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Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo
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Showing posts with label Tosca Lee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tosca Lee. Show all posts
Thursday, September 03, 2020
Exciting Apocalyptic Novel Timely and Affecting
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
After leaving the doomsday cult in which she's been brought up, 22-year-old Wynter Roth is learning how to navigate a strange new world populated with things she's always been taught were evil: television, rock music, skin-bearing clothes, etc. Just as she's beginning to get a handle on things, a strange virus sweeps through the U.S. The disease acts swiftly and causes a terrifying type of early-onset dementia, which leads to confusion, violence, and fear.
Even though Wynter was never a hard-core New Earth believer, she's not entirely surprised to discover the Prophet's revelations about the imminent collapse of society coming true. The End he always raved on about is happening before her eyes. And she's just as helpless as everyone else when it comes to stopping it. Then Wynter's older sister, the Prophet's wife, shows up on Wynter's doorstep. Sick with the virus, she shoves a carrier full of tissue samples into Wynter's hands, begging her to take them to a veterinarian in Colorado. Even though the government is warning people to shelter in place, Wynter knows she has to get the samples to someone who can help eradicate the virus. And she has to do it now.
As Wynter flees Chicago in a desperate race against time, she encounters Chase Miller, an ex-Marine who promises to help her travel across the country. Wynter can't tell him what she has in her possession and Chase is keeping plenty of his own secrets. Can Wynter trust her newfound road trip pal? Can she get the samples to Colorado in time? Can anyone save the population from descending into complete and utter madness?
Although we're in the middle (at the end?) of a global pandemic, I still enjoy reading novels like The Line Between by Tosca Lee. After all, disaster/survival scenarios are way more fun to contemplate in fiction than to experience in real life! I've read loads of these kinds of books and, honestly, The Line Between doesn't bring anything super unique to the table. And yet, it's one of the most memorable apocalyptic novels I've read in some time. Why? Well, it features likable characters, an exciting plot, a timely premise, and solid writing. What's different about it is that it's cleaner and more uplifting than most books of its ilk. Yes, it deals with difficult, disturbing subjects. However, it does so in a way that is thoughtful and faith-promoting without being cheesy or preachy. While The Line Between is technically a Christian novel, it doesn't feel like one. It does ruminate on religious subjects, which—as a person of faith—I found both refreshing and thought-provoking. Statements like this one stayed with me long after I finished the book: "It occurs to me that none of us should have entered these walls. That we have never been 'in but not of the world' here but in another world completely. That this was never faith, but seclusion in a place so safe that faith need never be tested even as we lived our lives of duality" (388). This element of the story may turn non-religious readers off, but I hope it doesn't because The Line Between really is an engrossing, affecting read. I loved it.
(Readalikes: its sequel, A Single Light by Tosca Lee; also reminds me of Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams and The Hallowed Ones and its sequel, The Outside, by Laura Bickle)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, non-graphic references to disturbing subject matter (rape, sexual abuse, forced marriage, etc.), and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Line Between from Changing Hands Bookstore with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I've Loved But Not Reviewed. Yet.
According to my mom, I taught myself to read before starting kindergarten and just never stopped. I've read thousands of books throughout my life; since I didn't create my blog until 2006, that means there are tons of titles that would work for today's Top Ten Tuesday topic: Top Ten Books I Loved But Never Reviewed. Could my aging memory come up with enough to make a decent list? Yeah, right! I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday (actually, I can't remember at all—did I even eat breakfast yesterday?). Thankfully, I am, as always, months behind on writing reviews for this year's reads, so I'm just going to chat about ten books I've read in 2020 that I loved but haven't reviewed. Yet.
You've probably got lots of books you loved but haven't reviewed, too, so why don't you join in the TTT fun? All you have to do is click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, scan a few quick instructions, make your own list, then spend some happy hours spreading the love across the book blogosphere. It's a great way to check in on favorite blogs, discover new ones, and of course, find awesome reading recs to add to the ole TBR mountain chain. It's a good time, I promise!
Top Ten Books I've Loved This Year But Haven't Reviewed Yet
1. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren—This enemies-to-lovers romance about a wedding reception that goes awry, leaving the best man and the maid of honor to take the newlyweds' honeymoon vacation, is just plain fun.
2. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart—Based on the real-life experiences of a "lady cop" and her crime-fighting sisters in early 20th Century America, this mystery is the first in a series featuring the indomitable Constance Kopp. It's interesting and compelling.
3. The Split by Sharon Bolton—I love suspenseful stories set in remote places and Bolton's newest definitely fits the bill. It's a novel with a deceptively simple premise—a woman who has fled to remote South Georgia for an extended research trip is being pursued by an ex-con. Why? Will he find her? Like all of Bolton's mysteries, this one is taut, tense, and twisty. The Split might be my favorite of all her books.
4. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate—This dual-timeline novel combines adventure, mystery, and history to create an intriguing tale that I very much enjoyed.
5. Beyond the Horizon by Lois Lowry—It might be a thin volume, but this memoir-in-verse that recounts the author's experiences as a young girl in Hawaii during World War II, packs a big punch. I found it profoundly moving, but in a way that snuck up on me, if that makes any sense.
6. Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain—This impactful novel is about a new social worker from a privileged background who begins her career in rural North Carolina during the turbulent 1960's. Her life and outlook are both changed when she meets a young girl who's carrying all the burdens of keeping her desperately impoverished family afloat.
7. The Imperfects by Amy Meyerson—It's hard to describe this Knives Out-ish novel, but it's an on-point exploration of what can happen when an estranged family unexpectedly inherits an exorbitant amount of wealth—and secrets.
8. Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams—True, there's nothing super original about this YA novel in which the members of a sheltered religious cult have to face the alarming effects of a terrifying pandemic, but it tells a thoughtful story that kept me engrossed. It asks some important questions about faith, blind obedience, family, etc. I also like that it features a character with Type 1 diabetes (in a cult that eschews medicine, no less). You don't see my disease featured in a lot of books, so I was glad for this important representation.
9. From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks—I enjoyed this middle-grade novel about a girl who intercepts a letter from the father she's never met, who's in prison for murder. She starts a secret correspondence with him that leads her to make some important discoveries about herself and her family. Despite its heavy-ish content, this is an upbeat, enjoyable book.
10. The Line Between by Tosca Lee—This YA novel is similar to Agnes at the End of the World and I liked it for a lot of the same reasons. It tells an exciting story, but it also offers up a lot of lots of food for thought on faith, works, and religion. For a doomsday novel, it's surprisingly clean and upbeat.
There you have it, ten books I enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reviewing yet. What do you think? Have you read any of them? Do any of them sound like reads you would enjoy? What books have you loved but not reviewed yet? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, April 07, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: On Hold at the E-Library
Happy MonTueWedThurFriSatSunWhateverday! My kids have now been out of school for a month thanks to Spring Break and COVID-19. We've been plugging along pretty well, all considered, but my 11-year-old social butterfly did have a little breakdown yesterday over missing her friends. She said (with a sad little sniff), "I love hanging out with my family, but I just want to see other people's faces!" My husband owns his own business and has still been going to the office most days. Yesterday, even he said, "I'm going a little crazy." I haven't gone anywhere in days, but I've been busy reading, blogging, working on a cross-stitching project, cleaning, etc. What have you been doing to stay sane during these crazy times?
Top Ten Tuesday is always a fun diversion, even in normal times. If you haven't heard of it, remedy that! All you have to do is hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, read a few quick instructions, create your own list, then click around the book blogosphere checking out other people's lists. It's a great way to spread the love—and who couldn't use a little of that right now? The topic du jour is Top Ten Books I Bought/Borrowed Because ... I haven't bought any books lately, but I have been checking out e-books from my library. So, that will be the focus of my list today.
Top Ten E-Books I've Borrowed From the Library During the Quarantine (and Why):
1. A Single Light by Tosca Lee. Why?
- I enjoyed the first book, The Line Between. It's a fast-paced, engrossing, well-written dystopian novel that is surprisingly clean and faith-promoting, although it's not a religious/Christian book.
- I had to know what happens to Wynter, Chase, and the others.
- So far, A Single Light is darker than The Line Between but just as exciting.
2. Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower. Why?
- that punny title!
- A blogger (sorry, can't remember who) mentioned enjoying this cozy series that takes place in an Amish candy shop. I'm in the mood for lighter mysteries and this first installment sounds fun.
3. From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. Why?
- I love middle-grade novels.
- This mystery features a 12-year-old African-American girl who's curious about the father she's never met. He's in prison for a terrible crime he insists he didn't commit. Zoe's desperate to prove her dad's innocence. Can she? Sounds intriguing!
4. Let's Call It a Doomsday by Katie Henry. Why?
- Stephanie from She's Probably at the Library gave it an excellent review. She was especially impressed by the way religion (mine specifically) is portrayed in this book and thought I would enjoy both its story and the faith exploration.
- The plot sounds interesting. It features a teen girl who's obsessed with all the ways the world can end and a new friend who knows when it will. Definitely sounds like my kind of book.
5. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel. Why?
- Back before I started blogging, I read several installments in Coel's Wind River Reservation mystery series. As much as I enjoyed them, I didn't continue on with the series for some reason. I'm ready to dive back in.
- I need a Wyoming book for the 2020 Literary Escapes Challenge.
- Since it's been so long since and I have a terrible memory, I won't remember whodunit!
6. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams. Why?
- The fun premise: In an attempt to save his crumbling marriage, a macho baseball player joins a secret romance book club, where he's coached by other alpha males on how to woo back his wife.
- I need a "book about a book club" for a POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt.
- I've read lots of positive reviews, so I'm hopeful it will be a light, entertaining read that's more sweet than steamy. Too much to ask for??
7. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. Why?
- I've long been fascinated by the mechanics of sleep and why we dream what we do, so this book just sounds crazy intriguing.
8. Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin. Why?
- my aforementioned affinity for middle-grade novels
- the cute, colorful cover art
- The premise sounds interesting: A 12-year-old girl notices her mother displaying disturbing behavior, the kind that has previously landed her in a mental hospital. Desperate to fix her mom, the girl puts her faith in Bee Lady's magic honey, only to find the solution may have more to do with healing her own heart. Sounds like a sweet read.
9. Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf. Why?
10. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. Why?
- A high school senior decides to reexamine a murder that rocked her town five years ago for her senior project. What could possibly go wrong? Now that's a compelling premise right there!
There you go. Have you read any of these? What did you think? What other books do I need to add to my library e-book wishlist? What books have you bought/borrowed lately and why? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.
Happy Top Ten Tuesday!
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
TTT: I've Been So Good This Year, Santa Came Early!
If you've never played along with TTT before, you really should. It's a fun weekly event that helps book bloggers spread the love across our fabulous online community. I love dropping in on favorite blogs, discovering new ones, and, of course, adding great-sounding reading recommendations to my TBR
Here we go with the Top Ten Books Santa Already Put Under My Tree (metaphorically speaking—they're actually on my festive red book cart):
*I should mention that I brought this haul home from my favorite local indie, Changing Hands Bookstore. One of my favorite things about the place is that they offer their customers a yearly birthday discount. They also let you trade in your old books in exchange for a generous store credit. Since I have a December birthday, I made a trip to Changing Hands the other day. I traded in some books and used both store credit and my birthday discount to get a whole stack of goodies. If you live near me or are just visiting the Phoenix area, you should definitely visit one of their two locations. I prefer the Tempe store (it's funky, fun, and has a lovely staff), but the Phoenix one is a treat as well.*
1. The Line Between by Tosca Lee—In this post-apocalyptic novel, an eradicated disease reemerges from the melting permafrost in Alaska, causing its victims to go insane. An escapee from a doomsday cult finds herself trying to navigate her way in a strange, new world while also learning the disturbing truth about the emergent virus. Post-apocalypse + cults? Count me in.
2. The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell—I haven't read anything by this author, but this historical novel, about a woman who defies convention to stand up for the rights of miners in turn-of-the-century Michigan, sounds intriguing.
3. The Life and Death Parade by Eliza Wass—I realized after buying this book that it has pretty ho-hum ratings on book sites. Oh well. It sounds interesting. The novel concerns a boy who visited a psychic who told him he had no future. Now, he's dead. His girlfriend vows to find out what really happened to him.
4. My Bookstore by Ronald Rice—This gem was in the clearance section for super cheap, so I snatched it up. It's a collection of essays by authors like John Grisham, Fannie Flagg, Ann Patchett, Carrie Ryan, etc. talking about their favorite bookstores. Sounds fun!
5. A Noël Killing by M.L. Longworth—After talking about holiday books I wanted to read in last week's TTT, I was immediately drawn to a display table full of just that. I bought several titles I mentioned in that post, plus this one. It's actually the 8th book in a mystery series set in France. Maybe I'll be able to read the first seven before next Christmas.
6. Before and After by Lisa Wingate—If you've read Before We Were Yours, Wingate's based-on-a-true novel about the horrifying Tennessee Children's Home Society orphanage, you might be interested in this one. It's a collection of real-life experiences from people who lived at the orphanage. Sounds fascinating.
7. The Black Hour by Lori Rader-Day—I've enjoyed several novels by Rader-Day. This one, about a college professor who's disabled after being shot by a student trying to come to grips with what happened to her and the graduate student who's obsessed with the event, sounds compelling.
8. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny—I'm a rabid Penny fan, but I'm purposely reading her Armand Gamache series slowly so I can savor it. This is the 11th installment and I'm sure I'll love it just as much as I have all the others.
I picked up these two at Deseret Book a few weeks ago:
9. This Road We Traveled by Jane Kirkpatrick—I enjoy pioneer novels and this one, about a woman's journey across the Oregon Trail, sounds like a good one.
10. Wildly Optimistic by Al Fox Carraway—Carraway, a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who calls herself "The Tattooed Mormon" is a popular speaker, writer, and online personality. Her books are fun and inspiring. I'm excited for this one, her newest.
There you have it, ten books "Santa" already delivered. Have you read any of them? What did you think? Have you been so good this year that Santa's already gifted you some fun books? What intriguing titles are you hoping to find under the Christmas tree this year? I'd truly love to know. Leave a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
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