Release: October 6th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Vine Leaves Press
Source: Rachel’s Random Resources
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon,
__
__
Fifteen-year-old Mary Donahue of suburban Chicago is a kid on the cusp of failure during the brutal blizzard winter of 1978-79. the end of a hard luck, hard rock era sunk in the cynical aftermath of the Vietnam War.
A motherless girl, Mary is a smart beautiful kid . Being that, an uneducated, alcoholic father within an extended family of alcoholics and addicts raises her . Aware that she’s sinking, she’s desperate to save herself and so reaches out to an unlikely source, Kathleen, a nice, normal kid from English class. To put it differently, Mary’s affinity towards Kathleen remains complex over the course of the story. Both of them remain sometimes closer and at times apart, often by their own faults, sometimes through no fault of their own.
But when the real storm hits, the full force of a harsh adult world almost buries Mary. Only then does she learn that the only difference between life and death is knowing when to grasp an extended hand.
About the Author:
Vine Leaves Press will be publishing Martha Engber’s next novel, WINTER LIGHT on Oct. 6, 2020. She’s also the author of THE WIND THIEF, a novel, and GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS FROM THE GROUND UP.
All in all, a journalist by profession, she’s written hundreds of articles for the Chicago Tribune and other publications. She’s had a play produced in Hollywood . Aurorean, Watchword, the Berkeley Fiction Review and other journals have published her fiction and poetry . She’s also a freelance editor, workshop facilitator and speaker. She currently lives in Northern California with her husband, bike and surfboard.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Linkedin | Pintrest
Winter Light Review:
This is a realistic, heart wrenching tale about the harsh realities of life on the wrong side of the tracks.
The author did a fantastic job in narrating the story. Right from the first page, Mary is a dynamic character with many layers. Although her life is difficult and she hangs out with the wrong crowd, there is a part of her that wants to be better. It was difficult to read this at times because Mary goes through so much where you want things to work out for her. The below dialogue pretty much sums up my thoughts on how Mary felt.
I don’t get how some people are born and it’s like they get this good life handed to them, and other people are born and right from the start, things are f***ed up, when they didn’t even do anything.
The supporting characters are also equally wonderful. I loved Mary’s friendship with Kathleen and how she they connect with each other. The author also develops Kathleen’s character as she realizes how lucky she is. The scenes where they spend time together toboggining or eating at Mr. A is so sweet. I also loved Danny and thought he was a wonderful role model for Mary. Similarly, there are a lot of character you love to hate like Russell and Frank.
However, I felt like story ended in an abrupt manner which disappointed me a bit. While I know how all stories don’t happy endings. I wished there was some resolution provided. There is a lot that happens towards the climax, but it didn’t go the way I had hoped.
Apart that, this was an emotional, gripping, contemporary read that really makes you appreciate life.
Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Winter Light (Open INT)
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the Winter Light by Martha Engber Blog Tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
