The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

The Midnight Dress

by Karen Foxlee

Don't be deceived by the title of this book, it is much more than a story about a girl and a dress!  Rose and her father have just run out of gas in a small coastal town.  Much to Rose's mounting disappointment, she must attend school.  What she doesn't predict is that she will make a friend.

Pearl seems perfect to Rose; she's beautiful, popular and a great friend.  As their friendship grows, the time of the Harvest Parade and dance grows near as well.  All the girls plan their dresses, hair and make-up months prior to the event.  A desperate Rose goes to see the town 'witch', Edie, to see if she can make the dress.

Together Rose and Edie do make a dress, a beautiful midnight blue dress.  Does the dress hold a special magic?  What will happen when Rose wears it?  The Midnight Dress is a story of friendship, family and love.  I would recommend this book for middle to high school students.

One of Us by Tawni O'Dell

Image courtesy of NetGalley.com

One of Us

by Tawni O'Dell

When Danny visits his home town of Lost Creek, he is just as lost as the name of his hometown implies.  He comes to check on his grandfather, who at 96, is in much better shape than his other family members.  His father has always been abusive and distant, and his mother has struggled with mental illness as long as he can remember.  When a local business man is found dead at the infamous town gallows, Danny is forced to confront his demons in both psychological and physical ways.  

Lost Creek is a mining town and is and always has been, controlled by the one family that owns the mine.  Danny is a small-town boy made good by becoming a successful psychologist and author.  Perhaps his experience in solving crimes can help solve the death at the gallows and the haunting events that lead to the gallows being built; the execution of several young men for defying the coal boss.

O'Dell deftly describes life in a coal mining town both at its peak and in its wane; you can almost feel the coal dust settle on the pages as you read.  The dichotomy between Danny's city life and the one he has left behind is almost a character in and of itself.  Each character is drawn out until you feel as if you have known them just as well as Danny has.

One of Us is as much a drama as it is a well-told thriller.  The pacing creates the feeling of living in a small town, without ever being too slow.  Flashbacks of the town in the crux of the mining boom help to add details to the town's complicated existence.  I would recommend On of Us to those who like an engaging story with meaty characters.  I'm almost jealous that you'll get the experience of reading this book for the first time!

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)

by Jenny Lawson

Since reading Let's Pretend This Never Happened, I feel like I can now call Ms. Lawson, Jenny; I'm sure she feels the same way.  It's as if we've been friends for years, I mean if we haven't, why would she share all her business with me?  And I must say, I'm a good friend, I have broad shoulders to cry on - through the thick and the thin!

This memoir is both hilarious and heart-breaking.  Throughout all Jenny's escapades - a crazy-ass upbringing, her chance romantic encounter in a book store, the struggles of fertility and her battle with both physical and mental health - she tackles them all with wit and bravery.  I immediately thought of one of my other BFFs, Jimmy Buffet, whose words of wisdom ring true:  "if we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."

Some highlights.  One of my favorite lines stems from an eternal debate that rages in the Haas house; is crap a curse word?  Well of course it is!  I mean, it's what I promptly yell when I stub my toe!  And would you say it to the Queen?  No, of course you wouldn't!  Anyway, Jenny has introduced me to my new favorite swear phrase - "crap on a crap cracker,"  now doesn't that just sum it all up?

Another favorite is that if you are gay and living in Texas, you own a gun armoire, not a gun cabinet!  This reminds me of the time that the Haases were vacationing with my gay Dad and realized that we had forgotten our son's special soap for his eczema.  My Dad announced that he had some French-milled soap!  What?!

But I think that what touched me the most was Jenny's honest and brutal description of her battle with anxiety and depression.  On the heels of the death of Robin Williams and having experienced some of the same blue spells, I can appreciate the vulnerability that it must have taken to share those moments with a bunch of folks that aren't her BFFs!

If you don't mind cursing (and I'm talking more than crap here!) you should most definitely read Let's Pretend This Never Happened!  You're going to want some post-it notes and make sure to have a box of tissues on the ready, and just maybe a box of wine!