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Senseless Acts of Beauty
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WEEK THREE DISCUSSION
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First, my review is up on Goodreads, as well as my blog (as of in the morning) @ http://shadetreeblogging.blogspot.comSecond, as I said before, as with many of Lisa's books I have had a close kindredship with many of her characters. I have listened to their stories, I have felt their warm tears run down my neck and shoulders as their sobs shook my body with their broken hearts. I have stood and felt the warm tears fall down my face as I watched them run into the waiting arms of a family member coming to pick them up from our house or as they hung up a phone and told me that mom was sending them a plane ticket to come home.
I loved the way Lisa ended this book, it was with love and with hope. But she also ended it with some good old fashioned justice. The bad guy got his in the end. YESQ!!!!! Finally!!!! I wanted to jump up and down and shout, but was in bed already, and so just pumped my fist and smacked the wall. OUCH.
I know it would have been the fairytale ending for mom and daughter to have driven off in the big rig together... but that isn't what real life would have seen happen. If they had... it wouldn't have lasted. Neither one could have handled the relationship. This way, there is a chance for love to grow. Maybe, down the road sometime, there will be a big rig cross country summer trip with mom... But a lot of stuff needs to be talked through and worked out first. There is a lot of muck first. Lisa has been there. She knows and understand real life... Cinderella, Snow white, Disney...they just sing and dance the night away. The rest of us have to get up and go to work in the morning. Lisa has that figure out, and she still gives us hope for tomorrow, with joy for the morning. Thank you Lisa.
I thought this was a great read. The whole time I was trying my hardest to figure out why Tess wouldn't confess to Sadie that she was her birth mother and when the secret of Sadie's conception was revealed, I was blown away. Suddenly all of Tess' decisions made sense and I found myself singing her praises for all she did to protect her child. This book touched my heart, making me laugh and cry along with the characters. Lisa also did a great job bringing awareness to laws that need to be addressed concerning the parental rights of rapists. Tess was a tough cookie to start with. She was dealt a bad hand in her family life, a father who abandoned her and a mother who fell apart, choosing alcohol over taking care for her daughter. When Tess was raped, she was forced to make decisions to protect her daughter and I respect her for what she did. She made the ultimate sacrifice in giving up her daughter for adoption to guarantee she would be safe from her biological father. I can't say enough about how highly I think of Tess for that choice.
I liked the ending. It was honest and believable. While I am always in favor of a happy ending, I don't think that would have worked for this book. There was too much left unsaid between Tess and Sadie and too many open wounds for them to be best friends by the end. I loved when Sadie hugged Tess at the end, it gave me just enough hope that in the future they would be able to form a relationship with each other. Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. I can't wait to see which Pine Lake girls we get to know next. As to who it might be I have no idea.
In five years, I see Riley running a successful inn out of what's left of Camp Kwenback. Sadie, having gone to Pine Lake High was now an official Pine Lake girl, attending all the girls reunions. She had been living in the inn until she graduated high school and now that she's in college, she still visits regularly. As for Sadie and Tess, I think they have really worked at forming a relationship together. While it wasn't easy at first, I see them getting together at Riley's inn often and calling each other in between. I think as time went on Tess filled Sadie in on some of the blanks and Sadie was able to understand Tess' decision as she became older.
Karen, I agree. I'm so glad the bad guy was caught in the end. I would have been disappointed had they not been able to find him. It was also good for Tess to be able to identify him. Even though having to testify would be hard on her, I think this first step will help her start to put the past behind her. Susan, I love the idea of a reunion at Camp Kwenback. It would be great seeing all the girls reminiscing together and having a great time.
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Second, as I said before, as with many of Lisa's books I have had a close kind..."
Karen, great review! Thanks for the comments and keeping with the read even with all the events going on for you this month both planned and accidental.
I agree with your thoughts on the ending I too liked how she left an open feeling of it. If this had been a stand alone I would have wanted a more complete ending but with some of the hints I got I think we'll be seeing these characters again.
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I explained the ending in the other thread.
Riley She turns the camp into a bed an..."
Susan thanks for your thoughts here. I know you had a problem with Tess. What would you have done differently as far as both the relationship between Tess and Sadie and the ending?
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Hi April, it's always good to see you here reading along with us. Brings back good memories doesn't it. I love your thoughts here and the way you bring them to life for us. I agree with every thing you said, you've really got Tess nailed as far as I'm concerned. Thanks
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Also did anyone pick up a vibe between two of the characters that made you say hmmmm?
Honestly, I'm not sure where the series will go next or who might be the main characters, but I can't wait to find out.As for the vibe, I'm glad you mentioned this. I was meaning to saying something, but it slipped my mind. Was it just me or did anyone else pick up on a vibe between Tess and Officer Rodriguez? I can't quite put my finger on what made me wonder this, maybe their back and forth banter or how concerned he was about Tess, but I remember thinking a couple of times that they might end up together in the end.
Oh finally someone else picked up on the vibe between Office Rodriquez and Tess!!!!! Or was it just me?That definitely made me go hmmm, quiet a few times actually. But then reading on I got the sense he was much older than she was so I sort of put that thought to bed.
I think we'll be seeing more from the Characters in books to come. Itching to know about what the next book might bring.
I wondered about Rodriquez and Tess as well. The age thing had me a bit puzzled, but maybe he's younger than I had him pictured to be.
TarHeelGirl00 wrote: "I wondered about Rodriquez and Tess as well. The age thing had me a bit puzzled, but maybe he's younger than I had him pictured to be."Interested to see what Lisa has to say about our thoughts on Tess and Rodriquez, when she gets back from her trip :)
I was happy with the ending, but like my comment in the other thread. I felt a bit unfulfilled. I understood Tess in the ending, but I wouldn't say I "Liked" her a lot as a character.
Ang from OZ wrote: "TarHeelGirl00 wrote: "I wondered about Rodriquez and Tess as well. The age thing had me a bit puzzled, but maybe he's younger than I had him pictured to be."
Interested to see what Lisa has to say..."
I'm curious to find out what Lisa has to say about that too--whether it was intentional or just worked out that way.
I was happy with the ending. I think if it had turned out any other way with Tess, it would have made the story less realistic.
Interested to see what Lisa has to say..."
I'm curious to find out what Lisa has to say about that too--whether it was intentional or just worked out that way.
I was happy with the ending. I think if it had turned out any other way with Tess, it would have made the story less realistic.
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Deb I really did not mind the ending but I did not have that tear in the eye feeling I think that I have that "I dont like Tess " so I have an attiude toward anyt..."
Susan, I know exactly how you feel about Tess, although I have come to love and understand where she's coming from there have been characters that I've never warmed to and everything they did was suspect to me.
Let me tell you how I got over disliking Tess, not to change your mind at all so please don't think I'm trying to, but because instead that I really felt that way about Tess in the beginning and remember I'm reviewing this novel for a national magazine for an author that I've come to think of as a friend and I'm worried that I don't like her main character.
But after I learned the extent of her cruel upbringing, about what her mother put her through and then to have become pregnant by her assailant and still loved the child the attack produced. I'm in awe of her now. She's been rejected, abused, abandoned by everyone she should have been protected by and she's just realized that the one person she blamed for a lot of her teenaged antics has actually always been on her side.
I know she's not an easy character to love, but I think that's intended.
Anyway those are my personal feelings on Tess and I hope Lisa gives us a glimpse of Tess and Rodriguez in future novels.
I agree with you Debbie. At first, Tess bothered me. As her character started to unfold and we discovered everything she had been through, I began to understand her reasoning behind her decision. Tess is a true example of not judging a book of its cover.
Hey guys, I'm just back from Barcelona, jet-lagged and fighting a Spanish cold! We had a wonderful time but it was one of those we-only-have-six-days-let's-see-EVERYTHING kind of trip, so I'm stretched out flat. I'll answer a few questions now and then tomorrow when I feel human I'll come back and answer some more. First off -- Tess & Rodriguez! YES that was totally intentional! My editor had me tone it down a bit, and I think that was the right call for this book. I'm so glad you all picked it up! Tess is not going to have an easy time getting involved in any kind of relationship after all she's been through, especially because she tried once before and the whole situation went up in flames (literally!) But if there's anyone who can crack through Tess's defenses, it's the guy who knew-her-when. So I have great hope for the two of them.
The age thing: Rodriguez is about 10 years older than Tess. He was a rookie cop in his mid-to-late-20s when Tess was a teen. But, as a figure of authority, Tess always envisioned him as an older guy. If he shows up in later books (more on that later), we'll be seeing him through other people's points of view, so his age and appearance won't be skewed.
As for the ending: This was something that had me in knots. I wanted there to be a satisfying ending, but to tie all the loose threads into pretty bows absolutely could not work. Tess has a loooooong road in front of her, and Sadie has a lot of adapting to do as well. I had hoped that their embrace would carry enough emotional punch . . . it seems to have worked, for the most part!
Phew! More later -- must get some sleep!
Mod
xo
Lisa wrote: "Hey guys, I'm just back from Barcelona, jet-lagged and fighting a Spanish cold! We had a wonderful time but it was one of those we-only-have-six-days-let's-see-EVERYTHING kind of trip, so I'm stre..."
Thanks for explaining about the age thing. Glad you had a great time, get some rest, and I look forward to hearing more later!
Thanks for explaining about the age thing. Glad you had a great time, get some rest, and I look forward to hearing more later!
Welcome back Lisa! I have to say, I would love to see a relationship happen between Tess and Officer Rodriguez. Because of their different backgrounds it would be interesting to see how they would make it work. Can't wait to hear more from you later!
Hee hee, Lisa. Boy is that one going to be interessssting. Glad you are back safe and sound. Loved the book!!!!!!!Karen
chapters 21-End
Well we’ve finally come to the finale of this installment in Lisa’s series.
Please feel free to leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon or other review sites. Remember our opinions do matter not only to the authors but to other readers too.
You don’t have to be an expert reviewer to leave a few words about what you thought about the read.
So what did you think overall about the novel?
Some of you, like me didn’t like Tess at first.
How do you feel now?
In the whole novel discussion thread there was some discussion about the ending.
Did you like the ending?
Why or why not?
What would you change?
Did you get any hints about the future, either for these characters or perhaps series stars to come?
Let’s play my favorite what if game.
Where do you see Tess, Riley and Sadie in five years?