a topic that I naturally relate to, so I didn't expect to be so deeply entertained by a story of a rising musician. I absolutely adored Shadows of Pecan Hollow so I knew I wanted to get my hands on this one, but as soon as it came up in my library holds, I worried that I wouldn't be able to connect to it. No need for concern, though, because Caroline Frost's writing talent once again swept me away from beginning to end. The Last Verse should be a big hit with both crime fiction and historical drama lovers alike.
Twyla is a nineteen-year-old aspiring musician, living with her strict mother and stepfather. Buckling under the weight of her mother's religious expectations, and pining for the connection she had with her deceased father, who was a musician himself, Twyla decides to head to Nashville with little but the guitar on her back. After paying homage at the funeral of her idol, Elvis, Twyla is swept up into a crime and circumstances wholly outside of her nature. Working to process the trauma, she writes a song and sings it to what she thinks is an empty bar. Weeks later, though, she hears another woman performing it on the radio — and it's an instant hit.
I loved the echoes of this book, which reverberate across three distinctly different women, each seeking to prove and redeem themselves in a world stacked against them — Twyla, the woman who stole her song, and the female detective who circles around them both. While their life circumstances are unique and they’re fundamentally at odds with each other, I found something deeply universal about the female experience in each of their stories. While it was impossible for them all to "win" when their needs were opposing, I related to each so much that I found I would be equally content with a number of different endings. It was this theme of female struggle and empowerment that spoke most loudly to me, though you'll also see themes of love, sexuality, self discovery, self esteem, and redemption.
I listened to this book on audio, and I'll say that Joy Nash's narration was exceptionally well done. She created an immersive experience that blended in with Frost's work seamlessly.
This is a great choice for readers who enjoy historical fiction, coming of age, cat-and-mouse mysteries, and a good heartwarming redemption story. With a second home run for me, Frost has now firmly found a place on my must-read list.
Twyla is a nineteen-year-old aspiring musician, living with her strict mother and stepfather. Buckling under the weight of her mother's religious expectations, and pining for the connection she had with her deceased father, who was a musician himself, Twyla decides to head to Nashville with little but the guitar on her back. After paying homage at the funeral of her idol, Elvis, Twyla is swept up into a crime and circumstances wholly outside of her nature. Working to process the trauma, she writes a song and sings it to what she thinks is an empty bar. Weeks later, though, she hears another woman performing it on the radio — and it's an instant hit.
I loved the echoes of this book, which reverberate across three distinctly different women, each seeking to prove and redeem themselves in a world stacked against them — Twyla, the woman who stole her song, and the female detective who circles around them both. While their life circumstances are unique and they’re fundamentally at odds with each other, I found something deeply universal about the female experience in each of their stories. While it was impossible for them all to "win" when their needs were opposing, I related to each so much that I found I would be equally content with a number of different endings. It was this theme of female struggle and empowerment that spoke most loudly to me, though you'll also see themes of love, sexuality, self discovery, self esteem, and redemption.
I listened to this book on audio, and I'll say that Joy Nash's narration was exceptionally well done. She created an immersive experience that blended in with Frost's work seamlessly.
This is a great choice for readers who enjoy historical fiction, coming of age, cat-and-mouse mysteries, and a good heartwarming redemption story. With a second home run for me, Frost has now firmly found a place on my must-read list.
sonidra's review
dark
slow-paced
2.0
I struggled with this book. The story wasn't bad I just think it moved too slow and I had trouble getting into it. I ended up skimming a good portion of the book so I at least got an overview of the story and found out how it ended.
mga5033's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
beautynbks's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5