Book Review Genre: Horror
Disclaimer: Reading is all about exploring new worlds, but this Book Review does not shy away from spoiling specific scenes as this is more of my free-flowing thoughts about a book.
The Analysis:
Another book club pick. Let’s book review it. First, follow me on Goodreads.
Here’s The Blurb:
Monica Stephens never knew her birth mother. Raised by a strict but loving adoptive parent, she blossomed into a woman with a thriving career as a pediatrician and a family of her own. But sometimes, she wondered about her origins. Especially her biological mother.
Until Grace arrives.
Confessing to be the birth mother Monica had long wanted to meet, Grace quickly becomes an indispensable member of the Stephens household. Cooking their meals. Looking after the children. Comforting Monica when the family dog is inexplicably killed. Tending to Monica as she falls ill to a mysterious sickness that, every day, makes Monica look and feel older.
Meanwhile, Grace is looking better. More vibrant. More youthful. More seductive . . .
Monica’s husband, Troy, knows something is up. He launches an investigation into the woman who demands to be called “Nana,” and has taken over his home.
But the truth is beyond their wildest imaginings.
It seems Grace has done this before . .
Cover Critique:
I like the cover. Its intriguing and leaves enough mystery to want to check out the blurb. While also hinting at the supernatural elements that wait within. A+
Now The Story:
Book Info:
Pages: 291
Author: Brandon Massey
Available: Amazon
The prologue really grabs the reader when a thoughtful old lady meets her untimely end with a supernatural twist. Fast forward and we meet her supportive but loving family. We’re immediately following the old lady’s granddaughter, husband and child. The granddaughters absentee mother also makes an appearance during the funeral for the old lady.
First The Grandaughter (Monica): She wastes no time fawning over her mother. No questions asked. While such forgiveness calls to mind the biblical story of the prodigal son. In this instance, I can’t help but feel it was more prudent for her to be more reserved and ask questions. To maybe take it slow and cautious with her forgiveness. She was almost childish in her want of a mother despite being a grown woman. She practically moved the woman in to her house after a few warm hugs, like girl, you need therapy as that forgiveness is masquerading as false cheer and avoidance.
There comes a point when her husband comes clean to her about his suspicions on her mother. She asks this generic question, who would believe any of this? My answer: Anyone who had their mother show her estranged daughter her whole ass and pussy in a lingerie set after knowing the girl for a couple of days.
On top of that, the girl is so quick to believe the worse about almost everybody else, but her mother. When accusations start hurling in the direction of her mother-in-law, a woman she’s supposed to love that’s always given her support, she’s just like yup that’s true. She killed my dog and she’s a drug addict. Sis, really? A woman that’s baby sat your kids and been supportive is suddenly worse then the devil cause your “ma” said so.
To be honest, her cheating husband showed more loyalty. The mans mother was in the hospital and she never checked on her husband or tried to get to the hospital. Granted some of it could be blamed on the fact that her mother had her sleeping like the dead, but during her waking hours he’s not even a thought.
The Husband: He is disappointing almost immediately when the reader finds him thinking about another seductive woman at that same funeral. A woman he learns to be his wife’s mother. But if you want to see the faux pas as a blip on the radar, it’s not. He’s cheating on his wife thus giving us no one in this story to root for and that was disappointing overall. Now, I have to stand behind this cheater because he’s the only one with a lick of sense. Not happy.
But he does eventually come around. The mess hits the fan and ostensibly he’s too busy putting out fires to cheat. However, he does note that all those “fires” has helped him realize that the only thing that matters is his family. Whether to believe him or not will take more time beyond the pages this book has to offer.
He’s certainly disgusting enough. Evidenced by his thought of whether the pastor enjoyed his rape or not. [This triggers another long rant, but I’ll skip that one in observancce of length for this blogs sake.] However, the pastor’s answer is equally as disappointing and honestly, just evidence that this character (or author) still doesn’t know what it means for a man to be raped. I’d recommend, Any Man by Amber Tamblyn to set that to rights. Again disappointed that a man has been reduced to nothing more than sex like a Neanderthal.
This man shined the most when he was protecting his wife. It was impressive that he was determined to get at the truth no matter what. None of this would have ended without him. He truly loved his family despite his hurtful flaws.
[Side Commentary: I’m soo disappointed that he chose to write this black man in this manner. While, their are men who espouse to the theology of the “new.” I’ll never be convinced as a Christian and a woman that belief is normal and/or something to accept and glorify. He had a chance here to display this man fighting for his family with respect, courage, and love, but instead we got an agenda. Cheating is nothing. Look at all he is doing. Instead its nothing more than emotional blackmail. If she leaves him now, she’s the petty one. When his lack of respect for her and their marriage is a violation. He can give her his heart, but his body is for the streets. Its nonsense.He was even willing to consider that he might have been a sex addict. But he wasn’t willing to do anything about it, and he’d made peace with that aspect of himself years ago.
This statement was just the icing on the cake. I wanted to stand up and slow clap for his little revelation that did nothing more than let him off the hook. Like congratulations, sir.]
However, in fairness to the character, he does show some character growth by turning from his ways by the end of this novel.
The Absentee Mother (Nana): Her first day at her daughter’s house and she admits, her daughter’s hubby was eye-f****** her and thats a sign he might be cheating too. That would be her first strike with me. She was a stranger off the street saying this. I hated that she turned out to be right.
But if I thought that was suspicious, it only gets worse from there. Even the woman’s innocent questions appeared to be presumptuous and demanding. She wants a personal bathroom and she wants to be called Nana, alone, and she wants this and that. The word, why, just kept repeating in my head. Monica never pushed back on any of it. She had just met her.
Heck, this relative stranger wanted her daughter to buy her lingerie. When can we talk boundaries?
It killed me when this stranger hurt Monica’s mother-in-law. The woman seemed genuine and didn’t deserve the end she got. While I wanted to rant and rave about her taking a gift from the absentee mother, it was such an innocent thing I’d probably have done the same. Poor lady. At least she survived.
Overall, she was an interesting villain to follow. And I couldn’t put it down because of her.
Funniest Moment: Now, nothing in this story is truly funny. But I was holding back a laugh when our heroine walks in on her absentee mother breastfeeding her five year old son. I think I found how calm she was the funny part. Truly, I would’ve lost all religion had it been my baby.
Stupidest Moment: Oh, there were plenty, but the husband continuing to taste the food the absentee mother cooked or made versus just taking them all in to get tested was asinine. Specifically, him popping one of the candies she gave to the kids in his mouth to test it without any forethought. Luckily, they were just uppers. Anything else and he mightve been sick too. Unable to help them or himself.
The Ending: The ending gave me everything I needed. Together, our couple, fought for their marriage and their lives. They also managed to stay one step ahead of this schemer by protecting their children in the process with a side plan. Now, the grandaughter was still feeling empty without her parents. This woman should feel a lot of things, but empty is not the word. It shows no growth at all that she hasn’t learned to be happy for the family she’s got and the life her grandmother gave her. However, I did support, The Seven Sisters Reunion. Which I assumed was just the surviving families and not the actual sisters as they all had to be dead but one. Just for self preservation purposes alone, they should all know each other and be there for support. And despite my feelings on the cheating husband, I was happy to know their marriage was strong and he was partly responsible for the reunion.
But nothing could get me this invested in a book, other than a 4-star read.
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Book Review At A Glance:
Recommendation: 4 out of 5
Book Cover Appeal:
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Story & Narration:
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Romance:
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Heroine’s Personality:
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Hero’s Personality:
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Closure:
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