The Waiting Sky

Jul 29, 2012 Giselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, favorites, contemporary

Twister was one of my absolute favourite movies. I used to watch it over and over, fascinated by the tornadoes. Even now, years later, I find myself mesmerized by all natural disasters. They're terrifying and set on destruction, making us seem incredibly small and powerless. When I learned that The Waiting Sky consisted of storm chasers, I simply couldn't wait to get all over this! However, storms are only one of the parts that constitutes this invigorating, intense story.

Our fantastic main char...more Twister was one of my absolute favourite movies. I used to watch it over and over, fascinated by the tornadoes. Even now, years later, I find myself mesmerized by all natural disasters. They're terrifying and set on destruction, making us seem incredibly small and powerless. When I learned that The Waiting Sky consisted of storm chasers, I simply couldn't wait to get all over this! However, storms are only one of the parts that constitutes this invigorating, intense story.

Our fantastic main character, Jane, is blind to her mother's recklessness. Sure her mom's an alcoholic, but she's not "that" bad, right? Jane's denial of her situation with her mother is remarkably compelling. Even though we know it's out of control, and that Jane should stop making it so easy for her, we're thrown into Jane's shoes so completely that we get a first hand look, and feel, at how difficult it is to accept this reality. Regardless of never having been in this situation myself, it felt highly realistic with just the right blend of naivety and cynicism. Her home life is harsh with no light in sight, which is why Jane decides to join her brother's storm chaser team for the summer.

From one destroyer to another, Jane leaves her intoxicated mother behind to study literal vortexes of destruction: Tornadoes. The perfect distraction from a very emotional plot, this storm chasing side story works incredibly well to turn this dark, dreary book into a richly layered story filled with amazing charm that punctures the bleakness. The team of storm chasers comprises of a gang of excellent supporting characters that have issues and lives of their own. Victor, especially, had me intrigued with his PTSD sufferings. At first I despised his moodiness and inconsiderate behavior, but as time passed I became really fond of how he dealt with the cards that he was given. It's clearly not just the main character that has true substance in this novel. Aside from Victor, Jane's best friend Cat radiates with a power and confidence that Jane needs at the moment. She needs someone to tell her that it is NOT ok, how her mom is behaving. Even though Jane may not acknowledge it, Cat is her rock, her fierce bitch slapper. Everybody needs to get their senses slapped into place sometimes.

With fabulous characters comes a wickedly gratifying plot that involves some very serious, relatable issues, plenty of excitement, exceptional family dynamics, and a spritz of romance - It's instantly engrossing and highly character-driven. The Waiting Sky was far more than I expected; Its two story lines are perfectly tailored together to create a tale of self-discovery that left me equally thrilled and emotionally drained. Twister with a twist, is what it is!

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

(less)

32 likes · like · see review

Mar 20, 2013 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, realistic-fiction, sibilings

There is something to be said of a storm's beauty. As rational as we are there is this awe that takes over when you see something that has so much power and elegance. You can't help feel something so incredible could be that horrible. Then you realize the storm doesn't care a whit that you are struck in wonderment, not even a little. Kind of cruel isn’t it?

Well our protagonist gets to get up close and personal with storms, more specifically tornadoes. Ethan, her older brother, is part of a torn...more There is something to be said of a storm's beauty. As rational as we are there is this awe that takes over when you see something that has so much power and elegance. You can't help feel something so incredible could be that horrible. Then you realize the storm doesn't care a whit that you are struck in wonderment, not even a little. Kind of cruel isn’t it?

Well our protagonist gets to get up close and personal with storms, more specifically tornadoes. Ethan, her older brother, is part of a tornado chasing group called the Tornado Brothers or Torbros for short. He has invited Jane to come to Oklahoma for a while now and she has never accepted, till now. Jane's mom is an alcoholic and as long as she can remember she has taken care of her but a recent event catapulted her decision to leave for the summer. A decision she can't help feel guilty about.

What I loved about this book was that Ethan's role as a brother is significant. He is definitely not a backseat character. They fight, argue, and disagree but still care deeply about each other. Jane still holds some resentment that Ethan left for college and started a new life without their mom and her. Then there is Jane's own turmoil if she is just abandoning her mother too, or can she hope to live a normal life? It can get annoying being in Jane's head but I think this quote sums up why she has such a hard time of letting go of her mom.

“You don't go through things with people and not love them for it. It's like those guys in the army who fight in muddy trenches and drag each other out of harm's way and are blood brothers for life because of it all. Only in our case, my mom and I face eviction notices and power shutoffs together.”

It's really true isn't it?

Anyways this is the first novel that I have read that talks at length about the storm chasing community. I am ashamed to admit that I hardly knew anything about it before I read this, even though I live in an area that is ripe for tornadoes. It's just plain awesome to catch their excitement when they are on a chase and understand where their passion comes from. The team members of the Torbros are a dedicated bunch; the group itself has a life of its own and each person has something valuable to contribute. Of course I have to talk about the love interest, Max, who is not part of the Torbros but one of the competing chasing teams. Yeah I know pretty scandalous. I liked Max but I have to say I thought Jane and him didn't have enough interaction before things started cooking. With that said I still got the warm and fuzzies with these two.

I felt like the novel needed to be a little longer so the reader would feel fully invested in Jane's story, but a book about chasing storms can't really be that bad. And it wasn't, it was pretty darn good in fact.(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Aug 15, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-linger

I have to admit it: I only picked up The Waiting Sky because of its cover. While I was definitely intrigued by the unique premises of this novel, its cover really drew me in with its desperation and overall feel of melancholy. In fact, I think it’s such a perfect cover because this novel itself has a feel of such deep sadness to it, but it thankfully never becomes overwhelming. If anything, The Waiting Sky truly surprised me with its depth, unique take on alcoholism, and more than anything e...more I have to admit it: I only picked up The Waiting Sky because of its cover. While I was definitely intrigued by the unique premises of this novel, its cover really drew me in with its desperation and overall feel of melancholy. In fact, I think it’s such a perfect cover because this novel itself has a feel of such deep sadness to it, but it thankfully never becomes overwhelming. If anything, The Waiting Sky truly surprised me with its depth, unique take on alcoholism, and more than anything else, its character-driven plot.

When Jane’s mother drives drunk, nearly killing herself, Jane, and Jane’s best friend Cat, Jane is forced to accept that her mother has a serious alcoholic problem. Thus, she decides to join her elder brother, Ethan, while he storm-chases and get away from her mother. Yet, the whole time she’s there, Jane can’t help but question if she’s made the right choice, why her brother abandoned her and her mother, if her mother needs professional help, or most importantly if she is the one who needs help too.

As far as contemporary novels go, I absolutely loved this book. I really understood these characters, despite their different situations from my own, and I feel as if their stories are imprinted in me somehow. Zielin’s writing is so beautiful, subtle, and profound that it catches you completely off-guard until suddenly you’re hurting for Jane just as much as she is. Jane herself is such a deep and multi-dimensional character that I still feel as if there is a side to her that we haven’t seen. Jane is in complete denial over her mother’s situation, which may seem strange to some, but when you read about Jane’s situation, it seems completely logical. Jane simply cannot accept that her mother is truly an alcoholic – one who puts her booze before her family – and my heart broke for Jane every time when she was forced to accept that no, her mother wasn’t turning over a new leaf, she was simply spending money on her drinks again. Jane lives a really tough life, but it is evident that she loves her mother dearly, thus, her conflicting emotions over her mother’s alcoholism are gut-wrenching and her development to grow and accept the truth for what it is is both joyous and sad at the same time. I really loved the manner in which Zielin allowed Jane to mature realistically, not only in the book, but in the heart of the reader as well. I definitely feel as if the narrative voice in this is slightly different from most contemporary novels and while I can’t put my finger on the exact quality that makes it so, it definitely helps to connect the reader with this desperately torn character.

Jane aside, I loved nearly every other character in this story as well. I think what strikes me the most about The Waiting Sky is the fact that isn’t just Jane’s story, it’s the story of Cat, Jane’s best friend who is forced to watch the girl who is practically a sister to her suffer and deny the truth that is in front of her eyes; it’s the story of Ethan, the brother who feels guilty for leaving behind his sister but wants to mend their relationship so badly; it’s the story of Victor, a member of Ethan’s storm-chasing team, the Torbros, who suffers from PTSD after a dangerous accident in the middle of a storm. It’s the story of all these people and Zielin has weaved their tales simultaneously with that of Jane’s, all in the fascinating back-drop of storm-chasing. I particularly loved Jane and Ethan’s relationship as well as the friendship between Victor and Jane. I wasn’t expected them in the least, but I my heart really went out to these characters as well.

The Waiting Sky truly is a remarkable piece of fiction. While I did have a little difficulty trying to distinguish whether the plot focus was the storm-chasing adventures and the group dynamics of the team or whether it was Jane and her alcoholic mother, ultimately, these two ideas came together perfectly. I have to admit though, I wasn’t too big on the romance, but I definitely liked it. It did feel a bit too much like insta-love, but who am I to complain when this novel exceeded my expectations on every other count? I truly am in awe of Zielin’s writing talent and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. Ultimately, I can only tell you to read this one, but if I could, I wouldn’t wait even for the sky to quit storming and creating tornadoes to give this one to you. It’s absolutely beautiful.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less)

10 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Waiting Sky has a pretty cool and unique premise, a summer of tornado chasing as sort of a catharsis after narrator Jane McAllister's relationship with her alcoholic mother hits rock bottom. So there's both meteorology and a tough personal story, plus parallels between the two. But even though Jane's personal growth worked for me in the end, the way she and several of the other characters are handled during the course of the book left me less than satisfied.

First off, Jane's an enabler. She'...more The Waiting Sky has a pretty cool and unique premise, a summer of tornado chasing as sort of a catharsis after narrator Jane McAllister's relationship with her alcoholic mother hits rock bottom. So there's both meteorology and a tough personal story, plus parallels between the two. But even though Jane's personal growth worked for me in the end, the way she and several of the other characters are handled during the course of the book left me less than satisfied.

First off, Jane's an enabler. She's starts off really unwilling to put her foot down even though her mother's doing all sorts of, well, awful alcoholic things, like stealing money for drinks and drunk driving. Her best friend Cat provides that dose of tough love, trying to make her see reason about the whole thing. My problem though, is that Jane starts out so in denial of what's going on that her conversations with Cat are just ridiculously melodramatic - maybe it's because I wholeheartedly agree with Cat that Jane should cut her mother off, or maybe it's because I really didn't see Jane's reasoning beyond this is my life and that's just the way it is, I need to take care of my mother, but I don't think I understood Jane's position at all. There's obviously a 'right' way of doing things, Cat's way, and a 'wrong' way of doing things, Jane's way, but I just feel Lara Zielin has made Cat's way so obviously right and Jane's way so obviously wrong that I can't understand why Jane refuses to see what's right in front of her.

And what's in front of her? Her mother is just evil and completely unsympathetic. She doesn't just steal money and drive drunk, she's emotionally manipulative, a liar, maybe even bat shit crazy in a few parts. What's frustrating is that she's so transparent I could see right through her, and if that's not enough Jane's brother Ethan's also in the picture pointing out the exact same things I am, so I have an even harder time understanding Jane's hesitation to ditch her mother. Maybe with a more nuanced character, someone with a least a few redeeming qualities, I'd be able to understand Jane's attachment to her mother, but the way the character's written here, way over the top, my reaction when Jane finally confronts her mother isn't you go girl, but finally, why didn't you realize that at the beginning? I guess the whole thing's just too black and white for me when it should've been shades of gray to really maximize the impact.

I did like how the storm chasing, especially Ethan’s colleague Victor’s fear of storms, ties into Jane’s family troubles though. Didn’t think storm chasing and alcoholism could be tied together like that, seems completely unrelated right, but it’s done surprisingly well here - if Jane’s mother wasn’t so transparently awful I would totally believe Jane’s character growth came from what she learned with Ethan and Victor. For the most part, I enjoyed the storm chasing scenes far more than the alcoholic mom scenes, and there’s excitement to be had and some pretty nice supporting characters on Jane’s storm chasing team too, although rival tornado chaser Alex Atkins is another stereotypical jackass character and the drama with Max didn’t really go anywhere.

I came into this book expecting tornadoes, I definitely got that. I also got a daughter and her alcoholic mother dynamic that really overshadowed the storm chasing, nothing wrong with that in theory, adds a little personality to the story, but the way it’s done, with Jane in denial until suddenly she’s not in denial, that didn’t work for me. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 10, 2012 Kristilyn (Reading In Winter & Winter Distractions) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: physical-book, read-in-2012, review-books-completed, arcs

Thank you to Jenni for trading me for a copy of the book!

Why I Read This Book

Aside from the gorgeous cover, with the beautiful covers and the twister in a bottle, it was simple: I’m a huge lover of storms. I’m also a big fan of the movie Twister which features storm chasers. I always thought it was a crazy thing to chase these big, disastrous creations of Mother Nature, but books and film always make it look so exciting.

My Thoughts

From start to finish, I loved this book. I loved every single lit...more

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Meggy Meg Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: autographed, arc, brilliant-cover, awesomesauce-charries, favorites, feel-the-emotions, got-it-on-my-shelf, haunting, starts-tearing-up, so-amazing-my-brain-will-pop, 2012-favorites

There are really no words to convey how deeply I felt for this book. With every word, every sentence, every paragraph, Lara Zielin weaved a stunningly emotional story of family, love, and what it takes to make the right decisions. And she doesn't keep anything sugar-coated. She hands them to you, even if they might be covered in thorns.

The Waiting Sky is about Jane, a girl living with her alcoholic mother and trying to keep the family going, while trying to stay alive in the process. You don't r...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 09, 2013 Cassie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporrary

3.5
You know, all throughout the book I was torn. On one hand, I really understood the conflict Jane was going through and WHY she was doing the things she did.
On the other, I wanted to smack some sense into her. No, you cannot save everyone you care about. No, you cannot baby someone and expect this person to benefit from the babying.

Maybe that makes me a worse person than Jane, or maybe that makes me colder, stronger, blah blah blah. But in the end, I respected her, something I can't really say...more

like · see review

Aug 20, 2012 Chelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book reminded me so much of Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols and I mean that in a totally good way. This is the story of a girl who is drowning in the misery and problems in her own life and most of them are created by her alcoholic mother. Jane McAllister goes out to Oklahoma to stay with her brother, Ethan, and help him and his storm chasing team, Tornado Brothers, locate and photograph a few bad tornados. This is more than just an escape for Jane; it’s a way to be released from the grips o...more This book reminded me so much of Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols and I mean that in a totally good way. This is the story of a girl who is drowning in the misery and problems in her own life and most of them are created by her alcoholic mother. Jane McAllister goes out to Oklahoma to stay with her brother, Ethan, and help him and his storm chasing team, Tornado Brothers, locate and photograph a few bad tornados. This is more than just an escape for Jane; it’s a way to be released from the grips of her mother and make her own life.

I loved Jane from the moment that I was introduced to her. Jane’s story could happen to anyone and I often felt so sorry for the way she was forced to live. Her mother was a severe alcoholic and often times squandered away all of their money for alcohol at the local bar. Jane was always there to protect and take care of her mother, and when Jane left to go out west her mother was completely lost. Jane loved her mother and it was so sad to see Jane struggle through letting her mother go, but she knew that she had to do it for her own good. It was such a heart wrenching experience to read and see Jane struggle, but she became so much stronger because of it.

Then there was the actual chasing tornados part!! It was so full of action and so electrifying to see how the team of storm chasers interacted with one another on the journeys after massive storms. I have never read a story before about chasing storms and I was so pleased with this one that I want more. These people, including Jane, all have to have a little adrenaline junkie inside of them somewhere in order to be able to do what they do. Jane was so used to dealing with chaos, after taking care of her mother for so long, that she fit right in with the team and really seemed to enjoy helping her brother. It was one of the most thrilling reads that I have opened up this summer and I felt as if I were in the van alongside the storm the whole entire time.

You also get a look into what being a part of a real storm chaser team would feel like. They hop from town to town and stay in different hotels every night, which sounds like it might suck but the team is really a family and they seem to enjoy each other’s company more than anything. They are always eating fast food or at some local restaurant, which gives the book a nice cozy feel. The most important thing about this book is the passion that each character brings to the chase! They really love what they do and that makes for an amazing read!

***A copy of this book was provided to me by Putnam Juvenile for review purposes***
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: families, friendship, disasters, travel, alcohol, ncbla2013

Ever since her older brother Ethan left for school, Jane McAllister has been taking care of her mother, paying the bills, cleaning the house, making excuses for her mother's mistakes. When when a drunk driving accident injures Jane and her best friend Cat, Cat gives her friend an ultimatum and insists that she must quit enabling her mother's alcoholism. Jane temporarily leaves her mother to spend the summer chasing tornadoes across the midwest with her brother and a crew called the Torbros. Etha...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 03, 2012 Anastasia & Amelia marked it as to-read

Judging the Book by its Cover

The Waiting Sky cover looks pretty, bright, and "cheer-y." The bright blue of her shirt, and the green grass in the background, added to our suspicion that the novel was a "chick-litter." Want to know what got our attention? There's a friggin' tornado in a jar ... and she's holding it. We're wondering if she realizes that isn't some firefly she can just let roam free when she's done. However, the title does make sense now. The Waiting Sky ... tornadoes ... hahaha ......more Judging the Book by its Cover

The Waiting Sky cover looks pretty, bright, and "cheer-y." The bright blue of her shirt, and the green grass in the background, added to our suspicion that the novel was a "chick-litter." Want to know what got our attention? There's a friggin' tornado in a jar ... and she's holding it. We're wondering if she realizes that isn't some firefly she can just let roam free when she's done. However, the title does make sense now. The Waiting Sky ... tornadoes ... hahaha ... Zielin you are a clever one. (:

See no evil, Speak no evil, Read this evil?

Where do we begin? How about the fact that Jane was almost killed in a car crash, with her best friend! And the driver was her alcoholic mom! Everything should've been on red alert as soon as her mom stumbled into the driver seat. Our faces would've looked pretty much like this:

Lucky for Jane, that brain of hers is being put to work. She leaves to move in with her brother and his friends ... for the summer. What part of ABORT, was not understood? It seems as if we've missed one key detail in this description. Jane moves in with her brother, and his tornado-chasing friends. Let that sink in a little bit ... T-o-r-n-a-d-o-c-h-a-s-i-n-g friends. What in the world?! The overview also mentions Jane's grudge on her brother for abandoning "home." That is not abandonment, sweetie. It's called survival of the fittest, and you my friend don't seem very ... ehm ... "fit." "The carefree trip turned journey of self-discovery quickly becomes more than Jane bargained for, especially when the devilishly handsome Max steps into the picture." We're all for rediscovery, but Max, eh? We're looking forward to him ;) ... and the rest of novel, of course. Ahem. TBR-listing this now.

Temptation Scale -4/5

Don't forget to rate this novel on our site, and leave a comment letting us know you rated it. Whichever book has the most positive ratings at the end of the month, will be featured as a giveaway, during that month. (Whoever rated that specific book, will be entered into that raffle.) Drop a comment below, we'd love to hear what you think about it too! (:

More "before-reviews" @: http://readingtemptations.blogspot.com/(less)

like · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Kat Hagedorn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, reviewed

http://tinyurl.com/7yeqoz8

Third time is definitely the charm.

The most fun of paying attention to a particular author is to see how her writing transforms over the years, from the first book onwards. It is beyond clear that Zielin's confidence in her writing has vastly improved since the beginning: I may have loved Donut Days but I really LOVED The Waiting Sky.

In part, this is because Zielin has adeptly tackled a very difficult subject: that of alcoholism and how it affects entire families. I lea...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 28, 2013 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

THE WAITING SKY is about a 17 year old girl Jane McAllister has a mother who's an alcoholic. She doesn't like to really admit this and that it's a serious problem until her mother was drunk driving and nearly killed her best friend. When this happens her friend convinces her to move out and find another place to stay. So she turns to the only person she really has, her older brother Ethan. She takes an internship with her brother and his friends chasing tornadoes. And it turns out that this nigh...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ya

Jane McAllister has been making excuses and enabling her alcoholic mother for years, but it isn’t until her mother drives drunk and causes a bad accident that she decides to escape from her mother’s problems, at least for the summer. She accepts an offer from her brother Ethan to join him working with the Torbros, chasing tornados.

In 2005, an F3 tornado passed about three miles north of my house, hitting the tip of the city and taking out about forty-five houses. Like 80% of the other morons aro...more Jane McAllister has been making excuses and enabling her alcoholic mother for years, but it isn’t until her mother drives drunk and causes a bad accident that she decides to escape from her mother’s problems, at least for the summer. She accepts an offer from her brother Ethan to join him working with the Torbros, chasing tornados.

In 2005, an F3 tornado passed about three miles north of my house, hitting the tip of the city and taking out about forty-five houses. Like 80% of the other morons around (judging by the amount of video and imagery available online) I was outside watching the storm as it developed. I can safely say it scared the desire to eat chocolate for a week out of me and I won’t be doing it again. It takes a certain kind of dedication to the science or just a wild-eyed craziness to actually go after one of those things. I loved that Zielin made The Waiting Sky about the storms but also the teams, the competitiveness, helping in the aftermath, the nights out, the buffet breakfasts and the gossipy infighting. I felt like I knew where I was with these guys until the radio went off and they started tracking a storm and the story became new again. Even while the sensible part of my brain was telling me storms=bad, I was excited too.

Jane is fairly indifferent to the whole storm chasing thing although she loves taking photographs of the turbulent weather. Ethan left her with her mother a few years ago and ended up doing this, but she’s only with him because she has no place else to be and she doesn’t really connect well with the rest of the Torbros. I thought she felt fragile, like she was approaching that place where she was going to be done with all of them but she didn’t know it yet. I wanted to stay mad at her for believing in her mother but I wondered how far I’d go if I were seventeen and dependent on one parent. While on some downtime between storms, she meets Max, an intern for another flashy team. He’s everything that she’s not, which was a little irritating. Did he have to be so perfect, in a perfect life, a perfect home? I liked that they were just left as normal teenagers dating a little bit. No insta-love, no rushing into I’ll-drop-my-family-and-be-with-you. There was enough drama to make them interesting, not enough to overwhelm the story.

The Torbros team has a worsening problem with co-founder Vincent, whose snarly anti-social behavior jeopardizes their funding. He flips out when his brother gets in a “whose is bigger” taunting match with the competing storm chasing team that Max is on and bets the schematics of Vincent’s data-collecting machine against a year’s worth of television coverage with a weather channel crew. I didn’t like Victor at first but he has a powerful story and as it came out, I loved him and the odd relationship he had with Jane. His experience with PTSD and the decisions he made were beautifully written and in a book with so much potential for weepy places, his story was the one that had me misty-eyed.

I liked Ethan and I thought his relationship with Jane was played well. I had to remind myself of how old he was when thinking about when he left their house and Jane alone with their awful mother. I loved when he gave Jane an analogy about their home before and his choice to chase tornados. It made him less perfect, more of a guy who hadn’t come out of their house unscathed. He wanted to save Jane but it was obvious by the end how much he loved her. He was pretty much the crush-worthy one in this book (sorry Max).

I wasn’t expecting that much out of this book, I’m a little embarrassed to admit. It looked good, but it was sort of short. Zierin showed me just how much punch she could pack into a small package though, making The Waiting Sky a surprisingly powerful, emotional read. The drama of tornado chasers is a perfect story to tell opposite that of an out of control alcoholic tearing apart a family, but Zierin never gets heavy-handed drawing comparisons. Small, supportive side stories only enhance the story, never taking anything away from Jane’s personal struggle. This is one of the better books I’ve read in a while – not too long, not too short, has great characters and an interesting story that goes down smoothly. It’s a very nice summer read.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 24, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance, ya

GENRE: YA Contemporary
THEME: Romance/Family Drama
RECEIVED: Swap
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
The Waiting Sky is a book about a family who has been deeply harmed by alcohol. Author Lara Zielin really focused on how the children struggled but really needed to make the decision that was best for them. It’s a great book for a young teen that may be in a similar situation; it has a great message and makes you hope the best for the characters.

This story follows Jane McAllister a sevent...more GENRE: YA Contemporary
THEME: Romance/Family Drama
RECEIVED: Swap
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
The Waiting Sky is a book about a family who has been deeply harmed by alcohol. Author Lara Zielin really focused on how the children struggled but really needed to make the decision that was best for them. It’s a great book for a young teen that may be in a similar situation; it has a great message and makes you hope the best for the characters.

This story follows Jane McAllister a seventeen year old girl who has struggled with her mother’s alcoholism. After her brother left she feels responsible for her mother’s daily life, but when she drives drunk while Jane and her friend were in the car it was time for Jane to get away. She leaves for the summer to be with her brother, helping him with his research team chasing tornados. But they still struggle with their mother’s issues, even from a distance as she calls Jane while away. But the distraction of the storms and a fellow tornado chaser named Max; both helps Jane try a move forward.

Jane has been put in a tough situation, she doesn’t want to be the one to abandon her mother but everyone around her is telling her she’s going to be pulled down by what her mothers doing. I can’t say I understand personally her situation, but I felt that she was so blinded by the damage her mother’s drinking was doing to them. Not being able to pay the bills, Jane having to work long hours to pay the rent. I wish Jane would have opened her eyes, but in the end I think the message was great.

Ethan, older brother and weather enthusiast, he really loves his sister and can’t stand his mother. He was fantastic, really someone who Jane should have been with and not her mother. He’s smart and knows where he’s going with his life and also wants Jane to move in with him. I felt bad for him because he knew what was happening to his mother but couldn’t get his sister to see his point of view. Their relationship was up and down throughout the book but I loved their big bother little sister moments.

Max was a great secondary character and someone who pulled Jane out of her slump and opened her eyes a bit. Their relationship was sweet and grew at a nice pace that felt real. I loved that they were rivals in a way since they were both on different tornado chasing teams.

Overall this was a great book with a deep message. But the secondary story with the storm chasing brought a nice distraction element for the characters. This gives an up-close idea of how dangerous storm chasing is and how much the research could be beneficial for those who live in the path of tornados. If you enjoy a story with family emotions, romance, and a heart pumping secondary story then you’ll want to read The Waiting Sky.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel and coming of age story that touches the subject of Alcoholism. Fans of Jennifer Echols Such a Rush and Gayle Forman’s If I Stay will enjoy The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 Yvonne Powderly rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you and your mom were caught up in a twister and only one could survive, who would it be?

This question may be a game to most but to Jane McAllister this is a real life dilemma.

Compared to the turmoil in her personal life, chasing tornadoes doesn’t seem so crazy to Jane. Jane is spending the summer working with her brother’s storm-chasing team away from her manipulating alcoholic mother.
Guilt at leaving her mom alone in Minnesota follows Jane as she photographs the physical destruction caused...more

like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-romance, e-book

It's an awesome story about a girl who had to deal with her alcoholic mom. Jane had been lived full drama with her mom. But she had no gut to push everything and leave her mom to deal with her problems.
One summer break, she went to live with her brother in Oklahoma. Her brother was a meteorologist who chased tornados for living. Crazy ha? The story reminds me to Twister movie back then. Jane went with the chaser group and had an exciting (and deadly) adventure with them.
She also met Max, an aw...more

like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Leah (The Pretty Good Gatsby) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, america, contemporary, ya, all-the-feelings

http://theprettygoodgatsby.wordpress....

You don't go through things with people and not love them more for it. It's like those guys in the army who fight in muddy trenches and drag each other out of harm's way and are blood brothers for life because of it all. Only in our case, my mom and I faced eviction notices and power shutoffs together.

Guys, I wasn't at all prepared for The Waiting Sky. I went into it expecting a super fun book about storm chasers with maybe a little issue-story in the back...more

like · see review

Oct 20, 2012 Wafiyah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, family, horrible-romance, not-so-good, romance, terrible-protagonist

I don't know why I bothered to even finish this book, but I was determined not to let another book pass without finishing it. This book annoyed the crap out of me. Everything that happened was expected. Everything. Right down to the many excuses that Jane made to cover up for her alcoholic mother. I wouldn't call it a character flaw. It seemed forced, like maybe the character had been having too much fun at one point and now she had to be miserable for another ten pages because of her mother. It...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 Book Whales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted @ Book Whales

I’m not much of a contemporary novel fan (unless it involves murder/mystery) but this novel by Ms. Zielin managed to hook me into the world of Jane McAllister.

Jane has a big problem. Her mother is an alcoholic, and they’re drowning with debts that she could hardly pay. Yes, I mean her, not them since Jane is doing most of the work while her mother spends the little money they have for her “alcoholic needs”. This is when Jane finally decided to spend her summer wit...more

like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Lili rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be powerful. Zielin's writing left me breathless as I experienced the chaos of living with an alcoholic through Jane and the ripples it causes through an entire family. This heartbreaking yet wonderful read is not one to miss if you are in the mood for something slightly heavier, though quick and easy to get through.

I have to say that, hands down, my favorite aspect of this story was the tornado chasing. I live in New Jersey, tornadoes don't t...more If I had to describe this book in one word it would be powerful. Zielin's writing left me breathless as I experienced the chaos of living with an alcoholic through Jane and the ripples it causes through an entire family. This heartbreaking yet wonderful read is not one to miss if you are in the mood for something slightly heavier, though quick and easy to get through.

I have to say that, hands down, my favorite aspect of this story was the tornado chasing. I live in New Jersey, tornadoes don't touch down here, but the idea of chasing them is fascinating. I learned a lot about tornadoes through this novel and was able to experience exhilaration while the Torbros were on the chase. I felt as if I was in the car right alongside them, braving the elements to gain knowledge of the weather that could hopefully save more lives in the future. It's truly fascinating and I'd recommend reading the book just because of that.

But the other strong element of this novel is alcoholism. Jane and Ethan's mother is an alcoholic who steals money and is a compulsive liar. She plays with Jane's head and uses her to clean up all her messes. Jane finally realizes that she can't always be there for her mother after she almost kills Jane and her best friend, Cat, when she drives them around drunk. Jane leaves to Oklahoma to chase tornadoes with her 23-year-old brother Ethan to get her bearings straight, and begins a journey of self-discovery.

The characterization in this novel is strong. I sort of despised Jane's mother because she seemed insensitive, desperate, and manipulative. In the end, I suppose that's what an addiction does to you. Jane begins the story weak and slowly becomes strong. She doesn't want to admit that her mother has a problem and that she helps fuel it, even if by accident. Ethan's a strong character with a scientific mind. He left his mother knowing she wouldn't get better and he regrets everyday only because he wasn't able to save Jane sooner. The Torbros are all beyond interesting and wonderful. Whether it's Mason speaking like a pirate, Stephen growing out a beard, Hallie driving like a maniac or Victor being his sour self, you will begin to love them all. Even Victor, who was almost set up to be the bad guy of the bunch but served as a gateway for Jane to realize how much she truly is enabling her mother and needs to let go. Cat is truly trying to be a best friend, but I got sick of how much she threatened Jane not to be her friend if she didn't do something about her mother. She put a lot of pressure on a girl who just wanted to get by from day to day.

Lastly, there's the love interest: Max. Max is the intern for the rival tornado chasing team, Twister Blisters. They are so big that they are followed around by a television cameras. When the two of them meet, they hit it off instantly, but their romance is more or less a sub-plot. It's not essential to the plot, it's cute and done well, and it progresses at a slow gradual rate. Jane's story focuses on her journey to self-discovery and helping her mother, not her romance with Max, though it does present a welcome side-story that is greatly enjoyable. After all, he will willing risk his life for her. That's an amazing kind of love.
Jane's big breakthrough near the end of the story was a little sudden, though I enjoyed it and understood its significance. She closed one chapter of her life to open another with a new sort of chaos. And she discovered those who really cared about her in the process...her mother not being one of them.

Overall, this story really tugged at my heartstrings. I was able to fly through it because it was so short, but it's got a lot going on in its short pages. I never once felt bored or jipped from details. It flowed effortlessly and tackled a serious topic while throwing in the intriguing twist of tornado chasing. We watched several characters struggle and come to terms with themselves and I think Jane's story could be considered inspirational. 4 stars to this amazing journey to self-discovery that I recommend to anyone who desires to read a slightly heavier contemporary. I think this story is unforgettable. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 30, 2012 Paula HG rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was great. It bothered me sometimes, like: the MC was, I don't know how to say it, maybe it was that she wasn't strong enought? like she would let herself be walked all over and she knew it and was shamed by it, but would not do anything. Also, the MC's love interest? MEH! I liked him, he was good enough character, but good enough to be the MC's love interest? Nay, he would've been good as a friend or the MC's failed-love-interest, you know? like the one the MC thinks is in love with b...more

like · see review

Dec 20, 2012 Eya rated it 2 of 5 stars

The two stars are for trying hard. Zielin did try hard, it's obvious. But I finished the book thinking that the most memorable thing about it was that she got her plurals and apostrophes right, and that's just not enough. From page one you can see she forgot she's telling a story. Instead, she's up in the pulpit, preaching fervently. I'm not saying the book isn't dealing with preach-worthy topics. But Zielin was writing fiction, not a sermon, or at least that's how this book is categorized. For...more

like · see review

Apr 04, 2013 Adrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jane has joined her brother on his tornado-chasing team for the summer, getting her away from their alcoholic mother, but her guilt nearly overwhelms her as she wonders how their mother with survive without her. Although her brother, best friend, and even cute rival chaser Max warn her that she can't keep helping her mother, Jane doesn't know how she could just leave her mother on her own any longer than she already has.

Engaging story and characters; it's interesting to see how Jane must decide...more

like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, from-publisher

Can I just start this review with some cover love?!?! Ok, lets take a moment and look again… It is so stunning! It’s even better in person. All right on to the real review.

OK, so after trying like eight times to write this review I finally gave up and did a gushy vlog review to get what I was trying to say across. If you are not one that likes to watch reviews, let me just say I loved The Waiting Sky! It is an awesome YA contemporary that deals with real issues and really gets it. The Waiting Sk...more

like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Brie C. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

This book caught my attention because it sounded similar to the movie Twister. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I’m glad I read it.

Jane McAllister’s mother is an alcoholic. Her brother left home as soon as he could, leaving Jane to fend for herself. She handles the situation as best as she can, or at least as best as she thinks she should. She pays the bills, covers for her mother and is basically the adult responsible to take care of their c...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

This book caught my attention because it sounded similar to the movie Twister. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I’m glad I read it.

Jane McAllister’s mother is an alcoholic. Her brother left home as soon as he could, leaving Jane to fend for herself. She handles the situation as best as she can, or at least as best as she thinks she should. She pays the bills, covers for her mother and is basically the adult responsible to take care of their crumbling home. Her brother asks her to move with him, but she can’t leave their mom.

Things get complicated when Jane’s mother causes an accident that almost kills them and her best friend, Cat. When Cat tells her that it’s time so seek help because covering for her mother is not helping anyone, Jane realizes that she can’t keep denying what’s going on. So she decides to join her brother Ethan and his team of tornado-chasing friends. Spending time away from her mother helps her put things in perspective, but is that enough to make the right decision? She’s very conflicted so it’ won’t be easy.

When I picked this book, I was expecting an action-oriented plot. After all, the characters chase storms and tornadoes. But although there’s a part of the book that’s clearly about the adventure, the heart of the story is Jane trying to come to terms with her mother’s alcoholism, her resentment towards her brother, and ultimately deciding to stop sacrificing her life to take care of her mother who clearly isn’t willing to get better.

Jane was a great heroine. She is in a tricky situation, one of those that are really easy to figure out when you see them as an outsider, but not so easy when they happen to you. Her character reflected that conflict because although at times it was obvious she knew what was right, it was just as obvious that she was trying to convince herself of the contrary. She knew that protecting her mother wasn’t helping, but she kept making excuses. I thought it was an interesting portrayal of the situation, it felt authentic and it gave Jane a reason to be much more mature than your regular teenager.

Another significant aspect of the book was Jane’s relationship with her brother, Ethan. Since we only see him through Jane’s eyes, he mostly comes across as a self-involved nice guy. He’s not evil, and he wants what’s best for Jane, but he’s not willing to sacrifice his life for her. I was an interesting contrast between those characters and I would have loved to see more of their relationship and maybe even into his head. We don’t get his POV, and I think it was a missed opportunity to give his character some depth.

The romance doesn’t overtake the plot but it’s very sweet. In just a few pages there are a couple of cute scenes, a big misunderstanding and a grand gesture. So I’m calling it a romance. Max was just a love interest but I really like their story and how realistic and appropriate the resolution was.

I liked the adventure aspect of the book, but it felt a bit disjointed. The only correlation between tornado chasing and Jane’s situation was a subplot involving a secondary character suffering from PTSD. But I just felt like her story would have worked against any other background, not just this one in particular. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the action, but it’s not the main reason why the book worked for me.

Overall this was an entertaining story that deals with a dark subject and yet manages to be light at the same time. It's dramatic, but not overly so. The main character is conflicted and compelling. The ending was a bit rushed, but I was satisfied with how things turned out for everyone involved, a realistic happy ending with no miracles. I think fans of YA will love it. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Eileen added it

A book that includes chasing tornadoes immitately grabs my attention (mostly because I think that be really cool and weather fascinates me. Nerd). This is the story of Jane McAllister who's been having a pretty tough time. The book follows her relationships including the one with her mother, older brother and his tornado chasing team, her best friend and Max. Everyone wants Jane to do something but Jane doesn't know what to do. And that's why she chasing tornadoes.

I really liked this book. All...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Are you a fan of of the movie Twister? If you are, which I sincerely think you should be, then you will love this book. It is very similar to the movie with a slight twist. I can’t recall reading a whole lot, if any, books on tornado chasers, making this book really unique. After reading this one I sincerely hope that changes, there needs to be MORE books on this subject.

I waited a long time to read this one and it was FINALLY in at the library. I may even have squealed just a little when I yank...more Are you a fan of of the movie Twister? If you are, which I sincerely think you should be, then you will love this book. It is very similar to the movie with a slight twist. I can’t recall reading a whole lot, if any, books on tornado chasers, making this book really unique. After reading this one I sincerely hope that changes, there needs to be MORE books on this subject.

I waited a long time to read this one and it was FINALLY in at the library. I may even have squealed just a little when I yanked it off the shelf. My excitement was spot on. I was not disappointed. I mean the cover alone is enticing.

This is a quick and easy read at only 246 pages, both a positive and negative aspect of the book. The great part about it being shorter is that it didn't take up a lot of my time, not to be rude to the book or anything, but I have so many other books I am waiting to read as well that I'm glad it was short. Who doesn't love a quick read that still gets your heart racing? The downside of this shorter novel is that although the story is well rounded, the author could have easily added some more depth and meat to the story. I could have read another hundred pages at LEAST of the characters chasing tornadoes. I wanted more time with the characters in this world and more time with tornadoes.

This book has some dark quirky humor in it. It had me laughing throughout the whole book. However, It does have a darker more serious side as well, the main character, Jane, has an alcoholic mother. Jane was frustrating at times. I may have wanted to slap her, but since I have never really been in her position I felt like I couldn't really judge her for how she was handling it. The only thing that bugged me slightly was the fact that she seemed to be dealing with a lot of grown-up issues but still didn't seem that mature, then again every teenager has a right to be a teenager. All the characters were really enjoyable to read about, but like I said earlier, if we got to spend more time with them it would have been even better.

This would make a great rainy day read. Next time you are stuck indoors and need something to occupy yourself I suggest you grab this one. Really you could read this book any day. (less)

like · see review

Dec 29, 2012 Zoe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I picked up The Waiting Sky not really knowing what to expect. I had heard about the novel on somebody’s blog and thought it looked interesting, but I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not. Ironically, I ended up reading it cover to cover in a matter of hours. The Waiting Sky is a fairly small book, but despite it’s size, there is wonderful character development and multiple well-developed subplots.
*Cross-posted on Zoe's Book Reviews*

One of my favorite parts of this novel was Zielin’s ability to...more

like · see review

Dec 17, 2012 Jacqueline The Everyday Shopaholic rated it 2 of 5 stars

2 Stars

I really hate giving this review, but it’s my honest opinion. I tried to like THE WAITING SKY, I really did. THE WAITING SKY in my opinion was the most annoying book to read, I didn’t like the main character Jane, I could not relate nor understand her reasoning. I thought the relationship between Jane and Max was VERY juvenile, they didn’t act like 17-year olds, but 12-year olds, some of the jokes they were trying to tell each other, were just awkward and it didn’t make the conversation f...more 2 Stars

I really hate giving this review, but it’s my honest opinion. I tried to like THE WAITING SKY, I really did. THE WAITING SKY in my opinion was the most annoying book to read, I didn’t like the main character Jane, I could not relate nor understand her reasoning. I thought the relationship between Jane and Max was VERY juvenile, they didn’t act like 17-year olds, but 12-year olds, some of the jokes they were trying to tell each other, were just awkward and it didn’t make the conversation flow.

Jane is 17 years old and has an alcoholic mother (main reason why I was intrigued with this book). After Jane’s mother almost kills Jane’s best friend, Jane was finally pushed to spend the summer with her brother, cashing tornados. The story should have been about Jane trying to move forward, but the whole book and I mean 99.9% of the book was Jane’s justification to why Jane needed to take care of her mother. I think I would have liked this book a lot more if Jane stayed with her Mom and Jane was trying to work out issues or Jane deciding to leave on her terms and trying to work out issues.

I’m trying to be sympathetic, drug and alcohol use are serious topics, so I was looking for something deeper, something dark and gut retching, but I didn’t feel it in this book. To mean, I was reading a book about a whinny mother, an annoying daughter and awesome side characters that for some reason put up with all of Jane’s drama. I loved Cat, Jane’s best friend and I was pretty much ticked off when I read Cat’s story and Jane just didn’t have any guilt, or if she had guilt, she justified why she did what she did.

I think the thing that really KILLED it for me was the ending, really Jane, are you really that dramatic? I just didn’t understand her reasoning. The ending was just over-all dramatic and unnecessary and it made me HATE Jane more and just sealed it for me on how stupid Jane’s actions were.

The only positive aspects in this book is Jane’s brother and Max pushing Jane to seek professional help, since alcoholism doesn’t just affect the alcoholics, it affects the people around the alcoholics as well. Also, the story centered on tornados, was different and interesting.

I wouldn’t recommend this book, unless you are into annoying, irrational characters that whine throughout book. It pains me to give a negative review because I love independent authors, but it’s my honest opinion.
(less)

like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Jac (For Love and Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Waiting Sky is one of those books that you grab just for the gorgeous cover, and then you are pleasantly surprised when the content is just as amazing as the cover art.

I grew up in Nebraska, tornadoes were a regular thing there – and to be honest, it’s one of the things I miss the most (behind my family) now that I live in Colorado. When I was younger, I wanted to be a storm chaser, so this book immediately appealed to me. But once I got to know the characters, I was hooked and couldn’t put...more

like · see review

title link	preview: The Waiting Sky
avg rating	preview: The Waiting Sky Goodreads rating: 3.65 (663 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12849258-the-waiting-sky?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320505588l/12849258.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12849258-the-waiting-sky?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin[/url]

The Waiting Sky

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Lara Zielin

Books by Lara Zielin

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Waiting Sky

Quotes from The Waiting Sky