Shades of Gray, Andy Holloman (5 stars)

From Amazon:  How far would you go to save your child's life? Could you break the law? What if your travel business was suddenly in danger of going under because of 9/11? A single father decides to partner up with woman from the opposite side of the tracks. Can their partnership deliver the cash they BOTH desperately need? Could they fall in love? And will they survive to see the Summer of 2002?

Shades of Gray, the debut novel from Andy Holloman, examines the depths of a father’s love and the ramifications of desperate choices. John Manning and his daughter, Lucy, are driving home from a nice evening out when their car’s brakes malfunction. What initially seems like bad luck turns into a much darker story.

John hasn’t had it easy. When his wife leaves, his whole world revolves around Lucy. His successful business, a travel agency, is hit hard by the events of September 11, 2001. Then, he finds out his daughter has a rare kidney disease and will need a kidney transplant.

Desperation and fear drive John to extreme limits to save his daughter, especially after a fateful meeting with a former client, Wanda. Wanda loves her daughter and has found a way out of her own personal hell, a way paved with good intentions but criminal actions.

Every action draws the pair deeper into an intricate web of deceit and danger. The reader is compelled to turn each page, but not just to find out what happens next. There’s also an emotional connection to the characters. The twists and turns lead to an unexpected and heartbreaking conclusion.

Shades of a Gray is a must read for anyone who enjoys a captivating thrill ride with emotional investment.

Fun note: I’m from North Carolina, so I thoroughly enjoyed the NC references throughout.

Rating: A very enthusiastic 5 stars.

For more information, please visit the author’swebsite.

Disclaimer: I received this novel as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A good review was not guaranteed or asked for. My opinions are my own.

*****

What’s even better than a 5-star book? A 5-star book for 99 cents. December 13 through December 15, the WoMen’s Literary Café is hosting a Mystery & Christian Fiction Book Launch and 99 Cent Book Event featuring this novel and many others. 

For more information, please click the picture below.

A Mixed Bag of Goodies: Musing Mondays

Today's Musing Mondays prompt from Should be Reading:

This week’s musing [borrowed from an old BTT post] asks…

I once knew a man who read about WWII. He read everything he could get his hands on on the subject. He had a whole wall of books that were all about WWII. It amazed me. How could he continue to find one subject that engrossing? My mother, on the other hand, loves to read best sellers. I’ve known other people who read science fiction to the exclusion of everything else; for others it was philosophy, self-help, or history.

So, to the questions…

What kind of books do you like to read?
Why? Provide specific examples.

This is quite the detailed question this week. Still, I'm left with my stock answer. I like to read all books. I don't even like having the same meal too often, much less read the same kind of books over and over. There are too many wonderful choices to limit myself. That being said, I am focusing my efforts on independent and small press books.

The highlights of my last month of reading:

1. Jacob Have I Loved, Katherine Paterson
Winner of the Newbery Medal and written in 1980. I hope to have the review up this week. A wonderful young adult novel about discovery and growing up. (Book club selection)

2. Shades of Gray, Andy Holloman
Yeah for indies! My full review of Holloman's debut mystery novel will be available here tomorrow. It's an intriguing tale about how far a father will go to save his little girl. Full of twists and turns and heartbreaking. Wonderful!

3. Turning Point, Melissa Luznicky Garrett
Again... yeah for indies! If you are intrigued by dark characters and the unexpected, you will appreciate every turn of the page. Melissa’s ability to slowly reveal layer after layer of this family’s dark secret is impressive. A great young adult novel.

4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
Amazing nonfiction, and that says a lot coming from someone who doesn't prefer a lot of nonfiction. The author did an excellent job weaving the family's story with the wonders of science. (Book club selection)

I hope my holidays, and yours, are filled with reading. I have a huge TBR stack next to my bed and on my Kindle.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do you prefer a certain genre?