Review: Little Mercies by Heather Gunderkauf

Title: Little Mercies Author: Heather Gunderkauf (author website) Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (June 24, 2014) ISBN-10: 0778316335 Pages: 320 Source:  Netgalley.com

About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)

In her latest ripped-from-the-headlines tour de force, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf shows how one small mistake can have life-altering consequences...

Veteran social worker Ellen Moore has seen the worst side of humanity; the vilest acts one person can commit against another. She is a fiercely dedicated children's advocate and a devoted mother and wife. But one blistering summer day, a simple moment of distraction will have repercussions that Ellen could never have imagined, threatening to shatter everything she holds dear, and trapping her between the gears of the system she works for.

Meanwhile, ten-year-old Jenny Briard has been living with her well-meaning but irresponsible father since her mother left them, sleeping on friends' couches and moving in and out of cheap motels. When Jenny suddenly finds herself on her own, she is forced to survive with nothing but a few dollars and her street smarts. The last thing she wants is a social worker, but when Ellen's and Jenny's lives collide, little do they know just how much they can help one another.

 
A powerful and emotionally charged tale about motherhood and justice, Little Mercies is a searing portrait of the tenuous grasp we have on the things we love the most, and of the ties that unexpectedly bring us together

Related Media:

About the Author: 

Heather was born in Wagner, South Dakota, the youngest of six children. At one month of age, her family returned to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota where her father was employed as a guidance counselor and her mother as a school nurse. At the age of three, her family moved to Iowa, where she grew up. Having been born with a profound unilateral hearing impairment (there were many evenings when Heather and her father made a trip to the bus barn to look around the school bus for her hearing aids that she often conveniently would forget on the seat beside her), Heather tended to use books as a retreat, would climb into the toy box that her father’s students from Rosebud made for the family with a pillow, blanket, and flashlight, close the lid, and escape the world around her. Heather became a voracious reader and the seed of becoming a writer was planted.

Heather Gudenkauf graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages and continues to work in education as a Title I Reading Coordinator.

Heather lives in Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Maxine. In her free time Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running. She is currently working on her next novel.

My Review:  I love ripped from the headlines type books.  The beginning of Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf, hits a little close to home for this busy mom and overworked social worker.  I have been a social worker for the last 20 years also working with children.    Ellen is a veteran social worker and dedicated to the children she helps.  It is a hard thing to balance motherhood and a career such as social work.  Gudenkauf delves into the challenges of motherhood and being a  social worker with great insight. 

Ellen, while rushing to address an emergency on her caseload, makes a mistake that will have life altering consequences for her and her family.  Little Mercies is the story of Ellen, but also the story of a young girl Jenny.   Their stories eventually converge through some very skillful writing.  I chose to read Little Mercies due to the storyline including a social worker.  Little Mercies was the first book by Heather Gudenkauf, I have read. I was delight to discover she was originally from South Dakota, as I am.   The characters are well developed and you instantly care about Ellen Moore and her family.  The story of Jenny Briard was not as developed, but intriguing none the less. 

Little Mercies is a chilling, emotional story about motherhood and justice.    Little Mercies is an intriguing,  fast – paces read.   The story flows very nicely and hooks you right from the beginning.  You will finish this book in short order.

My Rating: 4 – Little Mercies is a ripped of the headlines story that will hit home with a lot of mothers.  Little Mercies is a fast-paced, intriguing read that you will be glad you devoured.   Little Mercies would be great book for a book club discussion, especially for my book group as we are almost all social workers.  If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult you will love Heather Gudenkauf’s book, Little Mercies.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Little Mercies was also reviewed on the following  blogs:  Tempest Books, Book Journey, Candace’s Book Blog, and I’d So Rather Be Reading  

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf  was received from Harlequin MIRA in exchange for a fair review.

Coming Soon to a Bookshelf Near You: August Edition

I hoped to blog to you from the deck, but the heat got to me and I had to retreat into the house.   It has now rained and hopefully cooled down a bit, so hopefully my evening will be spent reading on the deck.
As a book blogger, I am able to request, read and provide feedback on forth coming titles.   I love being able to do this, but some months my ambitions are larger than what time allows.  I still have a full time job which interferes regularly with my reading/blogging schedule.  Honestly, I must admit that lately what is interfering the most with my reading in CANDY CRUSH!!    Each night I head to bed to read a bit and my youngest son crawls in bed with us and wants to play Candy Crush on my kindle.  So we take turns playing each night until we are out of lives.  He is 12 and soon won’t want to hang out with mom, so I am taking advantage of this one on one time with my last kiddo at home. 
So I decided to share with you some upcoming releases that have caught my eye.    I would hate for you to miss an upcoming title due to our Candy Crush addiction!!  
Here are some books which will be available in bookstores in August, 2014 that caught my eye!
   
Upcoming Reviews on Reading in White Bear Lake:
   

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful day!!
Happy Reading!

*Note – if you would like to keep up with book reviews on Reading in White Bear Lake, please take a moment to like us on facebook!   If you are interested in my other loves: cooking, menu planning, organizing and my family check out our other blog, Living in White Bear Lake.   Living in White Bear Lake can also be found on facebook.

Review: Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans

Title: Walking on Water (Book 5) Author: Richard Paul Evans (Author Website) (Facebook) Genre: Adult Fiction Narrator: Richard Paul Evans Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Audio, May, 2014 Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (from Good Reads.com)

In this fifth New York Times bestseller in the Walk series, Richard Paul Evans’s hero Alan Christoffersen must say some painful goodbyes and learn some important lessons as he comes to the end of his cross-country walk to Key West.

After the death of his beloved wife, after the loss of his advertising business to his once-trusted partner, after bankruptcy forced him from his home, Alan Christoffersen’s daring cross-country journey—a walk across America, from Seattle to Key West, with only the pack on his back—has taught him lessons about love, forgiveness and, most of all, hope.

Now Alan must again return west to face yet another crisis, one that threatens to upend his world just as he had begun to heal from so much loss, leaving him unsure of whether he can reach the end his journey. It will take the love of a new friend, and the wisdom of an old friend, to help him to finally leave the past behind and find the strength and hope to live again.

Related Media: – Book Trailer

 About the Author & Narrator:

Richard Paul Evans is the #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box.  Each of his eighteen novels has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list; there are more than 14 million copies of his books in print worldwide.  His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages, and several have been international bestsellers. Evans has won the American Mothers book award, two first place Storytelling World awards, The Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, the German Leserpreis Gold Award for Romance, and the Religion Communicator’s Council’s Wilbur Award. Four of Evans’s books have been produced as television movies. Evans received the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award for his work helping abused children. Evans lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Keri, and their five children.

 My Review: Walking on Water is the 5th book in the Walk series by Richard Paul Evans.  This audio book was narrated by the author.  I must admit, when I realized the author was also the narrator I wasn’t terribly excited.   I have listened to other authors and the experience has been less than satisfying.   That was not the case with Richard Paul Evans.  He has a very smooth and pleasing voice to listen too.  He narrates with great emotions, which really added to the listening experience. 

While, I enjoyed Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans, my experience was probably diminished by not having read any of the previous books in the Walk series.  I am sure those who have read all the previous books were more connected with the character, Alan Christoffersen.  The last book eludes to many trials that Alan has endured in previous books, which I didn’t know the details about.   I imagine those who started at the beginning of this series were waiting for each book and felt a real connection or kinship with Alan.   Alan is a very likeable character who you hope ends his walk with restored hope and healing. 

The story starts with Alan facing some difficult issues with his father.  Allen is a very likeable character working through a number of losses towards healing.  The details of the states that Allen walks through is amazing.  The people he meets through out the last leg of his walk are interesting.   I plan on reading the previous books in this series.  I am especially interested in his walk through SD, since that is where I am originally from.   The details of the locations is obviously due to the author’s trip through these areas.  Great research by Richard Paul Evans.

My Rating: 3.5/5 – Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans is the entertaining and emotional travelogue of Alan' Christoffersen’s walk from Seattle, Washington to Key West, Florida.   While Walking on Water is enjoyable as a stand alone book, I think you will feel more connected and invested in the characters if you follow Alan’s journey from the very beginning.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans was also reviewed by the The Friendly Book Nook,  and  Bookbag Lady.

 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Audio book on Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans was received from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for a fair review.