Sea View 12

My 2 cents: I love it when friends hand me books to read and review. It's still a thrill, especially if it's a crisp, new book with white, un-smeared pages. So a friend recommended Ali in Wonderland recently by Ali Wentworth, who's a pretty, blonde comedienne, a mother of two, and wife to George Stephanopoulos. And very funny. Wentworth's book is a memoir, but not really a life-story. It's more a bunch of random stories about her life, from her childhood in Washington, DC through boarding school, post-college adventures, work experiences and some engagements (I lost count of how many, exactly), to her life now in New York City Hands-down, the funniest story in Wentworth's book is when she tells about the time her mother forced her to run away from home with her older sister, who was recuperating (miserably) from back surgery and wearing a full-body cast . . . in the summer. The older sister made a deal with Ali that if Ali could make her laugh, sh...

My 2 cents: PRODIGY. The much-awaited sequel to Legend by Marie Lu is out, thrilling teens everywhere, anxious to know what's happening with June, the Republic's 15-year-old, hot-shot prodigy, and Day, her cooler-than-cool rebel counterpart. My 12-year-old daughter handed me a copy to read and review, and I was not disappointed. Sometimes, that first book in a titillating trilogy is a hard act to follow, and the second book falls a little flat. Not this time. The sequel hits readers with a jolt on the first page and keeps on pumping, up until the “oh, no, please, no” very last page. And, then some. There are a few major surprises in Prodigy. (Hint: Anden. Second hint: Eden. Third: Kaede and the Patriots). June is amazing. And, Day, well. Let's just say that if readers didn't think they could fall any more in love with him, they were wrong. Which brings us to Lu's big cliffhanger in the end. Will Day live? Will June and Day be together? What w...

My 2 cents: Debbie Macomber fans! (And there are millions of you. . .) The wait is over! Macomber's newest novel is on the shelves, Starting Now. It's April, Easter was Sunday, flowers are budding out, and new beginnings are possible. Time to pick out a skein of spring yarn, head on over to “A Good Yarn” on Blossom Street, say hello to Lydia, Margaret and Casey. And meet Ava, Libby and Dr. Phillip Stone. Libby just got fired from her dream job, exactly when she thought she was going to get that much-deserved promotion. She's at her lowest point, since the death of her mother, when, unexpectedly she meets Lydia, Dr. Stone and Ava. Suddenly, her empty life is full and happy, and she's doing things she'd never even dreamed of. When life throws her yet another curve, and her old career dances back into her life, what will Libby choose? Starting Now, what will she do? Length: 338 pages Worth Your Time? You bet your yarn it is. Debbie Macomber...

1) You wrote STRAIGHT JACKET with such vivid detail (the doors click-clanking shut in the psych ward gave me chills). Where did you find inspiration to write a book about teens experiencing mental illness? My ideas for my writing always start with a setting first. The characters come later. For some reason, one day I just started thinking about psychiatric hospitals and what it was like to live in one. I’ve always been fascinated by psychology and sociology – in college I took enough psych classes to have myself an unofficial minor. There was always something about psychiatric hospitals that seemed so, I don’t know, weird and scary and interesting to me all at the same time. I kept that setting in mind. In terms of my characters, I wanted to create people that were not only imprisoned by the hospital, but also confined in their lives outside of the hospital. Teens are perfect for that – they want to be independent and free, but they still live under the rules and restricti...

My 2 cents: Ivan is The One and Only Ivan , a 400-pound gorilla, who lives at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall off I-95. Ivan can paint and draw, and he tells the story of his life at Exit 8 with his friends, Stella, Bob, Julia and Ruby. Ruby and Stella are elephants. Bob is a dog. And, Julia is the compassionate child who comes to the Big Top every night to hang out with the animals, draw and do her homework, while her father cleans the mall. A poignant story, The One and Only Ivan is also triumphant in the end, a magical tale of hope and solidarity among kindred spirits, whether they be animal or human. By Katherine Applegate, this YA novel won the prestigious Newbery Medal Award for 2013, and was inspired by a true story. It will make readers of all ages think hard about animal habitats, especially ones built by human hands. Length : 300 pages Worth Your Time? Yes, especially for ages 10 and up. Advisory: there are some scenes with animal cruelty. Bonus : If you...

My 2 cents: Meredith Towbin's new YA novel, Straight Jacket, is sit-on-the-edge-of -your-seat, double-take good. So well written, it is almost impossible to believe this is Towbin's first novel. Straight Jacket takes us straight to a hospital psychiatric unit where readers meet Anna, a lovely eighteen-year-old only child, who experiences crippling panic attacks and is severely abused by her picture-perfect parents; and Caleb, a young artist who believes he is an angel sent to earth to help Anna heal. The brilliant thing about Towbin is that she steps back, and lets her characters take over. Readers are given the rare opportunity to make up their own minds about Caleb and Anna, and what's real and not real. A beautiful story, Straight Jacket is funny, poignant, eye-opening, tender and deeply provocative. Length: 264 pages Worth Your Time? So worth your time! For you and your teen. This book will have you thinking and talking long after you...

My 2 cents: Dylan's Song by P. M. Terrell is the fourth book in her Black Swamp Mysteries Series. It takes place in Terrell's own Lumberton, NC and Ireland. Full of mystery, intrigue and rich Irish atmosphere, Dylan's Song weaves a tale around a trio of CIA operatives, reunited sisters, an Irish Catholist priest, peat bogs, an ancient castle and a prisoner who needs to be rescued. Dylan Maguire and Vicki Boyd (who has paranormal psychological powers) live in Lumberton, NC and raise angel fish, while waiting word on their next mission. They don't have to wait long, as their skills and experience are in high demand, and lives, a world away, are hanging in the balance. Length: 277 pages Worth Your Time? Yes. This book is classified as Adult Fiction, Mystery/Suspense. The author is a founder of the annual Book 'Em Literary Event held each February in Lumberton, NC. Bonus : Read below for an enlightening author/interview with P. M. Terrell. ...