Review: The One I Was, by Eliza Graham

Title: The One I Was

Author: Eliza Graham

Publisher: Moreton Street Books

ISBN-10: 1910229016

ISBN-13: 978-1910229019

Genre: Literary Fiction / Historical Fiction

Buy the Book

The past will always find you out... 

Rosamond Hunter has spent her adult life running away from the past, filled with guilt about her involuntary role in the death of her mother. Rosamond is a nurse, a kind of midwife for those leaving rather than entering life. Her work brings her back to Fairfleet, the country house at which her mother died so long ago, to nurse the dying Benny Gault, a former Kindertransport refugee from Nazi Germany. Rosamond soon discovers that Benny is hiding a secret about his last days in Germany he badly needs to confess, a secret that somehow connects with Rosamond's own family history. Just as the two begin to unthread the ties binding them together, a figure from the past returns to Fairfleet to menace the pair. 

The One I Was is a beautifully-crafted piece of literary fiction that kept me turning the pages long into the night. It is a story of secrets and the release that comes from sharing them. 

Rosamond is a "midwife for the dying" and has had the terrible events of a winter at Fairfleet estate weighing on her heart for many years. Benny Gault is her dying patient, who came to England from Germany as a child to escape the Nazis, and built a beautiful life in his new home. But the secrets he has been harboring (from his childhood in Germany, as well as some ethical dilemmas in his teenage years at Fairfleet) haunt him. 

Rosamond's past has prevented her from making lasting connections or moving forward in her life. Benny's secrets are the last thing tying him to the world of the living and keeping him from moving on to the next life.

The characters are appealing, and some give us a glimpse into a part of history we don't hear much about. For example, female pilots transporting war planes, or Kindertransport which removed Jewish children from Nazi Germany before the war and saved them from what was coming. As Harriet (a pilot, the owner of the Fairfleet estate, and Rosamond's grandmother) tells Benny when he has recently moved there, "The world depends on some of us refusing to be the same as everyone else."

Adding to the sympathetic characters, page-turning secrets, and bits of little-known history is a gorgeous style of writing that is sparse and intentional. Graham seems to choose every word carefully so she can say in a short sentence what it might take others a paragraph to say. One perfect example is her description of the estate in the fall. One author might go on and on about the light and air and shadows and warmth, but Graham says, "October lit Fairfleet's grounds with a honey tint." And with that, the reader can build the image.

I recommend this book for anyone who appreciates literary fiction or historical fiction. This book is a keeper!

* * * *

Don't forget to check out my latest book, 

Deep Green, 

available in Print & e-Book

AMAZON 

Eternal Press* 

*25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14

* * * *

Review: Quick No-Cook Low Carb Recipes

Title: Quick No-Cook Low Carb Recipes

Author: Lisa Shea

ASIN: B00492CMQK

Genre: Cookbook

Buy the book

The Quick No-Cook Low Carb Recipes cookbook features 42 recipes ranging from easy cheese-plate ideas that any college student or after-school kid can try to more advanced recipes like tuna tartare which involve more complex flavors.

This is an nice resource for simple, healthy, no-cook meal prep. The recipes I tried were indeed easy and tasty, and I'm looking forward to trying more. I only wish I'd had it in college! All you need is a fridge and some ingredients! 

The book is a little over 100 pages and sensibly broken up by main ingredient. It covers Eggs, Dairy, Nuts, Salads, Veggies, Juices, Dips, Meats, Desserts, and even how to use and spruce up pre-made items. Some sections are fuller than others. The nuts section is more about nuts and using them than specific recipes, and the dessert section is really just about putting together a nice berry plate or cheese plate. The salad section has some great ways to make a tasty salad, outside the add-some-ranch-to-lettuce type that tends to come to mind first. The Oriental Cucumber Salad or the Tomato Mozzarella Basil Salad recipes would be great for a crisp side this summer. I'll be trying the Celery Egg Salad Appetizers the next time I'm tasks to bring apps to a party. 

One of the strongest parts of the book, surprisingly, are the appendices. There's one on carbs and the glycemic index, a low-carb food list, tips on stocking a low-carb pantry, a handy shopping list, and must-have spice list.

The Kindle version is currently only $0.99, so if you're interested in some simple ideas for preparing healthy bites, or looking for a little grad gift for someone heading off to college, you might consider this!

You can find out more about the author at http://LowCarb.BellaOnline.com or participate in their low carb forum discussions:

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/221/1/Low_Carb

* * * *

And don't forget to check out my latest Young Adult adventure/romance too, Deep Green, available in Print & e-Book!

AMAZON 

Eternal Press* 

*25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14

* * * *http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Green-Trisha-Haddad-ebook/dp/B00GOJ00M4

Adventure and Romance on the High Seas

Anyone here read InD'Tale Magazine? I love their reviews, especially when they say nice things about my books!  The book critic at the magazine wrote in the February issue:

"Deep Green is a harrowing adventure story… and will leave the reader anxiously awaiting Book 2 to follow this tale of adventure and romance on the high seas."
             --InD'Tale Magazine

Check out the full review here!

You can get the e-book here, OR BETTER YET, get it directly from my publisher and get 25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14!

You can get a print copy from Amazon here or an autographed copy from me directly here!

Brave & Wise

There's a brand new review of Deep Green up at The Story Sanctuary, which is a site for book reviews from a Christian perspective. The book critic wrote:

"Haddad has created a brave and wise heroine. She responds calmly to frightening situations, always able to talk herself down from hysteria... she remains polite and kind to all as the story swerves from one misfortune to another."
             --The Story Sanctuary

Check out the full review here!

You can get the e-book here, OR BETTER YET, get it directly from my publisher and get 25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14!

You can get a print copy from Amazon here or an autographed copy from me directly here!

My Escape Into Books review

The book review site My Escape Into Books posted a lovely review of Deep Green, which they wrote:

"It is always nice to find YA books that are clean reads. This book has nothing inappropriate for teens or older readers... I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone that loves a sweet and innocent YA love story."
             --My Escape Into Books

Check out the full review here!

You can get the e-book here, OR BETTER YET, get it directly from my publisher and get 25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14!

You can get a print copy from Amazon here or an autographed copy from me directly here!

A Mom With A Reading Problem

A big thanks to the book review site Mom With A Reading Problem for reviewing Deep Green! Quote from the review:

"I must say it blew me away! I absolutely loved it! Written for the YA audience, it is unique in that it does not have anything to do with paranormal. And props to the author for keeping it a clean... It was such a refreshing read."
             --Mom With a Reading Problem

Check out the full review here!

You can get the e-book here, OR BETTER YET, get it directly from my publisher and get 25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14!

You can get a print copy from Amazon here or an autographed copy from me directly here!

Courage and Spirit

What do the reviewers over at Once Upon a YA Book think of Deep Green?:

Quote from the review:

"The author addresses prejudice, abuse, and relationships with men in a way that makes it easy for the target audience to relate to... Her courage and spirit are uplifting. This is a beautiful story and is well written. As a teacher of middle grade students, I would encourage teenage girls to read this adventure."

Once Upon a YA Book

Check out the full review here!

Or check out the actual book here!



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Hurrah for Strong Girls!

Recently KStew's Book Reviews reviewed Deep Green and said: 

"I enjoyed this story because I liked Leah a lot. She was a strong female lead for me...She adapted when needed and she prevailed. There aren’t enough strong females like her in the book world!"

KStew's Book Reviews 

Read the full review here!   
Or check out the e-book here* or print books here!

*Use the promo code 20EPdb14 at check out for 25% off your entire e-book order!


That got me thinking: 
Who is your favorite strong female character in a Young Adult book or YA-appropriate book?  

I think my favorite would be Kit from Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. She does the right thing and supports decent people, regardless of how it makes people hate (and want to kill) her. 

It is one thing to fight for your own survival, and even to fight for your family... those things are natural. It is above and beyond to risk your life to fight for others simply because it is the right thing to do.

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A Little Something To Chew On

Book critic's review of Deep Green at A Little Something To Chew On:

"Deep Green held my attention from the moment I began reading...Deep intrigue and intense plot are carefully weaved throughout the story...I see similar qualities to the Life of Pi, as Haddad adds intellectual reflection and discussion from her main characters, and is why I would recommend this book to an audience beyond YA..."

Read the full review at:    

http://www.alittlesomethingtochewon.com/2013/12/31/book-review-of-deep-green-by-trisha-haddad/

Review: MIDLAND

Title: Midland

Author: Scott Alan Wade

eBook ISBN: 9781615729333

Print ISBN: 9781615729340

Genre: Young Adult Supernatural/Adventure

Buy the book

Fifteen-year-old Sam Grace is practically running her family’s small farm after the death of her father and her mother’s deadly illness. This means making sure her younger siblings get an education, keeping the animals fed, and keeping the guns loaded for when the walking dead show up after dark. It is all in a day’s—and night’s—work for Sam, until her mother’s illness takes a turn for the worse. 

Now she has to saddle up and head from Midland Mesa down to “town” to try to track down Doc Green’s place that she remembers her dad taking her to when she was just a little kid. I was shocked at what she found in town, and won’t give it away, but let’s just say that the hordes of zombies aren't the only thing she has to fight.

The first chapter is a great portrayal of the monotony and hard work of farm life, punctuated by the terror and sadness and desperation of their particular situation. Because I’m a survival geek, I love the details about what she takes with her on her journey, and what she gathers along the way. This includes bringing her little blind dog in a flour sack, at first just for company, but it becomes clear that the dog is probably the most valuable thing she’s brought (well, that and her gun!). The rest of the book is action-packed and scary; a quick read too—it only took me a few days to finish it because it was so exciting. 

But my favorite thing about Midland is its main character, Sam. Sam’s a strong heroine is there ever was one. She was deeply influenced by her father’s training, and by witnessing the strong and mutually-respectful relationship of her parents (before her father’s death and mother’s illness). She takes after them in how she deals with the (very scary) problems that come up. 

"See a problem, solve a problem,” she reminds herself.

I also appreciate that she’s not perfect, and that she struggles with how to put her family first while not letting down others who have sacrificed their safety for hers. Her strength comes from her courage and integrity. It isn’t that she’s not afraid, but she is going to do what needs to be done to protect the innocent.

I highly recommend this book! Five stars!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Find the book:

• Eternal Press
• Barnes & Noble
• Amazon
• or your local indie bookseller

Review: Evolution of a Stir

Title: Evolution of a Stir

Author: Cindy Cullen Farmer

ASIN: B00GW9E8PG 

Genre: Self-Help/ Inner Child/ Memoir
Buy the book here

Back Blurb: "A collection of stories describing a spiritual evolution, Cindy Cullen Farmer writes of her journey…to quit a long time job in pursuit of a purpose filled life. From finances, to spirit, to career; a series of revelations began a process of change. Follow the journey to a stirring of a soul."

My Review: 

As I write this, Evolution of a Stir by Cindy Cullen Farmer is on the Amazon Best Sellers list for the Inner Child section. 

Awesome! :-)

This short, delightful collection of essays traces a season of change in the life of the author. 

Major change. Deliberate change. 

So often, the bends in the road are due to curve balls coming at us. Cindy Cullen Farmer has had plenty of those in her life, but that's not what has left her in the funk she's in when we join her at the start of the book. No, she's adapted as needed and has been for a long time a respectable employee, mother, and citizen. But inside is brewing something dark.

It isn't until an eye-opening road trip that she recognizes the depths of her depression for what it is, and accepts that she needs to make major changes. 

"I came home different and inspired. As my dark cloud lifted, I saw with clarity the purpose for my storm."

The essays move along her journey of discovery-- the decision to quit her long-time job, realizing a passion for writing and volunteerism, a deepening relationship with God, and even just being in a position of staring at the blank space on the canvas before her. 

"Conflicting desires to nest into old age or jump into adventure occupied my thoughts."

You can't read this book and not like the author. She's so emotionally vulnerable, but always keeps her intellect and gorgeous imagery. What is difficult about the book is that, of course, she is still on her path of discovery. As a writer, I know first-hand the path she's starting on and how it can be such a constant struggle: to write, to edit, to get published, to sell copies. She has a long and rough road ahead. I hope she can cling to the joy of writing-- that is what sustains a writer. But because she's still on this path, the book can feel like reading a blog that just stops, leaving you wondering whatever happened. 

I wonder if her story could be fleshed out into a strong, longer work of fiction. Then she could give the full arch of a character and give the character whatever outcome she wants. Alternately, she could use her experiences to build in more self-help-- rather than just her own story, how could a reader in a similar position successfully make a huge change mid-life like she has? 

Either that, or she'd got to keep writing more of these bite-sized memoirs as she continues on her path! Ya can't just leave us hanging, Cindy! Overall, a delightful series of essays that leave the reader cheering for the heroine... I mean, author. 

You can find Evolution of a Stir for Kindle here, or get one of a limited number of print editions at the author's website here.

The Edge of My Seat

Would you rather be reading YA? Check out this review of Deep Green at Rather Be Reading YA, and then check out the book!

Quote from the review:

"By the time Leah woke up, the group was alone, adrift in the ocean in only the small lifeboat. I was on the edge of my seat as they faced worries of sunburn, a lack of food and fresh water, and disagreement over the decision of whether to continue paddling in hopes of reaching land or staying (relatively) put where they were in the middle of the ocean, with the possibility of rescue. There was also growing concern over the unconscious woman’s fate."

Rather Be Reading YA

Read the full review here!

Or better yet, get the actual book here!



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QUICK REVIEW: The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

The Story of My Life

by Hellen Keller Blurb:When she was 19 months old, Helen Keller (1880-1968) suffered a severe illness that left her blind and deaf. Not long after, she also became mute. Her tenacious struggle to overcome these handicaps-with the help of her inspired teacher, Anne Sullivan-is one of the great stories of human courage and dedication. In this classic autobiography, first published in 1903, Miss Keller recounts the first 22 years of her life, including the magical moment at the water pump when, recognizing the connection between the word "water" and the cold liquid flowing over her hand, she realized that objects had names. Subsequent experiences were equally noteworthy: her  joy at eventually learning to speak, her friendships with Oliver Wendell Holmes, Edward Everett Hale and other notables, her education at Radcliffe (from which she graduated cum laude), and-underlying all-her extraordinary relationship with Miss Sullivan, who showed a remarkable genius for communicating with her eager and quick-to-learn pupil. These and many other aspects of Helen Keller's life are presented here in clear, straightforward prose full of wonderful descriptions and imagery that would do credit to a sighted writer. Completely devoid of self-pity, yet full of love and compassion for others, this deeply moving memoir offers an unforgettable portrait of one of the outstanding women of the twentieth century.

Quick Review:
Not only is this a really wonderful piece of literature by an American hero and all-around smart woman, the Dover Thrift Edition makes it really affordable to have a copy of your own! I highly recommend this $2 classic!




*The Happy Book Reviewer's QUICK REVIEWS are generally for books that don't need a spotlight (most readers know about them) but I want to say my piece too!

Book review by Denise Kim Wy

Sharing another review, this one at Denise Kim Wy's site:

http://denisewy.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-review-deep-green-by-trisha-haddad.html

Quote from review of Deep Green:

"This book kind of reminded me of Life of Pi... I like the fact that she's not another one of those clichéd damsel in distress..."

Review: Understudy

Title: Understudy

Author: Denise Kim Wy

ASIN: B00H3X8A86
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fiction

Buy the book here

My review:

When Kat's boyfriend of two years dies suddenly, just hours after saying "I love you" for the first time, Kat sinks into depression. Then Adam appears in the woods near the site of his death. This isn't a ghostly specter; it is in every way like the living, breathing Adam (complete with heartbeat and physical urges), so much so that Kat is not even scared. She's just thankful to have him back, even in this unconventional way, where she has to sneak behind the backs of her parents and best friend.

But Adam's twin brother, Eric, begins to move in on Kat's heart. Despite his rough past and his secrets, Kat begins to find her hatred of him lessen and her interest in him increase. She struggles with these new emotions, wondering if it means she's cheating on Adam, or if she's simply moving on and ready to love again. If Adam were truly gone, it would clearly be the latter. But he's there, frozen in time in the woods, with nothing to do but await her next visit.

Understudy is a unique spin on the finding-love-after-loss story. It is even unique as a ghost story because Adam is so alive in every way. While I had a hard time understanding why someone who was dead would have a heartbeat, I certainly liked the idea that he would be stuck there in the woods with nothing to do but wait for Kat (almost a pergatory). In the book, even Adam doesn't really understand, and calls it "his ghostly situation." I could see how, after some initial confusion, Kat could get to a place where her main concern about Adam's new state would be, as she says, "the constant fear of waking up one day to find the woods empty."

I much preferred "the evil twin," Eric, since the book spent more time developing his character than "the good twin," Adam. This was because Kat is discovering Eric throughout the book, and already knows Adam very well, so the reader discovers Eric along the way with Kat. I found the relationship with the parents could be fleshed out more, but the relationship with her best friend Sarah is very well done. Their conversations, arguments, teasing, and even mannerisms are so realistic to any long-standing friendship.

One of my favorite things about the book is this: the author has a lot of clarity on the feeling of loss. She explores the unwanted spotlight that loss directs at the grieving person (everyone looks at Kat with pity, and really she just wants to be ignored and left alone in her sorrow), as well as the desperation to have any sliver of the loved one (this might be holding on to scraps of paper with their writing, but for Kat it is holding on to the ghost of Adam, desperate that his ghost might leave).

Overall, Understudy is a unique book explores death and loss and what is worth living for in a new way, and I enjoyed it.

Review: Writing on the Wall

Title: Writing on the Wall

Author: Tracey Ward 

ASIN: B00GH2UEVA 

Find the book here 

My review:

It has been 9 years since "the infection" began and Joss watched her parents eaten by a neighbor-turned-zombie while she huddled behind the family Christmas tree. Now, at 17, she is one of the few people living in "the wild" (Seattle, outside the strictly controlled Colonies). Most of the people in the wild have joined gangs of “lost boys” which offer strength in numbers against The Risen (aka zombies) and the elements. For women however, who are so few in the wild, to join a gang would mean becoming the gang’s prostitute. So here's Joss, a street-wise loner who trusts no one, trying to live her life in peace from zombies, Lost Boys, packs of wolves, and the Colonists who want to "rescue" orphans like her from the streets.

Everything was going so well until she meets Ryan. Opening herself up to another person feels just as dangerous to her as everything else; and maybe more dangerous.

I want to start by saying that this is the first zombie novel I've ever read. And what a book to start with! This was one of the most thrilling books I’ve read this year (and it is December, so that’s a good, solid 11.5 months of reading)! It starts out so scary, as in, the first page gave me shivers. The narrator/ main character has such a great voice, such dark humor, that it is easy to read her and believe her. Who knew you’d get such a sweet slice of romance in the midst of all this terror to boot.  At first, Joss is so calloused that it takes a while for her to soften up to Ryan. Early on, I wanted to shake her and say, "Come on, he's kind and cute, be nice to him!" But then, I've never had to defend myself on the streets and I think the author has a better sense of what someone with Joss' background would actually be like. Once it kicks in, the romance is really sweet, especially touching because of the emotional struggle to get to a point of openness.

This is clearly a survival book. But beyond that, and beyond the romance, what really appealed to me was that Writing on the Wallhad a higher-level theme to it of surviving versus living. What does “alive” really mean? Another character in the book says at one point, "Everyone has to decide for themselves how they want to handle this life. You need to choose whether you want to survive or you want to live." Joss was quite adept at alluding pretty much every kind of danger when she was emotionally closed off.  When she opens up to others though is when she begins enjoying her life (but it is also when she is the most at risk of being killed). "I'm not a survivor anymore. But I am alive."

My only disappointment was that I didn’t realize this was Book 1!  Now I have to wait until next year and the next book is out! Really good book though, I highly recommend it!

Back blurb: 
It's been nearly a decade since the world ended. Since Joss watched her parents die at the hands of a nightmare, a nightmare that stalks her even now, all these years later. That's the problem with the Risen - they refuse to die. But Joss is a survivor. A loner living in the post-apocalyptic streets of Seattle. It's a world dictated by Risen and the looming threat of the Colonists, a group of fellow survivors living comfortably in their compounds and patrolling the wild, looking to "save" the orphans of the end. Orphans like Joss. Like Ryan. As a member of an all male gang, Ryan is a threat as real as the Risen, a threat Joss avoids at all costs. Then one night their paths cross and Joss makes a choice that goes against all of her instincts. A choice that will threaten everything she has. Now a new outbreak is imminent and the Colonists are closing in. Joss' solitary, secret world is blown wide open and the comfortable numbness she's lived in for the last six years will burn away leaving her aching and afraid. And awake. *Due to violence and graphic language, this book is not recommended for readers under 17.

Review: Dare to Breathe

Title: Dare to Breathe

Author: M. Homer

eBook ISBN: 9781629290898; Print ISBN: 9781629290904

My Review:

From the first page, Dare to Breathe strikes an instant connection to (and sympathy for) the main character, Samantha.

Newly starting college, Sam is still plagued with nightmares of a series of horrific events she thinks may be from her childhood. While she knows she's lucky to have spent the last 12 years with her adoptive parents, she can't escape the traces of her early years etched in her memory. Dare to Breathe is her story of coming to a decision to make a change, and having the courage to do the work needed to accomplish that change. Throw a smokin' hot new housemate, a job at a busy cafe, and coursework in child psychology, and she has her work cut out for her in this new university.

This book had it all. Sam and her little brothers' childhood is so very heartbreaking. Her new friendships are tender. Her fears are understandable and her struggle to overcome is admirable. There is a twist part in the last third of the book that was quite a shock! Without giving anything away in the review, I will say that this New Adult novel is also super, super sexy at parts. M. Homer knows how to write DESIRE! Dare to Breath is a great read, and I recommend it!

From the back cover: 

Can you learn to forget?

Sam is plagued by nightmares she can’t understand with dark visions of a past she suspects may be her own. When she moves into a new co-ed house, she is drawn to the handsome but aloof Nathan. The housemates welcome in Sam but all withhold their own secrets from her which she knows she needs to unravel to truly understand Nathan. But her past is destined to torment her, can she find the strength to face her fear?

Find the book

Review: The Promise of Light

Title: The Promise of Light

Author: Paul Watkins

ISBN-10: 0312267665

ISBN-13: 978-0312267667

About the Book:

A young American man searches for his family's past amidst the earliest days of the Irish Troubles.

My Review:

Paul Watkins is possibly our best living author. The research he did for The Promise of Light shines through to set the reader in Ireland in the early 1920s (in fact, I think I remember reading that he lived in the town for a while, and would walk in the fields wearing the old boots his characters wore, so he would know exactly how it would feel and sound to be there). Watkins' strengths are in place and in ruggedly male characters; characters the reader connects with, without feeling all warm and fuzzy about it. The Promise of Light may be my favorite of Watkins' books, but it is right up there with Stand Before Your God and Archangel... both dealing with subjects I didn't know I was interested in until his writing drew me into them. I whole-heartedly recommend any of these.

Review: A Sea Not Full

Title: A Sea Not Full

Author: John Erickson

ISBN-10: 1935079476

ISBN-13: 978-1935079477

Review: When 16-year-old Nate's father dies while they're surfing together, his world crumbles. He finds comfort in the arms of a troubled young woman, Nora, and an inherited sailboat. The first chapter of this book is surfing-heavy, and for a non-surfer like me, it was a bit hard to get through. However, it isn't long after that the book picks up speed for even the most land-loving reader. Like the ocean, there is so much below the surface of A Sea Not Full. The characters are complex, and even the ones that seem to fit into a predictable mold (the cool pastor, the popular pretty girl, etc.) have so much more depth to them as the reader goes deeper into the story. I won't give away the dramatic and dangerous climax... but no one is guaranteed to get out of this adventure safely. There doesn't seem to be a solid canon of young adult Christian fiction aimed at young men, so this is an excellent addition on becoming a man in a Christian context, without being preachy or working off of an assumption that religious people are all good and the rest are not.

From the back cover: A modern coming of age adventure tale, A Sea Not Full is the story of Nate Pritchard, a 16 year old boy who, at a precipitous juncture in his life, must make some difficult choices. The novel is set primarily Ventura, California, where Nate lives with his father. When his father dies, a cataclysmic event in young Nate's life, he must find a way to live the life his father intended for the two of them. There is a boat, the sea, and the girl, Nora, whose troubles are masked by her own father's inability to accept the choices he made in the past with Nora's mother. Making good choices and coming to terms with his relationships with his mother, his grandparents, and Nora are the challenges Nate faces, which bring about a deeper understanding of his purpose in his life. A Sea Not Full is a thrilling read for young adults or anyone who enjoys an exciting adventure with a twist near the end.

Review: The Journal of Dora Damage

Title: The Journal of Dora Damage: A Novel

Author: Belinda Starling
ISBN-10: 1596913363

My Review:

I had a stack of books on my to-read shelf, but when I picked this up and read the first few pages, it immediately went to the top of the list. I had to write a brief review to say this was an excellent read. It was much more gripping and thrilling than I'd expected from a story set in a bookbinder's workshop. There are certainly some shocking and twisted aspects to the story, but more because of the shocking and twisted things that humans do to each other. Really though, it is about rising above evil while learning to embrace passion. I'd recommend it-- not for the faint of heart, but for a fan of historical fiction who can stand to get their hands dirty.

From the back cover:

London, 1860: On the brink of destitution, Dora Damage illicitly takes over her ailing husband's bookbinding business, only to find herself lured into binding expensive volumes of pornography commissioned by aristocratic roués. Dora's charm and indefatigable spirit carry her through this rude awakening as she contends with violent debt collectors, an epileptic daughter, evil doctors, a rheumatic husband, errant workmen, nosy neighbors, and a constant stream of wealthy dilettantes. When she suddenly finds herself forced to offer an internship to a mysterious, fugitive American slave, Dora realizes she has been pulled into in an illegal trade of sex, money, and deceit.
 
The Journal of Dora Damage whips up a vision of London when it was the largest city in the world, grappling with the filth produced by a swollen population. Against a backdrop of power and politics, work and idleness, conservatism and abolitionism, Belinda Starling explores the restrictions of gender, class and race, the ties of family and love, and the price of freedom in this wholly engrossing debut novel.