Well-Spoken Wednesday--Life on Hold by Karen McQuestion Review

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Summary from goodreads:  Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox just wants to stay in one place like everyone else, but there’s no chance of that happening—not with a free-spirited mother who thrives on cross-country moves. When the two of them land in Wisconsin sophomore year, things are off to a great start: her mom promises they’ll stay until graduation, Rae makes two good friends and finally gets a chance at love. Her newfound happiness is jeopardized when the vice-principal at the high school pairs her with Allison Daly, a new girl with a bad attitude. As Allison’s secrets unravel, and Rae’s mother gets involved, Rae is forced to take charge of her own life or risk losing everything important to her.



Life on Hold by Karen McQuestion
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I knew nothing about this book when I started it, and I figured that it would be a typical young adult novel.  And indeed, it was.  It was one of those books that has a fairly simple message, and it is told in a straightforward style.

I can't say I have any major complaints with this novel.  The characters seemed to make sense--Rae was definitely likable enough.  I think many teens would be able to identify with her situation.  I could have done with less profanity at times, but I cannot say it was truly rampant as it has been with some novels I have read.

The message is positive, and I would say that most teens would find this book much more exciting than I did.  It did seem that everything worked out too well, so I cannot say this is a realistic book in most instances.  It is typical, but the writing style is easy to read.  Overall, it receives a 3-star rating from me.



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About the author:

Karen McQuestion grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the second of four girls. As the daughter of two school teachers, she was required to get good grades and stay out of trouble, which she did, for the most part.

Later she got a really cool last name when she married Greg McQuestion. When they met, she was intrigued by the fact that he danced like Steve Martin and looked like Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones movies. Today he looks less like Harrison Ford except for his smile--a mysterious smirk. The dancing is the same.

Together they have three kids—Charlie, Maria, and Jack. They’re nearly grown, but still like hanging out with their parents, (or maybe they just like going out to eat and on vacation, and having someone else pay for it).

In 2009, after nearly a decade of trying to get her fiction published, Karen uploaded her books to be available on Amazon’s Kindle. What happened next was astounding. From the start, sales were good and supportive readers gave her books positive recommendations and reviews. As a result, one of her novels, A Scattered Life, was optioned for film in November 2009. And then, just when she thought things couldn't get any better, she got (and accepted!) an offer from Amazon's new publishing division, AmazonEncore, to publish the book in paperback. It came out in August 2010.

Today she has five books under the AmazonEncore imprint, two of which will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in August 2011.

She’s achieved her lifelong dream of being an author and couldn’t be happier. If she ever complains about her life, she should be smacked upside the head.

 

from the author's website