2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge
2026 52 Club Reading Challenge
2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)
2026 Countdown Reading Challenge
Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo
2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge
2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)
2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge
European Reading Challenge 2026
2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)
2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Christian Adoption Novel Clean, Uplifting and Moving
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Lauren Bailey is tired of waiting for The One to magically appear in her life before she can make her dream of becoming a mother a reality. Only her very closest friends know that the 31-year-old first grade teacher has applied to adopt a child from China; in fact, she's been waiting to be matched with one for over a year. Since the rules dictate that she can only adopt as a single woman or as a wife of more than two years, Lauren has stopped looking for Mr. Right altogether.
Enter Joshua Avery, a goofy tech developer who's stepped in as a short-term sub for the other first grade teacher at Lauren's school. He's cheerful, funny, compassionate, successful, and...interested. As much as Lauren tries to convince herself she doesn't feel the sparks between them, she can't deny that a certain dinosaur-obsessed creator of educational apps is constantly on her mind. When she finally receives an email matching her with a child, Lauren is torn. The timing couldn't be worse. If she proceeds with the adoption, will she lose Joshua? If she prioritizes her new relationship, will her dream—what she feels is a God-given calling—of being an adoptive mother ever come true? She's having a difficult enough time getting her family onboard with the idea, let alone the new man in her life. Will she have to sacrifice her dream of adopting for her dream of finding the perfect partner? Is there some way to have both, even when it's looking like she'll get neither?
Christy Award-winning author Nicole Deese and her husband adopted their daughter from China. That experience inspired her to write Before I Called You Mine, a novel that's not just about adoption, but also about the choices we make in life, the anxieties we feel, and the ability we have to conquer them through faith in God. (It's Christian fiction, natch.) Although my experience with adoption differed greatly from Lauren's fictional journey (my husband and I had been married for over a decade and had three biological children when we adopted our newborn daughter here in the U.S.), I could definitely empathize with a lot of her feelings and frustrations. Her decisions and thought patterns didn't always seem logical to me, but I still felt a connection with her character. She's sympathetic and likable, although—not gonna lie—she got irritating and self-centered at times. Joshua, on the other hand, is completely charming, likely because he has no actual flaws except for being a little too silly. He could have used some rounding out to make him more realistic. I especially dug Lauren's kind, supportive circle of friends; their presence adds a nice found-family aspect to the novel that gives it another layer of heartwarming appeal.
Deese has a warm, engaging writing style that makes Before I Called You Mine both compelling and enjoyable. The story is predictable, sure, but it's got enough conflict going on to keep it interesting. Lauren's romance with Joshua develops over time, her adoption journey is realistically bumpy, and her dealings with her parents and sister bring up some important issues about family, adoption, and decision making. This might be spoiler-y, but I would have liked more in the story about Lauren's actual experience as a single, working mother of an older child who has been plopped into a completely foreign living situation without being able to understand more than a few words of English. That whole experience—which could be incredibly rocky—feels glossed over in the novel.
I know a lot of readers shy away from Christian novels because they often get too preachy, cheesy, or just over-the-top Jesus-y. Before I Called You Mine does have a stronger religious vibe than other Christian books I've read, but it's handled in a way that feels mostly natural and balanced. To be fair, I'm a religious person and I often have discussions with family and friends about church, scriptures, spiritual promptings, how God works in my life, etc. I like the way Deese deals with the religious aspects of the story, and I am definitely one who puts down a book if it's too preachy! This one isn't (at least not for me).
Overall, I quite enjoyed Before I Called You Mine. It's clean, heartwarming, uplifting, and faith-promoting. I cared about the characters and felt invested in their plights. There was enough going on in the story to keep me reading. Its themes resonated with me as a mother, an adoptive parent, and a Christian woman. Deese's writing style appeals to me so I will definitely be reading more from her.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books about adoption, although no particular one is coming to mind. Help!)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for nothing offensive
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Before I Called You Mine from the generous folks at Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Saturday, September 17, 2022
Warm-Hearted Adoption Novel Intimate, Insightful, and Discussion Worthy
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
A planner by nature (and profession), Tabitha Basnight is determined to turn her unconventional clan into a real family. She wants her 7-year-old twins to maintain a close bond with their biological siblings, even though the children are spread out between three different households. The families' frequent (but hurried) gatherings aren't enough for Tabitha, who longs for a close sisterhood with her fellow adoptive mothers. To that end, she has organized an activity-filled, two-week stay for the entire crew at a vacation home in Aspen, Colorado. Tabitha just knows the time together will finally cement the bonds between them in the rock solid way she's been dreaming of.
Elizabeth Evans isn't quite as thrilled about her upcoming vacation. After five years of miscarriages and IVF treatments, she and her husband couldn't wait to adopt infant Violet. John is absolutely enthralled with fatherhood, but Elizabeth? Well, she kind of hates it. Weighed down by guilt, exhaustion, and heavy debt from her infertility treatments, Elizabeth is already on edge. How is she supposed to keep it together while in such close proximity to Tabitha, the perfect mother?
Although Ginger Kowalski, an introverted technical writer, never intended to have children, she's delighted with her adoptive daughter. She's less enamored with Tabitha's determination to create one big, happy family. By living in a different city than the other parents, shy, private Ginger is able to keep a little bit of distance. She knows Tabitha doesn't agree with her choice and she's not looking forward to spending two weeks feeling suffocated and pressured by the bossy planner.
When Brianna, the kids' flighty birthmother, calls to let the families know she's pregnant again, it lights a match to a fire already stoked with a dangerous mix of anxiety, resentment, guilt, jealousy, doubt, and feelings of inadequacy. Will the family be able to rise from the ashes of the ensuing inferno? Or will the vacation that was supposed to bond them forever tear them apart for good?
I hadn't heard of Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown before seeing it advertised at a local bookship with a note saying, "Everyone connected with adoption should read this book." I'm an adoptive mom who's always looking for a compelling read, so I picked the book up (from the library, because I'm also cheap). The story immediately sucked me in, not because it's action-packed, edge-of-your-seat kind of stuff, but because the characters are so relatable. I saw different elements of myself in each of the three moms at the center of the book. All three are complex, sympathetic, well-actualized characters. I cared about them, their children, and what was going to happen to their unique family. This is very much a character-based novel, but there's enough tension in the plot to keep things moving along. In fact, I zipped through Any Other Family in a day. It's a warm-hearted read that made me smile, sympathize, and think about adoption as a whole and about my experience with it in particular. The author is an adoptive mom herself, so the novel feels authentic, intimate, and very personal. Whatever your experience with adoption, Any Other Family is an engrossing, insightful book. I enjoyed it.
If you're looking for a book club read that asks discussion-worthy questions, look no further. Any Other Family explores lots of intriguing questions like: What makes a family? What (if anything) do adoptive parents owe to their child's birth family? What kind of adoption is healthiest for a child? How does being adopted affect a child's psyche and well-being? What questions are appropriate/inappropriate to ask an adoptive family? How does the experience of motherhood differ for each mother? No matter your own experience (or inexperience) with adoption, these are probing questions sure to inspire an interesting book club discussion.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Far From the Tree by Robin Benway and How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Approachable DNA/Genealogy Book An Engrossing, Thought-Provoking Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
If you hang out here at BBB with any regularity, you know that I'm an adoptive mom as well as an avid genealogist. I'm so into family history, in fact, that I'm currently working on becoming accredited as a professional genealogist in two regions: U.S. Southwest and U.S. Great Lakes. COVID has slowed the process, but I'm hoping to finish my testing this year. I'm not a big tv watcher (I'd rather read, thank you very much!); however, I have been known to binge-watch shows like Finding Your Roots, Genealogy Roadshow, Relative Race, and Who Do You Think You Are?. I've been quietly researching my adopted daughter's birth family's genealogy since she was born. Bottom line? I go nuts over anything related to family history: research, DNA, adoption reunions, family heirlooms, passed-down stories, etc. Given all that, I was immediately drawn to The Lost Family by Libby Copeland. How could I resist a book that promised to tick off so many of my favorite reading boxes?
The book tells the story of Alice Collins Plebuch, a woman who took a DNA test that returned results that were unexpected and perplexing. To say the least. The confusing information led her on a journey that required painstaking research, uncomfortable questions, and an almost complete overhaul of everything she knew about herself and her family. Copeland uses Plebuch's incredible story as a framework for discussing the relatively new technology of DNA home-testing, which allows anyone to spit in a tube, upload very personal information to a very public forum, and share all the secrets hiding in their genes with the world. While doing so has led to joyous reunions between biological family members, answers to heart-wrenching questions, and even the bringing to justice of the Golden State Killer, they've also been the catalyst for broken hearts, renewed feelings of abandonment, privacy breaches, and the revelation of long-buried secrets that maybe should have been kept that way. Copeland poses some deep, thought-provoking questions on the subject like:
- Should the public posting of DNA results be more regulated to protect those who are not actively seeking answers?
- What makes a family?
- How much does one's genetics really influence the person they become?
- Should DNA results be automatically shared with law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of greater-good justice-seeking in spite of privacy issues?
- Do the children of adoption and sperm donation have the right to seek their birth families, regardless of whether those people want to be contacted?
Copeland's exploration of these questions and more makes for fascinating food for thought. If your book club is looking for a discussion-worthy read, you just found it!
Although The Lost Family digs into complex science and even more complicated philosophical questions, it's actually a very readable book. Copeland's style is laidback and conversational, making her book a great pick for experienced genealogists as well as family history newbies. The stories she includes—about Alice and many others—makes her subject intimate and personal. It's not often that I race through a volume of non-fiction, but I cruised through this one eagerly lapping up every word. Needless to say, I enjoyed the read immensely.
I choose paper books over their e-versions on most occasions, but I purposely bought this one digitally so that I could mark it up and easily search for memorable passages. Here are a few of my favorites:
"Secrets, we are all discovering, have a propulsive power all their own, and time and complicity only make them more powerful. Once you decide to keep a secret, the secret maintains a circular logic, even when circumstances change. Many seekers say the fact of the secret is the thing that nags at them, more than the nature of the secret itself" (3-4).
"The sheer girth of those numbers means that even if you don't choose to send away for a kit, it increasingly doesn't matter. Especially in the United States, where DNA testing is more popular than anywhere else, all of us are already drawn in by the decisions of other people who share our genetic material—people who, in many cases, we've never met. As bioethicist Thomas H. Murray told me, 'You don't get to opt out.'" (4)
"We look for ourselves in our family histories and in our genes, but such things alone do not make identity. We human beings are the meaning-makers, each of us a product of a particular time and place, with ideas about what we value and, indeed, what we hope to find when we look" (28).
"...when one person spits into a vial or swabs her cheek, her whole family is implicated" (50).
"For science to use someone's body to attempt to disprove something sacred to that person—is that the uncovering of truth or a violation?" (67).
I could go on, but I'll stop there and just encourage you to read the book for yourself. Also, I'd love to know your experiences with and feelings on DNA testing. I find the whole subject utterly fascinating. My husband, adopted daughter, and I all did ours through Ancestry years ago. Like Copeland, I was "at once disappointed and relieved not to find any big surprises in my results...boring results can be a blessing" (32).
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs) and disturbing subject matter (rape, incest, murder, etc.)
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Lost Family with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Monday, February 22, 2021
Glittering White City Backdrop Makes Historical Mystery Especially Colorful and Compelling
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Note: Although this review will not contain spoilers for Shadows of the White City, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, Veiled in Smoke. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.
It's been over twenty years since 43-year-old Sylvie Townsend had her heart smashed to bits by a lying suitor. She's never quite recovered, but she has found fulfillment in mothering her adopted daughter, Rose Dabrowski. At 17, Rose is a headstrong young lady who yearns for independence and freedom. Although Sylvie is trying to loosen the apron strings, she fears her impulsive daughter is headed for nothing but trouble. When Rose launches a desperate search for her birth family, Sylvie tries not to take it as an affront. Knowing she needs to be supportive, she attempts to push her anxiety and fears away and give her beloved daughter the space she so obviously needs.
With the colorful, chaotic 1893 World's Fair in full swing right on their doorstep, Sylvie has warned Rose repeatedly to be very careful when out and about in Chicago. Her worst fears are realized when her daughter vanishes without a trace. Has the young woman been abducted? Or has she run away from home to escape her mother's suffocating watch? Sylvie cannot rest until she knows Rose is safe. Enlisting the help of her sister, Meg, and a multi-lingual musician named Kristof Bartok, she combs the extensive World's Fair venue in frantic hope of finding her missing child. While the search brings her and Kristof loser together, Sylvie feels herself drifting further and further from Rose. Can she find her daughter before it's too late? With Chicago growing more crowded and dangerous by the day, Sylvie fears she'll never see Rose again ...
Shadows of the White City, the second book in Jocelyn Green's Windy City Saga trilogy, takes place 22 years after the first book, Veiled in Smoke. Although Meg and other characters from the initial installment are present in the second, it's really Sylvie's story. While she and her cohorts aren't super original story people, they are sympathetic and likable. I definitely identified with Sylvie, especially in her plight as an adoptive mother. Her devotion to and desperate yearning for connection with her daughter felt all too real to me. The World's Fair makes for an exciting backdrop to the story. Green describes it vividly, dropping all kinds of fascinating tidbits about the event throughout the novel. As far as plot goes, the tale remains compelling to the end, even though it's significantly longer than it needs to be. The mystery of Rose's whereabouts is not very mysterious or surprising, but it still keeps the story interesting. Like Veiled in Smoke, Shadows of the White City is a Christian novel, so it's clean, uplifting, and faith-promoting. Although the book is overly long with a predictable storyline, I still enjoyed this engaging read. I'm looking forward to the final installment in the trilogy, which features Meg's grown-up daughter and the way the 1915 Eastland Disaster in the Chicago River impacts her life. Sounds intriguing!
(Readalikes: Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green; also reminds me of The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, scenes of peril, and non-graphic references to prostitution, white slavery, opium abuse, etc.
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Shadows of the White City from the generous folks at Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: The Baby in My Mardi Gras King Cake
On a Sunday back in 2008, my husband and I boarded a plane bound for New Orleans. The beautiful baby girl we were about to adopt had just been born in the area and we were looking forward to getting her on Monday. We had planned to spend Sunday playing tourists in NOLA, but then we got the surprise news that we could get our baby a day early. From then on, the only sight-seeing we did in Louisiana was in a hospital and a hotel room.
Adopting our sweet little girl was an incredible, life-changing experience. I don't think it's a coincidence that it's a Mardi Gras tradition to bake a small baby toy into a king cake. Whoever gets the slice with the trinket inside gets good luck and prosperity for the year. We found our baby in Louisiana; since she has been nothing but a treasured blessing in our lives, we definitely feel like we were given the lucky slice!
In honor of my daughter, I changed today's TTT list from Top Ten Purple, Yellow, and/or Green Book Covers (in honor of Mardi Gras) to Top Ten Books About Adoption. I'm going to split my list into five that I've read and five that I want to read.
Before we get to that, though, I want to encourage you to join in the TTT fun. It really is a good time and a great way to support this wonderful book blogging community that we all love so much. Just hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for details.
Top Ten Books About Adoption
Five I've Read:
1. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery—This book, which is one of my all-time favorites, features the mistaken adoption of a young orphaned girl by an aging brother and sister. Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert intended to adopt a boy so they would have someone to help on their farm. Although fiery Anne is not exactly what they had in mind, they soon find themselves thoroughly charmed by their irrepressible new daughter.
2. How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr—This beautiful YA novel is probably the best book I've ever read about adoption. It hit me in all the feels, let me tell you! The story revolves around two teenage girls—one whose grieving mother decides out of the blue to adopt a baby and one who has agreed to place her unborn baby with the family. As the birth grows nearer and nearer, the three women (each of whom has her own agenda) must figure out how to understand each other, trust each other, and, ultimately, decide what's best for one tiny human when all of their hopes, dreams, and goals are on the line. It's a lovely read.
3. The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman—I read this middle-grade novel earlier this year and loved it. It's about Imani, a 12-year-old bi-racial girl who was adopted by a white Jewish couple when she was a baby. As her bat mitzvah approaches, Imani begins researching the story of her adopted great-grandmother's WWII escape from Luxembourg while also secretly trying to find her birth parents. It's a sweet, engaging tale about one girl's heartfelt search for her "real" identity.
4. A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley—This memoir tells the fascinating story of the author's adoption from India by a white couple from Australia. Although his adoptive home was full of love and acceptance, Saroo felt an intense, burning need to find his birth family in India. The fact that he was able to locate them with so little information to go on is nothing short of miraculous. This is an incredible book, which was made into a touching film called Lion.
5. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda—Another beautiful novel, this one tells the parallel stories of two mothers. One is a California pediatrician who is devastated when she finds out she is infertile. The other is a poor woman in India who knows she can't afford to keep her newborn daughter. When the American decides to adopt a baby from an Indian orphanage, their stories converge.
Five I Haven't:
1. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung—Chung's Korean parents placed her for adoption when she was a baby. Adopted by a white couple and raised in a sheltered Oregon town, Chung experienced the pain of racism and feeling out-of-place in her mismatched family. Her memoir, which talks about her experiences with transracial adoption, sounds like an intriguing and illuminating read.
2. The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson—I'm not sure how much adoption actually features in this novel, but it still sounds like a good read. It's about a Black engineer who returns to the dying Indiana factory town where she grew up. As she digs into her past (including adolescence, when she was forced to give up her baby), she discovers some shocking truths.
3. The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans—This non-fiction book sounds absolutely heartbreaking, but also totally fascinating. It's about the history of China's one-child policy, which led to numerous adoptions of female Chinese babies.
4. Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage by Kay Bratt—This memoir is about a foreign woman's experience as a volunteer in a Chinese orphanage.
5. Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata—Adopted Jaden thinks he's an "epic fail." No wonder his parents are traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt another baby! When they all arrive at the orphanage, they discover "their" baby has already been adopted. As the family attempts to choose another on the spot, Jaden makes a sweet new friend and comes to some realizations about himself and his family.
There you go, five books about adoption that I loved and five I plan to read. Has your life been touched by adoption? Is it a subject you enjoy reading about? Which books have you loved on the subject? If you did the Mardi Gras prompt, which book covers did you choose? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Upbeat MG Novel More About Capability Than Disability
(Image from Amazon)
Aven Green was born with no arms. The 12-year-old is used to getting stares when she's in unfamiliar places, but she's lived in the same town for so long that no one at school or in her community gives her a second glance anymore. Her classmates see her use her feet to do all kinds of ordinary tasks—eat, turn pages in her textbooks, write, even play the guitar. No big deal. They know she can do pretty much anything they can do, even without arms.
When her dad announces that he's taken a new job as the manager of an amusement park in Arizona, Aven is not thrilled. She doesn't want to move to the desert, leave her friends behind, and start over at a new school. Doing so is just as awful as she thinks it will be. Stagecoach Pass is a grungy, derelict old place; her family's new apartment is teensy; her classmates gape at her torso and make rude comments; and Aven's taken to hiding out in the school bathroom to avoid their stares. Things start to improve when she meets two boys who feel just as outcast as Aven—Connor has Tourette Syndrome and Zion is overweight. With her friends by her side, she sets out to prove anew that challenges or no, they can do anything, even solve the mystery of Stagecoach Pass's missing owners!
A note: I listened to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus on audio. The book is read by Karissa Vacker, whose performance I didn't love. She tended toward a Valley Girl/mean girl accent when voicing Aven and other young females, while employing a mopey/dopey tone for Aven's male pals. Thus, the girls all sounded like snots while the boys just sounded dumb. I'm an audiobook novice, so perhaps I'm way too picky about narrators, but Vacker drove me a little nuts. I got used to her after awhile, but I came close to abandoning the audio version because her voice grated on my ears, especially at first. Just sayin'.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Poignant, Compelling MG Novel My Favorite Read of the Year So Far
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Imani Mandel is used to nosey questions from strangers. The 12-year-old has spent her whole life fielding them. Why is she Black when her parents are white? Who are her real mom and dad? How can she be Jewish when she's Black? Shouldn't she be celebrating Kwanza instead of Hanukkah?
Imani has grown up in an adoptive Jewish family, so her life makes sense to her. Still, she can't help but wonder about her birth family and the truths that are hiding in her DNA. For her upcoming bat mitzvah, Imani gets to choose a "big" present. She knows what she wants—her parents' permission to search for her birth family—but she doesn't know how to ask for it without gutting them.
For her bat mitzvah, Imani is supposed to do a research project about the Holocaust. When her great-grandmother dies, leaving her many books to her grandchildren, Imani is shocked to discover a diary forgotten among the other volumes. Even more amazing, it's the journal her great-grandmother Anna kept when she was forced to leave her native Luxembourg in 1941. At 12 years old, she fled to America by herself, reluctantly leaving her parents and five siblings behind. As Hitler's campaign to destroy the Jews heats up, she worries constantly about the family she left in Europe. What happened to Anna's family?
As Imani becomes immersed in her great-grandmother's story, she begins to understand her place in her adoptive family, her legacy as a Jew, and what it truly means to be her own unique self.
I had never heard of The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman until I came across Afoma Umesi's wonderful list of 67 Best Middle-Grade Historical Fiction Books. As the adoptive mother of a mixed-race daughter and a lover of World War II stories, I was immediately drawn to the novel's premise. It promised a compelling story about themes I find intriguing: identity, family history, heritage, adoption, DNA, etc. Did it deliver? Absolutely! The characters are sympathetic and likable, the plot is exciting and interesting, and the overall story is poignant and moving. When it comes to dual-timeline novels, I'm usually way more invested in the past story than the present. Not so with The Length of a String; I was equally intrigued by both story lines. Although the book deals with some difficult subjects, overall it's upbeat, uplifting, and empowering. So far, this is my favorite read of the year. I loved it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen and other children's books about the Holocaust)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Saturday, September 26, 2020
Appalachian Midwifery Novel Engaging and Uplifting
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Ashley Tolliver is a 29-year-old nurse-midwife who descends from a long line of women dedicated to caring for Appalachian mothers and babies. Everyone in the small community of Brooksburg, Virginia, knows they can trust her to treat them with kindness, discretion, and skill. Although Ashley longs to attend medical school, she's as loyal to her patients as they are to her. They need her more than she needs an M.D.
In the six years Ashley has been working as a midwife, she's sure she's seen it all. Then a young mother is abducted minutes after giving birth in Ashley's home office. Bleeding profusely, the new mom needs to be in the hospital, as does her newborn. Desperate to get the pair the emergency medical attention they need, Ashley vows to find them.
Ashley's in the middle of dealing with the crisis when Hunter McDermott shows up at her door. A 32-year-old engineer from Arlington, he's searching for the Appalachian birth mother he never knew he had. As she helps the handsome adoptee uncover the real story of his birth and ancestry, Ashley finds herself reconsidering both her professional goals and the possibilities of an unexpected romance. Could everything she's ever wanted really be waiting for her just beyond the hills her family has always called home? Does she have the courage to put her needs before her patients' for once? Or will she forever be the woman who delivers children for others but never has a family of her own?
Ever since Call the Midwife aired, people have become fascinated with the profession—and by "people," I mean me. I'm also drawn to stories about Appalachia, so The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes was kind of a no-brainer read for me. Did I end up adoring the novel? No. Did I enjoy it overall? I did. Although I found Ashley's sometimes holier than thou attitude annoying, she's still a brave, dedicated, hardworking heroine for whom I had no trouble rooting. The novel's setting intrigued me, of course, and I appreciated Eakes' sympathetic but balanced portrayal of Appalachia's hill people. Plot-wise, The Mountain Midwife is engaging and compelling. When I picked this book up, I didn't realize it was a Christian novel; thankfully, the book's religious elements are mostly subtle and not too preachy. Just the way I prefer them. On the whole, then, The Mountain Midwife worked for me as it's clean, uplifting, and entertaining. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from Eakes.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman as well as Call the Midwife, which is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, scenes of peril, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Poignant Sisters Novel a Decent Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Thirty years ago, a struggling young mother was arrested and sent to jail. She had no choice but to surrender both of her girls—4-year-old Brooke and 6-month-old Natalie—to the state. Believing they would be kept together, Jennifer Walker served her time knowing—hoping—that her daughters would have a better life without her.
Raised by an adoptive family, Natalie, now 35, is happily married with two children of her own. She runs a small catering business out of her home. Growing up in foster care took its toll on Brooke. At 39, she's a cocktail waitress whose only significant relationship is with a married man. The sisters haven't seen each other since they were separated from each other as children; until very recently, in fact, Natalie had no idea Brooke existed. Now that she does know, she can't stop herself from reaching out. After that? Natalie wants them both to seek out their birth mother. What happens when the two women finally meet? Will Brooke help Natalie find Jennifer? What will happen if they do?
Somewhere Out There by Amy Hatvany is a poignant, compelling story about two women's journeys to reacquaint themselves with each other and, ultimately, rediscover themselves. While there's nothing really original or memorable about them as characters or about their story, the novel is still engrossing. I can't say I loved it, but overall, it made for a decent read.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of Far From the Tree by Robin Benway)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Plot Holes and Unsatisfying Ending Make Teen Search and Rescue Novel a Disappointing Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Kira Bennett knows what it means to be a kid lost and alone in the wilderness. The memories of her earliest years as a feral child doing whatever it takes to survive still haunt her, even though she was rescued at five years old and adopted into a loving family. Now 17, Kira finds purpose in helping her adoptive mother train Search and Rescue dogs, so no one—especially a child—has to live the way she once did.
When Bales Bennett, Kira's estranged birth father, comes to her adoptive family asking for help locating a child who's gone missing from a campsite, Kira wants in. Along with her adoptive mother, foster brother, and two of their friends (including the hot, but possibly dangerous Gabriel Cortez), the group of handlers head to Sierra Glades National Park with one goal: find 9-year-old Bella Anthony. As the search grows increasingly dangerous, Kira is pummelled with crushing memories of her own past, especially as secrets about her birth parents and her new family start coming to light. Can Kira clear her head enough to find little Bella? What truths will she learn about herself along the way?
Books about search and rescue operations in remote wilderness settings always intrigue me, so naturally, I was drawn to The Lovely and the Lost, a YA novel by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. It's peopled with characters who are likable, but not original or really memorable. The teens don't speak like real kids, nor are they really treated as such since they have little adult supervision throughout the novel and are basically left to do whatever they please. This, as well as the fact that the teens are even involved in a search and rescue operation of this kind, makes the plot seem far-fetched. The purpose behind Bella's disappearance also seems illogical. The story is fast-paced, though, as well as compelling, even if it doesn't always make sense. I appreciate that The Lovely and the Lost is a clean YA novel with no annoying insta-love, but for me, there are some big holes in its construction. Add to that a weird, unsatisfying ending and, meh, this read just didn't do it for me. It was propelling enough that I finished the book, but I certainly didn't love it. Bummer.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, scenes of peril, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Lovely and the Lost at Barnes & Noble with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, April 02, 2019
Top Ten Tuesday: They Get Me Every Time
I'll spill those particular beans in a minute, but first, if you want to join in the Top Ten Tuesday fun (and you really do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl. Read some simple instructions, make your own list, then have a grand ole time visiting other blogs. It's a great way to find new blogs to love, add good reads to your TBR list, and spread the book blogging love. Plus, it's FUN.
Okay, here we go with the Top Ten Things That Make Me Immediately Want to Read a Book:
1. Family Secrets—I'm always intrigued by the tantalizing secrets lurking in the closets of families, especially in those that seem perfect from the outside. Note: I enjoy this topic in fiction. In real life, you can keep your dirty laundry to yourself. I really don't want to know. In novels, though, bring it on!
Favorite book(s) in the genre: Anything by Kate Morton or Joshilyn Jackson
2. Creepy Old Houses—There's just something about a big, mysterious abode that sets my imagination of fire. Especially if it's perched atop a rugged cliff near the sea. The possibilities with this theme are literally endless. Think hidden passageways, ghosts, secret rooms, forgotten bones, concealed treasures, etc. Show me a creepy old house on a book's cover or anywhere in its plot summary, and I'll read it.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: Anything by Kate Morton or Carol Goodman
3. Homesteading/Pioneers—On the flip side, I also enjoy books about pioneers who leave their creepy old houses to go West in search of land, freedom, and new starts of all kinds. Something about a character battling inclement weather, poverty, opposing forces, etc. in order to eke out a life in a wild land appeals to me. Must be my Mormon pioneer heritage that draws me to these kinds of stories.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Gold Seer trilogy by Rae Carson, and Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
4. World War II—I love historical fiction and this event/time period is one I just can't stop reading about. No matter how many WWII novels I read, I always want to pick up more. It's an endlessly fascinating topic and time period.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Diary of Anne Frank, Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
5. Adoption—Adopting my daughter has been an incredible, life-altering experience. I'll never not want to read about adoption, whether it's non-fiction guides on various aspects of the process or novels about adoptees searching for their birth families, this topic always reels me in.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
6. Amnesia/Traumatic Brain Injury—For some reason, I also find this topic irresistible. From psychological thrillers to murder mysteries to domestic dramas, I love me an amnesia/TBI novel.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
7. Survival Novels, Especially in Severe Environments of In the Wake of Some Kind of Disaster—As big a wimp as I am, it's kind of surprising that I enjoy these types of books so much, but I do. Whether they're memoirs or novels, I dig a riveting survival story.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf, Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer
8. Virus/Disease Outbreaks—Again, I'm not sure why this topic intrigues me so, but it does. I find outbreak books (both fiction and non-) both horrifying and hard to put down.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier and Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
9. Hoarding—Having books stashed and stacked in every corner of your house doesn't count as hoarding, right? Asking for a friend ... I'm always engrossed by books about this condition. It's fascinating to read about the psychology behind the disease and how people cope with it.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omolulu
10. Small Towns—Cue Bruce Springsteen. I was born and raised in a beautiful little town that's not nearly as exciting as most fictional villages. Still, I love me a small town setting, especially if it's filled with quirky characters, loving (if nosy) neighbors, and some simmering secrets that are about to be uncovered ... Be it quaint, hardscrabble, mysterious, or somewhere in between, a small town setting is always going to get me.
Favorite book(s) in the genre: the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny, the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr, and the Big Stone Gap series by Adriana Trigiani
So there you have it, ten themes/genres that I just can't resist. How about you? What topics/settings/genres pull you right in? If you've read any great books that fit into my favorite categories, let me know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor.
Happy TTT!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Readin'
This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum
Listenin'
A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
-
Bookish (2025) - Lucy Mangan9 hours ago
-
The Summer Fun Massacre By Craig DiLouie11 hours ago
-
America, I'm So Glad You Were Born14 hours ago
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
