Book Review: On Little Wings

Author:  Regina Sirois

Author's Website:  http://tapperandcompany.blogspot.com/2012/02/heart-day.html

About the book:

Jennifer must do the impossible – bring her mother home. When a family is torn apart by death, two sisters take violently divergent paths and the story of their family appears to end terribly and abruptly. Two decades later Jennifer never dreams that the photo she finds stuck between the pages of a neglected book will tear open a gaping wound to her mother’s secret past. Abandoning her comfortable life with her parents and best friend in the wheat fields of Nebraska, Jennifer’s quest for a hidden aunt leads her to the untamed coast of Maine where she struggles to understand why her mother lied to her for sixteen years. 

Across the grey, rocky cove she meets Nathan Moore, the young, reluctant genius surrounded by women who need him to be brother, father, friend, provider, protector and now, first love. The stories, varied, hilarious, and heartbreaking, unfold to paint a striking mural of the shattered past. As Jennifer seeks to piece together her mother’s story, she inadvertently writes one for herself.

My review:

I was excited when I was asked to review this book because I had heard so many good things about it.  A lot of what reviewers are saying is absolutely true.  Regina Sirois is a very talented new writer.  She has the unique ability of putting words together in a melodious way, and she writes descriptions that make the reader feel like they are in the middle of the beautiful scenes she creates.  Many of the emotions and relationships throughout the story touched my heart.

All of these things combined should have made this one of my favorite books, but I was somehow disappointed.  This story is YA literary fiction.  I'm not a huge fan of literary works, so that is probably part of the problem.  And even though the main character is a teenager, I'm not sure the story will appeal to the market for whom it's intended.  I don't think the pacing is fast enough, nor the story line exciting enough for today's young adult audience.  I also found the whole premise of the book a bit unbelievable.  I don't know many teenagers who are going to feel desperate enough to go against their parent's wishes to visit a long lost aunt they didn't know about.  Sadly, most teens just wouldn't care.  But from the other reviews I've read, maybe I'm missing the mark.  I'd encourage you to read the book and decide for yourself.

I am definitely interested in reading more works by this talented new author.  I'd especially like to see her write something for an adult audience.  To learn more about the author, please visit her website.  On Little Wings is available to purchase on Amazon.