Sticks & Stones
Dianne Beck
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 18th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
When fifteen-year-old Emily Greene wakes up to police banging on her door, she is shocked to see her mother arrested on drug charges.
Uprooted and in disbelief, Emily moves to a new town to stay with her grandmother, known as Crazy Carol for her outspoken faith and quirky behaviors. As if the arrest isn’t enough, kids at her new school immediately begin to stereotype and judge her based on the news they’ve heard about her mom.
Emily is sure her mother’s fiancé is to blame for the crime. He has conveniently disappeared since the day of the arrest. She’s determined to find him, and prove he’s at fault. But something awful happens, shaking her world yet again.
After this string of tragedies, Emily starts to question God, but is gently and consistently reminded by her grandmother, through stories she tells of all the sticks, leaves, and stones she collects, that God is her good and faithful parent.
Emily must learn that the words others say about her don’t matter, that her mom’s mistakes don’t define her, and she is always deeply loved by her heavenly father. If only she can learn to forgive herself.
My Review:
A young girl fifteen-year-old Emily Greene wakes one morning
to her mother being arrested on drug charges. Emily believes her mother to be
innocent. Emily believes that her step-father is the one responsible for the
drugs not her mother. All of Emily’s friends are on the same page as she is with
her mother being innocent.
Emily and her step-brother Jared are taken to live with her
grandmother known as Crazy Carol. Grandma is a religious person who collects
and talks to sticks and stones. I think the sticks and stones are her way of
talking to God.
After moving in with her Grandmother Emily meets the girl
next door Ginny and the two of them become fast friends. Ginny helps Emily
through this bad ordeal and helps her to cope with her mother being away.
Emily believes her mother to be innocent and is so very determined
to find her step-father and prove that he is responsible for framing her mother.
She hopes that if she can prove that he is guilty then her mother will be released
and they can go home back to their old life.
Emily wants her old life back. She wants to go to her old
school and not a new one. She wants her old friends back. She wants her mother
back. Can Emily accept things as they are? Will she finally see the truth? What
is the truth? Is her mother innocent? Or is she guilty of all charges?
Sticks & Stones is a very heart wrenching story that
will have you pulling out the Kleenex. Your heart will be broken for Emily and
Jared. The story is written so well that it has you feeling everything that
Emily feels and it will rip your heart out. But then your heart will be
swelling so big and you will be so proud of Emily. Sticks & Stones is one of
those stories that will stay with you for a long time to come.
I highly recommend Sticks & Stones to everyone even if
you are not a religious person. It is a great story and the characters are all
so wonderful. One click your copy today to begin this wonderful journey!
Author Bio:
Dianne Beck has spent the majority of her career teaching students ranging from Kindergarten through adult. No matter what age, her biggest goal is to encourage her students to be their own unique selves, to have confidence in who they are, and to follow their passions.
Dianne’s debut young adult novel, Sticks and Stones, was inspired by her years of teaching, where she saw so many students struggle with varying issues, and also experienced how an understanding ear and relevant literature could make a significant impact on their lives. She hopes young people as well as adults can find faith and strength, like her main character Emily does, even when things seem to be falling apart.
Dianne is motivated daily by her faith in God, her husband, and her four adult children. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading, sipping coffee, browsing a bookstore, or pursuing a part-time faith and fitness ministry at www.ofcommonground.com.
1 comments:
This sounds like an emotional roller coaster! Great review, Nancy!
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