Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: When the Cypress Whispers by Yvette Manessis Corporon (CLOSED)

Title: When the Cypress Whispers   

Author: Yvette Manessis Corporon     

Published: April 2014, Harper  

Format: ARC Paperback, 356 pages   

Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours  

On a beautiful
Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of characters come
together in a lushly atmospheric story about past and present, family
and fate, love and dreams that poignantly captures the deep bond between
an American woman and her Greek grandmother

The
daughter of Greek immigrants, Daphne aspires to the American Dream, yet
feels as if she’s been sleepwalking through life. Caught between her
family’s old-world traditions and the demands of a modern career, she
cannot seem to find her place.

Only her beloved grandmother on
Erikousa, a magical island off the coast of Greece, knows her heart.
Daphne’s fondest memories are of times spent in the kitchen with
Yia-yia, cooking and learning about the ancient myths. It was the
thought of Yia-yia that consoled Daphne in the wake of her husband’s
unexpected death.

After years of struggling to raise her child
and pay the bills, Daphne now has a successful restaurant, a growing
reputation as a chef, and a wealthy fianc?-everything she’s ever wanted.
But across the ocean, Yia-yia can see through the storybook perfection
of Daphne’s new life- and now she is calling her back to Erikousa. She
has secrets about the past to share with her granddaughter- stories from
the war, of loyalty and bravery in the face of death. She also has one
last lesson to teach her: that security is not love, and that her life
can be filled with meaning again.

My thoughts:  This is a beautiful story about a young woman and the bond she shares with her grandmother. Having a strong bond with my own grandmother, I was pulled into the story and had a hard time putting the book down once I started it.

Daphne has not had an easy life. She has faced many tragedies in her young life and so she becomes almost solely focused on making a good life for her and her daughter, forgetting about the world around her. She doesn’t take the time to enjoy life, to enjoy spending time with her daughter doing fun things, sharing things with her. It’s not until they head to Erikousa and Daphne’s Yia-yia’s for her upcoming wedding, that she starts to realize just how much she has let pass her by. 

I loved Yia-yia and her stories. I admit that I am not all that familiar with the Greek myths, but did enjoy reading about the stories that Yia-yia would tell. It kind of makes me want to read up on some of the the Greek mythology! I loved the way Yvette Manessis Corporan was able to take the myths and draw them into the her storytelling – it never once felt forced but rather seemed perfectly blended.

There is much love and heartbreak in this novel. Secrets are revealed, history is shared and food is made – delicious, mouth-watering meals that seem to be the staple of any family. And the descriptions of the setting made it feel as if I were right there in Greece alongside Daphne myself – a place I hope to get to one of the days!!!

I look forward to seeing what else Yvette Manessis Corporon writes, as this one was definitely an enjoyable read.

About the author: Yvette Manessis Corporon is an Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and
author. She is currently a senior producer with the syndicated
entertainment news show Extra. In addition to her Emmy Award, Yvette has
received a Silurian Award for Excellence in Journalism, and the New
York City Comptroller and City Council’s Award for Greek Heritage and
Culture. She is married to award-winning photojournalist David Corporon.
They have two children and live in New York.

 

Authors Links: 

Website   |   Twitter   |   Facebook   

 

To see who else is participating in Yvette Manessis Corporon’s When the Cypress Whispers tour, click here.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – CLOSED (US/Can only)   

Thanks to Trish at TLC Book Tours I have one copy of When the Cypress Whispers to give away to my readers.  

To enter…

• Leave a comment below & be sure to include your email address.
• Tweet, share on Facebook, or blog for 2 extra entries.
• You MUST include email address or entry will be invalid.
• I will contact winner at the conclusion of the giveaway & they will have 2 days to respond or I will pick a new winner.

This giveaway is open to US/Can residents only and ends April 28th.

  

Good luck!