Fiction

Review: The Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson

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Through Net Galley I got a copy of “The Underside of Joy” to review. This is the debut novel of Sere Prince Halverson and I enjoyed it a lot.

When Ella Beene’s husband Joe dies tragically, Ella plans to continue her life with the family store and as stepmother to Joe’s two young children. But soon their absent biological mother shows up, and she wants to be part of their lives. Ella is torn between holding on to the children she has called her own, while trying to reconcile the presence of their biological mother, who she was told had abandoned them. Ella soon learns that Joe did not share everything with her, and she struggles to find the truth and make the right choices for her and her family.

This was a fascinating book as the main moral dilemma was just that: a dilemma. Paige, the biological mother, was not evil incarnate. Ella, the protagonist, was not perfect. I found myself often asking: what would I do in this situation? While the story concluded quickly, I felt it was well-written and compelling. Additionally, there was interesting information on postpartum extreme depression (actually psychosis I believe it would qualify as) and also internment camps for Italian-Americans during WWII (I’m IA and this was new to me).

This book came out this month – I recommend it!

Thanks to Net Galley and Dutton Publishers for my copy!

REVIEW: Ghost on Black Mountain by Ann Hite

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Back in October I read a great book that I found at the local BJ’s – “Ghost on Black Mountain”. This novel tells the story of Black Mountain and its ghosts through the voices of five depression era women.

Nellie Clay comes to Black Mountain as a young bride – not realizing her husband is pretty much evil incarnate. Nellie’s story is intertwined with her mother’s, her housekeeper’s, her daughter’s, and more as we see the lives of these people and the community in which they live. Set in Depression-era North Carolina, the story centers around a murder and the ghosts that it conjures – and set free.

I just loved this book. I loved the voices, the story, the peek into mountain culture of that time. Ann Hite is a great writer and this story goes on my unforgettable list!

Quick Review of a Kindle Borrow-for-Free: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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Okay – so if you are an Amazon Prime customer, you can borrow certain books FOR FREE for a month on your Kindle. You get a free download – as I understand it, it is one book per month. What a great way for me to read more books for free! It’s sort of like the library but my library ebooks aren’t support by Kindle – and through Amazon you are limited to one a month. (If I’ve misunderstood something, please chime in!).

My first choice was the irrepressible “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. EVERYONE but me has read this book – the first in the trilogy – and EVERYONE has loved it (which is exactly why I did not read it yet). I usually end up hating those books everyone else loves, but not this time. I loved this YA read!

In case you’ve been hiding out this year, “The Hunger Games” is the futuristic, postapocalyptic story of teenager Katniss Everdeen, who is selected to participate in the “hunger games”: Teens selected from each district of the then-USA to compete to the death, while being broadcast live on tv. Will Katniss survive?

This novel reminded me so much of other stories I’ve read or seen — Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, the movie “Running Man”, and “Lord of the Flies” to name a few. I loved it though – loved the characters and the creativity of the action. I may just have to read the next two books in the series.

Written for YA but enjoyed by adults, too, in my opinion.

Hey look – the movie’s coming!
http://youtu.be/p-5ANq4sAL0

REVIEW: Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard

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A Net Galley find, “Everything We Ever Wanted” by Sara Shepard tells the story of a family broken by crisis, and examines the ties that bind people together. Sylvie Bates-McAllister is a widowed mother of two grown sons: Charles, the upright businessman (who is considering having an affair) and Scott, the adopted son who’s a bit of rebel. Sylvie’s family history is tied closely to the prestigious independent school that her grandfather led and where she serves on the board. Her son Scott is a wrestling coach there. Disaster looms when Sylvie is notified of an unexpected student death at the school, possibly related to hazing on the wrestling team. This is the type of thing that can bring a school, a family, and an individual down, and Sylvie struggles to keep her head above water, while Charles fights his own demons and Scott maintains his independence. Added to this is the shadow of a supposed illicit affair that Sylvie’s husband had before his death- an affair that Sylvie seeks to know more about, yet wants to pretend never happened. All things tie together at the end of this well-written and compelling story.

I enjoyed reading this novel. My history in independent schools always puts me in line to read a novel set in one. While I related to the sense of identity that the characters felt in relation to the school, the thing that stood out to me was the stark emptiness of the character’s emotional well-being in this novel. They were all pretty much miserable: Sylvie, Charles, Scott, and Charles’ wife Joanna. Joanna’s intrepid and over-the-top mother was another unique but pathetic character as well. I found this book very grey – when I imagined the action, the setting, the mood, it all seemed overcast to me (until the end).

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about independent schools and women’s lives. I really liked Sara Shepard’s writing as well.

Thanks, Net Galley, for my copy.

This author is the author of the “Pretty Little Liars” series for YA readers, so I may pick that up to check out!

Two Quick Reviews: The Mystery of the Blue Ring by P.R. Giff (Children’s) and 50 Underwear Questions by T. Kyi

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I recently got two new items through Net Galley, which I shared with my children.

The first is Patricia Reilly Giff’s “The Mystery of the Blue Ring”. Written for children, this is book one in the “Polk Street Mysteries”. My second grader read this for her book report this month. She loves mysteries and loved this story (and loved reading it on my Kindle!). In it Dawn, your typical second grader, is accused of stealing another girl’s ring. Dawn becomes a sleuth to solve the mystery. Giff has countless books out for young readers and has perfected the knack of writing for the younger grade school audience.

Thanks, Net Galley and Open Road Media, for my copy!

I also downloaded into Adobe Digital the fun book: “50 Underwear Questions: A Bare-All History” part of the “50 Questions” series by Tanya LLoyd Kyi (and illustrated by Ross Kinnaird). My kids loved looking through this galley, laughed at the pictures, and enjoyed the inset “bare facts” of trivia. I have to say, though, I actually found the history of underwear much more interesting than I had anticipated! For instance, did you know they had undergarments in prehistoric times? (You might think “did you even care?” but it really was an interesting read!). The fun, comic-like illustrations really make this book!

Thanks, Net Galley and Annick Press, for my copy!

Quick Review of The Runner’s Devotional by Dana Niesluchowski and David Veerman

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Net Galley sent me a download of Dana Niesluchowski and David Veerman’s “The Runner’s Devotional: Inspiration and Motivation for Life’s Journey…On and Off the Road”. This book is part running log, part 52 week devotional, part scripture analysis, part fitness and health tips, and part inspirational true stories. I think that those who run and who are looking to tie their Christian faith into their exercise would enjoy this book. I personally had never realized how much “running” is mentioned in scripture. I did find reading it very motivational. And I always enjoy a good “true tale”!

Thanks, Net Galley and Tyndale House Publishers, for my copy!

Quick Review: Tomorrow’s Sun by Becky Melby (coming in January, 2012)

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Another Net Galley ARC that I downloaded for my Kindle was “Tomorrow’s Sun” by Becky Melby. In this novel  Emily Foster is a young woman who is haunted by the tragic events of a past skiing accident – an accident for which she blames herself. To make money and to help herself heal, she decides to fix up and sell a house she has purchased. However, Emily is unprepared for what she finds: an old Underground Railroad stop with letters from the 1860’s. Emily is also unprepared for the feelings she begins to have for her contractor, Jake Braden. Emily’s story mirrors the story of the house in the 1860’s.

I enjoyed reading this novel, which would be considered a romance with a touch of historical fiction in it. It also had a strong Christian element in it, especially in the second half of the book (it seems I’ve gotten a lot of books with Christian themes in them lately!). Most of the story worked for me – though I will admit to finding Jak’es brother-in-law a bit too much of a villain, and I found it an awfully big coincidence that Becky had met Jake in the distant past as a teen. All in all, though, I love a historical mystery and a happy ending!

Thanks Net Galley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for my copy!

Quick YA Review: Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

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Yet another Net Galley freebie was this super YA find: “Geek Girl”, coming to a store near you (and online) in December. Jen, a “bad girl”, targets a “geek” boy and decides to turn him bad and take him down to her level. What Jen finds is much more about herself, Trevor, her friends, and her foster family than she ever imagined she would.

I took this book to review with a worry that it would be highly predictable, but it actually wasn’t. I loved the characters of Jen and Trevor, and I particularly liked how Trevor’s family was all rather “geeky”, too (and remarkably like mine!). Jen grows as a character and learns to really see what people are – beneath their appearances. Yes – Trevor does find out that he was the object of a bet, and that is not a good thing, but all in all, this was a fun read and a great book for older YA readers!

Review: 52 Things Kids Need from a Mom by Angela Thomas

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This title jumped out at me while I was trolling Net Galley one day. I figured I’m always looking for ways to be a better parent and I should check it out. I have delved recently into the Christian genre, and this was my first experience with a Christian parenting book.

First let me fill in some personal info for those of you who don’t know me. I am Catholic and was raised in a (very strict) Catholic household. My husband is Catholic and we are raising our children Catholic. So while I’ve often been drawn to Christian literature, I sometimes have a bit of a disconnect as my experience as a Catholic in terms of church services, etc. is different from other Christian churches (though I have attended some friends’ churches while visiting them or for events, and as a child loved going to Wednesday night youth group with a Baptist friend). That said, you have an idea where I’m coming from when I read these books.

So – in “52 Things”, Angela Thomas covers various things kids need their moms to do, like learn to play a video game, or say no and mean it, or be “groovy”. All the suggestions here are God-centered and child-centered and offered to help parents connect and forge stronger bonds with their children and within a Christian framework.

I loved reading these short sections of different ideas! To be honest, I only had two which didn’t speak to me as something I do or want to do. One had to do with celebrating “Hallelujah” instead of “Halloween”, with some reference to Halloween as celebrating evil. Personally in our house we love Halloween and the celebration of the connected next day’s (Catholic) All Saints’ Day holy day. The other was a great idea that is generally not available to us Catholics: dropping the kids off at youth group on Wednesday nights and getting some alone time for a couple of hours with the spouse! I’d love that! It’s like free babysitting and Sunday school all rolled into a Wednesday night.

All in all, I loved Angela’s voice while writing, which was a bit reminiscent of my favorite gal, Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman. I appreciated her suggestions and how this book was easy to pick and read over time and if I only had ten minutes at a time (and what busy mom has more time than that?). I would recommend it to my fellow parents who wish to raise children within a household of faith and Christian tradition.

Thank you Net Galley and Harvest House Publishers for my free download!

YA Review: Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant (coming in January)

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Through my new favorite thing, Net Galley, I received an ARC of “Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK” for my Kindle.  “PK” in this case stands for “preacher’s kid” and this novel was the first experience I’ve had of reading Christian literature for teens. It releases on January 1, 2012.

In “Addison Blakely”, Addison is your typical high school student, except for the fact that she is the (widowed) preacher’s daughter, living in a small town. For her whole life, everything she’s done has been under the microscope, so she’s lived up to the expectations of her father and his congregation: always doing the right thing, the good thing, the thing that is expected of her. Then Addison meets Wes Keegan, town bad boy, who has come to live with his father. She is drawn to him, as he is to her, but he is supposed to be off-limits to her (her father won’t even let her date, let alone hang out with “bad boys”). Addison has to deal with her feelings for Wes, a new BFF, her father’s burgeoning romantic life with her English teacher, and the realization of what is truly important to her, all set against the backdrop of a school talent show in school that Addison suddenly finds herself running.

I just loved this novel! I wanted to know how Addison would end up and what choices she would make (and why) so I kept reading. Addison was an engaging character whom I couldn’t help liking. I did find her friend Marta a bit too good to be true, especially for a seventeen-year-old, and I did find parts of the book, especially in the second half, almost preachy (some of the discussions on faith that Marta and Addison have in the latter half of the book ended up sounding like sermons to me). I did enjoy the writing, though, and would recommend this book to older YA readers who enjoy the Christian genre. Addison has a lot of choices to face in her life and in her relationships, as do teens today, and this book showed how she could use her faith to help guide her in those decisions.

Thanks, Net Gally and Barbour Books for my free download!