Search This Blog








2022 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (5)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (2)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (7)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (4)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
Antarctica (1)
Australia (2)
Egypt (2)
England (12)
Greece (1)
Italy (1)
Nepal (1)
Romania (1)
Scotland (3)
Sweden (1)
Wales (1)








The 52 Book Club's Reading Challenge 2022

2022 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

Tuesday, June 03, 2014
Haunting, Hopeful Hurricane Katrina Novel a Vivid, Inspirational Read
3:57 PM
(Image from Central Speaks)
A storm is brewing in the Gulf Coast, a squall some say could turn into the biggest, most catastrophic hurricane ever to hit New Orleans. Armani Curtis could not care less about all the talk, however ominous. She's got more important things to worry about—like her upcoming birthday party. She's weathered plenty of storms, but she's never turned 10 before. She can't wait for the cake, the presents, and all that attention focused just on her. It's going to be a perfect day.
Then, the storm starts blowing in earnest. People begin to panic, not just boarding up their houses, but actually leaving town. Things don't look good for the party Armani's been looking forward to for ages. In fact, things don't look good at all. Especially not for the Curtises, who can't leave their home in the Lower Ninth Ward. They have nowhere else to go, no choice but to hunker down and pray for preservation.

A lot of readers avoid books about natural disasters, war, and other cruel events, preferring to spend their leisure hours enjoying lighter fare. In fact, when I explained the plot of Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere—a debut novel by Julie T. Lamana—to my dentist, he exclaimed, "How can you stand to read such depressing books?" (Yes, I talk books with my dentist. And my hygienist. In fact, I think we spend more time exchanging reading recommendations than discussing my teeth. Which is just fine with me—I'll take a rousing book discussion over an oh-so-scintillating flossing lecture any day.) It's funny, because although Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere details some pretty harrowing events, I hadn't thought of the book as depressing until my dentist described it as such. Why is that? I think it's because the story has such a triumphant feel to it. Lamana, who lives in Louisiana and worked with children displaced because of Hurricane Katrina, wrote the book to give kids hope in the face of difficult situations. Through the brave, spunky Armani, she does just that.
While it teaches important lessons, there's more to Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere than just an inspirational message. With a vivid, atmospheric setting; tight, vibrant prose; complex, colorful characters; and a heart-pounding, action-packed plotline, it's also a riveting story. Because all these elements are so well fleshed-out, readers get a you-are-there feel for the horror many people experienced for real. Lamana doesn't shy away from showing scary scenes, but she does infuse them with hope, promising that good can be found even in the face of devastating tragedy.
Maybe the book's subject is depressing, but overall, I found it to be an uplifting novel about the power of family, fortitude and finding the strength you didn't know you had in the instant you needed it the most.
(Readalikes: Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes)
Grade:
While it teaches important lessons, there's more to Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere than just an inspirational message. With a vivid, atmospheric setting; tight, vibrant prose; complex, colorful characters; and a heart-pounding, action-packed plotline, it's also a riveting story. Because all these elements are so well fleshed-out, readers get a you-are-there feel for the horror many people experienced for real. Lamana doesn't shy away from showing scary scenes, but she does infuse them with hope, promising that good can be found even in the face of devastating tragedy.
Maybe the book's subject is depressing, but overall, I found it to be an uplifting novel about the power of family, fortitude and finding the strength you didn't know you had in the instant you needed it the most.
(Readalikes: Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs) and intense/scary images
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere from the generous Julie T. Lamana. Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)




Reading
Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower

Listening
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen1 hour ago
-
The German Wife [Book Review]1 hour ago
-
Chevalier, Tracy "The Last Runaway"2 hours ago
-
Can’t Wait Wednesday!3 hours ago
-
Can't Wait Wednesday-Deception3 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cover Love Statue of Liberty15 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
Review: Keep Me Close by J.H. Croix23 hours ago
-
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday #241 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fear No Evil by James Patterson1 day ago
-
Finlay Donovan is Killing It2 days ago
-
-
-
Review: Scrubbed by Dr. Nikki Stamp1 week ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
May Reading: Highlights & Disappointments3 weeks ago
-
-
An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher2 months ago
-
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova3 months ago
-
-
Cybils Awards 2021: The End4 months ago
-
Back to the Classics 20225 months ago
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ▼ 2014 (133)
0 bookworm(s) said...:
Post a Comment
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!