Reviewed 10/10
I had just finished reading and reviewing another book when I received an email from my contact at RebeccasReads. "Is there anything new on the Pending List that looks interesting?" his message asked. I chuckled because I was planning to send him my "what I want to read list" the following day. Traveling back and forth between three states sometimes causes me to be slower than normal and unfortunately coffee can only do so much! Anyway, I promptly went to visit that "Pending List" and as I perused it I came across the title "Vivian Rising" by Daniella Brodsky. After looking it over via Amazon, and as you've no doubt guessed by now, I asked that it be sent to me.
The premise of "Vivian Rising" is this: Vivian Sklar has lived with her grandmother ever since her mother abandoned her. "Grams" makes Vivian feel safe because she is wise, feisty and gives Vivian the impression that she has life all figured out. When Grams passes Vivian feels completely alone and bereft. Suddenly her comfortable world is no longer familiar. As she desperately searches for solace she happens upon an extremely perceptive astrologer who is intent on passing along some cosmic help. For a fee of course... "Vivian Rising" is the story of a young woman who, because of her grandmother's death, is just now realizing that she knows nothing about herself. It's the story of her life as she frees herself from a mundane and unfulfilling existence in order to allow peace, love, and happiness into her life.
For the most part I would say that "Vivian Rising" was a cute story. Brodsky is a talented writer and her words paint vivid pictures which allow the book's characters to come to life. Sadly, I noticed some errors which pulled me out of the book because I had to re-read them just to be sure I had read those sections correctly. Example: Viv takes a drink of water but is too shocked to swallow and holds it in her mouth. Next, she makes a joke and I, of course, wonder where the water went. Finally, she "...speaks, forgetting the water, splashing it out down her chin and over her chest." Lastly, I felt that the ending was unbelievable. One of my criteria for any fictional book I read is that it at least be believable to its own story. Based upon the character of Vivian's love interest, which had been spelled out over and over again throughout the book, I was totally unable to "buy" the ending that was provided.
Charline Ratcliff, author
"The Curse of Nefertiti"
I had just finished reading and reviewing another book when I received an email from my contact at RebeccasReads. "Is there anything new on the Pending List that looks interesting?" his message asked. I chuckled because I was planning to send him my "what I want to read list" the following day. Traveling back and forth between three states sometimes causes me to be slower than normal and unfortunately coffee can only do so much! Anyway, I promptly went to visit that "Pending List" and as I perused it I came across the title "Vivian Rising" by Daniella Brodsky. After looking it over via Amazon, and as you've no doubt guessed by now, I asked that it be sent to me.
The premise of "Vivian Rising" is this: Vivian Sklar has lived with her grandmother ever since her mother abandoned her. "Grams" makes Vivian feel safe because she is wise, feisty and gives Vivian the impression that she has life all figured out. When Grams passes Vivian feels completely alone and bereft. Suddenly her comfortable world is no longer familiar. As she desperately searches for solace she happens upon an extremely perceptive astrologer who is intent on passing along some cosmic help. For a fee of course... "Vivian Rising" is the story of a young woman who, because of her grandmother's death, is just now realizing that she knows nothing about herself. It's the story of her life as she frees herself from a mundane and unfulfilling existence in order to allow peace, love, and happiness into her life.
For the most part I would say that "Vivian Rising" was a cute story. Brodsky is a talented writer and her words paint vivid pictures which allow the book's characters to come to life. Sadly, I noticed some errors which pulled me out of the book because I had to re-read them just to be sure I had read those sections correctly. Example: Viv takes a drink of water but is too shocked to swallow and holds it in her mouth. Next, she makes a joke and I, of course, wonder where the water went. Finally, she "...speaks, forgetting the water, splashing it out down her chin and over her chest." Lastly, I felt that the ending was unbelievable. One of my criteria for any fictional book I read is that it at least be believable to its own story. Based upon the character of Vivian's love interest, which had been spelled out over and over again throughout the book, I was totally unable to "buy" the ending that was provided.
Charline Ratcliff, author
"The Curse of Nefertiti"
