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I enjoyed this, but nothing super great. My #bookspin for April @TheAromaofBooks

My #bookspin and #doublespin picks! @TheAromaofBooks

This was fine. A bit interesting, but nothing I found overly compelling. It got a bit spicier in the bedroom than I expected, but it doesn't bother me. I knew the name Man Ray going into this, but nothing really about him. Our MC Lee Miller heads to Paris to pursue art instead of being the subject. I never heard of here before this. I was intrigued that Man Ray has some history in New Jersey and Lee some in nearby Poughkeepsie. ⬇️

⭐⭐⭐
This book covers the fiery relationship between Man Ray and Lee Miller set against the backdrop of 1930s Paris. I had never heard of either of these artists, so I enjoyed learning about them. Miller's experiences were particularly fascinating. Loved all of the references to art 🎨, photography 📷, and allusions to the creative thinkers of this time. The characters were hard to connect with, but the historical aspects saved this one for me.

This book is mostly set in Paris and details the relationship between Man Ray and Lee Miller. I knew of Man Ray, but had never heard of Lee Miller. I would love to see some of her photographs. #books

This book is well written but there really is no plot. It's really just willy-nilly with seemingly no point and I lost interest. The World War II sections were great but unfortunately there's just not enough of them to keep my interest with this one.

A fictionalized account of Lee Miller and Man Ray's time together. Being interested in photography, I enjoyed those aspects of the story. I didn't know until the end of the book that they were real people. This wasn't a ground-breaking novel, but it was pretty decent. Overall I enjoyed it. 3 star.

Why are my pictures showing up sideways now?!? 🤔😡

A pleasure from start to finish. Exquisitely done.

My April TBR for #BookSpin #DoubleSpin

I bailed on the March pick, let's see if April is any better!

@TheAromaofBooks

I really ended up liking this though it was often slow. The characters were all very self absorbed, but they were very interesting people, so why not. I loved the seeing and the time periods and learning about art and photography.

#HollyJollyChristmas #Light

I have not read this yet- TBR. But seems to fit. 🕯🕯

#MOvember #RayOfLight I‘ve been eyeing this #BOTM but lots of mixed reviews 😬A “love” story set in Paris in the 1930's between Vogue model turned photographer Lee Miller and the artist Man Ray.

Distinctly mixed on this. I didn‘t like any of the characters really - but that‘s not a necessity. What is a necessity is feeling like there has been some resolution or outcome at the end of it all. And I didn‘t get that. I felt like a spent a lot of time in the presence of someone very damaged, but I didn‘t feel like I came away understanding her any better than at the start. Or at least not on any deeper level. Disappointing but not terrible

On a big old interwar novel kick atm...

Help Littens! I‘m about half way through this one. It feels so slow going, and it‘s taken me forever just to get this far. Should I keep going? Is the end worth it? #toreadornottoread #dnf?

I thought this would be right up my alley because I love reading about artists in Paris. Especially women artists. That part of this novel is great, especially the references to Lee Miller‘s & Man Ray‘s works. The steamy sex is a bit much but most disappointing is the degree of fictionalization. The author‘s disclaimer: “Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author‘s imagination or are used fictitiously, and👇

Took a bit. She seemed very unhappy. But ultimately good story, engaging

I was into it at first but lost interest along the way because there isn't much of a plot and it got tedious. Lee's later experience as a war correspondant is fascinating, but those chapters were few and far between and they felt like more of a displaced afterthought than anything of substance. #BOTM

(PS: couldn't think of a better Parisian setting than the Arc de Triomphe inspired arch in Washington Square Park 😄)

Loving these moments when I'm running early for personal training and have time to sit and read on the Highline for a bit first ❤️

Finally getting around to this February #BOTM pick and enjoying it so far! I figured I'd chip away at my backlist while *still* waiting for June's box 😄

(Continued review in comments)
The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer is a very steamy historical fiction that centers around the relationship of two real life photographers and their time in Paris during the 30s. It took me awhile to get into this read, but once I researched the people and their works I got very invested! (Famous picture of Lee Miller in Hitler‘s bathtub)

Meh- overall very interesting story. I never knew about either of them so it was fascinating to learn more about them and pulled back in time and there were some parts that stuck with me but felt that it dragged on and went into too much incessant detail around certain things that caused the story to slow down.

Morning reading view #audiocommute

21 week baby bump.. featuring my newest romantic read and my little bff playing in her sand box in the background. ❤️

The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer
????
She went to Paris to start over, to make art instead of being made into it.. "I'd rather take a photograph than be one," she declares after she arrives in Paris in 1929, where she soon catches the eye of the famous Surrealist Man Ray.

Next up is The Age of Light. I thought historical fiction would be nice after a string of thrillers.

An exquisite story from beginning to end. Whether searching for the perfect light to photograph or perfect life to live, we are all searching for something. I love that THE AGE OF LIGHT ended with a sense of self acceptance over a fairy tale, perfect ending. Beautifully written and highly recommend.
🌸🌸
*Thank you to #NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book!! I was ignorant of both artists, Man Ray and Lee Miller, who lived through exciting and tragic times. I was enthralled with the writing style, and she had me captivated from beginning to end. I was teary at the end. Every time I read a book that I love, I slow down so that the I can make the book last longer. A beautiful book that I highly recommend.

I got stuck in this book!! It took weeks to read. I have a hard time bailing on books, but if I did bail on books, this would have been one of them! Although, I did enjoy the last 50 or so pages.

Just starting this ❤️❤️❤️ #historical #paris #photography

It was different from what I was expecting. I enjoyed the technical aspects of the photography they described and the descriptions of Paris

This debut is an impressively immersive experience. I got caught up in Lee‘s path to becoming an artist in the Paris 20s and her fervent love affair with her mentor. I was occasionally pulled out of the narrative by the framing pieces of her as an older woman and as a WWII correspondent. Also, I felt that Lee‘s character arc ends just as she turns a corner. I wanted more of the denouement. But the writing was, at all turns, well done. #botm

I admit that when I opened my birthday present and saw the cover of the tagged book, I was bemused. This doesn‘t seem like my kind of book, and it made me wonder, after 25+ yrs of marriage if my DH really knew me; but then I realized from the jacket copy that it‘s about Lee Miller!

Guess my DH knows me pretty well after all 😉

🥰

#BOTM I was excited about my monthly pick. I do not know much about Lee Miller or Man Ray. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I would get bogged down at times with the photography descriptions. It is not all ritz and glamour of Paris in the 20s. There is a sadness that I am left with for Lee after I reflect on the story.

I love expat artists in Paris so I chose this book on that alone. I enjoyed it but think one of the main reasons is that it introduced me to a bunch of new (real) people I had not known of before, particularly Lee Miller. I love googling names and looking at pictures of the real people and their work and then doing deep dives later (I've got a bunch of nonfiction stuff on my TBR now) so I'm really glad I made this my BOTM pick!

It took me about 150 pages to really get into this book, but the story is captivating. I got much more into it once I realized that Lee Miller is an actual person, who I had somehow never heard of before. She was so fascinating and her photography (via Google searches) is captivating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday morning reading brings a mention of the single piece of literature I have ever despised: Lautreamont‘s Les Chants de Maldoror. I had to read it and write about it in an undergraduate lit class... I HATED it. (So does Lee Miller; Man Ray adores it.)

Happy I made this my #BOTM pick for February. I loved that it was based on real artists. I loved the setting - 1930s Paris. Such an intriguing book that totally captured my attention.

About 40% in — took me a few chapters to get into it, and honestly, neither Man Ray nor Lee Miller are particularly appealing characters for me. I‘m interested enough to keep reading, though. 🤓

This wasn‘t my official #BOTM pick, but as an extra- and I have to say that I overall enjoyed it! Focusing on the relationship of Lee Miller and Man Ray, this historical fiction novel moves along at a fast pace and reads like a romance novel with glimpses of heavier historical fiction! It‘s those glimpses that may leave the reader wanting more. I know I felt that way, but to me this was a satisfying extension of Francine Prose‘s The Lives Of Muses

Cold night. Hot chocolate. Book. Journal. I have mastered winter nights.

Happy Sunday, dear Littens! Just starting this one.

Diving in. I'm excited for this one because I've been getting back into my own photography, and this is a historical fiction about photographers Lee Miller and Man Ray, whom I know nothing about.

I'm sooooo behind on my #tbr from #botm!! Any suggestions on which to read first?? #help #amreading #readingsuggestions

Wishing it was still the weekend, so I could curl up with my girl and read my new #BOTM pick without a care for the time 💛

#BOTM box was delivered this morning. I‘ve been seriously considering canceling my subscription, but then the selections this month were phenomenal. It‘s the first time in quite awhile that I‘ve had a hard time choosing just three books. 🤷‍♀️📚

2. #cupidgoespostal and #happilyeverafterswap opening - I love seeing people open presents I chose. 3. None 4. John 5. Will do!