Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile

Welcome to Litsy!

Litsy is a place to share and discover your favorite books with your favorite people.

Litsy is available on the web, for iOS and Android.

It’s fun.  It’s simple.  It’s all about the book. Sign up and get a little Litsy.

To respect member's privacy and keep things awesome, most of Litsy is hidden from Google. We let humans see and share pages, but not machines. Find out more.
This page is: Hidden

Trending Hashtags

See More
#readaway2024
13 users recently
#BookSpin
27 users recently
#DaysDevotedTo
22 users recently
#AuldLangSpine
12 users recently
#BookSpinBingo
17 users recently
#wintergames2024
9 users recently

Trending Books

See More
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
50 users recently
How to Build an Insect
How to Build an Insect
Roberta Gibson
10 users recently
If Sharks Disappeared
If Sharks Disappeared
Lily Williams
8 users recently
James
James: A Novel
Percival Everett
10 users recently
Auld Lang Syne
Auld Lang Syne: My Indian Friends
F. Max Mller
5 users recently
About | Help / FAQs | Privacy | Terms | Press | Resources
The Magnificent Esme Wells
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
8 posts | 8 read | 4 to read
From the nationally bestselling author of The True Memoirs of Little K, a deeply felt and historically detailed novel of family, loss, and love, told by an irrepressible young girlthe daughter of a two-bit gangster and a movie showgirlgrowing up in golden-age Hollywood and Las Vegas in its early days. Esme Silver has always taken care of her charming neer-do-well father, Ike Silver, a small-time crook with dreams of making it big with Bugsy Siegel. Devoted to her daddy, Esme is often his "date" at the racetrack, where she amiably fetches the hot dogs while keeping an eye to the ground for any cast-off tickets that may be winners. In awe of her mother, Dina Wells, Esme is more than happy to be the foil who gets the beautiful Dina into meetings and screen tests with some of Hollywoods greats. When Ike gets an opportunity to move to Vegasand, in what could at last be his big break, to help the man she knows as "Benny" open the Flamingo Hotellife takes an unexpected turn for Esme. A stunner like her mother, the young girl catches the attention of Nate Stein, one of the Strips most powerful men. Narrated by the twenty-year-old Esme, The Magnificent Esme Wells moves between preWWII Hollywood and postwar Las Vegasa golden age when Jewish gangsters and movie moguls were often indistinguishable in looks and behavior. Esmes voicesharp, observant, and with a quiet, mordant witchronicles the rise and fall and further fall of her complicated parents, as well as her own painful reckoning with love and life. A coming-of-age story with a tinge of noir, and a tale that illuminates the promise and perils of the American dream and its dreamers, The Magnificent Esme Wells is immersive, moving, and compelling.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
MaggieCarr
MaggieCarr
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
post image
Mehso-so

Hmmm. Completely stoic about this book. I enjoyed stretches of it and then equally disliked other parts. The time hopping and location changing kinda threw me but I think it was being raised amoung mobsters, casino owners, gambling and burlesque rooms that I just couldn't relate to. I've never been to Vegas nor Los Angels and I just felt a total disconnect from the story, but not enough to keep me from finishing it. Wholeheartedly 2.5☆

29 likes
review
KellyHerself
KellyHerself
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
post image
Pickpick

This was really good. The author‘s style could use a little polish, but overall, I really enjoyed this.

15 likes
blurb
KellyHerself
KellyHerself
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
post image

I have anxiety issues that are generally under control. But some life stuff is happening so my anxiety is up. I was reading “The Darkest Minds” but that‘s too stressful right now, so I‘m going to give this a try.

Megabooks Completely understandable! My book has to match my anxiety level, too! 6y
14 likes1 comment
review
JSW
JSW
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
Pickpick

A glimpse of old Vegas through the eyes of neglected, observant, and resilient Esme Wells. The glimpse shows the shadow beneath the neon. Great summer read for those who want a little tooth in their beach book.

29 likes1 stack add
blurb
JSW
JSW
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
post image

Enjoying this, and my book snacks, tremendously. My book snack is the new to me Jaffa Cake cookie. Perhaps the Brits amongst us know these better, and holy moly, y‘all! They have been holding out!! #jaffacakes #cookies Chocolate, an orangey jam center, and a cake like cookie = heaven.

EadieB @JSW looks awesome! 6y
45 likes1 comment
review
GerardtheBookworm
GerardtheBookworm
Magnificent Esme Wells | Adrienne Sharp
post image
Pickpick

Historical fiction set during the golden age of Hollywood and Las Vegas, Esme Wells grew up either under studio lights or the gambling halls owned by the mob. Her childhood is pretty much unconventional and she is sharing all this with readers as she reveals all the tabloid stories both scandalous and heartbreaking.

3 likes
blurb
JSW
JSW
Magnificent Esme Wells | Adrienne Sharp
post image

My #baybookfest haul! Mom and I really enjoyed the “Beyond Jane and Hermione: New Smart Women in Lit” panel, where the author of the tagged book participated. This is also my haul from the fest: a journal made from an old Nancy Drew and a Curious George bookmark. ❤️ Great day yesterday and I‘ll be back next year for sure!

38 likes
review
BornReadChicago
BornReadChicago
The Magnificent Esme Wells: A Novel | Adrienne Sharp
post image
Pickpick

Happy #bookbirthday to Adrienne Sharp's The Magnificent Esme Wells! This was a tragic and mesmerizing read set in the golden age of Hollywood and the birth of Las Vegas. Review: bornandreadinchicago.com/2018/04/the-ma…
Thank you @harperbooks for an advance copy to review!

9 likes1 stack add