I love how books, movies, and TV shows give us a common history. How many twenty and thirty-something women dreamed of their own Molly Ringwald storyline after watching Sixteen Candles as a teenager? I know I did. So I’m super excited to read Ernessa T. Carter‘s debut novel, 32 Candles, about a woman who didn’t get her dreamy fade-to-black romantic ending in high school.
Here’s a description:
Davie Jones—an ugly duckling growing up in small-town Mississippi with a mother who couldn’t get any meaner—is positive her life couldn’t be any worse. Just when she’s resigned herself to her fate, she sees a movie that will change her life—Sixteen Candles. But in her case, life doesn’t imitate art. Tormented in school and hopelessly in unrequited love with a handsome football player, Davie finds it bittersweet to dream of Molly Ringwald endings. When a cruel school prank goes too far, Davie leaves the life she knows and reinvents herself in the glittery world of Hollywood—as a beautiful and successful lounge singer. Just as she’s about to ride off into the L.A. sunset, the past comes back with a vengeance, threatening to crush Davie’s dreams—and break her heart again.
With wholly original characters and a cinematic storyline, 32 Candles introduces Ernessa T. Carter, a new voice in fiction with smarts, attitude, and sassiness to spare.
Here’s what people are saying about 32 Candles:
“A disarmingly moving tale” –Bridgette Bartlett, Essence magazine
“Carter’s first novel is a winner on all fronts.” –Kristine Huntley, The Booklist (STARRED review)
“This is an easy 5 out of 5 stars and one of my top five favorite fiction novels [that] I’ve ever read in my entire adulthood.” -Shamontiel, AssociatedContent.com
“First there was Stella and she got her groove back, then there was Bridget Jones and she managed to find love despite her own loveable neuroses. Now there is Davie Jones. 32 Candles, at last, is the answer to the question ‘What should I read next?” –Erica Kennedy, author of Feminista and Bling
“ I loved 32 Candles. Its ridiculously good. Its my favorite fiction debut of the year.” –Color Online
“…a solid beach novel for someone looking for a chick-lit vibe with a bit more substance” – Confessions from a Rambling Mind
“It really is one of the best books that I’ve read this year. I didn’t simply enjoy it – I know that I’ll return to it, just like how I often return to the film that served as inspiration.” –The Eclectic Book Lover
You can learn more about Ernessa T. Carter and 32 Candles on her website and blog, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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