Ballad

Bittersweet Coming-of-Age Story

Revisado: 06-06-24

Ann Chiappetta has crafted a beautiful cast of characters in her first novel, some uplifting Abby and some gutting her, either because of what they do or what they fail to do, as she moves through the tumultuous years between childhood and maturity.

"Hope for the Tarnished" is a novel of contrasts--wealth and poverty, support and neglect, love and indifference--all played out against a beautiful New England backdrop.

And the dogs! Who can resist them? Even as my heart ached for Abby at times because of her mother's abandonment or her sister's cruelty, I found myself smiling because through her trials, she shares deep, sustaining bonds with various dogs in her life.

I recommend "Hope for the Tarnished" to young adult and general readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with some steamy romance, a lot of family drama, a wide variety of diverse characters, and a lasting plot that will stick to the ribs long after the last page is turned.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Vivid Illustrations of Poverty

Revisado: 07-05-23

Having lived as a poor American adult for many years, I appreciate the vivid examples and illustrations of poverty the author uses in the book. There are enough numbers and statistics to make my head spin, but those are probably useful for people who need hard facts. However, the author goes off on too many sermonizing tangents to suit me. He could have stated his case about the ultra-rich paying their fair share of taxes once and left it at that instead of pounding the table over and over again with the truth. He's also a bit idealistic; we all know the richest of the rich control the government and aren't about to pitch in to stop poverty. They like the status quo. *Shrug.*

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

More than a Trip Down the Stairs

Revisado: 07-05-23

This story is so much more than just a guide dog helping a blind man down the stairs and out of the World Trade Center. I'd heard that part of the tale for years. It's a deep experience of trust between God, man, and dog when the world is literally blowing up. It's breath-taking.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Heartbreaking and Inspiring

Revisado: 07-05-23

This book shows how nurses deal with the best and the worst human beings have to offer, sometimes all in the same hour. Some of the stories are soul-crushing, and some are incredibly uplifting. I've always known that nurses are heroes, but this book has given me an even deeper respect for them.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Engaging Read for Kids with Questions

Revisado: 08-29-20

This book fills a gap in the current market. There are books for kids entering traditional schools, but few--if any--for those getting ready to be taught at home. Those children want to know what their experiences will be like. In this book, they'll find a specific, straightforward story that gives them the answers they're looking for. They'll also find warm, memorable characters that will help them get excited about learning. This is a good book for parents and children to listen to and talk about together as they make plans for how education will fit into their routines. (Besides that, the narration is just plain adorable!)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Gets Right to the Heart

Revisado: 07-23-19

This is a short book, so I started the audio recording first thing in the morning while I was putting supper in the slow cooker for my family. I loved the poem about how the author's marriage was a lot like her spaghetti pot. I could really relate to that one. Then things went deeper, and I still related, and by the end--well, we got to cancer, and motherhood, and I had tears on my cheeks. I don't cry easily. But I lost my mom to cancer, and the author just had a way of putting things, which is what poetry is all about. It's a book worth reading.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Uplifting Memoir

Revisado: 04-04-19

This uplifting memoir first captured my attention because it was written by and about a woman experiencing vision loss. I always do my best to support fellow authors with visual impairments, and although I’ve been blind all my life and haven’t faced the deterioration of my eyesight like Mrs. Andrews has, I could relate to many of the doubts and questions she dealt with from the outside world and in her own mind as she built her career, became a mother, and forged her identity as a woman. However, it didn’t take me long to figure out this book isn’t just another story about handling blindness in a world built for sighted people.

“Look Up, Move Forward” is a book about living with joy and dignity, about choosing to face every day with gratitude, courage, and tenacity, no matter what circumstances that day brings. Mrs. Andrews isn’t just a writer of pretty words, someone who talks the talk; she practices what she preaches. Her worldview and mine are similar. Reading her book has been a refreshing reminder of the benefits that come from living gratefully and graciously.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Intimate Chat with a Friend

Revisado: 02-20-19

Michelle Obama did a stellar job of narrating her life story. A thousand emotions came through her voice and her words. It felt like we sat together and chatted throughout the book. Beyond that, I could relate to so much of what she talked about. It didn't seem like I was reading about a distant, inaccessible First Lady; it felt like I was having an intimate conversation with a good friend from high school. From career and motherhood dreams to hopes and wishes about what the world could be, from missed opportunities--hers because of race and mine because of disability--to uncertainties about what we wanted out of life, we were just two women on the same page. Then again, it was lots of fun hearing about the ins and outs of what it was like living in the White House. Who wouldn't be interested in that? I was a bit daunted about the length of the book when I started it, but I couldn't put it down once I plunged in.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Exotic but Relatable

Revisado: 02-20-19

As I read this book, I found myself so enthralled by the vivid settings, lively, realistic characters, and intriguing plot twists, I could hardly believe Meredith Burton was making her debut contribution to the literary world.

The three stories in this book are fresh, modern takes on familiar fairy tales. Full of vivid sensory details and beautifully drawn characters, the stories kept me fascinated from beginning to end. The worlds may be populated with witches, strange beasts, slave girls, and enchanted flowers, but the themes of guilt and forgiveness, love and loss, life and death, and the longing for the unknown are as real in the realms of magic as they are in the humdrum grind of everyday life. So the stories are somehow exotic and completely relatable at the same time. The characters, though they may be magic or mystical, are also as evil, as loving, as painfully, extraordinarily human as if they lived on your own street, under your own roof, in your own body.

Besides that, the blind heroine fits so perfectly and seamlessly into the first tale, her story is one of the best examples of a strong female disabled protagonist I've seen recently. This world needs competent blind characters in literature who are neither damsels nor heroes, so that society might begin to understand that blind people are just human beings whose eyes don't happen to work.

Congratulations, Meredith Burton, on a debut book that is a worthy contribution to the world of literature! I look forward to more of your beautiful writing in the future.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Great Material, Book Dragged On

Revisado: 02-20-19

There's a lot of great material in this book. The author has a warm presentation style and the knowledge to back up what she says. But she needs to cut to the chase. I found my mind wandering as I listened. Often by the time Brown got to the point, I'd forgotten where the conversation had originally started. A condensed version of this book might have served me better.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña