Wherever Grace Is Needed by Elizabeth Bass

 I reviewed Elizabeth Bass's Wherever Grace Is Needed for the June 1 issue of Library Journal.  The review is reprinted here, with permission.
 
Bass, Elizabeth. Wherever Grace Is Needed. Kensington. Jun. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780758235121. pap. $15. F

Grace Oliver is a product of a broken home, but she never quit loving the father and half brothers she left years ago when her mother took her to Oregon. Grace’s boyfriend has just moved in, and her music store needs attention, but when her father, Lou, breaks his leg, she returns to Austin, TX, to care for him. There, problems pile up. Lou is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and two of the West kids next door, whose mother and sister died in an accident the previous year, depend on Lou’s house as a refuge. Jordan, the oldest, blames herself for the tragedy, while Jordan’s father uses Grace as a sounding board. Grace may have been the odd one out in both of her families, but she’s finally found a place where she’s needed.

­VERDICT Bass (Miss You Most of All) introduces wonderful needy characters who discover their untapped strength. The teens and their relationships are particularly well developed. Kristin Hannah fans and readers attracted to Lisa Genova’s novels about Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders (Still Alice; Left Neglected) will appreciate this novel. Definitely buy for readers who demand character growth and relationships in their fiction.—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2011. Library Journals, LLC. Reprinted with permission.

FTC Full Disclosure - My copy was supplied by Library Journal in order to review the book

Exposure by Therese Fowler

My review of Therese Fowler's Exposure appeared in the April 1, 2011 issue of Library Journal.  It is reprinted here with permission.

Fowler, Therese. Exposure. Ballantine. May 2011. c.384p. ISBN 9780345515537. $25. F


Fowler (Souvenir) enters Jodi Picoult territory with a revealing novel about the dangers of “sexting” (explicit text messaging). Anthony Winter and Amelia Wilkes have their future planned. They will finish their senior year at Ravenswood Academy in Raleigh, NC, move to New York City, study drama at NYU, and pursue careers in theater. Neither counted on Amelia’s wealthy father, Harlan, finding pictures of them naked on her computer and calling the police. An overzealous district attorney soon arrests Anthony, Amelia, and even Anthony’s mother on felony charges. Facing the possibility of separation and imprisonment, Anthony and Amelia flee together, a desperate act that could end in tragedy. VERDICT Drawing on an actual event in Fowler’s own family, her latest novel will appeal to readers of contemporary issues novels and soap opera fans, despite an awkward opening. It is young adult readers, though, who will embrace this story of teen love and desperation. [Library marketing.]—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2011. Library Journals, LLC. Reprinted with permission.


FTC Full Disclosure - My copy was supplied by Library Journal in order to review the book

The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe - Library Journal Review

My review of The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe is reprinted with permission. It appeared in the Feb. 15 issue of Library Journal.

Monroe, Mary Alice. The Butterfly’s Daughter. Gallery: S. & S. May 2011. c.400p. ISBN 9781439170618. $25. F
Esperanza Avila worries about her 21-year-old granddaughter. Luz doesn’t know her family traditions, doesn’t speak her native Spanish, and is trapped in a foundry job in Milwaukee. After Luz’s mother disappeared, the abuela raised the girl on Aztec myths along with stories of the monarch butterflies in the mountains of Mexico. One phone call changes everything. Esperanza buys a VW and tells Luz they must drive to her home village by November 1, the Day of the Dead, to be there when the migrating monarchs return. But her death leaves Luz to make the pilgrimage alone. Following the path of the butterflies, she finds herself on a journey of discovery, seeking her inner courage and the secrets of a vanished mother. VERDICT Monroe, known for her environmental fiction (The Beach House; Sweetgrass), skillfully incorporates lore about the monarch butterflies into a rich novel about generations and tradition. This book, filled with unusual female characters, is highly recommended for book clubs and readers of women’s fiction. [Author tour; feature title at ALA.]—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2011. Library Journals, LLC.  Reprinted with permission.

FTC Full Disclosure - My copy was supplied by Library Journal in order to review the book

The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore - Library Journal Review

 I review women's fiction for Library Journal. Here's the review that ran in the March 1 issue, reprinted with permission.

Moore, Meg Mitchell. The Arrivals. Reagan Arthur: Little, Brown.May 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780316097710. $24.99. F 

William and Ginny Owens enjoy a quiet retirement in Vermont until their adult children return home one summer. Their oldest, Lillian, flees from a cheating husband, bringing a three-year-old and an infant. Thirty-five-year-old Stephen only planned a spontaneous weekend visit with his pregnant wife, but a medical emergency puts her in bed for the rest of the summer. Ginny picks up Rachel, the youngest, who’s had a miscarriage, left New York, and feels as if she’s failed at her job and her life. Glad to be needed, Ginny and William initially welcome their children home, but over the summer, they become tired and angry. When selfish people who haven’t grown up harbor secrets and spend too much time together, it won’t be long before the household is torn apart. VERDICT Reading about angry, immature adults can be tedious. With more sympathetic characters, Eleanor Brown’s The Weird Sisters is a better choice for a story about adult children returning home. This debut novel is recommended with reservations for readers who enjoy family stories.—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ 

Copyright 2011. Library Journals, LLC.  Reprinted with permission.

FTC Full Disclosure - My copy was supplied by Library Journal in order to review the book.

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova - Library Journal Review

If I hadn't been sent Lisa Genova's Left Neglected to review for Library Journal, I might not have gone back to read her novel, Still Alice.   I'm so grateful that I was selected to review the one, so I could discover Genova as an author.  Here's my review of Left Neglected, as it appeared in the Nov. 15, 2010 issue of Library Journal.

Genova, Lisa. Left Neglected. Gallery: S. & S. Jan. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9781439164631. $25. F

With a Ph.D. in neuroscience, Genova brings an expertise to this novel about a woman suffering from a little-known neurological syndrome. Sarah Nickerson is a high-powered business executive, juggling 80 hours of work, marriage, and life with three young children. Following a car accident, she wakes up to learn she’s suffering from brain damage, a syndrome called left neglect that leaves her unable to feel or see anything on her left side. As she struggles to recover, Sarah also copes with other aspects of her life “left neglected” owing to her busy lifestyle: her relationship with her mother, her son’s inability to concentrate, and her own quality of life. Once again, the author of Still Alice, a best-selling debut about a woman dealing with early onset Alzheimer’s, has created a character with a compelling voice and perspective in a moving story that shows how brain trauma forces people to change their lives. VERDICT This is a positive novel about hope and strength that should find a market with those who appreciate contemporary women’s fiction and readers who either are coping with brain disorders or have family members with these conditions.—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2010. Library Journals, LLC. Nov. 15, 2010 issue. Reprinted with permission.

Island Girl by Lynda Simmons - Library Journal Review

I haven't reviewed a book for Library Journal for a while, but I always appreciate the opportunity to review books for them.  I review women's fiction there, and they send me the book with a quick turnaround time.  It gives me the chance to discover new authors, and read ones I might not have otherwise read. 

The following review appeared in XPress Reviews - The First Look at New Books, Nov. 5, 2010.

Simmons, Lynda. Island Girl. Berkley: Penguin Group (USA). Dec. 2010. c.448p. ISBN 9780425237243. pap. $15. F

Wards Island can only be reached from Toronto Harbor by ferry or plane, but the distance is even more unbridgeable between Ruby Donaldson and her two grown daughters, Liz and Grace. Two years earlier, a tragedy forced Grace back home to the island, leaving an angry Liz to give up her career as a lawyer, turning to drink, while refusing to speak to Ruby. Ruby had wanted to protect Grace, who suffered from "mild intellectual delay," while Liz wanted to fight for Grace's freedom. When Ruby learns she has early-onset Alzheimer's, her goal remains to protect Grace from life while she tries to force Liz to return home to care for her sister. The three women alternate telling their struggle to reconnect despite Ruby's ongoing need for control.

Verdict:  Anyone looking for a story of strong women fighting for mastery over their lives will appreciate Simmons's second novel (after Getting Rid of Rosie). However, those who want a more in-depth look at dealing with Alzheimer's would be better served by Lisa Genova's Still Alice.—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2010. Library Journals, LLC.  Reprinted with permission.

Lynda Simmons' website is http://www.lyndasimmons.com/

*****
FTC Full Disclosure - My review copy was supplied by Library Journal, for review purposes.