Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”Venus Sings the Blues” in exchange for my honest opinion. I thought this book started off very strong with good character development, and I enjoyed the stories of each of the characters. I was a little disappointed with the ending. It seemed rushed and for such flawed characters, was wrapped up a little too easily. The Kindle version had several formatting errors which did not influence my review, but did cause me to reread parts to figure out who was speaking. Overall I enjoyed this book.

What I liked:
The story is mostly dialogue. I love dialogue as I'm a huge fan of interpersonal relationships--which this story is also chock full of. I'm especially a fan of the dialogue involving Jimmy, who is one of my two favorite characters (the other being Cozy). There is some profound conversation in this story and some lines that will make you just stop reading, look up, and go "Oh." They will fill you with hope and make you smile.

What I didn't like:
It took 100 pages to get anywhere that felt like we were going somewhere with the story. 100 pages of telling myself "well, I really want to see what's going on with Jimmy's box" like everyone in the story is telling themselves, along with "I really want to see Cozy get her happily ever after" (because Calico and Bones, while I'm sure can make someone out there feel connected with, felt a bit as flat and unsure as their relationship to each other; they frustrated me more than made me want to root for them). Jimmy is absolutely the driving character and the most compelling, given how mysterious and kind he is. But it took 100 pages (a third of the book--up to chapter FIFTEEN) for me to finally get excited to keep reading.
There is also quite a bit of fatphobia just thrown about here and there. Between fatness being used as an insult toward characters who were not that great of people to this truly random t-shirt Bones decides to buy at the thrift store that says "Fat people are harder to kidnap", it took me out of the story every time fatness came up. There was no need for it outside of descriptiveness (and when it was used for description, it was used in a mocking way mostly).

Overall, I did eventually enjoy the book, but I doubt I would have if it hadn't been for Jimmy (and Cozy, to be honest). And if extended dialogue and slice of life with not much driving the plot besides the mystery of an odd object isn't your thing, I wouldn't recommend it. It may be too boring for you.

I never know quite what I'm going to encounter when I read one of Storm's books. I know there will be quirky characters. There are several in this novel. There are a couple of ruffians, con artists who plan to make a big haul. There's a woman with a lovely voice who wants to escape her depreciating spouse, especially now that he has won mega millions. There is a drunk bestselling author. There is a jazz piano player roaring in on a Harley. There is a young man, invisible to so many, wanting to fly free. There is a villain of sorts, dressed entirely in black. Their paths cross at the Venus Motel and bar and lives are changed forever.

I know there will be something spiritual or magical ot other worldly woven into the plot. That plot rambles a bit in the beginning as the characters are introduced and come together. It is not until the second half of the book that issues being explored are revealed. Whether it is magical or spiritual, there is the clear message of letting go of the past. There is a subtle message of becoming a new creation, something Christians will understand but may not be recognized by others.

I was a bit unsure about the meaning of this novel for much of it but liked it in the end. It is a bit like an allegory, showing people in need of transformation and then the decisions and process required for it to happen. It is an entertaining book with spiritual truth popping up from time to time.

There are references in this novel to earlier ones by Storms but this one does read relatively well on its own.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Such an interesting family of characters! Kept me interested and I was wondering what they were doing when I wasn’t reading LOL. Bones is utterly endearing, Calico is so much more caring than she seems, and Jimmy is just unusual enough to belong everywhere even though he won’t settle down anywhere..

4 out of 5 stars and my respect to the author.

Venus Sings the Blues by Buck Storm

Bones is a lost boy in Paradise, Arizona. He ends up at the Venus motel and lounge because his foster home has kicked him out. His life, and the lives of the customers and owner of the motel are changed when an unusual stranger rides up on his Harley and wrangles his way into a job playing piano in the lounge. Although Jimmy plays jazz like a pro, his real claim to fame is the metal box he brings with him. The box makes anything placed inside it disappear. The box becomes the center of controversy, attracting a world-class illusionist, a despairing cowboy, a comical pair of thieves and a drunken but famous author.

I loved this story! It had so many pluses. It had a plot that was interesting but not easy to guess. The characters were realistic, quirky and flawed. The setting was unique. The writing was excellent. The dialog made me laugh at times. The message made me think. As a writer, Buck Storm reminded me of Billy Coffey and Tedd Dekker, two of my favorite authors. I plan to read Buck Storms’ other books now.

I highly recommend this book. I think it would especially appeal to non-Christian readers as it is not preachy but gives the reader a lot to ponder. It has references to alcohol and cigarettes and affairs, so it is not sanitized but handles these realistically. I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy of the ARC in exchange for this, my honest review.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley. Opinions conveyed are my own

Scripture Connection
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7
I originally planned to quote 2 Cor. 5:17, which is also about rebirth. However, I selected this verse because of the emphasis on love as a result of rebirth, which we see demonstrated in the book.

As a note: the rebirth in the book is not directly attributed to Jesus, but the symbolism does underline the point being made.

Spiritual Content
Venus Sings the Blues is a deeply meaningful novel, which reads more as an allegory or parable to me, since there aren’t a lot of overt religious references. By this, I mean that references go deeper than a surface level conversation or two. There’s much more to plumb, here. The Christian message clearly comes through in the plot and symbolism, making for a thoughtful, textured narrative. The book is so hopeful, with a strong message of redemption.

Because the book isn’t preachy, it’s a fantastic choice for nonChristians, as well as Christians. This is a beautiful story that I want readers of different backgrounds to read. It’s a deeply truthful novel that strikes the core of the Gospel. I would describe it as invitational– rather than relaying the Gospel through Scripture, as many authors do, Storm is spreading the fragrance of Christ in a more subtle way, but a way that I believe could provoke yearning in nonChristians. This is a book I can really see the Lord using.

What I Liked
Most books are, for me, ultimately carried by the plot. While I certainly notice whether or not the plot is presented well (in terms of the style and fluidity of the writing), I’m typically reading to find out what will happen next.

That wasn’t so much the case for me with Venus Sings the Blues. At least not at first (though the disappearing box certainly captured my attention). Storm’s writing was, in my opinion, stunning. I liked the dedication so much (talk about powerful!) that I read it aloud to my mom, poet Kimberly Vargas Agnese. (The Lord has gifted my mom with incredible talent and she definitely sets a high bar for strong writing; Storm’s writing does remind me of my mom’s).

Each word felt deliberate and well-placed. In contrast with many books I read, in which there are just a few particularly striking sentences scattered throughout, the majority of Storm’s sentences proved richly insightful. On both large and small scales, the book felt especially true to life. The author’s descriptions and observations so clearly reflect and capture what it means to be alive. Storm’s writing is, in my opinion, exactly what storytelling should be.

Along this line, the characters were so well-developed (and I want the word “so” to carry a lot of weight in this sentence, because I often mention character development, but Storm’s writing stands out in this respect). Each character had a distinctive voice, and I was impressed that both female and male characters were written so realistically. I also found myself liking characters that I hadn’t liked at first, as I got to know them better. Storm’s cast was so true-to-life. These are people that readers not only could meet, but probably have met.

And the most beautiful thing about these realistic characters is that they’re not necessarily the people I would like much, on a first meeting. But Storm’s narrative, in inviting me to know the characters, is also an invitation to recognize the dignity in the people I meet every day–even beyond the pages of the book. For me, this “invitation,” was one of the most powerful parts of the reading experience.

There’s also a deeply profound moment I completely forgot about until I was looking through my bookmarks. It’s really telling, in my opinion, that I was able to forget about my favorite part, while writing this review, because the writing itself merits so much attention.

Content Notes
Venus Sings the Blues doesn’t have a lot in the way of “content,” as I would usually note it. There were maybe two or so uses of the Lord’s name, plus references to an affair. Romantic content is very light– not at all central to the plot.

There was a lot of smoking and drinking, but I really felt that these elements humanized the characters. This book was so powerful, but definitely not “churchy,” and I really appreciated that. The novel strongly embraces the truth that Jesus came to save people who needed saving, not the Pharisees who thought they had it all together.

With that said, I would categorize this title for adults or mature readers. I could absolutely imagine it being used in a high school lit class. There is so much meaning to unpack, within the text, between the richly packed sentences and plotline.

Recommendation Status
Venus Sings the Blues captured my interest on NetGalley and (even though I wasn’t really in the market for another book to review at the time), held onto it. I believe that the Lord put it on my heart and it was such a blessing to read!

This was my first time reading a book by Buck Storm, but, based on this novel, I am very eager to read more. While one book isn’t a huge sample, I feel that Buck Storm is going up there with Ted Dekker for me (in terms of favorite authors, although they do have similar styles). The writing is so rich, so meaningful– an exemplar of literary excellence.

This book was not what I was expecting and I did not know it was 3rd in a series , I’ll have to read the first two books now. First off I thought Venus was a singer but it is a hotel and the neon lady sign that is its trademark.. The story takes place pretty much in its entirety at the hotel. The characters were very intriguing and the author did a great job describing each one of these and bringing them to life. This oddball group consists of a Harley riding piano player with a magical box, an illusionist who wants the magical box, a hotel owner who needs to learn to trust and love moving into her future, a teenage boy who needs to know someone sees him and wants him in their family, a singer who needs to find herself after years of mental abuse, a writer who needs to find his passion for writing again , a rancher who needs to learn to let go but not forget and 2 robbers who need to reevaluate what they are doing. They all make quite the interesting story. I enjoyed getting to immerse myself in this delightful story about second chances and changing the path you think is the only way forward.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

I would recommend this book to friends and family and my book clubs

While not super well advertised that this is part of a series, it is, in fact, book 3 in the Ballads of Paradise series. I wondered, as there were several passing references to a character named Gomez Gomez (yes, really) and I happened to recall Storm had also written a book with that name in the title. So I wondered, and was able to confirm while writing this review that the two books are related beyond a "blink and you'll miss it reference"! (Which was amusing, because Storm also referenced his nonfiction book _Finding Jesus in Israel_--but in a much more tongue-in-cheek fashion, haha. And that, btw, is a fantastic book I listened to earlier this year, and proceeded to buy the ebook so I could easily bring with me on my own Israel trip a short while later.)

We all know I tend to read book series out of order. This one, I felt, was an honest mistake; I truly didn't know it was part of a series, nor did I feel I missed much by just carrying on. I will, of course, read the others--especially The Beautiful Ashes of Gomez Gomez--but honestly wouldn't have known the difference if I'd not already read another Storm book and seen it in his list of other works.

The read is primarily character-driven over plot; certainly things happen, but the slow build allows the reader to really become invested in each character. The climax and denouement really caught me by surprise (in a good way); I'd not been sure what to expect, especially since my only other experience with Storm was via his travel memoir--this was entirely different. Also in a good way. :) He beautifully brings Arizona to life; aside from the flash flood, I really wouldn't mind visiting there now and trying to catch a sunrise (or sunset, for that matter) like those so well captured here.

The story arcs, as well, were compelling--each of them in their own way. Calico and Cozy both caught me by surprise and drew me in; I'll admit I stereotyped them both in my head, and was entirely satisfied with their growth and how they proved me wrong in the end.

This (along with another book I finished this week, Jennifer L. Wright's _Come Down Somewhere_) was a very different read than my usual inspy-fic romance. I love those books, too, but both of these proved timely: just the reads I needed to shake up the routine a bit and remind me of the truly important things in life.

4/5 stars.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.