Author: ondbookshelf

Title: The Edge of Lost
Author: Kristina McMorris
Published: November 24, 2015 by Kensington
Pages: 340
Source: Publisher via SheReads blog network
Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads

On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz. A prison guard’s only daughter—one of the youngest civilians who lives on the island—has gone missing. Tending the warden’s greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously. Only he knows the truth about the little girl’s whereabouts, and that both of their lives depend on the search’s outcome.

Almost two decades earlier and thousands of miles away, a young boy named Shanley Keagan ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin pubs. Talented and shrewd, Shan dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America. The chance finally comes to cross the Atlantic, but when tragedy strikes, Shan must summon all his ingenuity to forge a new life in a volatile and foreign world.

Skillfully weaving these two stories, Kristina McMorris delivers a compelling novel that moves from Ireland to New York to San Francisco Bay. As her finely crafted characters discover the true nature of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, they are forced to confront the lies we tell—and believe—in order to survive.

My review:

What a wonderful read! At the very beginning we get a snippet of information from 1937 Alcatraz. Then the story jumps back many years and we follow the life of Shanley Keagan first in Dublin, then in America. It's obvious early on how the two stories will likely intersect, but it's how they come together that gives such a wonderful, completely immersible story. I loved Shan, and he was such a great character to root for. There were secondary characters that were also well drawn, some are likable, some not. The last third of the book is completely an edge of your seat, can't turn the pages fast enough, read. The only thing that niggled at me just a bit was at the end when a person from the past reappears in a slightly unbelievable way, but it by no means dampened my enthusiasm for this book! The main theme I got from this book was that sometimes good people get caught up in bad situations, and second chances are a necessary option.

I highly recommend this book, but be sure you have a good chunk of time laid out to read it, because you won't want to put this compelling story down.

This book is one of the Winter selections for the She Reads blog network. Click on the images in my sidebar to learn more about them.

Title: The Other Daughter
Author: Lauren Willig
Published: July 21, 2015 by St. Martin's Press
Pages: 304
Source: Own copy
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

Raised in a poor yet genteel household, Rachel Woodley is working in France as a governess when she receives news that her mother has died, suddenly. Grief-stricken, she returns to the small town in England where she was raised to clear out the cottage...and finds a cutting from a London society magazine, with a photograph of her supposedly deceased father dated all of three month before. He's an earl, respected and influential, and he is standing with another daughter-his legitimate daughter. Which makes Rachel...not legitimate. Everything she thought she knew about herself and her past-even her very name-is a lie.

Still reeling from the death of her mother, and furious at this betrayal, Rachel sets herself up in London under a new identity. There she insinuates herself into the party-going crowd of Bright Young Things, with a steely determination to unveil her father's perfidy and bring his-and her half-sister's-charmed world crashing down. Very soon, however, Rachel faces two unexpected snags: she finds she genuinely likes her half-sister, Olivia, whose situation isn't as simple it appears; and she might just be falling for her sister's fiancé...

My review:

I was attracted to this book because of the plot. Finding out your father is really not dead and is an earl with another daughter......oooh, I'm totally on board with how this one plays out. While I can't say that it's one of my favorite historical fiction novels, I did generally enjoy the story. The author had a great grasp for the historical elements of the roaring twenties, and her descriptions of the parties, clothing, and jazz era were spot on. I enjoyed the plotting of Rachel to uncover her father, especially her response once she meets him. I liked the development of the legitimate daughter Olivia, and the growing relationship between the two "sisters". Simon was another great character who probably could have been even more developed. I wish that some of the other minor characters had been a bit more fleshed out, they were kind of dropped into the story, but then never resolved before they dropped back out, particularly Cece. There was romance in the book, but it was not so significant as to take over, which I was grateful for. The story stood well enough on its own without having to add romance into it.

Overall a great story with an interesting plot. You will particularly like it if you enjoy that time period.

Title: Tiny Little Thing
Author: Beatriz Williams
Published: June 23, 2015 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 368
Source: Purchased by me
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads

In the summer of 1966, Christina Hardcastle—“Tiny” to her illustrious family—stands on the brink of a breathtaking future. Of the three Schuyler sisters, she’s the one raised to marry a man destined for leadership, and with her elegance and impeccable style, she presents a perfect camera-ready image in the dawning age of television politics. Together she and her husband, Frank, make the ultimate power couple: intelligent, rich, and impossibly attractive. It seems nothing can stop Frank from rising to national office, and he’s got his sights set on a senate seat in November.

But as the season gets underway at the family estate on Cape Cod, three unwelcome visitors appear in Tiny’s perfect life: her volatile sister Pepper, an envelope containing incriminating photograph, and the intimidating figure of Frank’s cousin Vietnam-war hero Caspian, who knows more about Tiny’s rich inner life than anyone else. As she struggles to maintain the glossy façade on which the Hardcastle family’s ambitions are built, Tiny begins to suspect that Frank is hiding a reckless entanglement of his own…one that may unravel both her own ordered life and her husband’s promising career.

My review:

Let me start this review by admitting that I have mad love for Ms. Williams writing. I believe I stated in a previous review of her work that I would read the phone book if she re-wrote it 🙂 This book is the second in the trilogy of the Schuyler sisters (it is not necessary to read them all, each book stands on its own). This one is my favorite of the three (my review of Violet Grant is here, and Along the Infinite Sea will be reviewed soon). The other books are broken into two alternating stories (which are related over time), one in more present day and one historical. This one has two stories that are intertwined, but take place over a period of two years in the 1960's. I enjoyed the historical stories more than the present day in the other books, but in this one I was fascinated with Tiny's story of trying to be everything her mother wanted her to be. Tiny's husband is a rising political star and they are considered to be the "power couple" of their time. Of course there are secrets revealed that had me turning pages as fast as I could! I absolutely adored the time period for this book, Tiny was definitely my favorite Schuyler sister, and wait until you find out her husband's secrets......AHHHH!!

If you have not read Ms. Williams books yet, run to wherever it is that they have books on shelves and read one! You can thank me later 🙂

This post is a continuation of my post from yesterday which you can find here. I'm doing short reviews of all the audiobooks I've listened to since Thanksgiving. Let's get started with the rest of the group (listed in order of listening).

Title: Memory Man
Author: David Baldacci, Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy (narrators)
Published: April 21, 2015 by Hachette Audio
Length: 13 hours 17 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a harcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

My review:

I admit that this was my first foray into any of Baldacci's books. He was speaking at my local Indie bookstore, so I decided it was time to see what his popularity was all about. While the book was well written, and fast paced, it just wasn't really my kind of book. I'm not a fan of any of those crime shows on tv, and this book would be way more popular amongst those who love the mystery/crime genre. It was engaging enough that I wanted to find out "who dunnit", but I probably won't go out of my way to secure any more books of this type. Narrators were fine, I had no issue with them.

Title: The Lowland
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri, Sunil Malhotra (narrator)
Published: September 24, 2013 by Random House Audio
Length: 13 hours 4 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

It's easy to see why this was nominated and received so many awards. I have had this on my shelf for such a long time, and I'm so glad that the opportunity to listen to it came about. A fabulous story about two brothers and their family. Part takes place in India, and part in the US (Rhode Island). Beautifully written, with gorgeous dialog and descriptions of life in the poorer sections of India where unrest is ever present. The narrator was also part of my love for this book, with a soothing Indian accent that flowed effortlessly and was a joy to listen to. The only thing that caused me to bring it down to four stars is that I felt that it dragged just a bit in some places, and I wasn't as interested in all the revolution talk. Despite these minor qualms, it is well worth the read!

Title: We Are Not Ourselves
Author: Matthew Thomas, Mare Winningham (narrator)
Published: August 19, 2014 by Simon and Schuster Audio
Length: 20 hours 51 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a hardcover
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads

My review:

When a book is almost 21 hours long on audio, it's got to be good to receive the coveted 5 stars (only about 10% or less of my books get this in a given year). This book is not going to be fast paced, it's not going to be highly uplifting, and it's not going to make you laugh. It will make you think about many things....the will to better one's station in life, the effect of early Alzheimer's, the relationship between a son and each of his parents, the day to day struggles of a family. This character based novel is wonderfully crafted! My emotions for each of the family members changed many times throughout the course of the novel. Kudos to Mr. Thomas for all the accolades given to this book! I was thrilled with the narrator, I loved Mare Winningham back in her acting days (most notably St. Elmo's Fire!).

Title: The Beach Trees
Author: Karen White, Ki Gottberg and Gin Hammond (narrators)
Published: May 24, 2011 by Listen and Live Audio
Length: 15 hours 10 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperpack
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

Good story, even better setting. Two women, one in present time, and one telling her story from the past. I felt maybe this was a bit long, and I wasn't convinced about Monica's reasons for avoiding her family for so many years. I thought there was going to be more made of a certain romance, and although it was hinted at, I was very happy that this did not become a focus of the book. A solid read, but not one that I will probably remember down the road. Narration was good, I enjoyed the narrator of Aimee more than Julie.

Title: A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty
Author: Joshilyn Jackson, Joshilyn Jackson (narrator)
Published: September 25, 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
Length: 12 hours 25 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperback
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Wow, what a difference having the author narrate makes! I've met Ms. Jackson, and she is a spitfire, which is exactly what she brings to this great story! Three generations of women in Alabama with a boatload of secrets, the most notable of which rests with the woman who, due to a stroke, can no longer speak. I loved the Southern charm of this book, the characters were wonderful, and it was a delight to listen to. Quirky southern novel is what Jackson does best, and this one is my favorite of hers so far.

Title: If You Were Here
Author: Jen Lancaster, Jamie Heinlein (narrator)
Published: May 3, 2011 by Penguin Audio
Length: 8 hours 28 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

My review:

I loved the premise of this novel, and there were many, many laugh out loud moments while listening. However, the home repair gone wrong did start to get old toward the end of the book, and the ending felt rather flat after all the setup to get there. I love Jen Lancaster, but this is my first foray into her novels that are not based on her life. I could definitely see her humor infused into this, but I think the plot just got a bit carried away. Still a winner if you love home repair shows, and need some side splitting laughs. I had no issues with the narration.

Title: Flame Tree Road
Author: Shona Patel, Neil Shah (narrator)
Published: June 10, 2015 by Harlequin Audio
Length: 10 hours 27 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperback
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Another book about India (see The Lowland above), and this one was just as engaging. I love reading about Indian culture, particularly of interest in this book was what happens to women who are widows. The story starts around a family, but then gravitates more to the elder son Biren. The scene descriptions were wonderful, and there were many heart breaking moments amidst the hope for a better future for the young girls of India. Lovely narration, this is a book not to be missed.

And there you have it, I've clearly been listening up a storm for the past couple months. I've discovered how much more I can read when I can listen while doing mundane tasks around the house 🙂

I've been traveling a lot since Thanksgiving, and have listened to a ton of audiobooks that I borrowed from my library's Overdrive service. I picked books that I already had on my tbr, so I'm excited to be able to clear some books off my overflowing shelves! Since I know I will never get around to reviewing each one separately, I'm going to do an abbreviated review here. Links to each book on Goodreads will be provided. So.......here we go (in the order that I listened to each):

Title: Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good
Author: Jan Karon, John McDonough (narrator)
Published: September 2, 2014 by Penguin Audio
Length: 17 hours 23 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

I really enjoyed this continuing story of Father Tim Cavanaugh in the fictional NC town of Mitford. The story flowed well, but was a tad long in places. I loved going back and catching up with all the characters in Mitford, but enough information was given that I think one could read it without reading the previous novels in the series. I loved this narrator, his portrayal of The Turkey Club men's meetings was particularly memorable. Well worth the listen, I'm excited to read the next in the series when my favorite character Dooley will be getting married!

Title: Some Luck
Author: Jane Smiley, Lorelei King (narrator)
Published: October 7, 2014 by Random House Audio
Length: 14 hours 48 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

Great family saga that is part of a trilogy. This part takes place over the years 1920-1953, each chapter encompasses a year in the lives of the Langdon family. This is not a fast moving story, but a realistic portrayal of a family in the midwest as they navigate life during this time period. I liked it, but it was a bit slow in places. If you like a lot of action or a defined plot, you will not find it in this series. I enjoyed some character stories more than others, but found it left me wanting to continue the series to follow their lives. The narration was good, although there were a lot of characters to voice so many of them did end up sounding the same.

Title: Life After Life
Author: Kate Atkinson, Fenella Woolgar (narrator)
Published: April 2, 2013 by Hachette Audio
Length: 15 hours 34 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

My review:

Absolutely beautiful writing, but this one was hard for me to follow, especially toward the end. This plot is not really in my wheelhouse, but I'm glad that I read it. The writing was wonderful. I think this would make a great bookclub selection as some people may get different aspects of the plot to help people such as me who were a bit confused 🙂 Liked the narration, lovely accent and very soothing voice.

Title: Early Warning
Author: Jane Smiley, Lorelei King (narrator)
Published: April 28, 2015 by Random House Audio
Length: 18 hours 11 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

The next installment in the Langdon family trilogy. This book takes us from 1953-1986. My thoughts on this book are pretty similar to the first volume. I like some characters more than others, thankfully there is a family tree at the front of the book because as the years go by, the family expands and there are more people to keep track of. I was born in the late 50's so I enjoyed that a lot of this book brought up news events that I remember. At over 18 hours long, this is not a book for the faint of heart. This was narrated by the same person as the first book, so I appreciated that continuity.

Title: Royal Wedding
Author: Meg Cabot, Arielle DeLisle (narrator)
Published: June 2, 2015 by Blackstone Audiobooks
Length: 9 hours 21 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and paperback via publisher at BEA
Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

What a delight to read this adult sequel to the young adult series The Princess Diaries. Princess Mia is all grown up and planning a wedding, along with all the other shenanigans that are going on while she leads her country of Genovia. I was completely captivated by this very humorous (without being too silly or slapstick) peek into Mia's days and nights leading up to her marriage to long time beau Michael. This was a royal hit in my book!! Great narration, I was completely on board with this funny tale!

Title: A Spool of Blue Thread
Author: Anne Tyler, Kimberly Farr (narrator)
Published: February 10, 2015 by Random House Audio
Length: 13 hours 23 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Another lovely family saga, this time it's the Witshank family of Baltimore. Beautifully written characters, plenty of family drama, but yet this is not a fast paced novel, it meanders along with lovely writing, and wonderful exploration of the dynamics within a family unit. The book is divided into two major sections, and this was my only fault with it. The second half of the book was the story leading up to the one that we found in the beginning. I'm sure there was a valid reason why the author did this, but the juxtaposition wasn't my favorite, even though both sections were wonderful reads. I had no issues with the narration.

Title: Shopaholic to the Stars
Author: Sophie Kinsella, Clare Corbett (narrator)
Published: October 21, 2014 by Random House Audio
Length: 12 hours 37 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a paperback copy
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Becky Brandon Bloomwood strikes again! I know that there have been a million books in this series, and they all follow the same general pattern, but yet I thoroughly enjoy them.....still. I don't know how Kinsella does it, but she manages to make me laugh out loud at Becky's antics and predicaments she gets herself into. The narrator was fabulous with her English accent (which I could listen to all day!), and I would laugh out loud every time she voiced Minnie. If you like the previous books in this series, you will not be disappointed in Becky's next caper.

Not a bad book in the lot! Stay tuned for my next grouping (hopefully) tomorrow 🙂

Title: The Things We Keep
Author: Sally Hepworth
Published: January 19, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

Anna Forster, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease at only thirty-eight years old, knows that her family is doing what they believe to be best when they take her to Rosalind House, an assisted living facility. She also knows there's just one another resident her age, Luke. What she does not expect is the love that blossoms between her and Luke even as she resists her new life at Rosalind House. As her disease steals more and more of her memory, Anna fights to hold on to what she knows, including her relationship with Luke.

When Eve Bennett is suddenly thrust into the role of single mother she finds herself putting her culinary training to use at Rosalind house. When she meets Anna and Luke she is moved by the bond the pair has forged. But when a tragic incident leads Anna's and Luke's families to separate them, Eve finds herself questioning what she is willing to risk to help them.

My review:

I was excited to read this sophomore novel by Ms. Hepworth, her debut The Secrets of Midwives was a favorite of mine last year (review here). This was also a great read. The author knows how to keep the reader engaged and turning pages to find out what happens to her characters. There are two concurrent stories within this book, one being that of Anna (which actually progresses from an earlier time to the present) and Eve. While the focus of the story is on Anna, I have to say that for me, it was Eve (and her adorable daughter Clementine) who stole the book. While the love story between Anna and Luke was sweet and well written, I really never bought into it. I kept feeling that it was more born out of the circumstances that they were in, than any great love story. I also really liked the glimpses we got into the lives of the other residents of the facility, particularly Baldy and his growing connection with little Clem, and Laurie and Clara, whose love story had much greater resonance with me. The first person narrative of Anna amid the progression of her disease was very well depicted, but this novel was not as sad and gloomy as you might expect. There were several moments of happiness, as we followed and cheered for each of the characters to achieve milestones, and happiness.

A well depicted chronicle of the progression of early onset Alzheimer's. While I was not as invested in the love story as the author may have hoped, I found so many other parts of the book to satisfy me. Loved this quote, which sums up the title:

"In the end, you just remember the moments of joy.
When all is said and done, those are the things we keep."

Title: The Guest Room
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Published: January 5, 2016 by Doubleday
Pages: 336
Source: ARC via publisher
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

 When Richard Chapman offers to host his younger brother's bachelor party, he expects a certain amount of debauchery. He sends his wife, Kristin, and young daughter off to his mother-in-law's for the weekend, and he opens his Westchester home to his brother's friends and their hired entertainment. What he does not expect is this: bacchanalian drunkenness, a dangerously intimate moment in his guest bedroom, and two naked women stabbing and killing their Russian bodyguards before driving off into the night. In the aftermath, Richard's life rapidly spirals into a nightmare. The police throw him out of his home, now a crime scene; his investment banking firm puts him on indefinite leave; and his wife finds herself unable to forgive him for the moment he shared with a dark-haired girl in the guest room. But the dark-haired girl, Alexandra, faces a much graver danger. In one breathless, violent night, she is free, running to escape the police who will arrest her and the gangsters who will kill her in a heartbeat. A captivating, chilling story about shame and scandal, The Guest Room is a riveting novel from one of our greatest storytellers.

My review:

First let me say that I've read almost all of the 18 books Mr. Bohjalian has written, and I'm so impressed with how versatile he is as a writer. After that many books, you can come to expect the same type of story from a lot of authors (not that this is a bad thing, just an observation). I never know what to expect from Bohjalian, and it definitely keeps me coming back for more. There is always an underlying social theme to his books, and in this case it is the issue of sex trafficking. Alexandra's story is heartbreaking, and I was turning the pages as fast as I could to make sure she was safe in the end. Richard's story was a little harder to swallow, you would think that he would have been smarter than to go along with what was occurring in his home, but it's certainly not the first time I have rolled my eyes at the "boys will be boys"mentality. The book is well paced, the chapters alternate between Richard (and his family) and Alexandra. The only nugget of disappointment comes at the tail end where I thought things got a little unbelievable, but then there was the real ending which had me holding my head and screaming "NOOOOOO" (no spoilers :))!!

A page turner of a novel, which brings to light a subject not that prominent in the headlines, and speaks of the huge consequences that one night of "seemingly harmless fun" can have.

I had the pleasure of seeing Chris on the release night of the book, at my local Indie bookstore. As a former Vermonter, I always take pride in speaking with him. I asked him about his next novel, and it sounds fantastic, so keep your eyes out (he didn't say when it would be released).

Title: Stars Over Sunset Boulevard
Author: Susan Meissner
Published: January 5, 2016 by NAL
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

Los Angeles, Present Day. When an iconic hat worn by Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind  ends up in Christine McAllister’s vintage clothing boutique by mistake, her efforts to return it to its owner take her on a journey more enchanting than any classic movie… 

Los Angeles, 1938.  Violet Mayfield sets out to reinvent herself in Hollywood after her  dream of becoming a wife and mother falls apart, and lands a job on the film-set of Gone With the Wind. There, she meets enigmatic Audrey Duvall, a once-rising film star who is now a fellow secretary. Audrey’s zest for life and their adventures together among Hollywood’s glitterati enthrall Violet…until each woman’s deepest desires collide.  What Audrey and Violet are willing to risk, for themselves and for each other, to ensure their own happy endings will shape their friendship, and their lives, far into the future. 

My review:

This book had two things going for it before I even cracked the cover (a figure of speech, I have an obsession with not breaking any spines on books 🙂 ). It has a gorgeous cover, and it is about old world Hollywood. I am happy to report that I was not disappointed in my choice, and I can't believe that this is my first book by Meissner! The story mostly occurs starting from the late 30's, with small snippets from present day. Eventually both stories come together as time progresses for Violet, Audrey, and Bert. I loved the descriptions of that time period in Hollywood, and the movie scenes from Gone with the Wind (you do not have to have read the book or seen the movie to enjoy this, but I think it does add to the charm if you have). I thought the characters stories were well written, and very interesting to follow. While some of their decisions were not always agreeable to me, I think they fit with their personalities. There is a bit of a mystery with the present day story, which is laid out fairly early, but it's still intriguing to figure out its progression. A great character novel, we get to see them grow and develop over the years.

A book that had me enthralled with the old world charm of a Hollywood movie, and the lives of those working in the studio during it's filming. This book has me going back through the previous titles by Ms. Meissner to see what else I've missed.

Title: This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Published: January 5, 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 292
Source: e-ARC via NetGalley
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

My review:

The premise of this book looked so inviting that I had to grab a copy and read it. It ended up being kind of a middle of the road novel for me. There was some things that I liked about it, and some that I didn't. What I liked was the subject matter, which is so prevalent in today's society that it needs to be talked (and read) about often. I loved that there were so many diverse characters in this novel, from ethnic diversity, a lesbian relationship, and physical disability. Bravo for that. I liked that the novel was very fast paced, it kept me flipping pages quickly to find out how it would end. The parts that I wasn't as keen on were equal in number to those I enjoyed. My biggest problem was how long it took for the authorities to get to the school and enter the building. In this day of social media with every student having a phone, why did it take so long to take down one gunman? Speaking of social media, there were places at the end of each chapter where student's (who were trapped in the auditorium) tweets were included. Totally unnecessary part of the book in my opinion. The biggest problem I had was that none of the characters were well developed enough to actually care that much about them. It seemed like every kid had tales of woe, a bit too many in your average population, and there were so many of them that none were really given justice. I should mention that one of my all-time favorite books, Nineteen Minutes, deals with this subject. Naturally I couldn't help but compare the books as I was reading, and this one fell way short of that one.

A fast paced read, with lots of diversity, but a little short on the characterization aspect.

Title: The Word Game
Author: Steena Holmes
Published: November 3, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 207
Source: Publisher via BookSparks
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

For overprotective parent Alyson Ward, any time her daughter, Lyla, is out of sight is reason to panic. So it’s a big step for her when she lets Lyla attend a sleepover at her cousin’s house. Comforted by the knowledge that her sister, Tricia, is the chaperone, Alyson does the one thing she never thought possible: she lets go and trusts that her daughter will be safe.

But Alyson’s sense of peace is short lived. When Lyla comes home the next morning, she reveals something that could tear apart not only their family but also the entire community. Now, Alyson and Tricia must confront their painful shared past as they come together to help a little girl who they fear might be harboring terrible secrets similar to their own. Will the sisters be strong enough to face their demons in order to protect the child, even if it means telling their most private truths?

My review:

This book has an interesting, thought provoking storyline. How much do you believe when dealing with a child who makes incriminatiing revelations against someone you know? How about if your past has resulted in false accusations before? Who should you tell, when do you confront, and how do you go about it without hurting those involved?  What about if there are conflicting stories? These are all questions that must be answered by Alyson, along with her sister Tricia. While I thought the plot of this book was excellent, it did lack depth in both writing and character development. It was a bit too simplistic to ever create a good flow, and while I did want to continue reading to find out how it ended, it got a bit boring as I waited for the resolution. It's a short book, and I'm wondering if perhaps a longer book would have necessitated better character development?

A+ for topic, but sub par writing brought this one down a bit for me. If you can overlook the lack of depth with this one, it does create a great "what would you do, and who would you believe" story.

This was part of the BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge. Click on the link to see what this program is about.