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Wednesday, May 17, 2017
LDS Rom-Com Fun, But A Little Too Breezy (With a Giveaway!)
4:48 PM
Not long after winning her "prize," Lane begins to wonder if charming, spontaneous Jamie is the right man for her after all. If only his older brother Simon weren't so grounded, so thoughtful, so observant ... so different than doesn't-think-twice Jamie. Is it possible Lane's fallen for the wrong Hamilton? As the situation grows more and more complicated, she knows she needs to tame her fickle heart. And fast. If the plot summary for Wrong For You, a new LDS rom-com by Jenny Proctor, seems a little thin ... well, it is. Besides the love triangle at the center of the novel, there's not a whole lot going on with this story. It's meant to be a light-hearted romance, sure, but that doesn't mean the novel can't have some depth. Wrong For You is fun and upbeat, with a strong female lead and yet, it just gets a little too silly for me. I'm not a big fan of love triangles as the only source of conflict in a book in the first place. I also didn't care much for Lane, who seemed like a big, fat hypocrite to me. So, while Wrong For You is a light, fun While You Were Sleeping-ish novel, I didn't love it. It made for easy, breezy reading during a week where my overtaxed brain couldn't have handled much more, but still ... Proctor's got a great storytelling voice; I'd just love a little more depth from her books.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Love at First Note by Jenny Proctor and LDS rom-coms by Melanie Jacobson)
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 Wrong For You from the generous folks at Covenant. Thank you!
--
Want more opinions about Wrong For You? Follow along on the book's blog tour:
May15th: http://mybookaday.
May 16th: http://lisaisabookworm.
May 17th: http://rachellewrites.
May 18th: http://www.
May 19th: http://booksaresanity.
Want a chance to win your own copy of Wrong For You plus a $25 Amazon gift card? Enter the giveaway below:
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Unique and Lovely, Dolssa Is Another Julie Berry Gem
12:43 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When her reputation as a prophetess becomes a threat to the Catholic Church, Dolssa de Stigata—an 18-year-old noblewoman—is sentenced to death by hanging. Although she manages to escape her grisly fate, she's hardly free. An inquisitor stalks her through the countryside, hunting for his prey with a determination dark and dangerous. Devoted to her beloved Jhesus, Dolssa prays for deliverance.
Like Dolssa, Botille Flasucra harbors a special gift. With an almost supernatural talent for matchmaking, the 17-year-old's services are much requested in the small town of Bajas. Botille uses her skills to supplement the money she and her sisters make from running the Three Pigeons tavern.
The fates of the two women intertwine when Botille discovers Dolssa lying half-dead by an isolated lagoon. Although no one wants to borrow trouble, Botille and her sisters rescue the delirious mystic. Hiding her in the tavern, they nurse Dolssa back to health. When they learn who she truly is, the sisters vow to protect her. As danger creeps ever closer to Bajas, the Flasucras begin to realize just how much they are risking, not just their own lives but those of everyone in the village. Is it worth it to shelter Dolssa and her outrageous claims? When the vengeful friar comes calling, what will happen to Botille and her sisters? To peaceful Bajas? Only one thing remains certain—no one will escape unscathed.
With only three books to her credit, Julie Berry is not a prolific writer (Edit: Turns out this statement is totally false. You can see all the books she's written listed on her website. I apologize for the error.). Which is a real bummer because I'm a huge fan. I've loved all her novels, her newest being just as unique and lovely as all the rest. While I can't see teens flocking to check out The Passion of Dolssa, I adored it. The rich, sophisticated story is told in gorgeous prose. Short vignettes narrated by various everymen and -women break up the narrative, adding interest, local color, and originality to the tale. Dolssa and Botille are intriguing narrators in their own right, but it's all the different voices that really plump this book up, making it stand out from its fellows. The recipient of numerous awards (including a Printz Honor designation and a recent Whitney Award for best YA novel by an LDS author), it's a gem that I can't stop recommending.
(Readalikes: I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Passion of Dolssa from Changing Hands Bookstore with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
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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