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Apron Strings
Hester Dumphry lives a charmed life until fate cruelly intervenes and rips her world to shreds. Her apparent savior, Beatrice, in the form of a bible thumping spinster, fuels Hester’s fear until her bitterness and secrets are all she has left. But many in Creekwood have secrets, including Beatrice, buried so deep, they no longer believe them and will stop at nothing to keep their own pasts concealed. Hester’s tenant, an apparent drifter with a past riddled in alcoholism is embroiled in a mystery he isn’t even aware of. Then he does the unthinkable and makes a sacrifice for two strangers that very few would ever consider. Apron Strings twists and weaves throughout with an ending that begs the question – Does everything truly happen for a reason?
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2013
31 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Colerain
1 book3 followersI began writing at the age of seven and stopped in my mid teens, convinced true writers wrote a perfect first draft. After spinning stories in my head for decades, I finally tried again, put pen to paper, and completed a 150,000 word manuscript in three months. As that book sat gathering dust on a publisher's desk, I was challenged to write dark, so I did, and "Apron Strings" was born. Initially a 3000 word short story, I felt compelled to tell the history of these very flawed characters. As there isn't a large demand for novellas by publishers, I went the route of self-publishing. I am currently working on another historical murder mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 18, 2014
Apron stringsWhat an interesting book! What an aggregation of characters populate this small town of Creekwood, all interconnected in one way or another in ways often unbeknownst to each other.
The book starts off with Hester, the teenage daughter of the local pharmacist. She is enamored of a young man, Bernie, but their romance is interrupted when WWII starts, and he goes off to war, where he is killed. Young Hester has a total meltdown, and is put in the local asylum for a short while to recover. But on their way to visit her one day, her parents are killed in a car accident.
Scene II. We meet Beatrice and Ethyl, daughters of a nasty mean man and his browbeaten wife, fundamentalist religious believers. Her father is the minister of the congregation. Fourteen-year-old Ethyl gets pregnant by a young orphan boy, and before the boy learns of this, he steals money from the church and leaves town, never to be heard from again. Daddy beats the tar out of Ethyl and marries her off to Mr. Stout, forty years old and even meaner, if that's possible, than her father.
Two separate families with nothing to do with each other. Until the grown son of Ethyl, the seed of the long forgotten dalliance, meets the recluse Hester, and they get married, and have a daughter.
And on and on and on, with the threads growing more tangled, and tighter, until finally, instead of an unraveling at the end, we have a total rat's nest of entanglement.
This book should be called The Great Big Book of Irony. It is filled with the relations, known and unknown, of the characters, and at each revelation, we say to ourselves, "Wow. How ironic." Over and over and over again. Until the end, where we learn of the final irony.
An excellent read, reminding us that when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
The book starts off with Hester, the teenage daughter of the local pharmacist. She is enamored of a young man, Bernie, but their romance is interrupted when WWII starts, and he goes off to war, where he is killed. Young Hester has a total meltdown, and is put in the local asylum for a short while to recover. But on their way to visit her one day, her parents are killed in a car accident.
Scene II. We meet Beatrice and Ethyl, daughters of a nasty mean man and his browbeaten wife, fundamentalist religious believers. Her father is the minister of the congregation. Fourteen-year-old Ethyl gets pregnant by a young orphan boy, and before the boy learns of this, he steals money from the church and leaves town, never to be heard from again. Daddy beats the tar out of Ethyl and marries her off to Mr. Stout, forty years old and even meaner, if that's possible, than her father.
Two separate families with nothing to do with each other. Until the grown son of Ethyl, the seed of the long forgotten dalliance, meets the recluse Hester, and they get married, and have a daughter.
And on and on and on, with the threads growing more tangled, and tighter, until finally, instead of an unraveling at the end, we have a total rat's nest of entanglement.
This book should be called The Great Big Book of Irony. It is filled with the relations, known and unknown, of the characters, and at each revelation, we say to ourselves, "Wow. How ironic." Over and over and over again. Until the end, where we learn of the final irony.
An excellent read, reminding us that when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
August 25, 2014
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This is the first I have read from C.S. Colerain and have to say it was good. There are so many secrets, betrayals, deceit and through it all is a story of family that all comes together in some way. C.S. Colerain pulled me in from Hester’s life and what she goes through in each chapter. The pain, heart ache and lies that have been fed into her life just made me like wow. I mean Ms. Colerain created a woman with so much pain it was hard at time to read what she goes through just to stay alive. Definitely one of those books filled with so many characters it’s hard to just like one and hate one for they all create a book you must read.
This is the first I have read from C.S. Colerain and have to say it was good. There are so many secrets, betrayals, deceit and through it all is a story of family that all comes together in some way. C.S. Colerain pulled me in from Hester’s life and what she goes through in each chapter. The pain, heart ache and lies that have been fed into her life just made me like wow. I mean Ms. Colerain created a woman with so much pain it was hard at time to read what she goes through just to stay alive. Definitely one of those books filled with so many characters it’s hard to just like one and hate one for they all create a book you must read.
March 12, 2014
I loved this book.I couldn't put it down.It's dark and edgy with the characters being connected in so many ways.Their lives intertwine and weave throughout the book,while living with their secrets and shame.I highly recommend this book,the author has a wonderful way with description.The ending was not what I envisioned.LOVED IT,GREAT BOOK!
March 9, 2014
Pretty good story, hard to follow at times.
March 9, 2014
This is a really great read, kept me fascinated and I read it it one session, with only breaks for coffee and nature's calls. LOL
Highly recommend this book - nice little twist at the end.
Highly recommend this book - nice little twist at the end.
July 17, 2014
This story is full of intrigue and sorrow, a child no one claims and a mother with hate in her heart. In the end she got what she deserved. read to see how.
January 12, 2017
Holy twists and turns Batman!
First off, I want to be honest and admit that I don't normally write out a review of a book. Usually, I will give the book a certain star rating and leave it at that. I felt so passionately about this book, that I felt the need to express my thoughts and feelings in a review.
I will also admit that, at first, the concept of this book threw me. It is dark, full of intrigue, and there is certainly a lot of pain and sorrow. There was just something about it that grabbed me by the throat from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down! It was so interesting to watch the characters develop and try and piece together the various relationships. I love an ending that makes me say, "Wow! I did not see that coming". I agree with another reviewer that said that it really makes you rethink some of the assumptions that you make about other characters.
I would love to see the author do another book in this town so we can learn more about the townspeople and how their lives intertwine. I thought this was a fantastic read!
First off, I want to be honest and admit that I don't normally write out a review of a book. Usually, I will give the book a certain star rating and leave it at that. I felt so passionately about this book, that I felt the need to express my thoughts and feelings in a review.
I will also admit that, at first, the concept of this book threw me. It is dark, full of intrigue, and there is certainly a lot of pain and sorrow. There was just something about it that grabbed me by the throat from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down! It was so interesting to watch the characters develop and try and piece together the various relationships. I love an ending that makes me say, "Wow! I did not see that coming". I agree with another reviewer that said that it really makes you rethink some of the assumptions that you make about other characters.
I would love to see the author do another book in this town so we can learn more about the townspeople and how their lives intertwine. I thought this was a fantastic read!
June 2, 2014
I have to preface this with the fact that I normally do not write reviews, I love to read them but I don't write them. That being said, here goes:
I loved the story with all of its twists and turns, speeding faster and faster with suprises when I least expected them. The small town is filled with secrets and gossip, pain and abuse, loyalty and deceit.
My heart broke for some of the characters. I despised a few. I enjoyed the revenge that some acted on and felt them all come alive in my hands!
My only slight disappointment is that I wasn't quite ready for it to all wrap up so quickly. I am definately waiting for the next story from this author!
I loved the story with all of its twists and turns, speeding faster and faster with suprises when I least expected them. The small town is filled with secrets and gossip, pain and abuse, loyalty and deceit.
My heart broke for some of the characters. I despised a few. I enjoyed the revenge that some acted on and felt them all come alive in my hands!
My only slight disappointment is that I wasn't quite ready for it to all wrap up so quickly. I am definately waiting for the next story from this author!
August 10, 2016
A complex story of cruelty perpetrated by religious bigots including the girl's parents who carried out the brutality in the name of their God. Spare the rod and all that. I think I will have to read it again, as I hardly realised the significance of the twists and turns in the relationships until the very last paragraph.
This would have a got a 5 star rating from me, were it not for all the errors. What a shame! I guess we should not blame the author, but the publishers who should not have allowed this to go on sale until a thorough proof-reading had been undertaken.
This would have a got a 5 star rating from me, were it not for all the errors. What a shame! I guess we should not blame the author, but the publishers who should not have allowed this to go on sale until a thorough proof-reading had been undertaken.
May 23, 2014
I could not stop reading Apron Strings once I started. It kept my interest and held it from beginning to end. There were so many intertwined relationships. Some have called this story and the author disturbed and disturbing. I found that there was an intense realism. Knowing that this story could happen anywhere, with anyone. Colerain did an amazing job and I will continue to read this authors work. If you can not handle reading about intense pain then this book is not for you.
April 18, 2015
As the World Turns
Life can be so short. Apron Strings, a story about human frailties. A circular story that brings a whole new meaning to being touched by every person you come in contact with. While I enjoyed this book, there are a few places I had reread to keep the characters and relationships straight. Certainly a good read about small town life and how the world really does go around in circles.
Life can be so short. Apron Strings, a story about human frailties. A circular story that brings a whole new meaning to being touched by every person you come in contact with. While I enjoyed this book, there are a few places I had reread to keep the characters and relationships straight. Certainly a good read about small town life and how the world really does go around in circles.
April 29, 2014
I was expecting something really dark, but got a more historical read, of how things were growing up poor, and being misunderstood. It was a really fast read for me, as I couldn't put it down, it lost me a few times, but I slowly found my way back after being lost. The ending was sad, if only people communicated their feelings!
June 10, 2014
This was a very good interesting read. So many characters all intertwined that I did start over after I was almost half way done. I could not keep them straight and what part they played in each others lives. I loved the book though. And the ending is bizarre...... I may need to back up and reread some again to be sure I understand what really happened....
November 19, 2013
I really enjoyed this! A great read with unforgettable characters from a small town. Their lives all intertwined brilliantly. I couldn't wait to read and figure out what was going to happen. Recommend to anyone looking for a unique story with many twists and turns!
July 25, 2014
Given To Me For An Honest Review
This is quite a book. It is about a small town and the people in it. I read it in one read. Very good read and I do recommend it for all.
This is quite a book. It is about a small town and the people in it. I read it in one read. Very good read and I do recommend it for all.
abandoned
August 23, 2024This is just trauma after trauma and I had to DNF at 60%.
March 7, 2015
Not what I expected.
Not what I expected.
Interesting, but not a particularly good read. Too much sadness. All the family connections made it quite an experience though.
Not what I expected.
Interesting, but not a particularly good read. Too much sadness. All the family connections made it quite an experience though.
March 18, 2014
awful book
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews