'Informal' Blog Tour: The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  It is day one of year two-in-progress (that's the first day in my second year of blogging...just in case that was as clear as mud there...) here and today's post belongs to an idea created by a fellow awesome blogger wanting to shine the spotlight on a YA book aiming to bring awareness to a people's plight. (Wow, I am SO writing run-on sentences today...)  She came up with this 'informal' tour as a way to connect readers and bloggers to a cause and author she saw worthy of recognition, without actually having it officially sponsored or ruled by the powers that be.  KUDOS to you!  (Who is the "you"?  I'm getting there, hang on....)

The person/site behind this tour is none other than Amy of the My Friend Amy blog!  Perhaps you've heard of her?  If not, I certainly suggest checking out her site when you get a chance (you know, right after reading this post might be good...no time like the present).  As for the focus of today's post, let's get on with the show.  Today's book of choice is....

The Heart is Not a Size
by
Beth Kephart

Life is full of secrets.  If you are one of the lucky few to harbor less than others, KUDOS to you!  Often times though, the secrets we keep not only affect us but those we hold dear.  It's a fine line between knowing when to speak out and knowing when to hold your tongue...but sometimes, that fine line becomes crystal clear and it MUST be crossed.

Such is the case in this book for our young female lead...Georgia.  For as long as she can remember, her best friend has been one other than Riley...a girl with many talents and charms that never ceases to amaze others.  Sounds like a great friend to have, right?  The problem is that she doesn't see these positive characteristics herself, leaving her self-esteem at something less than zero even if she does present a happy facade to the world.  That happy face is what's going to get her into trouble one day since it belies the hurt and lost feelings she harbors within.  Georgia knows what's going on.  As her friend, she feels obligated to keep the silence, the unspoken truth weighing heavy between them.  As her TRUE friend, she knows that something has to be done if Riley is to be saved. 

In an effort to distract and refocus the situation, Georgia happens upon a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  A posting on the bulletin board of the local Acme (that's a grocery store....we had one where I use to live up North) seems to hold the key to their summer time plans.  Part adventure, part learning experience, a trip to Anapra in Juarez, Mexico to help with a good will project seems to be just what the doctor ordered.  The only trouble is....problems like these don't just go away with a change in location.  They need to be addressed head on and whether they like it or not, it's about to reach the point of no return for one of them....

The title of the story is eloquently explained within the final chapters of the book, much like another work by this particular author (House of Dance).  In essence, it expresses something we see everyday but can't find the words for.  The bond of the heart whether it be in love, friendship, or acquaintance, is not determined by our size or stature.  People of all shapes and sizes, all walks of life can be and will be friends regardless of what they look like when they are together.  It simply doesn't matter...they've found a deeper connection than one of outward appearances.

That's just part of the story though, this friendship between Georgia and Riley.  Author Beth Kephart didn't just set out to write a book to aid teenage girls with image issues that are more often than not experienced at this age....she set out and successfully brings to the fore front the heart of a city in the making (a colonia, or community) and the desperate struggles the people face on a daily basis.  Anapra is real.  Juarez, Mexico is real.  The sand storms that take down the ramshackle dwellings....the las muertas de Juárez or "The dead women of Juarez" referring to the numerous disappearances and murders of young women in the region....the unpaved roads, the lack of water....all too real. 

Do you know what else is real?  Hope.  The hope of the people, of the region, palpable in the pages of this moving story but also found in the various sites and information that abounds online.  A change is sought.  A change is needed.  A change starts with one step in a direction less ordinary.  The aim of this 'informal' tour was not simply to shine a spotlight on a popular author (though hopefully it does), nor simply her recent release (though again, it is worth a read)....it is also to help spread the author's efforts to support change for this area and the people there.  To find out more about the book, the author, and other stops along this tour, check out the links below....

Informal Book Tour Blog

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Author's Site

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Facebook Page

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My Friend Amy's Review

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Harper TEEN Page

Special thanks to HarperTEEN for the review copy!  (THANKS)  It was received separately, that is to say not in relation to this tour, however I opted to push reading it to this month so I could participate in this event.  For more information on this and other fantastic titles, check out their site, or follow along on Twitter!  Also, I would like to extend my thanks to Amy at My Friend Amy for extending a welcome hand to participate in this unique tour.  It was definitely an eye-opening experience and one that will hopefully gain the book (and cause) that much more attention.

Until next time....happy reading!

The Rhythm of Life: House of Dance by Beth Kephart

Hi there!

It's Wednesday (well, perhaps not if you're reading this on another day, but it's posting on a Wednesday)!  Whoo-HOO!  Halfway through another week and heading towards the weekend...hopefully the weather is cooperating with you in your neck of the woods.  I'd like to take a moment to thank those followers that have been with me for a bit now....your readership (is that a word?) and comments never fail to bring a smile to my face or a new thought to ponder.  Since I'm not one to leave out others if it can be helped, I'd also like to welcome our newer followers and readers to the site!  You've all chosen a marvelous time to be here as we head ever closer to my blogoversary (wow, hard to believe THAT'S just over the horizon) and celebrate many wonderful titles that have been released or are about to be with reviews, interviews, and contests in the coming weeks!

Speaking of contests, currently there are three running on the site.  First up is a new addition to the YA genre hitting shelves 04/27/10 by author Barbara Dee called This Is Me From Now On!  This was a joint review with There's A Book and the giveaway offers you a chance to win both book and swag, 2 winners in all!  Next we have a perfect match for dog lovers and humor fans alike entitled I Has A Hotdog....3 winners!  Finally, we have a legal thriller of a page turner from Scott Turow entitled Presumed Innocent....3 winners!  For all the details, check the right hand sidebar under CONTESTS!

Oh, wait..did I say that was all?  Nope!  There is a special ONE DAY ONLY contest coming up on Friday, 04/30/10 as we celebrate Blogmania 2010!  Haven't heard about this event?  Though hard to believe (the buzz is seriously strong out there)...no worries!  It's simply a one day MAJOR blog hop type event where everyone hosts a special contest all their own.  (Psst...on here, my contest will have multiple winners including one of our international readers as well!)  So be sure to check out all the fun...now on with the show!

Today's pick resides in the YA genre and is from an author that is on the rise in many circles.  Known for her touching stories and way with words, she comes highly recommended by many readers out there....despite all of this, I hadn't actually read any of her books (GASP!).  No worries, that fact has now been rectified and as a result of those efforts, the following review I submit for you!  Today's book of choice is....

House of Dance

by

Beth Kephart

Rosie is alone in the world.  Okay, not really, but for all intents and purposes she may as well be.  It's not that everyone has disappeared from the face of the Earth leaving her behind to fend for herself, but it can sure feel that way to a young girl.  Let's take stock of her current situation.  Her father ran off with someone else several years ago, yet tries to show his "love" by sending her money every week (hence the box of growing bills hidden away in her room....the hidden part, definitely reveals how she's dealt with the feelings from this situation).  Her mother, unable to move on finds solace in her work and perhaps the arms of another that aren't exactly free to accept visitors.  Her friends are scattered about since it's summer time and each had their own agendas, most not including her.  Her grandfather....is dying.  (I'll give you a moment to digest that shorter sentence....all better?  Okay, let's continue....)

One day after coming home from window washing (her work), Rosie's mother drops this heart-wrenching news on young Rosie.  The only thing is that while it is a bitter pill to swallow, the real tragedy is that she has yet to truly get to know him...a simple fact that is about to be rectified.  Unable to come to terms with her father since the last disagreement they had any more than she can with her ended marriage, her mother suggests Rosie visit with him throughout the summer.  Spend some time with him, get to know him...the works.  Begrudgingly, Rosie takes to the task at hand if only to escape her life as it now stands.  Little does she know the change in herself as well as her world that is about to take place thanks to the forever bonds of family and the colorful world of dance.  Watch as one persons small steps within a growing crowd, enables a garden of color to blossom before the eyes of a loved one simply as a means to remember and be remembered.

The House of Dance is not only the book's title, but also the dance studio within the novel.  It becomes a source of great joy for Rosie as she trains to bring the vibrant world her grandfather has traveled to in his mind and memory to life once again through dance.  Anyone that has ever taken a dance lesson (*raises hand* ....ballet and tap for me when I was younger) or even attempted to learn a new step on their own can appreciate the dedication even the smallest venture requires as well as the heart necessary to really make it shine.  You've seen people on TV dance before.  You can tell who is having the time of their lives (okay, stole that line from Dirty Dancing, the movie...but it fit perfectly) and who is merely going through the motions.  It shows on their faces, in their body language, and during the overall performance.  Dance is an expression of oneself that can communicate our true feelings and emotions for better of worse...that's why I think it works so well for this story.  The author's choice for Rosie to truly make a final connection with her grandfather, her mother, and the whole of the town as one through dance is a graceful way to show that the bonds of life run deep....much deeper than we can even know...and that making someone's experience here better starts with just one little step in their direction.

Tinged with sadness but with an overall zest for life, this one will definitely have you taking stock of those you need in your life and those you love to have in your life. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the writing style....it didn't quite flow.  I found it very hard to stay focused on the story while reading the descriptive yet often times choppy sentences.  Still, when all is said and done, I can appreciate the underlying messages and the way the author describes things through the characters eyes in such detail and color. Anything that has a hint of color is brightened ten fold when her writer's spotlight is applied.  You can feel the intensity of the reds, the mellow vibrations of the yellows, the liveliness of the greens.  It's almost as if for all the loss and sorrow within the story itself, the world surrounding them is making it it's job to chase away the dark clouds.  She truly shares a story that will leave readers with much to ponder after the last page is turned.

Special thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books/HarperTEEN for the review copy. (THANK YOU!) For more information on this title and many more, stop by their site or follow along on Twitter!  Look for a special post featuring another review on a title from this author (The Heart Is Not A Size) coming in May as an informal book tour (organized by Amy over at My Friend Amy) makes its rounds here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

COMMENT CREATOR

It's a simple question really.....in addition to any comments you'd like to share about the book or review, I'm curious to know....do you dance?  If so, why?  What type of dancing do you enjoy?  Be it fast or slow, rumba or ballroom....feel free to share!

Until next time....happy reading!