Three Fun Fall Reads!

Leaving Carolina
by Tamara Leigh
Initial Response: Great Book!!! Funny, Serious, Truths, Twists - Definitely a Yes!
Synopsis: Piper Wick left her small-town roots in Pickwick, NC many years ago. Now she is called back to deal with some potential changes in her Uncle Obadiah's will. After working so hard to rid herself of the baggage of the name Pickwick, including changing her own name to Wick, will she be able to keep Uncle Obadiah from ruining her long sought for dreams. Or have her dreams changed?
My daughter Dot was the guest blogger on this book:
Diary of a Teenage Girl, Maya: Book 4
By Melody Carlson
Initial response: Horray! :)
Age: 15+
Synopsis: Always excited about a new Diary of a Teenage Girl book, this was sure to please. And it certainly did.
As background, Melody Carlson has written over 200 books, including 16 Diary of a Teenage Girl books, separated into four series of four each. Chloe, Catlin, Kim, and Maya all know each other, and we read each of their journals.
Although rather partial to Chloe, I found Maya as someone I could also sympathize with. Maya has grown up taking care of her addicted mother. Independent, brave, but secretly wishing for a normal family, Maya enters High School for the first time (she has been homeschooled all her life). Several great decisions press on her; what will she choose? What will she do with her new-found musical ability?
Melody Carlson has a knack for getting inside a girls head and then translating it to the page: take it from me. While these girls' journals are more novels than journals - even I never remember details like that - I still love them. Quick, thought-provoking reads about Christ-committed girls; these are excellent for whoever wants to understand teenagers a little more - whether you are one or not.


Limelight
by Melody Carlson
Initial Response: Great!!
Age: Not appropriate for young teens. Mentions In.cest. Is an incident in the main character's childhood. Is written about appropriately, but spoils the book for the teenage girl who would love the rest of the book. I was thinking about blacking that part out so my middle daughter could read it, but it has an impact in the conclusion.
Synopsis: I really enjoyed the look into the life of Claudette Fiore, someone who used to turn heads in the Hollywood scene. Married to a famous director, Claudette hosted parties and lived a lifestyle most of us only read about. Now her husband is gone, and a crooked accountant has left her poor. She returns to her small town to live in the only home she owns. It was a hoot to read about her journeys into what most of us term, daily life. Just great!! Makes me appreciate the life I have.

These great books can be purchased at WaterBrook Multnomah through these links:

Leaving Carolina: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421661

What Matters Most: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421197

Limelight: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781400070824

These books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.