CONFUSED?!?!

So if you looked at my previous post I stated that I am  starting to read Sins and Needles by Karina Halle. AND I’M SO CONFUSED. A thing authors need to really do is their research. RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH and then RESEARCH some more. It’s so important because readers are everywhere so when you try and talk about a setting (and its supposedly a “real” city) make sure you get some facts straight. Elle, the main character, is going back home to Palm Valley, California. I’ve never heard of this city before so I just assumed it was somewhere far away that I’ve never visited BUT NO. It’s supposedly in the…wait for it…

COACHELLA VALLEY

Y’all don’t know this but I’m from the Coachella Valley. If this name is sounding familiar it’s because this is where the Coachella Valley Music Festival (also known as just Coachella Fest) is held every single year (technically held in Indio).

Anyways! I’m reading this and I’m so confused because I have never heard of Palm Valley before. And then she mentions Palm Valley High School which I might add also doesn’t exist. There’s a Palm Springs and a Palm Desert out here but nope no Palm Valley. Maybe this author heard of Palm Valley Country Club and just assumed there’s a city out here called it too? Which is what I found when I googled this because at first I thought I just had a horrible memory and didn’t remember a city in my Valley but nope.

I understand authors make up cities all the time, that’s cool, I 100% understand, but because this is supposedly set in the Coachella Valley, my home, it completely urks me. And if you have not visited out here it’s going to be difficult to describe. Yes it’s hot here, we are also known for our horribly hot weather but to us Desert Rats, it’s not as bad as what people make it out to seem. And she already complained about it and it was little dramatic “The intense, oven-like heat was making m thighs stick to my jeans” alright okay. I thought I was going to like this book but this is already bothering me and I can see it bothering me the whole time. I tried reading a book before that was based in Palm Springs and it was a no go. The author would describe the scenery and I would just sit there like are we even in the same Valley? Anyways, I’ll continue to read along and I’ll keep y’all updated.

If you are wondering what cities do make up the Coachella Valley these are it:

Rancho Mirage

Desert Hot Springs

Palm Desert

Palm Springs

La Quinta 

Indio

Cathedral City

Coachella

Indian Wells

Bermuda Dunesand I want to say Thermal and Mecca also are in the Coachella Valley not 100% sure on that but I’m gonna say they are.