I have been reading books by Jodi Picoult for many years and especially enjoyed Salem Falls and Plain Truth. When I read Leaving Time, I felt that the usual twist at the end was more of a trick. I also did not enjoy small great things, probably because it was so difficult to read about the Aryan supremacists. So…I wasn’t sure what I would find when NetGalley and the publisher so kindly gave me an ARC of this book.
Ok, the drought is over! I found a spark of light to be a well-crafted, character based story. As was true in Nineteen Minutes, Ms. Picoult helps the reader to empathize with those who represent all sides of a complex moral and societal issue. There are many in the story: an abortion clinic owner, a nurse, an artist, an elderly woman, a young girl seeking birth control, a person in need of an abortion, a doctor, protesters, infiltrators, a hostage negotiator and more. Each of their stories is told in a narrative going backward in time. Interconnections between characters become clearer as the reader turns the pages.
The primary setting is an abortion clinic that is under siege. It remains unclear who will live and who will not. There are some surprises at the end.
The book is heavily researched. The reader will learn a lot about restrictions, types of terminations, pregnancy counseling, etc. Some times these felt a bit heavy handed but then I imagined what it might be like if I were a young girl and this was the one place that I could find a lot of facts.
I highly recommend a spark of light. It will make you care and it will make you think.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!
Do you recall watching Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren? Did you ever wonder how Tennison started her career? Did you see the young Tennison TV series? If you answer yes to any of these questions, or would just like some good reads, take a look at this series. Book 3, Good Friday, is currently an e-book bargain at $1.99. I have the first three books in my TBR pile.
American and British cover views
I was just awarded this badge from NetGalley! It means that I have now written 200 reviews, something that I would never have imagined when I read my very first NetGalley title. (It was a book by Margaret Maron). I have loved reading and writing about what I read. I look forward to sharing many more reviews with you.
Kathleen Ernst goes from strength to strength. I so enjoyed last year’s book, Mining for Justice, and was hoping that this new novel would be as absorbing. It is! The Lace Maker’s Secret, set in Belgium and Wisconsin, has a dual narrative structure. The modern part of the novel takes place in the 1980s while the historical narrative begins in the 1800s and moves through WW I. While the murder mystery was there, the remarkable parts of the novel are the sections where the author describes life for Belgian immigrants. The characters of Seraphine and her family members truly come to life and the hardships that they experience are heartbreaking. I did not know about this time in Wisconsin’s history and am amazed by what I learned. As always, it was good to spend time with protagonist, Chloe, and her boyfriend, Roelke. The relationship between the two continues to grow in this novel. I recommend all of the novels in this series with a special shout out for The Lace Makers Secret and Mining for Justice. Thanks for this book NetGalley!
If you like to doodle and would like to learn how to make adorable pictures of food, animals, landmarks, etc., this is most definitely the book for you! The creator of this volume, quit a job to become a full-time doodle artist. Kawaii is explained as a particular kind of doodle which focuses on cheerfulness and sweet faces in the illustrations. Steps are provided for how to create many irresistible doodles on your own. I woke up grumpy today and found that this book cheered me up and gave me lots of good ideas. Highly recommended if you like to draw!
This is another entry in an early literacy series by xist publishing. With rhyming text, and illustrations on every page, this book should appeal to beginning readers. Young learners will see that there are so many things to be thankful for! There are meals, friends and family, just to name a few. While practicing their skills, students will be able to think about the many things to be grateful for in their world.
My last (for now, because I have no more) review in an excellent series for toddlers and their caregivers. This time, the toddlers don’t want their mom or dad to leave. In a sweet and repetitive way, this picture book reinforces that parents “always come back,” The adults in this simple read aloud acknowledge their child’s feelings and respond supportively. As is true for the other books in this series, the section for adults at theend of the book is excellent. Highly recommended for all who say byes to their young children.
