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The Seventh Mother
A young girl searches for a mother's love amid unfolding secrets, in this riveting and emotionally complex novel from acclaimed author Sherri Wood Emmons.
The summer that her father falls in love with Emma, Jenny Bohner is just turning eleven. Jenny was three when her mother died, and since then Brannon Bohner has traveled with his daughter from one seasonal job to another, picking up girlfriends along the way. Cara, Ami, Trish--all were sweet and kind, but none ever stayed for long. Somehow Emma is different, traveling with them from Idaho to Kentucky, filling Jenny with hopes of a real family at last.
Emma's warmth and optimism are contagious, defusing Brannon's flashes of temper and making their first weeks together everything Jenny has dreamed of. Yet something still troubles her, surfacing through years of memories--tempting her from within boxes Jenny has been told never to touch, filled with hidden mementoes from long ago. And somewhere among them Jenny will find answers that compel her to choose--between the home she longs for, the love she craves, and the hard truth she can no longer ignore. . .
Praise for the novels of Sherri Wood Emmons
The Weight of Small Things
"Emmons writes beautifully about women, friendship and choices, and engagingly chronicles the long friendship that becomes a mutual lifeline." -- The Sunday Star Ledger
The Sometimes Daughter
"Emmons has a keen grasp of the difficulties of mother-daughter dynamics. . .an intimate story." -- Publishers Weekly
"Teens who appreciated Lauren Myracle's Bliss or autobiographies by Augusten Burroughs and Jeannette Walls of dysfunctional family survivors should also enjoy this novel." – School Library Journal
Prayers and Lies
"A rich story of the triumph of love and decency." –Sandra Dallas, author of Prayers for Sale
"A strong debut. . .Emmons has a rich voice that pairs well with the earthy setting. . .and the characters are wonderfully drawn." – Publishers Weekly
"Surely Sherri Wood Emmons is the freshest new voice I've read in a long while. Read Prayers and Lies , and hold on tight! You are in for an unforgettable literary ride!" --Ann Hood, author of The Red Thread
The summer that her father falls in love with Emma, Jenny Bohner is just turning eleven. Jenny was three when her mother died, and since then Brannon Bohner has traveled with his daughter from one seasonal job to another, picking up girlfriends along the way. Cara, Ami, Trish--all were sweet and kind, but none ever stayed for long. Somehow Emma is different, traveling with them from Idaho to Kentucky, filling Jenny with hopes of a real family at last.
Emma's warmth and optimism are contagious, defusing Brannon's flashes of temper and making their first weeks together everything Jenny has dreamed of. Yet something still troubles her, surfacing through years of memories--tempting her from within boxes Jenny has been told never to touch, filled with hidden mementoes from long ago. And somewhere among them Jenny will find answers that compel her to choose--between the home she longs for, the love she craves, and the hard truth she can no longer ignore. . .
Praise for the novels of Sherri Wood Emmons
The Weight of Small Things
"Emmons writes beautifully about women, friendship and choices, and engagingly chronicles the long friendship that becomes a mutual lifeline." -- The Sunday Star Ledger
The Sometimes Daughter
"Emmons has a keen grasp of the difficulties of mother-daughter dynamics. . .an intimate story." -- Publishers Weekly
"Teens who appreciated Lauren Myracle's Bliss or autobiographies by Augusten Burroughs and Jeannette Walls of dysfunctional family survivors should also enjoy this novel." – School Library Journal
Prayers and Lies
"A rich story of the triumph of love and decency." –Sandra Dallas, author of Prayers for Sale
"A strong debut. . .Emmons has a rich voice that pairs well with the earthy setting. . .and the characters are wonderfully drawn." – Publishers Weekly
"Surely Sherri Wood Emmons is the freshest new voice I've read in a long while. Read Prayers and Lies , and hold on tight! You are in for an unforgettable literary ride!" --Ann Hood, author of The Red Thread
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
38 people are currently reading
936 people want to read
About the author
Sherri Wood Emmons
6 books91 followersSherri Wood Emmons is a freelance writer and editor. Prayers and Lies is her first work of fiction. She is a graduate of Earlham College and the University of Denver Publishing Institute. A mother of three, she lives in Indiana with her husband, two fat beagles, and four spoiled cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
September 30, 2015
The Seventh Mother was an unexpected joy to read, I went into this book not reading any other reviews with a very open mind, it did not disappoint one bit. It's a book that I read over an evening, turning the pages, eager to see what was next. And it was not at all what I expected.
What's it about?
The summer that her father falls in love with Emma, Jenny Bohner is just turning eleven. Jenny was three when her mother died, and since then Brannon Bohner has traveled with his daughter from one seasonal job to another, picking up girlfriends along the way. Cara, Ami, Trish--all were sweet and kind, but none ever stayed for long. Somehow Emma is different, traveling with them from Idaho to Kentucky, filling Jenny with hopes of a real family at last.
Emma's warmth and optimism are contagious, defusing Brannon's flashes of temper and making their first weeks together everything Jenny has dreamed of. Yet something still troubles her, surfacing through years of memories--tempting her from within boxes Jenny has been told never to touch, filled with hidden mementoes from long ago. And somewhere among them Jenny will find answers that compel her to choose--between the home she longs for, the love she craves, and the hard truth she can no longer ignore...
My Review:
So, the likeable and sweet young Jenny Bohner is eleven years old, she has spent most of her life travelling with her father in a mobile home as he moves across the USA, going wherever the work is available, it's a transient lifestyle that Jenny both likes and dislikes. Her birth mother we are told dies when Jenny is three years old and her father brings a series of women into Jenny's short life over the years as "mothers" to her, she remembers nearly all of them and all of them with great fondness. This is a little girl desperate for a full time Mommy.
The book is narrated from different perspectives including Jenny's and her voice is mature and insightful for an eleven year old girl, she has seen a lot in her short years and it shows. Enter Emma into her life, this is her dad's "seventh mother" for her, she creates a special bond with the kind Emma, who soothes her dad when he's angry and helps make Emma's life special and better. Emma treats Jenny with enormous kindness. Before long, and even though some warned Emma that Jenny's father had plenty of baggage and to steer clear, Emma says yes to marriage and travels on with the small family to their next destination.
Emma herself is an interesting character, very well portrayed, her background is interesting, her upbringing and environment, which all plays a part in making her who she is today. Jenny absolutely adores her, Emma loves Jenny in return. All seems to be really perfect.
In fact all the characters in this book are incredibly real, all of those that come into contact with the family, each with their own perspective of what the family is really all about. I found it very easy to listen to and flow into conversations in the book and had imagery in my head that had the book running like a movie before my eyes. It would in fact make a great movie.
But that happiness I talked of? The perfection of the newly formed family? It's not all that it seems, as the frayed edges start to be pulled away...subtle, subtle shifts.
Now, to explain the rest of this book without spoilers is nearly impossible but the book takes some turns down roads you did not expect, I had a few moments of raised eyebrows and intake of breath as events are revealed. All is not as it first seems and secrets, lies and hidden things are all around, but who will uncover them first? And at what price? All relationships are explored and expanded upon hugely.
The book picks up pace dramatically towards the latter quarter of the book and I could not put it down from start to finish, the events leading up to the last few pages had me on the edge of my seat, as I wished and willed for outcomes that I wanted to see in the book.
My only criticism of this wonderful book and it's a minor one is that the ending seemed a little rushed, a little too convenient and I think it could have been "fleshed" out a bit more to make it even more powerful, but it did not impact my absolute enjoyment of this atmospheric and powerful novel. Highly recommended read! You get more than you bargained for if you read this book. Some nice twists in this one.
I received a copy of this novel thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks for the opportunity.
What's it about?
The summer that her father falls in love with Emma, Jenny Bohner is just turning eleven. Jenny was three when her mother died, and since then Brannon Bohner has traveled with his daughter from one seasonal job to another, picking up girlfriends along the way. Cara, Ami, Trish--all were sweet and kind, but none ever stayed for long. Somehow Emma is different, traveling with them from Idaho to Kentucky, filling Jenny with hopes of a real family at last.
Emma's warmth and optimism are contagious, defusing Brannon's flashes of temper and making their first weeks together everything Jenny has dreamed of. Yet something still troubles her, surfacing through years of memories--tempting her from within boxes Jenny has been told never to touch, filled with hidden mementoes from long ago. And somewhere among them Jenny will find answers that compel her to choose--between the home she longs for, the love she craves, and the hard truth she can no longer ignore...
My Review:
So, the likeable and sweet young Jenny Bohner is eleven years old, she has spent most of her life travelling with her father in a mobile home as he moves across the USA, going wherever the work is available, it's a transient lifestyle that Jenny both likes and dislikes. Her birth mother we are told dies when Jenny is three years old and her father brings a series of women into Jenny's short life over the years as "mothers" to her, she remembers nearly all of them and all of them with great fondness. This is a little girl desperate for a full time Mommy.
The book is narrated from different perspectives including Jenny's and her voice is mature and insightful for an eleven year old girl, she has seen a lot in her short years and it shows. Enter Emma into her life, this is her dad's "seventh mother" for her, she creates a special bond with the kind Emma, who soothes her dad when he's angry and helps make Emma's life special and better. Emma treats Jenny with enormous kindness. Before long, and even though some warned Emma that Jenny's father had plenty of baggage and to steer clear, Emma says yes to marriage and travels on with the small family to their next destination.
Emma herself is an interesting character, very well portrayed, her background is interesting, her upbringing and environment, which all plays a part in making her who she is today. Jenny absolutely adores her, Emma loves Jenny in return. All seems to be really perfect.
In fact all the characters in this book are incredibly real, all of those that come into contact with the family, each with their own perspective of what the family is really all about. I found it very easy to listen to and flow into conversations in the book and had imagery in my head that had the book running like a movie before my eyes. It would in fact make a great movie.
But that happiness I talked of? The perfection of the newly formed family? It's not all that it seems, as the frayed edges start to be pulled away...subtle, subtle shifts.
Now, to explain the rest of this book without spoilers is nearly impossible but the book takes some turns down roads you did not expect, I had a few moments of raised eyebrows and intake of breath as events are revealed. All is not as it first seems and secrets, lies and hidden things are all around, but who will uncover them first? And at what price? All relationships are explored and expanded upon hugely.
The book picks up pace dramatically towards the latter quarter of the book and I could not put it down from start to finish, the events leading up to the last few pages had me on the edge of my seat, as I wished and willed for outcomes that I wanted to see in the book.
My only criticism of this wonderful book and it's a minor one is that the ending seemed a little rushed, a little too convenient and I think it could have been "fleshed" out a bit more to make it even more powerful, but it did not impact my absolute enjoyment of this atmospheric and powerful novel. Highly recommended read! You get more than you bargained for if you read this book. Some nice twists in this one.
I received a copy of this novel thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks for the opportunity.
March 7, 2015
Unexpected themes
Emmons's novel starts out as a slow burn. She packs as many issues into this novel as are packed into most complex lives and there were times I wondered where exactly the plot was going. With so much going on, the novel could have taken many different directions before it settled down to become what it was. I admire Emmons's writing style. It wasn't atmospheric and it didn't go into huge descriptions about setting. Emmons strength of writing is definitely show, don't tell. By the second half of the novel the reader knows exactly what is happening, but suspense is built through the knowing. Themes of cultism, racism, religion, issues about class, and of course predominantly issues about abuse are interwoven throughout with expert skill. I fell in love with Emma and Jenny, the two protagonists, who's POV alternates with each chapter. There are stereotypical experiences in the story but Emmons works hard to flesh them out and I think she is mostly successful. I was most surprised by Emma and Jenny's experience with the nuns, when Sister Theresa asks Emma if she's had a bad church experience. For me, it was such an unexpected moment in this novel, that it definitely resonated how life can be fragile, harsh, beautiful, and totally unexpected. Although it starts as a slow burn, the novel really heats up into a crescendo of suspense that is painful and yet believable.
Emmons's novel starts out as a slow burn. She packs as many issues into this novel as are packed into most complex lives and there were times I wondered where exactly the plot was going. With so much going on, the novel could have taken many different directions before it settled down to become what it was. I admire Emmons's writing style. It wasn't atmospheric and it didn't go into huge descriptions about setting. Emmons strength of writing is definitely show, don't tell. By the second half of the novel the reader knows exactly what is happening, but suspense is built through the knowing. Themes of cultism, racism, religion, issues about class, and of course predominantly issues about abuse are interwoven throughout with expert skill. I fell in love with Emma and Jenny, the two protagonists, who's POV alternates with each chapter. There are stereotypical experiences in the story but Emmons works hard to flesh them out and I think she is mostly successful. I was most surprised by Emma and Jenny's experience with the nuns, when Sister Theresa asks Emma if she's had a bad church experience. For me, it was such an unexpected moment in this novel, that it definitely resonated how life can be fragile, harsh, beautiful, and totally unexpected. Although it starts as a slow burn, the novel really heats up into a crescendo of suspense that is painful and yet believable.
November 5, 2014
I have just got to give this full stars. I was captivated by this read right from page one.
I expected something completely different to what I got! It was so much better than what I imagined it to be.
Here we have a little girl who lives in the trailer with her Father. They travel from town to town, city to city as he goes where the work is.
Winter time, Summer time they go to the lock up where he stores their clothes for each seasons needs.
When he meets a girl in a diner and they 'hit it off' it doesn't take long before he moves her in.
His daughter is used to his 'friends' and non of them stay that long.
There are so many twists in this story that you will get dizzy. I tell you, this is one book you don't want to miss.
I'm laid up in bed at the moment and I finished this within 4 hours even though it said on my Kindle it will take me 8 hours, its a superb story.
I was given this book to read and review from Kensington Books Via Net galley who I would like to thank.
I expected something completely different to what I got! It was so much better than what I imagined it to be.
Here we have a little girl who lives in the trailer with her Father. They travel from town to town, city to city as he goes where the work is.
Winter time, Summer time they go to the lock up where he stores their clothes for each seasons needs.
When he meets a girl in a diner and they 'hit it off' it doesn't take long before he moves her in.
His daughter is used to his 'friends' and non of them stay that long.
There are so many twists in this story that you will get dizzy. I tell you, this is one book you don't want to miss.
I'm laid up in bed at the moment and I finished this within 4 hours even though it said on my Kindle it will take me 8 hours, its a superb story.
I was given this book to read and review from Kensington Books Via Net galley who I would like to thank.
November 8, 2015
Picked this up from the library on a whim. Okay, so this is the senior's equivalent of picking up a hot guy at a bar when you've had a few. Bad idea.
I alternated between boredom and eye rolls. This one had more holes than plot. Major end of story spoiler that I guessed about page 10:
I skim-read it in about an hour and a half. Wasted time. The extra star is because the two main characters were sort of likable.
Content: PG warning. I can't figure this book out. It's written at a middle-grade level but there are oddly explicit sexual elements...not to mention murder...that are quite disturbing.
I alternated between boredom and eye rolls. This one had more holes than plot. Major end of story spoiler that I guessed about page 10:
I skim-read it in about an hour and a half. Wasted time. The extra star is because the two main characters were sort of likable.
Content: PG warning. I can't figure this book out. It's written at a middle-grade level but there are oddly explicit sexual elements...not to mention murder...that are quite disturbing.
August 25, 2014
I really enjoyed this read and just devoured it in one day. Jenny and her father Brannon lead something of a nomadic lifestyle, travelling from state to state with Brannon taking on a succession of temporary jobs and moving on a couple of times a year. Each time he is accompanied by a different girlfriend, but they never seem to last. When Brannon gets together with Emma, Jenny really hopes that this is “the one”. All she wants is a normal family life. The author really portrays their life well, we really get the feeling that things are going to work out, and I was glued to the book, hoping alongside Jenny that this was the case.
There are a few subtle hints along the way that things may not be as they seem. The reader is one step ahead of the characters, knowing that something is not right, but not what that something is and I really felt the suspense build up slowly, but not “in your face”. Then, all of a sudden the author hits you with the truth and from there on in, it is a very chilling read indeed, that kept me gripped because I just had to know what was going to happen. I am sorry for being so vague here, but I just don’t want to spoil the read for anyone else. But if you like suspense, then this is a really good read. Thanks to the publishers for a copy in exchange for a review.
There are a few subtle hints along the way that things may not be as they seem. The reader is one step ahead of the characters, knowing that something is not right, but not what that something is and I really felt the suspense build up slowly, but not “in your face”. Then, all of a sudden the author hits you with the truth and from there on in, it is a very chilling read indeed, that kept me gripped because I just had to know what was going to happen. I am sorry for being so vague here, but I just don’t want to spoil the read for anyone else. But if you like suspense, then this is a really good read. Thanks to the publishers for a copy in exchange for a review.
August 13, 2014
Ok, so this story threw a curve ball at me towards about mid-way. A good curve ball but still a curve ball. Not that I was having any problems reading this book but when this happened I read even faster. All I am going to say about this surprise is never under estimate a parent's love for their child.
I loved Jenny. She was a doll. To see her grow up in front of my eyes in this story was fun. Although, she seemed like an old soul already when I first met her. Emma on the other hand was a nice addition. She started out a quiet, church mouse but by the end of the story she had blossomed until a rose with thorns. The author did a good job of infusing life into the characters that I grew attached to them and their story. The Seventh Mother is a worthy read and worth your money.
I loved Jenny. She was a doll. To see her grow up in front of my eyes in this story was fun. Although, she seemed like an old soul already when I first met her. Emma on the other hand was a nice addition. She started out a quiet, church mouse but by the end of the story she had blossomed until a rose with thorns. The author did a good job of infusing life into the characters that I grew attached to them and their story. The Seventh Mother is a worthy read and worth your money.
October 14, 2015
The ending all tied up a little too neatly for my taste, but it was an interesting book.
October 14, 2019
Loved this book. So many secrets, it is a must read.
June 21, 2014
The Seventh Mother was kind of a weird book. It's one of those books that's so predictable that you start to wonder if there's going to be a red herring somewhere. However, you also start to wonder if the author intended it to be that predictable and you're just waiting for the rest of the characters to catch up. I'm trying my hand at not being so cynical, so I'm going with the latter theory.
Here's the thing about The Seventh Mother: not much happens at the beginning. In fact, I was kind of awed that the author managed to keep me absolutely captivated throughout the whole novel considering that there was very little going on plot-wise through the first half of this book. I just did not want to put The Seventh Mother down. And when pesky little things like sleep and work got in the way, all I could think about was getting back to this book. Again, considering that I kept thinking "Huh, not much is happening, but damn, I just have to keep reading!", The Seventh Mother was a win, at that point.
I also think that it's lack of action sort of helps The Seventh Mother. Things seem relatively normal. And then something happens that makes it seem a little bit...off. And these unsettling things keep happening that I started to feel a little unsettled and then I started feeling a tad creeped out. And I still felt that way once I figured out what was going on. In fact, it sort of raised the tension in it a little bit.
However, certain things keep The Seventh Mother from being a 5 star book for me. For one thing, I found some parts of this book to be somewhat antiquated. For some reason, I kept thinking this book was set like in the 60's or something, just because some of the ideas were a bit old school. Even more jarring, the author would include some pop culture references that reminded me that this book was modern. It also popped me right out of the story.
Overall, I found The Seventh Mother to be a solid read. It was an extreme page turner and an atmospheric mystery that kept building tension right up until the end. Highly recommended.
Here's the thing about The Seventh Mother: not much happens at the beginning. In fact, I was kind of awed that the author managed to keep me absolutely captivated throughout the whole novel considering that there was very little going on plot-wise through the first half of this book. I just did not want to put The Seventh Mother down. And when pesky little things like sleep and work got in the way, all I could think about was getting back to this book. Again, considering that I kept thinking "Huh, not much is happening, but damn, I just have to keep reading!", The Seventh Mother was a win, at that point.
I also think that it's lack of action sort of helps The Seventh Mother. Things seem relatively normal. And then something happens that makes it seem a little bit...off. And these unsettling things keep happening that I started to feel a little unsettled and then I started feeling a tad creeped out. And I still felt that way once I figured out what was going on. In fact, it sort of raised the tension in it a little bit.
However, certain things keep The Seventh Mother from being a 5 star book for me. For one thing, I found some parts of this book to be somewhat antiquated. For some reason, I kept thinking this book was set like in the 60's or something, just because some of the ideas were a bit old school. Even more jarring, the author would include some pop culture references that reminded me that this book was modern. It also popped me right out of the story.
Overall, I found The Seventh Mother to be a solid read. It was an extreme page turner and an atmospheric mystery that kept building tension right up until the end. Highly recommended.
January 13, 2016
Don't read if you don't want spoilers.
*** SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS ***
This book is soooo retarded. It started okay but then the father turned out to be a serial killer out of nowhere. Excuse me? Six women who had dated him had gone missing and the police is not asking him?
How was he found out? Well, besides the obvious confession in the last pages, it turns out that after killing those women he kept their driver's licenses and other memorabilia. Why? Apparently, so his daughter could find the box with the incriminating evidence.
What was his MO? None, he pretty much killed those women by chance, like, they would speak in a tone he didn't like to his daughter so they had to go.
At the end, his daughter asked him if he killed them and he is like "I had to." Aha...
Really, nothing really happens in here and that plot was totally lame.
*** SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS ***
This book is soooo retarded. It started okay but then the father turned out to be a serial killer out of nowhere. Excuse me? Six women who had dated him had gone missing and the police is not asking him?
How was he found out? Well, besides the obvious confession in the last pages, it turns out that after killing those women he kept their driver's licenses and other memorabilia. Why? Apparently, so his daughter could find the box with the incriminating evidence.
What was his MO? None, he pretty much killed those women by chance, like, they would speak in a tone he didn't like to his daughter so they had to go.
At the end, his daughter asked him if he killed them and he is like "I had to." Aha...
Really, nothing really happens in here and that plot was totally lame.
May 13, 2015
Totally predictable from the very first pages, so you read it knowing the entire thing ahead of time. What's going to happen; how it will happen; who it happens, to, etc. Stock characters and situations which have been written about or filmed for TV/movies dozens of times. Not that I don't think there is anything wrong with 'tropes' and their repeated use. This happens with almost all books, films, TV episodes, etc., but most writers put their own spin on things and make what is old and predictable new and different. This wasn't true about this book. I skimmed through the last 30 pages, reading here and there...
In summation, I was very disappointed.
I received a copy of this book through the goodreads giveaway program.
In summation, I was very disappointed.
I received a copy of this book through the goodreads giveaway program.
March 2, 2016
I was having an introvert weekend and read this book in just one day. It's a slightly predictable suspense thriller type novel. A man travels around, doing seasonal work, and is a devoted dad to his daughter, whom he homeschools. The narration flips between the girl and a woman who meets them while they all work at a campground one summer. He convinces her to drop her life and go away with him. Although the girl, Jenny, is just 11 and the woman, Emma, is an adult, Emma's narration is the most naive as we learn secrets about everyone's pasts. I enjoyed it a lot, enough to read it all at oncebut the ending and premise were so duh predictable. I wavered between rating it a three or a four, but I'll be nice and rate up.
September 5, 2014
Oh boy, was this fun. The story is told alternately by Emma (grown young woman with downright yucky childhood) and Jenny the well loved daughter of a peripatetic single father. This book becomes creepy like a Gillian Flynn story - but you don't realize it until you've settled into what you think is a sweet personal drama of growth and exploration. It creeps up on you like a masterful mugger. Then in an uncanny series of events, the spineless become superheroes and the beloved become poison. It's all in their eyes.
This is a great book to check out of the real world into; a fine escape that will occupy your mind until the last page.
This is a great book to check out of the real world into; a fine escape that will occupy your mind until the last page.
December 9, 2019
I read this book in one day, y'all. ONE DAY.
I was hooked from the very first chapter all the way to the last page. I quickly became attached to the characters, especially the sweet main character Jenny, making this book a quick yet thrilling read. I was shocked as the story began to unfold, revealing a tale I had not anticipated.
This book, and the weight of the story line, caused me to be filled with about every feeling possible.
I can count on one hand how many times a book has made me cry. This is one of them.
When the characters hurt, you hurt. When they cry, you cry. That's just proof of how talented of a writer Sherri Wood Emmons is, and I look forward to reading more of her literature.
I was hooked from the very first chapter all the way to the last page. I quickly became attached to the characters, especially the sweet main character Jenny, making this book a quick yet thrilling read. I was shocked as the story began to unfold, revealing a tale I had not anticipated.
This book, and the weight of the story line, caused me to be filled with about every feeling possible.
I can count on one hand how many times a book has made me cry. This is one of them.
When the characters hurt, you hurt. When they cry, you cry. That's just proof of how talented of a writer Sherri Wood Emmons is, and I look forward to reading more of her literature.
March 8, 2025
This was a great book right from the start. Short alternating chapters between two of the characters, with viewpoints from an adult and a child. I had my suspicions on what was going on, but did not figure out the extent of what ended up transpiring.
This was the second book I have read by this author. The first, The Sometimes Daughter, was a great book that was very hard to put down and this one is very comparable. Emmons is an enjoyable author. She has written 4 books. The last one was in 2014, so not sure if she will have any other books.
This was the second book I have read by this author. The first, The Sometimes Daughter, was a great book that was very hard to put down and this one is very comparable. Emmons is an enjoyable author. She has written 4 books. The last one was in 2014, so not sure if she will have any other books.
June 28, 2014
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads for an honest review.
I am not usually a huge fan of the mystery/crime genre, but this book was masterfully done. The story follows Jenny Bohner and her father, as her father starts another relationship with a woman named Emma, giving Jenny her "seventh mother," while traveling on to yet another new town and another new job. Jenny hopes that this relationship will be different, and that she might finally have a family and a "normal" life, where they live in a house instead of an RV and Jenny gets to go to school and make friends. At first Jenny thinks this might finally be the one, but as time goes on, even as everything seems to be going Jenny's way, more and more doubts build up in Jenny's mind, and she realizes things are not all they seem.
I stayed up late reading this book from start to finish in one sitting because I had to know how it ended. The story builds slowly, allowing the reader to get fully drawn into the characters and their lives before starting to see inklings of something darker. In this way, the author was very effective at building suspense, you get a hint of something that feels wrong, but then it is resolved or forgiven and you get lulled back into complacency again. Although it feels obvious from almost the beginning of the book that there is more to the story and that something is terribly wrong, it's easy to forget that and even doubt your earlier suspicions at times, which makes it all the more compelling.
I also liked the glimpse of poverty in America that we see throughout the story. It can be easy to forget that people really live lives similarly to the Bohners and the Johnsons, and that stability is a luxury that not everyone can afford. Emma's background when it is revealed, also ends another interesting element to the story and helps to explain a lot of her actions and relationships.
The only things I didn't love about this book were the voice of Jenny and the ending. The biggest problem I had is that when reading from Jenny's perspective it really didn't feel like you were seeing the world from an eleven year old's point of view. At times it was well done, but at others she really sounded far too mature, even for an eleven year old who has had to grow up fast. This contributed to my dislike of parts of the ending. I won't give anything away, but while I liked the plot of the ending itself and felt like it fit well with the story, I was disappointed in the reactions of the main characters, particularly Jenny. It was just too easy for them to adjust and move on, and although there are occasional suggestions of some ambivalence in their emotions and feelings towards the other characters, I wasn't able to feel that those emotions, but more was just told them Given everything that they had been through, it seemed unrealistic to me.
Overall I was very impressed with this book; the pacing was great, suspense was gradually built up throughout the narrative, and the ending was satisfying given the rest of the story. I'm glad that I won this book and would definitely recommend it, especially to those who enjoy the crime and/or mystery genres.
I am not usually a huge fan of the mystery/crime genre, but this book was masterfully done. The story follows Jenny Bohner and her father, as her father starts another relationship with a woman named Emma, giving Jenny her "seventh mother," while traveling on to yet another new town and another new job. Jenny hopes that this relationship will be different, and that she might finally have a family and a "normal" life, where they live in a house instead of an RV and Jenny gets to go to school and make friends. At first Jenny thinks this might finally be the one, but as time goes on, even as everything seems to be going Jenny's way, more and more doubts build up in Jenny's mind, and she realizes things are not all they seem.
I stayed up late reading this book from start to finish in one sitting because I had to know how it ended. The story builds slowly, allowing the reader to get fully drawn into the characters and their lives before starting to see inklings of something darker. In this way, the author was very effective at building suspense, you get a hint of something that feels wrong, but then it is resolved or forgiven and you get lulled back into complacency again. Although it feels obvious from almost the beginning of the book that there is more to the story and that something is terribly wrong, it's easy to forget that and even doubt your earlier suspicions at times, which makes it all the more compelling.
I also liked the glimpse of poverty in America that we see throughout the story. It can be easy to forget that people really live lives similarly to the Bohners and the Johnsons, and that stability is a luxury that not everyone can afford. Emma's background when it is revealed, also ends another interesting element to the story and helps to explain a lot of her actions and relationships.
The only things I didn't love about this book were the voice of Jenny and the ending. The biggest problem I had is that when reading from Jenny's perspective it really didn't feel like you were seeing the world from an eleven year old's point of view. At times it was well done, but at others she really sounded far too mature, even for an eleven year old who has had to grow up fast. This contributed to my dislike of parts of the ending. I won't give anything away, but while I liked the plot of the ending itself and felt like it fit well with the story, I was disappointed in the reactions of the main characters, particularly Jenny. It was just too easy for them to adjust and move on, and although there are occasional suggestions of some ambivalence in their emotions and feelings towards the other characters, I wasn't able to feel that those emotions, but more was just told them Given everything that they had been through, it seemed unrealistic to me.
Overall I was very impressed with this book; the pacing was great, suspense was gradually built up throughout the narrative, and the ending was satisfying given the rest of the story. I'm glad that I won this book and would definitely recommend it, especially to those who enjoy the crime and/or mystery genres.
July 7, 2014
I received a copy of this book on a Goodreads giveaway and I was so pleased I did.
The Seventh Mother tells the story about Brannon and his daughter Jenny who have a somewhat nomadic lifestyle moving around from place to place and their meeting and relationship with Emma, a women they meet in Idaho, who becomes Brannon’s new girlfriend.
The book is split between Jenny and Emma’s perspective and it flows nicely between one and the other. I loved watching the relationship between Jenny and Emma growth as each explored their fears and how Jenny hoped Emma would be the one that would stay as Brannon’s other girlfriends all eventually left. Brannon’s temper is worrisome and how quickly he can appear to reign it in is suspicious, and the books twist was not expected at the start of the book but you could see it building throughout as the story unfolded when all was not how it seemed. I enjoyed this book and glad Jenny and Emma found each other and will recommend this to my friends.
The Seventh Mother tells the story about Brannon and his daughter Jenny who have a somewhat nomadic lifestyle moving around from place to place and their meeting and relationship with Emma, a women they meet in Idaho, who becomes Brannon’s new girlfriend.
The book is split between Jenny and Emma’s perspective and it flows nicely between one and the other. I loved watching the relationship between Jenny and Emma growth as each explored their fears and how Jenny hoped Emma would be the one that would stay as Brannon’s other girlfriends all eventually left. Brannon’s temper is worrisome and how quickly he can appear to reign it in is suspicious, and the books twist was not expected at the start of the book but you could see it building throughout as the story unfolded when all was not how it seemed. I enjoyed this book and glad Jenny and Emma found each other and will recommend this to my friends.
September 10, 2014
I won this book from Goodreads. It definitely kept me reading at a fast pace. And I enjoyed it while I read it, but ultimately it was a bit predictable and the characters were quite unidimensional. And the end was odd. While it was the right outcome, it was an overly tidy way to end given that Jenny was 11 and so close to her father throughout most of the book. I suspect I was not the right audience. I expect many people would enjoy this book without bring so critical.
September 21, 2022
Jenny and her father, Brannon, have been nomads for years, traveling from job to job, state to state. Along the way, there have been a string of women, including Jenny's mother who died when she was 3. Jenny is hoping that Emma is the one who stays. Things are looking good when they both are able to convince Brannon to take the permanent position he is offered at the Amazon warehouse in Kentucky. Emma gets a job at the diner and Jenny gets to go to school. When Emma becomes pregnant, they get married, rent a house and settle into a new, more permanent life. Until Jenny starts going through her father's boxes in the attic and finds items that he said he didn't have, like photos of her mother, and other items that he shouldn't have, like the driver license of every woman that came after Jenny's mom died. Jenny and her friend at school start to do some google searches and find that 2 of the women have been found dead and 2 are reported missing. Emma and Jenny escape in the middle of the night and head to a shelter. This is where the story starts to fall off a bit for me. They reunite with Jenny's grandmother and try to find Brannon's younger sister who was adopted after their parent's deaths. When they find her she confirms that their mother was abusive and that Brannon protected her from the bullies in foster care. So we are lead to believe that that explains Brannon's behavior, he is just protecting Jenny from the bullying women that he brought home. It didn't really line up for me but for the most part I liked the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2017
This is a cute light read with a bit of gory mystery thrown in. This book can be consumed in a few short days. An 11-year-old girl named Jenny and her father, Brannon, live a life traveling from one state to another, where Brannon takes on a series of temporary jobs. Brannon then meets Emma, a kind young lady who Jenny hopes will be the woman who actually stays in her life, as opposed to all the other women who left. The book switches between Jenny and Emma's perspectives in each new chapter, which is an interesting take, and allows readers to get to know the thoughts and feelings of both characters. Throughout the book, readers get the vibe something is off but it's hard to put a finger on it. Then one day, Jenny comes across some dangerous information- and from there things spiral out of control. The book is filled with family, the true meaning of love for one's children- including stepchildren, as well as the power of prayer. This book continued to have me wondering what direction it was going to take.
February 16, 2019
I liked it. It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't terrible either.
I found the storyline to be predictable, but it was still an enjoyable read. You know what is going to happen, but you read it anyway to see how the author gets to that point you are waiting for.
Nothing noteworthy comes to mind about this book. No good or bad things that stuck in my brain.
I liked the characters (Emma wasn't a bimbo) and I really liked the way the story was told between Emma's point of view and then Jenny's. It was also really convenient to read a couple of pages and be at the next chapter so fast. It makes fitting in reading time much easier. (I don't like interrupting myself in the middle of the events if I can help it. I like reading until a page break or chapter ends.)
First time reading this author and I'll probably pick up another.
I found the storyline to be predictable, but it was still an enjoyable read. You know what is going to happen, but you read it anyway to see how the author gets to that point you are waiting for.
Nothing noteworthy comes to mind about this book. No good or bad things that stuck in my brain.
I liked the characters (Emma wasn't a bimbo) and I really liked the way the story was told between Emma's point of view and then Jenny's. It was also really convenient to read a couple of pages and be at the next chapter so fast. It makes fitting in reading time much easier. (I don't like interrupting myself in the middle of the events if I can help it. I like reading until a page break or chapter ends.)
First time reading this author and I'll probably pick up another.
March 26, 2023
This is my second book by this author. After reading Prayers & Lies, and absolutely loving it I wanted to read something else of hers and chose The Seventh Mother. The book was really great and really held my attention until about 3/4 of the way through. I just felt like it dragged on a little too long from the time Emma left Brannon til the time Brannon found her, before it got to the ending and the ending was very abrupt. I feel like the ending scene should've carried on a bit more for all the dragging on it did in the third quarter of the book. I also got a little irritated with Angel. She wanted to constantly play the race card and claim everyone was racist but she used the term cracker which is racist so, ahem, hypocrite.
May 3, 2019
I like it BUT...
it was predictable. Anyone could see from the first 20 pages that there was something "off" about Brannon. Also, I found many of the characters one-dimensional. Emma is too sweet all the time, the waitresses in the restaurants are nothing except helpful and motherly, and everyone who comes into even the briefest contact with Emma and Jenny go out of their way to help them. Plus Jenny is basically perfect. Right. I also didn't need to read about Emma and Jenny saying "I love you" in every single chapter.
it was predictable. Anyone could see from the first 20 pages that there was something "off" about Brannon. Also, I found many of the characters one-dimensional. Emma is too sweet all the time, the waitresses in the restaurants are nothing except helpful and motherly, and everyone who comes into even the briefest contact with Emma and Jenny go out of their way to help them. Plus Jenny is basically perfect. Right. I also didn't need to read about Emma and Jenny saying "I love you" in every single chapter.
September 1, 2024
For all of the predictability, this was a good book. I wish there was more of the unfolding. The ending felt rushed. Overall, the two main female characters (from whose viewpoints the story is told) were very likeable. You wanted the happy ending for them.
This was also a pretty quick read, which made it easy to overlook some of the other small issues that the book has. Enjoyable.
This was also a pretty quick read, which made it easy to overlook some of the other small issues that the book has. Enjoyable.
August 10, 2017
Good read - never know where it's going
A good story , well developed characters , & an interesting story line. Never quite sure what the next page will bring. Can't elaborate or will spoil the read ! Enjoy
A good story , well developed characters , & an interesting story line. Never quite sure what the next page will bring. Can't elaborate or will spoil the read ! Enjoy
September 10, 2017
I really didn't expect this to be a mystery. I'm not quite sure what I expected it to be. It picked up in the last third but the first 2/3 was fairly slow and a little dull. Not a bad read but not a favorite.
November 5, 2017
I loved this story, I never dreamed how it would end and the characters kept you so interested in the story line, it was interesting me because I work in Indianapolis IN and when Emmons talks about Indy I know just what she is writing about. I will look for more of Emmons books to read.
October 5, 2019
Read a bit like a James Patterson novel, short chapters, the narrative alternating back and forth between characters. Gives you that anxious feeling. I just read a poetic classic, the writing style paled by comparison.
March 14, 2020
I liked the premise of the story, but the "plot twist" seemed very obvious to me from an early point in the game. The woman in this story is naive and the red flags were overwhelming, but that's most of America. It was worth the read, but it will likely be forgettable.
August 7, 2021
There was waaaayyyyy too much crying in this book. Everyone was crying ALL the time! Also, I didn't like the racism angle. It didn't add anything to the story. Despite all this, I still enjoyed the book and finished it in one sitting.
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