Tag: books

Book Review: The House at 758, by Kathryn Berla

As if being 16 weren’t bad enough, Krista is still dealing with the death of her mother. Her father has moved his new girlfriend in and wants Krista to start acting normal again and find something to do. Her best friend is going to Maine for the summer. And Krista feels like she has no one to talk to about her pain.

So, she spends her time in a tent on top of the house, shoplifting, and watching a mysterious house. She’s not ready to act normal again. Then she meets Jake, who works at the store she shoplifts, and her dad tells her that her grandfather, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, is coming to visit. Krista starts to feel better, but if she never deals with the past, will she ever feel normal again?

The House at 758 took me by surprise. First, I feel like Krista is my spirit animal. Living in a tent on top of the house because you don’t want to be around people? Sign me up for that! Krista is hurting desperately, but she doesn’t want to ask for help. She’d rather brood and act like everything is okay, because shouldn’t people know what she’s going through? Dealing with dark emotions like grief, anger, and guilt isn’t easy, and Krista fights against it for a long time, until she starts to realize that there is more than one side to every story. This was an engrossing read that drew me into Krista’s head and kept me rooting for her to make a breakthrough and start to see light again.

Kathryn Berla is the author of Dream Me, Twelves Hours in Paradise, Going Places, and The Kitty Committee. The House at 758 is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Amberjack Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Select, by Marit Weisenberg

select-cvr_large — Image belongs to Charlesbridge Teen.

Julia Jaynes is part of a group of highly-evolved humans living in Austin, Texas. Rich, beautiful, and powerful, they keep to themselves and try not to draw more attention to their media-popular circle. Then Julia saves her sister from drowning, and the media attention she causes makes her powerful father punish her by sending her to public high school.

There Julia meets John, a tennis prodigy and a nice, regular guy. When Julie discovers she can read his mind—sometimes—she uses the power to encourage John, and her feelings start to grow. Living with the regular humans isn’t as bad as she thought, but Julie is desperate to get back in her controlling father’s good graces, before their circle disappears from society for good.

So…the cover of this book is what caught my eye first, and the premise is fantastic. I read all of it, but Julia was a bit too erratic for me. Does she hate her father? Does she love him? Does she want to stay with the super humans? Does a life of freedom with the regular humans sound more appealing? What is really going on with the evolved humans and Julia’s powerful father? And why did he separate the younger members and try to destroy the more powerful ones’ talents?

I don’t actually know the answers to any of these questions, and that bothers me. Julia can’t make up her mind, and a first-person narrative should have some insight into the character, but it doesn’t. (I saw several comparisons to Twilight in other reviews, and that is sadly accurate.) I loved the premise of this book, but the execution and character development was lacking.

Despite her name, Marit Weisenberg is only a quarter Norwegian. She lives in Austin, Texas. Select is the first book in the Select series.

(Galley provided by Charlesbridge Teen via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Merry and Bright, by Debbie Macomber

Merry Knight doesn’t have time for dating. Between a big project at work with her demanding boss, helping her mom, and spending time with her brother, who has time for dating? Sure, it would be nice, but she has more important things to worry about right now. Then her well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for Merry, and dating looks like it just might happen.

Soon Merry is chatting online with a charming stranger, and hopes to get to know him better. Until they meet in person, and she finds out he’s the last man she could ever actually date. Now Merry is torn between the kind man she knows online—and the all-business person she knows in real life.

I’m not going to lie: the only reason I read this was because of the author. I generally avoid Christmas tales, because the commercialism of the season disgusts me, and the fact that stores put Christmas decorations out in September drives me up the wall. But this was a very sweet, satisfying read, with some touches of humor. Merry’s family, especially her brother, add so much to the story, and I actually finished reading this in just a few hours. (I’m ashamed to say I didn’t catch the significance of the title until I finished the book.) A lovely, uplifting story, that just might get you in the Christmas spirit.

Debbie Macomber is the best-selling author of many books, including non-fiction and romance. She loves to tell stories. Merry and Bright is her latest novel.

(Galley provided by Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Indigo Girl, by Natasha Boyd

In 1739, Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of the family’s three South Carolina estates so he can go chase his dreams of a military career. With the estates floundering on the edge of ruin, Eliza decides that producing indigo is the family’s only hope.

But not even her family wants her to succeed, and no one will share the thousand-year-old secret to making indigo dye, so Eliza must form a forbidden friendship with a slave who promises to teach her—if she breaks the law and teaches the slaves to read. Eliza is on her own as she fights against tradition and the law, except for the friendship of an aging horticulturalist and the married lawyer who is a friend of the family.

Somehow, I did not realize The Indigo Girl was historical fiction until I finished reading it. Though the issues of slavery and women’s rights in the book bothered me, that stuff happened, and erasing history means we won’t learn from it. Eliza was a wonderful character—and the fact that the character is at least partially based on a real-life woman who fought tradition and oppression is even better—strong, determined, and with the courage to stand up for what she believes in and fight even her family to do what’s right. This is a great read!

Natasha Boyd was born in Denmark, lived all over the world, and now lives in the United States. The Indigo Girl is her newest book.

(Galley provided by Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Sea of Doubt, by Jeremy D. Holden

SOD — Image belongs to Clean publishing.

Mal Thomas is done with the crazy advertising world. All he wants to do is relax and enjoy time with his wife in their Blue Ridge Mountains home. His relaxation comes to an end when he gets the call of a lifetime: a world-famous billionaire wants to meet with him about a job.

Alfredo Baptiste started with nothing and became the world’s most famous industrialist. Now he wants Mal and his team of brilliant minds to convince the world that his adopted son, Sebastian, is the second coming of the Messiah. Mal and his team face their own doubts and those of the entire world as they put together the most ambitious advertising campaign ever.

I’m of two minds about this book: on one hand, it drew me in even as the subject matter horrified me. Mal’s voice is at times very compelling, but somewhat erratic. This is an intriguing look at the inside of advertising, and the thought processes that go into it. I liked seeing a main character who was older and happily married, instead of the opposite. And I loved the idea of The Hug Challenge!

Jeremy D. Holden was born in England, but relocated to America in 1995. Sea of Doubt is the first book in the Mal Thomas Mystery series.

(Galley provided by Clean Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Goblins of Bellwater, by Molly Ringle

Kit is the local mechanic in tiny Bellwater, Washington and an artist. He’s also the liaison to the goblins who live in the woods. But Kit doesn’t talk about that. Most people have no idea the goblins even exist, much less that Kit does his best to keep them protected from the goblins and their twisted temptations.

When Sky, a barista and an artist, falls victim to a goblin curse one winter’s night, she is rendered almost mute and in danger of drifting away. Her sister Livy is desperate to find out what’s wrong with her sister, but has no idea where to turn. When she starts dating Kit, the two of them are soon drawn into a web of magic that has ensnared everyone they love. Livy is the only one with a prayer of freeing them, but she’ll have to travel a magical path of her own to do so.

Ms. Ringle wrote The Goblins of Bellwater inspired by Christina Rossetti’s poem, Goblin Market. The novel has the same spooky, sensual feel as the poem does. The setting is magical and almost dreamy, but brimming with life. Readers who ever imagined that there was something else out there—like Sky and Livy’s “Teeny-tinies”—will understand the lure of magic in the woods. This story is full of magic and mystery, wonder and love, and tinged with darkness. A must-read for anyone looking for a story about the unseen things hovering at the edge of your vision.

Molly Ringle writes novels that mix half-familiar stories from legend and fairy tales with the real word. The Goblins of Bellwater is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Central Avenue Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

What I Read in September

I read fourteen books in September. Not bad, considering I’m back to work and grad school full-time.

The Long Ride Home, by Tawni Waters

The Long Ride Home, by Tawni Waters. (Read to review.) I enjoyed this novel that dealt with some difficult topics: the loss of a parent, and unexpected pregnancy and the decisions to be made concerning it. Harley hasn’t dealt with the death of her mother and her resulting cross-country move, but it’s summer now, so she decides to take a trip to scatter her mother’s ashes. With Dean, her only friend, and the boy she slept with one night while drunk. But soon Harley realizes she’s pregnant, throwing her feelings for Dean into more turmoil, and she must decide what to do with the choices before her. Excellent read.

end of the world running club

The End of the World Running Club, by Adrian Walker. (Read to review.) After the sky fell, Edgar’s whole world—the entire world—changed, but he’s still not the greatest father. Until he’s separated from his wife and kids, and must make it all the way across the country to them before the rescuers leave him behind forever. Running is the only answer. This is not your typical dystopian thriller. It has shades of literary fiction, and the characters are complex and troubled, with overwhelming problems. I enjoyed it very much.

Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse. (Classic book of the month.) I know this is supposed to be really inspiring, but I was not a fan.

Power Thoughts, by Joyce Meyer. (Spiritual book of the month.) Good, solid read.

Blindness, by Jose Saramago. (Cultural book of the month.) Eh. I’m not even sure what the point of this book was. Possibly something was lost in translation?

Full Dark, No Stars, by Stephen King. (From the TBR pile.) I used to read everything King wrote. Not sure why I stopped. I’m not a fan of short stories, just because I like longer tales, but this is standard King fare: by “standard” I mean solid writing, creepiness, and compelling stories. That’s standard for King, because he’s a talented writer.

AFewMinorAdjustments_Memoir_Cover_Kephart_hr

A Few Minor Adjustments, by Cherie Kephart. (Read to review.) A memoir of healing from an unidentified illness. Cherie has been sick for a long time, and no one has been able to tell her why. From her days in Africa in the Peace Corps, to her struggles in the American medical system, this is her story.

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On the Spectrum, by Jennifer Gold. (Read to review.) I really enjoyed this read, about autism and eating disorders and Paris. This wasn’t the typical “she never eats” eating disorder, either, and it was an intriguing look into the mindset of a girl obsessed with healthy eating (No bread? No carbs…ever?!). The addition of a bit romance made it appealing, and her efforts to help her autistic brother were heartwarming.

murder magic

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore, by Kelly Jones. (Read to review.) A Regency-era mystery/coming-of-age tale with a light, witty tone as a girl tries out her spying skills in an effort to find who killed her father and earn a job in her father’s footsteps.

blackbird season

The Blackbird Season, by Kate Moretti. (Read to review.) Okay, this book sucked me in from the very beginning, and I couldn’t put it down! The setting had a very Southern/small-town feel (complete with everyone knowing everybody’s business, and “I always knew there was something funny about him!” statements.).

hanna

Hanna Who Fell from the Sky, by Christopher Meades. (Read to review.) The setting of this novel was disturbing to me: an isolated settlement where the teenage girls become fourth or fifth wives to men old enough to be their fathers and the teenage boys are run out of town. Hanna herself was a fantastic character, conflicted about wanting to leave her family and sacrificing herself (to becoming a fifth wife) to save her family. The family relationships are complex, and there’s a lot going on here emotionally. A very good read!

ash

A Short History of the Girl Next Door, by Jared Reck. (Read to review.) Not what I was expecting. At all. Loved the voice of the story, but it made me cry.

goblins

The Goblins of Bellwater, by Molly Ringle (Review forthcoming.) This book was magical. I love the premise of a hidden world that only a few are aware of, and the goblins were creepy. Very evocative of Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin market,” which inspired it. Fantastic read! (And the cover is beautiful!)

SOD

Sea of Doubt, by Jeremy D. Holden (Review forthcoming.) Apart from the very concept of someone pretending to be the Second Coming of Jesus, which appalled me, there are so many levels of deceit in this book that it made me sad: because people really are that evil (some people). Loved the concept of the Hug Challenge, though.

Book Review: A Short History of the Girl Next Door, by Jared Reck

ash — Image belongs to Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Matt Wainright has lived in the same cul-de-sac as long as he can remember. His best friend, Tabby, has always lived just across the street. They’re inseparable, and Matt can’t imagine anything ever changing. Except his feelings for Tabby. Matt never saw that coming, and he has no idea how to tell her, but he will. Probably. Until a senior basketball star falls for Tabby, and suddenly everything changes.

Now his best friend is always too busy, and instead of shining on the JV basketball court, Matt finds himself fumbling. Even his younger brother is driving him crazy. Only his favorite class, creative writing, seems to make any sense. Then a tragedy occurs, and Matt can’t make sense of anything, as his life spins out of control and he teeters on the edge of self-destruction.

I was not prepared for this book. At all. I loved Matt’s voice from the very beginning. (With that movie-director voice in his head, of course he’s going to be a writer.) He has grand visions of himself, but his follow-through doesn’t always live up to his hype. This book captures the hope and the confusion of high school, as well as the gobsmacked feeling of first love. I laughed, I hoped, and I cried, right along with Matt. You MUST read this! I’m looking forward to seeing what Jared Reck writes next.

Jared Reck is a teacher who writes alongside of his middle school students. A Short History of the Girl Next Door is his debut novel.

(Galley provided by Knopf Books for Young Readers/Random House in exchange for an honest review.)

More reviews at <a href=” https://tamaramorning.com/”>Tomorrow is Another Day</a>

Book Review: Hanna Who Fell from the Sky, by Christopher Meades

Life in Clearhaven is all Hanna has ever known, so her father’s four wives and her fourteen siblings are normal to her. In Clearhaven, all the young men leave town, and the girls, at age 18, marry men old enough to be their fathers. In one week, Hanna will be 18, and she’ll take her place as the fifth wife of a wealthy man.

Then Hanna meets Daniel, a boy her age who makes her question her life in Clearhaven and what she wants for herself, and her mother tells her a secret—one that Hanna can scarcely believe. Hanna doesn’t want the life she sees around her, but is she strong enough to leave behind the sister she adores and the only life she’s ever known?

Clearhaven and its customs creeped me out on a lot of levels. I know there are communities/cultures like this, but I don’t want to have anything to do with them. However, they are vividly portrayed in the book, and the characters leap off the page with startling intensity. Hanna is both easy to relate to—her love for her sister, her confusion over what she wants from her life—and mysterious. I rooted for Hanna for the entire novel, eager for her to escape the future laid out for her and grasp her fate in both hands.

Christopher Meades is an award-winning author from Vancouver. Hanna Who Fell from the Sky is his newest novel.

(Galley provided by Harlequin/Park Row via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Blackbird Season, by Kate Moretti

In a small Pennsylvania town, a thousand dead starlings fall from the sky, landing on the baseball field. The town is in an uproar, wondering what caused the birds to die, and fearing for their safety. The dead birds are the biggest news to hit town for years. Until a reporter sees everyone’s favorite teacher, Nate Winters, embracing bad girl student Lucia Hamm in front of a no-tell motel.

Despite Nate’s denials, he’s soon being investigated, and Lucia adds fuel to the fire by claiming they are having an affair. Nate’s wife, Alecia, wonders if her husband is telling the truth. With the whole town hurling accusations, other rumors start to surface about Nate. Then Lucia disappears, and Nate is the only suspect. But there’s more going on in this small town than meets the eye, and with only one person on his side, Nate may never find out the truth.

The Blackbird Season was not what I expected at all. The portrayal of small-town life is so vivid and realistic, with the gossip and back-stabbing and secrets. As someone who grew up in a small town, this felt completely believable. I spent most of the book wondering, like the characters, if Nate was guilty and just what Lucia was hiding. There are a lot of twists and unexpected turns in this novel, and it’s a riveting read.

Kate Moretti is a scientist and New York Times bestselling author. Her newest novel is The Blackbird Season.

(Galley provided by Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

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