Welcome! I write fiction and nonfiction (written as Melissa Higgins) for children and young adults.

Monday, October 10, 2011

WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE: Buy it! Win it! Read it!


From the book flap:

When Ollie's daddy, the Reverend Everlasting Love, pulls their travel trailer into Binder, Arkansas, to lead a three-day revival, Ollie knows that this town will be like all the others her daddy drags them through.

Except, of course, this tiny town is very different. Ollie gets wrapped up in a murder mystery that compels the family to stay put for a while and figure out how to get an innocent woman out of jail.

First, a disclaimer--I won WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE from the author, Tess Hilmo. But if I didn't like it I wouldn't recommend it. And this middle-grade novel is wonderful--full of heart, loaded with page-turning suspense and mystery, richly drawn characters, evocative descriptions, such as:

It may have been only nine o'clock in the morning, but the summer sun was already high in the sky and sweating up the land. Fields of soft green barley laid themselves out across the earth in perfect rows--as if God had reached down and combed them just so.

I laughed. I winced. I cried.

I have a feeling there may be an award or two in this book's future. It's definitely among my favorite reads of the year.

So . . . buy it.

Or, better yet, win it from me!

I'm passing on the good karma by gifting my gently used copy of LOVE to a randomly chosen commenter. I just ask that you be a follower and that your mailing address be in the U.S.

Comment on this post by the end of Friday, Oct. 14, and I'll announce the winner on my Monday post.

(Tess, I hope you've got another book coming out soon. Please.)


20 comments:

Abby Annis said...

Sounds like a great book. I love the cover. Thanks for the recommendation!

J. A. Bennett said...

That sounds so good! I LOVE the title :)

Tess said...

Thanks MG! You know how to make a girls day :)

It is so cool to have my little story out in the world. It needs a good push so I appreciate those who are willing to give it a shout out!!!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Sounds like a terrific story. I liked the excerpt you posted with it.

Lisa Gail Green said...

Sounds like an awesome book! There are never enough mysteries around. :D

Bish Denham said...

Okay, I'm up for this one. Sounds like a wonderful book, particularly since you recommended it.

Kelly Polark said...

I've heard lovely things about Tess's book!

inluvwithwords said...

I'm a new follower. This book looks sweet and sounds lovely. Thanks for the recommendation.

Rebecca said...

Oh, I love a chance to win a new book!

Shannon Lawrence said...

I love writing as visual as the excerpt you posted! Sounds like a good book, for sure, and one I hadn't heard of until you posted it. Thanks!

storyqueen said...

This book already has at least 2 starred reviews (SLJ and Kirkus!)

Our little Tess has written a great book!

Shelley

Christina Lee said...

So much praise I am seeing about this book!!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Oooooo, I love your review and would love to win. This book has intrigued me since I first read of it on Tess' blog.

Kristine Asselin said...

Sounds lovely! Great review, Melissa.

Gail Shepherd said...

ooh, ooh, I wanna copy! This looks great. Enter me into the contest, please.

Cynthia Chapman Willis said...

Such a lovely review! Hurray for Tess! : )

Marcia said...

MG, I'd love to win this. I've been hearing great things about it.

Abby said...

This book sounds wonderful! I am so glad you shared it. And thanks for stopping by my blog today! I am now a new follower. I will certainly be back for more!

Amanda said...

This book sounds great. Enter me in the contest please =) I'm a new follower too.

Shannon Hitchcock said...

A southern setting is my kind of story. Please enter me in the contest.