Silent Child by Sarah A Denzil

What a surprise I found in this novel. So every month as a prime member, Amazon offers me a choice of novels coming out the next month to read in advance. So as I was looking over the offerings that month I came across this one and the title intrigued me.  As I read the short blurb that accompanied it I really became intrigued. I cannot give this novel enough praise. The author had me hooked from the first line and it only got better from there. I read it from cover to cover in just 3 hours, I could not put it down.
The story begins with a mother loosing her child in a drowning during a storm.  As she learns to deal with her loss, she starts to rebuild her life. It's been ten years, she has a husband now, pregnant and starting to find the joy in life again. When all of the sudden, her son now a teenager; appears from nowhere and he is unable speak. He can't tell them where he's been and what happened to him. The broken bones and numerous injuries tell them that whatever it was had been horrific. Who from their tiny town could be capable of this?
This the story of a mother's fight to find out what happened to her son and to learn to reconnect. The story line in itself is a page turner because you are so caught up in trying to find out what happened to the son in those ten years that you never seen the end coming and you certainly do not expect the answer.
I was so impressed by this novel and it's author that I have recommended it to all of my friends. You must read this book you will not be sorry you spent the time.

Sundown by Nora Roberts

So I have been waiting on the new Nora Roberts stand alone, once a year novel to hit the books stands. I buy in hardback because I pass it on to my mother and she loves to collect her books in hardback. This novel was highly anticipated by me because well Nora Roberts just never disappoints and she is one of my favorites. Here was my big surprise.

Yes I guess she can disappoint as this was far from her best work. I look forward to a new novel from Nora each summer and I was waiting on this one because it sound like it would be her usual great novel. I was 205 pages in before I even started to get interested. This one just fell flat. The main characters Cal and Bodine had absolutely no chemistry in fact Cal had more chemistry with Alice and his horse that he did with Bodine. Their interactions did not have the hot desire that we  have come to expect from Nora Roberts. They were so bland almost like sister and brother. The plot of the story had such potential but it went on with way too much detail of the ranch life and running a ranch resort. I was bogged down with the boring everyday and there was no suspense, edge of my seat, can't wait to turn the page in the book. Even though the ending was a surprise, best part of the book; it still wasn't enough to leave me feeling like I had read a great book.

All of her recent novels have been so captivating and I was expecting this one to be the same and I was disappointed. It felt as if someone else started the book and then she came in on the last 100 pages and finished it.

I feel as if I wasted my time and money on this one. But more than that I feel let down by the author. I know she can't hit them out of the park all of the time but there were so many ways this one could have been better. Does she need to slow down and stop trying to put out so many books in one year with all of her other projects? I just know I miss the novel I have come to expect. Let's just hope the 1st installment of the new trilogy due out this fall is what we have come to expect and does not let us down as well.

 

I love books. I have for as long as I can remember. My Mom is a avid reader and took me to the library for the first time. My Grandparents read to me all of the time. I can still remember the first book they read to me. It was a Little Golden Book called "My Counting Book". I had it memorized long before I could read it for myself.  I have never been without a book of some kind to read and at times find myself having withdrawals if I can not find time to spend reading. When e-books came along it made having a book within reach at all times so easy. Now instead of packing my purse with a paperback I can pull up a book on my phone at anytime. Gotta love technology. I am addicted and I don't need a cure.

Under the big pecan tree in my Grandparents backyard was my favorite place to read. The trees whispered and told secrets if you would only listen. Even when sitting under the trees wasn't possible because of the weather, you could sit on the porch swing and still hear the trees whisper to you.

So I as thought about what I wanted to call this blog, the memory of under the tree and reading kept popping into my mind. So welcome to Under the Whispering Tree- the best place to read books and hopefully for you a good place to find the next good book to read. Maybe you'll even find your own whispering tree.