BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Star Craving Mad by Elise Miller

  Destination: Get To Know New York

Synopsis: Maddy Braverman, thirty and single, has taught first grade at an uber-elite private school in Greenwich Village for the past six years, a hip downtown school lauded as much for its progressive pedagogy as its privileged progeny̵and its multitude of sex-crazed staff̵including the headmaster, AKA the Head Molester. Angry at herself for not moving on, Maddy gets distracted from her pity party with a new student̵--Lola Magdalena, daughter of A-list celebrities Nic and Shelby Seabolt̵a last-minute addition to her class roster. 

When tragedy strikes Lola, Maddy has the chance to meet with Nic in his TriBeCa apartment. Maddy’s sexy celebrity fantasies turn to reality, leaving her breathless and spellbound. But from her front-row vantage point, Maddy learns the hard way that celebrity is not all it seems, and gets dealt a devastating blow that could leave her jobless, loveless and alone. If she could just see things clearly she could save herself from going Star Craving Mad.

Review: This was a truly hilarious easy read. Maddy is tough to like in the beginning, but she becomes more personable as the book progresses. The same is true of James, her assistant teacher. Nic and Shelby were never likable, but that was basically the point of their characters.

As a former teacher myself, I found Maddy's behavior with Nic totally unprofessional and disturbing. However, what Shelby did to her in return was even worse, and I am very happy with how that situation was resolved.

Even though the entire plot has an air of unbelievabilty, the theme of the book strikes a chord. What it boils down to is not judging a person by their looks, but getting to know who they are on the inside. If you're looking for laughs, this is the book for you.

Rating: Three stars

About the author

Elise A. Miller discovered her talent and passion for writing by accident, during a short-lived but rigorous acting pursuit in the late 1990s. She immediately began studying writing in earnest at Gotham Writers’ Workshop in New York City, and hasn’t looked back since. Elise completed courses in advanced fiction, memoir, novel writing, stand-up comedy and screenwriting. In 2000, she published her first piece in The Sun Magazine, and in 2002 she was one of the founding members of Little Red Writing Group in Brooklyn.

In the early 00s, Elise hosted and curated New York City’s East Side Oral (the reading series your mother warned you about), which showcased the talents of Jonathan Ames, Ned Vizzini, Amy Sohn, Darin Strauss, Alix Strauss, Felicia Sullivan, Mike Albo, Kim Brittingham, Victoria C. Rowan, Rachel Kramer Bussell, Allen Salkin and many more.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: A Window Opens by Liz Egan

Destination: Take A Trip To Suburbia

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (August 25, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1501105434
• ISBN-13: 978-1501105432

Synopsis: In A Window Opens, beloved books editor at Glamour magazine, Elisabeth Egan, brings us Alice Pearse, a compulsively honest, longing-to-have-it-all, sandwich generation heroine for our social-media-obsessed, lean in (or opt out) age. 

Like her fictional forebears Kate Reddy and Bridget Jones, Alice plays many roles (which she never refers to as “wearing many hats” and wishes you wouldn’t, either). She is a mostly-happily married mother of three, an attentive daughter, an ambivalent dog-owner, a part-time editor, a loyal neighbor and a Zen commuter. She is not: a cook, a craftswoman, a decorator, an active PTA member, a natural caretaker or the breadwinner. But when her husband makes a radical career change, Alice is ready to lean in—and she knows exactly how lucky she is to land a job at Scroll, a hip young start-up which promises to be the future of reading, with its chain of chic literary lounges and dedication to beloved classics. The Holy Grail of working mothers―an intellectually satisfying job and a happy personal life―seems suddenly within reach.

Despite the disapproval of her best friend, who owns the local bookstore, Alice is proud of her new “balancing act” (which is more like a three-ring circus) until her dad gets sick, her marriage flounders, her babysitter gets fed up, her kids start to grow up and her work takes an unexpected turn. Readers will cheer as Alice realizes the question is not whether it’s possible to have it all, but what does she―Alice Pearse―really want?

Review: What a fun read! I didn't want to put it down once I got started. Alice is a very realistically written wife and mother of three who finds her life turned upside down when her husband makes an impulsive and radical career change.

When Alice finds what seems to be the perfect full-time job, you would think the rest of the story would be happiness and roses. However, the roller-coaster ride is just beginning.  Her father's cancer returns, her marriage has a variety of issues, her children start to object to her work schedule, her trusted babysitter is ready to move on, and her job becomes something far from what she signed on to do with the company. 

There is a good deal of humor in the story, but it doesn't take away from the seriousness of the subject. The troubles are very real, and they aren't all neatly wrapped up by the end of the book. Some things take time to "fix," and there may not be an actual moment of solution.

I would highly recommend this to all mothers.

This book was given in exchange for an honest review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Rating: Five stars

About The Author

Elisabeth Egan is the books editor at Glamour. Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Self, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, People, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, the Huffington Post, the New York Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times Book Review, The Washington Post, the Chicago Sun-Times and The Newark Star-Ledger. She lives in New Jersey with her family.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Satisfaction by Andee Reilly

Destination: Road trip from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City

Synopsis: When 22-year-old Ginny Martin discovers her husband has been cheating on her, she strikes back. Buying tickets to every concert on the Rolling Stones North American tour, this devastated suburban housewife packs up the car and takes to the road. Following the Rolling Stones from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City, Ginny experiences freedom for the first time, while coping with the insecurities and limiting beliefs that had kept this small town girl’s life far too small. Bree Cooper is a nomad, a free-spirited drifter, and a mother who abandoned responsibility – and her young daughter – years before. When Ginny meets Bree at a roadside diner, they impulsively make the decision to throw their lot in together. In each other they find a friendship that they both had longed for. Bree also gives Ginny a chance to have a mother-figure who inspires independence and encourages confidence, while Ginny gives Bree a chance to get parenting right on the second try.

Review: This was another book whose synopsis promised more than the story was able to deliver, at least for me. The descriptions of the Rolling Stones concerts the characters attended were great, but unfortunately they were the best part of the book. The friendship that was described just didn't seem as well-developed as some other fictional friends--all they seem to have in common is their love of the Stones and their anger at men.  Hearing about those two subjects gets old after a while.

The book was a fairly fast read, which was a relief.  I'm sure there is an audience for this novel, but I just don't happen to be part of it.

Rating: Two stars

About the author
Andee Reilly was born and raised in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside and teaches literature and writing at California State University, Channel Islands. When not teaching or writing, she can be found surfing the beaches of Southern California and Maui. She fell in love with the Rolling Stones as a teenager, and their music has long served as an inspiration to her writing. Satisfaction is her debut novel.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Vote For Remi by Leanna Lehman

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Political fiction, contemporary, womens fiction

• Paperback: 261 pages
• Publisher: She Writes Press (May 13, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1631529781
• ISBN-13: 978-1631529788

Synopsis: Fiery US government teacher Remi Covington is relentless in her desire to impart the genius of the democratic process to her students. Her so-called “academically challenged” high school seniors sometimes find her enthusiasm more than a little annoying—so, in an effort to teach her a lesson, they execute a brazen, high-tech, social media blitz touting her as the newest candidate in the upcoming US presidential race. Much to everyone’s surprise, Remi plays along with her students’ ruse—and in a nation weary of politics and career politicians, she unexpectedly finds herself the darling of the American public. 

As the campaign takes on a life of its own, Remi is forced to confront a myriad of long-held social biases and cultural clichés, and realizes she isn’t quite the woman she thought was. Vote for Remi is about a would-be a presidential candidate who, despite being all wrong—the wrong gender, the wrong party, and certainly the wrong social status—discovers that she might be exactly what America needs: someone with a passion for doing what is right.

Review: With all of the political prattle going on these days, this book really hits home with me. Remi and her Do Right Party are a breath of fresh air in a country tired of political rhetoric, campaign promises, and outright lies.

This is a very believable story--well thought out and fully researched. You will find yourself rooting for the underdog, and cheering for how the story ends.

It is hard to believe this is a debut novel, as it is much more professional than many first novels I have read in the past. Here's to a long, productive writing career for Ms. Lehman!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Rating:  Four stars

About the author

 Leanna Lehman is the author of quirky political fiction novel, Vote For Remi (She Writes Press). She worked in the education field for six years, and specialized in developing online educational programs that assist at-risk teens. She lives in Fallon, Nevada, with her rescued dog Henry Higgins, and spends her free time painting, hiking, snowboarding, camping, and traveling to the coast. She found her passion for writing while undergoing chemotherapy in 2008-2009, when she began journaling her experience.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Anchored by Brigette Quinn

BOOK INFORMATION

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Curtis Brown Unlimited (August 2, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0692473513
• ISBN-13: 978-0692473511

Synopsis: Barbara King’s dream is to become the next Barbara Walters.  She has long had one foot out the door of her current job–as an early morning news anchor at the fledgling cable news channel, The Pheonix.  Her plan is to do her time at The Phoenix and move on to something bigger, better, and more Barbara-Walters-like.  But when The Phoenix’s ratings unexpectedly skyrocket after its controversial, no-holds-barred coverage of a major news event, Barbara’s star is poised to rise along with it. But is she willing to trade her journalistic ethics—and her dream—for fame?

Review: This novel provides a fun, lighthearted look behind the scenes of a newsroom and all the people who work there. It is full of humor, romance, friendship, and the struggle of staying true to yourself while working amidst strong egos and backstabbers. There are amazing plot twists, and several of the characters have endearing quirks.  This is a story in which you can easily lose yourself.  A great beach read!!

Rating: Four stars

About The Author
Brigitte Quinn has worked in broadcasting for more than thirty years, and was a television anchor at the Fox News Channel, MSNBC and NBC.  She holds an MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a BS from Cornell University.  She lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children, and is currently anchoring mornings at 1010 WINS radio in New York City.  You can visit her website at www.brigittequinn.com.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

Destination: Bundle up in the Windy City

Book Information

Genre: Thriller

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: MIRA (July 28, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778317706
• ISBN-13: 978-0778317708

Synopsis: A chance encounter sparks an unrelenting web of lies in this stunning new psychological thriller from national bestselling author Mary Kubica

She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head...

Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.

Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.

Review: After reading THE GOOD GIRL, as well as this book, I am a huge fan of Mary Kubica! I hope she continues to write amazing books for many, many years to come.

I found this novel to be even more thought-provoking and shocking than THE GOOD GIRL. I definitely got blindsided by several of the developments in this story.

Chapters alternate perspectives between Heidi, her husband Chris, and the teenaged Willow. Each of them has a very different outlook on life, and on the current situation. Chris sees Heidi as someone who wants to take care of every neglected, abandoned, mistreated, etc. creature on Earth--so when she brings home Willow and Ruby, he knows there is trouble ahead.  He also has a very sarcastic wit, particularly in dealing with their own daughter's foray into vegetarianism (he is very much a meatlover!)

Heidi starts out as a very caring and concerned ally for Willow, but slowly begins to take over Ruby's care, insinuating that she knows best. As we learn more about Heidi's past experiences, her present behavior, which becomes stranger and stranger, begins to make sense in a creepy sort of way.

Willow is a very complicated young woman. She also has a hidden past, as well as an agenda when it comes to Heidi. I alternated between feeling sympathetic toward her and wanting to shake some sense into her.

There are several other characters who play various parts in the story, but these three (along with Heidi and Chris's daughter, Zoe, and Willow's baby, Ruby) are the main focus. As their lives intersect and entwine, the pace picks up, and emotions run high, both in the story and for the reader. The ending is a complete and total surprise, and very satisfying.

Already chomping at the bit for the next release from this author!

Rating: Five stars

About The AuthorMary Kubica is the bestselling author of THE GOOD GIRL (2014) and PRETTY BABY (2015). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. Mary lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children and enjoys photography, gardening and caring for the animals at a local shelter.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: The Witch Of Bourbon Street by Suzanne Palmieri

Destination: Get jazzy in New Orleans

Book information:

Paperback: 336 pages

Publication Date: June 30, 2015

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: Women's Fiction (Magic, Witches)

ISBN: 1250056195

Synopsis: When Frances Sorrow returns home to the now dilapidated Sorrow Estate to restore her birthright, she finds herself haunted by a 100-year-old mystery only she can unravel

Set amidst the charming chaos of The French Quarter and remote bayous of Tivoli Parish, Louisiana, Suzanne Palmieri’s The Witch of Bourbon Street weaves an unforgettable tale of mystery and magic.

Situated deep in the bayou is the formerly opulent Sorrow Estate. Once home to a magical family, the Sorrows, it now lays in ruins, uninhabited since a series of murders in 1902 shocked the entire community. When Frances Green Sorrow is born, the family is on the brink of obscurity and the last remaining Sorrows cling to the hope that she is the one who will finally resurrect the glory of what once was.

However, Frances has no wish to be the family’s savior. Disillusioned, she marries young, attempting an "ordinary life," and has a son, Jack. When her marriage fails and she loses custody of her boy, she runs away to live a quiet life on the dilapidated Sorrow Estate, where she practices solitary magic amid ghosts and gardens. But when Jack disappears, she is forced to rejoin the world she left behind and solve the century-old murder that casts a long shadow over Tivoli Parish and its inhabitants in order to find her son.

The Witch of Bourbon Street is a story of love, family, redemption, and forgiveness. It’s a story that bridges the nostalgia of time, and brings those that are separated back together again.

My review: The book actually tells two stories--one in 1901/1902 and the other in 2014. They both involve the Sorrow family and witchcraft. In spite of the witchcraft angle, I found the novel to be more about love, forgiveness, and family--a family which just happens to include witches.

The story alternates chapters between the past and the present and alternates viewpoints of characters as well. Some people may find that difficult to follow, but I feel that it adds more depth to the story. 

The characters are presented with obvious flaws, making them easy to relate to and believe. And the story doesn't excuse those flaws, or "fix" them by the end of the story, which is also realistic.

This is yet another new to me author presented by this challenge, and I hope to find time to read her earlier two witch books in the future.

Rating: Four stars

About the author

Suzanne Palmieri is the author of The Witch of Bourbon Street, The Witch of Belladonna Bay, and The Witch of Little Italy. She is also the co-author (as Suzanne Hayes) of Empire Girls and I'll Be Seeing You. Writer. Lost Witch. Mermaid. 

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: The Road Home by Kathleen Shoop

NEW RELEASE....
Find your way home...

1891—Living separately for three years, fourteen-year-old twins, Katherine and Tommy Arthur, have done their best to make each boarding house feel like home. But unrest grows as they are driven to questionable actions just to survive. Meanwhile their desperate mother is confronted with breaking yet another promise to her children. Then a miracle descends. Hope rises on a cold, rainy night and changes everything. If Jeanie could just get word to Katherine and Tommy, she knows she can set their lives right again. Agitators, angels, and dangerous “saviors” illuminate the Arthurs’ unmatched determination and smarts.

1905—Though she tries to forget the awful years that hurt so much, the memories still haunt Katherine. Now, tearful mourners at her mother’s funeral force her to revisit a time in her life that both harmed and saved her in the most unexpected ways. Tommy grieves his mother’s passing as well. He too is thrust backward, compelled to rediscover the events in his life that shaped the man he has become. Will he commit to reconstructing his broken life? The Arthurs come to understand that forgiveness is the only way back to hope, the only way to find all that was good in the misfortune that transformed their lives forever.

Book available to buy from the following sites...

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo   iBooks

My review: It took me a while to get used to the idea that chapters went back and forth between characters and between time periods--sometimes I had to go back to a previous chapter to get the thread of the story again.  Since this is the second book in the series, and I didn't read the first, I wonder if I might have had more of a connection by reading the original first.

In spite of that, the stories of the children and their mother over the years are very well written. Some of the situations described are heartbreaking--and yet they all find the strength and courage to make it through. I'm extremely grateful that women no longer have to face the trials that Jeanie went through,

The story shows that forgiveness of a family member can be a slow painful process. It's a very realistic story of life in that era, and it's definitely a tear-jerker. 

My rating: Four stars

"Kathleen Shoop has woven a story that crosses over several years with events that define lives. Katherine and Tommy are two characters that will stand out in my mind for a long time. The way the story blends back and forth between the two time periods is seamless and enjoyable, slowly painting a whole picture for the reader to see. I have not read the first book in this series, but I honestly feel that this one stands alone beautifully. You will take a journey with these characters that will evoke emotions and entertain you. This is my favorite kind of historical fiction; emotional and fun at the same time. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a great book." 
Reviewed By Kathryn Bennett for Readers’ Favorite- 5 stars!

"I loved this riveting tale of hope and redemption. The Road Home comes to life with gorgeous imagery and a setting that eased me seamlessly and beautifully back and forth in time. Each character stood out, coaxing me into her story, making me want more. With the turn of every page there’s a revelation, something hidden or something wonderful and unexpected. The Road Home is a must-read for any book lover and a perfect follow-up to The Last Letter." 
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melissa Foster

Letter Series Book 1 - The Last Letter

A Father’s Deceit

A Husband’s Betrayal

A Loved One’s Death

A Mother’s Choice

A Daughter’s Resentment

A Time to Forgive

For every daughter who thinks she knows her mother’s story…

Katherine wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t found the last letter…

Katherine Arthur’s dying mother arrives on her doorstep, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie’s husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty — a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.

Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, Katherine has found the truth — she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?

Book available to buy from.......

Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.com    Barnes and Noble   Kobo   iBooks

About Kathleen Shoop

I have a PhD in Reading Education and have worked in schools for over twenty years. I work with teachers and their students in grades k-8 and am lucky to learn something new from them every time I walk through their doors. This experience was a huge help in writing LOVE AND OTHER SUBJECTS--a quirky, post-college coming of age story with a splash of fun romance.

My first novel, The Last Letter (2011 IPPY Gold Medal--Regional Fiction, Midwest, 2011 Indie Excellence Finalist Award for Historical Fiction and Regional Fiction, 2011 International Book Awards Finalist for Historical Fiction and Best New Fiction), was a fascinating trip through history, punctuated with fictional characters and events. The idea for the story grew from my great-great grandmother's letters (see My Dear Frank for the complete set of letters!) written during the year of her engagement to Frank Arthur. The beautiful letters are the inspiration for the novel, the seed from which The Last Letter's characters and their voices grew.

I've also written women's fiction--LOVE AND OTHER SUBJECTS-- and have written another historical fiction novel, AFTER THE FOG, set in 1948 in Donora, PA. AFTER THE FOG is also an award winning book--A finalist in the Eric Hoffer Book Awards, a silver IPPY and WINNER in the literary category of the National Indie Excellence Awards.

I adore writing historical fiction (The Letter series, After the Fog) but am having a blast writing romance like Home Again and Return to Love (Endless Love series) Thank you so much for the time you take to read.

Follow the author on the following sites...

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BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Beautiful Girl by Fleur Philips

Paperback: 150 pages

Publisher: SparkPress

Date of publication: June 9, 2015

ISBN: 1940716470

Genre: Young Adult

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Melanie Kennicut is beautiful. Her entire life revolves around this beauty because her overly controlling mother has been dragging her to casting calls and auditions since she was four years old. According to Joanne Kennicut, Melanie was born to follow in her footsteps.

But Melanie never wanted this life. When a freak car accident leaves her with facial lacerations that will require plastic surgery, she can't help but wonder if this is the answer to her prayers. For the first time in her life, she has a chance to live like a normal teenager--at least for a little while--away from the photo shoots and movie sets that have dominated her entire existence.

But after Melanie allows her best friend to come to the house to see her, Joanne decides to hide her daughter in Montana for the remainder of the summer. There, Melanie won't be seen by anyone they know, and her face will heal in time for the scheduled surgery in late August. Joanne’s plan backfires, however, when Melanie meets Sam, a Native American boy hired by the home's owner to tend to the property. Sam is nothing like the Hollywood boys Melanie knows--he¹s poor, his father's a drunk who possesses a bizarre gift inherited from a Kootenai Shaman, and his only brother disappeared into the mountains after the death of their mother eight years before.

What transpires over a mere 36 hours after Sam and Melanie meet changes both of their lives in ways they never thought possible.

Review: I was disappointed by this book. I expected a story of a young girl who learned that beauty comes from within, but I didn't find that at all. Melanie started out as a spoiled little rich girl. After a car accident, she is TEMPORARILY disfigured, and her mother sends off to Montana to be hidden from the world. 

In Montana, she meets Sam, and after two conversations with this total stranger, she is head over heels in love with him--and the previously "life-altering" injury was seemingly forgotten. And at the second meeting, this virgin teen who has never even dated gets naked with Sam, after running away with him--what was that?

Part of the problem with this book might have been that it was so short. With only 150 pages, much of the plot was rushed, where in a longer story it could all have been played out better.

I received a copy of this book from Booksparks in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Rating: Three stars

About The Author

Fleur Philips is an award-winning author who holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Montana. Her first novel, I Am Lucky Bird, was selected as a General Fiction Finalist for the 2011 Book of the Year Award from ForeWord Reviews. Her current novel, Crumble, was named Young Adult Winner from the 2013 San Francisco Book Festival and was selected as a Young Adult Fiction Finalist by the 2013 International Book Awards. Additionally, Crumble is a Silver Medalist in the 2013 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards in the category of Young Adult, Mature Issues. Most recently, it was named a YA Fiction Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards from USA Book News. Fleur lives in Whitefish, Montana with her son. Connect with Fleur at fleurphilips.com.

BOOKSPARKS TRUTH OR DARE BLOG TOUR: The S Word (A Memoir About Secrets) by Paolina Milana

Synopsis: In accordance with her Sicilian Catholic family’s unspoken code, Paolina Milana learned at an early age to keep her secrets locked away where no one could find them. Nobody outside the family needed to know about the voices her Mamma battled in her head; or about how Paolina forged her birth certificate at thirteen so she could get a job at The Donut Shop; or about the police officer twenty-six years her senior whose promise to her Papà to “keep an eye on her” quickly translated into something sinister. And perhaps that’s why no one saw it coming when—on the eve of her sweet sixteen, pushed to edge—Paolina attempted to take her own mother’s life. Raw and compelling, The S Word is the true story of a girl who nearly suffocates in the silence she was taught to value above all else—until she finally finds the strength to break free of the secrets binding her and save herself. 

Review:  I was touched by this book from the moment I read the dedication:

This book is dedicated to anyone who may be keeping secrets.

To children too little to know they warrant a voice.

To teenagers too confused to think they have a choice.

To adults too overwhelmed to do what's right.

And to those of us who have survived crazy and who--

blessed with a little perspective (not to mention nearly a 

decade of therapy)--realize we no longer need to stay silent,

and that spilling secrets may just help others

from feeling as if they need to keep theirs.

Every chapter of the book is titled with an "S word" which relates to the events it relates. The author has to deal with a life complicated by a mother with mental illness--a mother whose illness leads her to believe the entire family is out to kill her. To help her family, she lies to get a job, which leads to seduction and rape. 

It's a compelling story of all she went through, and her journey to overcome the past. Very powerful, and also memorable. I laughed, I cried, and my heart ached for the young Paolina....and then I felt proud and happy to see how she changed her life.

I received a copy of this book from Booksparks in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Rating: Four stars

About The Author
For a long time, Paolina has told other people’s stories: first as a journalist; then as a PR pro for a nonprofit; then as a storyteller of students for a university; and most recently as a content marketer for the unsung heroes of small business. She has won awards for her fiction pieces and screenplays. The S-Word is her first full-length book.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Pieces by Maria Kostaki

Destination: Island hop to Athens, Greece

Synopsis: When her mother, Anna, abandons her to move abroad with her new husband, Sasha is passed around her three grandparents in Cold War-era Moscow, attending first grade with a Lenin star pinned to her breast. Five years later, Anna and her husband reappear and whisk Sasha off to a better life in Athens, Greece. But they are not the gallant rescuers they first appear to be, and Sasha soon finds herself caught between a violent stepfather and a psychologically abusive mother. In her struggle to survive in her new world, Sasha turns to a world of invisible friends even as she continues to long for something real. At turns haunting and uplifting, Pieces is the story of one girl s survival and self-discovery and her continual search for love in a world where she has been given none.

Thoughts: Just could never really get into this one, and had to pull out my 1/3 rule---if I'm 1/3 done, and it hasn't grabbed me, it's time to move on to the next book.

The plot was super difficult to follow, as it was all over the place time wise. The main character wasn't very likable in my opinion. Granted, she had a difficult life, but there was SO much whining!!

It is possible that readers of historical fiction would find this book more engaging than I did.

**I received a copy of this book through the Summer Reading Challenge in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

My rating: Two stars

About the author

Maria Kostaki is a native of Moscow, Russia, but has spent most of her adult life on a plane from Athens, Greece to New York City and back. She holds a master's in journalism from New York University, where she was a recipient of a grant from the Knight Foundation. She has worked as an editor and staff writer for Odyssey magazine in Athens and New York, and her nonfiction has appeared in publications including Elle Décor and Insider Magazine. Her fiction has appeared in Flashquake and Mediterranean Poetry.

BOOKSPARKS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Worthy, by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Destination: Bask in the simplicity of a small town

Synopsis: They might’ve been a family.

Virginia finally had the chance to explore a relationship with Aaron when he asked her on a date. She had been waiting, hoping that the widower and his young son, Buddy, would welcome her into their lives. But a terrible tragedy strikes on the night of their first kiss, crushing their hopes for a future together.

Nineteen years later, Virginia is engaged though she has not forgotten Aaron or Buddy. When her dog goes missing and it comes to light that her fiancé set him loose, a distraught Virginia breaks off the engagement and is alone once again. A shy young man has found the missing pet, and although he’s bonded with the animal, he answers his conscience and returns the dog. Before long, Virginia and the young man discover a connection from their pasts that will help them let go of painful memories and change their lives forever.

My review: This is the story of Virginia, Jody and the dog, Worthy. Over the course of the novel, we see the growth and maturing of Virginia and Jody, as well as the loyalty of Worthy. The plot is rather predictable, but it is still well written. The emotions of this story are intense--love, grief, anxiety, anger, happiness. The characters are well-defined, and the dialogue is realistic. As you read this novel, and see how the lives of the characters are changed, you may find your own life changed as well.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

My rating: Four stars

About the author:
I'm the author of 28 published and forthcoming books.

My newest releases are The Language of Hoofbeats, Take Me With You , Where We Belong, Walk Me Home, Subway Dancer and Other Stories, When You Were Older, Don’t Let Me Go, When I Found You, Second Hand Heart, The Long, Steep Path: Everyday Inspiration From the Author of Pay It Forward, Always Chloe and Other Stories, and 365 Days of Gratitude: Photos from a Beautiful World.

Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition, an age-appropriate edited edition of the original novel, was released by Simon & Schuster in August of ‘14. It is suitable for children as young as eight.

I have two forthcoming new novels due out in 2015 from Lake Union/Amazon Publishing, Worthy and Joseph Came Home.

Other novels include Jumpstart the World, Becoming Chloe, Love in the Present Tense, The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance, Chasing Windmills, The Day I Killed James, and Diary of a Witness. 

I am co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of How to be a Writer in the E-Age: a Self-Help Guide.