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The Angels' Share
Born into a tumultuous world of neglectful bohemian parents and an overbearing grandmother, Cinnamon Monday lives through an imagination inspired by the nineteenth-century heroines she admires. As she grows older, and her make-believe worlds are not enough to protect her, she descends into drug addiction and eventual resignation. When this finally leads her to be physically beaten near the point of death, she is saved by a compassionate neighbor named Sam who gives Cinnamon the opportunity to reclaim her life. Now, working at Sam s vineyard in the beautiful Dry Creek Valley, Cinnamon Monday attempts to put her life in order, find the will to overcome past demons, and utilize her strengths to live a positive, successful life on her own terms.
282 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2012
9 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Rayme Waters
4 books33 followersBorn in San Francisco, Rayme Waters grew up in Northern California and the city of Linköping, Sweden. Nominated for a Pushcart Prize and a Dzanc Best of the Web Award, Rayme lives with her family in Palo Alto, California.
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January 29, 2013
Book Review: The Angels’ Share by Rayme Waters
The Angels’ Share by Rayme Waters (Winter Goose Publishing; 282 pages; $15.99).
Cinnamon Monday is a survivor. She’s only 25, yet her life has been characterized by drug abuse, neglect, and physical violence. If her drug addictions don’t kill her, then surely her boyfriend, Kevin, will. Cinnamon’s world is not pretty; it’s gritty, stained, painful, and dangerous in Rayme Waters’ powerfully provocative, atmospheric and affecting novel, The Angels’ Share.
Waters was born in San Francisco and grew up in Northern California and in Sweden. Her short story collection, The Island of Misfit Girls, was nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize and a Dzanc Award. The Island of Misfit Girls won a storySouth Notable Story distinction. The Angels’ Share is her debut novel.
In The Angels’ Share, Waters shows us both the past and present of Cinnamon in alternating chapters. This method of storytelling adds an element of mystery to Waters’ tale. There is such tragedy within these pages. But there is also a great deal of hope.
As a young girl, Cinnamon turned to literature and had two imaginary playmates. Her parents are hippies: her father, a pothead drifter, her mother, the offspring of wealthy parents who owned a renowned San Francisco hotel. Cinnamon made friends with the characters in novels; they never left her alone, as her parents were wont to do.
When her mother returns to her family home to beg Cinnamon’s grandmother for money, the young child sees the opulence that her mother turned her back on. Cinnamon’s grandmother is cold and distant, a stickler for proper decorum and ladylike behavior. Quite the opposite of her mother.
Waters contrasts these two worlds with eloquent precision. At home, pot occupies a place of honor on the kitchen table. Her grandmother, meanwhile, has a large cherub that she points in the direction where she will be. If the angel points toward the stairs, the grandmother is most likely in her room. If its hand is directed toward the door, then the grandmother is out. This is Cinnamon’s world, and she is a different person in each environment.
As she grows up, this gets more difficult for her to do. For the teenage Cinnamon, drugs become a tantalizing escape. Cinnamon sees drug use almost on a daily basis. Her father does not even notice when teenage Cinnamon steals a portion of her father’s pot to give to her friends. She feels like such a social outcast in high school and hangs around the stoners simply because they let her--in return for marijuana, of course.
Before long, though, Cinnamon graduates to the hard stuff, like crack and meth. Kevin goes crazy on the latter and beats Cinnamon to a bloody pulp. Later, he has no memory of what he has done. On one occasion, he abuses her so violently that she ends up in the hospital.
Her hospital stay is really a wake-up call. She cannot continue down the path she is on. She must change if she wants to life. A winemaker takes an interest in Cinnamon and gives her a job at his winery. He also gives her a new purpose in life and a pride in herself that she’s never had before.
Because Waters was born and raised in Northern California, she brings San Francisco and its environs to life in her richly-imagined story. Waters’ characters and her setting make this a compelling tale. The Angels’ Share will appeal to many different readers as it is part mystery, part coming of age, and part romance.
One caveat: This is a hard novel to read because it feels so real. Cinnamon’s trials and pain become the readers’. Yet her triumphs become ours as well.
The title, The Angels’ Share, refers to the alcohol that evaporates out of an oak barrel when stored at 60 percent humidity or higher. The term alludes to the belief that guardian angels watch over the wine as it ages. Waters clearly and fully researched winemaking in this story, making it a more flowery, full-bodied tale. Maybe guardian angels were also watching over Waters as she set out creating this exquisitely rendered debut.
The Angels’ Share by Rayme Waters (Winter Goose Publishing; 282 pages; $15.99).
Cinnamon Monday is a survivor. She’s only 25, yet her life has been characterized by drug abuse, neglect, and physical violence. If her drug addictions don’t kill her, then surely her boyfriend, Kevin, will. Cinnamon’s world is not pretty; it’s gritty, stained, painful, and dangerous in Rayme Waters’ powerfully provocative, atmospheric and affecting novel, The Angels’ Share.
Waters was born in San Francisco and grew up in Northern California and in Sweden. Her short story collection, The Island of Misfit Girls, was nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize and a Dzanc Award. The Island of Misfit Girls won a storySouth Notable Story distinction. The Angels’ Share is her debut novel.
In The Angels’ Share, Waters shows us both the past and present of Cinnamon in alternating chapters. This method of storytelling adds an element of mystery to Waters’ tale. There is such tragedy within these pages. But there is also a great deal of hope.
As a young girl, Cinnamon turned to literature and had two imaginary playmates. Her parents are hippies: her father, a pothead drifter, her mother, the offspring of wealthy parents who owned a renowned San Francisco hotel. Cinnamon made friends with the characters in novels; they never left her alone, as her parents were wont to do.
When her mother returns to her family home to beg Cinnamon’s grandmother for money, the young child sees the opulence that her mother turned her back on. Cinnamon’s grandmother is cold and distant, a stickler for proper decorum and ladylike behavior. Quite the opposite of her mother.
Waters contrasts these two worlds with eloquent precision. At home, pot occupies a place of honor on the kitchen table. Her grandmother, meanwhile, has a large cherub that she points in the direction where she will be. If the angel points toward the stairs, the grandmother is most likely in her room. If its hand is directed toward the door, then the grandmother is out. This is Cinnamon’s world, and she is a different person in each environment.
As she grows up, this gets more difficult for her to do. For the teenage Cinnamon, drugs become a tantalizing escape. Cinnamon sees drug use almost on a daily basis. Her father does not even notice when teenage Cinnamon steals a portion of her father’s pot to give to her friends. She feels like such a social outcast in high school and hangs around the stoners simply because they let her--in return for marijuana, of course.
Before long, though, Cinnamon graduates to the hard stuff, like crack and meth. Kevin goes crazy on the latter and beats Cinnamon to a bloody pulp. Later, he has no memory of what he has done. On one occasion, he abuses her so violently that she ends up in the hospital.
Her hospital stay is really a wake-up call. She cannot continue down the path she is on. She must change if she wants to life. A winemaker takes an interest in Cinnamon and gives her a job at his winery. He also gives her a new purpose in life and a pride in herself that she’s never had before.
Because Waters was born and raised in Northern California, she brings San Francisco and its environs to life in her richly-imagined story. Waters’ characters and her setting make this a compelling tale. The Angels’ Share will appeal to many different readers as it is part mystery, part coming of age, and part romance.
One caveat: This is a hard novel to read because it feels so real. Cinnamon’s trials and pain become the readers’. Yet her triumphs become ours as well.
The title, The Angels’ Share, refers to the alcohol that evaporates out of an oak barrel when stored at 60 percent humidity or higher. The term alludes to the belief that guardian angels watch over the wine as it ages. Waters clearly and fully researched winemaking in this story, making it a more flowery, full-bodied tale. Maybe guardian angels were also watching over Waters as she set out creating this exquisitely rendered debut.
August 26, 2012
I received an advance reader copy of this book, and intended to read it over the course of a long weekend. But once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The language was rich and gorgeous, and the author sucessfully alternates between the main character's past and present, painting a clear picture of how Cinnamon Monday, the daughter of part-time, bohemian parents, ends up working in a vineyard as a means of saving herself. It would be easy enough to assign blame for Cinnamon's destructive spiral to several characters in the book, but Waters is too good a writer for that. Instead, she serves up a supporting cast of complex, fully-realized characters, sometimes trying to do their best; other times self-centered and destructive, but always interesting. How Cinnamon battles her demons and "returns to the living" by re-establishing a connection to the literary heroines that have meant so much to her, by returning to the land that is the strongest link to her past and her present, and by reconsidering friendships offered by both a caring stranger and an estranged cousin, makes for a compelling read.
November 10, 2012
In a wonderful book debut, Rayme Waters tells the compelling story of Cinnamon Monday, a feisty and courageous young girl growing up in Northern California in a mostly well-meaning but dysfunctional family of sorts. Straddling two worlds of tired glamour and seedy unconventionality, the ever-resilient Cinnamon makes plenty of dismal choices and occasionally resorts to the unlikely moral guidance she channels from the 18th century heroine Jane Eye. The realism of the book and its beautiful style contributed to its power and I found myself captivated by Cinnamon's journey towards adulthood and personal redemption. I can't wait to see what other gems this author has in store for us.
September 1, 2012
I was fortunate that I started this book right before a long day of travel, which allowed me to read most of it in one sitting. I found the evolution of Cinnamon, the protagonist, from child to adult compelling because of the many occasions of self-sabotage along the way. The straight and narrow holds no appeal for adolescent Cinnamon, leading to a narrative fraught with tension. Particularly evocative are the scenes involving drug use, esp. meth. Waters' descriptions, while never gratuitous or overwrought, made my skin crawl. A great read and an auspicious debut from a talented writer!
September 5, 2012
Truly a beautifully written book. Told in alternating chapters of Cinnamon's childhood and present day, you will be drawn fully into her world. I couldn't help but love Cinnamon, through all her faults. My comments can't do this book justice. I loved it.
September 21, 2012
I loved this book. The characters are real and engaging. After the first few pages you have to continue to find out how the lead character got to where she is and what happens after. It's a sometimes heart-breaking, but ultimately a heart-warming journey.
July 16, 2012
This is a fantastic book. It is a great story with wonderful characters and I couldn't put it down.
August 27, 2012
Rayme Water's writing is haunting, poetic yet starkly realistic. Make sure you have time to read the entire book because once you pick it up it is hard to put down.
August 13, 2012
Rayme Waters displays a strong talent for writing in her debut novel, The Angels' Share. There are many beautiful passages, which are sometimes heart-wrenching and sometimes so vivid you feel transported into the setting Waters has developed. Early on I felt empathetic to the main character's doubts, anxieties, and hopes. However, the story begins to wane due to a lack of focus. The novel does a little too much and in doing so sacrifices stronger character and thematic developments, and a story that begins as a real life drama falls into plot contrivances which don't stand up to the promise of the beginning.
The story begins as a young woman named Cinnamon Monday wakes up on a driveway, bruised, bloodied, and near death. She crawls next door and is rescued by a winery owner named Sam Gladstone. It was her ex-boyfriend, a druggie named Kevin, who beat her to a pulp, but Cinnamon refuses to give him up to police. She receives great care, first in the hospital and then in an expensive care facility paid for by her grandmother and then by Sam. In the process, Sam courts her, so to speak, though as old as he is he's not interested in romance. He wants to see her recover, and he also hopes she'll work for his winery, which means living on site. Cinnamon is suspicious of any possible strings attached, but this is her best option. Her mother gave up all of her personal belongings to live at Oh Holy Mountain, a religious community run by Phil, who claims to be a direct descendant to Jesus. Her grandmother is a wealthy widow who lives with Frank Ferguson, an unpleasant man who wants nothing to do with his wife's family. It's no surprise Cinnamon chooses Sam.
In a parallel story we learn about Cinnamon's youth, beginning at the age of seven. She lived in poverty most of her life, with an alcoholic mother who believes school is evil, and a father who sold weed to pay the bills but didn't stick around much. Her mother, born into wealth, has no domestic skills, and this drives a wedge between her and her husband, and it also makes finding work difficult. Through this perspective we also meet important characters like Julia, Cinnamon's cousin, and we witness Cinnamon's descent into drugs despite having an education of Bronte, Dickens, and Austen. There's an inevitability to this story, unfortunately, because we know what happens. Cinnamon's flashback story can only go so far, and in the end it's not necessary.
We see everything from the eyes of Cinnamon, and I think the first-person perspective works fine here. Cinnamon is thoughtful and the motives behind her decisions are clear. The story unfolds at first in a slow, absorbing way. I felt sorry for this woman who was the victim of abuse and felt hopeful for the direction her future might take her. The problem is that each chapter alternates between her present and her past, and this interrupts the flow and rhythm of the novel. What we learn about her past could have been conveyed through much shorter flashbacks. I grew impatient at the end of every other chapter, because Cinnamon's flashback story was an interruption.
I think Waters was trying to do too much, and this shows in the many plot strands left hanging. Oftentimes chapters would end with some new piece of information that seemed to lead the story in an interesting direction, but they were forgotten following the next chapter. This is especially true towards the end, where the reader is left unsure what the novel's goal is. At one point, Cinnamon visits her sickly grandmother, who makes a puzzling mention of a cousin. Here I thought an element of mystery had opened up. However, Cinnamon never again visits her grandmother and we're left with the disappointment that her grandmother had done nothing more than mumble nonsense.
There are also hints of a romance between Cinnamon and one of Sam's new hires, Eduardo. Unfortunately, the connection to Twilight (Edward) is a little too close. The romance, which is hardly developed at all and doesn't feel earned, is more broody than romantic. Cinnamon wonders why Eduardo ignores her, but it never crosses her mind to go and talk to him herself. I don't understand how the idea of a doomed heroine, brooding and passive, makes for a compelling romance. It's a common theme in adolescent romance, but Waters is writing an adult drama, not young adult fiction. Cinnamon's character comes off as inconsistent: at times a responsible adult, at times the broody adolescent, and at times psychotic. This, of course, is a result of the lack of focus, because the story never settles into an identity. Just when you think it's going to be a romance, Eduardo is dropped and we find drama with her parents or an in-depth focus on wine-tasting and wine-making. A more focused story could have developed the characters and the plot with much more depth.
I have no doubt that Waters has a better novel in her. She just needs to hone her craft and work out the kinks. This novel didn't work for me, but Waters' knack for writing leaves me wanting to read more of hers. I would say her one main weakness is a tendency towards exposition, which is a style of telling rather than showing. This leaves characters feeling thin and one-dimensional rather than fleshed out. The final fifty pages felt like an entirely different book and left me unsatisfied. At the start of the novel I did care for Cinnamon, but by the end I wasn't really sure who she was or what I was supposed to make of her. I don't mind an unlikeable heroine, but I would prefer to know whether I'm supposed to like her or not.
(I received an ARC copy The Angels' Share in a giveaway).
The story begins as a young woman named Cinnamon Monday wakes up on a driveway, bruised, bloodied, and near death. She crawls next door and is rescued by a winery owner named Sam Gladstone. It was her ex-boyfriend, a druggie named Kevin, who beat her to a pulp, but Cinnamon refuses to give him up to police. She receives great care, first in the hospital and then in an expensive care facility paid for by her grandmother and then by Sam. In the process, Sam courts her, so to speak, though as old as he is he's not interested in romance. He wants to see her recover, and he also hopes she'll work for his winery, which means living on site. Cinnamon is suspicious of any possible strings attached, but this is her best option. Her mother gave up all of her personal belongings to live at Oh Holy Mountain, a religious community run by Phil, who claims to be a direct descendant to Jesus. Her grandmother is a wealthy widow who lives with Frank Ferguson, an unpleasant man who wants nothing to do with his wife's family. It's no surprise Cinnamon chooses Sam.
In a parallel story we learn about Cinnamon's youth, beginning at the age of seven. She lived in poverty most of her life, with an alcoholic mother who believes school is evil, and a father who sold weed to pay the bills but didn't stick around much. Her mother, born into wealth, has no domestic skills, and this drives a wedge between her and her husband, and it also makes finding work difficult. Through this perspective we also meet important characters like Julia, Cinnamon's cousin, and we witness Cinnamon's descent into drugs despite having an education of Bronte, Dickens, and Austen. There's an inevitability to this story, unfortunately, because we know what happens. Cinnamon's flashback story can only go so far, and in the end it's not necessary.
We see everything from the eyes of Cinnamon, and I think the first-person perspective works fine here. Cinnamon is thoughtful and the motives behind her decisions are clear. The story unfolds at first in a slow, absorbing way. I felt sorry for this woman who was the victim of abuse and felt hopeful for the direction her future might take her. The problem is that each chapter alternates between her present and her past, and this interrupts the flow and rhythm of the novel. What we learn about her past could have been conveyed through much shorter flashbacks. I grew impatient at the end of every other chapter, because Cinnamon's flashback story was an interruption.
I think Waters was trying to do too much, and this shows in the many plot strands left hanging. Oftentimes chapters would end with some new piece of information that seemed to lead the story in an interesting direction, but they were forgotten following the next chapter. This is especially true towards the end, where the reader is left unsure what the novel's goal is. At one point, Cinnamon visits her sickly grandmother, who makes a puzzling mention of a cousin. Here I thought an element of mystery had opened up. However, Cinnamon never again visits her grandmother and we're left with the disappointment that her grandmother had done nothing more than mumble nonsense.
There are also hints of a romance between Cinnamon and one of Sam's new hires, Eduardo. Unfortunately, the connection to Twilight (Edward) is a little too close. The romance, which is hardly developed at all and doesn't feel earned, is more broody than romantic. Cinnamon wonders why Eduardo ignores her, but it never crosses her mind to go and talk to him herself. I don't understand how the idea of a doomed heroine, brooding and passive, makes for a compelling romance. It's a common theme in adolescent romance, but Waters is writing an adult drama, not young adult fiction. Cinnamon's character comes off as inconsistent: at times a responsible adult, at times the broody adolescent, and at times psychotic. This, of course, is a result of the lack of focus, because the story never settles into an identity. Just when you think it's going to be a romance, Eduardo is dropped and we find drama with her parents or an in-depth focus on wine-tasting and wine-making. A more focused story could have developed the characters and the plot with much more depth.
I have no doubt that Waters has a better novel in her. She just needs to hone her craft and work out the kinks. This novel didn't work for me, but Waters' knack for writing leaves me wanting to read more of hers. I would say her one main weakness is a tendency towards exposition, which is a style of telling rather than showing. This leaves characters feeling thin and one-dimensional rather than fleshed out. The final fifty pages felt like an entirely different book and left me unsatisfied. At the start of the novel I did care for Cinnamon, but by the end I wasn't really sure who she was or what I was supposed to make of her. I don't mind an unlikeable heroine, but I would prefer to know whether I'm supposed to like her or not.
(I received an ARC copy The Angels' Share in a giveaway).
February 15, 2021
As something of an amateur onomastician, I have cast the naming tea leaves for friends and relatives alike who were awaiting their bundles of joy. For my own entertainment. Fortunately for Cinnamon-might-have-beens, to no avail. And, after reading The Angels’ Share, I’ve learned my lesson. I hope. Maybe.
It’s a much deeper tale than such an offhand remark seems to imply. Think Dickens, Austen, Brontë. In NorCal Wine Country.
It’s a much deeper tale than such an offhand remark seems to imply. Think Dickens, Austen, Brontë. In NorCal Wine Country.
November 23, 2012
Disclaimer: I'm friends with the author.
That being said, this is a pretty great first novel. There's an old saying in writing circles that the secret to writing a good book is to create a likable character, than stick them up in a tree and throw rocks at 'em.
Cinnamon Monday, the protagonist, has had many rocks thrown at her in her young life. Her parents are disasters, her grand-parents are evil. She perseveres, helped in part by a devotion to the classics of Western Literature. So, if enjoy likable protagonists and aren’t afraid of needle drugs, buy this book!
That being said, this is a pretty great first novel. There's an old saying in writing circles that the secret to writing a good book is to create a likable character, than stick them up in a tree and throw rocks at 'em.
Cinnamon Monday, the protagonist, has had many rocks thrown at her in her young life. Her parents are disasters, her grand-parents are evil. She perseveres, helped in part by a devotion to the classics of Western Literature. So, if enjoy likable protagonists and aren’t afraid of needle drugs, buy this book!
October 7, 2012
Cinnamon had a very hard childhood, and we are not spared her misery. The chapters on her young life often made me feel melancholy as I cared for her and wanted to rescue her.
These chapters are interlocked with chapters on her current life, and together they show us how Cinnamon's character was formed. She is a character who is easy to like, even though she doesn't always choose the right path.
There are colourful characters around her, some who infuriate and some who make you smile.
The description was beautiful,and I found myself thinking about the story after I had finished reading it.
These chapters are interlocked with chapters on her current life, and together they show us how Cinnamon's character was formed. She is a character who is easy to like, even though she doesn't always choose the right path.
There are colourful characters around her, some who infuriate and some who make you smile.
The description was beautiful,and I found myself thinking about the story after I had finished reading it.
September 25, 2012
Gritty subject matter made transcendant, luminous, with Waters' lyrical prose. And it's amazing how much you care about protagonist Cinnamon Monday, a young recovering meth addict in California's wine country. She is sometimes hopeful, sometimes detached, flawed, real, and doing her best. This is a real gem.
October 13, 2012
Highly recommend! Straight ahead yet descriptive prose and dialogue which paint a clear, compelling picture of a life touched by irresponsible parents, drug abuse, peer pressure, new relationships, new maturity, and a new career. Set in Marin, the wine country, San Francisco and Hillsborough. Can't wait to see what Rayme Waters writes next!
August 31, 2012
Learned a lot about drug abuse and the California wine industry. Loved the unexpected ending. Great first novel for Ms. Waters.
November 15, 2012
Really enjoyed it.
November 21, 2012
Enjoyed this book and I'm going to get a chance to meet the author.
July 25, 2017
3.5 stars
This book started off pretty strong. I was completely gripped from the very first sentence of the book. It opened up with the main character, Cinnamon, beaten up and almost close to death outside of her trailer. I wanted to know more on how she got there and wondered how she was going to survive.
The chapters then started to switch between the past and the present. The past concentrated on describing Cinnamon's youth and how she grew up to be in the situation we find her in the beginning. We come to learn that she had very immature, drug addicted parents that neglected Cinnamon's education. By reading about her past, we come to understand Cinnamon's character. The chapters describing the present talked about how Cinnamon was recuperating from her wounds and was learning how to get better by working at the vineyard with the help of Sam. I enjoyed how Waters was able to switch between the past and present.
Cinnamon was a damaged character that soon learned how to heal with the help of the minor characters. Sam, the man who finds Cinnamon, is a very caring character who became Cinnamon's guardian angel. Not only does he save her from death, but he made sure that Cinnamon was away from anything that could take her back to her dangerous past and gave her the opportunity to better her life. The grandmother's character appeared to be cold and uncaring. In reality she loved Cinnamon very much and tried to show Cinnamon an alternative life by taking her away from her parents once a month while she was growing up. I found these two characters to be my favorite supporting roles.
The beginning of the book showed great promise on what a wonderful book this could be. The downside of the book was how the plot was presented. There were many wonderful and heart-wrenching moments in the book, but there were also many parts that did not help move the story forward. There were times that a new "mystery" was introduced to the plot making you believe that something important was going to happen but then in the next chapter, this "mystery" was quickly forgotten. This started to show a lot more towards the end of the book. Since this is an ARC, it made me wonder if these parts would either be omitted or made stronger in the final copy.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I'm glad I got the chance to read Rayme Waters' debut novel since she showed great talent in writing in the majority of the book. With a little bit more focus with her plot, she will excel with this book.
This book started off pretty strong. I was completely gripped from the very first sentence of the book. It opened up with the main character, Cinnamon, beaten up and almost close to death outside of her trailer. I wanted to know more on how she got there and wondered how she was going to survive.
The chapters then started to switch between the past and the present. The past concentrated on describing Cinnamon's youth and how she grew up to be in the situation we find her in the beginning. We come to learn that she had very immature, drug addicted parents that neglected Cinnamon's education. By reading about her past, we come to understand Cinnamon's character. The chapters describing the present talked about how Cinnamon was recuperating from her wounds and was learning how to get better by working at the vineyard with the help of Sam. I enjoyed how Waters was able to switch between the past and present.
Cinnamon was a damaged character that soon learned how to heal with the help of the minor characters. Sam, the man who finds Cinnamon, is a very caring character who became Cinnamon's guardian angel. Not only does he save her from death, but he made sure that Cinnamon was away from anything that could take her back to her dangerous past and gave her the opportunity to better her life. The grandmother's character appeared to be cold and uncaring. In reality she loved Cinnamon very much and tried to show Cinnamon an alternative life by taking her away from her parents once a month while she was growing up. I found these two characters to be my favorite supporting roles.
The beginning of the book showed great promise on what a wonderful book this could be. The downside of the book was how the plot was presented. There were many wonderful and heart-wrenching moments in the book, but there were also many parts that did not help move the story forward. There were times that a new "mystery" was introduced to the plot making you believe that something important was going to happen but then in the next chapter, this "mystery" was quickly forgotten. This started to show a lot more towards the end of the book. Since this is an ARC, it made me wonder if these parts would either be omitted or made stronger in the final copy.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I'm glad I got the chance to read Rayme Waters' debut novel since she showed great talent in writing in the majority of the book. With a little bit more focus with her plot, she will excel with this book.
April 28, 2021
Absolutely incredible. The best book I’ve read so far this year.
I could relate to Cinnamon in some ways. I was never a drug addict but I had a pretty crazy childhood as well. The struggles she had and the power and determination it took for her to overcome everything was remarkable. The people she encountered. Sam, Eduardo and connecting with her cousin. I felt so much of this in my bones. My heart ached for her. I usually have zero tolerance for drug addicts, (My mother was one) but I felt for Cinnamon, I loved her and I wanted only the best for her. I know these characters and this story will stay with me for a long time and I will definitely recommend it to others! I cried a few times and not always because the story was sad. There was so much hope as well!
Anna Caputo was an excellent narrator choice for this novel. Loved her!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I could relate to Cinnamon in some ways. I was never a drug addict but I had a pretty crazy childhood as well. The struggles she had and the power and determination it took for her to overcome everything was remarkable. The people she encountered. Sam, Eduardo and connecting with her cousin. I felt so much of this in my bones. My heart ached for her. I usually have zero tolerance for drug addicts, (My mother was one) but I felt for Cinnamon, I loved her and I wanted only the best for her. I know these characters and this story will stay with me for a long time and I will definitely recommend it to others! I cried a few times and not always because the story was sad. There was so much hope as well!
Anna Caputo was an excellent narrator choice for this novel. Loved her!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
January 12, 2021
I read this book in less than 24 hours, and even now I am going back and re-reading the end. This story will break your heart in so many ways, and then put it back together. It is brutal but so worth the effort. You will sit with this one for awhile, maybe forever.
January 2, 2021
Brilliantly written. Captivating story. Looking forward to her next novel.
February 28, 2021
Captivating!
The Angels’ Share is an absolutely engrossing read. Fascinating characters, each with their tragic idiosyncrasies, keep you reading late into the night. Sequel please?!
The Angels’ Share is an absolutely engrossing read. Fascinating characters, each with their tragic idiosyncrasies, keep you reading late into the night. Sequel please?!
March 8, 2013
Cinnamon was brought up in a Californian commune and her childhood was characterised by neglect. In high school she falls in with the druggie crowd and becomes a meth addict, living with an abusive boyfriend. When the book opens she has been beaten up and is near death, but she is saved by a kindly neighbour who offers her a job working in his vineyard. The story is about her attempts to put her past behind her and reconcile with the people that she has alienated herself from, while also explaining how she came to be living as she was.
I was given this book and to be honest I didn't think I would like it, but I did, very much. The characters are so real, the settings so vivid and the writing is just gorgeous to read. I liked the way that things didn't always work out neatly - some people didn't forgive Cinnamon for the things she had done and that felt realistic and appropriate. Towards the end a tentative romance starts up and I was captivated by it. I actually didn't want the book to end - I wanted to find out what would happen next for Cinnamon and for the people around her.
If you think a book about a drug addict doesn't sound like your cup of tea, I can only say it didn't sound like mine either and yet I thought this book was absolutely terrific.
I was given this book and to be honest I didn't think I would like it, but I did, very much. The characters are so real, the settings so vivid and the writing is just gorgeous to read. I liked the way that things didn't always work out neatly - some people didn't forgive Cinnamon for the things she had done and that felt realistic and appropriate. Towards the end a tentative romance starts up and I was captivated by it. I actually didn't want the book to end - I wanted to find out what would happen next for Cinnamon and for the people around her.
If you think a book about a drug addict doesn't sound like your cup of tea, I can only say it didn't sound like mine either and yet I thought this book was absolutely terrific.
September 10, 2013
This is a difficult book to get through, because of the weighty subject matter, but you'll be glad you did (or, like me, you just won't want to ever put it down!). The main character is sympathetic and not self-pitying, and the writing about drug use is unflinching without being graphic, glorifying, or superlative. The frame of the novel - alternating scenes from present-day and from the past - keeps the tension high. I would have liked to have known more about why the protagonist was so interested in wine-making; it felt convenient rather than earned, even though I loved the way wine was written about throughout. The ending is full of coincidences, but they keep the story anchored in hope and healing. And have I mentioned that the writing is gorgeous? Every chapter is framed so well that the last few paragraphs of each are elevated in language and imagery, while still moving character insight and plot forward. I'm certainly looking forward to more by this talented author.
January 21, 2016
This book was truly fantastic. I read it for my book club and even before the halfway mark I knew I'd have nothing but good things to say about it. The writing is excellent, the story structured in a wonderful way, and the main character is one you just want to hug and tell them everything will be okay, even though you're not sure you can really promise it.
There was only one complaint I had from a plot perspective, but I was able to make peace with it after finishing the novel and taking a step back. It worked even if I was annoyed when the plot point was revealed. It's a gritty novel, but not but not necessarily bleak. It's not wrapped up in a neat bow at the end but you feel completely satisfied. I cannot recommend it enough.
There was only one complaint I had from a plot perspective, but I was able to make peace with it after finishing the novel and taking a step back. It worked even if I was annoyed when the plot point was revealed. It's a gritty novel, but not but not necessarily bleak. It's not wrapped up in a neat bow at the end but you feel completely satisfied. I cannot recommend it enough.
March 3, 2013
This book get into the story on the first page and just grabs your interest so quickly! The author starts with a major event in Cinnamon Monday's life and then alternates between her past and her progression. As you read about her past it fills in questions about her choices, how she got to where currently is, and why she relates to people the way she does. It sounds like it could be confusing, but the way it is written makes it smooth and it all flows very well!
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading! I loved it and will highly recommend it to my friends and family!
Disclaimer...I did win this book from a Goodreads contest. However, this does not effect my review.
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading! I loved it and will highly recommend it to my friends and family!
Disclaimer...I did win this book from a Goodreads contest. However, this does not effect my review.
September 1, 2016
I didn't have much time for reading but after the first few pages, I did not want to put The Angel's Share down. I thought that the author did an excellent job in shaping the characters and situations, creating tension that pulled you into their stories. The alternating chapters in time made me want to read faster to find the resolution from the past into the future. Ms. Waters was able to create a story in an interesting time, while bringing in the people and environment of that time. I loved the story of the kids playing in the forest in a more innocent time, the feel of the wine harvest and crush and the familial stress that plays out through Cinnamon Monday's life.
December 17, 2015
Loved it. The writing was very good. The story was very engaging. The characters were well developed. Rayme Waters has a great way of describing a scene so you feel like you can see it. The book reminded me of both "Free Spirit" by Joshua Safran and "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. And although it had a long lost love theme similar to "Private Offerings," in this case it was handled very well and since the characters were so well rounded, it was very believable. Loved it.
April 3, 2013
This was a beautifully written book. I did not think I wanted to read about a recovering meth addict but this character was well drawn and I cared about her immediately. I love the way places are described here. Having visited some of the region where the story takes place, in northern California, I found the descriptions very evocative of what I remembered and experienced. I read this very fast. Lovely.
August 29, 2013
Coincidently I was listening to The Language of Flowers" when I read this book, so the similarities in characters, story line, themes, and writing style bothered me. Regardless of the similarities and abrupt ending, I did enjoy reading it. This book does use very strong language and depicts and appropriately demonized hard core drug use.
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