Thursday, September 27, 2012

Review and Giveaway of Until My Soul Gets it Right by Karen Wojcik Berner

Today, I'm pleased to participate in the WOW! Women on Writing author blog tour, featuring Karen Wojcik Berner. Sorry for this midday post, but I thought I was supposed to post my review on Friday.

Several weeks ago I received a signed copy of Until My Soul Gets it Right: Book Two in The Bibliophiles series by Karen Wojcik Berner.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened the pages of Karen's novel, but I have to admit I was instantly engaged with the story of Catherine Elbert, a farm girl from Wisconsin who is trying to find her place in life.

Her story opens in Wisconsin in 1985. Catherine is an excellent high school student who is selected for a plum part in the class play. Much to her disappointment, her stern and unloving mother squelches her dream of becoming an actress. In fact, her mother does her best to destroy Catherine's self-image at every turn.

Two years after graduation, with a dim future ahead of her and after watching a travel show on public television, Catherine embarks on a journey that takes her from Wisconsin to an island off the coast of Maine, to San Diego, California, and back to the Midwest.

Along the way she makes several friends and makes a lot of mistakes, while she learns a lot about life and about love, but mostly about herself.

Berner's characters are lively, and the book has mild touches of humor, some soul-searching situations, and some swearing. Berner does an excellent job of setting the scene and giving the reader a good sense of place. The writing is strong and fluid, with one minor exception involving the eye color of one of the characters. On one page his eyes are green, on another brown--the "same brown eyes" as Tom Cruise's--except TC's eyes are blue. That hiccup took me out of the story for half a second, but for the rest of the book I found myself flipping the pages to find out what was going to happen to Catherine. I wondered: would she ever find love, would she make amends for her mistakes, and how was the Bibliophile Book Club going to fit in? All my questions were answered by the last page.

Until My Soul Gets it Right by Karen Wojcik Berner is a novel of self-discovery, sin, redemption, and forgiveness--and also wicked fun.

In the spirit of sharing, I am going to give away my signed review copy to one lucky person who leaves a comment between now and October 2nd. The name of the winner will be picked at random and announced on October 3rd.


16 comments:

  1. Hi Donna! I know I read about Karen's book over at WOW, and I guess I didn't win it there....'cause nobody has contacted me! SO, I would love to win it here from you!So...Please pick me, pick me!! :)

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  2. Hi Donna,
    Thanks for the info and review! I hadn't heard of this book, but it sounds interesting. Would love to be entered in the giveaway.

    So glad to hear you got Sarah's book. Hope you enjoy it!

    Have a great weekend,
    Karen

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  3. Well, I could always use ONE more book to read. Sounds like something I might like as I like Midwestern settings and characters. (Are we a great bunch?) So toss my name into the bowl and thanks for the opportunity!

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  4. Hello. Except Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury, I'm partial to female authors. I just finished Girl Gone by Gillian Flynn. BTW: it has a glitch I noticed, but still a compelling story and written well enough that I finished it in a hurry. If you pull my name from the basket, I promise to pass the book on to Becky and/or Karen after I finish it.

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  5. Donna, I love wicked fun. Count me in.

    Oh, and Charles, I just started Gone Girl (not Girl Gone-see above). Once a critiquer, always a critquer. Now I'll be looking for a glitch.

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  6. It sounds intriguing, but I am booked up for the moment. No need to enter me in the contest. I wouldn't want to accidentally win and have it languishing on top of my leaning tower while others are chomping at the bit to read it. Like Bookie said, the Midwestern settings and characters appeal to me.

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  7. I'm trying to win book one and two. :) I think this series sounds right up my alley. :) And Karen is a great supporter of other writers--I know her cyber-ly (is that a word!) Anyway, I would love to win! :)

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  8. Hi Becky,
    Good luck. It's all the luck of the draw.

    Hi Karen,
    Thanks. And good luck.

    Hi Claudia,
    I know how much you love to read, so good luck.

    Hi Clarles,
    Thanks for stopping by and good luck.

    Hi Alice,
    You name is in the hat. Good luck.

    Hi Val,
    Thanks for stopping by. You are very generous.

    Mi Margo,
    Good luck. And if cyberly isn't a word, you've just created one.
    Donna

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  9. I would love to win too - your reviews are always such that they make me want to read the book.

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    1. Hi Lynn,
      You are so sweet. Your name is in the hat.
      Good luck!
      donna

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  10. Thanks so much for all of your interest, everyone! Good luck.

    Donna, thank you for your review. I really appreciate you hosting a stop on my blog tour.

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  11. Yeah, I'm up for some good, wicked fun. And I'd like to win the book, too! ;-)

    (And congrats on the CS Christmas book reissue! Love that cover!)

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  12. Sounds like a good read, Donna...I'm going to get my hands on book one! Thanks for the information and the chance to win. :)

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  13. Hi Donna. Please put my name in the hat. This sounds like a good one. :)

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  14. Hi Karen, Cathy, Denise, Lisa, and Sally,

    Thanks all for dropping by.


    Special thanks to Karen for her generosity in giving a book to review.

    Donna

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