For my birthday, the family got me a book that was "local" at the time. The Seasons of the EmmaLee is an adult book but might appeal to YA audiences as well. There are several stories going on at once-the prologue tells of a grandfather and grandson out on a pier fishing when the boy comes upon a floating dead girl. However, the reader doesn't know who this person is or what era she fits into until 3/4 of the way through the novel. One story, set in the present, brings Alex and his 12 year-old daughter, Megan, to Charlevoix, Michigan for the Venetian Boat Festival. The unusual part is that Alex is riding through on his newly restored, 180 foot yacht, the EmmaLee. Waiting for him at the dock in Charlevoix are George Larsen and Sally Thomason. George was the best friend of the man who eventually owned the EmmaLee and Sally is the daughter of the owner, the only remaining person left living in her family. This story is interspersed with the boat's history and the story of how Sally's parents came to love and marry each other even though they were from very different classes of people. This novel has several love stories, a murder and much suspense throughout. I have to admit that I never thought I would like this book, but finished it in two days. The cover didn't do much for me, but the picture of this huge yacht on the front helped me visualize much of the "boat part." The scenery, well, we just got back from the area, so all of the places were fresh in my mind. This was a nice escape.
On another note, I am so happy to have become part of Simon and Schuster's egalley party. I just downloaded a copy of Laurie Halse Anderson's upcoming Forge, which is the second novel after Chains- I LOVED Chains and so did my students. I even added it to my historical fiction genre cart. More on that book when I'm done with it!
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