“Powerful drama, passionate writing, well defined and compelling characters, erotic passages, religious fervor, the metafictional presence of the writer and her problems, a heady mix of narratives and voices, suspense, gripping turns of fortune and event and more.”
— Eugene K. Garber, author of Metaphysical Tales and The Historian
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this book and was not expecting such an amazing journey. In her previous two novels, Ricci’s vivid imagery created the setting, the characters, and the subject matter in great detail. Sister Mysteries has all of that, plus travel back and forth over almost a century and a half. Her writing is very poetic, with a flow and cadence that penetrates and turns the reader into a fellow traveler. I had to take periodic breaks to let everything sink in, yet during these breaks I still felt intertwined in the story. I am so thankful for a writer like Claudia Ricci, so in awe of her strength in writing this novel, and look forward to more from her.”
— Andrew LaCoppola, Palatine Bridge, N.Y.
“Just finished Sister Mysteries—Bravo!! Brave and unique! The multiple narratives keep the story (ies) moving and provide an exciting and unusual read. I love the flamenco music throughout; it gives the cover an added intensity. The ending is satisfying—not a small feat for such an intricate and complex story.My favorite parts were with Kitty and the little circle of warmth she provided! Kudos!! ”
— Sharon Flitterman-King, Ph.D., Hillsdale, N.Y.
“I just finished Sister Mysteries - it will take me some time to capture all that I feel about this amazing book. Claudia Ricci is a tremendously gifted writer and the book is well written. It is also beautiful, painful, torturous, true, mysterious, provocative and healing — a story of courage and friendship in the face of greed, power and betrayal. Add to that the gift of redemption by the unseen forces of the divine hand of love and faith-wow! The healing of this book has worked its magic on me.”
— Mary Marino, New York, NY
“Ricci is such a gifted writer, her descriptions are so vivid, and the story itself so intriguing. Of course, Gina was my favorite character and so real. I can only imagine how excruciating it was to write this book and how relieved Ricci must be and proud of such an accomplishment. I really felt honored to read it. And it gives me lots of food for thought.”
— Lana Israel, Great Barrington, MA
“I just finished reading Sister Mysteries. From the very beginning I loved Sister Renata. I really liked the Gina sections too — I like the way Gina is trying to write the stories. I particularly liked how Gina moved across time — sometimes she is with Sister Renata and then sometimes she becomes the nun. I also like how Señora moves across time. It has a magical realism quality that makes sense for the entire novel. It reminds me of Isabel Allende’s writing. I also like how the book is really about the power of writing — writing saves Sister Renata because it brings Senora to the courtroom. Writing saves Gina too. The book is great!!!”
— P.M. Woods, Ph.D., Shutesbury, MA
seeing red
“Ronda’s story in Seeing Red not only made sense to me, but the writing touched me viscerally, emotionally. I could feel her challenges, pain and desire; life was tearing her apart. I felt drawn in from the very first paragraph. She goes to Spain to follow her fantasy lover and pursue her love for flamenco, what she finds there through her wild adventures is the most important thing missing - her love for herself. I recommend this book to all of my friends.”
— T.M.
dreaming maples
“Ricci has spun a well developed tale of mother-daughter relationships delving into the depths of human pyche ... beautifully written...”
— Jennifer Smith, North Adams Transcript
“Ricci’s use of metaphor enriches the story...Ricci is a moving storyteller and writes a lush and insightful novel.”
— Lisa Stevens, Albany Times Union
pearly everlasting
“Claudia Ricci’s riveting and sometimes explosive novel Pearly Everlasting…is a novel to be read for its compassion, its mastery of woven narrative and character, and for its always relevant themes of commitment, love and redemption.”
— Eugene K. Garber, Ph.D.
“Pearly Everlasting embodies that longing inside all of us, the longing to be seen, heard and understood…A gut-wrenching mix of loss and reclaimed dreams, this story pulls you by the emotions and won’t let you go until the final exquisite paragraph.”
— Kathy Joy
“With tactile and fast-paced prose, Pearly Everlasting, by Claudia Ricci, takes us through the chaos of grief and loss to eventual deliverance and shows us how chance events can turn into second chances.”
