Review: The Boat People

The Boat People by Sharon Bala
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

*Please note I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways*

This book was difficult for me to engage with. I felt no emotional connection to the characters. Their story was told with a detached blandness, that made it hard to relate.

I could relate on a minor level, given that I immigrated to Canada, myself. But, I was not a refugee, so my experience was quite different.

I was also a little irked that it seemed the characters felt they should automatically be allowed to stay because they took a chance coming to Canada.

Now, I understand that these characters were escaping dire conditions. And I have absolutely no problem with people seeking asylum, let me be very clear on that. But, there are means and ways of doing that, which involve more than just paying and seeking passage on a ship.

I went through the proper process. I completed a medical exam, 2 sets of background checks (US and Canadian,) filled out a variety of forms, and even had to write a personal statement of my 12 year relationship with my husband. At final submission, my file was 102 pages. And I was still afraid that I would be turned down, for one reason or another. It's scary to think that a government can hold the fate of your life, your marriage, in their hands.

And, equally as scary, my own file was closed because of an error in the paperwork. An incorrect email address on file, and a missed communication about paying my right to permanent residence fee.

Luckily I had an excellent lawyer who fought to get my file reopened. And, almost 2 years ago, I became a permanent resident of Canada and was able to properly start my life with my husband.

So, I can relate to the characters impatience with the waiting, and the bureaucracy of the process. But, at the same time I understand the necessity of it. So impatience of the characters grated on me a bit.

I appreciated the familiarity of the setting, Burnaby, New West, and Richmond. I live on the edge of Burnaby and Coquitlam, so could visualize the physical settings of BC well when they were mentioned.

I also enjoyed the brief scenes with Sellian. He brought some color to the greyness of this story. It was refreshing to see Canada through his eyes.

Another reason I had a difficult time engaging with this story is the writing style. The jumping back and forth between three families, plus time shifts between past and present was too jarring. I also felt that the stories of the refugees were entirely too bland and detached for me to feel any emotion.

I also really felt that the chapters with Grace's perspective were uneccessary. And even Priya's for that matter. I understand the author is trying to bring multiple perspectives onto important social issues. But the intermixing of these three different stories made it feel unfocused, as though she were trying entirely too hard to make a point that just didn't come across well.

Review: Star Cursed

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book certainly picked up the pace more than the first one did. I found the pickup spot a little jarring, actually.

This part of the trilogy has me feeling more for the burden Cate has placed upon herself, and the sacrifices she's made. Maura, is definitely my least favorite character, especially with all her petty jealousy, deception, and malice. She's power hungry, and corrupted. Tess is still sweet, though not so innocent anymore, given her situation. I can't say much or I'll give things away, but I still think she's my favorite of the three.

There are many secrets, and some betrayals in this book. We finally learn a bit more about Cate's family and her mother, although not much. The alternate history setting is still a bit unusual to read, but intriguing.

A lot of the story feels like set up for the third book, and while it moves fast, it did get a bit repetitive.

The last scene while not completely unexpected, had me angry for Cate. It's going to be quite the journey to the end of this war the Cahill sisters are fighting and I am interested to see how it ends.

I recently purchased the third book in the series and am waiting for my online order to arrive, so I'll get to see how it ends relatively soon

Review: The Littlest Angel

Title: The Littlest Angel

Author: Heidi Chandler

Series: N/A

Publisher: Self Published

Published: March 27, 2012

Format: Print Copy

Pages: 174

Dates Read: July 29-30 2017

Source: Received from the author in
exchange for an honest review

Add on Goodreads

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis: 

Four years ago I had the perfect life. I had a great career, a doting husband, and a loving family. Life couldn’t get any better, so my husband and I decided, after four years of carefree marital bliss and a great deal of hesitation, it was finally time to start a family.
My pregnancy happened quickly and mirrored my life - happy, healthy, and full of love, even dubbed “perfect” by one of my doctors. That all changed when my water broke two weeks before my due date, and I was blindsided by the ugly reality that perfect doesn’t exist.
What followed was a tortuous hospital stay, where I learned my daughter’s umbilical cord had wrapped tightly around her neck, causing her to die in my womb. I had a grueling delivery that scarred me emotionally and physically. I tried desperately to move past the shock, understand what went wrong, and say goodbye to my only child.
I spent months blaming myself, relentlessly searching for the why and how, cursing God and trying to comprehend what I had done to deserve such pain. I was a recluse filled with guilt and self-hatred. I carried my daughter’s ashes everywhere I went. I became obsessed with having another baby, certain that the only way life would get better was if I could replace my daughter.
Reluctantly forced to return to work and the real world, I struggled to find normal. Yet over time, through the kindness of strangers and friends, I realized that there is a method to the madness of life, and I began to find peace. I became pregnant again, and, though I longed for a girl, now have two little boys that taught me that life moves on and it’s possible to love again.

Melissa's Musings

First let me preface this review by saying that I have had this book on my shelf waiting to be read for far longer than I care to admit. Also, let me preface this by saying that I have never been pregnant, nor have I experienced the loss of a child.

This might leave some of you wondering, "Well, why would you read a book like this if you can't really relate to it?"

Simple. I've always been interested in people's stories, people's lives. And this is quite the story.

This is a story of intense loss, and grief. But also a story of the pains and joys of picking up life to move forward and onward, but not away from what happened. 

This is told in a raw, real, down to earth way. The author has a writing style that is relatable, and not stiffed or forced. In some of the most intense moments in the book, I found myself laughing out loud, not because something was funny, but just from the fact that the author was so candid in  her responses to such intense situations. 

I liked that the author chose to show the whole gamut of her emotions, from awkwardness to panic, to fear, to grief, and all that run in between, rather than hiding behind the "appropriate responses" that other people expected her to display. Is it "normal" to carry around your daughter's ashes with you as you go about your daily life? No, probably not, but it was an honest and true need of the author. And the fact that she let herself do that probably helped her to heal in a way that she may not have had she not allowed herself to do something like that for fear of it being strange or odd.

Though the author does a good job of including bits and pieces of her husband's experience I think the book would have been that much more powerful if we had heard a bit of his perpective in his own words, perhaps if he had his own chapter. Losses like those of stillbirth are often limited to the woman's experience, and it would have been interesting to see this from both parent's perspectives directly.

This is an intense, quick read that's well worth the time.

Review: The Cottage at Glass Beach

Title: The Cottage at Glass Beach

Author: Heather Barbieri

Series: N/A

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: May 15,2012

Format: ARC

Pages: 302

Dates Read: March 13-16 2016

Source: Won via Goodreads First Reads

Add on Goodreads

My Rating: 3 Stars

Snippet That Stuck With Me:

Synopsis:

Married to the youngest attorney general in Massachusetts state history, Nora Cunningham is a picture-perfect political wife and a doting mother. But her carefully constructed life falls to pieces when she, along with the rest of the world, learns of the infidelity of her husband, Malcolm.

Humiliated and hounded by the press, Nora packs up her daughters—Annie, seven; and Ella, twelve—and takes refuge on Burke's Island, a craggy spit of land off the coast of Maine. Settled by Irish immigrants, the island is a place where superstition and magic are carried on the ocean winds, and wishes and dreams wash ashore with the changing tides.

Nora spent her first five years on the island but has not been back to the remote community for decades—not since that long ago summer when her mother disappeared at sea. One night while sitting alone on Glass Beach below the cottage where she spent her childhood, Nora succumbs to grief, her tears flowing into the ocean. Days later she finds an enigmatic fisherman named Owen Kavanagh shipwrecked on the rocks nearby. Is he, as her aunt's friend Polly suggests, a selkie—a mythical being of island legend—summoned by her heartbreak, or simply someone who, like Nora, is trying to find his way in the wake of his own personal struggles?

Just as she begins to regain her balance, her daughters embark on a reckless odyssey of their own—a journey that will force Nora to find the courage to chart her own course and finally face the truth about her marriage, her mother, and her long-buried past. 

Melissa's Musings:

This book has an easy, rolling quality to it, like the waves coming in with the tide.

It's easy to get pulled in to the world, and to lose yourself in the story as Nora steals away with her daughters, Ella and Annie, to Burke's island to try and protect them from the scandal of her husband, the youngest attorney general in their state.

The island and the inhabitants were probably my favorite part of the book as a whole. There are a lot of interesting characters here, and the fact that there is a lot of Irish history tied to the island gave the supporting characters easygoing, likeable qualities. The island itself is described beautifully, and is easy to picture as you read.

The story moves back and forth, telling bits of the present day, intermixed with pieces of Nora's past. I liked the sequencing, but I honestly wish there had been more buildup of Nora's past. I felt that there was too much kept behind closed doors, so that at the end, you were left dangling, trying to believe too much of what happens in the last chapter is Noras story coming full circle through her daughters, when you don't get enough of a sense of her story in the first place. 

There are elements of magic to the story, but I don't feel that they resolve themselves, so you're left trying to fill in the blanks yourself.

I am curious to know what happens to these characters, but this story isn't really the kind that lends itself to a sequel, unfortunately.

Have you read this? Any other beach reads that you would recommend?

Review: Among The Ten Thousand Things

Title: Among The Ten Thousand Things

Author: Julia Pierpoint 

Series:  N/A

Publisher: Random House

Published: July 7th, 2015

Format: Kindle ARC

Pages: 336

Dates Read: July 8-19th

Source: Received from publisher via Netgalley

in exchange for an honest review

Add on Goodreads

My Rating: 2 Stars

Snippet That Stuck With Me: N/A

Synopsis: or fans of Jennifer Egan, Jonathan Franzen, Lorrie Moore, and Curtis Sittenfeld, Among the Ten Thousand Things is a dazzling first novel, a portrait of an American family on the cusp of irrevocable change, and a startlingly original story of love and time lost.

Jack Shanley is a well-known New York artist, charming and vain, who doesn’t mean to plunge his family into crisis. His wife, Deb, gladly left behind a difficult career as a dancer to raise the two children she adores. In the ensuing years, she has mostly avoided coming face-to-face with the weaknesses of the man she married. But then an anonymously sent package arrives in the mail: a cardboard box containing sheaves of printed emails chronicling Jack’s secret life. The package is addressed to Deb, but it’s delivered into the wrong hands: her children’s.

With this vertiginous opening begins a debut that is by turns funny, wise, and indescribably moving. As the Shanleys spin apart into separate orbits, leaving New York in an attempt to regain their bearings, fifteen-year-old Simon feels the allure of adult freedoms for the first time, while eleven-year-old Kay wanders precariously into a grown-up world she can’t possibly understand. Writing with extraordinary precision, humor, and beauty, Julia Pierpont has crafted a timeless, hugely enjoyable novel about the bonds of family life—their brittleness, and their resilience

Melissa's Musings:

What originally drew me to this book was the synopsis. I couldn't imagine something like this happening to a family. Sure, affairs happen far too often. But for one of the participants to print out all the emails and conversations and send it to the wife of her lover, and instead it falls into the children's hands? I had to read about what would happen after that.

Sadly, despite the synopsis and the promise of that story, the book was a huge letdown.



The main thing that took away from this book for me is the sequence jumping. I don't think I've ever read a book where the story is told out of sequence. It's very unsettling. You start out as the story unfolds and the box is delivered. Then in part two, everyone ages, and you find out what eventually happens to the entire family as they go through life. Part three is a jump back to the past and the summer adventures directly after the box. Part four is somewhere between 3 and 2. The last line of the book had me saying "Seriously? That's it?" to myself.

I felt almost no connection to the characters. The story felt detached, the phrasing blurted out in rough, but descriptive sentences. I think I kept reading the book hoping that it would redeem itself somehow. That somewhere along the way,  story would start taking a deeper turn, and you'd really start to get into the characters thoughts as they went through this experience.

I was hoping for a look into the minds of the kids, and how Simon and Kay would process and deal with their father's affair. Simon reacts in anger, Kay seems to shrink away into herself. But there's no deeper processing beyond that.

 I wanted more from Deborah too, more than to see her just run away for the summer. And more from Jack, than just seeing him wrap himself in his work and run off to Arizona.

The synopsis promised a story that was funny, wise, and indescribably moving. I found it to be none of these things. I did enjoy bits and pieces of the writing, but that's probably the only thing that kept me from giving the story only one star. If I could sum up the book I would say it reminds me of Jack's installation art piece. An attempt to see inside the destruction of a demolition site that ends up detonating in disappointment one last time unexpectedly, just like his failed art show detonates unexpectedly injuring that woman. Only the ending of the book leaves the reader slightly injured and disappointed.

Have you read this? What did you think of it?

Review: Spelled

Title: Spelled

Author: Betsy Schow

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Published: June 2, 2015

Format: E-ARC

Pages: 352

Dates Read: June 6-8

Source: Recieved via Netgalley

in exchange for an honest review

Add on Goodreads

My Rating: 3 Stars

Snippet That Stuck With Me: N/A 

Synopsis: 

Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after. 

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

Melissa's Musings

The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. I was browsing Netgalley, and came across Spelled, saw the cover and thought "Hmm, that looks interesting."

I'm not all that big on retellings and don't read them all that often, but when I read the sysnopsis for this, it seemed like it would be fun.

And it is.

 From the very beginning the story is full of curiosity, action and adventure. Dorothea is looking for a way to escape her boring palace life, where she is literally trapped by a curse. Fire is banished from the palace and she isn't even allowed outside beyond the courtyard, not even for a little while.

Little does she know that one tiny wish can have a huge impact on her life and the lives of those around her. 

The first thing that I liked, as I read were all the interesting plays on words and puns. There are a ton of them so I'll only give one example, UPS = United Pegasus Service. This one actually made me laugh out loud just because it was the slightest bit out there and Dorothea was so annoyed at the time, so the juxtaposition of the two made me giggle. There are also cute little plays on words like some of the substitute swear words, ie "pixed" and "glammed."

Plus, there are guidelines and quotes from other famous fairytale characters at the beginning of each chapter. These are a fun way to modernize the fairy tales.

There are also countless references to every possible fairy tale you can imagine. It's like a serious mashup of every fairy tale ever written interspersed within this story. And while these references, and the language and quotes are a lot of fun at first, I do have to say I did eventually grow bored of these, about halfway through. They just started to get tired, and eventually lost their sparkle.

As for the characters, I'd have to say my least favorite is probably a toss up between Rexi and Dorothea. Rexi lives up to her description and by the other characters and is rude and has a charred exterior. Dorothea fits the spoiled princess role a little too well. I was disappointed not to see more growth from her throughout the story. And while most of the time the main character is what keeps you reading, for me it was all the other characters that kept me going. I felt like they were more interesting.

Especially Hydra. With her large collection of ever changing heads and constant personality switches to go along with them , I feel like she brings a lot of life and fun to the story.

There is a lot of action and adventure. Plus there's the emphasis on fashion, beauty and just the idea of being a princess, so it makes the story equally relatable to both guys and girls. The ending is left open for a sequel, so I imagine there will be one. 

And I'm definitely willing to read it. As much as the quotes, quips and references do get a bit old  they've left me curious to see what will happen to this cast of crazy characters. I just hope that in the next part of the story Dorthea really starts to grow into her own a lot more and mature as a character.

Have you read Spelled? Did you enjoy it? Are there any other versions of retellings you'd recommend that I read?

The Sound of Glass by Karen White

Title: The Sound of Glass
Author: Karen White
Publisher: NAL
Published: May 12, 2015
Format: E-ARC
Pages: 428
Dates Read: April 26-May 03rd
Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley
in exchange for an honest review
Add on Goodreads
My Rating: 4 Stars
Snippet That Stuck With Me:
"You are so much stronger and braver than you think you are....You are strong at the broken places Synopsis:
The New York Times bestselling author of A Long Time Gone now explores a Southern family’s buried history, which will change the life of the woman who unearths it, secret by shattering secret.

It has been two years since the death of Merritt Heyward’s husband, Cal, when she receives unexpected news—Cal’s family home in Beaufort, South Carolina, bequeathed by Cal’s reclusive grandmother, now belongs to Merritt.

Charting the course of an uncertain life—and feeling guilt from her husband’s tragic death—Merritt travels from her home in Maine to Beaufort, where the secrets of Cal’s unspoken-of past reside among the pluff mud and jasmine of the ancestral Heyward home on the Bluff. This unknown legacy, now Merritt’s, will change and define her as she navigates her new life—a new life complicated by the arrival of her too young stepmother and ten-year-old half-brother.


Soon, in this house of strangers, Merritt is forced into unraveling the Heyward family past as she faces her own fears and finds the healing she needs in the salt air of the Low Country

Melissa's Musings:

This book is filled with a lot of layers. The stories of each of the different characters all intertwine in their own unique way. The story is made up of equal  parts intrigue, mystery, love, family growth and forgiveness.

My favorite character was Merritt. She is very rough on the outside, and keeps to herself a lot. She moved to the South to start over, to get away from years of bad memories, to get a fresh start since the death of her husband. What she didn't bargain for was to end up living with her much younger stepmother and her ten year old half brother Owen.

The interactions between Merritt and Owen are very sweet, because even though there's such an age difference between them, they are a lot alike. Which makes sense, since they're siblings. As a reader you get to experience them open up and relax a lot throughout the book.

I like the softer side of Merritt toward the end of the novel. It makes her relationship with Gibbes all that more believable.

When I first read the inklings of the relationship between Gibbes (Merrit's husband's younger brother) I thought it was going to end up being ridiculously corny. Thankfully the progression of their relationship was natural. It was unforced, and it didn't feel like insta-love.

The writing is nicely paced for the most part. Though, it did feel overly simplified in some parts but there were other more descriptive sections that made up for it. I especially like the metaphors regarding the sea glass, particularly that the sound of the wind chimes in Merrit's inherited house are clapping to welcome her.

The sound of glass comes up as a descriptive theme throughout the novel and I feel that the comparisons are fitting to Merritts growth as a character, being that there are spots in the book where it's mentioned that just because it's glass doesn't mean that it's necessarily as fragile as you might think, and that it's weathered a lot of turbulence through years tumbling in the sea.

There's also mystery surrounding a plane crash and the interconnectedness of Merritt and Cal's families at an earlier time  which gave me chills.

I do have to put out one warning for people that may be sensitive to it. This book does deal with the topic of physical/emotional abuse.  It's not overly dramatic, but it is described in a few scenes, so beware of that if it's something that may be sensitive for you as a reader.

There are a lot of good hearted quotes from Merritt's stepmother Loralee. I'm rather ambivalent about these. At first I thought they were corny and silly, but then they seemed to get more mature as the book progressed, so they kind of grew on me.

Overall, this is a book that I would definitely recommend.

Book Tour Review: Comfort of Fences

Hello fellow readers! Welcome to my stop on the tour for Comfort of Fences by Stacy Overman Morrison.

Title: Comfort of Fences

Author: Stacy Overman Morrison

Publisher: Telemachus Press

Published: October 17, 2013

Pages: 244

Format:  E-book

Source: Received from author in exchange

for an honest review

My Rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis:

Ruth is dying and her 52 year old daughter Denise has never paid a bill, lived on her own, or had a romantic relationship. Ruth knows she has been overprotective, but hoped that she would outlive her special-needs daughter. Metastasized cancer crushes that hope and forces Ruth to find a way to provide for Denise once she is dead. First Ruth turns to Social Security for Disability benefits. After tests, pokes and prods, doctors, nosy psychologists, and ill-furnished waiting rooms, the government declares Denise not eligible for benefits. Mad at the world and daring the government to arrest her so they will have to take care of her since they wouldn't her daughter, Ruth takes up smoking pot in the backyard. A few joints in, Ruth begins to realize her anger is self-directed. She doubts every decision she has ever made in raising her daughter that doctors, in the 1950s, labeled "retarded." Partially to coax her mother from the backyard and partially because Ruth will not speak of the past, Denise asks her mother to write down their history of which Denise has no memory. Trying to atone and explain how she could be so obtuse, Ruth agrees. Telling her story becomes an obsession for Ruth who sees the history as her only chance to leave a place for herself in the world since cancer is steadily eating away her physicality. While Ruth writes, Denise begins to pursue her own independence, despite the minor setbacks of a chopped off fingertip and chemo poisoning. She begins to make choices for herself and finally tells her mother pieces of her own truth: Denise stayed with her mother because she chose to, because she loved her mother more than any life she could make for herself. In claiming her own truth, Denise also chooses silence about the biggest secrets of all. Comfort of Fences explores the messy business of mothering. It is a story about the love between a devoted mother and her special daughter that exposes the irony that the people we love the most can also be the ones we underestimate the greatest.

Melissa's Musings:

Comfort of Fences is slow to start, but once it's up and running, you become involved and interested in the lives of the characters. 

Ruth is the glue of the story and her evolution throughout the book is the most interesting. I felt for her at first, because she seemed so stifled by her upbringing, and at the same time so naive. My opinion of her changed throughout the story as I personally don't agree with some of her choices, especially those involving Denise. 

This book is all about choices. It begins with Ruth's choice to pursue a romantic relationship with a man who turns out to have his own demons, that are ultimately too much for him. It follows Ruth through her life as she chooses to keep and raise a baby eventually on her own, after her parents try to interfere in a way that she doesn't like. 

The book deals with subjects that may be sensitive for some readers. It deals with alcoholism, mental disability, and cancer, to name a few. It is also what I would call heavy with religious elements. If any of those themes make you uncomfortable, I wouldn't recommend this book.

The format of the book is one that worked well for the story. When Ruth learns that she is dying of cancer, she decides to write down her story for her daughter, rather than try to explain it all to her. I think this was a nice touch, as it gives Denise a physical keepsake of her and her mother's lives together. Plus it ties the story together well.

As Ruth writes out the story, it the novel weaves in and out of the past and the present. As Ruth's battle with cancer becomes more serious, you get the sense of urgency in the telling of the story for Denise.

Of all the character's Georgia is my favorite. She's full of spontaneity and energy. But she also has a sadness to her that is so human. As happy and independent and carefree as she seems, she's just as weighed down by life as anyone else.

I felt that Denise's character was the most flat. She felt stifled, suffocated even. Both literally and figuratively. And maybe that was the point, as part of Ruth's evolution at the end of the novel is that she only hopes that Denise can see why she made the choices she made, and why she felt she had to stifle Denise. It was to protect her from all of the negativity in the world. I do understand where the development came from in terms of the story itself, but in terms of reality or real world application, I felt that the expectations for Denise were stereotypical, and that felt slightly demeaning in a way.

This book isn't without its flaws, but the overall story of friendship, and the demonstration that all the choices we make have an impact on the outcome of our lives are poignant themes that will stick with you after you finish this book.

ARC Review: Broken Truce

Title: Broken Truce

Author: D.D. Chant

Series: Broken City #2

Publisher: Self Published

Published:  February 1, 2014

Source: Received from Author in exchange for an honest review

Format: Document format

Pages: 342

My Rating: 3 Stars

Add on Goodreads

Synopsis:

Life isn't turning out the way that Deeta thought it would. With the Lewises defeated and peace between the tribes, she'd believed that the dark times were in the past.

However troubles between the tribes continue and the Andak council has selected Tom as their ambassador and chief spokesman to the other tribes.

Deeta knows that there is still much resentment against the Andak, that Tom is in danger every time he leaves the safety of Andak city.

Struggling with her own complicated feelings against the tribe that she is now a part of, Deeta tries to ignore the changing attitudes growing within her.

Then Tom is betrayed and with the whole City thrown into great danger, Deeta finds that reality can't be ignored forever..

Melissa's Musings:

The book starts out with us finding out that Tom and Deeta are now married, as are Jan and Tom's brother (one of many) Ryder. There is a fragile truce between the tribes as they struggle to rebuild and possibly find peace in their broken world. But, they are being threatened by a tribe who is not happy with Andak rule.

There is a lot of banter between the characters throughout the book. Deeta and Tom, Jan and Ryder, and Deeta and Jan all have good ebb and flow of banter within each of their relationships. I liked it as a tool to break up the action and serious points, but toward the end of the book it did feel like it was starting to wear  somewhat thin.

The main focus of the book felt to me to be the action between the tribes and how Jan, Tom and Deeta all get caught up right in the middle of it. The book is very fast paced, so anyone who likes a page turner will enjoy this.

The familial relationships and friendships still feel somewhat confusing to me, even with the background of having read the first book in this series. I just feel that there are too many relationships and too many brothers and uncles etc. to keep them all straight. I like that the author is promoting the strength (or in some cases lack thereof) of family bonds, but I think this could have been more simply executed.

The dialogue felt a little, lax in some places. It felt too informal, so I couldn't really get into the story quite as much. But I also think it worked in some spots, just in terms of the personality of the characters. I'm not sure if I really like this element or not. 

Overall, this is a solid story, and I'm interested to see how it will end.

Blog Tour Review: Hopsice Voices:Lessons For Living At The End of Life

Hello all. Welcome to my stop on the tour for Hospice Voices: Lessons for Living At The End of Life Read on to discover more about this book.

Title: Hospice Voices: Lessons For Living At The End of Life

Author: Eric Lindner

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: October 6 2013

Format: Kindle

Pages: 232

Source: Received a copy in order to participate in this tour

My Rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis:

As a part-time hospice volunteer, Eric Lindner provides companion care to dying strangers. They re chatterboxes and recluses, religious and irreligious, battered by cancer, congestive heart failure, Alzheimer s, old age. Some cling to life amazingly. Most pass as they expected. In telling his story, Lindner reveals the thoughts, fears, and lessons of those living the ends of their lives in the care of others, having exhausted their medical options or ceased treatment for their illnesses. In each chapter, Lindner not only reveals the lessons of lives explored in their final days, but zeroes in on how working for hospice can be incredibly fulfilling. As he s not a doctor, nurse, or professional social worker, just a volunteer lending a hand, offering a respite for other care providers, his charges often reveal more, and in more detail, to him than they do to those with whom they spend the majority of their time. They impart what they feel are life lessons as they reflect on their own lives and the prospect of their last days. Lindner captures it all in his lively storytelling. Anyone who knows or loves someone working through end of life issues, living in hospice or other end of life facilities, or dealing with terminal or chronic illnesses, will find in these pages the wisdom of those who are working through their own end of life issues, tackling life s big questions, and boiling them down into lessons for anyone as they age or face illness. And those who may feel compelled to volunteer to serve as companions will find motivation, inspiration, and encouragement. Rather than sink under the weight of depression, pity, or sorrow, Lindner celebrates the lives of those who choose to live even as they die.

Melissa's Musings:

Initially I felt somewhat put off by this book. The whole feeling and flow of it seemed choppy and disjointed. As I continued to read, it grew on me, though. 

Over the course of several chapters we learn how Eric becomes a hospice volunteer, the impact it has on him, and the difficulties the process entails. It's a tough line to toe, knowing what to say and do, and how to say and do things, and when. Dying is a subject that no one likes to bring up. And sometimes, when we don't know what to say, we say exactly the wrong thing, as is evidenced in some of Lindner's experiences with his clients.

There is quite the interesting mix of people that Eric comes into contact with over the course of his time as a volunteer. Each is unique, with their own quirks, and stories. Sometimes, he gets to spend a great deal of time with these clients, other times, the time spent is much shorter. Each has their own lesson to impart, and the impact of these lessons is easily apparent.

The one thing that put me off about the book is that the feel is very choppy, and disjointed. As much as it put me off though, I understood it. Life is never straightforward, never really linear, and neither is the process of dying. And so as off putting as the format was to me, I do understand it more now that I've thought about it. 

It might seem like this would be a very downtrodden or depressing book, but it's not. The experiences are mostly positive, and the lessons can be taken to heart by readers very easily.

I have to say it must be very difficult to be a hospice volunteer. To be able to try to know just what to say and do all while also knowing that more than likely your client will not be getting better. I couldn't imagine doing it. This book gives an in depth look at at that experience and just may inspire readers to volunteer themselves.

Review: Maggie's Turn

Hello everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Maggie's Turn blog tour. Read on to learn more about this book and my thoughts on it.

Title: Maggie's Turn

Author: Deanna Lynn Sletten

Publisher: Createspace

Published: August 5, 2013

Format: Paperback

Pages: 246

Source: Received a free copy in exchange 

for an honest review

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis:

Maggie Harrison is a devoted wife and mother, always putting the needs of her family ahead of her own. Then, one day, without planning to, she drives away, leaving behind an indifferent husband and two sulking teenagers. Maggie goes off on a quest of self-exploration, enjoying adventures, meeting new people, and rediscovering her passions. For the first time in years, she dreams about what she wants out of life, and she realizes that her deteriorating marriage can no longer continue as it is. Can she and Andrew repair their floundering relationship, or is their marriage over?

Andrew Harrison likes his life to be in perfect order. He enjoys his work and status in the community, leaving Maggie to take care of everything at home. He knows his marriage isn't perfect, but after twenty-three years and two kids, whose marriage is? When Maggie leaves without a word, he is forced to start paying more attention to his home life and his almost grown children, and he begins to do a little self-exploration of his own. Slowly, he begins to understand what drove Maggie away, and how important she is in his life. Is it too late to resolve their differences and save their marriage? Or will Andrew lose Maggie forever?

Melissa's Musings:

This book was easy to read. I felt for Maggie, and definitely understood her sense of wanderlust. I think everyone has a bit of that need to wander off and escape life's problems. There's no better way to think through things than on a road trip. I've never been on one, but reading this story made me want to take one. I thoroughly enjoyed Maggie's connection to Bob Seger's music and appreciated that she let the music take her away, quite literally.

Maggie has a lot to deal with, being that her husband cheated on her and just wants to sweep it under the rug. My gut reaction to Andrew was that he was a condescending, arrogant, controlling jerk. And while he did have some improvement throughout the book, I can't honestly say that he won me over at the end. I think he had it too easy, and his apologies were bit too rehearsed for my taste. 

I did appreciate that the story broached the subject of Andrew's affair and Maggie's leaving from both the parents and kid's views. I know from personal experience that it's no fun and no one usually asks the kids when a parent leaves, for whatever reason. Discussing the kid's feelings helped Maggie to realize what's important.

There's also a neat theme of Maggie meeting several people who also have some variation of Bob in their names. This was a neat quirk of the book which was done well. Subtle, yet cohesive. There were certain friendships that i was rooting for, but didn't happen, but that's okay.

I'd recommend this one to anyone who wants to travel or reminisce about times long ago.

Review: Winter of Wishes

Hello All!

Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Winter of Wishes by Charlotte Hubbard, presented by Pump Up Your Book

Title: Winter of Wishes

Author: Charlotte Hubbard

Publisher: Zebra

Published: September 3, 2013

Pages:  352

Format: Paperback

Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 3 heartfelt stars 

Melissa's Musings:

I have to admit that I don't often read Christian/religious fiction all too often. But, when I came across the  Winter of Wishes tour invite, I decided to take a step outside of my usual reading comfort zone, and I'm glad I did.

The family in this story and the connection to community are strong points throughout the book. The community is tight knit, and the author's focus on the Amish way of life is well researched and portrayed throughout the story. The read feels like a constant learning experience about Amish culture, without being boring or dry.

This book is part of a series, and while it does work as a standalone, I did have  a feeling that I was missing out by not having read the other books. Not in a bad way, it's just that ther were a lot of mentions of past events that I didn't have all the details to, so I was left wondering. I am very curious about the prior happenings of this community and would love to read the other books in the series to catch up.

It's very easy to fall into the story and to want to keep on reading. It's such a heartfelt, sweet story.

There were a few things that didn't quite work for me. The romance between Andy and Rhoda is very simple and sweet, but it feels rushed. They begin to have feelings for each other very quickly, and it felt a little unrealistic. I was rooting for them throughout the story, though.

The language just didn't feel right in some spots. I know that the author was trying for a genuine dialect, but it felt overdone in some ways, and it took me out of the story the slightest bit.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters in the future.

Book Review: The Rockin' Chair

Title: The Rockin' Chair

Author: Steven Manchester

Publisher: The Story Plant

Published: June 25, 2013

Format: Kindle

Pages: 272

Source: Received from the publisher

in exchange for an honest review

Read: September 23, 2013

Genre: Contemporary

In A Few Words: Poignant

My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads: Add This To Your To-Read Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

Memories are the ultimate contradiction. They can warm us on our coldest days or they can freeze a loved one out of our lives forever. The McCarthy family has a trove of warm memories. Of innocent first kisses. Of sumptuous family meals. Of wondrous lessons learned at the foot of a rocking chair. But they also have had their share of icy ones. Of words that can never be unsaid. Of choices that can never be unmade. Of actions that can never be undone.

Following the death of his beloved wife, John McCarthy Grandpa John calls his family back home. It is time for them to face the memories they have made, both warm and cold. Only then can they move beyond them and into the future.

A rich portrait of a family at a crossroad, THE ROCKIN' CHAIR is Steven Manchester’s most heartfelt and emotionally engaging novel to date. If family matters to you, it is a story you must read

Melissa's Musings:

This is the 2nd book I've read by Steven Manchester. His first, Twelve Months, pulled me in from the very first page. The Rockin' Chair is no different. I don't know quite how he does it, but Manchester manages to create a world that the reader is immediately pulled into from the very first sentence. I settled in instantly, already feeling at home with the family from the start.

This book deals with some tough issues.

 At the forefront, we have John, the family patriarch. He's a beloved grandfather, a father, a hard worker, a devoted husband. We watch as he struggles with watching his wife Alice lose her memories to Alzheimers.

The relatioship between Alice and John is beautiful. The kind that most of us dream to have. Where someone loves us so much that they will take care of us through anything, no matter how difficult life gets.

 Upon Alice's death he calls his family back to his farm in Montana.  We watch as he pieces the family back together again, using memories. Some lighthearted and positive, some not so happy. He helps his grandchildren deal with some of their inner demons.

 Evan ran away from the farm, eager to get away from his abusive father and small town life. He was hoping to settle down with a girl who he thought he loved, who only turned around to break his heart by cheating on him. George, a war veteran whose time at war caused him to make some decisions that he wasn't proud of, is still fighting, even though he's returned home. Only now he's fighting to come to peace with himself. And Tara, who left for New York hoping to make it big, only to fall to the temptation of drugs and alcohol, who knows she needs to change her ways for her young daughter.

It's an emotional journey as you read on to discover how John manages to help each one of his family members. Painful as it is to relive some of these memories that John helps each family member recall, there are lessons in each of them. He even manages to bring some peace and redemption to himself, and repair his relationship with his son Hank.

The rocking chair that the story's title comes from is a central part of the story. It has an intimate significance to the bond that the family shares. The idea of a rocking chair holds different memories and ideals for each of the characters throughout the story. One thing I've noticed is that each of Manchester's recent books features a chair/chairs on the cover. 

 This book had me in tears several times over the course of reading it. I devoured it in a few hours. Even though the story was resolved well, it still left me wanting more. I can't wait more from this talented author.

Review: Salem VI: Rebecca's Rising

Title: Rebecca's Rising

Authors: Jack Heath, John Thompson

Publisher: Pressque Publishing

Published: July 16, 2012

Format: E-book

Pages: 336

Source: Received from publisher/author

in exchange for my honest review

My Rating: 4 Stars

Add To Your TBR Shelf: 

Synopsis:

Having stepped off the fast track of primetime network television news, John Andrews has chosen a quieter life as editor of Salem News, a small paper in a quiet New England town. Life is perfect until Andrews’ wife is killed in a tragic accident. After several years of trying to numb the pain with alcohol, Andrews is visited by the spirit of a long dead ancestor who opens a door to a shocking family history. After he experiences a surreal glimpse into the past, Andrews must confront the question of whether he is losing his mind or whether for several hundred years his ancestors have been engaged in a secret battle with a coven that worships Satan. Fueled by the need to understand whether his wife's death was really an accident or something far more sinister, Andrews, along with his beautiful assistant editor, risk everything to discover a truth so horrifying it threatens to destroy everything and everyone he knows and loves.

Melissa's Musings:

If you've been a reader of the blog for a while, you'll know that I love books that have to do with witchcraft and magic. Mainly because I like the character's exploration of their history and their powers, if there are any. While there were some powers, they were kept to a minimum, and this book focused mainly on the historical aspects of the story. The fact that one of the authors is descended from these two families makes it more realistic. I'm not sure if this adds to the story for me, or not though. I don't think it effects my enjoyment of the story itself at all, it's just one of those neat facts to hold on to and remember about the book.

I read The Crucible in high school and remember that Rebecca Nurse was a central character in that story. She plays a central character here too, only this time in ghostly form. At first her character is a little unsettling, as she just makes John seem like he's losing it. But once you get into the heart of the story, you see that Rebecca Nurse is a powerful character, even if she doesn't actually say anything at all.  

The rest of the cast of characters is equally interesting. All I'll say is that  almost none of them are what they seem, based on first impressions.

I read this story in short bursts, as it was my go to book on my Kindle during lunch at work. I was always left wanting more, and wish that I had been able to read it all at once. The fact that I couldn't read it all at once helped me to enjoy it even more.

The story itself is really engaging. I don't think I've read a story that has a character descended from two powerful families like these in quite a while. I enjoyed seeing the reach of these families and their effect on a town in modern times. Part of what I enjoyed were the intricacies that come with being descended from such powerful families, and the other part was learning about all of this important history in the context of a modern story. I also like that this story focused more on the history and less on powers. I got more of the "why they did it" kind of back story, and I like that.

While there are some blips and minor inconsistencies, they don't detract too much from the story. The story is blended together quite well, and I couldn't really tell that it was written by two different authors. The plot itself is full of action and adventure. There are some tender moments too, but I have to admit that some of these fell short for me. There is a bit of romance between John and Amy, which is subtle. While the subtlety is nice, I wish there had been more to it. I'm hoping that this will be explored further in book two.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited to see what follows in book two of this series.

Have you read this? What are some other books about witchcraft that you would recommend?

Review: Marcie

Hello everyone!

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on Marcie by Carly M. Duncan as part of the tour being hosted by Pump Up Your Book.

Title: Marcie

Author: Carly M. Duncan 

Publisher: Createspace

Published: May 10, 2013

Pages: 304

Format: Paperback

Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 2 Stars

Synopsis:

When Kate's mother, Marcie, dies mysteriously she is forever tormented by the many questions surrounding her mother's death. In Marcie's absence Kate clings to her mother's husbands, searching for solace.

As family secrets are revealed Kate works to build her own life and family, but the mystery of her mother's death sidetracks her until she finally gets the answer she's always hoped for.

Want to read it for yourself? 

AMAZON

Melissa's Musings:

This book starts off very well. It starts off with action, pulling you in and making you want to know more. Unfortunately for me, as the book went on, it just didn't have quite the same pull.

Marcie is an interesting character, bouncing from husband to husband yet getting all of her blended families together at the holidays. Not too typical of divorced couples. Marcie is also not really cut out to be a mother, her children just left in her wake of her careless actions, Kate in particular. 

Kate harbors a lot of hate toward her mother for abandoning her and moving to Guam. And, for not really being a "motherly" type in general. And while I do see where some anger could result, it just isn't fleshed out enough for me to really care. I found myself questioning whether the "hate" (Kate uses I hate my mother as a phrase a few times) is really even warranted.

One aspect that I would have loved to see more of is Kate and Charlie's relationship. It seems very sweet, but also  little too simple. It felt like there should have been more to it. Charlie is very sweet and understanding, which is just what Kate needs. But, as a couple they were a little too perfect. I felt like there should have been more of a conflict between them. And all we really see of Charlie is what Kate tells the reader in relaying letters from him and events that occur for them. There is little to no actual dialogue between them.

The main aspects of the book that really kept me from connecting to it had to do with structural issues, and finer details. Unless I misread,  Kate's name is never actually used in the book. I remember having to look at the synopsis to find out what it was after reading about 40 pages in and realizing I hadn't seen it. I think this may have to do with the fact that the story is mainly narrative, and there is very little dialogue. As a result, I found it very hard to connect with Kate. When such a basic detail is missing it's difficult to connect with her character on a deeper level.

The flow of the story felt a little off as well. It is written in a series of alternating chapters that sometimes go between past and present day but then move forward in time. For me, rather than moving the story forward it felt choppy. These felt more like a series of random vignettes than a naturally progressing story.

The book is a quick read. And, there is a bit of a twist at the end. Readers who enjoy an element of mystery will enjoy this aspect of the book. But the lack of connection for me made it somewhat of a letdown.  While there were some aspects of the book that I did enjoy, I found that ultimately, this book did not work for me.

If you like stories with travel elements and uncomplicated romantic relationships, you should try this book.

Connect With Carly M. Duncan

About The Author:

Carly M. Duncan is a television producer by day and a writer whenever there is time. She loves baking, scripted television and is working on easing her addiction to her too-smart-phone. She lives with her husband, two daughters and beloved Westie in Brooklyn, New York.

Her latest book is the chick lit, Marcie.

Visit Carly's Website

TWITTER | FACEBOOK 

Review: Dearest

Title:  Dearest

Series: N/A

Author: Carole Marshall

Publisher: Haitsma  Literary Agency

Published: October 24, 2011

Genre:

Format: Kindle

Pages:  167

Source: Received from author in exchange

for honest review

Read: March 24-31 2013

My Rating: 1 Star

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Meet Dr. Amelia Payne: a veterinarian and educational writer. She is a single woman living in Washington State. She no longer defines herself as the daughter of a clown and a deceased mime. At the age of fifty, Amelia has built a life for herself where the past would never find her . . . or so she hoped. The tragic tale of Amelia's life is brought to the forefront, when Claude Croft, Amelia's childhood friend, calls her in hopes of locating a bracelet he had promised his father to find. Gripped by a similar promise, Amelia joins Claude in a venture to find the jewelled bracelet, only to learn that she finds more than she bargained for. Spiralled back into her old life, Amelia is right back in the thick of the eccentric characters that once coloured her youth.A story about holding on and letting go, Dearest uncovers the past Amelia thought she knew, reveals secrets she never could have known, and the truth she finally comes to know.

Melissa's Musings:

The synopsis of this book is what pulled me in, since it seemed a little mysterious, and I figured the eccentric characters would help fill out the story and maybe add a little lightness to it, since it seemed heavy. The eccentric characters were more entertaining and easier to relate to than Amelia, the main character, on all fronts. Even so, the secondary characters felt almost as flat and underdeveloped as Amelia. All in all, this story was extremely difficult to get into.

There are a lot of deaths in the story. The fact of the many deaths isn't necessarily bad, but what I didn't like is the lack of transition between the death /people leaving Amelia to the next parts of the story. There is no speculation on her part for the reasoning behind these events. She simply moves along to the next event. It's very disconcerting, and eventually, after the third or fourth occurence, it just started to feel like overkill.

Just how many deaths can a story take, especially one as short as this? I won't name them all off, but at my count there are at least 8, including two animal deaths, though I may have missed some. And there is close to no internal commentary about these from Amelia, which makes her even harder to identify with.

Amelia, as a character is very...stoic, I suppose I would say. She's very cut and dry. There's little interaction between her and other characters and when there is, it's somewhat unfeeling. She does have a relationship with Claude that is somewhat serious, but even that felt fake, almost like insta-love. Claude and Amelia have a few intimate scenes which are written in the same stiff, formal style, that just made them feel awkward. It would have been better if those scenes had been left out entirely. 

Since Amelia was so difficult for me to connect with, I felt that the ending was lacking. The story comes to a resolution, and Amelia does show some growth. But, the process of getting to this growth and the repetition of her grandfather's message to her (which is an extended paragraph that I would guess was repeatedly written out, in full, at least 20 times) made the realization of her growth fall short. Instead of feeling happy for her that she finally learned what her grandfather had intended, I had the thought of "Finally! Now that message can stop." The ending leaves a lot to be desired, to say the least.

I do think that the main plot points of Amelia's father being a mime, her mother a clown, and her being stuck in the middle, as well as the secrets that are harbored by her parents do have potential. I applaud the author for trying to weave an intricate story around these elements, but the execution just didn't come together.

Unfortunately, I can't positively  recomend this book based on my own reading of it. But, if you like characters like clowns and mimes, you might give this a try.

I am curious though, how many deaths of people close to them do you think a character can go through before it just seems like too much and starts to seem ridiculous?

Review: Strike: Dawn Of The Daybreaker

Title: Strike: Dawn of the Daybreaker

Series: The STRIKE Trilogy Book 2

Author: Charlie Wood

Publisher: Createspace

Published: October 9, 2012

Genre: Young Adult

Format: Paperback

Pages: 211

Source: Received from author

Read: March 13-23 2013

My Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads: Add To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

It has been seven months since Tobin Lloyd became the superhero known as “Strike,” and the city of Boston, Massachusetts has never been safer. Yes, it turns out Tobin is pretty good at this superhero-stuff…even if he has to balance it with hanging out with friends, doing homework, and trying to graduate from high school.

However, a threat is looming that Tobin is unaware of: the red giant named Rigel—the last follower of the super-villain Vincent Harris—is still alive, and he is plotting to continue Vincent’s invasion and enslavement of the planet Earth. To do so, he is searching for a bizarre creature known as “The Daybreaker,” a super-villain so powerful that no one on Earth (or Capricious) will be able to stop it.

Will Tobin and his friends—Orion, Keplar, and Scatterbolt—discover Rigel’s plan before it is too late? Exactly who is this Daybreaker, and where did he come from? And even if the heroes succeed, will anything ever be the same again?

Featuring new characters, new locations, and new revelations, STRIKE: DAWN OF THE DAYBREAKER is the thrilling sequel to the young adult fantasy novel STRIKE: THE HERO FROM THE SKY.

Tobin Lloyd’s adventures are about to continue…whether he is ready for them or not

Melissa's Musings:

Tobin's adventures pick up 7 months from where he left off. He's still trying to find a balance between normal life and that of a superhero, and it's definitely a challenge for him.

This book is full of action and cool stunts, and quip filled dialogue. While the action is full, as are the twists and turns to keep things interesting, I have to say that for me, this book suffered a bit of the sophomore slump. 

Yes, there's action, yes there are twists and turns, but it feels like the author was struggling a bit in this middle book of the trilogy, leaving the really juicy dialogue and descriptions for the last book in the series. Some of the descriptions are repetitive in spots, and some of the sequences just seem a little too formal, they don't mesh with the flow you might expect.

In other spots, some of the action sequences in particular, I could really imagine the scenes as they were happening. At a few points I found myself thinking that this set of books with some polishing would make a really neat superhero franchise.

There are a few elements that I really liked. For instance, the introduction of Adrianna as a love interest for Tobin. She's supposed to be on the opposing team, but then she ends up helping Tobin out a few times as well. The love interest element is simple, and not overdone, which is great.

I also like the attention to some of the smaller details such as the Chrono Key. I really like the fact that this super hero gadget allows the user to travel through time, but only into the past, because the future hasn't happpened yet and is constantly changing with every decision that's made. Often times, stories with elements of time travel can account for suspected futures, but it makes a person wonder what they're really based on and what shaped these futures. The past has already happened, so you have a solid base to go back to, and as a reader you (usually) know what has happened so it's easier to navigate through than imagined futures might be.

That's not to say that I don't like stories with future time travel, I just think that the author made a wise choice in making it so that the Chrono Key can only take someone into the past.

The copy that I have has a different cover than the one posted here, and  I have to say I like the cover on my copy better. The cover pictured above is just cold and a bit stiff. The one I've got is more vibrant and colorful which is why I enjoy it more.

The story is solid and sets up well with an enticing cliffhanger that makes you wonder just how it's all going to turn out in the end. I'd recommend this for anyone who likes stories about superheroes.