By: Andrea Simon
In Floating in the Neversink, author Andrea Simon transports her readers to 1950s Brooklyn where we meet 9-year-old Amanda Gerber. Mandy, as she’s known to her friends and family, is faced with a summer away from her best friend, Francine as her family heads to her grandmother’s summer home in the Catskills. Mandy finds solace in being able to spend her time with her favorite cousin, Laura.
Simon creates a coming of age story while exploring the Jewish experience in the mid-1950s to early 60s. The story weaves together a colorful and tumultuous cast of characters in the Gerber extended family. With the story being told from the viewpoint of a child, she’s often shielded from her family history, which means so is the reader, creating an element of mystery to the story. This is a story is a balance of love, friendship, and self-discovery with some darker moments physical abuse and mental illness.
This is a beautifully written, well-paced read.
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Andrea Simon is the author of three books. Check back tomorrow for my review of Floating in the Neversink. In our interview, we discuss all three of her works, currently available on Amazon. Q: Let’s start off with your most recent work. Can you sum up Floating in the Neversink in 20 words or less.…
By: David Biespiel In A Place of Exodus, author David Biespiel shares the story of his experience growing up in a tightly knit Jewish community outside of Houston, Texas. But an argument with his rabbi causes him to move away from his idyllic childhood community. The book explores Biespiel’s journey as a self-proclaimed “retired” Jew…
By: Kyra Kaptzan Robinov Nikolaevsk-on-Amur was a peaceful, frozen hamlet in Eastern Siberia, isolated from the rest of Russia and its political unrest. Until the winter of 1920, when Bolsheviks found their way into the town, arresting opposition party members, business owners, foreigners, and Jews. This idyllic village was suddenly turned into a war zone.…
By: Holly Sortland Uri Geller is a high school junior, trying to adapt to life in South Dakota when his father chose to take a job in the local hospital, transferring his family from their Modern Orthodox community in Pennsylvania. It’s a challenging transition for him but all of that changed when he met Hannah…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
So many books, so little time! I am an avid reader and love to share recommendations with fellow readers. My choice in books tend to vary by my mood but some of my favorites are mystery, suspense, thriller, and humor. Get my reviews direct to your inbox every Wednesday and check back here for monthly…
So many books, so little time! I am an avid reader and love to share recommendations with fellow readers. My choice in books tend to vary by my mood but some of my favorites are mystery, suspense, thriller, and humor. Get my reviews direct to your inbox every Wednesday and check back here for monthly…
So many books, so little time! I am an avid reader and love to share recommendations with fellow readers. My choice in books tend to vary by my mood but some of my favorites are mystery, suspense, thriller, and humor. Get my reviews direct to your inbox every Wednesday and check back here for monthly…
