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We Need To Talk About Kevin
I had owned my copy of We Need To Talk About Kevin for some time, at least a year, before I started reading it. It was my friend Michelle who told me “You have to read it. It’s totally your kind of book.” So I picked it up. And about fifteen pages into it, I emailed Michelle: I don’t like this woman. Am I supposed to like her? She sounds like she thinks she’s smarter than everyone else. Am I going to hate her the whole time I read this book? And does Franklin ever reply to her letters?
Michelle, because she knows I do not like to be spoiled with a book, told me to just keep reading. Talk about intense. I know I’ve used that word in a fair number of other reviews, but really, what other word fits for a novel about the aftermath of a mass killing at your child’s school? Except in this case, your child wasn’t a victim. Your child was the killer, and is now incarcerated for the crime.
If you spend your child’s early years wondering why you don’t connect with him, perhaps resenting this screaming, wailing, manipulative child, are you a bad mother? What if you see warning signs in your child, but no one will listen to you? Can a mother’s love surpass even the most unimaginable of circumstances? Those are just some of the questions Lionel Shriver explores in We Need To Talk About Kevin.
In all honesty, I never really warmed to Eva, Kevin’s mother and narrator of the story. I am not sure I would like her, if she were a real person. But I felt as though I got to know her. And the story certainly made me think. If you’re a parent, is there anything that your child could do that would make you stop loving them? I found myself having to look up some of the “vocabulary” words in this book- I think part of the reason I didn’t like Eva. But at the same time, I found myself pitying her. Shriver provides a fascinating glimpse into a psychotic personality, the power of guilt, and the power of love.
Although it took me several pages to really want to know what happened, I ended up enjoying (being glad I read?) We Need To Talk About Kevin. It’s one of those books that stays with you for a while after you finish it. You’re conflicted, and creeped out and unsettled at the end. It touches a nerve, much like life.
Special Post: Season’s Readings
Remember when I reviewed Meredith Schorr’s Just Friends With Benefits and a State of Jane? Or when I interviewed her as My Author Crush, and in all of my postings said how much I liked Meredith’s work? Well, if you haven’t picked up either of her books yet, or if you’re looking for a great gift for the Chick Lit lover in your life, now’s your chance to get Chick Lit at some great prices.
In the spirit of coming together for the holidays, eight popular Chick Lit authors are “partying it up” with a shared promotion for book lovers! That means eight fun and fizzy e-books, each priced at $3.99 or less, that are packed with plenty of laughs and romance to keep you entertained on those long winter nights! And if you’d like to gift one of these books to a Chick Lit fan, we’ve got you covered with your choice of paperbacks!
Which books are featured in this festive promo?
Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey – Daytime talk show producer Jamie Ross is beyond fed up with her toxic bad boy turned metrosexual boyfriend. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, she goes on a hilarious, at-times disastrous, and totally life-changing hunt to track down the “one who got away.” But are some loves best left behind?
E-book and paperback available on Amazon.
In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister – Handling the problems of hysterical hypochondriacs, lovelorn neurotics, and compulsive man whores is all in a day’s work for super-shrink Pilar Alvarez. But can she deal with her crazy Cuban family, a trio of unsuitable suitors, and a threat to her practice without ending up on the couch herself? E-book available on
Amazon and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon.
What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard – Discovering what her dog ate turns Maggie Baxter’s world upside down. With her chocolate Lab, Kona, as her guide, can Maggie forego her overly analytical ways to find a new life filled with tail-wagging joy?
E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
The Girl, the Gold Tooth, & Everything by Francine LaSala – Suburban housewife Mina, beaten-down and struggling with amnesia, starts getting her memory and her mojo back. But she soon learns everything has a price in this fast-paced, richly layered, and darkly humorous satire!
E-book and paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie – When Roxy Rule shares a passionate kiss with her lifelong best friend, she must come to terms with her feelings for him while dealing with two sisters in full crisis mode, a boss who makes her want to stab herself with a letter opener and a fiancé who can’t wait to walk down the aisle. Can she keep it together–or will she break under the pressure? E-book available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon.
Fashioning a Romance by Libby Mercer –
Devastatingly handsome and deliciously weird, John Harrington is the man of Caitlyn Taylor’s dreams… and her nightmares. She has no use for a womanizer like him, and dodges his advances like a pro. But when they end up in Paris together, Caitlyn feels her resolve begin to slip. How will she ever be able to resist the irresistible in the most romantic city in the world?
E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.
A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr – Jane Frank is newly single after nine years and looking for a second chance at love. But when she dives head first into the NYC dating scene and finds it infested with flakes who are interested today and gone tomorrow, it may be time for Jane to turn the tables!
E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone – Lauren Tate’s perfectly planned life quickly unravels at the seams when a smear campaign threatens her career as a top TV executive, but she learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who’s stolen her heart goes missing.
E-book available on Amazon; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
My Author Crush: Laurel Osterkamp
I’m really excited to have Laurel Osterkamp as November’s Author Crush. It’s especially fitting with this being an election year, and the election only days away, because Laurel is a bit of a political junkie and her latest novel, November Surprise, is a love story told through elections. Read on to see why Laurel is this month’s Author Crush.
TBF: What sparked your interest in politics?
LO: You know, I don’t actually remember. But it’s funny that you should ask, because I’ve gotten a similar question from readers. “Why is so Lucy so interested in politics?” Is it lame to say that she just is? I know my family has always enjoyed a good political discussion, and being a democrat is like our religion. So I was surrounded by it growing up, and I guess it just rubbed off.
TBF: I feel like the politics in Campaign Promises and November Surprise come from an authentic place in you- and I think that Lucy not having a definitive viewpoint wouldn’t ring true. As I was reading the books, I was thinking that some of my friends who don’t think like Lucy does would not be able to get past the politics to enjoy the rest of the story. Did you think about that as you were writing?
LO: Yes. My goal was never to influence people or to try and sway anyone. I stayed away from the truly controversial topics, like abortion. I also made sure to make at least one likeable character a Republican, so that viewpoint could be represented. But most importantly, I tried to create a story that was about a woman’s journey to find herself and to find love. The politics were only ever meant to be a backdrop. I think of the politics as the setting of the story, rather than as the actual story itself.
TBF: I’ve read all of your books except Looking for Ward- which I just downloaded to read, by the way- and one thing I love about your characters (I think I’ve said this in reviews) is that while all your heroines are a little quirky, there’s a truly authentic feel to them. How much of yourself is in these characters? Do you ever borrow traits for your characters from people in your life?
LO: Recently I realized that all my main characters represent a part of myself. Even the ones whom I thought were nothing like me, like Melody from Starring in the Movie of My Life, borrow some trait of mine. I guess Lucy represents my idealistic/analytical side. So thank you for saying they’re authentic! I do often borrow the personalities of friends to create the secondary characters. Writing male characters is my biggest challenge. I’ve been married for ten years, and I still don’t completely understand how the male mind works. But when I was writing Monty I made him respond to certain situations in the ways I guessed my husband would respond.
TBF: We’ve emailed some about music. Who are your favorite bands/musicians? Do you have one go-to that you listen to when writing or does it depend on the book?
LO: I like The New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara, and The Killers. But mostly what I do is find songs I like from the radio and download single tracks. Then I make playlists that I listen to while I’m writing. A lot of times certain songs will just resonate with me while working on a project. It’s Time, by Imagine Dragons, did that for me this summer as I finished November Surprise. I can’t exactly say why, but now whenever I hear that song I think of my book.
TBF: How do you keep your sanity as a teacher?
LO: It can be hard, especially since the district I work in has a very high poverty rate, and that affects everything from behavior to performance on state tests. I guess I just try to keep things in perspective. They’re never going to make Freedom Writers type of movie about me, but the teacher who that movie was about quit teaching after a couple of years. I’ve been teaching for over twelve years now. I think the ones who last in the profession are those who do their best, but at the end of the day they go home to the rest of their lives.
TBF: What’s your favorite guilty pleasure snack food?
LO: The question is: what guilty pleasure snack food is NOT my favorite? I love potato chips and anything chocolate. Oh – and hot buffalo flavored pretzel bits.
TBF: Do you have a TV show you hate to admit you watch?
LO: Right now, it’s Pretty Little Liars. I stream it on Netflix every morning while I work out. So I find myself analyzing it – like – “Hmm. The dialogue can be so stilted, but the plot twists are amazing.” And finally there’s a teen show with well-developed, sympathetic mom characters. I especially like Spencer’s mom. She’s a hard-edged career woman, but she’s a good mother and she’s not afraid to admit it when she’s wrong.
TBF: What’s the one life lesson you hope your children take to heart?
LO:It’s the same life lesson that my mom taught me: Figure out what you love, and commit to it. If that means you have to create your own opportunities, then create your own opportunities.
Thanks for the interview, Ashley! You asked some great, thought-provoking questions, and my interactions with you are always a pleasure.
Thanks to Laurel for participating. I know things had to be hectic with teaching, mothering, and getting ready for the blog tour. I had a lot of fun reading your answers.
Here are some ways you can connect with Laurel:
Laurel Osterkamp was a comedy writer in Minneapolis before she began writing novels. Her first novel, Following My Toes, has been a Kindle best seller and won the 2008 Indie Excellence Award for Chick Lit. Starring in the Movie of My Life received honors in the 2011 Indie Excellence Awards for Chick Lit, and in the 2011 International Book Awards for Women’s Fiction and Young Adult Lit. Both books are indie approved at indiereader.com. She currently teaches high school, and is working on her next book, which is inspired by her recent jury duty.
Connect with Laurel!
http://www.laurelosterkamp.
http://www.laurelosterkamp.
http://www.novembersurprises.
November Surprise
I’ve read all but one of Laurel Osterkamp’s books, and she continues to be a favorite of mine. Not only is she this month’s Author Crush, I’m excited to be a part of the blog tour for her newest novel, November Surprise. If you’re a follower, you know I really liked Laurel’s Campaign Promises, a novella about finding love but told in parallel with stories about political contests. That story is told in greater detail here in November Surprise.
In true Osterkamp fashion, Laurel gives us in Lucy a quirky, very real heroine, someone I can identify with more than many of the other chick-lit heroines I read about. That’s one thing I love about Laurel’s books. She gives us characters outside the mold, but with a sense of realism.
This time, the story of Lucy and Monty is revealed against the backdrop of a number of elections. If you’re a political junkie like me, you’ll really enjoy how Osterkamp uses the campaigns to further the story. The characters are passionate about their candidates, which really made the story that much more fun for me to read. Laurel is excellent at drawing parallels between elections and the passions that surround them to relationships and the passions that drive the best of them. I think it’s especially fitting with our own election just days away.
And Laurel’s doing a very cool thing with her characters from November Surprise: she’s continuing their story, right up through the events of today, in Lucy’s blog. There’s a link below that will take you to “Lucy’s” blog so you can continue the story as well.
If you like chick lit for the thinking woman, November Surprise is for you. And here’s some more information about Laurel:
Laurel Osterkamp was a comedy writer in Minneapolis before she began writing novels. Her first novel, Following My Toes, has been a Kindle best seller and won the 2008 Indie Excellence Award for Chick Lit. Starring in the Movie of My Life received honors in the 2011 Indie Excellence Awards for Chick Lit, and in the 2011 International Book Awards for Women’s Fiction and Young Adult Lit. Both books are indie approved at indiereader.com. She currently teaches high school, and is working on her next book, which is inspired by her recent jury duty.
Connect with Laurel!
http://www.laurelosterkamp.
http://www.laurelosterkamp.
http://www.novembersurprises.
Buy the Book!
Laurel is excellent at drawing parallels between elections and the passions that surround them to relationships and the passions that drive the best of them. There’s humor, drama, and a real sense of identification with the characters.
Through The Glass
Shannon Moroney’s memoir, Through The Glass is one of the most emotionally compelling non-fiction reads I’ve stumbled upon in a while.
Through The Glass opens with an ominous knock at the door. Shannon opens the door to the news that her husband of only a month has been arrested for the brutal assault and kidnapping of two women. Shannon finds herself thrown into a world she cannot fathom, devastated from the revelation, and learning she herself has been a victim of her husband’s dark tendencies. What follows in the rest of the book is Shannon’s journey through the legal system, a desperate attempt to understand her husband’s dark compulsions, and ultimately a journey of forgiveness and peace.
Shannon’s experience highlights an often overlooked segment of the criminal justice system: the family of the offender. They are often given no guidance on how to proceed through the process, or offered much support, even if they, too, are victims of the offender. What Through The Glass did was offer me a stark reminder that there is often much more to a story than what we know. That crime doesn’t just happen to a victim. And this in no way is meant to diminish the impact to victim of a crime, only that it is a form of death in a way when a loved one commits a crime. You’re grieving the loss of a life you imagined yet the person you are mourning isn’t dead.
Shannon also reveals how it is possible to forgive a person but not an act. How it is possible to provide closure between victims and offenders through honest and open dialogue. And how some offenders truly do need to be locked away forever, for the safety of society at large.
Shannon’s story made me want to be a more compassionate person. I admit, early on in the book when Shannon recounts meeting her husband Jason, a part of me judged her for her choices. But as she explained how their relationship progressed, I realized two things. First, that I was too harsh in my snap judgement of Shannon, and second, that many of us are guilty of similar knee-jerk reactions and are probably guilty of misjudging a number of people.
Frankly, if I were ever in trouble, I would want people like Shannon and her family in my corner. This book is simply one woman’s story of a shattered world, and how she found her way through it and on to new happiness. The benefit is that in reading her story, we learn a lot about grief, compassion, and understanding. And just maybe, we want to be a better person because of it.
