Sticks & Stones

by Dianne Beck

When fifteen-year-old Emily Greene wakes up to police banging on her door, she is shocked to see her mother arrested on drug charges.

Uprooted and in disbelief, Emily moves to a new town to stay with her grandmother, known as Crazy Carol for her outspoken faith and quirky behaviors. As if the arrest isn’t enough, kids at her new school immediately begin to stereotype and judge her based on the news they’ve heard about her mom.

Emily is sure her mother's fiancé is to blame for the crime. He has conveniently disappeared since the day of the arrest. She’s determined to find him, and prove he’s at fault. But something awful happens, shaking her world yet again.

After this string of tragedies, Emily starts to question God, but is gently and consistently reminded by her grandmother, through stories she tells of all the sticks, leaves, and stones she collects, that God is her good and faithful parent.

Emily must learn that the words others say about her don’t matter, that her mom’s mistakes don’t define her, and she is always deeply loved by her heavenly father. If only she can learn to forgive herself.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Published March 18, 2020

About the author

Dianne Beck has spent most of her career teaching students ranging from kindergarten through
adult and currently works as a high school youth director at her church. In each of these roles,
she hopes to encourage students to be their own unique selves, to have confidence in who they
are, and to follow their passions. 

Dianne’s debut young adult novel Sticks and Stones, winner of multiple awards, was inspired by
her years of teaching, where she saw how an understanding ear and relevant literature could
make a significant impact on students’ lives. She hopes young people and adults can find faith
and strength in her stories.

Her second novel, Finding True North, is set for release in January of 2023.

Visit her author website at diannebeck.com.

Reviews

[LaNona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sticks and Stones was like a perfect combination and I was very surprised when I guessed wrong about what would happen. It was honestly quite a refreshing read.


It starts off with our main character waking up to her mother's arrest, and her best friend/ long-time-crush gets sent with her to live with her grandmother that she hasn't seen or spoken to in a while. Our

Emily and Jared have to start over in a new town, deal with her crazy grandmother (who really just loves God and thanks Him for every day he gives her), and figure out how to process Emily's mother and best friend her entire life being accused of things that Emily knows she couldn't have possibly done.


Such a beautiful book, the plot flew together and I had no way to guess what would happen next!

The romance was there, like a side dish prepared to strengthen characters and have you rooting for them again. It was not instant love, and I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect!


As for the mystery part with Emily's mother and her arrest, I had a hard time with Emily's mom in the last half of the book. Mostly because the author did so well at making Emily's memories of her mom so awesome that you loved her too. I felt so disappointed right along with our protagonist for their little family.


I loved the side characters, the grandmother was so sweet and makes me miss my own grandmother very dearly.
Seeing Emily grow and pursue to be happy and not just say ''I'm fine'', was so encouraging and heartwarming to read about and definitely what I needed right now.

Maybe not a forever favorite read, but definitely a re-read in the future!
4 stars!

Full review here: http://bookswithnoel.blogspot.com/202...

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect with Sticks and Stones by Dianne Beck, but whenever I see the title Sticks and Stones - it always reminds me of the old childhood saying "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. The old saying if you were bullied to repeat it too build you up to stronger and know inside that you are courageous and can overcome anything - just like our characters in this book. The book starts off with Emily's mum being arrested and her new step-brother Jared's dad Richard is nowhere to be seen. Emily knows that Richard is the one who got her mum into trouble and she knows that things aren't what they seem or she hopes that. Emily and Jared then go off to live with her grandmother who is known as Crazy Carol. During this time, Emily will discover that she is stronger than she knows as she will have to face her mother's lies, her father who abandoned her not once but twice and then the danger of Richard. Sticks and Stones was a fast-paced YA novel that contains both friendship, a little romance and a bit of suspense.

[Sassy Southern Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Greene’s life has turned upside down when her mother Tiffany was arrested, and her fiancé Richard Holder has gone missing. Now Emily and her best friend, Jared, who is Richard’s son are forced to move in with her grandma Carol.
Yet a new life isn’t everything Emily thought it would be and she soon discovers secrets from the past that were kept from her and she soon learns why everyone refers to her Grandma as Crazy Carol.
Will Emily be able to see the positive in everything once her Grandma shows her the benefit of God and having him support her?
This was a book I was really curious about reading as it sounded good but I was worried about how much the book would be focused on God. This book will definitely not appeal to everyone as it is somewhat centered around God and him being the one to help Emily.
I liked Emily’s character and I felt horrible for her with what she was going through after her mom was arrested. I can only imagine the shock of having everything you believed in being taken from you and having the person that meant the most to you arrested in front of you. I gave Emily’s mom credit though for being honest with Emily about everything.
I also really liked Jared and how much he stood by Emily. He was completely dedicated to her as her best friend and would do whatever he could to protect her from everything that was going on.
Emily’s Grandma Carol was very dedicated to God and she didn’t care how other people viewed her as she knew what was important to her. She tried to teach Emily that God was supporting her even when she didn’t think he was and how her actions may seem crazy to everyone but in the little things she saw God as communicating to her.
I really liked Emily’s friendship with Ginny. Ginny was a ray of light who didn’t deserve certain things that happened.
I felt horrible for Emily with what happened with Landon. I was happy how Landon’s parents treated her but I wasn’t impressed with the other things that happened or didn’t happen.
For me personally I found the book somewhat difficult to relate to with the writing not always grabbing me. I found it very heavy, especially at the end, with a focus on God being the reason that everything worked out but I know some people would really enjoy that.
By Rebecca

[Rebecca Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book I was really curious about reading as it sounded good but I was worried about how much the book would be focused on God. This book will definitely not appeal to everyone as it is somewhat centered around God and him being the one to help Emily.

I liked Emily’s character and I felt horrible for her with what she was going through after her mom was arrested. I can only imagine the shock of having everything you believed in being taken from you and having the person that meant the most to you arrested in front of you. I gave Emily’s mom credit though for being honest with Emily about everything.

I also really liked Jared and how much he stood by Emily. He was completely dedicated to her as her best friend and would do whatever he could to protect her from everything that was going on.

Emily’s Grandma Carol was very dedicated to God and she didn’t care how other people viewed her as she knew what was important to her. She tried to teach Emily that God was supporting her even when she didn’t think he was and how her actions may seem crazy to everyone but in the little things she saw God as communicating to her.

I really liked Emily’s friendship with Ginny. Ginny was a ray of light who didn’t deserve certain things that happened.

I felt horrible for Emily with what happened with Landon. I was happy how Landon’s parents treated her but I wasn’t impressed with the other things that happened or didn’t happen.

For me personally I found the book somewhat difficult to relate to with the writing not always grabbing me. I found it very heavy, especially at the end, with a focus on God being the reason that everything worked out but I know some people would really enjoy that.

[Leelynn (Sometimes Leelynn Reads) ❤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Acorn Publishing for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I definitely felt really hurt for Emily and everything that she had to go through. With all of the trials and tribulations that she went through, and how it didn’t seem like she had anybody in her corner, it really made sense that she would question her faith and whether God was really helping her.

This book really has you as a reader – if you are someone that practices some sort of religion or just has faith in general – think about the times where you’ve questioned your own faith and makes you wonder what it was that made you find that faith again. I feel like this book really did that for me as well, and I had to take a break and think about some things that I really wasn’t sure I could get through. It also makes me wonder how hard it can be for those that haven’t been able to find that faith again.

I’m also glad that Emily had a best friend to be with her during this transition, especially because he was going through the same thing. Well, sort of. Emily’s best friend just so happened to be her mother’s fiance’s son. So while Jared’s dad wasn’t arrested for drugs like Emily’s mom, his dad still disappeared without a trace when things started to hit the fan.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a summary of what the book is about. When fifteen-year-old Emily Greene wakes up to police banging on her door, she is shocked to see her mother arrested on drug charges. Uprooted and in disbelief, Emily moves to a new town to stay with her grandmother, known as Crazy Carol for her outspoken faith and quirky behaviors. As if the arrest isn’t enough, kids at her new school immediately begin to stereotype and judge her based on the news they’ve heard about her mom.

Emily is sure her mother's fiancé is to blame for the crime. He has conveniently disappeared since the day of the arrest. She’s determined to find him, and prove he’s at fault. But something awful happens, shaking her world yet again.

After this string of tragedies, Emily starts to question God, but is gently and consistently reminded by her grandmother, through stories she tells of all the sticks, leaves, and stones she collects, that God is her good and faithful parent.

Emily must learn that the words others say about her don’t matter, that her mom’s mistakes don’t define her, and she is always deeply loved by her heavenly father. If only she can learn to forgive herself.

This is a gripping story with some twists and turns in it. I honestly wasn’t sure about this book because of the title but I took a chance. I liked the story. It will grab you from the very first page. It is a real page turner. I couldn’t put it down. I think the moral of the story is no matter what happens in life God is always there. Looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Happy Reading Everyone!

[Ravenous eReader Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a Christian and Sticks and Stones was my very first Christian/YA genre read.

This was a sweet and endearing tale of a young girl and the struggles and loneliness she faced. Life definitely wasn't a bed of roses for her, but she's tough. Hey, that's no big deal because she was naturally strong and resilient, right? Wrong. It wasn't until later in the story that she realized that all her strength and resilience came from God alone.

There's a lesson to be learned from this story. Just as in the MC's life, God is always with us in real life. He's our peace and our guide. He's our mighty rescuer with unlimited resources. How? For the main character He was grandma and Jared. The comforter and life saver! God puts people in our lives to help us shoulder the load. We really can cast our cares upon him!

Be encouraged and uplifted with Sticks and Stones!

[Cranky - The Book Curmudgeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 cranky stars


This book is more of a journey of one young girl, Emily. She was raised by her mother always telling her that her father didn't want to know them. She met Richard who had a son, Jared. Emily and he became best friends and if it wasn't for the fact they may become family they could of had a relationship.


Emily loved her mother but she was taken from her and Richard went missing they were both sent to her crazy grandmother. They both tried to fight it, but this is the story Emily's journey to see things the way her grandmother saw them and realizing she wasn't that crazy. I enjoyed reading this book it's a feel good factor and makes you think about your own life.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young girl fifteen-year-old Emily Greene wakes one morning to her mother being arrested on drug charges. Emily believes her mother to be innocent. Emily believes that her step-father is the one responsible for the drugs not her mother. All of Emily’s friends are on the same page as she is with her mother being innocent.

Emily and her step-brother Jared are taken to live with her grandmother known as Crazy Carol. Grandma is a religious person who collects and talks to sticks and stones. I think the sticks and stones are her way of talking to God.

After moving in with her Grandmother Emily meets the girl next door Ginny and the two of them become fast friends. Ginny helps Emily through this bad ordeal and helps her to cope with her mother being away.

Emily believes her mother to be innocent and is so very determined to find her step-father and prove that he is responsible for framing her mother. She hopes that if she can prove that he is guilty then her mother will be released and they can go home back to their old life.

Emily wants her old life back. She wants to go to her old school and not a new one. She wants her old friends back. She wants her mother back. Can Emily accept things as they are? Will she finally see the truth? What is the truth? Is her mother innocent? Or is she guilty of all charges?

Sticks & Stones is a very heart wrenching story that will have you pulling out the Kleenex. Your heart will be broken for Emily and Jared. The story is written so well that it has you feeling everything that Emily feels and it will rip your heart out. But then your heart will be swelling so big and you will be so proud of Emily. Sticks & Stones is one of those stories that will stay with you for a long time to come.

I highly recommend Sticks & Stones to everyone even if you are not a religious person. It is a great story and the characters are all so wonderful. One click your copy today to begin this wonderful journey!

[Kaili (Owl Book World) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the very first Christian book that I've read and I actually really enjoyed it. It's a coming of age novel about a fifteen year old girl who has to deal with a mother in jail and an absentee father. Sticks and Stones really has a good outlook on things and how to over come problems. The only thing that I wish was different with the book is that things are made a little clear about the main character's friend and how exactly she was doing. And I do wish there was some resolution with her father and if she ever heard from him in the end. Otherwise the book was really good and kept my interest.

[Rebecca June · Rating 1 out of 5]

This whole thing was really discombobulated and awkward. None of these conversations felt natural at all. I highlighted so many things that were inconstant or unrealistic. I grew up in a Christian home, so many of the things the grandmother said seemed pretty solid, but she just confused me otherwise. We didn't get a whole lot of character depth or growth from anyone, it felt more like facts about them explained in great detail, not giving me any emotional connection. Nothing felt finished at all. I wonder how much better it could be with some solid content editing.

[ACME TEEN BOOKS Kids, YA & NA Too! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This delightful novel is all about one girl's brave journey through loneliness and feeling lost to friendship, love, family, and faith. There was even a dash of romance that was just about right. It is fast-paced and a story that was easy to fall in love with. It was both beautiful and inspiring and I recommend it to lovers of faith-based YA novels.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received this complimentary book upon request and have voluntarily left my review. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relationships can be very hard to maintain and keep. This book shows a lot about that. Heartbreaking and amazing, it breaks into tiny pieces to put itself back together again. I loved the main character who had to go through so much pain. She was so brave! OMG, I actually want to cry right now.
All in all, this book was fantastic. It was so relatable and breathtaking. BUY IT PEOPLE, BUY IT.

[Holly Kammier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading an ARC and I absolutely fell in love with this beautiful and inspiring story. Sticks & Stones follows one girl's courageous journey from lost to found, as she discovers the true meaning of family, friendship, love, and faith.

[Claire House · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. It was so good. This is definitely a book that I would read again and again and again. It’s short and sweet but filled with good life lessons and a tiny bit of a love story. There is not one thing about the book I would change.