Gilded Cage (The Canary Club Novelettes #1) by Sherry D. Ficklin Review

Hey readers, Ethan here with a new review for you guys. I'm so excited to be sharing my thoughts on this first novella in a new series from one of my all-time favorite authors, Sherry D. Ficklin. Get ready for a new historical adventure that'll rock your socks off! Read on to see my thoughts on Gilded Cage, the first in Sherry's new: Canary Club series. Before we get to my thoughts, here a bit about the novel and our author:

Gilded Cage
The Canary Club Novelettes, Book 1
Author: Sherry D. Ficklin
Published: December 1st 2016
Publisher: Spark Serials

Genre: YA/Historical/Romance

Series Website: http://thecanary.club/ 

The Canary Club series consists of three novelettes which together form a stunning prequel to the full length novel, The Canary Club.

About the book:

A dazzling story of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of gritty prohibition-era New York City and the dangerous gangs who ruled the streets.

Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious bootlegger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis.Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father’s empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family’s dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future–and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | GoodReads

About the Author:

Sherry is a full-time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best-selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.
Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and appears as a guest speaker at several conventions annually. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin. She is represented by Nadia Cornier of Firebrand Literary.

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*****

My Thoughts:

As most of my readers well know, I am a historic fiction freak! I love everything and everything to do with historical literature and am always searching for something new. I've always been of the mindset that the historic genre is the big opportunity the YA market has, but that's another story. With one of my all-time historical series (Stolen Empire) already under her belt, I had no doubt that entering into yet another literary universe of Sherry Ficklin's would be an adventure well worthwhile. 

The raging 20s, gangsters, mobs, booze, and rubes: what could be better?

Gilded Cage is a rip-roaring good time! An incredible start to a series that's sure to be the 'bees-knees'.

I'll go ahead and admit that I'm one of the few readers lucky enough to have read Canary Club (Release TBA) [having been fortunate enough to beta-read it for the author]. That being said, I was foaming at the mouth for more from the characters and world that Ficklin created. Even I was shocked at how blown away Gilded Cage left me.

While a quick read, Gilded Cage is everything readers will be looking for and more. A great introduction to the plot and, more importantly, the life of our heroine, Masie Schultz. Our young ingenue will steal your heart and leave you begging for more. Any fan of Ficklin's will well-know her talent for crafting strong female characters and Masie certainly doesn't disappoint.

True to the setting, Ficklin's Canary Club novelettes hold nothing back. They're gritty and dark, complete with a mysterious, yet jovial-tone that fans of the Jazz Era are well acquainted with. Straight from the worlds of Gatsby and Bill McCoy, Ficklin will jazz her way into your bookish hearts with Gilded Cage.

Come for the words, but stay for the party!

It should come as no surprise that I am granting Gilded Cage a near-perfect 5-star review. Be sure to grab yourself a copy today and let's get this joint a-swinging! The perfect read to start your holiday reading season out right!

*****

Alright readers, you've heard the word! Now get-to-gettin' and grab yourself a copy of Gilded Cage today! Huge happy release day to the incredible Sherry Ficklin. Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Gilded Cage (The Canary Club Novelettes #1) by Sherry D. Ficklin Release Day Launch

Gilded Cage
The Canary Club Novelettes, Book 1
Author: Sherry D. Ficklin
Published: December 1st 2016
Publisher: Spark Serials

Genre: YA/Historical/Romance

The Canary Club series consists of three novelettes which together form a stunning prequel to the full length novel, The Canary Club.

About the book:

A dazzling story of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of gritty prohibition-era New York City and the dangerous gangs who ruled the streets.
Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious bootlegger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis.Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father’s empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family’s dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future–and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | GoodReads

Excerpt:

It’s dark when I finally roll to my feet, wrapping my lavender satin robe around me. I wait until I’ve heard Daddy and JD leave before sneaking from my room and out onto the terrace. Butler has left a plate of pasta for me, covered with a tin lid to keep it warm in the hopes that I might eat. My stomach growls at the scent of garlic and pesto, chipping away at my pathetic attempt at a hunger strike.

Taking my seat I lift the lid and dig in, stopping only long enough to breathe and drain a bottle of red wine. By the time I’ve finished I’m full and sleepy and enjoying the soft tingle of drunkenness as it spreads through me.

Maybe that’s why I don’t hear the front door. I don’t hear the footsteps approaching me from behind. I don’t even hear his breath until I feel the weight of his hands on my shoulders, rubbing in gentle circles. “How you feelin’, Mas?” Vinny asks.

Relaxing back into the chair I look up, unable to keep the sour grin from my face. “Never better.”

Releasing me he steps around the table, helping himself to a seat. “That’s not how I hear it. I hear you lay in bed all day feelin’ sorry for yourself”

“Can you blame me?” I ash harshly, straightening in my chair.

He’s still for a minute, then pulls the fedora off his head and plays with it in his hands. “I’m sorry about your ma, she was a fine lady.”

I snort, the booze in my belly making me bold. “She was a nut job and everyone knew it.” Now he looks up, his thin lips downturned at the edges, “She was good to me.”

Signing I stand, helping myself to the crystal decanters on the tray. “She loved you like her own,” I offer gently as I pour myself a drink. “It’s the only thing she was good at, loving people. Wasn’t great at taking care of them, though.”

She’d tried to take care of Daddy at first. I know she always secretly hoped he’d change his ways, as if her love could make him a better man. But, as much as they may want to, people don’t really change. Time passes, choices are made, but we are who we are in the end.

“Is there anything I can do?” he asks, twisting in his chair to look at me.

I just hold up my glass, “This seems to be helping.”

Standing, he walks over, taking the glass from my hand and swallows back the contents in one gulp. 

“Never drink to feel better, Mas. That’s not how the stuff works.” I frown, pushing past him, “Don’t tell me what to do.”

He stops me, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward him until the tip of his crooked nose is touching my forehead, “I’m not gonna let you throw yourself away like she did.”

His words are sharp and they cut like glass.

I shut my eyes against them, against the closeness of him, the heat radiating off his body, the smell of bourbon on his breath. Part of me demanding to push him away, the other part wanting to lose myself in him.

“You left,” he continues, his tone accusatory. “You left so you wouldn’t have to watch—but I watched. I watched the light in her go out. I won’t watch that happen to you, Masie. I can’t. So you’re going to have to be strong. Because we need you. I need you. It’s awful dark here, Mas. We need you to be the light.”

The first tear slips from beneath my closed lids. Maybe it’s the desperation in his voice, or the fact that he’s right, but something in his words strikes me to the core. It’s tempting, far too tempting, to drink the pain away, to let it eat me from the inside out until there’s nothing left to hurt.

But I can’t.

I can’t be like my mother. I won’t.

About the Author:

Sherry is a full-time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best-selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.
Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and appears as a guest speaker at several conventions annually. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin. She is represented by Nadia Cornier of Firebrand Literary.

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