Review: The Sweetest Hallelujah

The Sweetest Hallelujah

By Elaine Hussey

Harlequin MIRA July 2013

337 pages

From the library

Betty Jewel Hughes finds herself in a terrible situation. Her cancer is terminal, her mother is elderly, and her daughter's father is not around. Who can she count on to take care of her beautiful, free-spirited daughter Billie? Seemingly out of options, she takes out an ad in a local newspaper. The advertisement is answered by Cassie Malone, an outspoken white widow. Can Cassie's secret connection to Billie help her to save this terrified family? 

I had a tough time getting through this book. My first issue was suspension of belief. The book focuses on Betty Jewel, a sassy former jazz singer who is at her wit's end because she can't seem to find anyone to care for her daughter. That was my first moment where things didn't quite make sense. Betty Jewel is agonizing over this while she spends time with her two best friends, one of whom is a mother herself. I never understood why she considered them unacceptable guardians. Then Cassie waltzes into the picture. Cassie is stubborn and independent and not about to be stopped by the fact that she is white and the Hughes family is black. Against the advice of her family and friends, she plows right into a very dangerous situation, in spite of the racial violence that is breaking out all over. 

Then there is the relationship between Cassie and Betty Jewel. Cassie discovers a secret that gives her a serious interest in Billie's future. Without giving away too much, I will just say that this discovery should drive a wedge between the two women. Instead, there are a few pages of strife and then the two women are bosom buddies.  In the space of a very short time, they go from women who had never spoken to each other to unofficial family. I never really believed their bond.

Ultimately, either this book or this reader suffers from The Help syndrome. It seemed as if Elaine Hussey decided to sit down and write a book about a white women who was able to save the day for a black family and a rare friendship that was forged across racial lines. At the very least, I think we have to be careful about how many times we can write and read this kind of story in light of the awful reality of our country's history. The connections never rang true for me and I found this book to be a difficult read. 

Wednesdays with David: Weird But True!

Weird But True! 300 Outrageous Facts

By the National Geographic Society

National Geographic 2010

199 pages

From our shelves 

The story: This book is a collection of cool and crazy facts, compiled by the National Geographic Society. The facts are written in different fonts and colors and accompanied by pictures. This book is perfect for any kid interested in nature, animals, or interesting tidbits! 

Mama opines: This series would be a great starting point for a mama or dad looking to inject some nonfiction into a little person's reading choices. The facts are really interesting and cover just about every topic you could imagine. This book could be a fun bedtime read or maybe just a conversation starter with your family. 

Thoughts from David: Well, here I am, reading my first Weird but True book. I can't believe it has so many facts! 

Favorite fact: Your body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. 

Happy Reading! 

Review: Songs of Willow Frost

Songs of Willow Frost

By Jamie Ford

Ballantine Books September 2013

319 pages

From the library

William Eng has lived at Sacred Heart Orphanage in Seattle since he was seven years old. On the day the orphanage when celebrates birthdays, the boy are taken to see a movie. On the screen high above him, William sees a woman who looks just like his mother. With his friend Charlotte, William sets out to find his mother and find out the truth about why she left him behind.

A few years ago, there was a lot of buzz about a book called Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. While I heard good things about it, I didn't get a chance to read it myself. When Ford's new book came out, I read endless good reviews and then decided I should read it. It was a wonderful decision.

Songs of Willow Frost is one of those amazing stories that sucks you right in from the first page and never lets go. Mr. Ford bring history to life with ease. While there are many books about the discrimination faced by African Americans, there are fewer that tell of the hatred that Chinese people faced in this nation. Willow finds herself in an impossible situation - she is Chinese in a country that sees her as a second class citizen, she is without family in a culture that values connection, and she is a single mother at a time when that was shameful in any realm of society. While I think many of us know of the horrid conditions during the Great Depression, Ford shows us just how dangerous it was to be a woman or child when there was no one to fight for them.

The things that happen to Willow and to William will break your heart and then, just when you have recovered, they will break your heart all over again. Writing from a child's point of view can be challenging, but I think Ford really captures the pain and hope that William feels as he realizes he might have a family after all. Our perceptions of Willow change as we read this story. At the beginning, we can't help but despise her for leaving behind her son. As we learn what happened to her and the difficult choices she faced, our anger turns into sympathy.

Songs of Willow Frost is an engaging story presented by an excellent writer. The history is impeccably researched, the pacing is perfect, and the characters will quickly find a place in your heart. This book is historical fiction at its best.

It's Monday and I need to get reading!

I sort of ran out of books this week. It seems like I need to hunker down and read because I suddenly realized it was time to write the review for the book I was currently reading. I'm usually pretty good about being a few books ahead on my review schedule, but somewhere along the way I lost that advantage. Time to stop typing and get back to reading!


Read This Week:

The Sweetest Hallelujah
By Elaine Husey


Songs of Willow Frost
By Jamie Ford


Posts from this Past Week:
It's Monday
Wednesdays with David: Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia 
Reviews of The Maid's Version and The Returned


Reading Now:

The Facades
By Eric Lundgren


Up Next:


Novel Ideas
By K. B. Dixon


What are you reading this week?

Review: The Returned

The Returned

By Jason Mott

Harlequin MIRA August 2013

338 pages

From the library

My review of The Returned is up at the Atlantic Highlands Herald. You can read it here.

Wednesdays with David: Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia

Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia

Written by Hannah Dolan with Elizabeth Dowsett, Shari Last, and Victoria Taylor

DK Publishing 2011

205 pages

From the library

The story: There isn't a story here really. This book is a guide to all of the Lego Star Wars characters and play sets. It does, however, give some background information about each character. 

Mama opines: Those people over at Lego are quite clever, aren't they? This is really a little boy shopping list disguised in book form. It is rather helpful for making the Christmas list though...

Thoughts from David: Well, here we are, reading another Lego Star Wars book. It's been a lot of time since we read one of those. Ok, there's at least 200 pages in this Lego Star Wars book. I like that there are so many Lego sets in here, like the Hoth Rebel Base. Now, let's get on to my favorite set! 

Favorite Lego set: The Jedi Starfighter Set 

Happy Reading! 

Review: The Maid's Version

The Maid's Version

By Daniel Woodrell

Little, Brown, and Company September 2013

164 pages

From the library

In 1929, the town of West Table, Missouri is literally rocked when a popular dance hall explodes. No one is ever arrested for the crime, but there are many suspects. Was it a mobster looking to silence someone forever? Did the band of gypsies wandering through town have something to do with it? Or was it the local minister who thought the dance hall was a den of sin? Alma DeGeer Dunahew thinks she knows who is responsible. Her free spirited sister Ruby was having an affair with a married man and Alma thinks that relationship led to the death of every person in that dance hall, including Ruby.

The Maid's Version is presented as a sort of mystery, but it's more of a case study of small town life. This short book features small chapters, each of which focus on different citizens of the town. This has two effects - it really gives the readers a tapestry of the many people living in a small town, but it can also be quite jarring to have to place a new person each time you begin a chapter. Alma is getting old and finally gives her grandson permission to reveal what she believes happened on that fateful day. Her confession bring family secrets to life, but it also brings closure to a family that was devastated by the explosion and its aftermath. 

This book is one that should be read in a straight shot because it makes it easier to keep track of the many characters and their connections. Mr. Woodrell really manages to capture the unhurried feeling of a small Missouri town in his characters, in his pacing, and with his language. This is not a mystery with any urgency. Instead, we sit alongside an elderly relative who will eventually get to her point...but she has a lot to tell you first.

For a story that is finally going to clear up a mystery, the actual reveal seemed sort of haphazard to me. Part of this has to do with the abundance of characters. It's difficult to feel as if you really know or care about any of these people, including Alma, Ruby, and the person responsible for the explosion. While many readers may guess who the culprit is, the events leading up to the explosion felt random. It almost seems as if Woodrell picked plot devices out of a hat. 

The Maid's Version is a good pick for readers who like certain types of stories - multiple points of view, a mystery that has been obscured for years, and a look into the eccentricities and secrets of small town residents. For a short book, it can be a slow read as the reader must untangle the webs of Woodrell's prose, the character's relationships, and the many threads of this mystery.