Tag: Review

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

A tingle arced across my scalp. The floor tipped up at me and my body spiraled away. Then I was on the ceiling looking down, waiting to see what would happen next.

Callie cuts herself. Never too deep, never enough to die. But enough to feel the pain. Enough to feel the scream inside.

Now she’s at Sea Pines, a “residential treatment facility” filled with girls struggling with problems of their own. Callie doesn’t want to have anything to do with them. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with anyone. She won’t even speak.

But Callie can only stay silent for so long….

 

Injuring yourself on purpose by making scratches or cuts on your body with a sharp object — enough to break the skin and make it bleed — is called cutting. Cutting is a type of self-injury, or SI. Most people who cut are girls, but guys self-injure, too. People who cut usually start cutting in their young teens. Some continue to cut into adulthood. 

~Kids Health.Org

 

How interesting that I recently finished After by Amy Efaw, and find myself right back in a girls treatment facility with this book….. hmmm…. 😛

Cut is a book I have been wanting to read for quite a while.  When I first heard about it I was wondering what a book with the subject of cutting would be like.  With the same YA draw about teen issues as SPEAK had, I was pulled into this story about Callie and the reason she cuts.

This book is told from Callie’s perspective and much of the dialogue is her thoughts as for most of the book…. Callie does not speak… not to the other girls, not to the doctor and nurses, and not to her therapist.  While she does as she is told, she does nothing verbal.

The girls in the facility (the facility is called Sea Pines, but the girls call it “Sick Minds”) have mixed reasons for being there.  Some have eating disorders, depression, substance abuse… yet until Amanda comes, there are no other girls who cut.  Amanda plays a bigger role in this book then you would at first think.  Although she enters late, her being there for the same reason as Callie is huge, and really a step in the right direction for Callie’s start to recovery.

I found this book to be a fairly quick read – while small is size, it packs in a wallop of a topic that is big for teens.  The book had an impact but not as big of one as I had originally thought I was going to experience pre- read.  It was fast, interesting, and hopefully it speaks to anyone who cuts.

 

*On a more person note, I have an acquaintance that cuts.  As a Kinship Partner, I am also a mandatory reporter and therefore must report any activity I notice or may suspect that could be harmful to a child or to oneself.  This acquaintance was my first real experience with cutting and I did not understand why someone would do this to themselves.

When I spoke to her about it she explained that she had been physically abused as a child…. with such turmoil and fear in her life at a young age, she took to cutting because she said she had no other way to release the pain.  Cutting – hurt her, but at the same time was release as she had control over the pain. 

This was how I began to understand the need for some to cut.

Sheila

 

Good Reads Review

I have updated the 2011 WHERE Are You Reading Map to include Cut (Well I would map it if I knew where it took place 😛 )

I received this book from a friend (Heidi) who had read it and passed it to me

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (audio review)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

 

The Help

 

In the early 1960’s, Jackson Mississippi was a community of white women who ran charity events, and ran their help.  The “help” were their African-American maids  who cooked and cleaned and raised the white children so the white women of Jackson could play bridge, have coat drives, and complain about their heavy word load.

Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, a young woman fresh out of college comes home to Jackson to live with her mom who is sick and her father.  Skeeter attends the bridge meetings and hangs with what is considered Jackson’s elite, especially Hilly, leader of the pack – and the coalition for every home in Jackson to have a separate bathroom installed for “the help” as after all as Hilly would say, “they carry different diseases than us, and we must protect our children!”

Skeeter, is appalled by the way the black women are treated and decided to write a book giving the maids (Help’s) perspective on how they feel they are treated, from raising the kids (who will later become their boss), to wages, and what they think is unfair. 

Needless to say – none of the black women jump at the chance to speak first.

Enter the wonderful Abilene, she cooks, she cleans, she has raised many a white child… and finally she has something to say.  As Skeeter and Abilene have secret meetings at Abilene’s home were Abiline talks ad Skeeter writes, eventually the feisty and hilarious Minnie joins in with her stories.

The result is an incredible story about faith, trust, and blowing up a small town.  😛

Skeeter.... making a few changes....

 

I am believing that if you have not read the book or seen the movie – you at least have heard about the phenomenon that is “The Help”.   Currently at the movie theaters (I have seen it twice!) I would suggest you run – don’t walk, to get your ticket!

I read this book in late 2009 and wanted the refresher of the audio with the movie coming out.   I had heard some buzzing about the fact that the movie was different from the book and from my foggy recollection I was thinking of very few differences but of course, this recent listen of the audio has now refreshed my memory…. HOWEVER – both…. are awesome… yes there are some differences, but I still feel it held true to the main story.  

If you enjoy good audio – you must listen to The Help… (yes, Laurel…. maybe even you 😉  ).  The narrators are fantastic!  The woman who reads the part of Minnie… also plays her in the movie!  Seriously great stuff!  I can not rave this one up enough!

The Help is so good that I do not care how you get it in (book, audio, movie) – but you must!!! 

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map has been updated to include The Help

I purchased this audio from audible.com

After by Amy Efaw (audio review and giveaway)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)38 Comments

How could this happen?  Who would do such a thing?  These are the questions that surround the new-born baby that was found tied in a trash bag in the dumpster. 

This certainly could not be Devon Davenport, a straight A student, exceptional athlete, and girl with a plan.  Yet, when the police find Devon she is bleeding heavily, and when rushed to the emergency room it is confirmed that she has just given birth.  Soon Devon finds her self thrown into a Juvenal criminal facility and being charged with attempted murder.  As police and lawyers talk to her, tell her she must tell the truth… Devon has to admit that she doesn’t remember what happened.

Is Devon in fact dealing with such trauma that she truly can not recall what happened… or is this just a brilliant ploy to get off the hook…

I listened to this audio because I had heard raves about the book.  The subject matter interested me…. a baby left in a dumpster…. a teen so distraught, she does not even realize for most of the book that the baby is hers.

I know many people loved this book, but I have to say I was not one of them.  As well written as this book was, it didn’t hold true for me.  I could not believe that a girl like Devin, described as a straight “A” student, obviously intelligent, and strong-minded – had no idea she was pregnant.  I know that the power of the mind can be strong, but the physical changes to her body…

And if that is worth arguing about by those who loved the book, and feel that it is possible to put yourself into such a state of denial…. then I will add this…

The fact that Devin refers to the baby throughout the whole book as “it”….. drove me nuts! 

Maybe it was the audio version but Devin just was not engaged in what she had done, even as she began to remember she still did not seem to connect that the baby was a human life…. I don’t know… I am still a little frustrated about it.

I enjoyed the part with Devin in the correctional institute.  I liked the correspondence between the girls, this is where the book excels.  Amy Efaw really captures the things that the girls are dealing with and how they defend themselves from society.  Its sad, really.

I think that in the end, no matter what Devin’s circumstances (I wont even go into my thoughts about the mother) were a major concern and the audio made me angry more than anything.  The ending is all a little too neat…. and as the final words were said… I was left with a feeling of “huh?”

If you would like to give this audio a try – leave a comment here letting me know… I will have a drawing later this week … and offer it up to someone.

 

The 2011 Where Are You Reading Map has been updated to include After

I purchased this audio from Amazon

Born Round by Frank Bruni

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)36 Comments

Frank Bruni was ALWAYS hungry.  He was born that way.  His mother cooked amazing meals and loved having people  over to enjoy them.  If food was eaten in full of one of something left, Franks mom felt as though she had not made enough.

Bottom line was Frank enjoyed eating.  he had an epic appetite that later would serve him well as a restaurant critic for the New York Times.  Totally in love with his job, Frank had to learn how to deal with his long time love hate relationship with food.  What followed was yo yo dieting, and dealing with a painful lifelong addiction to food.

Frank Bruni

I had heard this audio was pretty good…. and as a self-confessed foody (oh yes… I do love food!) I though it would be an interesting listen.  The draw to this audio for me was that I found it interesting that someone like Frank who battled his weight all of his life – would take on a job as a food critic for The New York Times. 

Frank, who reads this audio himself, tells an honest portrayal of diet pill abuse, over eating and then working out like a mad man…. going from one extreme ( a hiking adventure that is pretty extreme causing him to lose extreme weight) to another ( refusing dessert at a restaurant but them stopping on the way home for not only a piece of his favorite dessert – but the whole dessert!).

At times I felt the audio was getting long with tale after tale of food event, job, weight battles…. and just about then – frank would come in with a little “comic relief” and share about how many times when critiquing food he would mix up his alias names he used for reservations… or his denial about his pants being tight (certainly it was the cut of the pant… obviously the company has changed that…. or the old shrinkage in the dryer story…)

In the end – the book was satisfying – neither leaving me hungry, or full.  I enjoyed learning a little about Frank Bruni.

This review is part of the Weekend Cooking meme at Beth Fish Reads

Interested in this audio?  Leave a comment here telling me what your favorite food to go out for is, and I will have a drawing next week and choose one of the comments using random.org as the winner and I will mail you this audio. 

 

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map has been updated to include Born Round

I purchased this audio from Amazon

Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

Lacey Anne Byer is known for being a good girl.  Her dad is the pastor of the Evangelical church. Having just turned 16, drivers license in check, and a possible leading role in her churches annual Hell House event, things are looking pretty sweet for Lacey’s Jr year.

Then a mysterious boy comes to school.  Ty is good-looking, drives a red 80’s BMW, and has a glint of trouble in his eye that makes Lacey’s heart beat double time.  After all, everyone knows that Lacey is this good girl…. but Ty is new to town.  With Ty, Lacey can reinvent herself to be anyone she desires.

With Ty…

everything can change.

 

Hell houses are haunted attractions typically run by American, fundamentalist Christian churches or parachurch groups. These depict sin, the torments of the damned in Hell, and usually conclude with a depiction of heaven. They are most typically operated in the days preceding Halloween.

A hell house, like a conventional haunted-house attraction, is a space set aside for actors attempting to frighten patrons with gruesome exhibits and scenes, presented as a series of short vignettes with a narrated guide. Unlike haunted houses, hell houses focus on occasions and effects of sin or the fate of unrepentant sinners in the afterlife. They occur during the month of October to capitalize on the similarities between hell houses and haunted attractions.

The exhibits at a hell house often have a theme focusing on issues of concern to evangelicals in the United States. Hell houses frequently feature exhibits depicting sin and its consequences. Common examples include abortion, suicide,use of alcoholic beverage and other recreational drugs, adultery and pre-marital sex, occultism, homosexuality, and Satanic ritual abuse. Hell houses typically emphasize the belief that anyone who does not accept Christ as their personal savior is condemned to Hell.

Wikepedia

 

I read this book as part of the Faith in Fiction group read.  I loved the look of this book… the cover… the title… honestly, both gave me the sense that we were in for a good Christian YA read that would push the boundaries, those are the books I appreciate the most in the genre of Christian Fiction.

First of all let me say that I had never heard of Hell House until I read this book.  I grew up as a casual church attendee with my family, and later in life, after I was married my husband and I became more committed to a church, and now I work as the Family Life Administrator/ Special Event Coordinator  for our church.

What Melissa Walker captures in this book is the innocence of small town life, and what happens when a boy, Ty, who once lived there a long time ago returns with a different look on life and faith matters than what the church is teaching.  While main character Lacey has grown up surrounded by a life of church and faith… Ty gives her a different look at things…  (I was slightly reminded of Footloose)

The adults of fictional small town “West River”, are RELIGIOUS.  They hold their belief system high… teenage pregnancy falls mainly on the girls shoulders (after all, girls are supposed to be more mature and boys… well, they will be boys 😉 ), being gay is a choice and there is no such thing as being born “gay”, and alcohol is STRICTLY prohibited, even in moderation.

Lacey has grown in to this belief system as well.. but Ty opens her eyes to the fact that not all things are black and white… this is demonstrated well as Melissa Walkers characters all have some sort of “trial” in their own life or in their families (abuse, addiction, alcoholics, teenage pregnancy, and one friend may be gay).  Even Lacey’s own family had her life cookie cutter perfect for her … actually trying to choose her friends because they were different in their eyes. 

I liked that the book brought up tough faith questions, in a YA manner that allows us to question our faith and explore it.  While I do wish the book would have dived in a little more to these questions, I felt the author did a nice job of leaving it open for interpretation… enough that I as a reader am still pondering over the book, days after I finished it.  I wouldn’t mind seeing a second book come out of this story line… continuing on with how this story could be more fully developed as Lacey is more open to exploring her faith and her relationships.

 

As I mentioned, this review was a book discussed through the Faith In Fiction group.  To see other reviews on this book (and some great thoughts and opinions) check out these posts:

Books and Movies

Book Addiction

My Friend Amy

Book Hooked Blog

Roving Reads

The Ignorant Historian

Wordlily

The 3 R’s Blog

Linus’s Blanket

My Random Thoughts

Tina’s Book Reviews

 

I received my copy of this book for review from the publisher

Bloomsbury Publishing

Working It Out by Abby Rike

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)15 Comments

 

In 2006, in the blink of an eye… Abby’s world went from having a loving husband, a beautiful three-year old daughter, and a sweet 18 day old son… to losing it all to a devastating accident that would drop the strongest person to their knees.  For nearly three years Abby went through the motions of “life” in almost a robotic manner.  Although family and friends, as well as a strong faith surrounded her, Abby still had a deeper need inside her that had her turn to food for comfort. 

In 2009 as she began to see the shell of her life and knowing she wanted more… Abby went on the show The Biggest Loser.  She turned her life around, lost 100 pounds, but gained a new freedom from food… and the return of a life that she had long forgotten. 

Abby before and after
Abby before and after

 

I enjoy watching The Biggest Loser on TV. I watched the season that Abbie was in and when she told her story of the tragic loss my heart went out to her. (I am all too familiar with tragedy having lost my dad and sister to a house fire in 1980, and my mom and step dad to a head on collision that took both their lives as well as two others in 1996). I know what its like to hit rock bottom and even having to remind yourself to breathe.

If you watched this season on The Biggest Loser, you would have watched not only the miracle of the shows ways to give hope where people have none…. but you see Abby’s faith blossom in God and in herself.

In this book you read about Abby’s story starting with the accident… then back tracking to how she and Rick Rike met, the whirlwind romance, and the beginning of building a family together. Abby’s story is well written, and bitter-sweet. Included in this book are letters exchanged between Abby and Rick.

Abby’s story really spoke to me. It is easy for any one of us to get caught under the weight of depression, and it is hard to make the moves to get back in the game. Abby does this with a faith that is impressive… and this book tells how she came to live again. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes true stories of faith and hope, to anyone struggling under the weight of grief, to see that it is possible to move beyond the grief and reclaim their life.

 

 

Martha from Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf and I posted our reviews today and I had asked her a few questions about her thoughts here:

1.  Prior to this read, did you watch Biggest Loser?  Actually No – I have never watched any of the “reality TV” shows and only realized what they were referring to as the book progressed.

2.  Did you find this book inspiring?  If so, how? Absolutely… I am inspired by Abby’s steadfast faith which is awesome. It  emphasizes that it takes such grounded faith and hope in a future to get through the really tough times. It reminds me of the Footprint poem – God carries us when we can’t make it on our own.

3.  What did you like most about this book? I loved how she used the letters, notes and cards from Rick and from her students. It made me sad that I don’t have such a record of my mother who died when I was 21 and there would not be such a record for my children now. It makes me want to write to them.

One thing I forgot to ask Martha was how was this book on audio? 😀

My Amazon Rating

Goodreads review

 

The WHERE Are You reading Map has been updated to include Working It Out

I received this book for review from Faithwords

Hachette Book Group

 

The Devil In The White City by Eric Larson

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)37 Comments

When Daniel Hudson Burns was asked to oversee the architecture and development of the World’s Fair, Burns seen this as a way to really make a name for himself.  Painstakingly he hired and fired… working hard to get it right to create what would put Chicago on the map… an amazing attraction to celebrate the anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America that would draw people to it from all over the world.

Not too far from the fairs planned location was H.H. Holmes.  Holmes had a dark side that was easily masked by his piercing blue eyes, pleasant demeanor, fine style of dress, and Holmes just had an uncanny way with people.  Holmes was a swindler, and a murderer, and actually created a home (later known as the Murder Castle) that was designed to trap people, and hide the bodies – or in some cases, Holmes would plant the bodies of those he had killed so they would be found and be seen as having had an “accident.”  As many of these people had trusted Holmes, he had taken out insurance policies on them as “family members” and would collect once the bodies were recovered.

While Burns worked at creating the famous Fair, Holmes made plan of how he would lure people from the fair into his many traps….

Told in alternating chapters between the making and creating of the World’s Fair, and the coinciding happenings that surrounded the man named Holmes, this non fiction read will capture you and not let you go.  This well written books reads like a smoothly flowing fiction book, but the fact is – it is not fiction.

I poured over the pages of this book as you could almost feel the tension churning…. first the start of the fair, then over to Holmes as he makes his way into peoples hearts (I am reminded of Jeffrey Daumer), then back to what is happening with the fair, the architecture, the details – all make for fascinating reading.  Did you know the first Ferris wheel was built at this fair?

Chicago newspaper with layout of Holmes "murder castle" as it became to be known. Designed with secret rooms, an air tight vault with gas injection and a shoot that led to a basement filled with lye.

Truth really is stranger than fiction.  When I was first introduced to this book last month during book club I was amazed I had never heard of this true story of murder and mayhem surrounding the Chicago World Fair.  In fact, honestly… I knew little of the fair.  Upon reading this book and taking a survey of our book club – no one in our group had heard of the missing people surrounding the fair or the man called Holmes.

Each car held 60 people...a total capacity of 2,160 riders at a timer the man called Holmes.

But before you set your creep factor on high, know that there is more to this book than the spooky Mr. Holmes with the killer looks… and apparently, killer instincts. 

The historical facts in this book are … well, amazing.  If you have never read up on the Chicago World fair there is so much more than meets the eye.  This fair was responsible for new architectural creations never heard of prior.    The first Cracker Jacks were at the fair, also new was Aunt Jemima pancakes, Juicy Fruit Gum, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, Shredded Wheat… also The Pledge Of Allegiance is known to have its first recital here at the fair, having been written earlier this same year.

I really could go on and on about what this book offers.  Erik Larson has written this so well that it never feels heavy with the Holmes dealings weaving in and out of the progress of the fair.  The chapters flow smoothly between the two story lines and it never felt choppy.  Once into the book, I had a hard time putting it down. I look forward to giving Eric Larson’s book In The Garden Of Beasts.Actual ticket to the fair

The book will capture those who enjoy a good murder mystery, it will also hold those who like history.  In the end, I really found this book to be one I enjoyed immensely, highly recommend and will remain on the keeper shelf. 


*Note that this book is due to come out as a movie in 2012/2013 starring Leo DiCaprio as Holmes.  While the book really is about the fair and Holmes is a secondary story… I believe the movie will reverse this and make Holmes the prime story line. 

DiCaprio/Holmes

Amazon Rating

Goodreads review

Movie thoughts:

The 2011 WHERE Are you Reading map has been updated to include The Devil In The White City

I purchased this book at Amazon

Bookies rated this read a solid 4 (on a  scale of 1 -5)

Curse Of The Blue Tattoo by L.A. Meyer

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

The sequel to Bloody Jack, Jacky Faber has now been removed from the Dolphin, her “ships boy” role stripped from her now that they know she is a girl…. and she has been placed instead into The Lawson Peabody School for Fine Young Girls. 

Wha? 

The Jacky Faber?  Tom boy, loud, adventurous, pirate fighting, occasionally obnoxious, Jacky…. in a school for fine young ladies?

It is soon discovered that the high seas fighting for rations was a piece of cake compared to the stuffy girl for schools where you have to master “the look” ( sucked in cheek bones, lips slightly parted, and eyes lowered), and how to sew and…

well… as you can imagine… Jacky finds her way into mischief by sneaking out of the school playing her music in bars at night and scaring a preacher who does not deserve the title…  she learns to ride a horse not only like a girl, but also like a guy with a leg on each side…. she struggles learning the ways of being a lady, but at the same time finds a way into some of the girls hearts and earns the name, “friend”.

Yet Jacky still missed her first love Jaimy, and feels the draw of the sea….

I think Jack will always be drawn to the sea...

I have made my way through this second audio.  It didn’t take long that Jacky would have troubles in school with some of the snooty rich girls like Clarissa, and yet admired for her high spirit and dedication to anyone who is kind to her, like Amy. 

This is the new cover for the book

I enjoyed the mystery around the reverend and wish that would have been a bit more in the book.  There is a lot of action happening between Jacky’s trips to Amy’s home, and meeting her brother Randall, and making friends, and

dancing, and making money, and getting into trouble…

yeah about that…

by the end of this audio book I was a bit stretched on the amount of trouble that Jacky kept getting in to.  It seemed like she keeps making major mistakes and causing her friendships to strain.  I realize that is part of the thrill of Jacky Faber and the series but in the end… I am going to have to say it was all a bit too much.

Still a delightful listen, incredible narration by Katherine Kellgren who does a lovely job with the rough accent of Jacky, to the polite voices of the girls from school….

Yes I will move on to audio book three as I think Jacky is on her way back to the ship and maybe if I can get her back in the water, I will find what I loved about the first audio again.


Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map has been updated to include Curse Of The Blue Tattoo

I borrowed this audio from our local library

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

This book sat on my shelf for YEARS and I just never got around to it.

Then I seen it on audible.com and bought it to listen to on audio…. now

with tears in my eyes, I wonder what took me so long.

Sheila

Jake Bryan was a God-fearing man.  He loved his wife Jamie, and his daughter Sierra with all of his heart.  Jake was a fireman in New York City but made it a point to always be home to put his daughter to bed, and spend time with his wife.

Eric Micheal’s was a business man through and through.  When early in their marriage he and his wife Laura,lost their new-born daughter right after she was born.  They were told if they had brought Laura in earlier for more care, they could have prevented this but at the time they did not have the insurance to help pay for doctors appointments.  Eric vowed never again would they be in want of anything.  Now, years later, Eric works all the time…. working his way up the corporate ladder and not looking back.. barely noticing that he is leaving his beautiful blond wife and 6-year-old son behind.  Eric once believed in God – but since his one day old daughter died, Eric really had no time for a God who did not deliver.  Time after all was money.. and money was security.

Then, one Tuesday in September, Eric was on a business trip in New York at the World Trade Center when a plane mysteriously hit the other tower.  Baffled, Eric watches the smoke billow from the building and calls home to tell his wife what happened.  When she asks him to leave the building, he says there is no need – he is safer where he is and continues his work…

just as a second plane comes on to the TV screen aiming for the tower he is in, as his wife screams “Eric!  Watch out!”

and then

silence.

Hours later on this September day, Jamie receives a phone call.  Jake has been found… alive.  He is in the hospital and he has amnesia.  Jamie is so grateful, but Jake does not recognize her.  And as days turn into months, Jamie’s heart breaks again and again as the man in her home tries to remember… but can’t.  And odd flashes are coming to him… of a blond woman… and a little boy….

Twin Towers.... coming up on ten years.

When I recently found this book on audible.com I was thrilled to finally get to know what this book was all about.  When I announced on the Monday What Are You Reading Meme that I would be listening to this, Martha from Martha’s Bookshelf commented that she was about to listen to this too… we teamed up to do our reviews together.

One Tuesday Morning is a phenomenal read centered around the events of September 11th and the tragedy of The World Trade Center.  Author Karen Kingsbury does a wonderful job of handling a hard subject with great care.  The words play out and word after word, I find myself there…experiencing it almost again, but from a different view.  A few times, this book brought me to tears.

One of the questions I had asked Martha for her review was did she find this book believable?  To answer this myself, I did.  What happens in this book through the terror and the grief, and the hope for a miracle… I could see something like this happening. 

Martha asked me if I felt the faith based issues were blended easily into the story or if they felt forced (more preachy).  I would say… a little of both.  For me, I like faith based books with some meat to them – not fluff and all is right with the world…. real life issues, messy even and I think Karen Kingbury delivered… after all, we do have a mix up of identities and a man living with another mans wife -falling in love with her.   There were a few moments in the book that felt a little forced, but I would not say over done – just enough for me notice the push. 

It’s not an easy read, but it is a worthwhile one.  Even if you are not a reader of Christian Fiction I think you would find this book a great read.  There are two more books in this series, and I will go on to read the second one Beyond Tuesday Morning, because I loved the characters and seeing what happens next is very appealing to me.  However – you don’t need to feel that this book left you hanging on for another book… it doesn’t.  You could easily stop right here with this one as it comes to a wonderful close.

Please check out Martha’s review – I asked her a couple of question for her review and thought she had great answers.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading Map has been updated to include One Tuesday Morning

I purchased this from audible.com

Between by Jessica Warman

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Elizabeth Valchar rocks the three “P’s”… pretty, popular, and perfect.  She has six close friends, all of them who come to celebrate her eighteenth birthday with a little partying and a sleep over on her family yacht.  In the wee hours of the following morning, Elizabeth is awakened by a thumping sound.  Annoyed that she is the only one who seems disturbed by it she slips out on to the yachts deck to investigate…

what she finds, changes everything.  What she thought she knew about life, her friends, and everything in between…. all comes to a halt after she discovers the

“thump thump thump”

Two other covers I found on line... I prefer the one on my book which is the one I used for this post


Ok really?  How could I read a synopsis that includes a mysterious thump thump thump and not want to know more?  What goes thump?  How does it change Elizabeth forever?

Well… that’s for me to know and you to find out.  😛

I picked up this book in May at BEA.  I was drawn to the cover immediately…was it a paranormal thriller?  Dystopia?  definitely YA…. yet it went into my book box and remained there until a few days ago when I noticed this book was coming up for release on August 1st.  When I pulled it out of the box and read the synopsis I was instantly pulled in.  I had to know and yes, a couple of books were sat to the wayside so I could pull this one to the front. 

It’s been a long time since a book kept me up late into the wee hours of the morning, but that is what happened with Between. 

Elizabeth’s character in short order reminded me a bit of Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall.  In my review of Before I Fall I had to laugh because I started that review almost the same as I did this one… in that book it was Samantha that has the looks, the popularity… and she too was in for a rude awakening (ok… that may not be the best word…. 😉 )

Elizabeth, while stuck on herself, is likable.  She is quick to see the error of her ways, and I found I liked her and trying to solve the mystery behind the thump (you got it – I am not giving it away! 😛 )  A secondary character comes into play early on, and Alex who also attended Elizabeth’s school and was quit the opposite of Elizabeth, poor, unpopular…. becomes almost as much of a lead character as Elizabeth is herself. 

It’s hard to write about this review without giving moments away that while are given up early in the read, are so good to discover on your own – I don’t wish to be the one who tells you.  😛 

Between will surprise you.  Occasionally I thought I had it all figured out and then a couple of pages later I felt I knew nothing again.  Author Jessica Warman is able to keep her readers on their toes with every turn of the page.  A YA read that was just the perfect mix of mystery with a sprinkle of paranormal.

 

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

 

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading Map has been updated to include Between

I received this book at BEA in May 2011