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Monday, May 15, 2017
Southern YA Debut Novel Disappointing Despite Intriguing Set Up
7:24 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Dill Early has never fit in in tiny Forrestville, Tennessee. And that was before his father went to prison. The dynamic Dill Early, Sr., is the pastor of the snake-handling Church of Christ's Disciples with Signs of Belief. Even with the leader incarcerated on charges of possessing child pornography, he has his devout followers. His son is no longer one of them. Humiliated by his father's sins, baffled by his mother's blind faith, and bullied by his classmates, Dill wants one thing—to escape Forrestville for good. He dreams of going to college, a goal neither of his parents support. In the meantime, he escapes by playing his guitar, writing songs, and leaning on his two best friends and fellow misfits, Lydia and Travis.
Lydia Blankenship is the kind of girl who intimidates all boys. She's smart, confident, and successful. Dill longs to tell her that he'd like to be more than friends, but he can't work up the courage. What's the point, anyway? The minute she graduates, Lydia will fly off to New York City, leaving him far behind.
As the three friends navigate their way through their senior year of high school, they will face unimaginable heartbreak and strife. Can the trio survive intact? Will their individual dreams and ambitions come to fruition? Or will they remain stuck in the mud that's already dragging them down?
The Serpent King, a debut novel by musician Jeff Zentner, is—as you can tell—a bit short on plot. Its focus is Dill, Lydia, and Travis, and their friendship. Which is great, except when the story drags because little is actually happening. I was drawn to The Serpent King because I found its title intriguing and the idea of a cult-like, snake-handling sect fascinating. Unfortunately, the things I found most beguiling about the novel weren't explored much, leaving me a bit disappointed. Add in a here, there, and everywhere plot and a loosely constructed story line and yeah, I just didn't end up loving this one. The book does explore some important ideas about the power of true friendship, not allowing yourself to be defined by the sins of your parents, and finding oneself even in the worst possible situations. Overall, though, I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as I wanted to. I'm in the minority here, though, as The Serpent King has received a number of awards including the William C. Morris YA Debut Award and a Whitney Award for Best Debut Novel of 2016. If you've read it, what did you think?
(Readalikes: Reminded me a little of A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a couple of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, May 08, 2017
Sense & Sensibility With a Modern, LDS Twist? Okay, I'll Bite ... (With a Giveaway!)
12:03 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
It's been almost a year since Emily Carter's parents died in a small plane crash. Still feeling adrift, the marketing guru is trying her best to care for her younger siblings, manage her sister's acting career, and keep their finances in the black. It's not easy. To make things worse, Emily's half-brother is reclaiming the home he inherited, kicking his "half-family" to the curb. With few options left, Emily turns her eye toward her own inheritance—the dilapidated ranch in Park City, Utah, that her father always intended to turn into an eco-friendly resort. She's reluctant to leave L.A., especially when she's finally met the (almost) perfect guy, but she's left with little choice in the matter.
Soon, Emily is struggling to save the ranch, sort out her feelings for Joel Rickman, and keep her manic-depressive sister from going completely off the rails. Emily's always been a sensible person, but now she's being pulled in so many different directions she feels as if she's going insane. Joel has been her saving grace, but he's Jewish and she's Mormon. Can two such different people possibly have a future together? Especially when Emily's present is already so chaotic?
Like Brittany Larsen's first novel, Pride & Politics, her newest takes a classic Jane Austen tale and gives it a modern, LDS spin. The result is Sense & Second Chances, a romantic story about two sisters finding love in unexpected places. Like the original, Larsen's version is full of conspiring characters, thorny complications, and insurmountable-seeming obstacles that keep love from coming seamlessly together. The plot gets silly at times, with contrived twists and melodramatic turns. Emily drove me a little crazy, too, with her rigidity and fickleness (despite a bad case of insta-love). Still, Sense & Second Chances is an easy, fun book that is clean, upbeat, and swoony. I liked Pride & Politics much better, but overall, I enjoyed this one.
(Readalikes: Pride & Politics by Brittany Larsen as well as contemporary LDS romances by Melanie Jacobson and Jenny Proctor)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Sense & Second Chances from the generous folks at Covenant. Thank you!
--
Want more opinions on Sense & Second Chances? Check out all the stops on the book's blog tour:
*May 9th: http://
*May 10th: http://www.
*May 11th: http://mybookaday.
* May 12th: http://booksaresanity.
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Thursday, May 04, 2017
Disturbing But Compelling, Second Novel in Crime Series As Thrilling As The First
5:25 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for The Reckoning, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, The Burning. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
As a woman on London's elite murder squad, DC Maeve Kerrigan feels the need to prove herself to her male colleagues—again and again and again. Even still, the 28-year-old would rather stay away from the high-profile case her department just picked up in Brixton. Some call the city's newest serial killer a hero; after all, the murderer's victims are sexual offenders whom no one will mourn. Most coppers would consider this kind of street justice, however savage, to be fair play. Not Maeve. Determined to stop a vicious killer, despite the crimes of his victims, she's committed to solve the case.
There are complications, of course. One of them is Maeve's new partner, a misogynistic new DI named Josh Derwent. Office politics make things even more difficult. Not sure who she can trust even on her own team, Maeve must be extra-cautious with a case that gets more disturbing by the minute. She can bring down a violent serial killer? Or will he find her first?
While The Reckoning—the second book in Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series—is more disturbing than its predecessor, it's just as compelling. The plot races along, making for a tense, pulse-pounding thrill ride. It's our heroine, however, that keeps me reading. Maeve is an understated, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of character. She's competent but fallible, tough but compassionate, brave but vulnerable. I love her. Even though Casey's mysteries aren't as twisty as some, I have found them very difficult to put down. After racing through The Burning, I binge-read the whole Maeve Kerrigan series to date and I can tell you that it just keeps getting better. The stories aren't for the faint of heart, but if you like British/Irish crime novels, you'll definitely want to give this series a go.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of the Dublin Murder Squad series [In the Woods; The Likneness; Faithful Place; Broken Harbour; The Secret Place; and The Trespasser] by Tana French as well as other books in the Maeve Kerrigan series [Left for Dead (novella); The Burning; The Last Girl; The Stranger You Know; The Kill; After the Fire; and Let the Dead Speak] by Jane Casey)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, May 02, 2017
TTT: Fall/Winter, I've Got You Covered
1:00 AM
If you like books and you dig lists, then you're going to love Top Ten Tuesday, my favorite bookish meme. If you've never participated, what are you waiting for? All you have to do is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish, read the instructions, make your own list, share it on your blog, and click around the book blogosphere to find new blogs, get great reading recommendations, and just have fun.
Each week, we're given a topic on which to base our list. Our topic du jour is a freebie about book covers. You can interpret it any way you like and be as creative as you please. I couldn't think of anything clever, so I'm going to share the covers of the Top Ten Books I'm Excited to Read When They Come Out in Fall/Winter 2017 (I'm not a summer person; I'd willingly skip right over June - August if I could):
1. Into the Bright Unknown by Rae Carson—I loved the first two books in this trilogy, so this final installment is a must-read for me.
2. The Good People by Hannah Kent—This story, about three women who come together in 19th Century Ireland to save a special child from a superstitious community, sounds intriguing. Available September 19.
3. Friend Request by Laura Marshall—This tagline is pretty darn irresistible: "Maria Weston wants to be friends with you on Facebook. But Maria died twenty-five years ago. Didn't she?" Available September 5.
4. There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins—A teen slasher tale sounds like perfect Halloween reading, doesn't it? Available September 26.
5. The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittal—This novel about a beloved teacher who's accused of a heinous crime against a student and the effects of the impending investigation on his family and community looks compelling. Available September 19.
6. If You Knew My Sister by Michelle Adams—A debut psychological thriller, this one is about a woman who was placed for adoption as a young child, while her twin sister was kept by their biological parents. When the adoptee returns to her family home, she and her sister are reunited, but it's not a happy reunion ... Sounds good, no? Available October 3.
7. All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater—I don't know a lot about this one, but it's by Maggie Stiefvater, so it's got to be good, right? Available October 10.
8. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman—Did you love the book Practical Magic? I did, so I'm excited for this prequel. Available October 10.
9. Renegades by Marissa Meyer—I'm not big on teens-with-superpowers books, but I'll read anything by Meyer. Maybe she'll change my mind about the genre? BTW: I'm cheating on this cover. The above is only a temporary version. Available November 7.
10. This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis—I've enjoyed other books by this author, so I'm excited for this one—another evil twin story. Available October 10.
So, there you go, my take on this week's topic. What was yours? Leave me a comment and I'll happily return the favor.
Happy TTT!
*I discovered most of these upcoming books from the ultimate list of 2017 books at Reading Like a Boss.
**Book images from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and authors' websites.
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