Leigh Talbert Moore

I must say that I am wholly impressed by Leigh T. Moore's newest book! Rouge is one heck of a read. I came for the story, and fell deeply in love with everything about it. By the end my mouth was gaping open, my eyes were a little teary, and all I wanted was more book. Indie fans rejoice! This is a gem, and I know you're going to want to snag a copy for yourself.

Our narrator, Hale, is portrayed vividly and is easy to fall in step with. Growing up in the back wings of a cabaret, Hale has show more quickly learned that the only way to survive is to play the game. Her plan is to shine as the star of the show, snag a rich man, and have him take her away forever from her old life. Everything is going perfectly, until Beau comes into the picture. A sweet stagehand with nothing to offer but his love, he throws a gorgeous wrench into Hale's story and it brings everything to life. Truth be told, all of the characters in Rouge are wonderfully rendered. There isn't a single one that I didn't enjoy and think sped the story along.

Reader be warned, this is marked Upper YA and Adult for a reason. There are some steamy scenes and some colorful language. Then again, keep in mind that this is a story about a 1890's cabaret. In my honest opinion there wasn't anything that didn't belong there. Each aspect that Moore writes into Hale's world brings the cabaret to life. The costumes, the crowd, even the seedy goings on backstage, all conspire to draw you in, and keep you hooked until the inevitable end. And what an end it is!

If I'm being honest, there is really nothing that I didn't love about Moore's story! The characters are well written, the setting portrayed with sumptuous perfection, and the plot is compulsively readable. It's the type of read that flies by, and then leaves you wanting so much more. I can promise that is you enjoy historical fiction that is on the lighter side, this is for you! Rouge comes at you highly recommended from this bookworm. show less

As someone who enjoyed Leigh's first book, The Truth About Faking, I was looking forward to reading its companion, The Truth About Letting Go. This book is set in the same town, but focuses on new characters, so while the names of the previous book's characters are mentioned, it's not necessary to read it first. And while I liked The Truth About Faking, I can honestly say that this book is even better, not only in terms of the plot and characters, but also in the strength of the writing. I show more really liked this one a lot.

The Truth About Letting Go is a book that focuses on a lot of issues. Ashley, our main character, has just lost her dad, and is dealing with her immense sadness over that, as well as the fact that her mom has basically disappeared into her work. Add to that a crisis of faith - Ashley decides there must not be a God, because she prayed to him for the six months her dad was ill to no avail -and she's very unsure of who she is, or who she wants to be. This story is very much focused on Ashley's personal journey, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single second of it.

As well as Ashley, who I couldn't help but love even though she was making some very poor choices, there is a rather fascinating cast of characters that surround her. From her older brother, to the two love interests, to her best friend Mandy, I found each of them to be engaging and unique. Each of the characters (except perhaps Mandy) has their own backstory that's fleshed out and makes them feel real, which really added to the whole overall feel of the book.

There is a sort of love triangle, but not in the traditional sense, because it’s pretty clear who Ashley has actual feelings for. Normally love triangles turn me right off, but this one is realistic and done in a way that really portrays Ashley’s state of mind, particularly her anger and sadness over what's happened. I couldn’t help but be drawn to both boys, even though I obviously had an opinion on which one was better for Ashley (and she knows it, too).

As a heads-up, there is quite a bit of religious talk in this book, as well as some pretty hot and heavy makeout scenes that are quite steamily written. Because I know that both of those subjects are red flag issues for some, I wanted to make sure I mention it. Everything is handled very tastefully, though, and nothing is shoved in your face, at least in my opinion, but obviously your mileage may vary.

All in all, this was a really well done book. It covers a lot of topics, but it’s mostly about a girl who’s trying to rediscover who she is and what she wants. Ashley doesn't always use the best judgement as she tries to figure herself out, but everything is handled in a realistic and touching way that really draws the reader into her story. If you're looking for a satisfying contemporary read, do pick up The Truth About Letting Go! You won't be disappointed.

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. show less

Okay, first some truth. I love, LOVE, anything with the premise of fake dating. Books, TV shows, movies, or fan fiction. Whatever it is, if somebody in it fake dates to make someone else jealous, I am on board. So when I got the opportunity to review The Truth About Faking, I was so psyched. The reason I love this plotline so much, is because it sets up a whole framework for excellent drama. Inevitably real feelings evolve, inevitably someone is super oblivious and it causes drama, show more inevitably it's got plenty of amusement for the reader. But enough rambling about why I love this plot device, and let's get to why I really enjoyed this book. Leigh T. Moore has done an excellent job with this storyline and she's even thrown in some extra twists.

Initially, I didn't really care for Harley and her borderline stalkerish obsession with Trent. Girl needed to take a few steps back. Not to mention, she had a pretty big me, me, me attitude when it came to the help that Jason was going to give her. Of course, as the pages kept turn, I found myself warming up to her more and more. I really liked that the author also had a storyline regarding Harley's family, I think it's so nice when you get to see more into a characters life. I also thought it was really clever how she tied what was going on with Harley's family, into what was going with Harley. I love when you can see generational parallels.

This was definitely a cute, fun read, but there was also a little bit of serious thrown in and I think it gave it a nice bit of depth. I'm all for fluff, but I don't mind going a little deeper sometimes, too. I think there is a good message nestled in between these pages, not to mention a fun love story, and even some unexpected friendship. Definitely one worth giving a go and a huge thanks to Leigh T. Moore, for giving the me the opportunity to read this one :0) show less

Shallow. Selfish.

Those are the only adjectives I can use to describe every part of this book.

Ashley. She was so fucking confusing and I really don’t understand her thought process. I understand that everyone grieves a different way but her thinking was just strange. She used people to no end and I was fed up by the time she barely started to give a shit about someone else.

Charlotte. Uh. Okay. She was weird and I still don’t understand her obsession with Ashley’s dad. She was a bitch. show more End of story.

Ashley’s friend, who I can’t even bother to remember her name, was probably the worst of the worst. She didn’t give a shit about anyone else’s feelings and I would’ve had to knock a bitch out if someone were ever so inconsiderate to me.

Colt. For a moment there, towards the end, he redeemed himself and we can sort of understand what he is trying to run away from. Still, he was giving off that rapist vibe for a good percent of the book and I won’t get over that car scene. (Nothing sexy about it. Nothing.)

Jordan. Poor Jordan. Stuck in a town with all of these crazy ass, self-absorbed people. He is the best part of this book.

Now, despite all that, there was one thing that really got me. I don’t take death easily, there are some of us that have been hit by it greatly, and these past few years of my life have taken some really awesome people from me.

And this fucking book made me cry. And I woke up thinking about it and I cried some more.

So yeah. 1.5 stars. Really fucked up, bitchy, overwhelmingly egotistical characters who made me cry. show less