5 "Fucky" Stars

An Exaltation of Larks

by

Suanne Laqueur

"I'd like to be faithful to you for another year. (It's hard this year.)"

This book. OH THIS BOOK! I have never read anything like it.
I have made a new shelf and tag this year and called it "All The Stars In The Universe". It is reserved for books which even stand out among the 5 stars. Only very special stories go on that shelf. I knew when I was halfway through the book that it would get this tag.

The plot is way too complex to recount or explain. All you need to know is the blurb. Imagine a complicated braid and each strand of the braid is a story arc. Now and then they touch each other but never come together...until they do. This is how this wonderful story presented itself to me. And once the strands come together the real magic starts.

I loved Jav, Alex and Val from the start. They are amazing characters with so much pure and profound love in their hearts. Jav and Alex broke my heart a thousand times over. Javito because of the tragedies in his life and his fierce yearning for love but not allowing it into his life.

"I'll pay you," he said in a desperate impulse. "Another three hours,  buy the time back and it's a wash."
Her fingers run through his hair. "What's the matter?" she whispered. "This isn't you."
"I know," he said, setting his forehead on hers. "I don't know what it is, I only know I don't want to leave. I want to stay and sleep with you."

Alejo because of the tragedies in HIS life and the conflict of being attracted to a man. His loyalty and him being a rock when everything seems to be falling apart. For his own struggles with the events that shaped his life.

"He's simple, but he's finely made. His experiences have crafted him. He has a moral compass that only points one way." Her laugh was soft in the dark. "He is a lousy liar. No pokerface whatsoever. But he's good to have in a crisis. He does we."
"We?"
"He always says things like 'We'll get through it.' Even if he knows he can't do a damn thing, he's there at your side. 'We'll work it out.'"

I loved Val for her strength and her confidence in herself and her love. For her open mind although her house was standing in flames.
I fell in love with each and everyone of the main characters and I adored the side cast just as much. They felt real with all their struggles and heartbreaks. The pull they feel towards each other is irresistible, every single time, and with their attraction you are pulled into the circle, too. The tenderness and fierce love they feel for one another simply makes sense on an almost ethereal level.

The details are extremely well researched and I appreciate the historical facts which only highlight the atrocities we all don't know about unless somebody shines them into our faces like a torch. It is thought provoking and induces curiosity to find out more.

This story packs an emotional 1-2 punch (or several) you didn't see coming. It breaks you and puts you back together. It is full of twists you never guessed at.  The love Suanne Laqueur has for her main characters jumps at you from every page and leaves an imprint on you.

Suanne Laqueur's voice is powerful and magnificent, her writing style is nothing short of gorgeous. While you might feel there is a lot of information along the way you will see farther in the story that every single detail is necessary to the development of the characters and the plot. It must have been a bit of a nightmare to plot this story out so I'm in utter awe of this author's talent to write a compelling, emotional story and keeping me interested throughout all of the 500+ pages. This author will be one to watch out in the future. I will definitely read her backlist but I'm also looking forward to "A Charm of Finches."

"You and I," he said after a minute. "We're so alike. It's no wonder."
"No wonder what?"
"That we kept finding each other. I'm having a hard time thinking was coincidence. Cachai?"
"Cachai."