Author:       Mary Carter

Publisher:    Kensignton Books

ISBN:          978-1-7582-2919-9

Website:      www.marycarterbooks.com

Type:         Fiction:General

Pages:        336 Trade Paperback

Release:      July 1, 2009

Purchase:   $10.20 @ Amazon.com (HERE)

The Story

“Twenty-five-year-old Andes Lane has spent nine years moving restlessly from place to place as she searches for somewhere that feels right.  In the little blue houseboat bobbing on a Seattle lake, she thinks she’s found it.  But Andes has barely had a chance to settle in before her new life is upended by her landlord, Jay, and his ten-year-old son, Chase.”

Smart, secretive, and precocious, Chase touches a chord with Andes even as he plays on her last nerve.  When Jay needs someone to take care of Chase temporarily, Andes agrees to accompany the boy to Sunnyside Queens, on a quest she’s sure will prove fruitless.  But in this new, strange, and unexpectedly welcoming city, Andes will confront the secrets she tried to leave behind and the lies that have kept her running.  And against all odds, she’ll discover a place, a man, and a new-found peace of mind that feel very much like home…”

(Above excerpt is from the cover of Sunnyside Blues)

The Review

This story’s heroine is running from her past and she’s hiding from herself.  There appears to be no defined line between reality and her reality.  She has changed her name and created a past that never existed.  She suffers from nightmares and psychological disorders as a result of what her jacked-up parents did to her.  And, as if she hasn’t had enough, her 4th of July turns into a near-death-by-fire experience and she has a kid dumped on her.  How much more can this woman take?  Well, she is resilient, although in great denial, and she faces what is in front of her.  Despite all of the dysfunction in her life, she seems to have this strong moral compass and it shows in how she treats the people in her life.  

The “kid” is more than a nightmare!  Yet, our heroine tackles him head-on and refuses to leave him in any type of harmful situation.  Perhaps it is because this child is also broken and hiding from the truths in his life.  In many ways, these two spirits were destined to tangle as a life-long friendship would surely ensue.

The reader follows the heroine, Emily (aka ”Andes”), and the “kid”, Hector (aka “Chase”) from a sailboat home in Seattle to Sunnyside, Queens, New York.  They are there to avoid the trouble at home and ascertain whether or not Chase’s birth father is really a hunky fireman named Dave (aka “Blazing Dave”).  All the while, Andes and Chase are avoiding problems back at their homes… her past in West Virginia and his past in Seattle.  There is an arsonist on the loose in Seattle and the suspicions lay on this child, Chase.  Meanwhile, a reporter can’t seem to forget about a “snake girl” who once lived in West Virginia who was claimed dead.  This reporter’s efforts were stirring up Andes’ well-buried past.

So, as you can see… there is a lot going on in this book.  The beginning of this book was a bit confusing for me because there is that jumping from present-to-past thing going on.  In addition, you’ve got sprinkled throughout the book the wicked thoughts of the arsonist and of Andes’ father.  Throw in some of Andes’ memories and there are a few strands to keep straight so that you fully understand the book.  Although the beginning was a tad confusing for me, I rather enjoyed “the meat” of the book until the end.  Carter does tie up those loose strands at the end of the book as she does bring about the answers to the mysteries.  However, I’m a bit disappointed with the ending.  I don’t want to be a “spoiler,” so I won’t share what I would have preferred… but, just know that you may form opinions about this ending.

Win A Copy!

You can win a copy of this book by simply entering a comment below.   For additional entries, let me know if you are a subscriber, if A Novel Menagerie is on your blogroll, if you’ve tweet’d about it on Twitter or if you’ve blogged about it.  Entries will be accepted through June 12, 2009! 

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

Overall, I enjoyed the book and it’s definitely nothing like anything else that I’ve read all year.  It’s a good, overall fiction novel that is easily read by either a man or a woman.  It gives you that “what would you do?” mentality when you read it.  I think this would make a great made-for-tv movie, as well.  For the genre Fiction:General, I am going to rate this book an 8 OUT OF 10. 

My thanks to Mary for the thought provoking read!

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