Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (6)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (2)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (7)
- North Carolina (3)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (3)
- Canada (3)
- England (14)
- France (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Monday, November 22, 2010
Here-There-And-Everywhere Plotline Gives Me Trouble
1:00 AM

Things start to change when a hungry 5-year-old boy shows up at Dellie's door. She's seen Corey around enough to know his story - the kid lives with his deadbeat mother who often leaves him home alone while she goes out with different boyfriends. When she is at home, everyone can hear her yelling at the boy and the bruises she leaves all over his body are difficult for anyone to miss. Although she knows she shouldn't get involved, Dellie can't ignore the needy child who reminds her so much of her brother. She failed Louis, but she vows not to let Corey down.
The more Dellie gets involved, the riskier the situation becomes. She's seen Corey's mom in a temper before and it's not a pretty sight. Still, she has to do something. In the meantime, she has to deal with her best friend, who's suddenly not speaking to her, and Michael, who, surprisingly enough, is. She's been crushing on him forever and now he wants to hang out, something Dellie's mother will never approve of. How can Dellie convince her parents to give her the freedom she needs to grow up? How can she help Corey when she couldn't help Louis? How can she do what she knows is right when the thought of stepping up gives her panic attacks? Most importantly, will life ever be normal and happy again?
The Trouble with Half A Moon (available January 2011), a debut novel by Danette Vigilante, is a poignant story about grief, compassion and courage. With its inner-city, housing project setting, it's no surprise that the book touches on disturbing subjects like domestic violence, depression, poverty, and addiction. Still, it's a hopeful tale that promises redemption through kindness, understanding and faith. While this sometimes gritty tale carries an important message, the story suffers from choppy writing, a here-there-and-everywhere plotline, and characters who don't get the development they deserve. Vigilante's trying to cover so much territory that the book lacks the focus necessary to make it truly effective. A little streamlining would have made a huge difference here. As is, the book makes for a very disappointing read. Unless Vigilante's skills improve big time by her next book, I won't be reading her again.
(Readalikes: Reminded me a little of Bang! by Sharon Flake)
Grade: C-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for mature subject matter (although it has no profanity or sex)
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Trouble With Half A Moon from the generous folks at Putnam.
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)


Reading
Rabbit Rabbit by Dori Hillestad Butler and Sunshine Bacon

Listening
The Morning House by Maureen Johnson


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
-
-
A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao8 hours ago
-
-
Our Favorite Games for Two People15 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Six Wild Crowns By Holly Race1 day ago
-
72. The Wild Robot1 day ago
-
Rage by Linda Castillo1 day ago
-
Sisters in the Wind1 day ago
-
-
Top 5 Tuesday ~ Sizes1 day ago
-
-
-
The Beach House Murders by Peter Boland2 days ago
-
Clean teen books for Summer1 week ago
-
Books read in June1 week ago
-
-
-
-
No Roundup this month2 months ago
-
-
Sunday Post #5682 months ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up4 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery4 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October7 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I10 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus11 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ▼ 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

Mmm, I can't make my mind up whether I'd like that storyline or not. Thanks for a great review though.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! Sorry it didn't work for you! Amazing how books can strike people so differently. I just loved this one. Interesting reading your take on it, though!
ReplyDeletehttp://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2010/11/230-trouble-with-half-moon-by-danette.html