Lynn Diener

Veins opened, story bled

Revisado: 04-30-18

There’s that famous quote attributed to Red Smith that says, “Writing is easy. You just open a vein and bleed.”

When I read Barbara Claypole White’s novels, I get the sense that’s exactly what she does, but especially in The Promise Between Us.

The veil between fiction and reality seems gossamer thin, with the smallest touch one could reach through the writing and catch amazing Maise’s tear on your finger.

And because the line between here and there is so transparent, it allows Claypole White to give her readers access to what life inside OCD is like. It grows compassion for a woman like Katie Mack who often lives in a one-sided, demonized half of a headline.

It is a hard read at times. All those anxieties that many of us have as tiny whispers in the back of our minds are amplified to a deafening volume and you long to turn it down for yourself and for these characters. But that’s what builds compassion and understanding for those living with mental illness in real life.

Claypole White has a way of writing that gives her characters such depth that you’d swear you knew them.

As heavy as mental illness can be to read about, there is joy and humor and hope in these pages, too. Enough to keep you going, enough to soften the hits to your emotional guts.

Sometimes I am wary of reading an author more than once. I worry that the new book won’t quite grab me as much as the other book I read and loved, but when I read two that I love... it’s magic. I’m looking forward to the next book.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Tender, Real, Delightful

Revisado: 10-15-16

I had just finished a great book, but it was one that left me feeling spent. It'd wrung me out. I wanted a lighter read but didn't want fluff. So, I found this book and it was exactly what I needed.

It's a heartwarming tale, but not saccharin sweet. The characters are dealing with difficult things, but they deal with them in the way we'd all hope to, with a gentle hold. They embrace them, but are not devastated by them.

I love the relationships between Leona and her family, but there was something special and genuine in her relationships with her home health patients. I've seen it in real life and it was beautiful to "see it on the page".

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esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Unbelievably good!

Revisado: 10-13-16

I am here sobbing the way you do after witnessing something beautiful, tragic, and profound. I am extremely stingy with five star ratings, but eagerly bestow them in this amazing work of historical fiction.

The readers for this work were spot-on. Not once was I ripped out of my story cocoon by an odd word, or strained voice, or poor accents. This is really a stellar work through and through.

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A reader's feast

Revisado: 08-31-16

It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book this much. The writing is luscious. This story about family and community, and injustice, is told truthfully but with gentleness. I believe this is a debut novel for Ms. Baszile. I look forward to reading more by her.

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Can I give it 4.8 stars? I loved this!

Revisado: 08-31-16

Can I give it a 4.8? It's nearly a 5. There are so many lovable characters in this book that I didn't want the story to end. I don't tend to pick books with time-travel in them because they can get campy, but not this. It is a beautiful story of friendship and family and it was fun to read. Caution: weak-stomached readers may need to take some breathers near the end. It's a great fast-paced ending, and will be great for thriller/murder/mystery readers, too.

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Couldn't stop reading!

Revisado: 08-31-16

What a riveting read! I feel absolutely spoiled that I've read such amazing books lately, but this is the one that made my schedule slow to a crawl because I HAD to know what was going to happen. Suspense right up to the SIXTH-SENSE-esque end. My only hesitation is sharing it with my friends who are young parents, for fear it'll give them some serious paranoia. Don't read this if you've got something really important to cross off your to-do list, wait until you've finished it.

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Lives up to the hype

Revisado: 08-08-11

My finger hovered over the button to add this book to my cart quite a few times, but when I realized the movie was due out soon I thought-- I need to read it before I see it. And since I rarely have time for paper books, I downloaded this. From the very start I wasn't just hooked, I was reeled in. I couldn't get enough, and when I realized I was just a few chapters from the end, I got very sad- this story would be over soon. It was so worth the read and I'm sorry I didn't listen to it right away. This one will stick with me for a long time.

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Incredible tale, and it's real

Revisado: 08-08-11

I love Elizabeth Berg, and I'm reading books set in this era as research for a novel- so when I found this, I was tickled- but had no idea what wait for me. What an incredible tale, and to know that the bones of the story are real, that just makes it all the more fascinating.

I was hooked from the start and found myself tidying up around the house more just so I could listen longer. It's well worth the listen. And Elizabeth Berg has a great reading voice, too.

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This skeptic converted

Revisado: 08-08-11

I will admit, I hate to jump on any kind of book bandwagon, and when all my friends started raving about this book I thought-- yeah, probably not for me. But then I started reading Jody Hedlund's blog and she really knows the craft of writing and I thought...maybe I ought to give her book a read, even though there was a "bonnet" on the cover. I am so glad I read this. What an amazing story. When you start reading, you think, how can a story about a breadmaker's daughter be exciting- but the story takes off quickly and then you're hooked. This was an incredible read and I can't wait for the next book to come out.

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Sequel doesn't disappoint

Revisado: 08-08-11

Liz Curtis Higgs does it again. For a year I waited to know what happened after Marjory and Elisabeth boarded the carriage. The story follows Ruth and Naomi's of the Bible, but there's enough surprises to keep you turning the virtual page. And at the end, a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. I am a self-confessed LCH evangelist and push her books on everyone I know. She's just that good. Go ahead, get to downloading it, you'll see.

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