The Mourning Hours - Paula Treick DeBoard

By Tracy -


Release Date - June 25, 2013

Paula Treick DeBoard
Harlequin

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Nine-year-old Kirsten Hammerstrom watches as her older brother, Johnny, enters into his first serious high school relationship. At first, Kirsten has a level of adoration for the girl, Stacy Lemke, but soon things change. Stacy becomes almost obsessive with Johnny. Kirsten spies the pair fighting shortly before Stacy disappears during a snowstorm. As Johnny was the last person with Stacy, he immediately becomes a suspect. The resulting investigation and public scrutiny threatens to tear Kirsten's world apart.

The Mourning Hours doesn't really have much in the way of romance, but it is packed with emotion and a suspenseful storyline. The family dynamics play an important role in this story with Kirsten, her sister, her brother, and parents all trying to decide who they can trust. As the town begins turning on the family, things become unbearable for most and no one is certain what really happened that night. Even the reader is left in the dark until the ending.

I found The Mourning Hours to be completely addicting. The plot is tight and moves along swiftly. I loved the honest portraits of each character. They could all be your friend, your sibling, or a neighbor. Even the suspicious neighbors came off as genuine.

If you want a book that's part-mystery and part-general fiction, this is a great choice.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

By Tracy -
Image
 Release Date - October 6, 2020 If there's one thing I needed right now, it was something light and fun. Between news stories, family health matters, the ongoing pandemic, and the topics I research for work, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. In a Holidaze was a heavy dose of exactly what I needed. Rush to get your hands on this engaging holiday romance. College friends gather with their families every year for the holidays. Maelyn Jones, her parents, and her younger brother are back for another gathering, but this year is different. They learn that the Hollis family is going to sell their vacation home. Mae's already having a tough time with a job that's not what she expected. She's never told Andrew Hollis how she really feels about him. After learning this could be their last Christmas together, her family is in a car crash. She wakes up on the plane days earlier with Christmas week ahead of her. Something is going on. December 21st keeps happening over and over
Read more

Happy Haul-idays from Chronicle Books

By Tracy -
With the holidays approaching faster than many of us would like, it's time for Chronicle Books "Happy Haul-idays" contest. For those who didn't hear of this amazing festivity last year, Chronicle awards one lucky reader and one lucky book review blogger with the chance to win $500 in books. This year, they're adding a third winner - the blogger chooses a favorite charity to receive $500 in free books. Most children and adults love books, so if you're anything like me, the thought of $500 in free books is enough to make me giddy! However, I learned about 10 years ago that not every child receives encouragement to read. My neighbor's son was 10 years old and had bounced from school to school without learning how to read more than toddler books. His reading and spelling skills were atrocious. By spending a lot of time in our house surrounded by books, he discovered Gary Paulsen's books and developed a passion for reading. The Children's Literacy Fou
Read more

Farewell Floppy by Benjamin Chaud

By Tracy -
Release Date - March 2015 Benjamin Chaud Chronicle Kids Farewell Floppy is a reissue. The original release was in 2010, under the French title Adieu Chassette . This poignant tale tells the story of a boy and his rabbit. Fans of The Velveteen Rabbit may find a lot to love in Floppy's story. Figuring it unfair to keep his rabbit, the boy wanders deep in the woods where he plans to leave Floppy behind. Floppy can start a new, happy life with other rabbits and wildlife. Only, when Floppy actually leaves, the boy has changed his mind. It may be too late to get his best friend back. Not only has Benjamin Chaud written a poignant tale about pets being more than pets, he's also illustrated it beautifully. Colorful images paint the story, so even for children who cannot yet read, they'll still be able to look at the pictures and get an idea of what is happening on each page. 
Read more