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Shattered Castles #1
Castles on the Sand
Librarian's Note: this is an alternate cover edition - ISBN 10: 1479120294 / ISBN 13: 9781479120291
"A fast-paced blend of high-stakes drama and average teenage concerns (sex, appearance, friends), capped with a welcome message of hope." ~Kirkus Reviews
If there’s one thing Madison Lukas understands, it’s pain. The pain she feels when her mother ignores her completely. The pain her best friend endures as her parents starve her as punishment. The pain of a dangerous boy whose mother has to be carried away by law enforcement on a regular basis.
She gets it. She feels the pain of others as if it were her own.
But when a mysterious man claiming to be her long lost brother appears with promises of relieving her suffering, trusting him could reveal more truths than Madison is ready for. Because the truth can hurt, too.
"A fast-paced blend of high-stakes drama and average teenage concerns (sex, appearance, friends), capped with a welcome message of hope." ~Kirkus Reviews
If there’s one thing Madison Lukas understands, it’s pain. The pain she feels when her mother ignores her completely. The pain her best friend endures as her parents starve her as punishment. The pain of a dangerous boy whose mother has to be carried away by law enforcement on a regular basis.
She gets it. She feels the pain of others as if it were her own.
But when a mysterious man claiming to be her long lost brother appears with promises of relieving her suffering, trusting him could reveal more truths than Madison is ready for. Because the truth can hurt, too.
246 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2012
16 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Tippetts
40 books506 followersEmily Mah Tippetts writes romance under the name E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy under the name Emily Mah. Before she was a published author, she was an attorney who specialized in real estate, contracts, and estate planning, especially literary estate planning.
Her most recent pro publications have been her science fiction and fantasy short stories in magazines like Black Gate, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and the anthology, Shanghai Steam.
Her most recent pro publications have been her science fiction and fantasy short stories in magazines like Black Gate, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and the anthology, Shanghai Steam.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 10, 2012
Wow. Okay, so this book caught me by surprise. It started off as a simmering pot of water, which started boiling way before I'd realised. When I noticed how good the book had become, it had me by the throat and I was already doing all sorts of rude things like walking around with my head in my eReader, narrowly missing walls, people and conversations. I don't mind that I have no pride left, because I just had to finish this book ASAP and it was well worth it.
E.M. Tippetts is a fantastic storyteller. This is the second book I've read by her and I'm thrilled I have.
This book is hard to define. It's probably best described as coming-of-age as it touches on my many issues of finding your identity. Madison, the main character, is a nice girl, and who some people target as easy to run over. Her long-lost brother, John is over-joyed with love when he finds her after losing her as a young child. I must say that I fell in love with the characters, especially Alex who is by far my favourite, in a way I didn't expect to.
From the character [retracted for spoiler reasons] who targets Madison emotionally, physically and socially; to Madison's confusion about how love and relationshps work when first entering the world of "boys"; to trying to get her mother to notice/love her; to the defined social circles people expect you not to break, there was so much I fell in love with in CASTLES ON THE SAND.
When I finished this book, though, I felt satisfied in a weird way because this wasn't a straight romance book, or a book about growing up, or about mental issues. It had a bit of all of those, that made me really think about life, and that gave me a little bit more in the pieces that make up this world.
The message I took is: some people can't be saved, and not even they or others can see they're drowning, but you have to give your best shot regardless. Sometimes it's the unexpected person who helps YOU in the end.
Recommended reading and 5 stars.
E.M. Tippetts is a fantastic storyteller. This is the second book I've read by her and I'm thrilled I have.
This book is hard to define. It's probably best described as coming-of-age as it touches on my many issues of finding your identity. Madison, the main character, is a nice girl, and who some people target as easy to run over. Her long-lost brother, John is over-joyed with love when he finds her after losing her as a young child. I must say that I fell in love with the characters, especially Alex who is by far my favourite, in a way I didn't expect to.
From the character [retracted for spoiler reasons] who targets Madison emotionally, physically and socially; to Madison's confusion about how love and relationshps work when first entering the world of "boys"; to trying to get her mother to notice/love her; to the defined social circles people expect you not to break, there was so much I fell in love with in CASTLES ON THE SAND.
When I finished this book, though, I felt satisfied in a weird way because this wasn't a straight romance book, or a book about growing up, or about mental issues. It had a bit of all of those, that made me really think about life, and that gave me a little bit more in the pieces that make up this world.
The message I took is: some people can't be saved, and not even they or others can see they're drowning, but you have to give your best shot regardless. Sometimes it's the unexpected person who helps YOU in the end.
Recommended reading and 5 stars.
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November 3, 2014I filed this as romance, though it's probably more of a teen problem novel, but my sense of those is that they tend to hammer one with Issues, and this one is carried along by sturdy romance-for-teens tropes. As such, I thoroughly enjoyed it--read it intermittently through an otherwise exasperating day.
I almost didn't read it, when the opening seems to be making fun of Mormons. When I was growing up, it was okay in mainstream culture to crack bigoted jokes at non-white people. Half a century later, it's okay in mainstream culture to crack bigoted jokes at religious people, especially Catholics, fundamentalists, and Mormons. I don't care for any kind of bigoted jokes, especially the ones that imply any body of people are stupid/weird/pervs because of ethnicity, customs, or beliefs.
But very quickly Tippetts established that Madison, the high-school aged first person narrator, isn't determinedly prejudiced so much as ignorant, and further, she is struggling against an emotionally damaging home situation--and an emotionally damaged, and damaging, best friend--while trying to be thoughtful, aware, and a good person.
That's before we meet the various cute guys in her life. In other hands Madison might have been too good to be true, but Madison's inner struggle is viscerally real, and the things that happen to people around her kept the tension high. There is all kinds of emotional trauma, plus mental illness, plus these Mormon teens who are also struggling to make sense of life.
Just before the halfway point I found myself so drawn in that I kept sneaking away to read it. There is enough resolution not to be considered a cliff-hanger, but it is apparent that there is more to the story. Good. I want to find out what happens to them all.
I almost didn't read it, when the opening seems to be making fun of Mormons. When I was growing up, it was okay in mainstream culture to crack bigoted jokes at non-white people. Half a century later, it's okay in mainstream culture to crack bigoted jokes at religious people, especially Catholics, fundamentalists, and Mormons. I don't care for any kind of bigoted jokes, especially the ones that imply any body of people are stupid/weird/pervs because of ethnicity, customs, or beliefs.
But very quickly Tippetts established that Madison, the high-school aged first person narrator, isn't determinedly prejudiced so much as ignorant, and further, she is struggling against an emotionally damaging home situation--and an emotionally damaged, and damaging, best friend--while trying to be thoughtful, aware, and a good person.
That's before we meet the various cute guys in her life. In other hands Madison might have been too good to be true, but Madison's inner struggle is viscerally real, and the things that happen to people around her kept the tension high. There is all kinds of emotional trauma, plus mental illness, plus these Mormon teens who are also struggling to make sense of life.
Just before the halfway point I found myself so drawn in that I kept sneaking away to read it. There is enough resolution not to be considered a cliff-hanger, but it is apparent that there is more to the story. Good. I want to find out what happens to them all.
November 2, 2018
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free from the author on a read-to-review basis. Thanks so much to the lovely Emily Mah Tippetts!)
16-year-old Madison lives with her mom in a small town called Pelican Bluffs. Everybody knows everybody in Pelican Bluffs – it’s that kind of place, so you can guess how shocked Madison is when a Mormon man called John turns up at her door claiming to be her brother. What’s worse is that she knows it’s true just by looking at him; he even looks like her mother.
Amazingly enough there are other more pressing matters going on in Madison’s life though. Her best friend seems to suddenly have it in for her, and three different boys all seem to want something from her.
I absolutely loved this book. I nearly died when the bulb in my bedside lamp went out and I couldn’t carry on reading!
Madison is an average 16-year-old, and she’d never claim otherwise, it’s her friend Kailie who’s the pretty one. The appearance of a brother that she never knew about takes a lot of time to get used to, and Madison does take her time coming to terms with this, and doesn’t commit herself to feelings that she doesn’t have.
Madison’s main concerns surround her best friend and the people she goes to school with. So many times people ask her why she is friends with Kailie, as Kailie seems to be purposely trying to hurt Madison. Kailie’s actions lead to Madison getting physically attacked, but Madison knows Kailie well enough to know that Kailie does these things because she is having a meltdown, and not because she really wants to hurt Madison. Regardless of her reasons though, Madison proves time and time again that she is an amazing friend to Kailie, a better friend than she really deserves.
Madison has problems at home too though. Her Mom barely speaks to her, and the arrival of her brother John just causes more tension at home. Madison’s Mom spends all of her time making pottery so Madison doesn’t see a lot of her, but now instead of being cold when Madison sees her she is angry, but again Madison has the maturity to realise that her mother isn’t just mad at her; she’s hurting inside too.
As if Madison hasn’t got enough going on, all of a sudden boys are interested in her. First there’s Jean Pierre, Chess wiz and super popular, who wants to sleep with her, but isn’t interested in having a girlfriend, or even acknowledging that she exists in public. Then there’s Carson, a Mormon boy that her mother really doesn’t approve of. He’s good looking and a really nice guy, but there’s just no spark, no matter how much Madison wants her to be. The third boy is Alex. He’s been voluntarily mute for years, and spends most of his time flicking his lighter on and off and looking threatening. Everyone refers to him as a ‘psycho’, and Madison walks the other way when she sees him at night. But there’s more to Alex than people realise, and for some reason Madison feels the need to help him with his problems.
I love how normal Madison is, and at the same time how mature she is to see through peoples facades and get to the real issues. I loved the storyline in this book and how well it flowed, and whilst putting it down was difficult, getting back into it was a joy. There were several events that I didn’t see coming, and I loved the story of how things worked out for Madison and her friends and family in the end.
Overall; I loved this book and will definitely be reading the author’s other works! If you like young adult fiction, and like a bit of light romance, you’ll love this book.
9 out of 10.
16-year-old Madison lives with her mom in a small town called Pelican Bluffs. Everybody knows everybody in Pelican Bluffs – it’s that kind of place, so you can guess how shocked Madison is when a Mormon man called John turns up at her door claiming to be her brother. What’s worse is that she knows it’s true just by looking at him; he even looks like her mother.
Amazingly enough there are other more pressing matters going on in Madison’s life though. Her best friend seems to suddenly have it in for her, and three different boys all seem to want something from her.
I absolutely loved this book. I nearly died when the bulb in my bedside lamp went out and I couldn’t carry on reading!
Madison is an average 16-year-old, and she’d never claim otherwise, it’s her friend Kailie who’s the pretty one. The appearance of a brother that she never knew about takes a lot of time to get used to, and Madison does take her time coming to terms with this, and doesn’t commit herself to feelings that she doesn’t have.
Madison’s main concerns surround her best friend and the people she goes to school with. So many times people ask her why she is friends with Kailie, as Kailie seems to be purposely trying to hurt Madison. Kailie’s actions lead to Madison getting physically attacked, but Madison knows Kailie well enough to know that Kailie does these things because she is having a meltdown, and not because she really wants to hurt Madison. Regardless of her reasons though, Madison proves time and time again that she is an amazing friend to Kailie, a better friend than she really deserves.
Madison has problems at home too though. Her Mom barely speaks to her, and the arrival of her brother John just causes more tension at home. Madison’s Mom spends all of her time making pottery so Madison doesn’t see a lot of her, but now instead of being cold when Madison sees her she is angry, but again Madison has the maturity to realise that her mother isn’t just mad at her; she’s hurting inside too.
As if Madison hasn’t got enough going on, all of a sudden boys are interested in her. First there’s Jean Pierre, Chess wiz and super popular, who wants to sleep with her, but isn’t interested in having a girlfriend, or even acknowledging that she exists in public. Then there’s Carson, a Mormon boy that her mother really doesn’t approve of. He’s good looking and a really nice guy, but there’s just no spark, no matter how much Madison wants her to be. The third boy is Alex. He’s been voluntarily mute for years, and spends most of his time flicking his lighter on and off and looking threatening. Everyone refers to him as a ‘psycho’, and Madison walks the other way when she sees him at night. But there’s more to Alex than people realise, and for some reason Madison feels the need to help him with his problems.
I love how normal Madison is, and at the same time how mature she is to see through peoples facades and get to the real issues. I loved the storyline in this book and how well it flowed, and whilst putting it down was difficult, getting back into it was a joy. There were several events that I didn’t see coming, and I loved the story of how things worked out for Madison and her friends and family in the end.
Overall; I loved this book and will definitely be reading the author’s other works! If you like young adult fiction, and like a bit of light romance, you’ll love this book.
9 out of 10.
April 28, 2013
This book was a different style than my usual romantic read. As a reader, you enjoy getting to see the development of characters; even destruction in some cases. Such is the case of Madison Lukas, who has a distracted mother, long-lost brother, frantic best friend, and relatively no love life. Then when one tiny thing changes, it seems everything does. Pelican Bluffs then turns into a town of secrets! Everyone has something they're hiding, and somehow there is a little piece of those secrets standing in Madison's way!
I have to admit, the book blurb really doesn't do this book any justice. It doesn't give you any clue that Madison is a heroine worthy of epic proportions. She's generous and loyal, unfailingly devoted to those that she cares about. She is the kind of person we want to be, and yet she is plagued by all the self-doubts any young person faces. I loved her!
There is a love story involved here, so don't fear that her heart isn't one of the biggest aspects of the plot. There were so many times that I wanted to scream at her, "No, don't pick him!" I would catch myself wanting to throw the book down because she was gonna do something I knew she would regret. I wanted to say, "Be the smart girl, for once!" There is always that guy that can make you do something, and you hope it won't hurt as bad as you know it will. Ah, such is life though.
So, please, pick up this book! I know you will love it if you give it a chance, and be sure to catch it's continuation Love in Darkness when it comes out!
I have to admit, the book blurb really doesn't do this book any justice. It doesn't give you any clue that Madison is a heroine worthy of epic proportions. She's generous and loyal, unfailingly devoted to those that she cares about. She is the kind of person we want to be, and yet she is plagued by all the self-doubts any young person faces. I loved her!
There is a love story involved here, so don't fear that her heart isn't one of the biggest aspects of the plot. There were so many times that I wanted to scream at her, "No, don't pick him!" I would catch myself wanting to throw the book down because she was gonna do something I knew she would regret. I wanted to say, "Be the smart girl, for once!" There is always that guy that can make you do something, and you hope it won't hurt as bad as you know it will. Ah, such is life though.
So, please, pick up this book! I know you will love it if you give it a chance, and be sure to catch it's continuation Love in Darkness when it comes out!
June 3, 2013
Madison is a sixteen year old girl who is popular by association. Her best friend is one of the richest people in Pelican Bluffs. She never thought that she is beautiful hence doesn't believe when someone say it and never realize guys like her. She is kind, nice and doesn't like hurting people's feelings. Sounds familiar? It's because she is like any other teenage girl characters in YA books. But wait....she acts differently from most of them. She is abused and bullied by her mom, her best friend, her school friends and her sort of boyfriend. Yet somehow she didn't realize it and didn't do anything about it. From the beginning of the story I want to yell her to stay away from Kalie, her best friend and Jean-Pierre, her sort of boyfriend. And at some point I want to slap her and make her to do something.
But I do feel sorry for her. Her mom abuses her in a different way. She (rarely) didn't hurt her physically, she also didn't call her names. But she ignores her in a worst kind of attitude. She shut her down in the name of art, work and freedom. Kailie as her best friend kind of use her. She keeps her for her benefit. Become her designated driver, mad at her to unreasonable reason, good at mind games and she often falls for it. And Jean-Pierre never acknowledge her at their school and told her that he don't want to have a girlfriend. But keeps come to her room to make out.
When I decided reading this book, I thought it will be like any other dysfunctional family stories I've read. Yet, EM Tippetts surprised me both in bad and good feelings. Then I realize, even with the bad feelings I feel, it's a good thing because it means she know how to write her story well enough for me to feel it.
This story tells me that abusive and bulling can come from many types, different from I used to read. Madison annoyed me to not stand up for herself but I also pity her. I'm angry at her for allow herself to be bullied by Kalie and Jean-Pierre but I also feel sad for what happen to her. She is different and confusing me yet she is brave in her own way.
As my third book from EM Tippetts , I can tell that she has patterns telling her story but it doesn't mean her stories are boring. It makes her books different from other authors and I can see her originality. Similar to Someone Else's Fairytale this book is slow-paced but in a good way. She gives her characters time to know each other and me, as a reader, know them too, understand and also feel them. Therefore, there isn't insta-love for the main characters. Her characters need time to build a relationship and falling in love slowly, just like what I love because to me it seems more realistic. Another pattern I found is in some part, I kind of hard to follow Madison's thought sometimes. This also happens with Chloe Vanderholt from Someone Else's Faiytale series. I need more attention to the characters because she creates her stories in many layers. This book is not only about dysfunctional family but also about abusive, bulling, friendship, trust, love and even religion.
But I do feel sorry for her. Her mom abuses her in a different way. She (rarely) didn't hurt her physically, she also didn't call her names. But she ignores her in a worst kind of attitude. She shut her down in the name of art, work and freedom. Kailie as her best friend kind of use her. She keeps her for her benefit. Become her designated driver, mad at her to unreasonable reason, good at mind games and she often falls for it. And Jean-Pierre never acknowledge her at their school and told her that he don't want to have a girlfriend. But keeps come to her room to make out.
When I decided reading this book, I thought it will be like any other dysfunctional family stories I've read. Yet, EM Tippetts surprised me both in bad and good feelings. Then I realize, even with the bad feelings I feel, it's a good thing because it means she know how to write her story well enough for me to feel it.
This story tells me that abusive and bulling can come from many types, different from I used to read. Madison annoyed me to not stand up for herself but I also pity her. I'm angry at her for allow herself to be bullied by Kalie and Jean-Pierre but I also feel sad for what happen to her. She is different and confusing me yet she is brave in her own way.
As my third book from EM Tippetts , I can tell that she has patterns telling her story but it doesn't mean her stories are boring. It makes her books different from other authors and I can see her originality. Similar to Someone Else's Fairytale this book is slow-paced but in a good way. She gives her characters time to know each other and me, as a reader, know them too, understand and also feel them. Therefore, there isn't insta-love for the main characters. Her characters need time to build a relationship and falling in love slowly, just like what I love because to me it seems more realistic. Another pattern I found is in some part, I kind of hard to follow Madison's thought sometimes. This also happens with Chloe Vanderholt from Someone Else's Faiytale series. I need more attention to the characters because she creates her stories in many layers. This book is not only about dysfunctional family but also about abusive, bulling, friendship, trust, love and even religion.
August 10, 2013
*This book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*
I liked this book more than I expected. I don't know why I wasn't expecting much, I think I may just be grumpy because I have a cold. Anyway, I liked it. It didn't blow me away but it was a pleasant surprise in that the characters and plot were not your average copycat NA and it covered some tough topics without being overdramatic.
Madison was such a sweetheart. I mean she was completely lovely, she was nice to everyone and always helped other people but didn't see what a great person she was. She didn't do it for praise and in fact took a lot of kick back from it. She was taken advantage of by everyone but she was very strong actually. It wasn't that she didn't know how she was being treated, but that she could see through it. You could tell why everyone loved her, she was so selfless and not at all self righteous.
Reading Madison's story was lovely, particularly getting close to her brother and starting to trust why other people told her how great she was. I found the romance realistically awkward too and so sweet at the end, so very sweet. The plot played out a nice steady pace and I really didn't want to put it down. It wasn't all obvious either.
I was a little concerned when I gathered there'd be a religious element to the book. Ok so I was christened and educated Church of England, so the whole thing isn't unfamiliar, it's just not part of my belief systems as an adult so I get wary. I'm pleased to report that although it was there I actually found it a nice background to the family dynamic and not at all preachy. There was a definite theme actually of how religion can be a good force and a bad force within a family. I liked how it was handled and how the themes of abuse and mental health were handled sensitively but seriously.
To sum up, this was a pleasantly surprising maturely written book. I warmed to the characters and care for them to the point where I'm anxious to know things will go well for them. So job well done. I'm only going for 4 stars because I just wasn't blown away. The authors books would automatically go on the 'to be read' shelf but I wouldn't drop what I'm doing to read it straight away.
I liked this book more than I expected. I don't know why I wasn't expecting much, I think I may just be grumpy because I have a cold. Anyway, I liked it. It didn't blow me away but it was a pleasant surprise in that the characters and plot were not your average copycat NA and it covered some tough topics without being overdramatic.
Madison was such a sweetheart. I mean she was completely lovely, she was nice to everyone and always helped other people but didn't see what a great person she was. She didn't do it for praise and in fact took a lot of kick back from it. She was taken advantage of by everyone but she was very strong actually. It wasn't that she didn't know how she was being treated, but that she could see through it. You could tell why everyone loved her, she was so selfless and not at all self righteous.
Reading Madison's story was lovely, particularly getting close to her brother and starting to trust why other people told her how great she was. I found the romance realistically awkward too and so sweet at the end, so very sweet. The plot played out a nice steady pace and I really didn't want to put it down. It wasn't all obvious either.
I was a little concerned when I gathered there'd be a religious element to the book. Ok so I was christened and educated Church of England, so the whole thing isn't unfamiliar, it's just not part of my belief systems as an adult so I get wary. I'm pleased to report that although it was there I actually found it a nice background to the family dynamic and not at all preachy. There was a definite theme actually of how religion can be a good force and a bad force within a family. I liked how it was handled and how the themes of abuse and mental health were handled sensitively but seriously.
To sum up, this was a pleasantly surprising maturely written book. I warmed to the characters and care for them to the point where I'm anxious to know things will go well for them. So job well done. I'm only going for 4 stars because I just wasn't blown away. The authors books would automatically go on the 'to be read' shelf but I wouldn't drop what I'm doing to read it straight away.
August 29, 2013
*I received a book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I think the author did good job with this book in writing about the struggles of being a teenager. The main character, Madison, is a naive 16 year old high schooler that lets everyone walk all over her. Her mom is extremely mean to her and treats her likes she's nonexistent. Her best friend is worthless and does things to her that a normal best friend would never do. Throughout the book we did get to see some positive relationships develop between Madison and her long lost brother John, Carson, and Alex. I could have done without all the religious/Mormon talk though. I am currently reading Love in Darkness (book 2) now, which is in Alex's POV. Review to come...
I think the author did good job with this book in writing about the struggles of being a teenager. The main character, Madison, is a naive 16 year old high schooler that lets everyone walk all over her. Her mom is extremely mean to her and treats her likes she's nonexistent. Her best friend is worthless and does things to her that a normal best friend would never do. Throughout the book we did get to see some positive relationships develop between Madison and her long lost brother John, Carson, and Alex. I could have done without all the religious/Mormon talk though. I am currently reading Love in Darkness (book 2) now, which is in Alex's POV. Review to come...
November 29, 2012
This book is now out and can be found on:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Castles-on-the-...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/castl...
After January 10, 2013, it will be available at the following links and in iBookstore as an ebook:
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Castle...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
If you are a book blogger/reviewer, I'm always happy to give out free review copies. My email is: emilymtippetts@gmail.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Castles-on-the-...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/castl...
After January 10, 2013, it will be available at the following links and in iBookstore as an ebook:
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Castle...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
If you are a book blogger/reviewer, I'm always happy to give out free review copies. My email is: emilymtippetts@gmail.com
September 5, 2015
Alex - “One minute I decide to try to be a better person and the next I've got the school hottie hanging around like she wants to spend time with me. There's no way I'd hit on her. Half the school would gang up and knock my teeth out.”
At first, the story lacks focus. Madison has a lot of random people knocking on her window at night. And even more random people kissing her out of the blue. To be honest, I only started getting really interested in the story when I flicked to the end and realised who Madison ends up with. Wowza! Didn't see that coming.
Madison's life seems horrible. I was really dreading that the solution to all her problems would be becoming a Morman. Relief beyond relief, she doesn't! I experienced a lot of negative feelings as you may be able to tell from my updates, but that made the good moments all the more sweeter. Her mother neglects/abuses her, her best friend neglects/abuses her and she gets beaten up at school.
The way Madison sneaks in and out of her house at all hours is pretty shocking. But her mother seriously does not give a damn.
When I get home and climb back in my window, I can hear my mom moving around in the kitchen. “That you, Madison?”
“No, it's a burglar.”
“Well, you picked the wrong house. There's nothing to steal.”
I go join her. “Carson came by and-“
“Make sure you close your window. The heating bill is high enough.”
Fortunately, Madison's library boss, Siraj, does give a damn and he's always asking her how she is. He's a real darling and provided some much-needed comic relief.
Siraj - “No more cage fighting for you. That is what I've been telling people. It makes me rebellious by association. They say, 'Do you have a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey?' and I say, 'She's a cage fighter, you know. You should have seen the other guy.'”
Hahaha! Interestingly enough, the bullying incident is a one-off occasion and Madison's classmates actually retaliate against the bullies.
Apparently if you get sweet little Madison kicked in the face, there's hell to pay.
So I really liked that interesting twist. That even the stoners and haters of the school stand up to defend Madison's honour. In a strange way, she's the darling of the school because no one likes to see a puppy kicked. The school's reaction to her tormenters is almost, almost enough to balance out the mean things that happen to Madison.
But it didn't stop me from being all-out furious at Kailie. I wanted to bitch-slap her so bad. Kailie's parents manipulate and abuse her and she does the same to Madison. I did not expect her to be No. 1 Bad Guy nasty. She's nothing but trouble. She takes Madison for granted and makes her feel unworthy and guilty. It frustrated me that even after Kailie is so damn cruel to Madison, Madison still feels obligated to protect her from the consequences of her actions. ARGH!
Alex
Out of everyone, Madison is the most unkind to Alex – mainly because she's afraid. He's the town's resident “psycho” along with his mother who suffers from schizophrenia. Alex is mainly frustrated with life and has a violent temper. He's mute and for good reason. Guys are always more hotter when they keep their mouths shut. Of course he does start speaking. I liked him. He's a good guy and it was funny to see the way everyone reacted to him speaking. He and Madison share several well-deserved and satisfying kisses. Yay!
PS. I knew I shouldn't have read two Morman books back to back. I'm not a Morman so I get weirded out easily by all this religion. I also get a bit tired of LDS heroines being really shy and cutesy. Not that Madison is Morman, but I mean why don't LDS authors ever create a heroine who is confident and badass?
At first, the story lacks focus. Madison has a lot of random people knocking on her window at night. And even more random people kissing her out of the blue. To be honest, I only started getting really interested in the story when I flicked to the end and realised who Madison ends up with. Wowza! Didn't see that coming.
Madison's life seems horrible. I was really dreading that the solution to all her problems would be becoming a Morman. Relief beyond relief, she doesn't! I experienced a lot of negative feelings as you may be able to tell from my updates, but that made the good moments all the more sweeter. Her mother neglects/abuses her, her best friend neglects/abuses her and she gets beaten up at school.
The way Madison sneaks in and out of her house at all hours is pretty shocking. But her mother seriously does not give a damn.
When I get home and climb back in my window, I can hear my mom moving around in the kitchen. “That you, Madison?”
“No, it's a burglar.”
“Well, you picked the wrong house. There's nothing to steal.”
I go join her. “Carson came by and-“
“Make sure you close your window. The heating bill is high enough.”
Fortunately, Madison's library boss, Siraj, does give a damn and he's always asking her how she is. He's a real darling and provided some much-needed comic relief.
Siraj - “No more cage fighting for you. That is what I've been telling people. It makes me rebellious by association. They say, 'Do you have a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey?' and I say, 'She's a cage fighter, you know. You should have seen the other guy.'”
Hahaha! Interestingly enough, the bullying incident is a one-off occasion and Madison's classmates actually retaliate against the bullies.
Apparently if you get sweet little Madison kicked in the face, there's hell to pay.
So I really liked that interesting twist. That even the stoners and haters of the school stand up to defend Madison's honour. In a strange way, she's the darling of the school because no one likes to see a puppy kicked. The school's reaction to her tormenters is almost, almost enough to balance out the mean things that happen to Madison.
But it didn't stop me from being all-out furious at Kailie. I wanted to bitch-slap her so bad. Kailie's parents manipulate and abuse her and she does the same to Madison. I did not expect her to be No. 1 Bad Guy nasty. She's nothing but trouble. She takes Madison for granted and makes her feel unworthy and guilty. It frustrated me that even after Kailie is so damn cruel to Madison, Madison still feels obligated to protect her from the consequences of her actions. ARGH!
Alex
Out of everyone, Madison is the most unkind to Alex – mainly because she's afraid. He's the town's resident “psycho” along with his mother who suffers from schizophrenia. Alex is mainly frustrated with life and has a violent temper. He's mute and for good reason. Guys are always more hotter when they keep their mouths shut. Of course he does start speaking. I liked him. He's a good guy and it was funny to see the way everyone reacted to him speaking. He and Madison share several well-deserved and satisfying kisses. Yay!
PS. I knew I shouldn't have read two Morman books back to back. I'm not a Morman so I get weirded out easily by all this religion. I also get a bit tired of LDS heroines being really shy and cutesy. Not that Madison is Morman, but I mean why don't LDS authors ever create a heroine who is confident and badass?
July 21, 2013
I would like to start off by saying that the author does a wonderful job with descriptives and doesn't bore by overusing them. E.M. Tippets manages to transport the reader into the scene fabulously.
The story went at a slow pace which allowed me to really immerse myself in this world and get to know each and every character really well. All of her characters had depth to them which I thought was absolutely fantastic.
Madison is a sixteen year old girl who is quite naive and sadly, a bit of a pushover. She lets people walk all over her and that was frustrating to read. She is such a sweet girl and she can't seem to grasp the reality that she is an all-around amazing person who deserves better. Her best friend Kailie is one of the main problems that I hoped she would kick to the curb. I kind of really hated her. She uses and abuses Madison. I sort of felt bad for Kailie when I saw how she was treated by her parents. Even though it's not an excuse, I understand why she then treated Madison badly.
I was glad to see that Madison had support. From her brother to random schoolmates, others loved and cared enough to stick up for her and basically fight her battles for her.
Madison catches three different boys' eyes. It was easy for me to choose my favorite right from the get-go. I liked that there wasn't really insta-love with any of them. In fact there was barely any like. She struggles with her feeling with one of the boys. I loved this section because it felt really believable for me. The one that she ends up with was of course the one I wanted for her. There's an interesting dynamic between the two characters. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. Their relationship was written the way I wish more couples were written in YA/NA novels.
Mormonism and religion in general is a huge part of this book. Maybe it's just because I'm open-minded or what not but it didn't really bother me. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the information. If anything, I enjoyed the knowledge.
This next bit is a quote that I found really cute and made me smile because Maddison finally realizes that she is amazing and beautiful. I'm calling it a spoiler just in case readers want to be surprised by the guy she chooses in the end.
I've had this book on my TBR list for a while and am so happy I finally had the chance to read it. I am now officially a fan of E.M. Tippetts. Her writing is beautifully done and she sets herself apart from other authors with her style. I look forward to reading her work in the future.
*An eCopy of this book was provided by the author for an honest review
The story went at a slow pace which allowed me to really immerse myself in this world and get to know each and every character really well. All of her characters had depth to them which I thought was absolutely fantastic.
Madison is a sixteen year old girl who is quite naive and sadly, a bit of a pushover. She lets people walk all over her and that was frustrating to read. She is such a sweet girl and she can't seem to grasp the reality that she is an all-around amazing person who deserves better. Her best friend Kailie is one of the main problems that I hoped she would kick to the curb. I kind of really hated her. She uses and abuses Madison. I sort of felt bad for Kailie when I saw how she was treated by her parents. Even though it's not an excuse, I understand why she then treated Madison badly.
I was glad to see that Madison had support. From her brother to random schoolmates, others loved and cared enough to stick up for her and basically fight her battles for her.
Madison catches three different boys' eyes. It was easy for me to choose my favorite right from the get-go. I liked that there wasn't really insta-love with any of them. In fact there was barely any like. She struggles with her feeling with one of the boys. I loved this section because it felt really believable for me. The one that she ends up with was of course the one I wanted for her. There's an interesting dynamic between the two characters. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. Their relationship was written the way I wish more couples were written in YA/NA novels.
Mormonism and religion in general is a huge part of this book. Maybe it's just because I'm open-minded or what not but it didn't really bother me. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the information. If anything, I enjoyed the knowledge.
This next bit is a quote that I found really cute and made me smile because Maddison finally realizes that she is amazing and beautiful. I'm calling it a spoiler just in case readers want to be surprised by the guy she chooses in the end.
I've had this book on my TBR list for a while and am so happy I finally had the chance to read it. I am now officially a fan of E.M. Tippetts. Her writing is beautifully done and she sets herself apart from other authors with her style. I look forward to reading her work in the future.
*An eCopy of this book was provided by the author for an honest review
September 5, 2013
***I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***
Castles on the Sands is Madison Lukas’s story. I liked Madison she was genuinely a nice person, and saw the good in everyone, but at the same time I found her to be a little naïve, a bit of a pushover, and she had low self esteem which was understandable when you see the relationships or lack of one she has with her mother. Her mother was just mean, and I did feel sorry for her.
The storyline was certainly not predictable; It deals with some serious problems such as abuse, neglect, bullying, and mental health. Emily Mah Tippetts covers all theses in a sensitive way. There is also a religious aspect of the story, and I was concerned that it was going to be overpowering, but I have to say it wasn’t it was played out objectively and wasn’t too preachy. By the end of the book, I had a greater knowledge of Mormonism.
This book has some interesting secondary characters. I had big issues with Madison best friend Kailie, and I really disliked her. She was awful to her so many times, and I couldn’t understand why Madison continued to be her friend. I understand that she had a horrible home life, but that didn’t excuse her actions.
Jean Pierre, Carson and Alex all three very different characters whom all liked Madison in very different ways. It was interesting to see the dynamics of their friendship play out. I knew which one I liked, and I was pleased that she picked him. I loved Siraj, too funny; he made me laugh so many times loved his dry sense of humor.
Overall I would say this was an interesting read based on the synopsis I really didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading it. I did think it was a little slow to start with, and it took a while for me to get into, but that being said I did like it. It made me, smile, laugh, the romance side was sweet, but I did get frustrated often mainly due to Kailie.
I’m looking forward to reading Love In Darkness that next one in the series.
Castles On The Sands gets 3 stars from me
Castles on the Sands is Madison Lukas’s story. I liked Madison she was genuinely a nice person, and saw the good in everyone, but at the same time I found her to be a little naïve, a bit of a pushover, and she had low self esteem which was understandable when you see the relationships or lack of one she has with her mother. Her mother was just mean, and I did feel sorry for her.
The storyline was certainly not predictable; It deals with some serious problems such as abuse, neglect, bullying, and mental health. Emily Mah Tippetts covers all theses in a sensitive way. There is also a religious aspect of the story, and I was concerned that it was going to be overpowering, but I have to say it wasn’t it was played out objectively and wasn’t too preachy. By the end of the book, I had a greater knowledge of Mormonism.
This book has some interesting secondary characters. I had big issues with Madison best friend Kailie, and I really disliked her. She was awful to her so many times, and I couldn’t understand why Madison continued to be her friend. I understand that she had a horrible home life, but that didn’t excuse her actions.
Jean Pierre, Carson and Alex all three very different characters whom all liked Madison in very different ways. It was interesting to see the dynamics of their friendship play out. I knew which one I liked, and I was pleased that she picked him. I loved Siraj, too funny; he made me laugh so many times loved his dry sense of humor.
Overall I would say this was an interesting read based on the synopsis I really didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading it. I did think it was a little slow to start with, and it took a while for me to get into, but that being said I did like it. It made me, smile, laugh, the romance side was sweet, but I did get frustrated often mainly due to Kailie.
I’m looking forward to reading Love In Darkness that next one in the series.
Castles On The Sands gets 3 stars from me
January 30, 2013
I liked so much of this book, the way the writing flows, the 'must find out what happens next!' feeling, the portrayal of Madison as a teen trying to deal with all of the normal problems of being a teenager with a few more thrown in for good measure and her handling it, not always perfectly but in an honest kind of way. There are other things I didn't like, but at this moment I'm leaning more towards the like side.
Madison lives in the sleepy seaside town of Pelican Bluff, has a complicated best friend, a mother so engaged in her own world Madison has to be the responsible one, boys who maybe like her, and a long lost brother she didn't know she had has found her. Madison learns to try and see beyond the surface of people and ideas she's made assumptions about, including herself.
There is some weirdness in the book, mainly Mormonism, where it pops up, people are involved or talk about it, but it doesn't really add enough to the plot to be warranted the attention it is given. Also, pretty much all the parents and most of the adults over 25 are uncaring and irresponsible. Even my favorite adult character by the end of the book had a moment where I wanted to scream at him for his cold attitude.
I think the author really nailed the confusion of being a teenager, trying to figure out what choices to make in a world that is not as clear cut as we would like it to be. The characterization is what really made the book special for me.
*I received a free copy of this book though a Goodreads giveaway, I have not received any financial compensation for this review.
Madison lives in the sleepy seaside town of Pelican Bluff, has a complicated best friend, a mother so engaged in her own world Madison has to be the responsible one, boys who maybe like her, and a long lost brother she didn't know she had has found her. Madison learns to try and see beyond the surface of people and ideas she's made assumptions about, including herself.
There is some weirdness in the book, mainly Mormonism, where it pops up, people are involved or talk about it, but it doesn't really add enough to the plot to be warranted the attention it is given. Also, pretty much all the parents and most of the adults over 25 are uncaring and irresponsible. Even my favorite adult character by the end of the book had a moment where I wanted to scream at him for his cold attitude.
I think the author really nailed the confusion of being a teenager, trying to figure out what choices to make in a world that is not as clear cut as we would like it to be. The characterization is what really made the book special for me.
*I received a free copy of this book though a Goodreads giveaway, I have not received any financial compensation for this review.
September 8, 2013
**I recieved a copy of this book from the author for an honest review**
Overall I thought that this book was good. It had been on my TBR for awhile so I was excited when I got it to read & review. It was different from what I had expected after reading the synopsis. I thought that the author did a wonderful job writing about abuse, neglect, mental issues, suicide and a variety of other tough subjects.
Madison is the main character of the book. She is a sweet, 16 year old girl with a big heart. While I did like her, there were times that I just wanted to shake her awake because she was being too nice. Especially with her best friend. Whenever I read about their interactions, all I could think of was the old saying "with friends like that, who needs enemies". Still, where most people would have given up on their friend, Madison always stuck by her.
Alex is the quiet, weird loser that hangs out with the wrong crowd. He's super hot, but also super creepy. He never talked to anyone. As we learn that's his way of coping with a very difficult family life. No one can hurt him if they can' get in. I really liked Alex a lot too. He was a well-developed character with a heart of gold, just like Madison.
I loved the ending and felt that it was well-deserved by both Madison & Alex.
Overall I thought that this book was good. It had been on my TBR for awhile so I was excited when I got it to read & review. It was different from what I had expected after reading the synopsis. I thought that the author did a wonderful job writing about abuse, neglect, mental issues, suicide and a variety of other tough subjects.
Madison is the main character of the book. She is a sweet, 16 year old girl with a big heart. While I did like her, there were times that I just wanted to shake her awake because she was being too nice. Especially with her best friend. Whenever I read about their interactions, all I could think of was the old saying "with friends like that, who needs enemies". Still, where most people would have given up on their friend, Madison always stuck by her.
Alex is the quiet, weird loser that hangs out with the wrong crowd. He's super hot, but also super creepy. He never talked to anyone. As we learn that's his way of coping with a very difficult family life. No one can hurt him if they can' get in. I really liked Alex a lot too. He was a well-developed character with a heart of gold, just like Madison.
I loved the ending and felt that it was well-deserved by both Madison & Alex.
July 26, 2013
I received a copy of the second book in this series in exchange for an honest review, and the author kindly included the first book as well. Although she said that reading the first wasn't necessary before reading the second, I disagree. I started reading the second book and I felt lost and confused. I put it down, read this, and I now feel much more prepared. In other words, I suggest you read this first.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I've never read a book where many of the main characters were Mormons, but I found it to be interesting and somewhat informative. I never had to deal with anything like the problems Alex and Madison faced, but this book definitely reminded me that being a teenager is hard work.
So yeah, surprising read, and pretty different from other books I've read. I like different.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I've never read a book where many of the main characters were Mormons, but I found it to be interesting and somewhat informative. I never had to deal with anything like the problems Alex and Madison faced, but this book definitely reminded me that being a teenager is hard work.
So yeah, surprising read, and pretty different from other books I've read. I like different.
August 7, 2013
Very well-paced story about a small town with some very interesting characters! Not everything is as it seems here and that's what I loved about it. The more you read, the more is revealed about each person, with plenty of surprises and life lessons along the way. Not a huge amount of romance and Madison can be quite frustrating at times, but once I put myself in her shoes it all made more sense. :) I am absolutely looking forward to reading the next book!
Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2013
This book is a hard one for me to rate. I liked the story and I read it in just two days, but there were a lot of things that I struggled with and didn't like so it was kind of a back and forth for me.
I liked the Characters, they were interesting and complex. They all had a kind of mystery about them. They all had a lot of layers and things going on with them which made me want to keep reading in order to figure them out. I really liked that they didn't just talk incessantly and give out all their secrets at one time. I feel like I was constantly discovering new things about them throughout the story. The story is told from Madison's POV. She is struggling to find herself, her Mother is distant and unlikeable, she is pretty much on her own, she is overly nice to people and gets taken advantage of a lot. The story follows her as she discovers a part of her family she didn't know existed, navigates through high school drama, and finding first love, a sort of coming of age story. I enjoyed being in her head and she seemed to be very realistically written. I didn't really get the first half of the book with Jean-Pierre. He was weird and they never talked and I didn't understand why she kept a relationship with him, she seemed too smart to just play along and not seem to get what he was doing to her. I really liked Alex, he was very intriguing and mysterious and I liked trying to figure out who he was and what caused his behavior. I really liked the setting. I could really picture the small town near the beach where everyone grew up together and knew each other's Business. I sort of pictured a Dawson's Creek kind of backdrop, with the water and the beach and all the teenagers sneaking out and climbing in and out of the windows to talk to each other while their parents were oblivious.
I struggled with John, the long lost brother, who finds her after all these years. His character seemed out of place and disconnected from the rest of the story. I thought he didn't talk like someone who was estranged from his Mother and Sister. I found him to be almost creepy, the way he followed her and was always saying I love you and you're beautiful and trying to always tell her what to do. I just didn't really get the purpose in his character. I thought it was unrealistic how her Mother wouldn't even talk to her about it and then when the brothers finally all came around, how they just accepted the fact that their Mother basically abandoned them and was mean to her daughter and they acted as though nothing had ever happened. I also struggled with all the Mormon references and what purpose it all served. It was hard to decide if it was a book that was building up Mormonism or tearing it down. The underlying theme seemed to be that God was working in their lives and bringing about change and that He provided a peace and was working all these things together for good, but most of the time the characters were bashing Mormonism, talking about how crazy it all sounded, and portraying all the Mormon characters as weird and cultish. It was hinted throughout that it was a cultish religion and that it was bad to be associated with anyone and anything to do with it. The whole Mormon part of the story seemed to constantly contradict itself. I understand it was probably trying to show the stereotypes around it and what the opinions on it are versus the reality of the people who follow it, but it came across as confusing and kind of unnecessary to the plot. John's Mother left and wanted nothing to do with it, but in the end it never explored why. Alex was investigating and trying to decide if he liked it or believed it, but it never explored what he thought and most of the time he just cracked jokes about the people who were witnessing to him. Madison was extremely skeptical of it all and would say she didn't understand what they were talking about or what certain references meant and it would never get explained to her or to the reader. The brother was estranged from the Mother in part due to his beliefs, but even he didn't really explore that side of it at all or explained anything much to Madison. I am a Christian, not Mormon, and I didn't understand a lot of what they would talk about either. The characters kept referring to it just as a religion and would discuss their beliefs in a very textbook, factual way but it was devoid of feeling and they all seemed detached as though even the so called devout believers in the story didn't have much conviction about their own beliefs.
I thought it was strange that the whole town had grown up with Alex and he had never spoken, but within a couple of chapters he is talking not just to Madison, but pretty much everyone. I thought that came a little to quickly and easily. Overall I liked the pacing and the story moved along. I will probably read the next one because I want to read what happens to Alex and Madison and it is in Alex's POV which I think will be interesting. This book was good and it was worth the .99 I paid for it on Amazon, but I think it could have been better, just my opinion.
I liked the Characters, they were interesting and complex. They all had a kind of mystery about them. They all had a lot of layers and things going on with them which made me want to keep reading in order to figure them out. I really liked that they didn't just talk incessantly and give out all their secrets at one time. I feel like I was constantly discovering new things about them throughout the story. The story is told from Madison's POV. She is struggling to find herself, her Mother is distant and unlikeable, she is pretty much on her own, she is overly nice to people and gets taken advantage of a lot. The story follows her as she discovers a part of her family she didn't know existed, navigates through high school drama, and finding first love, a sort of coming of age story. I enjoyed being in her head and she seemed to be very realistically written. I didn't really get the first half of the book with Jean-Pierre. He was weird and they never talked and I didn't understand why she kept a relationship with him, she seemed too smart to just play along and not seem to get what he was doing to her. I really liked Alex, he was very intriguing and mysterious and I liked trying to figure out who he was and what caused his behavior. I really liked the setting. I could really picture the small town near the beach where everyone grew up together and knew each other's Business. I sort of pictured a Dawson's Creek kind of backdrop, with the water and the beach and all the teenagers sneaking out and climbing in and out of the windows to talk to each other while their parents were oblivious.
I struggled with John, the long lost brother, who finds her after all these years. His character seemed out of place and disconnected from the rest of the story. I thought he didn't talk like someone who was estranged from his Mother and Sister. I found him to be almost creepy, the way he followed her and was always saying I love you and you're beautiful and trying to always tell her what to do. I just didn't really get the purpose in his character. I thought it was unrealistic how her Mother wouldn't even talk to her about it and then when the brothers finally all came around, how they just accepted the fact that their Mother basically abandoned them and was mean to her daughter and they acted as though nothing had ever happened. I also struggled with all the Mormon references and what purpose it all served. It was hard to decide if it was a book that was building up Mormonism or tearing it down. The underlying theme seemed to be that God was working in their lives and bringing about change and that He provided a peace and was working all these things together for good, but most of the time the characters were bashing Mormonism, talking about how crazy it all sounded, and portraying all the Mormon characters as weird and cultish. It was hinted throughout that it was a cultish religion and that it was bad to be associated with anyone and anything to do with it. The whole Mormon part of the story seemed to constantly contradict itself. I understand it was probably trying to show the stereotypes around it and what the opinions on it are versus the reality of the people who follow it, but it came across as confusing and kind of unnecessary to the plot. John's Mother left and wanted nothing to do with it, but in the end it never explored why. Alex was investigating and trying to decide if he liked it or believed it, but it never explored what he thought and most of the time he just cracked jokes about the people who were witnessing to him. Madison was extremely skeptical of it all and would say she didn't understand what they were talking about or what certain references meant and it would never get explained to her or to the reader. The brother was estranged from the Mother in part due to his beliefs, but even he didn't really explore that side of it at all or explained anything much to Madison. I am a Christian, not Mormon, and I didn't understand a lot of what they would talk about either. The characters kept referring to it just as a religion and would discuss their beliefs in a very textbook, factual way but it was devoid of feeling and they all seemed detached as though even the so called devout believers in the story didn't have much conviction about their own beliefs.
I thought it was strange that the whole town had grown up with Alex and he had never spoken, but within a couple of chapters he is talking not just to Madison, but pretty much everyone. I thought that came a little to quickly and easily. Overall I liked the pacing and the story moved along. I will probably read the next one because I want to read what happens to Alex and Madison and it is in Alex's POV which I think will be interesting. This book was good and it was worth the .99 I paid for it on Amazon, but I think it could have been better, just my opinion.
October 16, 2012
4.5 stars!!!!
Wow, I love this book. It was really hard to stop and I was reading it discreetly while at work. :P
(edit)FULL REVIEW originally posted at charmedlass: trifling thoughts under the radar
Okay, this is definitely a long overdue review. RL is hectic these past few weeks. With winter fast approaching, the travel industry here in the country is getting damn busy.
Anyway, onto the review.
I admire Ms Tippetts' ability to write a story with characters so well rounded. The traits of her characters are not over-the-top. They're not wholly good or totally evil. They're just individuals who were flawed and it felt real.
I find Madison a wonderful heroine. She's stuck in a sad home with a mother who doesn't care for her and who buries herself in her pottery as a form of escape, but she's a strong girl with definitely a good head on her shoulders. She comes across as a bit of naive at times but we can attribute it to her lack of adult guidance at home and limited experience. I do question her actions and responses sometimes but throughout the book, I see her make wrong choices, learn from it, and develop fully as a character. Basically, she grew up as the book progressed.
John is adorable, for lack of a better word. I think he's too good sometimes but he can also be annoying too. I love that he has no qualms in telling Madison he loves her and wants to reconnect with her.
I didn't get Kallie at first. I wasn't sure whether to like her, or hate her or just spend a little bit more time understanding her before passing on judgement. She seems to be a good friend at first but after trashing Madison's Facebook page, I was wary of her. Friends don't do that! No matter how much you pissed them off. Unless it came to a point where you cut ties with them but Madison and Kallie didn't get there (well, at first). However, Madison's silent acceptance of the treatment made me doubt. It made me think that maybe aside from Kallie's situation at home, there was something deeper there? But no, for me it wasn't enough to justify her actions. And it just made me realized that Madison's acceptance of Kallie stemmed from the fact that she actually do not have a lot of close friends other than her.
I could care less of Madison's two suitors. One of them is a jerk who treated her badly, and just wants to fool around with her but doesn't really want to be a couple. The other one is nice enough but just totally not for her. Good thing there is a third and he's definitely fit for her.
From the very first mention of Alex, I already knew he and Madison will end up together. I just don't know how. That is why I was eagerly waiting for his story. And Ms Tippetts didn't disappoint in painting Alex as the male lead. He may appear to be a bad boy but he is not. A tortured soul yes, but definitely not dark. His family life at the moment is messy and I feel for him. God, I cried during the scenes with his mother. I must say those were done exceptionally well.
And finally, I wanna comment on the amount of LDS stuff in this book. (I know some readers get a bit skittish when religions get discussed/mentioned a lot in a book.) I'm not a member of LDS and have absolutely no idea about the religion. I know the author is, though. However, if others thought that she was pitching the religion, it didn't seem that way to me. (Because if she was, I don't think she'll put those stuff that Madison found on the web.) It felt normal to me. Just a book about two siblings finding each other and the other sibling just happened to be a Mormom. It's there because it works in the story. That's it.
Conclusion:
Sometimes you read a book from a new author you just found out and it turned out good. It makes you want to read another book of hers/his. However, sometimes the next book (and the third) you read is not good and it makes you think that maybe the first one you read is a fluke. I'm so glad this book of E.M. Tippetts is not. Someone Else's Fairytale (my first book of hers) may be easier to get into because of the familiar plot but Castles on the Sand is amazing as well. I'll be looking forward to the author's future works.
A
***Free copy of the book received from the author.***
Wow, I love this book. It was really hard to stop and I was reading it discreetly while at work. :P
(edit)FULL REVIEW originally posted at charmedlass: trifling thoughts under the radar
Okay, this is definitely a long overdue review. RL is hectic these past few weeks. With winter fast approaching, the travel industry here in the country is getting damn busy.
Anyway, onto the review.
I admire Ms Tippetts' ability to write a story with characters so well rounded. The traits of her characters are not over-the-top. They're not wholly good or totally evil. They're just individuals who were flawed and it felt real.
I find Madison a wonderful heroine. She's stuck in a sad home with a mother who doesn't care for her and who buries herself in her pottery as a form of escape, but she's a strong girl with definitely a good head on her shoulders. She comes across as a bit of naive at times but we can attribute it to her lack of adult guidance at home and limited experience. I do question her actions and responses sometimes but throughout the book, I see her make wrong choices, learn from it, and develop fully as a character. Basically, she grew up as the book progressed.
John is adorable, for lack of a better word. I think he's too good sometimes but he can also be annoying too. I love that he has no qualms in telling Madison he loves her and wants to reconnect with her.
I didn't get Kallie at first. I wasn't sure whether to like her, or hate her or just spend a little bit more time understanding her before passing on judgement. She seems to be a good friend at first but after trashing Madison's Facebook page, I was wary of her. Friends don't do that! No matter how much you pissed them off. Unless it came to a point where you cut ties with them but Madison and Kallie didn't get there (well, at first). However, Madison's silent acceptance of the treatment made me doubt. It made me think that maybe aside from Kallie's situation at home, there was something deeper there? But no, for me it wasn't enough to justify her actions. And it just made me realized that Madison's acceptance of Kallie stemmed from the fact that she actually do not have a lot of close friends other than her.
I could care less of Madison's two suitors. One of them is a jerk who treated her badly, and just wants to fool around with her but doesn't really want to be a couple. The other one is nice enough but just totally not for her. Good thing there is a third and he's definitely fit for her.
From the very first mention of Alex, I already knew he and Madison will end up together. I just don't know how. That is why I was eagerly waiting for his story. And Ms Tippetts didn't disappoint in painting Alex as the male lead. He may appear to be a bad boy but he is not. A tortured soul yes, but definitely not dark. His family life at the moment is messy and I feel for him. God, I cried during the scenes with his mother. I must say those were done exceptionally well.
And finally, I wanna comment on the amount of LDS stuff in this book. (I know some readers get a bit skittish when religions get discussed/mentioned a lot in a book.) I'm not a member of LDS and have absolutely no idea about the religion. I know the author is, though. However, if others thought that she was pitching the religion, it didn't seem that way to me. (Because if she was, I don't think she'll put those stuff that Madison found on the web.) It felt normal to me. Just a book about two siblings finding each other and the other sibling just happened to be a Mormom. It's there because it works in the story. That's it.
Conclusion:
Sometimes you read a book from a new author you just found out and it turned out good. It makes you want to read another book of hers/his. However, sometimes the next book (and the third) you read is not good and it makes you think that maybe the first one you read is a fluke. I'm so glad this book of E.M. Tippetts is not. Someone Else's Fairytale (my first book of hers) may be easier to get into because of the familiar plot but Castles on the Sand is amazing as well. I'll be looking forward to the author's future works.
A
***Free copy of the book received from the author.***
June 1, 2013
Madison lives her life second best to her best friend Kailie, invisible in the same house as her mother, and in an overall state of severely low self esteem in that she thinks of herself as fat and pasty. The story is completely from her point of view, but chronicles her experiences navigating mean girls at school and the joys of first kisses and first dates. Throw in public humiliation and a long lost brother she didn't know she had and you're in for an emotional ride.
Starting with her brother John, I thought that part of the story was going to be the main focus and I was so wrong. He is on his Mission as a part of the Mormon Church and has spent a great deal of time searching for his sister, who he hasn't seen for 15 years. He throws the big brother card around early, and I was glad to see something that would get a real emotion out of Madison. This girl is so downtrodden by everyone around her that I was sad for her, but also so mad at her that she wouldn't just stand up for herself. She thought what she should say, and not to rock the boat wouldn't actually say it. Which brings us to the boys.
Jean-Pierre is the popular guy at school and wants a physical relationship with her on the DL....next....if only! She likes how he makes her feel, but made her feel guilty for not being ready to do more like he was. And that is not okay with me. Cue more anger. Carson is the opposite but puts down her choices, whether it be for kissing JP (thanks to small town gossip that will live on forever) or who she has as friends. Dude needed to get a clue. If he's already telling you what to do and you're not officially dating him, don't date him! Alex is one of those strong silent types. He's in trouble a lot, but still tries to do his best taking care of his mentally ill mother. Another thing you'll learn about this small town is they're not all that understanding of people who are different. I liked Alex the most just because he would simply talk to her with no agenda, or judgments. Friends first type of relationship building are a joy to read for me, so I liked this even though Madison didn't give him a chance for almost forever.
So boy drama was heavy, but it was nothing, and I mean nothing compared to the mama and BFF drama that was in store. Her mother stays focused on her pottery and is so distant they're almost not on the same planet. She literally cuts her off in the middle of a sentence and would be "oh, well I'm going to bed." and just walk away and close and lock her door. What was that about? That plot is slow and gives out information even slower, so don't expect them to be winning mother/daughter duo of the year anytime soon or to let you in on why her mom treats her this way until the end. Equally crazy behavior comes from her best friend Kailie. This is the real kicker of the story, and I cannot risk spoiling it. Trust me when I say you don't want to miss this book because some cray cray stuff goes down between those two and I was so surprised. Heavy, but thought provoking in a way I wasn't counting on.
Castles on the Sand is one of those books that makes you feel. I went through the gamut of emotions early but mostly I felt mad and frustrated at how Madison is treated by the people she is close to. I really hated her mom and her best friend Kailie for, I would guess, at least 75% of the book, maybe longer. Teenage years are hard, but when you don't have your mother or a good girlfriend on your side to get through it, it can be even tougher. Madison has to dig deep time and time again to prove what she is made of and surprisingly I always rooted for her, even when I wanted to help her wake up from her nightmare because she didn't seem to be doing much but treading water. Take a chance on this one, and I think you'll enjoy it too. It's one of those raw, real to life stories that you know could have or is happening to someone you love.
Favorite quote:
"I just imagine everyone in your life taking and taking because you've got it to give," he adds. ~27%
"So how was your day?" I quip.
"Fine - oh I see. It does just roll off the tongue automatically, doesn't it?" ~ 29%
Starting with her brother John, I thought that part of the story was going to be the main focus and I was so wrong. He is on his Mission as a part of the Mormon Church and has spent a great deal of time searching for his sister, who he hasn't seen for 15 years. He throws the big brother card around early, and I was glad to see something that would get a real emotion out of Madison. This girl is so downtrodden by everyone around her that I was sad for her, but also so mad at her that she wouldn't just stand up for herself. She thought what she should say, and not to rock the boat wouldn't actually say it. Which brings us to the boys.
Jean-Pierre is the popular guy at school and wants a physical relationship with her on the DL....next....if only! She likes how he makes her feel, but made her feel guilty for not being ready to do more like he was. And that is not okay with me. Cue more anger. Carson is the opposite but puts down her choices, whether it be for kissing JP (thanks to small town gossip that will live on forever) or who she has as friends. Dude needed to get a clue. If he's already telling you what to do and you're not officially dating him, don't date him! Alex is one of those strong silent types. He's in trouble a lot, but still tries to do his best taking care of his mentally ill mother. Another thing you'll learn about this small town is they're not all that understanding of people who are different. I liked Alex the most just because he would simply talk to her with no agenda, or judgments. Friends first type of relationship building are a joy to read for me, so I liked this even though Madison didn't give him a chance for almost forever.
So boy drama was heavy, but it was nothing, and I mean nothing compared to the mama and BFF drama that was in store. Her mother stays focused on her pottery and is so distant they're almost not on the same planet. She literally cuts her off in the middle of a sentence and would be "oh, well I'm going to bed." and just walk away and close and lock her door. What was that about? That plot is slow and gives out information even slower, so don't expect them to be winning mother/daughter duo of the year anytime soon or to let you in on why her mom treats her this way until the end. Equally crazy behavior comes from her best friend Kailie. This is the real kicker of the story, and I cannot risk spoiling it. Trust me when I say you don't want to miss this book because some cray cray stuff goes down between those two and I was so surprised. Heavy, but thought provoking in a way I wasn't counting on.
Castles on the Sand is one of those books that makes you feel. I went through the gamut of emotions early but mostly I felt mad and frustrated at how Madison is treated by the people she is close to. I really hated her mom and her best friend Kailie for, I would guess, at least 75% of the book, maybe longer. Teenage years are hard, but when you don't have your mother or a good girlfriend on your side to get through it, it can be even tougher. Madison has to dig deep time and time again to prove what she is made of and surprisingly I always rooted for her, even when I wanted to help her wake up from her nightmare because she didn't seem to be doing much but treading water. Take a chance on this one, and I think you'll enjoy it too. It's one of those raw, real to life stories that you know could have or is happening to someone you love.
Favorite quote:
"I just imagine everyone in your life taking and taking because you've got it to give," he adds. ~27%
"So how was your day?" I quip.
"Fine - oh I see. It does just roll off the tongue automatically, doesn't it?" ~ 29%
August 27, 2013
Rating:4.5
Review Originally Posted at: Book Freak
Madison Lukas lives at home with her mom who barely notices her, she has a best friend who can completely turn into a worse enemy if the situation permits, a guy whom she likes and would love to hook up with her but not acknowledge her publicly, another guy who belongs to the Mormons and is openly admitting his `liking for her', and then another guy who has been voluntarily mute for years is starting to pay her attention. Too much? Oh there's more - all of a sudden, a man knocks on her doorstep claiming that he's her brother. Information overload, I know. But for a girl who claims to have a boring life, and pretty much the only social life she has is being the DD to her best friend - I can say that her life is pretty much hectic at this point.
I felt bad for Madison, clearly she needs someone to boost her self-confidence. Even though she appears to be pretty, she thinks she isn't. No matter how many times John would tell her, she doesn't believe him. She thinks she's fat and pasty. No thanks to her mom who constantly ignores her, or if she has time to spare, bullies her. But it's not only her mom who does that - there's her best friend, some school friends and her pseudoboyfriend as well. She couldn't stand up and fight for herself. From the start, I wanted to shake some senses into her to make her see that Kalie is not really a good friend. She's a b*tch who only thinks of herself. And JP - he might be cute and smart but he's an ass. If you like someone, really like them, you wouldn't be a booty call. EVER!!!! I wish she put up a fight earlier in the book because I hate to see her being trashed like that and not do anything to save herself. It took some agonizing pages before Madison got into her feet and stood up for herself (thank goodness!) - but when she did, she was spectacular.
Abuse and bullying comes in different forms, and E.M. Tippets enumerated that one by one this book. She threaded mental illness with tact. Some people might be cringing when they hear about it - ignore or ridicule people who have it. But E.M. Tippets placed it in a different kind of light which will give readers a different perspective about deviations mental health. Yes, they may have problems with it, but there are still people, and they have more needs than an ordinary person have. It is always easy to ignore, to laugh at them than to understand them. Maybe that's why people chose to act the former.
Alex - he's an amazing character with a big heart. He loves his mother so much, not caring about what other people may think about her. For a young age, he's burden to take care of her mother, and although it burns me to watch him watching his mother being taken away - I think it was for the best. His mother needs the help he could not provide.
E.M. Tippets also made sure that LDS wasn't forced or advertise into her readers, she chose to introduce it, put in facts (even though some are not nice) and allow readers to know more about the religion.
Castles on the Sand is a great read. It's enlightening, heartwarming and the characters will truly creep into your hearts. I'm looking forward for the next book - Love in Darkness and know about Alex more!
*ARC Copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
Review Originally Posted at: Book Freak
Madison Lukas lives at home with her mom who barely notices her, she has a best friend who can completely turn into a worse enemy if the situation permits, a guy whom she likes and would love to hook up with her but not acknowledge her publicly, another guy who belongs to the Mormons and is openly admitting his `liking for her', and then another guy who has been voluntarily mute for years is starting to pay her attention. Too much? Oh there's more - all of a sudden, a man knocks on her doorstep claiming that he's her brother. Information overload, I know. But for a girl who claims to have a boring life, and pretty much the only social life she has is being the DD to her best friend - I can say that her life is pretty much hectic at this point.
I felt bad for Madison, clearly she needs someone to boost her self-confidence. Even though she appears to be pretty, she thinks she isn't. No matter how many times John would tell her, she doesn't believe him. She thinks she's fat and pasty. No thanks to her mom who constantly ignores her, or if she has time to spare, bullies her. But it's not only her mom who does that - there's her best friend, some school friends and her pseudoboyfriend as well. She couldn't stand up and fight for herself. From the start, I wanted to shake some senses into her to make her see that Kalie is not really a good friend. She's a b*tch who only thinks of herself. And JP - he might be cute and smart but he's an ass. If you like someone, really like them, you wouldn't be a booty call. EVER!!!! I wish she put up a fight earlier in the book because I hate to see her being trashed like that and not do anything to save herself. It took some agonizing pages before Madison got into her feet and stood up for herself (thank goodness!) - but when she did, she was spectacular.
Abuse and bullying comes in different forms, and E.M. Tippets enumerated that one by one this book. She threaded mental illness with tact. Some people might be cringing when they hear about it - ignore or ridicule people who have it. But E.M. Tippets placed it in a different kind of light which will give readers a different perspective about deviations mental health. Yes, they may have problems with it, but there are still people, and they have more needs than an ordinary person have. It is always easy to ignore, to laugh at them than to understand them. Maybe that's why people chose to act the former.
Alex - he's an amazing character with a big heart. He loves his mother so much, not caring about what other people may think about her. For a young age, he's burden to take care of her mother, and although it burns me to watch him watching his mother being taken away - I think it was for the best. His mother needs the help he could not provide.
E.M. Tippets also made sure that LDS wasn't forced or advertise into her readers, she chose to introduce it, put in facts (even though some are not nice) and allow readers to know more about the religion.
Castles on the Sand is a great read. It's enlightening, heartwarming and the characters will truly creep into your hearts. I'm looking forward for the next book - Love in Darkness and know about Alex more!
*ARC Copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2012
Firstly I’d like to thank the author for sending me a paperback copy of this book to read and review. I previously read, and very much enjoyed, Someone Else’s Fairytale by the same author so I was looking forward to reading this.
I really enjoyed it, the writing style was comfortable to read with a storyline that gripped me from start to finish (yes, you’ve guessed it, another one day read).
I was intrigued right from the start when Madison was chased into the library by a Mormon missionary, this raised so many questions that I couldn’t wait to discover the answers to.
My first impression of Madison was that she was a quiet, friendly girl. As I got further on in the book I realised that she had some pretty serious self-esteem issues which were certainly not helped by her mother and so-called best friend. When Madison learned that the missionary who chased her was in fact her long-lost brother, she didn’t know what to believe. When it was confirmed she felt even more confused and I can’t even begin to imagine how it must feel to have your life turned upside down in that way.
On top of all the family drama Madison also had some trouble with the opposite sex, it seemed that after one boy showed interest in her suddenly lots more came out of the woodwork, declaring their feelings for her. This obviously caused Madison even more confusion, firstly because she had low self-esteem and she couldn’t figure out why they were interested, and secondly because she had no idea who she could trust (being a virgin she didn’t want someone who only wanted one thing from her).
Madison’s mum completely baffled me, just reading about the way she treated her daughter made me feel uncomfortable. I was keen to find out what had happened to make her leave her husband because I was hoping that maybe it would explain why she behaved the way she did.
John (Madison’s new-found brother) was lovely, he really wanted to be a part of Madison’s life but didn’t push her too much. I loved how protective and caring he was towards her, something that I really felt she needed in her life.
Kailie was Madison’s (so-called) best friend, to begin with she reminded me of a tornado whooshing around in a hyper, teenage way. She was bossy towards Madison but it soon became apparent that their friendship was not very healthy, she did lots of things that shocked me and I began to become quite concerned for her – you’ll have to find out for yourself what happened next but I will tell you that it had me on the edge of my seat!
Alex was a very strange, intriguing character – I really wanted to know what his story was and when all was revealed I admit I was quite surprised.
I loved the modern feel that this book had with references to Facebook and a certain Fifty Shades book, the only part of the book that I struggled with was the religious parts – not being a religious person myself I found some of it a bit hard to follow.
This is a real page turner and I would love to read a sequel to find out what happens next for them all.
I really enjoyed it, the writing style was comfortable to read with a storyline that gripped me from start to finish (yes, you’ve guessed it, another one day read).
I was intrigued right from the start when Madison was chased into the library by a Mormon missionary, this raised so many questions that I couldn’t wait to discover the answers to.
My first impression of Madison was that she was a quiet, friendly girl. As I got further on in the book I realised that she had some pretty serious self-esteem issues which were certainly not helped by her mother and so-called best friend. When Madison learned that the missionary who chased her was in fact her long-lost brother, she didn’t know what to believe. When it was confirmed she felt even more confused and I can’t even begin to imagine how it must feel to have your life turned upside down in that way.
On top of all the family drama Madison also had some trouble with the opposite sex, it seemed that after one boy showed interest in her suddenly lots more came out of the woodwork, declaring their feelings for her. This obviously caused Madison even more confusion, firstly because she had low self-esteem and she couldn’t figure out why they were interested, and secondly because she had no idea who she could trust (being a virgin she didn’t want someone who only wanted one thing from her).
Madison’s mum completely baffled me, just reading about the way she treated her daughter made me feel uncomfortable. I was keen to find out what had happened to make her leave her husband because I was hoping that maybe it would explain why she behaved the way she did.
John (Madison’s new-found brother) was lovely, he really wanted to be a part of Madison’s life but didn’t push her too much. I loved how protective and caring he was towards her, something that I really felt she needed in her life.
Kailie was Madison’s (so-called) best friend, to begin with she reminded me of a tornado whooshing around in a hyper, teenage way. She was bossy towards Madison but it soon became apparent that their friendship was not very healthy, she did lots of things that shocked me and I began to become quite concerned for her – you’ll have to find out for yourself what happened next but I will tell you that it had me on the edge of my seat!
Alex was a very strange, intriguing character – I really wanted to know what his story was and when all was revealed I admit I was quite surprised.
I loved the modern feel that this book had with references to Facebook and a certain Fifty Shades book, the only part of the book that I struggled with was the religious parts – not being a religious person myself I found some of it a bit hard to follow.
This is a real page turner and I would love to read a sequel to find out what happens next for them all.
![Profile Image for All-Things-Books [Whairigail].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1393256600i%2F14927894._UY200_CR79%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 3, 2013
**3.5 Caring, Intense Stars**
Castles on the Sand
Blurb:
If there’s one thing Madison Lukas understands, it’s pain. The pain she feels when her mother ignores her completely. The pain her best friend endures as her parents starve her as punishment. The pain of a dangerous boy whose mother has to be carried away by law enforcement on a regular basis.
She gets it. She feels the pain of others as if it were her own.
But when a mysterious man claiming to be her long lost brother appears with promises of relieving her suffering, trusting him could reveal more truths than Madison is ready for. Because the truth can hurt, too.
*I was given this book by the Author in exchange for an honest review*
This book covers Madison, a quiet late-teens teenager who goes to School, goes to Work in a Library and hangs with her best friend Kailie. That is her life - normal, quiet, simple.
Enter John.
Her Brother.
Her Brother, the one she didn't know existed.
Her Brother, the Mormon.
This throws Madison's life into a bit of disarray. No, it turns it upside down.
Madison is very grown up for her years, she raises herself as her mother is a wreck of a woman. Ignorant, hurtful, indignant, self-absorbed and just plain mean.
Kailie, Madison's best friend, has a horrible home life. Her family is torn apart due to her Fathers need to control everything.
In the mix of everything is Alex - Military Jacket Wearing, Sexy Looking, troublemaking delinquent who's mother is the local Looney.
This book covers some difficult topics - Child Abuse, Religion, Mental Health Issues and the age old issue of Growing Up. Emily covers these beautifully .
This book made me:
Laugh
Scream
Giggle
Tear Up
Hopeful
I very much enjoyed this book - my only criticism is the angst and immaturity of Kailie and the irritation of Madison's mothers actions. I got to the "ARRRRRRGH I have to put this book down or I'm going to throw my Kindle away" moment. I do, however, understand why this was needed to make the story believable.
I have the second in this series:
Love in Darkness
And plan on reading it soon (Blog Tours, Cover Reveals and Guest Blogging are taking up my precious reading time!)
BookLove
XxX
Read more on my BookBlog at: http://addicted2b00ks.blogspot.co.uk/
Amazon Purchasing Link for Castles on the Sand - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Castles-Sand-...
Amazon Purchasing Link for Love in Darkness - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Darkness...
Castles on the Sand
Blurb:
If there’s one thing Madison Lukas understands, it’s pain. The pain she feels when her mother ignores her completely. The pain her best friend endures as her parents starve her as punishment. The pain of a dangerous boy whose mother has to be carried away by law enforcement on a regular basis.
She gets it. She feels the pain of others as if it were her own.
But when a mysterious man claiming to be her long lost brother appears with promises of relieving her suffering, trusting him could reveal more truths than Madison is ready for. Because the truth can hurt, too.
*I was given this book by the Author in exchange for an honest review*
This book covers Madison, a quiet late-teens teenager who goes to School, goes to Work in a Library and hangs with her best friend Kailie. That is her life - normal, quiet, simple.
Enter John.
Her Brother.
Her Brother, the one she didn't know existed.
Her Brother, the Mormon.
This throws Madison's life into a bit of disarray. No, it turns it upside down.
Madison is very grown up for her years, she raises herself as her mother is a wreck of a woman. Ignorant, hurtful, indignant, self-absorbed and just plain mean.
Kailie, Madison's best friend, has a horrible home life. Her family is torn apart due to her Fathers need to control everything.
In the mix of everything is Alex - Military Jacket Wearing, Sexy Looking, troublemaking delinquent who's mother is the local Looney.
This book covers some difficult topics - Child Abuse, Religion, Mental Health Issues and the age old issue of Growing Up. Emily covers these beautifully .
This book made me:
Laugh
Scream
Giggle
Tear Up
Hopeful
I very much enjoyed this book - my only criticism is the angst and immaturity of Kailie and the irritation of Madison's mothers actions. I got to the "ARRRRRRGH I have to put this book down or I'm going to throw my Kindle away" moment. I do, however, understand why this was needed to make the story believable.
I have the second in this series:
Love in Darkness
And plan on reading it soon (Blog Tours, Cover Reveals and Guest Blogging are taking up my precious reading time!)
BookLove
XxX
Read more on my BookBlog at: http://addicted2b00ks.blogspot.co.uk/
Amazon Purchasing Link for Castles on the Sand - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Castles-Sand-...
Amazon Purchasing Link for Love in Darkness - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Darkness...
August 25, 2013
Copy received for review at Falling In Fall blog! Stay tuned
See full review here http://fallinginfall.blogspot.com/201...
I gave Castle on the Sand four emotional leaves. I didn’t quite know what to expect from this book based on the synopsis, but whatever I might have thought, it definitely wasn’t it. This book was insane. In a good way. I think. To be honest, I’m still all over the place from reading this book. This wasn’t really New Adult. I’d classify it more as YA, but the subject matter was definitely dark and requires a mature audience with an open mind.
Madison has a crap ton of problems. It’s not even fair. Most of the time I just wanted to swoop in and take her away or go in and make all her decisions for her. She never really irritated me, but she did what she could with what she had. She was always nice, compassionate, forgiving, innocent, naïve, and overall just too good of a person. Let’s just list her problems, shall we? Her mom doesn’t seem to care about her and just makes pottery all day, her “best friend” Kailie takes emotional advantage of her and wins worst friend of the year award, Jean-Pierre leads her on, the hot Morman guy Carson has a crush on her, another Mormon guy reveals a secret that changes her life, oh and the school psycho Alex is suddenly not so psycho anymore when he opens up to only her. Only a small town can have this much drama.
I think the book was a unique coming of age story. My heart broke for Madison and all that she had to endure at the hands of others. Yet, she was still so brave, strong, naïve, kind, and feisty. It was a little hard to believe that she could have such low confidence and a negative image of her when everyone saw her as a popular, beautiful angel. But at the same time, that’s how it is with girls and self-image at that age. This book had a lot of Mormonism in it which I was really not expecting. Let’s break down all the guys. I was over JP before they even had that first kiss. Such a douchebag. Carson was slightly better, however, they just didn’t have that spark. He was just the nice guy. Alex is our tall, dark, and handsome guy. But, god, he was the definition of brooding. I mean, the guy didn’t even talk! Until like halfway into the book. But his messed up past and the way he loves his schizophrenic mom to pieces explains a lot. He and Madison definitely had chemistry. She was the only one who seemed to get through to him. They were unexpected, but as soon as they became friends I could sense the angst and I was swooning. I adored this book. I really did. It was an emotional roller-coaster. So much shit goes down, it’s hard to process it all and breaks were sometimes required. It might start off slow, but be careful because you’ll end up drowning in Castles on the Sand in the end.
See full review here http://fallinginfall.blogspot.com/201...
I gave Castle on the Sand four emotional leaves. I didn’t quite know what to expect from this book based on the synopsis, but whatever I might have thought, it definitely wasn’t it. This book was insane. In a good way. I think. To be honest, I’m still all over the place from reading this book. This wasn’t really New Adult. I’d classify it more as YA, but the subject matter was definitely dark and requires a mature audience with an open mind.
Madison has a crap ton of problems. It’s not even fair. Most of the time I just wanted to swoop in and take her away or go in and make all her decisions for her. She never really irritated me, but she did what she could with what she had. She was always nice, compassionate, forgiving, innocent, naïve, and overall just too good of a person. Let’s just list her problems, shall we? Her mom doesn’t seem to care about her and just makes pottery all day, her “best friend” Kailie takes emotional advantage of her and wins worst friend of the year award, Jean-Pierre leads her on, the hot Morman guy Carson has a crush on her, another Mormon guy reveals a secret that changes her life, oh and the school psycho Alex is suddenly not so psycho anymore when he opens up to only her. Only a small town can have this much drama.
I think the book was a unique coming of age story. My heart broke for Madison and all that she had to endure at the hands of others. Yet, she was still so brave, strong, naïve, kind, and feisty. It was a little hard to believe that she could have such low confidence and a negative image of her when everyone saw her as a popular, beautiful angel. But at the same time, that’s how it is with girls and self-image at that age. This book had a lot of Mormonism in it which I was really not expecting. Let’s break down all the guys. I was over JP before they even had that first kiss. Such a douchebag. Carson was slightly better, however, they just didn’t have that spark. He was just the nice guy. Alex is our tall, dark, and handsome guy. But, god, he was the definition of brooding. I mean, the guy didn’t even talk! Until like halfway into the book. But his messed up past and the way he loves his schizophrenic mom to pieces explains a lot. He and Madison definitely had chemistry. She was the only one who seemed to get through to him. They were unexpected, but as soon as they became friends I could sense the angst and I was swooning. I adored this book. I really did. It was an emotional roller-coaster. So much shit goes down, it’s hard to process it all and breaks were sometimes required. It might start off slow, but be careful because you’ll end up drowning in Castles on the Sand in the end.
July 29, 2013
*I received an e copy of this book in exchange for a review*
I really, really liked this book. I started it at 6:30 at night and finished it around 4:00 in the morning. This book is not my usual "type". Normally I am a fan of YA fantasy with a deep closeted like for historical fiction. Castles on the Sand has none of the usual qualities that I go for in a book and yet E.M. Tippetts was able to write this story so well that even I didn't want to put it down. It was beautifully written and the characters are totally relatable. Our leading lady is a girl named Madison. What teenage girl of the human variety can't relate to Madison? The author hits the nail right on the head with this character. I'm in my 30s and while reading through Madison's perspective, I can remember well the feelings of insecurity, the doubts, the constant questioning of myself, and the always saying yes because the alternative is saying no. I love this girl. She is the perfect combination of snarkiness, love, kindness, and sarcasm. The kind of girl that you can't help but want to be best friends with. At first, I felt really bad for her. I thought why would the author want to do this to her. She has literally NO self esteem. She has one friend who is awful to her. Her mother might as well not be there, she's so neglectful, but then you watch her blossom and you sort of get it. I cheered for her the first time she found enough backbone to say no. I cried with her when she found she was brave enough to listen to her intuition and save her "best" friend. I cried for her the first time she realized that maybe she was beautiful enough to deserve a real relationship. I'm pretty sure I fist pumped there at towards when she started fighting back. Normally religious books make me cringe because religion as a whole is confusing for me but this book wasn't that way. Instead of feeling like the author was trying to convert me, I felt like I was being introduced to a new religion. I didn't feel like their was any desire to make me change and I felt like I learned a few new things in the process all without taking away from the actual story. Alex was an amazing character. I loved the way he morphed from the senior year phsyco to this incredibly understanding and loveable boy. Her brother was a little creepy in the beginning when she just meets him and already he is controlling her love life and telling her how much he loves her. Often. But soon enough you realize that he is just a great big brother and he didn't need to be there for the last 15 years to love her. I really and truly enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the people in it. I cannot wait to read book 2 and find out what happens with all of my new friends. Thank you to the author for writing an excellent book that hooked me from page 1. I will sing it's praises to everyone I know!
I really, really liked this book. I started it at 6:30 at night and finished it around 4:00 in the morning. This book is not my usual "type". Normally I am a fan of YA fantasy with a deep closeted like for historical fiction. Castles on the Sand has none of the usual qualities that I go for in a book and yet E.M. Tippetts was able to write this story so well that even I didn't want to put it down. It was beautifully written and the characters are totally relatable. Our leading lady is a girl named Madison. What teenage girl of the human variety can't relate to Madison? The author hits the nail right on the head with this character. I'm in my 30s and while reading through Madison's perspective, I can remember well the feelings of insecurity, the doubts, the constant questioning of myself, and the always saying yes because the alternative is saying no. I love this girl. She is the perfect combination of snarkiness, love, kindness, and sarcasm. The kind of girl that you can't help but want to be best friends with. At first, I felt really bad for her. I thought why would the author want to do this to her. She has literally NO self esteem. She has one friend who is awful to her. Her mother might as well not be there, she's so neglectful, but then you watch her blossom and you sort of get it. I cheered for her the first time she found enough backbone to say no. I cried with her when she found she was brave enough to listen to her intuition and save her "best" friend. I cried for her the first time she realized that maybe she was beautiful enough to deserve a real relationship. I'm pretty sure I fist pumped there at towards when she started fighting back. Normally religious books make me cringe because religion as a whole is confusing for me but this book wasn't that way. Instead of feeling like the author was trying to convert me, I felt like I was being introduced to a new religion. I didn't feel like their was any desire to make me change and I felt like I learned a few new things in the process all without taking away from the actual story. Alex was an amazing character. I loved the way he morphed from the senior year phsyco to this incredibly understanding and loveable boy. Her brother was a little creepy in the beginning when she just meets him and already he is controlling her love life and telling her how much he loves her. Often. But soon enough you realize that he is just a great big brother and he didn't need to be there for the last 15 years to love her. I really and truly enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the people in it. I cannot wait to read book 2 and find out what happens with all of my new friends. Thank you to the author for writing an excellent book that hooked me from page 1. I will sing it's praises to everyone I know!
August 16, 2012
Castles on the Sand
Let me first say that I love E.M. Tippetts' work, as well as Emily Mah's. I love her voice and the way she gets down to the nitty gritty without dragging one through a field full of cow pies first. Castles in the Sand delivers without the meadow muffins. I am avidly awaiting the second book in this series.
I loved that Madison comes from a deeply flawed home life, but she seems like a rubber ducky kind of person--always floating to the surface with a smile on her beak. Her travails are believable and heartbreaking, but she's a survivor. I really identified with her feelings of inadequacy, having always been the more ungainly of my friends (despite being on toe in ballet and an avid ballroom and folk dancer). She never knows how stunning she really is--just like most young girls.
I liked that Madison had a range of guys to choose from, all with their own flaws and shortcomings. I never pictured Barbie's Ken in any of them, which is often something which dogs me when I read romances. I despise a plastic male lead. It's as if those writers are saying, "Sorry, mortal. You'll have to settle for the scratched up version." Tippetts offers us the battered guy and says, "Check him out. He may look like a garage sale reject, but there's pure gold under that scuffed up veneer."
All of us have those friends who are so confused and unprepared, that life seems to keep kicking them in the face. Maddy does get her share of kicks, but she doesn't let them knock her down. I enjoyed the fact that Madison stood up for her friend without being a door mat. At no point did I want to smack her and tell her to ditch her friend, because I knew Madison was really the one doing the rescuing, not the other way around. (Lots of violence in this review...;o)
I didn't understand, though, why our heroine's school would allow someone to batter her nearly insensate in school, without suspending the creep. That administration was very lucky Madison's mom didn't care enough to sue.
This book deals with some weighty problems without slamming us in the neck meat with them. I was overjoyed to see how strong Madison was (as well as her male lead), though under-confident. Her journey of discovery was a joy to share.
Madison found the guts to take her destiny in her own hands. I wept for the love she didn't get from her parents. I died a little every time she surrendered to her mother's indifference. I hoped Madison would find the strength to rise above her upbringing (or lack thereof) to be a competent adult who could sustain long-range loving relationships.
I can't wait to read the next book! I'd put this book on the same shelf as On Little Wings by Regina Sirois. Hurry up, Em. Write like the wind!
August 19, 2012
Castles on the Sand [Kindle Edition]
by E.M. Tippetts
Kindle Edition,
Published August 2012
by
ASIN: B008ZGNMDS
Book Source: Bought
Stars
Book Description:
Madison Lukas knows her place in the world. She’s not pretty, not interesting, and therefore easy to forget.
John Britton is serving his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has been praying for fifteen years to find the sister he lost in his parents’ divorce. She is beautiful, talented, and makes kindness a fine art.
When John and Madison cross paths, he recognizes her at once, but Madison is certain that he’s got it all wrong. Even if she is his long-lost sister, she can’t possibly be the exceptional, amazing girl he thinks she is, can she?
Mary's Review:
What a wonderful book. It took only a few quiet hours to read it. It is an easy read and is so enjoyable. I'm looking forward to a sequel.
Madison Lukas is a young 16 year old girl who has a low self esteem and feels she is ugly and no boy would or could ever like her. She is kind to a fault to everyone, even those who are unkind and mean to her. She has a mad crush on JP the high school heart throb who acts like he's interested in her. But is he? Then there's Carson, the Mormon boy who has eyes only for Madison and thinks she's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Of course, there's the bad seed Alex who never talks and everyone is afraid of and every girl thinks is handsome in the male model way. Then Hailey, Madison's best friend who makes you wonder "with a friend like her, who needs an enemy".
And let's not forget Elder John Britton who claims to be Madison's brother. Is he really? This book is a cast full of characters that will make you love them, hate them and cry for them. This is a must reads book. It will truly touch your heart in many ways and teach you about what families and friends should really be all about.
I recommend this book for young adult women ages 16 and older. There are some very mild sexual issues addressed.
Well done Miss Emily.
About the Author:
Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance as E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy as Emily Mah. She is a former attorney with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and business law from UCLA.
Originally from New Mexico, she now lives in London with her family. She is a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and thus often includes LDS (Mormon) characters in her work. When she isn't chasing her small children or writing, she designs jewelry.
For more information or to sign up for updates on future book releases, visit her website at www.emtippetts.com.
by E.M. Tippetts
Kindle Edition,
Published August 2012
by
ASIN: B008ZGNMDS
Book Source: Bought
Stars
Book Description:
Madison Lukas knows her place in the world. She’s not pretty, not interesting, and therefore easy to forget.
John Britton is serving his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has been praying for fifteen years to find the sister he lost in his parents’ divorce. She is beautiful, talented, and makes kindness a fine art.
When John and Madison cross paths, he recognizes her at once, but Madison is certain that he’s got it all wrong. Even if she is his long-lost sister, she can’t possibly be the exceptional, amazing girl he thinks she is, can she?
Mary's Review:
What a wonderful book. It took only a few quiet hours to read it. It is an easy read and is so enjoyable. I'm looking forward to a sequel.
Madison Lukas is a young 16 year old girl who has a low self esteem and feels she is ugly and no boy would or could ever like her. She is kind to a fault to everyone, even those who are unkind and mean to her. She has a mad crush on JP the high school heart throb who acts like he's interested in her. But is he? Then there's Carson, the Mormon boy who has eyes only for Madison and thinks she's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Of course, there's the bad seed Alex who never talks and everyone is afraid of and every girl thinks is handsome in the male model way. Then Hailey, Madison's best friend who makes you wonder "with a friend like her, who needs an enemy".
And let's not forget Elder John Britton who claims to be Madison's brother. Is he really? This book is a cast full of characters that will make you love them, hate them and cry for them. This is a must reads book. It will truly touch your heart in many ways and teach you about what families and friends should really be all about.
I recommend this book for young adult women ages 16 and older. There are some very mild sexual issues addressed.
Well done Miss Emily.
About the Author:
Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance as E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy as Emily Mah. She is a former attorney with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and business law from UCLA.
Originally from New Mexico, she now lives in London with her family. She is a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and thus often includes LDS (Mormon) characters in her work. When she isn't chasing her small children or writing, she designs jewelry.
For more information or to sign up for updates on future book releases, visit her website at www.emtippetts.com.
October 26, 2012
[FOR MORE REVIEW, CHECK OUT : http://mnkbooklife.blogspot.com/]
While the blurb was certainly intriguing, I didn't know what to expect at first. Maybe it would be some family thing, maybe it would be sweet contemporary romance, maybe it would be something else entirely. But when I finally picked it up and read it, it was totally captivating.
Madison Lukas life had been perfectly constant. She had always thought that her mother was okay, that her friend was alright, and that another day would begin like it always did. .Until now. Until John Britton, who turned out to be her brother when she thought she was the only child, showed up. Slowly but surely, some secrets that had been buried deep down for years finally resurfaced. And with that, comes some hard decision that would turn Madison's life forever.
At the first ten pages, I was not quite sure what this book was about. But as the story goes, I realized how strong Madison's voice was, and I totally love how she narrated the whole story with such a distinctive way. I also like how the problem seemed to pile up and up, but somehow they all connected in the end.
Madison Lukas, as out main character, was well developed and quite likable, being strong and able to stand up, but not annoying and hard-headed. She was also smart, and I love how she understood her best friend really well.
Alex Katsumoto, Madison's counterpart, was pictured as a freak and psycho. Yet underneath his strange upbringing lies the heart of golden. The part where he opened up to Madison and showed her his vulnerability was well-written and totally believable.
Some characters I found quite interesting as well was Kailie-Madison's best friend-and Madison's mother. Kailie was very distinct with her sometimes bitchy attitude but fragile heart. I could totally sympathize with her yet still feel annoyed when she created such a drama.
Madison's mother, even if I couldn't symphatize with her the way I could with Kailie, was interesting thanks to her unstable emotion and her apathy.
Some thing I found quite undeveloped on this book was its side character. I couldn't picture them really well-except for some cases-and some names was being thrown too early in the beginning I could not caught who is who. Another thing was character's physical description. While the personality of the character was great and well developed, it was quite hard to picture some character visually.
Overall, if you love Contemporary book, and would love to read something that dealt with family issues, trust, friendship, love, and all those drama you've had as teenager, you should totally try this one.
While the blurb was certainly intriguing, I didn't know what to expect at first. Maybe it would be some family thing, maybe it would be sweet contemporary romance, maybe it would be something else entirely. But when I finally picked it up and read it, it was totally captivating.
Madison Lukas life had been perfectly constant. She had always thought that her mother was okay, that her friend was alright, and that another day would begin like it always did. .Until now. Until John Britton, who turned out to be her brother when she thought she was the only child, showed up. Slowly but surely, some secrets that had been buried deep down for years finally resurfaced. And with that, comes some hard decision that would turn Madison's life forever.
At the first ten pages, I was not quite sure what this book was about. But as the story goes, I realized how strong Madison's voice was, and I totally love how she narrated the whole story with such a distinctive way. I also like how the problem seemed to pile up and up, but somehow they all connected in the end.
Madison Lukas, as out main character, was well developed and quite likable, being strong and able to stand up, but not annoying and hard-headed. She was also smart, and I love how she understood her best friend really well.
Alex Katsumoto, Madison's counterpart, was pictured as a freak and psycho. Yet underneath his strange upbringing lies the heart of golden. The part where he opened up to Madison and showed her his vulnerability was well-written and totally believable.
Some characters I found quite interesting as well was Kailie-Madison's best friend-and Madison's mother. Kailie was very distinct with her sometimes bitchy attitude but fragile heart. I could totally sympathize with her yet still feel annoyed when she created such a drama.
Madison's mother, even if I couldn't symphatize with her the way I could with Kailie, was interesting thanks to her unstable emotion and her apathy.
Some thing I found quite undeveloped on this book was its side character. I couldn't picture them really well-except for some cases-and some names was being thrown too early in the beginning I could not caught who is who. Another thing was character's physical description. While the personality of the character was great and well developed, it was quite hard to picture some character visually.
Overall, if you love Contemporary book, and would love to read something that dealt with family issues, trust, friendship, love, and all those drama you've had as teenager, you should totally try this one.
January 5, 2013
Castles on the Sand was for me, a book that contained so many different layers. And I thoroughly enjoyed peeling each layer back to discover more of this wonderful story and it's equally wonderful characters!!
At first glance Madison appears to be your typical teenage girl dealing with your typical teenage issues. But as the story unfolds and we delve deeper into Madison's life we see that she is dealing with so much more than your average teen. But through it all she is strong and loyal. She has a mum who has shut down and barely speaks to her. She shows very little interest in Madison's life and it's nothing out of the ordinary for Madison to have to step up and be the adult.
Then, out of the blue there is a knock on the door and Madison comes face to face with John, a Mormon man who says he is her brother. Madison never really doubts that what he tells her is the truth. He knows too much about her and he looks just like her mum. To be honest, John rattled me a little bit at first. He was so full on and so expressive in how much he loved and wanted to protect Madison. But as the story went on that was one of the things that I loved most about him!! And he comes into her life when she will need his love and support the most!!
And then add into that Madison's best friend Kailie who is dealing with issues of her own. Now Kailie was a character that I had a really hard time liking. She does some really horrible things to Madison. Really horrible!! But through it all Madison is so incredibly loyal and comes to her defence at every turn. And then we learn the extent of the trauma's that Kailie is suffering and you can't help but feel for her. But there is still that little niggle in the back of my brain that keeps asking if that then gives her the right to treat Madison as she does?
And who could forget Alex!! Alex is the bad boy... Or is he? Alex was by far my favourite character. There is so much more to him than what we see on the surface. It just goes to show how a person can be perceived by their actions, but until someone takes the time to look a bit deeper and see what bought about those actions, you can never truly know what makes a person tick. His relationship with Madison was beautiful to watch unfold. His love for his mother just shone through.
This is the first book that I have read my Emily Mah Tippetts and I can guarantee that it won't be the last!! She is such a wonderful storyteller!!! So excited to hear that the sequel to Castles on the Sand is being written as we speak.
4.5/5 Stars!!
Review first posted at YA Book Addict... http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot....
At first glance Madison appears to be your typical teenage girl dealing with your typical teenage issues. But as the story unfolds and we delve deeper into Madison's life we see that she is dealing with so much more than your average teen. But through it all she is strong and loyal. She has a mum who has shut down and barely speaks to her. She shows very little interest in Madison's life and it's nothing out of the ordinary for Madison to have to step up and be the adult.
Then, out of the blue there is a knock on the door and Madison comes face to face with John, a Mormon man who says he is her brother. Madison never really doubts that what he tells her is the truth. He knows too much about her and he looks just like her mum. To be honest, John rattled me a little bit at first. He was so full on and so expressive in how much he loved and wanted to protect Madison. But as the story went on that was one of the things that I loved most about him!! And he comes into her life when she will need his love and support the most!!
And then add into that Madison's best friend Kailie who is dealing with issues of her own. Now Kailie was a character that I had a really hard time liking. She does some really horrible things to Madison. Really horrible!! But through it all Madison is so incredibly loyal and comes to her defence at every turn. And then we learn the extent of the trauma's that Kailie is suffering and you can't help but feel for her. But there is still that little niggle in the back of my brain that keeps asking if that then gives her the right to treat Madison as she does?
And who could forget Alex!! Alex is the bad boy... Or is he? Alex was by far my favourite character. There is so much more to him than what we see on the surface. It just goes to show how a person can be perceived by their actions, but until someone takes the time to look a bit deeper and see what bought about those actions, you can never truly know what makes a person tick. His relationship with Madison was beautiful to watch unfold. His love for his mother just shone through.
This is the first book that I have read my Emily Mah Tippetts and I can guarantee that it won't be the last!! She is such a wonderful storyteller!!! So excited to hear that the sequel to Castles on the Sand is being written as we speak.
4.5/5 Stars!!
Review first posted at YA Book Addict... http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot....
August 17, 2013
4 stars
When I started reading Castles on the Sand, I thought oh gosh this writing style is not my thing. Em Tippets had kind of a understated style of writing. It's blunt, it's simple, it doesn't sugarcoat anything. I never really know what Madison was feeling as things happen to her. I am more used to descriptions and really knowing what's going on in the hearts and minds of the characters in the story. So the first half was a slow one for me.
However, halfway through the story, I started to be more invested in it. I can't pinpoint exactly at what point I was hooked, but it just happened. When Alexander was finally getting more page time (and more lines! lol), it certainly picked the pace up for me.
Mormons and their beliefs were definitely front and center in Castles on the Sand. It didn't bother me that much. It just felt different, but it's mainly because I don't really read books with a religious tilt. The story isn't all about Mormonism though, don't get me wrong! But like I said, it's just not my usual cup of tea that's why it's made an impression on me.
Aside from that, the story also tackled on usual issues teens face in school. Dating in general, dating popular people, bullying, the helplessness of school authorities when kids band together, depression, intimacy and teenage pregnancy.. there were also other things that we get a closer look into like abuse (which is merely implied here, but the consequences are made clear) and discrimination against people with actual and perceived mental and psychological problems.
The ending just kind of satisfied me. There were things I wished happened differently but it felt that Madison and Alex were as happy as they could be in their circumstances. That brought me satisfaction as a reader, and I don't think that had happened to me before. It was always, "I want it to end this way and that, and if it doesn't then I'm not happy!!! Grr...". I finished the book without that feeling, and that was very refreshing. :)
When I started reading Castles on the Sand, I thought oh gosh this writing style is not my thing. Em Tippets had kind of a understated style of writing. It's blunt, it's simple, it doesn't sugarcoat anything. I never really know what Madison was feeling as things happen to her. I am more used to descriptions and really knowing what's going on in the hearts and minds of the characters in the story. So the first half was a slow one for me.
However, halfway through the story, I started to be more invested in it. I can't pinpoint exactly at what point I was hooked, but it just happened. When Alexander was finally getting more page time (and more lines! lol), it certainly picked the pace up for me.
Mormons and their beliefs were definitely front and center in Castles on the Sand. It didn't bother me that much. It just felt different, but it's mainly because I don't really read books with a religious tilt. The story isn't all about Mormonism though, don't get me wrong! But like I said, it's just not my usual cup of tea that's why it's made an impression on me.
Aside from that, the story also tackled on usual issues teens face in school. Dating in general, dating popular people, bullying, the helplessness of school authorities when kids band together, depression, intimacy and teenage pregnancy.. there were also other things that we get a closer look into like abuse (which is merely implied here, but the consequences are made clear) and discrimination against people with actual and perceived mental and psychological problems.
The ending just kind of satisfied me. There were things I wished happened differently but it felt that Madison and Alex were as happy as they could be in their circumstances. That brought me satisfaction as a reader, and I don't think that had happened to me before. It was always, "I want it to end this way and that, and if it doesn't then I'm not happy!!! Grr...". I finished the book without that feeling, and that was very refreshing. :)
August 12, 2013
What can you do when your life starts changing suddenly?One minute you are just a girl whose life is simple,and than step by step everything is different.
Madison never thought that her life was interesting,until she finds out something her mother never told her.The reason why her mother acts like she doesn't care about what Madison is doing .
The reason: A boy.A Mormon boy suddenly appears saying that he's Madison's brother and that she has two more brothers.That was the big secret her mother kept since Madison was just a child.
And then the boy who is considered a psycho just because he doesn't talk too much,starts paying attention to Madison.But soon she finds out that he was just a boy who had to much trouble in his life then to care about everything else.
One more thing,her best friend ,the girl she knew since forever hides something.Something huge and ugly,something that Madison discovers,but that happened almost too late.
Exciting and interesting,this book was beautiful and full of surprises.Just by reading the description i thought that this had to be something good,and it was.
So many things happened,some good and some bad,and i can admit that it was much better then i expected.
The story was new and amazing,the characters strong and brave enough to face their lifes,well not all but that's how it was.
Madison was my favorite,even if she did some things i didn't like.She was too good to everyone,you can say she was the girl everyone loved.But sometimes i wished she was different.
Between trying to understand why her mother acted like that and why Alex,the boy who didn't talk,chose Madison to be the one with whom he talked,i was a little confused.It was a pretty good story with good characters and a strong subject.I liked that.But there were a few things i'll never understand.
For example: Madison accepted everything her best friend did to her.That was something i didn't like.Something i wished that would change..And it did,but until that moment too many bad things happened because of that friend.
In the end what really mattered for me was what happened to Madison.The fact that Madison was happy and had the chance to meet her brothers and be happy.A chance to life the live she deserved with the people who loved her and the people she loved.
Madison never thought that her life was interesting,until she finds out something her mother never told her.The reason why her mother acts like she doesn't care about what Madison is doing .
The reason: A boy.A Mormon boy suddenly appears saying that he's Madison's brother and that she has two more brothers.That was the big secret her mother kept since Madison was just a child.
And then the boy who is considered a psycho just because he doesn't talk too much,starts paying attention to Madison.But soon she finds out that he was just a boy who had to much trouble in his life then to care about everything else.
One more thing,her best friend ,the girl she knew since forever hides something.Something huge and ugly,something that Madison discovers,but that happened almost too late.
Exciting and interesting,this book was beautiful and full of surprises.Just by reading the description i thought that this had to be something good,and it was.
So many things happened,some good and some bad,and i can admit that it was much better then i expected.
The story was new and amazing,the characters strong and brave enough to face their lifes,well not all but that's how it was.
Madison was my favorite,even if she did some things i didn't like.She was too good to everyone,you can say she was the girl everyone loved.But sometimes i wished she was different.
Between trying to understand why her mother acted like that and why Alex,the boy who didn't talk,chose Madison to be the one with whom he talked,i was a little confused.It was a pretty good story with good characters and a strong subject.I liked that.But there were a few things i'll never understand.
For example: Madison accepted everything her best friend did to her.That was something i didn't like.Something i wished that would change..And it did,but until that moment too many bad things happened because of that friend.
In the end what really mattered for me was what happened to Madison.The fact that Madison was happy and had the chance to meet her brothers and be happy.A chance to life the live she deserved with the people who loved her and the people she loved.
April 28, 2013
4-1/2 stars
Madison is your normal, every day plain girl... or at least, she thinks so. But really, she's this bright, kind, loving girl that doesn't give herself enough credit. Everyone around her seems to be in their own world. Her best friend lashes out whenever she doesn't get her own way, her mother barely acknowledges her existence. And Madison accepts it and everyone sees her as a pushover, but Madison just loves with a big heart and accepts people for who they are.
She soon discovers that she has these brothers that she never knew about. Her brother John, becomes a big part of her life, and immediately tries to step in and "fix" what he sees is wrong in her life. While she is trying to build some type of relationship with this new brother, she also has guys coming out of the word work for her.
First is JP, the guy she's crushed on forever, who is a super hot, popular chess player (yes, I said chess player), then there's Carson, the hot Mormon boy, and Alex the hot psycho dangerous outcast.
My favorite person in this story just might have been Siraj, Madison's boss at her job at the Library. Every day she'd come to work, she'd always say her day was fine but he quickly learns that her definition of fine may be different then others and his react to it is hilarious.
There are so many factors in this book which made is an emotional ride. It deals with psychosis, and other mental illness. It's deals with self respect and unconditional love. And the fine like that one can someone walk when those two topics don't seem mutually exclusive. There was also some talk of Mormonism which is a religion her brothers and Carson were a part of. I felt like this book didn't promote or detract from the religion but gave what would be considered honest feelings about someone first learning about the religion would be.
But what made this book extra special, was the fact that even as we are dealing with these extreme topics, I still found myself laughing and giggling through the entire thing. That's not to say that it makes light of some important topics, but it gives you a sense of lightness while reading it. You aren't weighted down by the story and that makes it beautiful.
Madison is your normal, every day plain girl... or at least, she thinks so. But really, she's this bright, kind, loving girl that doesn't give herself enough credit. Everyone around her seems to be in their own world. Her best friend lashes out whenever she doesn't get her own way, her mother barely acknowledges her existence. And Madison accepts it and everyone sees her as a pushover, but Madison just loves with a big heart and accepts people for who they are.
She soon discovers that she has these brothers that she never knew about. Her brother John, becomes a big part of her life, and immediately tries to step in and "fix" what he sees is wrong in her life. While she is trying to build some type of relationship with this new brother, she also has guys coming out of the word work for her.
First is JP, the guy she's crushed on forever, who is a super hot, popular chess player (yes, I said chess player), then there's Carson, the hot Mormon boy, and Alex the hot psycho dangerous outcast.
My favorite person in this story just might have been Siraj, Madison's boss at her job at the Library. Every day she'd come to work, she'd always say her day was fine but he quickly learns that her definition of fine may be different then others and his react to it is hilarious.
There are so many factors in this book which made is an emotional ride. It deals with psychosis, and other mental illness. It's deals with self respect and unconditional love. And the fine like that one can someone walk when those two topics don't seem mutually exclusive. There was also some talk of Mormonism which is a religion her brothers and Carson were a part of. I felt like this book didn't promote or detract from the religion but gave what would be considered honest feelings about someone first learning about the religion would be.
But what made this book extra special, was the fact that even as we are dealing with these extreme topics, I still found myself laughing and giggling through the entire thing. That's not to say that it makes light of some important topics, but it gives you a sense of lightness while reading it. You aren't weighted down by the story and that makes it beautiful.
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