Alice Bliss is fifteen. She’s been best friends with the neighbor boy Henry since they were in diapers, but their feelings seem to be changing into maybe something more. Other things at school have changed, too, like her best girlfriend joining the popular crowd and totally ignoring her, and a popular guy paying attention to her. But the biggest change is that her father has been deployed to Iraq. She’s not sure how she’s going to survive the months without him.
Alice Bliss: A Novel is the story of a family trying to keep going when Matt Bliss, the glue that holds them together, decides to join the Army reserves and is put into active duty in Iraq.
Alice knows that Gram is just as scared as she is — well, maybe not just as scared — and that cookies and toast and honey and molasses are not really going to make things right. But they’re all we’ve got. Just the everyday things: the forks and the spoons and the plates and breakfast and lunch and dinner and homework and playing Scrabble with your sister. That’s all anybody’s got when you get right down to it (Alice Bliss, page 176)
The writing is beautiful and as a reader, I become enmeshed with the Bliss family. Even though it’s a third person narrator, we know some of the thoughts and motivations, particularly of Alice and her mother Angie. Because Alice is a 15-year-old girl, things are a little rough with her mother. They’ve grown apart as girls and mothers often do at that age. Their responses to Matt’s absence heightens the distance, yet at times breaks it down as well. As the reader, I found myself seeing Angie mostly through her 15-year-old daughter’s eyes (unfavorably), which is saying a lot about the writing because as the mom of an almost-teen, I generally identify with the mother.
Once I got into the rhythm of this novel, I absolutely loved it. At first the way the story was told within a daily entry — not a journal, but a third-person account of each day — seemed a bit choppy, but as I continued to read the style fit perfectly. It underscored the passing of time, which is exactly what the Bliss family was doing — marking time until they could be together again. In spite of their constant worry about Matt, their daily lives go on — with school, work, dinner, sleep — in between quick static-filled phone calls and letters back and forth.
NOTE: This is a novel published for adults, but it’s also a a coming of age story that I think many high school girls would enjoy, and by high school most kids are reading adult novels anyway. I marked this one with the Teen and High School category labels, because I think that it would be of particular interest to high schoolers as well as adults. There are a handful of adult words, but believe me it’s nothing that your 15-year-old hasn’t heard before.
I am so pleased to be able to share a copy of Alice Bliss with one of you. Just leave a comment here if you’d like to win. We’ll announce the winner on June 1, the day before the book is published, and you’ll have the book in hand the week it comes out! This Giveaway is Closed.
We have many winners to announce!
- The winners of When Did I Get Like This? are #18 Stephanie and #1 Angel S.
- This is Just Exactly Like You – #8 Anita Yancey
- Nonfiction for Bird-Loving Kids – #6 Connie Black.
- Meg Cabot’s Abandon – #27 Lizzie
Jennifer Donovan is thankful for a husband who doesn’t have to leave for months at a time and is a great support in raising a teen daughter. She blogs about other marriage and parenting concerns at Snapshot.
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Annette W says
This sounds different, but very good. I’d love to win!
Tina says
I’d love to read this one. Please enter me.
Missy says
Lovely review! I just added this to my wish list last week, so I would love for a chance to win it!
Patty says
Would love to read! I am the wife of an Army Reservist who just came home from a deployment in Afghanistan! =)
Amy says
Would love to win! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!
Colleen Turner says
I cannot wait to read this! I have had it on my Amazon wishlist for some time and am itching to get my hands on a copy! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
Cindi says
I enjoy reading about families and how they get through life together…
Many thanks, Cindi
kristen says
Interesting that it reads as a daily entry. Looking forward to the possibility of winning this book. Thanks!
Carol Wong says
I lvoed what you said about getting into the rhythm of the novel. I never realized it before but there is always a rhytm to a great book. I would love to win and read this one.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Teresa says
I would love to read this one.
Julie says
I’d love to take this to the beach with me this summer.
Tammy Gordon says
Would love to win this!!
riTa says
Thinking of my tween granddaughter whose boyfriend is joining the army.
Danica says
Sounds like a great book. I think I might have to add it to my to read book … thanks for the opportunity to win.
connie black says
Wow, another super giveaway. Thanks for the chance.
Just Mom says
Deployment is so hard on all our military families. I would love to read this book – please enter me.
Jen B. says
Sounds interesting, would love to win this. Thanks for another great review and book added to my to-read list!
Jennifer says
Jen–
You won (finally!).
Please reply to this email notification and send me your address.
Jennifer
Sarah says
This soundsvgood! Thanks!
Linda Kish says
I would love to read this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Some Lucky Dog says
I’d enjoy reading this one and then passing it on to my niece.
someluckydog at gmail dot com
Sandra K321 says
This is a bit different than the books I usually read but I think I would like it.
seknobloch(at)gmail.com
Vilmarys says
I would love to read this. Thanks!
Christine Jensen says
I would love a copy of this book! Thanks for the chance 🙂
Jenna says
I would enjoy this novel!
Debbie Kennedy says
I am anxious to get back to reading again and would love to have this in my collection to read.
Staci A says
This sounds like a great book. I’d love to read it!
Angel S. says
Sounds like a good read. I’d love a chance to win!
tennille says
looks like a good one
Megan says
Looks like a wonderful book!
mearley1979 at gmail dot com
Karen Gonyea says
Another great one 🙂
Kim says
Looks like a great read. I would love to win. 🙂
karenk says
please count me in…thanks 🙂
Fonda says
Sounds like a good book to read this summer.
Beth C says
Such an attractive cover. Love to be entered!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Anita Yancey says
Sounds like a wonderful book, and I know I would enjoy reading it. Please enter me. Thanks!
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net