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No Alligators in Sight
In this coming of age novel, Lettie and Bert squeak by in a tiny town on Cape Cod, one parent an alcoholic and the other absent. After a string of bad decisions on Lettie’s part, their father ships them to their barely remembered mother for the summer, where they will learn hard lessons about themselves, their family, and their future by way of the Florida swamp. Throughout Lettie keeps her biting humor flowing, her razor-sharp pen at the ready, and her eye on her quest for a “normal” life.
- GenresYoung AdultFiction
232 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2013
15 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Kirsten B. Feldman
3 books80 followersI grew up on Cape Cod and the Connecticut shoreline and now live outside of Boston, much too far from the ocean. I am rarely without a book in my hand. A few of my favorites include: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison, and Every Last One by Anna Quindlen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
June 18, 2014
No Alligators in Sight follows Lettie, a thirteen year old girl who is forced to grow up earlier than she should have to take care of her younger brother. She's taken care of both Bert and her father, a bitter alcoholic. When Lettie is caught doing something against the rules, her father sends her and her brother down to Orlando, Florida for six weeks to live with the mother that left their family.
This book is a great one for the "coming of age" audience. Lettie has a lot of anger and darkness to her, and who can blame her? Forced to be a family caretaker, an absent mother, an alcoholic father. Life has stacked some rough cards for her to be dealt. But she's never overly brooding, an issue I find in a lot of other teen fiction. She felt real, and relatable, and it was easy to cheer her on when she needed it, and silently swear to yourself when she made bad decisions, like watching a friend.
In fact, this whole book is written with a great, shadowy tone. It has a gritty sense of realism. The setting is well developed and well described to match the characters. And yet, as heavy as the issues in this novel are, there is a fair bit of sarcasm and humor, which is a huge plus for me. It was nice to have a book that's a great balance of light and dark, and I think that's part of what makes this book go down so easily.
This has little to do with reviewing the content of the novel, but I will just quickly say that I really like the title of this book, along with the cover.
The only issue I really had with No Alligators in Sight was that it lagged a bit in the middle. I understand that certain points were important for development and movement of the plot, but the middle of the book started to lose me a bit. I do promise you though, that the ending makes up for it; it ends strong.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy teen reads and coming of age stories. This book does have some deep themes, like alcoholism.
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for my honest review. This review can also be found on my new blog, Bitches n Prose.
This book is a great one for the "coming of age" audience. Lettie has a lot of anger and darkness to her, and who can blame her? Forced to be a family caretaker, an absent mother, an alcoholic father. Life has stacked some rough cards for her to be dealt. But she's never overly brooding, an issue I find in a lot of other teen fiction. She felt real, and relatable, and it was easy to cheer her on when she needed it, and silently swear to yourself when she made bad decisions, like watching a friend.
In fact, this whole book is written with a great, shadowy tone. It has a gritty sense of realism. The setting is well developed and well described to match the characters. And yet, as heavy as the issues in this novel are, there is a fair bit of sarcasm and humor, which is a huge plus for me. It was nice to have a book that's a great balance of light and dark, and I think that's part of what makes this book go down so easily.
This has little to do with reviewing the content of the novel, but I will just quickly say that I really like the title of this book, along with the cover.
The only issue I really had with No Alligators in Sight was that it lagged a bit in the middle. I understand that certain points were important for development and movement of the plot, but the middle of the book started to lose me a bit. I do promise you though, that the ending makes up for it; it ends strong.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy teen reads and coming of age stories. This book does have some deep themes, like alcoholism.
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for my honest review. This review can also be found on my new blog, Bitches n Prose.
June 5, 2014
Thirteen is too young to be a parent, but after her mother left and her fathers continual bout with alcohol, Lettie raises her younger brother Bert. She is not perfect, heck she is a mess at it but what is she supposed to do. When an incident lands Lettie in trouble, they are shipped off to Florida to their mother. In Lettie's mind, her mother has is a complete contrast to Bert, she is imagined and everything good. However all is not as it seems and Lettie is going to learn some life lessons along the way.
Spoken from Lettie's perspective, I felt for her she should be a normal tween turning teen and instead she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. All those emotions you bumble through as a teen are apparent in this story, you relate to Lettie from the very beginning. No Alligators in Sight was an unexpected surprise, wonderful story and perfect beach read for the summer.
Spoken from Lettie's perspective, I felt for her she should be a normal tween turning teen and instead she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. All those emotions you bumble through as a teen are apparent in this story, you relate to Lettie from the very beginning. No Alligators in Sight was an unexpected surprise, wonderful story and perfect beach read for the summer.
April 1, 2014
Check out our Author interview and the full review at http://nookusersbookclub.com/nubc-rev...
No Alligators In Sight by Kirsten Bloomberg Feldman is a beautiful coming of age story which allows us to see how each person is a compilation of all of the other people who move in and out of our lives. Thirteen year old Leticia (Lettie) has been forced to be a parent to her younger brother, Bert, since their mother left them six years ago. Joel, their father, does a less than mediocre job of parenting since he is an alcoholic working as a bartender. In the face of Joel’s irresponsibility Lettie creates an idealistic view of her mother, Gertrude. In Lettie’s emotionally neglected state, she pictures Gertrude as the perfect mother who loves her dearly and is being unfairly kept away from her children by their cruel father, who doesn’t even warrant the title of Dad. Lettie refers to him only as Joel. When Lettie’s behavior creates a crisis, she and Bert are shipped off to Florida to spend six weeks with their mother. The trip is life changing for Lettie in that she is forced to face the reality of what her mother really is, and for Joel as he faces what it really means to be a parent.
Feldman’s story is well written and authentic. Lettie is a believable and endearing character and the reader cheers along with her and agonizes over her bad decisions even while understanding her reasoning behind them. Lettie wrestles with her identity and eventually realizes that people are a conglomerate of everyone they encounter and the experiences that come with those encounters. While she may not agree with all of her parents’ actions, the things they do have made her what she is. The characters are likeable and their difficulties are real ones, but Lettie learns that all things change, even the most unpleasant ones.No Alligators In Sight is a wonderful story of forgiveness and redemption that shows the strength of family and that people can turn their lives around.
No Alligators In Sight by Kirsten Bloomberg Feldman is a beautiful coming of age story which allows us to see how each person is a compilation of all of the other people who move in and out of our lives. Thirteen year old Leticia (Lettie) has been forced to be a parent to her younger brother, Bert, since their mother left them six years ago. Joel, their father, does a less than mediocre job of parenting since he is an alcoholic working as a bartender. In the face of Joel’s irresponsibility Lettie creates an idealistic view of her mother, Gertrude. In Lettie’s emotionally neglected state, she pictures Gertrude as the perfect mother who loves her dearly and is being unfairly kept away from her children by their cruel father, who doesn’t even warrant the title of Dad. Lettie refers to him only as Joel. When Lettie’s behavior creates a crisis, she and Bert are shipped off to Florida to spend six weeks with their mother. The trip is life changing for Lettie in that she is forced to face the reality of what her mother really is, and for Joel as he faces what it really means to be a parent.
Feldman’s story is well written and authentic. Lettie is a believable and endearing character and the reader cheers along with her and agonizes over her bad decisions even while understanding her reasoning behind them. Lettie wrestles with her identity and eventually realizes that people are a conglomerate of everyone they encounter and the experiences that come with those encounters. While she may not agree with all of her parents’ actions, the things they do have made her what she is. The characters are likeable and their difficulties are real ones, but Lettie learns that all things change, even the most unpleasant ones.No Alligators In Sight is a wonderful story of forgiveness and redemption that shows the strength of family and that people can turn their lives around.
June 27, 2015
I don’t read very many coming of age stories, but I’m glad I read this one. The story is set in Cape Cod and in the Florida Keys and is told from the perspective of Lettie, a young girl seeking the one thing she’ll never truly have: a normal life.
I really love this book. It asks some difficult questions, but from the perspective of youth and innocence. Only a single summer is featured, but for Lettie, it’s a turning point. She’s getting ready to start highschool, trying to raise both herself and her younger brother despite her mother having left the family for another man and her father drowning himself in alcohol. But, she’s still a kid, and as some troubled kids do, she acts out. Her father, at his wit’s end, decides to let her see for herself why she shouldn’t want to live with her mom by sending her there for the summer.
She learns many things over the course of the summer, but I think that the most profound of these is that she doesn’t have to allow someone else’s mistakes ruin her own life. It’s really a message of taking charge of and owning your own destiny. A message of acceptance, but not viewing yourself through the lens of someone else’s opinion of you. It’s a tough lesson for Lettie.
Overall the story is well-written, well-edited and thought provoking. The characters are dynamic, realistic and tragic. But this isn’t a tragedy, this is a success story. A story of personal growth.
The story is told as a narrative and as a journal. Some of the sections are italicized and some aren’t. I couldn’t really see anything significantly different between those sections, but I believe the reason is that grown up Lettie and her daughter are taking turns reading her journal from that summer. Despite this, the story is a smooth read, though emotionally riveting. I had trouble putting it down. A good thing, right?
Anyway, I loved this story and would highly recommend it to folks who like contemporary coming of age books, particularly realistic ones.
I really love this book. It asks some difficult questions, but from the perspective of youth and innocence. Only a single summer is featured, but for Lettie, it’s a turning point. She’s getting ready to start highschool, trying to raise both herself and her younger brother despite her mother having left the family for another man and her father drowning himself in alcohol. But, she’s still a kid, and as some troubled kids do, she acts out. Her father, at his wit’s end, decides to let her see for herself why she shouldn’t want to live with her mom by sending her there for the summer.
She learns many things over the course of the summer, but I think that the most profound of these is that she doesn’t have to allow someone else’s mistakes ruin her own life. It’s really a message of taking charge of and owning your own destiny. A message of acceptance, but not viewing yourself through the lens of someone else’s opinion of you. It’s a tough lesson for Lettie.
Overall the story is well-written, well-edited and thought provoking. The characters are dynamic, realistic and tragic. But this isn’t a tragedy, this is a success story. A story of personal growth.
The story is told as a narrative and as a journal. Some of the sections are italicized and some aren’t. I couldn’t really see anything significantly different between those sections, but I believe the reason is that grown up Lettie and her daughter are taking turns reading her journal from that summer. Despite this, the story is a smooth read, though emotionally riveting. I had trouble putting it down. A good thing, right?
Anyway, I loved this story and would highly recommend it to folks who like contemporary coming of age books, particularly realistic ones.
March 8, 2014
This was an interesting book that slowly drew me deeper and deeper into the story of Leticia, a smart, sensitive thirteen-year old girl who has become the caregiver of her little family after her mother leaves her and her brother Bert to run off to Florida with her lover/new husband Orlando. For the six years since, Leticia has had to raise her little brother and take care of her Dad, a functioning angry, alcoholic. It's no wonder that she is filled with such anger at the world that she will eventually have to learn to make peace with if she wants to be happy. The story starts off in the future as Leticia's daughter Zuzu finds her mother's diaries and they start reading them together for the daughter to learn about her mother's past when she was the same age as her daughter is now. After being caught shoplifting at age 13, Leticia is sent down to Florida with Bert for a six week visit with her mother and Orlando. She quickly must come-to-terms with the true character of her mother and must eventually decide whether or not to forgive her for being so imperfect. This story perfectly captures the angst of adolescence and reminded me so much of what it felt like to be a teenager in a world that was full of indifference, persecution, and love. A really wonderful story whose flavour reminded me so much of Alice Munro's Lives of Girls and Women and Bernice Thurman Hunter's That Scatterbrain Booky.
I won a copy of this book but this is an honest review of this really good novel.
I won a copy of this book but this is an honest review of this really good novel.
February 13, 2015
No Alligators in Sight grabbed me from the very beginning, and I absolutely loved this coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old girl who is forced to grow up far too fast.
I had recently read On the Way to Everywhere, Kirsten Feldman's second novel, and enjoyed it enough that I decided to read No Alligators, too. Well, I loved No Alligators even more than On the Way to Everywhere!
This novel has such excellent character development and relationships, and such great dialogue -- so realistic. It's a powerful and heartfelt story, and I easily gave it 5 stars. A wonderful book.
I had recently read On the Way to Everywhere, Kirsten Feldman's second novel, and enjoyed it enough that I decided to read No Alligators, too. Well, I loved No Alligators even more than On the Way to Everywhere!
This novel has such excellent character development and relationships, and such great dialogue -- so realistic. It's a powerful and heartfelt story, and I easily gave it 5 stars. A wonderful book.
June 6, 2014
**Venezuela finds her mother's journal... "Momma did you write this?"** "Yes. Yes I did. What you have there is the story of the summer before I went to high school, just the age you are now, or will be in a few months, and I was having a hard time. That was the worst time of my life....But then it was the start of the best times, too"
A Coming Of Age Story: Leticia/Lettie/Annie and Engelbert/Bert/Engie are brother and sister. They live in Boston with Joel, their alcoholic Dad. Gertrude, their mother, left when Bert was only 3 years old and Leticia was 7 years old. Gertrude now resides in Florida with her fiance Orlando: the pot smoking, over-eater, inappropriate PDA'er and kid hater.
Lettie's story starts 6 years later when "the Whopper", Candace Stopper (a school counselor) assigns Leticia to start a journal about her feelings of anger, towards her Mom, over the summer break.
"Grownups never learned anything from their failures. Take my father. He'd gone right out and started drinking again a few months after our mother left, even though that was why she said she'd have to go, or at least that was what He said she said. As for why she had to go alone, I couldn't say. I'd tried asking but adults didn't answer questions they didn't like."
Lettie's only friend is Mayes, who has gone to her Grandma's in North Carolina over the summer. As Bert's permanent watchdog, and caregiver; she doesn't have any other friends.
She struggles being a kid and an adult at the same time because "Joel" is emotionally and parentally not there for her. She is very smart, very angry and very sarcastic. As a quirk she loves contranyms and tries to weave them into her conversations. She was also a chronic shoplifter.
Bert has a heart shaped mole in the middle of his forehead. He loves to eat clams, and is too young to remember his Mother. He is Lettie's little shadow, and always makes her laugh. He tries to be independent but usually ends up making a mess. Bert loves NASCAR racing, and the beach. He paints shells with Lettie and they sell them to tourists. Bert loves him Mom and fights against Lettie's beliefs. His best bud is a stuffed animal named Mousie.
Lettie writes about her and Bert's adventures over the summer, about her observations, feelings and hilarious ways of viewing the world. I loved her voice, her sarcasm of her situation yet she is strong and makes it though all her trials. Eventually she softens up when she learns the truth about her family and what family really means. I related to her since my own family situation was similar. It really sucks being poor, having to grow up too fast, and being punished for things you either didn't do or did for a cry of help/ retaliation. Bert was a compliment of Lettie's personality because he always saw the bright side of things and was more naive to what was going on. He was calm,loving, forgiving and kind to others.
**This book was the perfect story of a broken marriage and what really happens in the aftermath. People aren't instantly forgiving, they each have their own ways of coping and end up bitter, angry and miserable. The parents were selfish, and only concerned about their own pain/life. It was good to see that even through all of this everyone learned something.
Best of all, Lettie shared it with her own child Venezuela.
I was given a copy of this book by the author Kirsten B Feldman in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and quotes belong to the author.
February 28, 2014
I must note that I received a free copy of this book from the author through the GoodReads Making Connections group in return for an honest review.
Overall, an excellent read. The author's writing style is fantastic and easy to read. The prose just flows through it, even though the subject matter is far from poetic. I will also note that I found very few, if any, grammatical or spelling errors, which is refreshing in light of the three books I have read since. I don't withhold stars for such things unless they are just blatant and really interfere with my following the story, but it is always so nice not notice any!
The story is about a young teenage girl named Annie, well Letitcia is her given name, but after being confirmed as Anne, she decided she wanted to go by Annie. If ever a girl had a right to want to run from what her family had given her, you can find no fault with Annie for this.
Annie's father is an alcoholic and her mother had run off several years prior with no contact since. Annie is left basically raising her little brother, Bert (Englebert - the flighty mother certainly had a way with names!) For the most part she does very well at this, but she is frustrated, understandably. Unfortunately she takes out this frustration with minor shoplifting, but getting caught at it leads her father to send her and her brother to her mother for the summer.
Few characters I have ever read about come off as narcissistic and cold as Gertrude, particularly toward Annie. My heart breaks for this sweet, overwhelmed girl (although a selfish part of me has repeatedly considered letting my 11 year old daughter read it to say look, your parents divorce wasn't that bad! LOL ~ something I won't do, but parents post divorce I am sure can sympathize with the sentiment.)
The poor girl never seems to get a break over this summer of disillusionment culminating in an awful scene with her mother and creepy stepfather. But, trying desperately not to leak too many spoilers here, it opens up her eyes in many new ways when she returns home to her father.
A very well written book, and as depressing as the review may sound, the book truly is not. Annie's wit is amazing and will have you giggling, rolling your eyes along with her, and laughing at times you know you really shouldn't. Bert is a firecracker, and an adorable young boy who has also had a load of crap thrown at him in his few years. More than anything I'd have to say I felt inspired by her tenacity and resourcefulness.
Overall, an excellent read. The author's writing style is fantastic and easy to read. The prose just flows through it, even though the subject matter is far from poetic. I will also note that I found very few, if any, grammatical or spelling errors, which is refreshing in light of the three books I have read since. I don't withhold stars for such things unless they are just blatant and really interfere with my following the story, but it is always so nice not notice any!
The story is about a young teenage girl named Annie, well Letitcia is her given name, but after being confirmed as Anne, she decided she wanted to go by Annie. If ever a girl had a right to want to run from what her family had given her, you can find no fault with Annie for this.
Annie's father is an alcoholic and her mother had run off several years prior with no contact since. Annie is left basically raising her little brother, Bert (Englebert - the flighty mother certainly had a way with names!) For the most part she does very well at this, but she is frustrated, understandably. Unfortunately she takes out this frustration with minor shoplifting, but getting caught at it leads her father to send her and her brother to her mother for the summer.
Few characters I have ever read about come off as narcissistic and cold as Gertrude, particularly toward Annie. My heart breaks for this sweet, overwhelmed girl (although a selfish part of me has repeatedly considered letting my 11 year old daughter read it to say look, your parents divorce wasn't that bad! LOL ~ something I won't do, but parents post divorce I am sure can sympathize with the sentiment.)
The poor girl never seems to get a break over this summer of disillusionment culminating in an awful scene with her mother and creepy stepfather. But, trying desperately not to leak too many spoilers here, it opens up her eyes in many new ways when she returns home to her father.
A very well written book, and as depressing as the review may sound, the book truly is not. Annie's wit is amazing and will have you giggling, rolling your eyes along with her, and laughing at times you know you really shouldn't. Bert is a firecracker, and an adorable young boy who has also had a load of crap thrown at him in his few years. More than anything I'd have to say I felt inspired by her tenacity and resourcefulness.
August 13, 2016
Wow! What a powerful piece of writing. So powerful that I pretty much experienced the array of emotions the main character went through in the story!
Lettie is an average teen going through the usual angst of teenage life. But on top of that she carries the burden of having to be proxy parent to her younger brother, Bert, while her separated parents spend most of their time licking their wounds and feeling sorry for themselves.
No Alligators in Sight is an eye opening account of life after divorce through the eyes a child. Parents quite often forget the main casualties of divorce are the children. Adults tend to forget that while kids can be very resilient, they see and hear everything. Adults figure that due to lack of life experience kids wont understand what is going on. Adults forget that kids have a voice too.
Lettie, or Annie as she chooses to call herself realises that nobody's really listening, so she pens her life and the emotional experiences she has in a journal. Quite often her journal is her safe haven where she can truly express her hurt and anger.
While majority of Lettie/Annie's experiences are written down, this books also takes us on her journey of growth and maturity that slowly show us that with every day that passes, Lettie/Annie becomes more aware of others, more accepting of their shortfalls - not in a way that exempts them from their behaviour, but accepting the fact that any idealised views of the grown ups in her life are false and its okay that her expectations can be lowered.
Lettie/Annie slowly believes in herself to the point that she acknowledges that certain adults will never give her what she seeks. She becomes confident to the point that she finally has the nerve to tell certain people what she really feels and thinks.
Lettie says at the beginning of the book that "That was the worst time of my life...But then it was the start of the best times, too." The story gives hope that through the darkest days of our lives, that even with the smallest ounce of hope there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
Yes I will admit that this story rang true for me on quite a few occasions, but separate from that, Ms Feldman has written a very influential piece of writing, that will touch your heart and soul.You will fall in Love with Lettie and her brother Bert. And you will be cheering Lettie on while she fights, falls and faces her fears.
A box of tissues is required for this masterful coming of age Novel by the very talented Kirsten B. Feldman.
Lettie is an average teen going through the usual angst of teenage life. But on top of that she carries the burden of having to be proxy parent to her younger brother, Bert, while her separated parents spend most of their time licking their wounds and feeling sorry for themselves.
No Alligators in Sight is an eye opening account of life after divorce through the eyes a child. Parents quite often forget the main casualties of divorce are the children. Adults tend to forget that while kids can be very resilient, they see and hear everything. Adults figure that due to lack of life experience kids wont understand what is going on. Adults forget that kids have a voice too.
Lettie, or Annie as she chooses to call herself realises that nobody's really listening, so she pens her life and the emotional experiences she has in a journal. Quite often her journal is her safe haven where she can truly express her hurt and anger.
While majority of Lettie/Annie's experiences are written down, this books also takes us on her journey of growth and maturity that slowly show us that with every day that passes, Lettie/Annie becomes more aware of others, more accepting of their shortfalls - not in a way that exempts them from their behaviour, but accepting the fact that any idealised views of the grown ups in her life are false and its okay that her expectations can be lowered.
Lettie/Annie slowly believes in herself to the point that she acknowledges that certain adults will never give her what she seeks. She becomes confident to the point that she finally has the nerve to tell certain people what she really feels and thinks.
Lettie says at the beginning of the book that "That was the worst time of my life...But then it was the start of the best times, too." The story gives hope that through the darkest days of our lives, that even with the smallest ounce of hope there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
Yes I will admit that this story rang true for me on quite a few occasions, but separate from that, Ms Feldman has written a very influential piece of writing, that will touch your heart and soul.You will fall in Love with Lettie and her brother Bert. And you will be cheering Lettie on while she fights, falls and faces her fears.
A box of tissues is required for this masterful coming of age Novel by the very talented Kirsten B. Feldman.
July 24, 2015
[COYER BPRAT]
Honesty time: I have put this book off forever. At least a year, if not longer. And that's not cool, especially since someone sent it to me to review. An actual book. I tried to start it a while ago, and just couldn't get into it, so I let a few books get ahead of me. Then a few more. Then a cascade. Well, I needed to suck up and just do it (something no author wants to hear, I am sure). More honesty: I just had such a hard time with it from the get-go. Slow. Depressing. Joyless. Heavy. I couldn't wait to finish it so I could pound out my review. Then something happened: the clouds began to drift away, the sun came out, and there was some of that amazing quality of hope. Now I am not going to say that the last few chapters completely altered my view of this novel, but it allowed it to have grace and promise.
Lettie and Bert might as well be orphans. Their mother, Gertrude, left them a few years ago, and Joel, their father, is mostly absent. Anything that needs doing, from the grocery shopping to the cleaning to taking care of Bert, is left up to Lettie. She hates her name, and has decided that going forward, she is going to use her confimation name: Annie. It takes her another step further from a mom who thought Leticia and Englebert were great names for kids. Though she mostly thinks of her mother with anger, she does wonder if she and Bert are missed or how much their lives would be different if she'd stayed. Then both kids are summarily shipped down to Florida when Lettie is discovered shoplifting. She's never seen Joel so angry.
It's definitely no picnic in Key West; Gertrude is married to Orlando, the huge hulking man with yellow teeth that took her mother away all those years ago. There's basically no difference being there, except now there's two people who don't look after them. Lettie is full of unasked questions, but some of them escape from time to time. Her mother chooses not to answer them. Lettie realizes that while there are some things you can't change, thing always have the potential to get better. It all depends on you.
No Alligators in Sight by Kirsten B. Feldman was published November 25, 2013 by KBFeldman Books. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Author.
Rating: 3
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction
Ages: 13 and up
Honesty time: I have put this book off forever. At least a year, if not longer. And that's not cool, especially since someone sent it to me to review. An actual book. I tried to start it a while ago, and just couldn't get into it, so I let a few books get ahead of me. Then a few more. Then a cascade. Well, I needed to suck up and just do it (something no author wants to hear, I am sure). More honesty: I just had such a hard time with it from the get-go. Slow. Depressing. Joyless. Heavy. I couldn't wait to finish it so I could pound out my review. Then something happened: the clouds began to drift away, the sun came out, and there was some of that amazing quality of hope. Now I am not going to say that the last few chapters completely altered my view of this novel, but it allowed it to have grace and promise.
Lettie and Bert might as well be orphans. Their mother, Gertrude, left them a few years ago, and Joel, their father, is mostly absent. Anything that needs doing, from the grocery shopping to the cleaning to taking care of Bert, is left up to Lettie. She hates her name, and has decided that going forward, she is going to use her confimation name: Annie. It takes her another step further from a mom who thought Leticia and Englebert were great names for kids. Though she mostly thinks of her mother with anger, she does wonder if she and Bert are missed or how much their lives would be different if she'd stayed. Then both kids are summarily shipped down to Florida when Lettie is discovered shoplifting. She's never seen Joel so angry.
It's definitely no picnic in Key West; Gertrude is married to Orlando, the huge hulking man with yellow teeth that took her mother away all those years ago. There's basically no difference being there, except now there's two people who don't look after them. Lettie is full of unasked questions, but some of them escape from time to time. Her mother chooses not to answer them. Lettie realizes that while there are some things you can't change, thing always have the potential to get better. It all depends on you.
No Alligators in Sight by Kirsten B. Feldman was published November 25, 2013 by KBFeldman Books. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Author.
Rating: 3
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction
Ages: 13 and up
January 31, 2014
No Alligators in Sight
I was excited to read No Alligators in Sight by Kirsten B. Feldman. It seemed like the kind of book that I would like. That being said I’m almost reluctant to write this review, but I’ve put it off long enough as I’ve tried to gather my thoughts. No Alligators in Sight follows Lettie as she tries to navigate the waters of a not so great life, taking care of her younger brother and alcoholic father.
Lettie is thirteen and has extreme anger issues, though who could blame her with the life she’s leading. I really liked how Feldman started the story out. I liked seeing the Mother and daughter talking and then deciding to read the Mom’s journal, which lead us to the past where we see Lettie’s life through the eyes of her younger self.
Feldman did a great job of developing her characters and fleshing out the world that Lettie lived in. Her plot was well developed and well executed, but there was something missing. I don’t know what it was and I still can’t pinpoint it. But I couldn’t seem to connect with Lettie at all throughout the book.
I was a little bored up until the point where Lettie was sent back to her Father, but her Mother’s husband. He left her at that airport and my heart clenched. From the minute she spoke to her Father on the phone to the end of the book is when I really connected with her. I guess the fact that she spent most of the book complaining and observing sort of turned me off.
But the end was so incredibly good. The last few chapters tugged at my heartstrings and made tears come to my eyes. Seeing Lettie finally accept that she couldn’t expect more than what her Mom could give and seeing her Father finally clean up his act…it was beautiful. And the scene at the end where it flashes back to present time just made me grin.
The end is definitely worth the read; the middle of the book is what got me stuck for a while though and while I would recommend this book I would say to make sure a coming of age book is what you want to read. It’s a little dark and a lot of people sort of belittle Lettie, which is not cool at all. But in the end the journey is worth the destination.
I was excited to read No Alligators in Sight by Kirsten B. Feldman. It seemed like the kind of book that I would like. That being said I’m almost reluctant to write this review, but I’ve put it off long enough as I’ve tried to gather my thoughts. No Alligators in Sight follows Lettie as she tries to navigate the waters of a not so great life, taking care of her younger brother and alcoholic father.
Lettie is thirteen and has extreme anger issues, though who could blame her with the life she’s leading. I really liked how Feldman started the story out. I liked seeing the Mother and daughter talking and then deciding to read the Mom’s journal, which lead us to the past where we see Lettie’s life through the eyes of her younger self.
Feldman did a great job of developing her characters and fleshing out the world that Lettie lived in. Her plot was well developed and well executed, but there was something missing. I don’t know what it was and I still can’t pinpoint it. But I couldn’t seem to connect with Lettie at all throughout the book.
I was a little bored up until the point where Lettie was sent back to her Father, but her Mother’s husband. He left her at that airport and my heart clenched. From the minute she spoke to her Father on the phone to the end of the book is when I really connected with her. I guess the fact that she spent most of the book complaining and observing sort of turned me off.
But the end was so incredibly good. The last few chapters tugged at my heartstrings and made tears come to my eyes. Seeing Lettie finally accept that she couldn’t expect more than what her Mom could give and seeing her Father finally clean up his act…it was beautiful. And the scene at the end where it flashes back to present time just made me grin.
The end is definitely worth the read; the middle of the book is what got me stuck for a while though and while I would recommend this book I would say to make sure a coming of age book is what you want to read. It’s a little dark and a lot of people sort of belittle Lettie, which is not cool at all. But in the end the journey is worth the destination.
April 3, 2014
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In this coming of age story we meet our protagonist many years later as she is talking to her daughter, Venezuela, in the attic of their home while looking for a costume. Her daughter finds a journal and asks her mother if she wrote it. By responding to her daughter she starts to tell a story about the summer of her 13th year.
Leticia, has been taking care of her younger brother, Engelbert (Bert for short), ever since her mother ran off when she was 7. Her father who they are living with is an alcoholic and isn’t around much. Spending most of his time at the local bar and leaving his two children to their own devices.
The story shows that how a few short months can change the way Leticia feels about her life. As the story unfolds a bigger picture emerges. Leticia let go of how she feels and starts to embrace the stories of her family that are evolving around her. Those stories are important as they directly impact her and the way her life has been.
We now come full circle back to Leticia and her daughter sitting in the attic. Only is it now do we realize why the story started off with her daughter and that is what makes this book shine.
I really enjoyed this coming of age story. It had the makings of being very dark but there is enough “snark” to keep it light and fun. Leticia has the attitude that I did when I was that age but I think mine was more humor snark then hateful snark. Hmm is their really different types of snark. I want to believe so anyway.
What makes this book come together is how we started out in the attic with mother and daughter. Having the story go full circle it really made more of an impact on me.
Feldman does a marvelous job giving Leticia a heart and soul. So much that I was angry for her because I just can’t imagine having parents who would act like this. You want so badly for her to have a real childhood. Where kids get to be kids and not worry about adults things when they are too young to understand.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thought out story and who like coming of age type books.
In this coming of age story we meet our protagonist many years later as she is talking to her daughter, Venezuela, in the attic of their home while looking for a costume. Her daughter finds a journal and asks her mother if she wrote it. By responding to her daughter she starts to tell a story about the summer of her 13th year.
Leticia, has been taking care of her younger brother, Engelbert (Bert for short), ever since her mother ran off when she was 7. Her father who they are living with is an alcoholic and isn’t around much. Spending most of his time at the local bar and leaving his two children to their own devices.
The story shows that how a few short months can change the way Leticia feels about her life. As the story unfolds a bigger picture emerges. Leticia let go of how she feels and starts to embrace the stories of her family that are evolving around her. Those stories are important as they directly impact her and the way her life has been.
We now come full circle back to Leticia and her daughter sitting in the attic. Only is it now do we realize why the story started off with her daughter and that is what makes this book shine.
I really enjoyed this coming of age story. It had the makings of being very dark but there is enough “snark” to keep it light and fun. Leticia has the attitude that I did when I was that age but I think mine was more humor snark then hateful snark. Hmm is their really different types of snark. I want to believe so anyway.
What makes this book come together is how we started out in the attic with mother and daughter. Having the story go full circle it really made more of an impact on me.
Feldman does a marvelous job giving Leticia a heart and soul. So much that I was angry for her because I just can’t imagine having parents who would act like this. You want so badly for her to have a real childhood. Where kids get to be kids and not worry about adults things when they are too young to understand.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thought out story and who like coming of age type books.
September 1, 2014
The premise of this novel begins when a daughter finds a journal of her mother’s in an attic and on questioning her about it, finds out that her Mum kept it during a summer when she was 13 and as she states “in pain. “ The reader is then transported back and relives the events with Leticia (or Lettie’s chosen preference “Annie”, her confirmation name.). Lettie lives with Bert, her little 9 year old brother and Joel, their alcoholic father. Bert and Letty’s Mum left them 6 years ago to move to Key West with her lover. The abandonment of their mother has caused major issues for both children but especially Lettie who is thrust in the role of carer for Bert, albeit unwillingly. Joel, their father, also has problems but chooses to drown them daily in the local bar. Lettie has never gotten over her mother leaving her, having many unanswered questions. When a major incident occurs, she and Bert are packed off to their mother’s in Key West but will this be the finally longed for reunion for which she hopes?
What to say about this book?. It was by turns a coming of age story and an insight of what it is to be a troubled teenager. Lettie makes for an endearing heroine. The author cleverly intersperses the narrative with journal entries from Letty so that the reader gleans a firsthand account of the troubles and issues which Lettie faces and vicariously lives through them with her. This book shows that not everyone is automatically cut out to be a parent and the damage which this causes to the children. It also highlighted the dynamics of extended families and the impact which they have on the ensuing relationships. Lettie learns many lessons during her summer, not all of which she finds easy, but at the culmination of the novel, she eventually realises that everything she wants has been waiting for her all along.
I really enjoyed this book. It dealt with so many themes; love, loss, family, and standing up to confront life’s challenges. The characters were well structured and the story line was beautifully plotted. I really had so much empathy for Lettie as a character. Wonderful.
What to say about this book?. It was by turns a coming of age story and an insight of what it is to be a troubled teenager. Lettie makes for an endearing heroine. The author cleverly intersperses the narrative with journal entries from Letty so that the reader gleans a firsthand account of the troubles and issues which Lettie faces and vicariously lives through them with her. This book shows that not everyone is automatically cut out to be a parent and the damage which this causes to the children. It also highlighted the dynamics of extended families and the impact which they have on the ensuing relationships. Lettie learns many lessons during her summer, not all of which she finds easy, but at the culmination of the novel, she eventually realises that everything she wants has been waiting for her all along.
I really enjoyed this book. It dealt with so many themes; love, loss, family, and standing up to confront life’s challenges. The characters were well structured and the story line was beautifully plotted. I really had so much empathy for Lettie as a character. Wonderful.
September 10, 2016
Actual Rating : 4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way has affected my review or my rating.
Thank you Kirsten, for giving me a copy to review :D
In this coming of age novel, Lettie and Bert squeak by in a tiny town on Cape Cod, one parent an alcoholic and the other absent. After a string of bad decisions on Lettie’s part, their father ships them to their barely remembered mother for the summer, where they will learn hard lessons about themselves, their family, and their future by way of the Florida swamp. Throughout Lettie keeps her biting humor flowing, her razor-sharp pen at the ready, and her eye on her quest for a “normal” life.
While I was reading this novel, I was brought back to the memories when I was little and my parents were getting divorced. Feldman is able to perfectly capture the mind of a child that has a split family with two parents that are the complete opposite of each other. Lettie/Annie is the main character in this book and has grown up sooner that a thirteen year old should have, in order to take responsibility of her brother, 'Bert'. Throughout this novel there is Lettie/Annie grows as a character as she discovers what her mum is like and the reason why her parents split up.
Feldman is able to take you on an emotional journey that is vivid and realistic and draws the reader into the story, and makes them become a part of it. No Alligators in Sight creates a realistic scenario that a majority of readers can relate to in various ways, whether being having divorced parents or even just growing up as a kid. I believe that this author should get more recognition for her work because this book is unique and interesting and so is her writing style. I will look forward to future novels that Feldman creates and I will be more than happy to be one of the first to read it.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes coming of age novels, or just wants a light easy read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way has affected my review or my rating.
Thank you Kirsten, for giving me a copy to review :D
In this coming of age novel, Lettie and Bert squeak by in a tiny town on Cape Cod, one parent an alcoholic and the other absent. After a string of bad decisions on Lettie’s part, their father ships them to their barely remembered mother for the summer, where they will learn hard lessons about themselves, their family, and their future by way of the Florida swamp. Throughout Lettie keeps her biting humor flowing, her razor-sharp pen at the ready, and her eye on her quest for a “normal” life.
While I was reading this novel, I was brought back to the memories when I was little and my parents were getting divorced. Feldman is able to perfectly capture the mind of a child that has a split family with two parents that are the complete opposite of each other. Lettie/Annie is the main character in this book and has grown up sooner that a thirteen year old should have, in order to take responsibility of her brother, 'Bert'. Throughout this novel there is Lettie/Annie grows as a character as she discovers what her mum is like and the reason why her parents split up.
Feldman is able to take you on an emotional journey that is vivid and realistic and draws the reader into the story, and makes them become a part of it. No Alligators in Sight creates a realistic scenario that a majority of readers can relate to in various ways, whether being having divorced parents or even just growing up as a kid. I believe that this author should get more recognition for her work because this book is unique and interesting and so is her writing style. I will look forward to future novels that Feldman creates and I will be more than happy to be one of the first to read it.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes coming of age novels, or just wants a light easy read.
December 1, 2014
Read more of my reviews at My Full Bookshelf Reviews
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
No Alligators In Sight is described a coming of age novel. I haven't read many of those, but if they are all as good as this maybe I should read a few more. Because this was the kind of realistic fiction that I love to read; no pointless fluff in it at all. (Okay, sometimes fluff can be nice, but I tend to not love it.) It could sometimes be a bit depressing, because Lettie's life is not the best for most of the book, but it felt more real to life that way.
Lettie was quite the character. A few times I was borderline annoyed with her, because she was very...moody. But I had to remind myself that with a mom and stepdad like the ones she had--and her dad wasn't all that great either, though he got better near the end--I probably would be quite moody myself. So, I thought the author portrayed her in a realistic way. She could be funny, in a more cynical way, and I liked the relationship she had with her little brother.
I absolutely hated Lettie's mom and stepdad. I wasn't fond of her father either, though I liked that he tried to change later on in the book. I couldn't believe how awful they were. They were characters that I just hated with a passion. They were suppposed to be characters I didn't like, so props to the author for that.
I couldn't help but feel horrible for Lettie and Bert as they went through one bad experience after another in Florida. I wanted so badly for things to get better for them. I was glad that once Lettie left, things started to get better. I was so happy there was a happier ending for her.
This book really was a realistic look at an important summer in one girl's life. It was a pleasure to read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
No Alligators In Sight is described a coming of age novel. I haven't read many of those, but if they are all as good as this maybe I should read a few more. Because this was the kind of realistic fiction that I love to read; no pointless fluff in it at all. (Okay, sometimes fluff can be nice, but I tend to not love it.) It could sometimes be a bit depressing, because Lettie's life is not the best for most of the book, but it felt more real to life that way.
Lettie was quite the character. A few times I was borderline annoyed with her, because she was very...moody. But I had to remind myself that with a mom and stepdad like the ones she had--and her dad wasn't all that great either, though he got better near the end--I probably would be quite moody myself. So, I thought the author portrayed her in a realistic way. She could be funny, in a more cynical way, and I liked the relationship she had with her little brother.
I absolutely hated Lettie's mom and stepdad. I wasn't fond of her father either, though I liked that he tried to change later on in the book. I couldn't believe how awful they were. They were characters that I just hated with a passion. They were suppposed to be characters I didn't like, so props to the author for that.
I couldn't help but feel horrible for Lettie and Bert as they went through one bad experience after another in Florida. I wanted so badly for things to get better for them. I was glad that once Lettie left, things started to get better. I was so happy there was a happier ending for her.
This book really was a realistic look at an important summer in one girl's life. It was a pleasure to read.
June 3, 2014
No Alligators in Sight is the coming of age novel of a girl in the middle of an unconventional family growing up way before her time.
Leticia, Lettie or Annie, depending on who you ask, has had to grow up way before she should. At the age of thirteen she is raising her kid brother while her dad drinks his troubles away and her mom is nowhere to found.
After the abandonment of their mother at such a young age Bert, Lettie's brother, and Lettie herself have learned to rely on only each other.
When Lettie gets in trouble and is sent to live with her mother for a summer she grows more and learns that while the family of three she has come to know: her dad Joel, Bert, and herself may not be like other families, they are still a family for better or for worse and that's all that matters.
No Alligators In Sight is a tale of self-discovery, growing up, and family.
The characters were wonderfully written and developed to the point where they came to life. Lettie (or Annie) has had a hard life and was put in the difficult spot of having to grow up fast and raise her kid brother after their mother took off with another man. While bitter about her mom leaving, both Bert and Lettie sometimes wish she would give some sign that she still cares about them. Joel, their dad, seems to care about them in his own way, but he's too far down into a bottle to really open his eyes and sees what is going on around him.
The writing flowed easily and is very well-written from setting to plot to characters.
No Alligators in Sight gets a Bottles & Books Reviews' recommendation. I hope we get to see more from Kirsten soon!
Leticia, Lettie or Annie, depending on who you ask, has had to grow up way before she should. At the age of thirteen she is raising her kid brother while her dad drinks his troubles away and her mom is nowhere to found.
After the abandonment of their mother at such a young age Bert, Lettie's brother, and Lettie herself have learned to rely on only each other.
When Lettie gets in trouble and is sent to live with her mother for a summer she grows more and learns that while the family of three she has come to know: her dad Joel, Bert, and herself may not be like other families, they are still a family for better or for worse and that's all that matters.
No Alligators In Sight is a tale of self-discovery, growing up, and family.
The characters were wonderfully written and developed to the point where they came to life. Lettie (or Annie) has had a hard life and was put in the difficult spot of having to grow up fast and raise her kid brother after their mother took off with another man. While bitter about her mom leaving, both Bert and Lettie sometimes wish she would give some sign that she still cares about them. Joel, their dad, seems to care about them in his own way, but he's too far down into a bottle to really open his eyes and sees what is going on around him.
The writing flowed easily and is very well-written from setting to plot to characters.
No Alligators in Sight gets a Bottles & Books Reviews' recommendation. I hope we get to see more from Kirsten soon!
September 8, 2014
I received this book to give an honest review.
This is on of the those books that you just want to smack around a few of the characters. My heart went out to Lettie and Bert so much being as they were children pretty much raising themselves. I thought the idea of Lettie or (Annie) as she is goes back and forth between names keeping a journal was awesome. You can really feel the emotion that she is thinking or feeling while writing. Lettie doesn't remember much of her mother but she knows that she abandoned them when Bert was three. Why? That is the question Lettie wants to know so badly. But when Lettie who is a hot mess finds herself in trouble, her and her brother get sent to Florida to be with their mother. But what will it all bring to the surface since she hasn't been there? We see the toll that it takes on Lettie and it is heartbreaking. There is a character that ended up being redeemed to me and I have to say that was a blessing.
This is a great coming of age story being told in the eyes of a thirteen year old. There is a lot of emotion written and it does capture you. Lettie is a character you would remember she is sarcastic, has humor but very caring towards her brother. She is having to learn that SHE is the one that makes her life the way it should be. It is her decisions in life that make it a good one or a bad one, not her childhood.
Now there is no action or anything in the book this is a mellow paced book. I would not say slow or fast paced. The ending isn't a HEA but it is one that you could think it might be.
This is one book I would recommend. I like the author's way of telling a story and keeping me wanting to read more.
This is on of the those books that you just want to smack around a few of the characters. My heart went out to Lettie and Bert so much being as they were children pretty much raising themselves. I thought the idea of Lettie or (Annie) as she is goes back and forth between names keeping a journal was awesome. You can really feel the emotion that she is thinking or feeling while writing. Lettie doesn't remember much of her mother but she knows that she abandoned them when Bert was three. Why? That is the question Lettie wants to know so badly. But when Lettie who is a hot mess finds herself in trouble, her and her brother get sent to Florida to be with their mother. But what will it all bring to the surface since she hasn't been there? We see the toll that it takes on Lettie and it is heartbreaking. There is a character that ended up being redeemed to me and I have to say that was a blessing.
This is a great coming of age story being told in the eyes of a thirteen year old. There is a lot of emotion written and it does capture you. Lettie is a character you would remember she is sarcastic, has humor but very caring towards her brother. She is having to learn that SHE is the one that makes her life the way it should be. It is her decisions in life that make it a good one or a bad one, not her childhood.
Now there is no action or anything in the book this is a mellow paced book. I would not say slow or fast paced. The ending isn't a HEA but it is one that you could think it might be.
This is one book I would recommend. I like the author's way of telling a story and keeping me wanting to read more.
February 28, 2014
Lettie was a 13-year-old, who was forced to grow up taking care of her younger brother Bert. they lived with their father after their mother left them when they were young. Joel was an alcoholic. one day, after being caught for switching the price for a CD she really wanted, Lettie and Bert was sent off to their mother for the summer. meeting Getrude after all these years was odd, especially when she had Orlando, a new stepfather in tow. her mother had wanted to take Bert with her when she left years ago, but when the siblings was determined to stay together, they were both left behind with their father.
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. Lettie was an extraordinary character, looking after herself and Bert, making sure that they fed themselves, did everything around the house. she wanted to be a normal 13-year-old more than anything else in the world, but shouldering so much responsibilities made it impossible. her humor and sarcasm were lovable, making her tough and relatable. the book was from time to time rather lengthy, especially for the part where she wrote into her blue book, but it was helpful in the sense that it cleared some stuff up for us readers, since it revealed Lettie's mind. the plot was random, often throwing situations into Lettie' path, the fun was seeing how she handled it. the book became more and more delicious as it neared its end, making the wait absolutely rewarding.
my review: here
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. Lettie was an extraordinary character, looking after herself and Bert, making sure that they fed themselves, did everything around the house. she wanted to be a normal 13-year-old more than anything else in the world, but shouldering so much responsibilities made it impossible. her humor and sarcasm were lovable, making her tough and relatable. the book was from time to time rather lengthy, especially for the part where she wrote into her blue book, but it was helpful in the sense that it cleared some stuff up for us readers, since it revealed Lettie's mind. the plot was random, often throwing situations into Lettie' path, the fun was seeing how she handled it. the book became more and more delicious as it neared its end, making the wait absolutely rewarding.
my review: here
January 24, 2015
Some horrible people...but great writing.
I really felt sorry for the main character in this book. Leticia is a thirteen year old girl who is basically raising herself and her younger brother. Her mother left them, and her father, an alcoholic with a mean streak, barely tolerates them. Leticia needs guidance, some new clothes, and some healthy meals. With little warning, Leticia and her brother are shipped off to visit their mother and her boyfriend. Those two despicable characters make the father look like a great parent, which I didn’t think was possible until it happened. I kept hoping for a really good explanation, a massive miscommunication, anything that would make Leticia’s mother’s cruel indifference okay. On the flip side, Leticia might not be the most lovable teen (although of course a parent’s love should be unconditional). Her smart mouth and some other issues get her into trouble.
I found most of this book very upsetting: the negligent treatment of the children, the dirty homes, the selfish behavior, the teenage confusion, and the cruelty. Yet is it believable. Most young adult readers will gain a new appreciation of their own family, whatever it looks like, I hope.
Feldman’s writing is top quality and often witty. I appreciated sentence after sentence. I highly recommend her second book, which I read first, On the Way to Everywhere. Both books are self-published but they are as polished and well-written, or better, as any the big publishers put forth.
I really felt sorry for the main character in this book. Leticia is a thirteen year old girl who is basically raising herself and her younger brother. Her mother left them, and her father, an alcoholic with a mean streak, barely tolerates them. Leticia needs guidance, some new clothes, and some healthy meals. With little warning, Leticia and her brother are shipped off to visit their mother and her boyfriend. Those two despicable characters make the father look like a great parent, which I didn’t think was possible until it happened. I kept hoping for a really good explanation, a massive miscommunication, anything that would make Leticia’s mother’s cruel indifference okay. On the flip side, Leticia might not be the most lovable teen (although of course a parent’s love should be unconditional). Her smart mouth and some other issues get her into trouble.
I found most of this book very upsetting: the negligent treatment of the children, the dirty homes, the selfish behavior, the teenage confusion, and the cruelty. Yet is it believable. Most young adult readers will gain a new appreciation of their own family, whatever it looks like, I hope.
Feldman’s writing is top quality and often witty. I appreciated sentence after sentence. I highly recommend her second book, which I read first, On the Way to Everywhere. Both books are self-published but they are as polished and well-written, or better, as any the big publishers put forth.
February 5, 2014
13 year-old Lettie (who wants to be called Annie) and her little brother Bert live in a tiny house in a tiny Massachusetts town with their alcoholic father. Annie calls her father either Joel or Him because he hasn’t truly been a father to them in about six years – ever since her mother left. She goes to school, takes care of Bert, does the shopping, and everything else around the house. Annie’s got a sharp wit and a sharp tongue and longs to be normal more than anything else in the world. Bert’s more carefree and goes with the flow. When Annie’s bad decisions finally catch up to her, she and Bert are sent off to stay with their mother and her man in Florida. During this trip, Annie learns a lot about herself and her family, not all of which is easy to swallow…
NO ALLIGATORS IN SIGHT is a engaging coming of age story, told from Annie's point of view. Annie is thirteen going on thirty, shouldering too much responsibility for her age, and has become jaded. From her thoughts and her words, you wouldn’t think she was only thirteen. The characters burst to life, detailed and well-rounded, and they’re just like anyone you could meet. I loved Annie’s dark humor and sarcasm as a defense mechanism – she reminded me a lot of myself at that age. The story flowed beautifully, even with the gritty subject matter, and will bring a tear to your eye. NO ALLIGATORS IN SIGHT is a story which will touch your very soul from start to finish.
NO ALLIGATORS IN SIGHT is a engaging coming of age story, told from Annie's point of view. Annie is thirteen going on thirty, shouldering too much responsibility for her age, and has become jaded. From her thoughts and her words, you wouldn’t think she was only thirteen. The characters burst to life, detailed and well-rounded, and they’re just like anyone you could meet. I loved Annie’s dark humor and sarcasm as a defense mechanism – she reminded me a lot of myself at that age. The story flowed beautifully, even with the gritty subject matter, and will bring a tear to your eye. NO ALLIGATORS IN SIGHT is a story which will touch your very soul from start to finish.
April 22, 2014
Review also posted on my blog The Avid Book Collector
Once in a while, a book comes along that will bring out so many emotions it’s like a really crazy roller coaster ride at an amusement park. That book for me is No Alligators in Sight. The only way I can describe this book is TOTALLY FREAKING AMAZING! It is a wonderful coming of age story that everyone should read. It really does bring to light that the grass is not always greener on the other side….I know, lame, but it’s true. I really liked Lettie. For all her issues, she really was intelligent, witty and somewhat wise for her age. Having to travel with her through this journey was at times heartbreaking, but in the end, she finally came to terms with her life and was determined not to define her life based on someone else’s “normal”. Kirsten Feldman has crafted a wonderfully written masterpiece that had me hooked from the beginning and held my attention to the very end. With her vivid descriptions and well-developed characters, I felt like I was right there in the story, traveling through life with Lettie. I believe this was Ms. Feldman’s first novel and all I have to say is she NAILED IT! I can’t wait to read more from this amazing and talented author!
*I received a copy of this book as a prize giveaway and in exchange I am providing an honest review.
Once in a while, a book comes along that will bring out so many emotions it’s like a really crazy roller coaster ride at an amusement park. That book for me is No Alligators in Sight. The only way I can describe this book is TOTALLY FREAKING AMAZING! It is a wonderful coming of age story that everyone should read. It really does bring to light that the grass is not always greener on the other side….I know, lame, but it’s true. I really liked Lettie. For all her issues, she really was intelligent, witty and somewhat wise for her age. Having to travel with her through this journey was at times heartbreaking, but in the end, she finally came to terms with her life and was determined not to define her life based on someone else’s “normal”. Kirsten Feldman has crafted a wonderfully written masterpiece that had me hooked from the beginning and held my attention to the very end. With her vivid descriptions and well-developed characters, I felt like I was right there in the story, traveling through life with Lettie. I believe this was Ms. Feldman’s first novel and all I have to say is she NAILED IT! I can’t wait to read more from this amazing and talented author!
*I received a copy of this book as a prize giveaway and in exchange I am providing an honest review.
July 30, 2014
hmmmm...so this book was just ok. It wasn't great, wasn't terrible. Just sorta.....there. At first, I just found it kind of bland but as I got into it and became more emotionally invested in the characters, it got better. I think it just really isn't my kind of book, although I could see my middle schoolers really loving it.
It's told in first-person and tbh, I found the narrator a bit whiny at times. Though to be fair, her life is no picnic. The biggest thing that bugged me about it was how her dad totally changes toward the end with no real catalyst for that change....or at least one that imho, is not explored or explained nearly enough. Is it because of the new girlfriend? Is it because he missed his kids while they were with their mom? What brings about a such a drastic change that enables him to basically beat back a serious addiction? Seemed a bit far-fetched to me. Also toward the end, the mom character makes me think that no one could be stupid enough or selfish enough to say such nonsense as she says to the protagonist....then, I rethought it and realized that I've KNOWN people like that, which just left me smh.
Overall...not a bad book, not a great book. If you grew up in a less than perfect family, you will probably find something that looks familiar or is relatable here.
Full disclosure: I won this as a goodreads giveaway book :)
It's told in first-person and tbh, I found the narrator a bit whiny at times. Though to be fair, her life is no picnic. The biggest thing that bugged me about it was how her dad totally changes toward the end with no real catalyst for that change....or at least one that imho, is not explored or explained nearly enough. Is it because of the new girlfriend? Is it because he missed his kids while they were with their mom? What brings about a such a drastic change that enables him to basically beat back a serious addiction? Seemed a bit far-fetched to me. Also toward the end, the mom character makes me think that no one could be stupid enough or selfish enough to say such nonsense as she says to the protagonist....then, I rethought it and realized that I've KNOWN people like that, which just left me smh.
Overall...not a bad book, not a great book. If you grew up in a less than perfect family, you will probably find something that looks familiar or is relatable here.
Full disclosure: I won this as a goodreads giveaway book :)
March 29, 2014
I am always unsure of self published books. No Alligators in Sight is a book I am very happy that I accept the request to review. This is a story of a teenager, thirteen years old, coming into herself and figuring out how to live life with the hand that was dealt to her. It is told from a teenagers point of view, which I loved since I am a mom to two teenage girls. It was true to how teenagers deal with life and how they react to the adults around them. Unfortunately Leticia, aka Annie, did not have a great home life. Her parents were separated, her dad was an alcoholic, and her mom was the most self centered person I have ever met. It was amazing to watch how Annie went from a bitter and sad little girl, who had adult responsibilities, to a teenager who was able to understand and accept that this was her life and it was up to her to make it whatever she wanted it to be.
Kirsten Feldman did an amazing job developing the characters and keeping the teenagers acting teenage like, from sneaking out to rolling the eyes and being sarcastic. She also described the different locations so well that I could smell the water and feel the breeze blowing in.
I recommend this book for teenagers, especially teenage girls, but I enjoyed it being a mother of teenagers.
July 29, 2015
I am almost always hesitant to agree to read a book that’s independently published. I believe most book reviewers are. Sometimes, you’ll find a true gem. Other times, more often than not, you find mediocre writing and a story that wasn’t worth your time. Luckily, No Alligators in Sight was one of those gems.
There’s two things I really enjoyed about the book. First, the characters are wonderfully developed. They come to life and feel like real people you could meet anywhere. While there was a few times that I had trouble remembering Lettie/Annie was only thirteen (I believe), it’s easily understandable. She’s had a difficult life since her mother left. Looking out for not only herself, but her brother, certainly will age a child well beyond their years. Secondly, the story itself is just well-written. It flowed easily and I was hooked from the very beginning.
I may have to remind myself that it’s okay to take a chance on an independently published book. I’m so glad that I did for this one. It was worth the read and I do recommend it.
* This book was received from the author in exchanged for an honest review. *
There’s two things I really enjoyed about the book. First, the characters are wonderfully developed. They come to life and feel like real people you could meet anywhere. While there was a few times that I had trouble remembering Lettie/Annie was only thirteen (I believe), it’s easily understandable. She’s had a difficult life since her mother left. Looking out for not only herself, but her brother, certainly will age a child well beyond their years. Secondly, the story itself is just well-written. It flowed easily and I was hooked from the very beginning.
I may have to remind myself that it’s okay to take a chance on an independently published book. I’m so glad that I did for this one. It was worth the read and I do recommend it.
* This book was received from the author in exchanged for an honest review. *
May 20, 2014
Growing Pains:
In this story about growing, learning, and letting go, I laughed and even cried at times. While this was not a typical storyline for me I couldn't stop reading. I was fascinated by the in depth life the author has created for her characters.
Annie/Leticia wants nothing more than to have a normal life. The fates have not been kind in that respect. She barely has any memories of the mother who abandoned her. Her father is an alcoholic who can't be depended upon. From a young age she has been responsible for herself as well as for her younger brother, Bert. How will she deal with all of the confusing and frustrating changes that comes along with growing up?
I came to care very much for Annie/Leticia and her "family". I was proud of the many ways she grew as a person and the lessons I learned with her along the way.
Thank you for letting me be part of Lettie's life. I loved her and Ralph-yep, that's me hopeless romantic.
In this story about growing, learning, and letting go, I laughed and even cried at times. While this was not a typical storyline for me I couldn't stop reading. I was fascinated by the in depth life the author has created for her characters.
Annie/Leticia wants nothing more than to have a normal life. The fates have not been kind in that respect. She barely has any memories of the mother who abandoned her. Her father is an alcoholic who can't be depended upon. From a young age she has been responsible for herself as well as for her younger brother, Bert. How will she deal with all of the confusing and frustrating changes that comes along with growing up?
I came to care very much for Annie/Leticia and her "family". I was proud of the many ways she grew as a person and the lessons I learned with her along the way.
Thank you for letting me be part of Lettie's life. I loved her and Ralph-yep, that's me hopeless romantic.
June 2, 2014
No Alligators in Sight begins with a daughter finding her mother’s old journal, with the mother thinking about how difficult times sometimes lead to the most beautiful. The story Kirsten B. Feldman tells is that of the mother, the plot unfolding through journal entries and the events that take place the summer she’s thirteen.
Annie (the name she chooses after her confirmation) has a spirit formed of sarcasm and intelligence — and a fierce sense of love and loyalty she doesn’t even quite understand herself until it’s tested. I loved watching her learn about her family, about herself, and about the changes people can make when they have the right motivation. As the summer winds to a close, Annie begins to see that shedding her name and her life for something “normal” might mean sacrificing a crucial part of herself.
Read the rest of my review at AngelaAmman.com
Annie (the name she chooses after her confirmation) has a spirit formed of sarcasm and intelligence — and a fierce sense of love and loyalty she doesn’t even quite understand herself until it’s tested. I loved watching her learn about her family, about herself, and about the changes people can make when they have the right motivation. As the summer winds to a close, Annie begins to see that shedding her name and her life for something “normal” might mean sacrificing a crucial part of herself.
Read the rest of my review at AngelaAmman.com
June 23, 2014
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Lettie and Bert were two children who were definitely captivating and I just couldn't believe the lives that they were living. The situations that these young children were put into was just beyond understanding. The one character that I just couldn't get enough of was their father - he wasn't redeeming at the beginning, but by the end I definitely adored him.
One of the things that I would have loved was a little more growth in the character of Lettie. Near the end she turned a little corner, but I just wanted more from her a little earlier in the book. The other character that I wanted so much more from was Lettie's mom, Gertrude, she just fell flat for me and I didn't love reading a mom who acted the way she does and I just wanted her to improve a little.
Lettie and Bert were two children who were definitely captivating and I just couldn't believe the lives that they were living. The situations that these young children were put into was just beyond understanding. The one character that I just couldn't get enough of was their father - he wasn't redeeming at the beginning, but by the end I definitely adored him.
One of the things that I would have loved was a little more growth in the character of Lettie. Near the end she turned a little corner, but I just wanted more from her a little earlier in the book. The other character that I wanted so much more from was Lettie's mom, Gertrude, she just fell flat for me and I didn't love reading a mom who acted the way she does and I just wanted her to improve a little.
September 9, 2016
The Good. As difficult as the narrative was, it was a relief that someone like the step-father Orlando hadn’t written a story about his childhood. If I have to read a tale about child neglect, after coming by so many variations of them, I’d much rather read a subtle tale like No Alligator in Sight.
The Mmeh Okay. Written in first person the story reads more memoirish than novelish.
And still, the Best Part was the brassy sarcasm written in an obstinate, but light on the heart 13-year old voice. One of the arcs of an otherwise difficult tale I also liked, was the bond Let, or Annie, shared with her brother, and the numerous supportive characters that helped make life for her and her brother a little more bearable.
The Mmeh Okay. Written in first person the story reads more memoirish than novelish.
And still, the Best Part was the brassy sarcasm written in an obstinate, but light on the heart 13-year old voice. One of the arcs of an otherwise difficult tale I also liked, was the bond Let, or Annie, shared with her brother, and the numerous supportive characters that helped make life for her and her brother a little more bearable.
November 18, 2013
Lettie, the protagonist of this book, knows far more than a thirteen-year-old should. She has learned from the school of hard knocks as she tries to fill in for the absence of Gertrude, her run-away mother and Joel, her alcoholic father, to take care of herself and Bert, her six-year-old brother.
Kirsten Feldman does a fine job of building these characters and others who weave into the tale. Her descriptions of their locations in Provincetown on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Florida, evoke their atmosphere. Though No Alligators in Sight may have the most impact for teens and young adults, as a grandmother of teenagers, I found it very revealing.
Kirsten Feldman does a fine job of building these characters and others who weave into the tale. Her descriptions of their locations in Provincetown on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Florida, evoke their atmosphere. Though No Alligators in Sight may have the most impact for teens and young adults, as a grandmother of teenagers, I found it very revealing.
February 28, 2014
**Given a copy in exchange for an honest review**
No Alligators in Sight, I love this book.
The story and the flow are great.
It's easy to understand and to relate with.
From the start up to the last, it kept me wanting more!
The characters, Lettie and Bert are good.
I love the siblings' relationship and they are easy to relate with.
What I love the most of Lettie's character is that her being a good sister to Bert.
I love the way she cared for him and all.
The story, it's good and fresh (for me).
I love the concept, it's great and it's easy to relate with.
The way the story ended, it's good..
I really loved it!!
Ms. Kristen did really great! Loved this!
No Alligators in Sight, I love this book.
The story and the flow are great.
It's easy to understand and to relate with.
From the start up to the last, it kept me wanting more!
The characters, Lettie and Bert are good.
I love the siblings' relationship and they are easy to relate with.
What I love the most of Lettie's character is that her being a good sister to Bert.
I love the way she cared for him and all.
The story, it's good and fresh (for me).
I love the concept, it's great and it's easy to relate with.
The way the story ended, it's good..
I really loved it!!
Ms. Kristen did really great! Loved this!
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