Charleston Green

A Novel

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Apr 14 2020 | Archive Date Apr 06 2020

Talking about this book? Use #CharlestonGreen #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

If Tipsy Collins learned one thing from her divorce, it's that everyone in Charleston is a little crazy--even if they're already dead.

Tipsy, a gifted artist, cannot ignore her nutty friends or her vindictive ex-husband, but as a lifelong reluctant clairvoyant, she's always avoided dead people. When Tipsy and her three children move into the house on Bennett Street, she realizes some ghosts won't be ignored.

Till death do us part didn't pan out for Jane and Henry Mott, who've haunted the house for nearly a century. Tipsy's marriage was downright felicitous when compared to Jane and Henry's ill-fated union. Jane believes Henry killed her and then himself, and Henry vehemently denies both accusations. Unfortunately, neither phantom remembers that afternoon in 1923. Tipsy doesn't know whether to side with Jane, who seems to be hiding something under her southern belle charm, or Henry, a mercurial creative genius. Jane and Henry draw Tipsy into their conundrum, and she uncovers secrets long concealed under layers of good manners, broken promises and soupy Lowcountry air. Living with ghosts, however, takes a toll on her health, and possibly even her sanity. As she struggles to forge a new path for herself and her children, Tipsy has a chance to set Jane and Henry free, and release the ghosts of her own past.

If Tipsy Collins learned one thing from her divorce, it's that everyone in Charleston is a little crazy--even if they're already dead.

Tipsy, a gifted artist, cannot ignore her nutty friends or her...


Advance Praise

"...skillful and clever and funny. I highly recommend this book." -- Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times Bestselling Author

"An enchanting novel of a woman finding her way out of a midlife (and mid-death) crisis." -- Kirkus

"An enchanting novel of a woman finding her way out of a midlife (and mid-death) crisis...Alexander blends the warm humor of her characters with balmy descriptions of her Southern gothic setting... In Tipsy and her ghosts, Alexander finds a story about the frustrations of love and aging, as well as the weight history places on the living, particularly, perhaps, in the South Carolina Lowcountry." -Kirkus Reviews

"...skillful and clever and funny. I highly recommend this book." -- Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times Bestselling Author

"An enchanting novel of a woman finding her way out of a midlife (and...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781647040505
PRICE $4.99 (USD)

Available on NetGalley

Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)

Average rating from 18 members


Featured Reviews

3.75 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 1 April 2020.


Charleston Green is the magic color created by mixing black with another color to produce a very dark shade of green. The title and color have a prominent role in this story about a single mom with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Recently divorced, Tipsy Colliins is an artist without a home. Her brother-in-law allows her to stay at his childhood home until he figures out what to do with it.

The childhood home in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina, had been home to Henry and Jane Mott. Tragically, Henry and Jane died back in the 1920s of suspect circumstances. Now they are trapped in the home that Tipsy will soon be occupying with her three children. With Tipsy’s gift for talking to the dead, Jane and Henry will make a new friend, and possibly find out why they’ve been trapped in a house for nearly a century. Along the way, perhaps Tipsy can recapture her gifts as an artist, to be able to make a living and support her children.

What a charming book! I loved the way that Tipsy befriended the ghosts and took on their troubles to try to solve why they were trapped in the home. I was shocked to learn of the divorce rules in the state of South Carolina, and how Tipsy ended up being denied any alimony.
However, this was an important plot point to force Tipsy to get back to working as an artist, not just working in a gallery.

Alexander brought to life the charm and beauty of the Old South, and shared with us some of its darker secrets. She also created characters that resonate with most of us. What was most fun was how to she brought to life the ghosts so that they did not seem odd at all. This was a quick and sweet read. I would recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

This was a fun book to read. Taking place in Charleston, SC, a young woman deals with life and a murder mystery involving ghosts. So much interesting stuff packed in this story. Well-developed main character, a gutsy young woman learning to stand up for herself. A great love story and tragedy of two ghosts. Humor and history intertwined. While not a teen novel for our school library, I definitely recommend it for the adult section!

Was this review helpful?

Stephanie Alexander's Charleston Green is as southern as it gets. Think old home in Charleston occupied by the ghosts of husband and wife who do not get along. Enter divorced mom, Tipsy, with her three kids. Tipsy befriends the ghosts and the giggles in Low Country begin. A fun book.

Was this review helpful?

Charleston Green is a story about recently divorced single mom Tipsy, with an ability to communicate with the ghosts. The story itself is funny, clever and relatable. Tipsy helps the ghosts in her childhood home to go into the light, and the ghosts make Tipsy rediscover her talent as an artist. The ending was really lovely! Easy to understand language, funny even with the ghosts involved. Was really surprised about Carolina’s divorce laws!!
Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Stephenie Alexander for reader’s copy of the book. The review is my own and was not influenced in any way.

Was this review helpful?

Apparently Charleston Green refers to a particular shade of green which is almost black and is very popular in places in the south, Ikm not really sure why Stephanie Alexander called her novel this as it is only briefly mentioned also when I I started reading Charleston Green I found it difficult to get into it but I persevered and I’m glad I did as the story was quite sweet, it starts with Tipsy a divorcee who moves into her brother in laws old house, what no one knows is Tipsy can see ghosts and unfortunately for her the house comes with two very unhappy ghosts, husband and wife Jane & Henry Mott, Jane thinks Henry killed her and neither want to face up to the accusation and poor Tipsy and her unknowing children are caught in the middle of their misery. Not only does Tipsy have to deal with the ghosts drama she has to fight for custody of her children with her bullish ex, the characters do grow on you and I think the ending was quite satisfactory.

Was this review helpful?

Charleston Green by Stephanie Alexander is one of the wonderful books I read in the recent times. I can only imagine how beautiful this new color Charleston Green is after reading this book.
Tipsy Collins is a beautiful soul, an artist and strong and independent at heart. Tipsy arrives at her new home with her three kids to live at a new house after going through a rough divorce. She manages her work at her best friend's art gallery, paints and also takes care of her kids all by herself. 
Tipsy gets to put her supernatural skill to use to help two new ghost friends that she found at the new house. Jane and Henry who have been stuck at that home for a long time find answers to the questions that have been hanging between them since their deaths. 
The climax twist was unexpected. The pace is excellent. The story is witty, lovely, romantic and awesome. I must admit this is the funniest ghost story, didn't terrify me at all and made me think I might need a ghost friend for myself. 

I don't want to mention Tipsy's ex-husband Ayers whom I thoroughly hated while reading the story.I also liked how the author used the divorce law in North Carolina and certain other states to explain the troubles faced by many women who tolerate emotional and physical abuse. I'm sure this story definitely gives hope to many a women to stay strong and do what their heart encourages them to do. Just stand up for yourselves! Author has smartly put the marital issues from a century ago and the present day in one story and takes the reader on a wonderful fictional ride.
I received the copy of Charleston Green from NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you BooksGoSocial for sharing the copy with me. The book is going to be published on 14th of April, 2020. I know you all are stuck at homes quarantining. Don't miss a fun ride to Charleston through this book.

Was this review helpful?

#CharlestonGreen is full of Southern charm, mystery & family. It’s the kind of book that you read languorously letting it calm & soothe you, while still keeping you involved with the not always happy plot. Charleston sounds like a beautiful town, and Tipsy can see all of its ghosts; for the first time she’s living alongside 2 ghosts and they are a really disruptive force that she can’t get away from. With her ex husband creating drama, Tipsy is to make a living to support herself & her children, maybe find love again, and discover the truth about her resident ghosts’ mysterious deaths. Tipsy is an artist and it was interesting to see things through her eyes.

I loved this book, and will revisit it when I want something cosy to distract from everyday life. But what I’d really like is a sequel!

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for my free advance copy in return for an unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

A fun book, well written and entertaining.
The plot flows and is engrossing, the characters are fleshed out and the background is vivid.
I want to read other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Was this review helpful?

I fell in love with this book, hard and fast.  It is a beautifully unique story - a twist of contemporary literary fiction with a supernatural murder mystery.

The whole book is skilfully wrote by Alexander.  It becomes a work of art itself, echoing the central character Tipsy's masterpieces.  Alexander breathes so much life and individuality every one of her characters, not matter how big or small their roles.  Her words are inspirational, and she has crafted a world the reader yearns to be a part of.

The relationships between the characters are so nicely developed too, not just through the way they connect to the main character, but between each other.  The heartbreaking narrative of Henry and Jane's relationship resounds hard with the reader, a strong juxtaposition between the relationship of Ayers and Tipsy.  It's entirely reflective of the social-cultural difficulties in respect of the law, but also identifies the difference in eras in which the two parties existed.

Alexander concluded the novel in a way I did not anticipate, but it was an incredibly satisfying finish, neatly typing up this period of Tipsy's life but avoiding the conclusiveness of their lives altogether.  She has left their stories open to continue beyond the final page, making their souls all the more human.

This novel is lovely, witty, beautiful, and full of soul.  I have no hesitations in recommending it to anyone.

Was this review helpful?

What a lovely cozy full of southern charm! Our protagonist, Tipsy, can communicate with ghosts. Her ex is causing her grief and it's affecting poor single mom Tipsy, who's cohabiting with two gotta while trying to raise her children and possibly get back into the dating pool. She discovers the truth about her ghosts deaths. Well written with well fleshed out characters, this is a fun read. I'm hoping that this will become a series.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Tipsy has just gotten a divorce and has moved into an old house in Mount Pleasant complete with a married ghost couple. As Tipsy navigates her new life that is filled with one exasperating hurdle after another, she finds inspiration and solace while trying to help her new ghost friends uncover the truth about their untimely deaths. This is a fabulous story about discovery and second chances.

Was this review helpful?

A lovely book set in the Deep South of the present but with a lot about 1920s social life too. Our heroine, Tipsy (yes it is a nickname) is a single Mum with a nasty manipulative ex-husband and joint custody it seems. She was/is a gifted artist and she see ghosts - Granny is often by her side. She hears and talks to them too which has been difficult at times shall we say? Thanks to Draconian divorce laws in Carolina she has no alimony (why would anyone live there??). She and the children move into a relative's house temporarily, and rent-free, only to find Jane and Henry Mott still in residence. They died/were killed in mysterious circumstances in the 1920s. Tipsy sets out to solve that mystery and finds her art again as a result which is useful because she sells the paintings and finally thinks she can get back to earning her own living. .She has phases of being in the 1920s with Jane or Henry and this, perhaps obviously, causes problems with ex-husband and his family. They think she's drunk or behaving inappropriately for an ex-wife of a socially upper Charleston family (family think he married below himself). She meets a variety of other ghosts, ex-husband has her followed by a Private Investigator and she finds herself a new boyfriend. It's really two inter-mingled stories -Tipsy finding her art, and feet, again and solving Henry and Jane's deaths. I particularly liked the descriptions of the old town and the social differences between the 1920s and present day. A fun and enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this story, tipsy a divorced mum with kids can see dead people and moves into her brother in laws old house, which is haunted. This was a fun read, a great main character in tipsy, a good mystery, I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected, only criticism was it was a little slow to start. But a well w, thought out entertaining book

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Tipsy is an artist who moves who 3 children into her brother-in-laws rental during her divorce from her vindictive philandering husband. She has always been sensitive to ghosts but now there are two living with her. Jane and Henry Mott were married and died in 1923. Jane is convinced that Henry killer her and Henry can't remember anything about that day, they hate each other. A fun read that is a genre that is becoming very popular. I think everyone hopes they could encounter an actual ghost at some point. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book was so fascinating and enjoyable! I loved reading about Tipsy and how she navigated through her life after the divorce. I didn't expect to be so throroughly engaged with humor and mysterious parts of the storyline. The author has a really unique way of writing ~ it made me connect & empathize both with Tipsy and the ghosts perfectly. I loved how she wrapped up the story as well.
4/5 🌟 from me for this entertaining book! Looking forward to reading more of Stephanie's books 💕

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for my review copy....all opinions are my own.
.
Meet Tipsy....and her full cast of delightful characters in Charleston Green. Sincerely. This is going to rank up there with one of the most underrated books I have read in a long while.
.
To my utter delight this is book one in the Tipsy Collins series, As you are reading this book 2 has hit the shelves. I would love to put this novel in one genre and move on....but alas, I can not. I am going to say it's a cozy. You have fun paranormal paired with real life issues. You have amazing characters with some history sprinkled in. You have Southern...but not that exaggerated Southern for the sake of being Southern. I adored it.
.
You can bet I will be recommending this one left and right. Seriously. Pick it up. You will not be sorry.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: