After reading her latest book I found this one to read and I have to say it was a great read again. Probably not as good in grabbing my emotions as in a Scarcity of Condors, but it was nice to catch up on Alex' and Val's journey as they were first introduced to me as the finally found half brother in Condors.
This book follows Alejandro (Alex) as an 11 year boy leaving Chili to live with an uncle in America where he meets the Lark family. They take him in as a full family member when his uncle dies and adolescent love between Valerie Lark and Alex finally morphs into adult love leading to marriage and a daughter.
Jav was in their lifes in their 20's and Alex and Jav have an attraction, both to scared to really act on it they go their separate ways. Yet 20 years later life throws a curve ball and there they are again. Jav finds a place in the family Val and Alex have built but secrets and attractions never stay buried.

I liked the powerful love shared by Val and Alex and the overall acceptance of eachother flaws and quirks. This is a couple that knows love is worth fighting for.
Jav was an interesting character, he had many redeeming qualities like his love for her nephew and his chosen family. Actually, I found it weird towards the end of the book cause he seemed to me like a person with integrity but then he suddenly disregards all loyalty towards Val and pursues where her shouldn't be pursuing. We'll just call it a love short circuit I guess.
Suanne's writing is pleasant to read and even though her books aren't short she keeps your attention and before you notice you have reached the last page and are sorry to leave the characters you've grown to appreciate behind. My only disappointment is that I can't continue reading..I have to get my hands on "A Charm of Finches", miss Laqueur you have created a new addict!
Well worth the read!

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32501523-an-exaltation-of-larks" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="An Exaltation of Larks (
This is the first book in a series that includes three books at this point. I read this a few months ago after borrowing it from the friend who recommended it. This book is full of beautiful evocative language that paints a movie with its words. This book begins in Chile on September 11th when Pinochet takes over the government and begins his policy of terror and murder against anyone who might stand against him. He begins making the disappeared.
One of the books main characters begins here. À young boy who watches in fear and terror as everything he knows is disappeared. The author makes the reader feel what happens much like books such as The diary of Anne Frank and other books of that time period made the reader feel the Holocaust. Pinochet appears to have taken a leaf from Hitler and Mengele's books. An incredible amount of research had to have gone into writing this series.
This book continues as two interlocked stories. One story is that of Alex, the boy from Chile, and the Larks who become his family and the other is that of a Dominican boy, with several names, who is thrown out by his family. They meet first in their early 20s. They are both greatly impacted by the USA's 9/11. One by the opening of old wounds, the other by the loss of his first serious love just as it begins. They meet again as adults both changed in many ways. Life has a way of throwing curveballs and this time the ripples reach others.
This book, the entire series, is intense. If you are looking for fluff this is not the book for you. Likewise if you are looking for a book full of mainstream morality and characters who do no wrong this isn't for you. If you are looking for true to life characters with all the flaws humans have and the mistakes that go along with being human this is the book for you. This book made me laugh and cry. I felt for these two and their families.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy to review.

Representation: one bisexual and Dominican MC, one Chilean MC

Yes, yes, yes!

This is a story of three people who have distinctly different backgrounds - Alejandro Penda who saw Santiago, Chile fall to a military coup when he was a child, Valerie Lark from a prominent and well-off family near to New York City, and Javier Landes who makes an living as one of Manhattan's best male escorts. Alex escaped to the US during the coup, and ended up with the Lark family. He and Val become fast friends, meeting Javier when they're all in their twenties. They lose touch for a while then by several dominos, they meet again in their forties. Discovering they still have quite a lot in common, they become strongly linked and a tight family unit.

I *absolutely* enjoyed reading this, there's no question of recommending this to others. There's so much that goes on in this book, doing a summary of it does NOT do it justice! I really enjoyed how Laqueur writes, it's beautiful and poetic at times. Laqueur is extremely good at writing characters, their internal thoughts and motivations, how they relate to the other characters. Plotwise, there were a couple of times where I felt like it got a little long, but those were minor enough I can overlook them. Especially when it's up against the rest of this story. Many people have labeled this as a romance, and while there is romance in this, it's certainly not the primary focus. It's all about people and the relationships between them, as beautiful and messy as they can be.

This is a book that has long intrigued me. It's a beautifully written book that grapples.with themes of love, family, and loyalty. Anchored with 9/11 as a backdrop, this is an international novel that follows three lives over decades and how those lives intertwine.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was way out of my comfort zone but I'm happy i picked it up. The writing was really beautiful and i felt very connected with the characters,

I probably should have read the blurb for this one a bit more closely. I saw the description of the military coup in Chile, 9/11 and family bonds being forged and broken, I was in. And it started so well...but for me it went downhill quite quickly with parts reading very much like a romance (I know it is not supposed to be, but...) with some very contrived plot direction and bizarre coincidences - I rolled my eyes more than once and I must admit to skimming the last third of the book. It was quite well written but if the author could rein in the tendency for outlandish and unbelievable plot twists and edit down a bit I think it would make for a stronger novel.

I came across this book on Netgalley- and I was intrigued by the title before I read the blurb. An exaltation of larks…well, the only collective noun I know in my sleep is a pride of lions.

The story takes us back to Chile in September in the 1970s when Pinochet’s got his grip on power and the country and we are introduced to eleven-yer-old Alejandro Penda- who watches the city crumble and with it, first his Father, then his mother and unborn sibling. He arrives alone in America and is taken in by the Larks.

Javier del Soto on the other hand, flees from home when his family shun him for getting caught kissing his cousin Nesto. Apparently, you could be a lot of things as a Dominican but never show signs of being gay. He takes on as many odd jobs as he can, anything to eat and stay alive- and also forget the insults and beatings he received from his Uncle. He meets Gloria Landes and she mentors him into being one of the Manhattan’s top-paid male escorts and he meets Alejandro/Alex and Valerie in his twenties and their story is sealed from then.

The author’s writing brings to life their struggles, the wounds they carry into adulthood- their zest for life and she gives you a front row seat into their decision making processes as well.

I loved this book and Jav carries with him one thing his Father told him: "Second chances are given or made."
In weaving their paths and working through their childhood trauma, Alex and Jav, find that they are one- their pain, their fears, it’s like being home in the presence of one another and it broke my heart. And I’m big on moments in books that move me to tears or to smile at the sheer truth in it and Gloria Landes had such moments in this book. Her relationship to and with Jav, is the one ray of sunshine that I see Jav carry on and replicate with Ari later on in the story.

The best part is that the story does not end there- Javier’s/Jav’s story continues in the next book in the Venery series, “A Charm of Finches,” and finally wraps up back in Chile in “A Scarcity of Condors.”

Where was this book my whole life?
color me stunned because this book was everything. Such a beautiful tale of love, heartbreak, grief, loss and many other things. The writing style is very accessible and enjoyable. I really got attached to the characters and felt for them. This story made me sob several times and touched me deeply.
It is my first time reading a book by this author and it most certainly won't be my last.
I HIGHLY recommend.

*copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Suanne Laqueur's novel was an multi-layered, enjoyable and entertaining re-read, a moving story of trauma, grief, loss, pain and love. In 1973, with all the dangers posed by the military coup in Santiago, Chile, 11 year old Alejandro Penda is taken to live with his uncle in the United States. Haunted by the loss of his disappeared parents, Alejandro becomes Alex and close to the warm and all encompassing Lark family, with his relationship to Valerie Lark becomes something more later as the two get married. Their lives becomes intertwined and closely connected with another soul who has experienced trauma and rejection, Javier Landes, through the decades, years where they face tragedies, challenges, complications, love and friendship. In the wake of 9/11, Javier finds himself the guardian of a orphaned nephew in Guelistan. This is a immersive, colourfully vibrant drama of friendship, marriage, dysfunctional families, being a parent, sexuality, identity, despair and hope, and so emotionally engaging. Many thanks to Cathedral Rock Press.

I just finished this book and OH MY!. It was so good. The characters, the story building and weaving of all the lives was all done with perfection. Highly recommend. 5 ⭐️ •

4.5 stars

Wow!! I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to read this book. I read the “Fish” books and was a little scared nothing could top them or I would be disappointed, but low and behold, Suanne still has the magic touch! Her writing is not for the faint of heart, there is emotion, deep emotion, throughout her writing. It pulls you in and doesn’t want to let go...ever. I will tell you that this book had me on the edge of my seat ready to throw my iPad at certain points in the story. I really had a lot of hatred for one character in particular, maybe even two of them. But the ending saved my dislike, for the most part.

If you enjoy books that are detailed, emotional and beautifully written, I would highly suggest this one! I don’t think you can go wrong with any of Suanne’s books.