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Review: Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

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20140302-140802.jpgI don’t even know where to begin with this one. Counting by 7s was recommended by a friend several weeks ago, and I dutifully added it to my ever-growing but never-diminishing TBR list. Didn’t give it any more thought. Then, several days ago, I was browsing my list and it caught my eye. I went back and read some of the reviews and decided, why not? Now I’m wondering why I waited so long and why everyone isn’t praising this book from the top of every roof.

Willow Chance has always been an unusual child, but that suits her just fine. She adores her parents, and they adore her. She rarely even thinks about the fact that she’s adopted. She loves her books, her garden, and her current obsession with medical conditions. A highly gifted child, she’s never really fit in at school. The teachers just don’t understand her. When she’s accused of cheating on a test, her punishment is meeting with the school counselor. It’s at this point that her comfortable little world comes crashing down when her parents are killed in an automobile accident. What follows is Willow’s journey to find her place in a strange, unfamiliar world all the while relying on the help of strangers.

Written in the same line of thinking as Wonder and Out of My Mind, this book had me hooked from the first sentence. My heart was aching for Willow and the sorrow she had to go through. At the same time, I was filled with admiration for this little girl who persevered in spite of such insurmountable odds. The other characters in this book are no less important and just as enjoyable. I especially loved the transformation of the characters during the course of the story, all because of the impact of one very special little girl. A gruff, lackadaisical school counselor finds himself actually caring. A juvenile delinquent teenage boy begins to find his passion in things other than criminal endeavors. And a misfit group of strangers begins to band together to form a ragtag sort of family. This is the kind of story that will make you laugh at Willow’s quirky sense of humor one minute while crying with heartache for her at the next. This one needs to be at the top of the list for readers both young and old!

~Thalia

Buy it now: Counting by 7s

Review: Growing Up Duggar by Jill Duggar, et al.

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20140302-232159.jpg I love watching 20 Kids and Counting (The Duggars) on TLC, and I couldn’t wait to read what the four oldest daughters had to say about growing up, well, Duggar.

I liked that they each gave several personal anecdotes relating to the concept they focused on in each chapter. I had fun peeking into their lives and feeling like I was in on something. The women wrote as if they were talking to me, personally, and I found it very engaging.

I’m an organized, linear sort of reader, so I appreciate that the book was divided into chapters relating to the various types of relationships Duggar children attend to. We hear about the young ladies’ and their siblings’ relationships with their family, God, and their community.

As a mom, I paid special attention to the chapters on relationships with parents and siblings. Even though I don’t homeschool, I don’t have the same beliefs about clothing, and I’m not as strict with media, I do see many areas where the Duggar style of raising children would help my family. The Duggars encourage kindness, forgiveness, and obedience using consistent, focused, and Bible-driven rules.

The only thing that really interfered with my enjoyment of Growing Up Duggar were the dozen or so references to websites and specific organizations that the Duggar family supports. Those mentions seemed a little bit on a PR/marketing bent, and it made me question the sincerity of the ladies’ stories.

Overall, this was an uplifting, eye-opening read. I am duly impressed with the many ways these four sisters serve The Lord and each other.

–Calliope

BUY Growing Up Duggar

Review: Dating, Dining and Desperation (a Dear Daphne novel) by Melody Carlson

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20140301-231459.jpg Newly released book two in a series, Carlson’s Dear Daphne novel is just as fun as book one. Dating, Dining and Desperation is exceptionally written with heartwarming characters, flawless dialogue, and a thread of faith in God.

In this installment, Daphne tries her hand at dating a few men one after the other. Her dating capers felt real — and I sympathized with Daphne having to endure some of those guys! When she finally re-focuses, an old friend takes notice and opens up about his feelings for her. Before he does, Daphne rounds out her life by spending time with her neighbors, befriending a neglected little girl, and trying to finish her novel.

I am charmed and completely won over by Daphne. She is good-hearted, keeps mostly to herself, is willing to step out of her comfort zone (with a nudge), and can be a little bit goofy. Her faith in letting The Lord sort out her life is exemplary, and she sticks to her values no matter what is going on around her. But Daphne is no goody two shoes. Carlson shows us what’s in Daphne’s head: insecurities, jealousy, complaining, hopelessness, uncertainty. And while we the readers hear Daphne’s inner sighs and see her eye-rolls, she makes sure she puts her best and most Godly step forward whenever possible.

Carlson says book 3 will be out soon. I’ve already googled (in futility) looking for a release date. I’m going to have to practice some patience while I await Home, Heart and Holidays, as well as the fourth and final book.

–Calliope

Buy Dating, Dining and Desperation

Review: Sarasota Dreams by Debby Mayne

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20140228-144652.jpg Sarasota Dreams is the compilation of three novellas. Each novella focuses on a Mennonite man and woman and their search for romance.

I like Amish/Mennonite fiction, and Debby Mayne writes it well. I appreciated that we could see what the men AND women were thinking. Abe had to figure out how to make Mary trust him. Jeremiah had to prove his faithfulness to God before Shelley would let herself fall in love, and Charles had to commit to becoming Mennonite so Ruthie’s reputation wouldn’t suffer.

Besides the romances being very well written, Mayne illustrated her knowledge of the Mennonite lifestyle without making the novellas feel like documentaries. The reader gets more than a glimpse of small business management (diner and souvenir shop), farming, and church life.

These were three lovely, realistic, fun, clean romances. The loyalty to family and community was comforting, and the food sounded delicious. Bring on some coconut cream pie!

–Calliope

New Release March 1!

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Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

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where'd you go bernadetteAre you kidding me? I loved this book! Are you kidding me? I never saw that coming! Are you kidding me? I surely didn’t see THAT coming! What a charming, funny book, that is also horrible and the exact opposite of charming and funny at the very same moment! A true paradox of a book. I shocked myself by laughing out loud at terrible things. I hated and loved most of the characters. I felt sorry for them and angry at them, again, at the same time. I lived near Seattle for a number of years. The description of the Emerald City both offended me and warmed my heart at the same time. It made me angry and giggly at the same instance.

So if we take this book and read the description this is what we get:

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette’s intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic….

For much of the book you believe this is what the novel is about. Then the author, Maria Semple, throws in a little twist. A simple hand written note from Bernadette’s husband. Suddenly you start to understand a little bit more. However, Semple then throws in an e-mail from Bernadette and you’re like, “OMGreatGoodness, I am so getting this book now! Oh my, I can’t believe this”…..and the hidden truths of the past and present are dropped here and there, bit by bit….until suddenly the entire picture you had painted in your head is like looking at a Bev Doolittle original painting! You’re looking at this image and the more you look, the more you see….the whole image you first glanced at is built upon one little hidden gem upon another…and another….

I was just as surprised by some of the twists in the novel as the characters were. All I can say is that this novel reinforces what we all already know…Don’t judge a book based solely upon its cover. We all do things for different reasons. We all have pasts that shape whom we are today. What you take as indifference from someone might be anything but….

I admire Semple for not giving this ending a happy ever after finish. There are still messy bits that can’t be easily solved…bits that the characters will have to deal with after this book finishes. I admire her for turning a simple straightforward “chick lit” book into so much more. I appreciate the laughter and the shock value as well. Sure, you might look at parts of the novel and think, “But grown adults would NEVER act that way”….I say hey ho…they do it every single day….thank you Semple for putting it in the light of day….

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now Where’d You go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Review — The Fall of Saints by Wanjiku Wa Ngugi

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18144135Wanjiku Wa Ngugi’s debut novel entices the reader with an interesting premise that has the potential to be different, and yet remain in the comfort zone of the “don’t trust your spouse” sub-genre that has dominated 2013/2014. In reality however, it falls a little short.
As an expat myself, I am always interested in stories told from the point of view of a person who is not on home turf. That element, added to the fact that it had potential to explore modern African culture, is what initially attracted me. The novel has all of these aforementioned elements, but the exploration of each one is rather lackluster. It is almost like an imposter, a fake, trying to emulate these experiences, has written the story, and that is really disappointing. Disappointment is the main feeling I experienced when reading this novel.
The suspense element was fine; it wasn’t particularly nail-biting, but it kept you on your toes for a few chapters. However, some of the dialogue and the situations that the characters faced, felt very trite and forced, resulting in a lot of eye rolling and mutters of “really?”.
However, in amongst the negative points, there were a few positive aspects. The scenes in Kenya were interesting and descriptive. They felt organic and genuine for the majority of the time. Also, as previously stated, the main protagonist, Magure, did have some potential moments that manage to escape from the disappointing moments.
It really wasn’t a bad read, but I think I set myself up to expect a lot more than I received. I definitely recommend you try it; after all, there are far worse books out there, and the author will hopefully produce a stronger novel in the future.

Pegasus.
(ARC provided for an honest review)

The Fall of Saints: A Novel

Review ~ Labor Day by Joyce Manard.

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20140202-111551.jpgHmmm,…. Where to even begin? Ok, let’s start with the basic premise, before I go into detail why I did not like this book. The reader is introduced to 13 year old Joe (the narrator) and his mother, Adele. Living on their own in rural New Hampshire, we are told that Adele is not exactly all there. On one of their rare trips out of the house to get Joe some school supplies, they get held hostage and told to drive back home with Frank, a newly escaped prisoner.

This is where it goes to pieces.

I’m going to split this up into three sections: plot, writing and general absurdities.

Plot: without giving too much away, let’s just say that the way this plot fleshes out is extremely trite and unrealistic. I get that we need to suspend disbelief in a fiction novel, but really, don’t insult me by trying to pass off something that is utter shite. Maybe it is because I’m only in my late twenties, but really, I feel like I’ve had enough experience in life to know the basics of a relationship!

Writing:
Now, the writing isn’t terrible , but it isn’t exactly good either. The narrator is that of a hormonal, wet behind the ears, 13 year old. Not exactly reliable. For a book that’s not even 250 pages, Maynard spends way too long on Joe and his experiences throughout this time.
I’ve got no problem with coming of age novels, but in this instance, there were two strong elements to this story and not enough pages to fully explore one, let alone two. We’ve seen many plots explore young teenagers dealing with their sexual awakening, learning new things about the world and themselves, etc… However, Adele’s story is very different and had real potential to be fleshed out and had it been expanded further, it might have made me give it more credence.

General absurdities: this is going to be short as I don’t want to give too much away. Some of the tropes used in this novel were so cliche and old that throughout, I found myself audibly saying “really?”. I also didn’t like how the author coupled a certain act with punishment.

As you can probably tell, I really didn’t think much of this novel. It had real potential, and a few parts were good, but it just didn’t connect with me. However, the great thing about fiction is that it appeals to different people in different ways, so give it a go, and you might well love it.
Anyway, must dash, I have to stay in the air as a certain muse has threatened to remove my hooves!

~ Pegasus.

Labor Day Movie Tie- In Edition: A Novel (P.S.)

Review: The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

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20140131-203205.jpgFor a self-proclaimed bookworm such as myself, there is no greater joy than finding a story that pulls you in from the first page. It calls to you late at night when you know you should be sleeping. You find yourself rushing through the pages to find out what happens while at the same time slowing down the pace because you don’t want it to end. This new release by Carla Buckley was that and so much more for me.

Fourteen-year-old Tyler is living with a rare medical condition. He’s confined to his house during daylight hours as exposure to UV light can be deadly. Of course, his serious illness wreaks havoc on the family dynamics. Mom Eve is his protector. Her life revolves around keeping Tyler safe. Monitoring the household UV levels, petitioning the neighbors to keep them from using halogen light bulbs, planning nighttime family excursions…she does it all, often at the expense of the rest of the family. Dad David commutes to work in part to support the family but also to avoid the stress and responsibility at home. Sixteen year old sister Melissa is dealing with normal teenage drama along with feelings of being neglected. Tyler’s only contact with the outside world happens after the sun goes down. During the night he secretly explores his neighborhood, gaining glimpses into his neighbors’ lives unseen by others. He realizes that we don’t truly know what goes on behind closed doors. When tragedy strikes the neighborhood in the form of a missing child, there’s no shortage of suspects.

This is a deeply disturbing book on many levels. There’s so much going on in this family, but it never detracts from the main story. It makes you question your values and ask yourself exactly how far you would go to protect those you love. This was my first book by Carla Buckley, and I absolutely loved it. Her writing style reminds me very much of Jodi Picoult, which is a high compliment. She’s a relative newcomer on the literary scene with three published books to her name. I will definitely be reading more by this author!

~ Thalia

Buy it Now: The Deepest Secret: A Novel

Review: Minding Molly by Leslie Gould

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20140203-073458.jpg Molly Zook deals with life challenges like a bull in a china shop. Her mother and sister appreciate Molly’s hard work and organization, but not so much her bossiness and exasperation. Mervin, the neighbor whom Mrs. Zook hopes will marry Molly, is too yielding to be Molly’s perfect mate. But Leon, the horse trainer from Montana, has possibilities.

I identified with Molly’s need to control petty things when the big deals in life spiral out of control. I know I’ve made a big deal about dirty dishes when the real issue was grief. Or yelled about spilled milk when the real issue was anxiety about something else entirely. Well, when the people around Molly have had quite enough, Leon sticks by Molly with gentle words and firm nudges, helping Molly see herself how others see her.

Because I’m so similar to Molly, it was easy for me to get engrossed in the book. The cast of characters were varied in personality and depth, they were likeable, they were more “real” than the usual, predictable Amish characters. There was a good balance in the plot development: Molly’s emotional growth, her search for love, her mother’s illness, her relationship with her best friend.

The two unique things that stood out for me in Minding Molly were (1) the adolescents were in Rumspringhe and had a lot of time amongst themselves, being adventuresome and forming their own identities; and (2) even though this is third in a series, Leslie Gould used the characters in such a way that I wasn’t confused about who was who and who was related to whom! Brava!

Minding Molly is an excellent example of Amish “new adult” romantic fiction. Gould did a spectacular job exploring the theme of self-identity and self-esteem while moving the plot forward toward a nice, neat, happy ending.

-Calliope

New Release February 4!

Preorder/Buy Minding Molly