A Pretty Age

Happy Book Release Tuesday!  Just after midnight new books started showing up on my Kindle!  Some of the new releases are: To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton, One Foot in the Grove by Kelly Lane, Copy Cap Murder by Jenn McKinlay (I just love this series), The Cakes of Monte Cristo by Jacklyn Brady, A Wee Dose of Death by Fran Stewart, Foreign Eclairs by Julie Hyzy (last book in the series), Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner, Three Truths and a Lie by Lisa Gardner (wonderful novella), Sweet Pepper Hero by J.J. Cook, The View from Prince Street by Mary Ellen Taylor (great book), Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund (wonderful book) and Friends and Enemies:  A World War II Romance by Terri Wangard.  I hope you got some wonderful new books today!

I just finished reading A Pretty Age by Barbara Mueller.  Sophiny Mumm and Antoinette Dominguez attend Mount St. Mary’s Academy (also a convent) in Concord, Kansas (in 1910).  Antoinette starts acting strangely (making out speeches, distancing herself from Sophiny in public) and makes Sophiny promise to help her and protect her trunk (switches trunks with Sophiny).  Antoinette tells Sophiny that she is going to elope (sounds a little farfetched), but then Antoinette disappears one night.  The police are called in and her guardian is notified.  No one can find Antoinette.  Sophiny mother dies and her three brothers bring her home to take care of them (instead of staying in school as her mother wanted).  Sophiny goes home with Antoinette’s trunk.  Sophiny decides to look in the trunk to see if there are any clues to Antoinette’s location.  Sophiny is worried about Antoinette since she has yet to contact her.  Inside the trunk Sophiny finds journals written by Antoinette.

Antoinette’s father died under mysterious circumstances, her mother has also disappeared, and now Antoinette’s guardian (and family lawyer) has been trying to manipulate Antoinette.  Antoinette left these journals in case things do not go as planned.  Sophiny sets out to find her friend.  What happened to Antoinette?  What is her guardian up to?  Will Sophiny be able to find Antoinette?

A Pretty Age is a difficult novel to get into (I kept putting it down).  It is very convoluted (makes no sense).   A Pretty Age is written in a formal and stiff (stilted) style (and the writer is very wordy).  A Pretty Age does get better the further (if you get that far) you get into the story (as the story develops and they start looking for Antoinette).  A Pretty Age also has a strong religious overtone during the first half of the book (which really made me want to quit reading the book).  I was curious, though, to see if they would find Antoinette and what had happened to her (as well as her poor mother).  I give A Pretty Age 3 out of 5 stars.   I believe this novel needed some serious editing and rewriting.  With a little reworking, A Pretty Age could be a very good book.   I would not recommend this book for younger readers do to some of the content.

I received a complimentary copy of A Pretty Age from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my latest review. I am currently reading Model Undercover:  London by Carina Axelsson.  I am slowly catching up on my reading (for reviews). My TBR pile for pleasure is got ten books added to it today (you can never have to many books).  I am off to clean and experiment on a new cookie for my mother (with M & M chips).  Have a great afternoon!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader