Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Sea Change by Karen White

Karen White's Sea Change is a welcome and pleasant departure from the books that I have read in the past few months.  I equate it to eating fast food for a week and then getting a home-cooked meal.  The fast food is sustaining and tastes good at the time, but it doesn't compare to your grandmother's Sunday dinner.  The same can go for books (OK, maybe I'm stretching it a bit with my analogy here but I think you get my point.)  I have enjoyed the recent books that I have read (I am not referring to any of the books I have reviewed) but by reading Sea Change it made me realize what I have been missing out on.  I discovered a terrific plot, believably flawed characters, conflict, suspense, emotional stirrings, and settings that could be vividly seen in my mind.  And let us not forget the all important quality of great writing.  Karen White's Sea Change has all of the above and more.

White's Sea Change is set on St. Simons Island off of the coast of Georgia.  She describes it as a lovely Southern island that is immersed in history.  Ava, a thirty-something year old Midwife, moves from Antioch, Georgia to St. Simons after a whirlwind romance to live in her new husband's ancestral home.  Ava met, fell in love with, and married the charming Matthew after an extremely short courtship.  She thought that by moving into his home she would just be dealing with the intricacies of a new relationship and living in a new town.  However, she found that she would also be coping with ghosts of the past.  

Sea Change is written from two different perspectives.  The first is present day Ava who is trying to adjust to her new life and is also working to uncover the mystery of Matthew's family history.  The second point of view is that of Pamela, an ancestor of Matthew's who lived in Ava's house from 1804-1815 before life took an unexpected and unfair turn.  A theme that is discussed frequently in White's novel is that some endings are really beginnings.  This holds true for Ava and Pamela.  While Ava and Pamela seemingly have nothing in common, the lives of the two women suddenly come together when Ava goes under hypnosis to uncover a childhood secret.  Ava then makes it her priority to right a wrong that was done long ago.

I felt that Karen White did a terrific job in transporting her readers back into the early 1800's.  From the vocabulary that White used to the clothes that were described, she had the period down perfectly.  It also seems that White put a lot of time into researching what was happening in St. Simons during this time period.  Being a history buff myself, I enjoyed where White led her readers.  Furthermore, with Southern charm White described the landmarks on the island that are there today such as the lighthouse and cemetery. 

Sea Change is one of the most well written novels that I have read in recent memory.  White was able to keep me on my toes as the suspense grew.  She also did a terrific job of entertaining me.  I definitely recommend Karen White's novel, Sea Change.  Reading it will take you on a mysterious adventure that will leave you wanting more.

NAL Books and BookPleasures.com has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Sea Change, for the purpose of review. 

38 comments:

  1. I like your analogy about your grandmother's Sunday dinner. :) Haven't heard of this book yet, I'll have to check it out. Great review!

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    1. Thanks so much! Let me know if you read and enjoy it!

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  2. Hi, I have followed you back. Thanks!

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  3. Got your message and came by and followed you thru GFC. I could not follow on Facebook because it seems they have put a cap on the number of people you can follow and I have reached that darn cap!! I will have to spend a few days now going thru my "Likes" and see who I can get rid of, mostly companies & businesses, I hope. I hate when I hate to unfollow a fellow blogger just to enter another blogger's giveaway so I try to stick to the companies. Please remind me in a few days to come back. I have so much going on that I may forget. Thanks and would love a follow back on my GFC. I won't ask for FB until I follow you first. http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com (Mary's Cup of Tea)

    Mary Bearden
    mmbear_us@yahoo.com

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    1. Hi Mary, no problem! I am following you back through GFC. I absolutely LOVE your background!
      Candace

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  4. Love your blog! I totally followed you, if you want mines http://pickyourpoisonbookreviews.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi D.J., I am following you back! Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. Nice blog! I'm following you now, please follow me back!

    http://www.joyanne-decomyheart.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and following! I am also following you!

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  6. This sounds like a wonderful read. I love the whole story line. You have a very nice blog.

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  7. Thank you for following my blog, I really like yours. I'm following you back.

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  8. Hi Candace im Karla from Book Addict, im your newst follower =D
    thx for dropping by Book Addict

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  9. Thanks for stopping by Wanted Readers. I am Cricket from Little Library Muse as well.
    Good to meet you!

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  10. Hi thanks for stopping by my blog and following. I was already following your blog : )

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  11. I can honestly say I'm already hooked on your blog. I've read through numerous reviews of the books, and I'm trying to decide which ones I want to read. This one for sure and Betrayal and...and... You see how this is going?
    I hopped over from dragonflies-at-dawn.blogspot.com to add to your followers!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Dawn! I can honestly say you can't go wrong with "Sea Change" or "Betrayal!" Actually, the two books are kind of similar in the way that the authors goes back in time and connect their main female characters with females in the past! Enjoy!

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  13. Hi Candace, luv your blog :D **New Follower** Happy Wednesday
    www.bookishtimes.blogspot.co.uk

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  14. Hello! I'm following back. I don't read a lot of historical but is because I don't know which will be good- but the funny thing I'm actually writing one with historical in it!. Thanks for following :)

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    1. Good luck on the historical book you are writing!

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  15. This is an amazing post! I really enjoy reading your blog!

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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    1. Awww, thank you so much! I love your blog as well!

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  16. Following you back from exposure 99% blog hop. Thanks for linking up . nice blog.

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  17. following you back from www.writingspace.blogspot.com and girl! Love the blog and love love love Karen's books. I have not read this one yet but want it so much! i am really excited now that you have reviewed it. Thanks again!

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    1. Thanks Kim! This is the first book of Karen's I have read and I adored it! I'm going to be reading her other books now!

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  18. Hey Candace, I saw your comment on my blog http://blogsbybree.blogspot.com/. Thanks for stopping by. I kept my promise and I am following you too. I also wanted to say that I love the colors on here and I absolutely love your blog title. Your title really summarizes what literature does for people whether they are reading it or writing it.

    ---Queen B

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  19. I do love book that can really make you see the time period they are writing about. Found you from
    http://www.musings-of-a-bookworm.org/2012/06/blog-hop-drop-it-like-its-hot-hop.html and am now a follower :)

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  20. Wow this looks really good nice review!

    Thanks for the follow, I have followed you back on facebook and GFC

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  21. Drop it like it's hot hop! New follower! Wow you're close to the follower goal I set for my birthday of July 6th! I only have 259 go at last count... Love your blog!
    http://pgshriver.blogspot.com/
    P.G.

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  22. New follower via Drop it like it's hot hop! http://twistingyourmindonewordatatime.blogspot.com

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  23. Great blog, book sounds really good! I'm a new follower and my site is HomeIsWhereTheBookIs.blogspot.com

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  24. I just finished it tonight ... great story!

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