To enter for a chance to win a copy of this e-book, simply post a comment about whether or not you've ever had a crush on a teacher before, and who that teacher was. I had one on Mr. MacDonald (who ironically looked as good in 2008 when I last saw him as he did when I was his student. The man doesn't age!) I'll draw a winner using the Randomizer program next Sunday July 18th!
No Other by Shawna K. WilliamsAbout the e-book:
Set in post WWII Texas, Jakob's German family faces discrimination while they try to rebuild their household. His parents have returned from an internment camp, and his brother has returned as a war hero. Jakob must now step down from his patriarchal role and make his own return--to the high school he had left three years earlier in order to care for his younger siblings in his parents' and older brother's absence.
Matters become even more complicated when he steps into his classroom and discovers his old classmate, Meri Parker, sitting behind the teacher's desk. Their worlds couldn't be more different--she'd had all the advantages Jakob had not. Wealth, college, no one to care for but herself. But Jakob saw what no one else could--how trapped Meri was by her so-called advantages. With his own family restored, Jakob's natural instinct to rescue shifts its attention to Meri.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This debut novel by author Shawna Williams took my breath away. It sounds cliche, but I don't know how else to describe the emotions that moved through me as I read this book. My heart was engaged and fully invested in the outcome.
I read most of this book in one sitting. It's a perfect historical romance in that the tension kept building and it made me want them to work things out and find a way to be together. I fell in love with the characters and empathized with their situations. I also felt firmly grounded in the time period.
The author's use of dialog was masterful. I could hear the characters speaking and their inner thoughts and dialog were consistent with that era. My favorite scene was toward the end when Jakob tries to do the right thing. The emotion was intense and so realistic I nearly cried myself. That's great writing because I felt something.
I loved how true to life this story seemed and it was edgy enough to make me want to cheer Shawna on. This story felt real to me because the characters were complex and three dimensional. There were a few shifts in plot that were delightful as well. I love it when the author does something you aren't expecting. Nice job! I can't wait for the next book. This is making my "favorites" list for fiction for this year - 2010.
18 comments:
Unfortunatley I was what was called a "Juvenile Delinquent" I played hooky more than I was in school. So I never hung around enough to have a crush on a teacher. :-)
Lourdes11743[at]gmail[dot]com
I had a crush on my 10th grade Advanced English teacher for the first 8 weeks of the school year. 20-something and very charismatic personality. Then he humiliated me after a public speaking exercise in which defended my belief in Christ. He believed in Budism. The whole grading period was based on the midterm, the final and that speaking assignment which was 50%. He gave me an "F". I had made B on the midterm and had to make a perfect score on the final to pull a decent grade for the period.
Thankfully, I have never had a crush on a teacher. They were either all women or men old enough to be my father or grandfather.
This book sounds wonderful.
hbarnette@va.metrocast.net
l dont know if a 2nd grader can have a crush, but l sure did like Mr O'mara and all the critters we had in his class! oh what fun, and he was my neighbor too, boy did l feel special! Percy
I had a crush on my swimming coach. He looked like James Dean. Enough said. Don't enter me in the giveaway as I have already read No Other. Shawna is an excellent writer and I give No Other Five Stars. A very enjoyable read.
I'm home schooled so my teacher is my mom. But i thought our past-pastor was good looking for like a week. ew, freaks me out now that i think about it!
dymesich(at)juno(dot)com
I had a math teacher in high school that was quite handsome but I can't remember his name. It was the only time I liked math!
worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com
Never on a teacher, but I did have a crush on the young priest at our church when I was a kid ... but then I think every girl and-or
woman there did. He eventually quit the priesthood and married a young widow, so we weren't far off base!
reading_frenzy at yahoo dot com
I won her bracelet and e-book on another site. The bracelet is just gorgeous. Thanks
I have had a few crushes on teachers through the years. Their names escape me though.
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Oooh! I read your review of this book and I'm so excited about this one! I had a crush on my jr. high history teacher. Found out many years later that he dated a friend of mine. I felt a mixture of emotions about that...part "LUCKY GIRL!!!" and part "EEEWWW..."
katybug[at]austin[dot]rr[dot]com
Lol! The setup of this story definitely raises eyebrows, but I promise it makes sense in context of the events of the time. Thank you guys for your interest in my book. The locket on the bracelet is in theme with the story.
I had a crush on my PE teacher in grade school. He did not know it.
I had a small crush on Mr. Whitlock in the 8th grade. He was a coach(P.E.) and Science teacher. I lost intrest when he made me touch a snake in Science class. Blah! :)
gahome2mom/at/gmail/dot/com
I had a crush on our Oceanography teacher Mr. Rankin, in fact we all took Oceanography just because he would take you to the beach on field trips and he'd take off his shirt. He did the Iron Man competition every year in Hawaii. I found out that Susan Meissner also went to the same H.S. took the same class for the same reason. What a small world! :o)
Surely this isn't a senior moment, but I can't recall any crushes on a teacher. I know I had attractions to their talents; i.e. music teacher, art teacher, drama teacher, journalism teacher. I guess I should have called them admirations! Thank you, Michelle, for describing your reaction to this story so well. I was a small child during the war, and I did live 3 years in Germany while a military wife. I would really like to read Shawna's book. Thanks for the chance.
Grace & Joy,
Barb Shelton
I never had a crush on a teacher but I had one that I so admired and enjoyed his class. He liked the same books I did and he would read them and then call me up to ask if I would like to take it home and read it. When the others in the class found out they wanted to read them too. I would so like to read this book. It sounds like one I would enjoy.
and the winner is...
Leah!
Post a Comment