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The Feathered Bone
“Feathers—no matter what size or shape or color—are all the same, if you think about them. They're soft. Delicate. But the secret thing about feathers is . . . they are very strong.”
In the pre-Katrina glow of New Orleans, Amanda Salassi is anxious about chaperoning her daughter’s sixth grade field trip to the Big Easy during Halloween. And then her worst fears come true. Her daughter’s best friend, Sarah, disappears amid the magic and revelry—gone, without a trace.
Unable to cope with her guilt, Amanda’s daughter sinks in depression. And Amanda’s husband turns destructive as he watches his family succumb to grief. Before long, Amanda’s whole world has collapsed.
Amanda knows she has to save herself before it’s too late. As she continues to search for Sarah, she embarks on a personal journey, seeking hope and purpose in the wake of so much tragedy and loss.
Set amidst the murky parishes of rural Louisiana and told through the eyes of two women who confront the darkest corners of humanity with quiet and unbreakable faith, The Feathered Bone is Julie Cantrell’s master portrait of love in a fallen world.
In the pre-Katrina glow of New Orleans, Amanda Salassi is anxious about chaperoning her daughter’s sixth grade field trip to the Big Easy during Halloween. And then her worst fears come true. Her daughter’s best friend, Sarah, disappears amid the magic and revelry—gone, without a trace.
Unable to cope with her guilt, Amanda’s daughter sinks in depression. And Amanda’s husband turns destructive as he watches his family succumb to grief. Before long, Amanda’s whole world has collapsed.
Amanda knows she has to save herself before it’s too late. As she continues to search for Sarah, she embarks on a personal journey, seeking hope and purpose in the wake of so much tragedy and loss.
Set amidst the murky parishes of rural Louisiana and told through the eyes of two women who confront the darkest corners of humanity with quiet and unbreakable faith, The Feathered Bone is Julie Cantrell’s master portrait of love in a fallen world.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2016
122 people are currently reading
4149 people want to read
About the author
Julie Cantrell
19 books757 followersJulie Cantrell is a multiple award-winning, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, editor, story coach, TEDx speaker, and ghostwriter. She served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and has received the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Arts Fellowship, the Rivendell Writer’s Colony Mary Elizabeth Nelson Fellowship, and the Pat Conroy Writer’s Residency Fellowship.
Her novels have earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal and have been featured in Top Reads lists by LitHub, Redbook, Southern Living Magazine, REAL SIMPLE, BookBub, HuffPost, USA TODAY, and more.
As a novelist, she’s received two Christy Awards, two Carol Awards, and the Mississippi Library Association Fiction Award. She was named a short-list finalist twice for the Mississippi Arts & Letters Fiction Award as well as a two-time short-list finalist for the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize.
In addition to her work with survivors of abuse and her service as a literacy advocate, she’s a member of the Tall Poppy Writers and Her Novel Collective, two organizations that promote the power of story and elevate female voices.
With published works across a diverse range of genres and numerous languages, Julie currently writes, coaches, and edits fulltime from her home in Houston, Texas where she finds great pleasure in helping to shepherd other people’s stories to shelves.
She also teaches creative writing students through the MFA program at Drexel University.
Learn more at www.juliecantrell.com and www.bluesparked.com or follow on Instagram for all things story.
Or find all her links: https://linktr.ee/juliecantrell
Her novels have earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal and have been featured in Top Reads lists by LitHub, Redbook, Southern Living Magazine, REAL SIMPLE, BookBub, HuffPost, USA TODAY, and more.
As a novelist, she’s received two Christy Awards, two Carol Awards, and the Mississippi Library Association Fiction Award. She was named a short-list finalist twice for the Mississippi Arts & Letters Fiction Award as well as a two-time short-list finalist for the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize.
In addition to her work with survivors of abuse and her service as a literacy advocate, she’s a member of the Tall Poppy Writers and Her Novel Collective, two organizations that promote the power of story and elevate female voices.
With published works across a diverse range of genres and numerous languages, Julie currently writes, coaches, and edits fulltime from her home in Houston, Texas where she finds great pleasure in helping to shepherd other people’s stories to shelves.
She also teaches creative writing students through the MFA program at Drexel University.
Learn more at www.juliecantrell.com and www.bluesparked.com or follow on Instagram for all things story.
Or find all her links: https://linktr.ee/juliecantrell
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
January 10, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
DAMN
This book was hard on so many levels. Yes, there are some places that drag & you want to smack someone to wake up & smell the coffee, but these things happen, these things happen to people & sometimes they just can't see the same things others see, even when it's right there in their face.....
As you can read from the description, the kids go down to New Orleans on a class trip for Halloween. I mean, what were they thinking anyway? And Amanda who is one of the parents on the trip, loses her best friends daughter Sarah, who is supposed to be in the bathroom with Amanda's own daughter. And thus it begins... what's supposed to be a fun little Halloween trip...ISN'T
">
They launch a search for this little girl that goes on for a few years. They go through hurricane Katrina & they hope that will flush out the people that have her, it doesn't.
Amanda is trying to keep her daughter from depression, her verbally abusive husband, happy.. all while continuing the search for Sarah with her best friends. Sarah is a counselor & while she helps so many people in different situations she finds she can't keep her family together. She works with her friend Jay who is the sheriff when they need someone at the scene of a crime. She is also a partner with her friend Vivi and they have an office for people in all walks of life. Sarah's best friends are Raelynn, who has children of her own, but no father around. Beth, who is married to Preacher & they are the parents to Sarah. They, as you can image, are having a tough time.
I really love the characters in this book, it is full of richly thought out descriptions of these people and I fell in love with some & hated a few, one in particular. There are more great characters to the book than I have mentioned, but you can read the book.
Little Sarah is out there somewhere, but we don't know if she is going to stay alive, be killed or something else. She does talk at times in the book through a journal & to a little Sparrow that keeps her company.
--->EXCERPT<---
Hello Sparrow, I asked The Man if I could see Ellie. He hit me. He said I wasn't being good enough, and that Ellie was going to be put in the box because of me. I didn't cry, even though blood was all around my eye. He said The Boss is mad at me. I have to do everything they all tell me, even when the other men come to visit. I have to stop fighting. I will try.
Things I Am Thankful For:
1. My sparrow (that's you)
2. My notebooks
3. My pen
4. Turkey and mashed potatoes (even though they were cold)
5. The Man didn't come see me today
6. The Lady is nice sometimes
7. I don't have to stay in the box any more
8. I am still alive
9. God is with me (I think) I know
So sad :-(
This book is about human trafficking, mental illness, suicide, abuse, life choices, & a lot of hope. I am going to leave the review here with just pictures because I can't really say much more without giving away the whole book. I loved it and I hated it, I hated all of the things that went on, but I loved the story the author wrote about and her note at the end of the book brought me to tears again, listing her reasons for things in the book.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas Nelson / HarperCollins for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
DAMN
This book was hard on so many levels. Yes, there are some places that drag & you want to smack someone to wake up & smell the coffee, but these things happen, these things happen to people & sometimes they just can't see the same things others see, even when it's right there in their face.....
As you can read from the description, the kids go down to New Orleans on a class trip for Halloween. I mean, what were they thinking anyway? And Amanda who is one of the parents on the trip, loses her best friends daughter Sarah, who is supposed to be in the bathroom with Amanda's own daughter. And thus it begins... what's supposed to be a fun little Halloween trip...ISN'T
">
They launch a search for this little girl that goes on for a few years. They go through hurricane Katrina & they hope that will flush out the people that have her, it doesn't.
Amanda is trying to keep her daughter from depression, her verbally abusive husband, happy.. all while continuing the search for Sarah with her best friends. Sarah is a counselor & while she helps so many people in different situations she finds she can't keep her family together. She works with her friend Jay who is the sheriff when they need someone at the scene of a crime. She is also a partner with her friend Vivi and they have an office for people in all walks of life. Sarah's best friends are Raelynn, who has children of her own, but no father around. Beth, who is married to Preacher & they are the parents to Sarah. They, as you can image, are having a tough time.
I really love the characters in this book, it is full of richly thought out descriptions of these people and I fell in love with some & hated a few, one in particular. There are more great characters to the book than I have mentioned, but you can read the book.
Little Sarah is out there somewhere, but we don't know if she is going to stay alive, be killed or something else. She does talk at times in the book through a journal & to a little Sparrow that keeps her company.
--->EXCERPT<---
Hello Sparrow, I asked The Man if I could see Ellie. He hit me. He said I wasn't being good enough, and that Ellie was going to be put in the box because of me. I didn't cry, even though blood was all around my eye. He said The Boss is mad at me. I have to do everything they all tell me, even when the other men come to visit. I have to stop fighting. I will try.
Things I Am Thankful For:
1. My sparrow (that's you)
2. My notebooks
3. My pen
4. Turkey and mashed potatoes (even though they were cold)
5. The Man didn't come see me today
6. The Lady is nice sometimes
7. I don't have to stay in the box any more
8. I am still alive
9. God is with me (I think) I know
So sad :-(
This book is about human trafficking, mental illness, suicide, abuse, life choices, & a lot of hope. I am going to leave the review here with just pictures because I can't really say much more without giving away the whole book. I loved it and I hated it, I hated all of the things that went on, but I loved the story the author wrote about and her note at the end of the book brought me to tears again, listing her reasons for things in the book.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas Nelson / HarperCollins for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
February 8, 2016
This book was heavy — it really sat like a rock in my chest. It's NOT what I've come to expect from Christian fiction because of the darker topics, but completely real. Perhaps we (Christians) need to read more real-to-life books that don't sweep the darker things of the world under the rug.
May 13, 2017
This was an emotional novel. There were so many difficult issues squeezed into this... each one enough to break someone. The recurring theme of hope was one everyone, even the non religious will be able to relate to. This contained so many beautiful passages... a couple of my favorites:
'Again and again we spin into darkness, but the sun is always there, ready to rise again. It never leaves us. And if we manage to hold on long enough to make it through the night, then we'll be given a brand new day".
'We all have a feathered bone. It's called hope. If we hang on to hope, if we don't let anyone break us or make us forget who we are, then we will always be free".
Very profound. 4.5 stars.
'Again and again we spin into darkness, but the sun is always there, ready to rise again. It never leaves us. And if we manage to hold on long enough to make it through the night, then we'll be given a brand new day".
'We all have a feathered bone. It's called hope. If we hang on to hope, if we don't let anyone break us or make us forget who we are, then we will always be free".
Very profound. 4.5 stars.
July 25, 2016
So maybe a miracle is anything that gets us through another day when life gets too hard.
I saw this book on the Anticipated 2016 Literary Fiction GR list, and decided to read it just because hurricane Katrina formed the background to the story. Because of this I did not realize that The Feathered Bones is classified as Christian fiction, which I've never tried before, as I've always been scared that these would be "preachy". I am very happy to say that this was not the case at all. The writing was beautiful, and the characters and their emotional journeys were incredibly authentic. Amanda, Sarah and Ellie's stories will stay with me. Once started I could not put this book down, and had to read it in one sitting. As the author says in her notes this is a novel about the many forms of slavery and all the ways our souls can become trapped in dark places, so don't expect a happy reading experience. Some of the issues tackled are human trafficking, teenage depression, natural disasters, suicide, and domestic abuse, and although I cried for hours, in the end I felt uplifted and hopeful. I loved this haunting tale of loss and acceptance, and highly recommend it to anyone.
The Story: Amanda Salassi accompanies her daughter Ellie’s sixth-grade field trip to New Orleans in October of 2004. The city is alive with energy, and in the chaos, Ellie’s best friend Sarah disappears. As they spend the next few weeks searching to no avail, Amanda is sick with guilt and Ellie slips into a deep depression. Amanda’s marriage disintegrates and they all despair of ever seeing Sarah alive again.
January 2, 2016
What if you became part of a parent’s worst nightmare, their child has gone missing and there are no clues, no hint of where she could be? What if you had been charged with that child’s safety when it happened? Follow Julie Cantrell’s heartbreaking tale The Feathered Bone as we become witnesses to the aftermath of the disappearance of a young child and how that disappearance makes everyone who knew her become a victim, too.
Centered around Amanda Salassi, the mother/chaperone on a sixth grade field trip to New Orleans after Sarah, her daughter’s best friend was kidnapped, this story spans five long years of guilt, pain and loss. Amanda’s life is shredded as her world collapses around her and she is too paralyzed with guilt to realize that the kidnapping was not her fault, while that paralysis may have blinded her to the heart wrenching events that were about to unfold in the aftermath. Will Amanda rise from the ashes like a phoenix reborn or will she succumb to the isolation and darkness she has created for herself?
Julie Cantrell has mastered building a story of great loss, of deep emotional and mental chaos and made it real, made it tear jerking and terrifying to imagine. With flawed characters who are incapable of sharing their inner most feelings and a main character who has focused inward, clueless to what she is doing, the aftermath of the kidnapping feels devastating. Some are brought closer together, but many are torn apart as the warts of humanity show in all of their wretched glory. One thing is certain, life will never be the same and only the strong will survive. The strongest of them all was a mere sporadic blip throughout and her story needed to be told, if it ever is, I would highly recommend a case of Kleenex.
I received an ARC edition from Thomas Nelson Fiction in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: January 26, 2016
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 9780718037628
Genre: Christian Fiction | Suspense
Print Length: 380 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Centered around Amanda Salassi, the mother/chaperone on a sixth grade field trip to New Orleans after Sarah, her daughter’s best friend was kidnapped, this story spans five long years of guilt, pain and loss. Amanda’s life is shredded as her world collapses around her and she is too paralyzed with guilt to realize that the kidnapping was not her fault, while that paralysis may have blinded her to the heart wrenching events that were about to unfold in the aftermath. Will Amanda rise from the ashes like a phoenix reborn or will she succumb to the isolation and darkness she has created for herself?
Julie Cantrell has mastered building a story of great loss, of deep emotional and mental chaos and made it real, made it tear jerking and terrifying to imagine. With flawed characters who are incapable of sharing their inner most feelings and a main character who has focused inward, clueless to what she is doing, the aftermath of the kidnapping feels devastating. Some are brought closer together, but many are torn apart as the warts of humanity show in all of their wretched glory. One thing is certain, life will never be the same and only the strong will survive. The strongest of them all was a mere sporadic blip throughout and her story needed to be told, if it ever is, I would highly recommend a case of Kleenex.
I received an ARC edition from Thomas Nelson Fiction in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: January 26, 2016
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 9780718037628
Genre: Christian Fiction | Suspense
Print Length: 380 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
December 20, 2017
I was fortunate to receive this from a Goodreads giveaway.
Set in New Orleans just prior to Hurricane Katrina, Amanda Scalassi is chaperoning her daughter Ellie's sixth grade field trip to New Orleans. It's Halloween and there is an assortment of colorful characters parading the streets. Ellie and her best friend Sarah are enchanted with all they see, especially the fortune teller. When the unthinkable happens and Sarah disappears, it has a profound effect on all who love her. Ellie takes it especially hard, and Amanda becomes obsessed with the search, wrought with guilt, feeling responsible for not watching Sarah more closely. Amanda's fragile marriage begins to disintegrate, her family spiraling downward. Will life ever feel normal and centered again?
A beautiful story that deals with the difficult topics of sex trafficking, suicide and spousal abuse, while not losing the gift of faith, hope and forgiveness.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Set in New Orleans just prior to Hurricane Katrina, Amanda Scalassi is chaperoning her daughter Ellie's sixth grade field trip to New Orleans. It's Halloween and there is an assortment of colorful characters parading the streets. Ellie and her best friend Sarah are enchanted with all they see, especially the fortune teller. When the unthinkable happens and Sarah disappears, it has a profound effect on all who love her. Ellie takes it especially hard, and Amanda becomes obsessed with the search, wrought with guilt, feeling responsible for not watching Sarah more closely. Amanda's fragile marriage begins to disintegrate, her family spiraling downward. Will life ever feel normal and centered again?
A beautiful story that deals with the difficult topics of sex trafficking, suicide and spousal abuse, while not losing the gift of faith, hope and forgiveness.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
March 28, 2017
Audiobook Review
The Feathered Bone tells the story of every parent’s worst nightmare. Amanda is chaperoning her daughter’s class field trip to New Orleans when her best friend’s daughter disappears while under Amanda’s supervision.
You should know up front that this is a work of Christian fiction. If you are put off by faith-based stories, then this book is not for you. Personally, I appreciated the religious messages, but I can see how it might be overkill for some.
Difficult topics are explored, and there are definitely elements that could be considered triggers for some readers. I wish I could say it’s an inspirational story, and I suppose in the end it is, but there’s a pervasive depressing quality that weighs down the story.
The book feels excruciatingly long, slowly paced, and filled with too many chapters where nothing of significance happens. I listened to the audio book version, and perhaps it colored my perception. The narrator’s delivery is not expressive at all. It’s especially obvious given the many emotional moments in the book. I think it contributed to the sluggish feeling of the story. Every character she voices sounds exactly the same. At times I had difficulty figuring out who was speaking.
The book isn’t poorly written per se; however, it is poorly executed. Even the few compelling characters aren’t enough for me to consider this a win.
The Feathered Bone tells the story of every parent’s worst nightmare. Amanda is chaperoning her daughter’s class field trip to New Orleans when her best friend’s daughter disappears while under Amanda’s supervision.
You should know up front that this is a work of Christian fiction. If you are put off by faith-based stories, then this book is not for you. Personally, I appreciated the religious messages, but I can see how it might be overkill for some.
Difficult topics are explored, and there are definitely elements that could be considered triggers for some readers. I wish I could say it’s an inspirational story, and I suppose in the end it is, but there’s a pervasive depressing quality that weighs down the story.
The book feels excruciatingly long, slowly paced, and filled with too many chapters where nothing of significance happens. I listened to the audio book version, and perhaps it colored my perception. The narrator’s delivery is not expressive at all. It’s especially obvious given the many emotional moments in the book. I think it contributed to the sluggish feeling of the story. Every character she voices sounds exactly the same. At times I had difficulty figuring out who was speaking.
The book isn’t poorly written per se; however, it is poorly executed. Even the few compelling characters aren’t enough for me to consider this a win.
March 2, 2016
I can handle the deep sadness novels sometimes emanate. Hell, sometimes sad books make the best books. But then again, sometimes sad books are just that ... sad. For me, the big difference between good-sad and simply-sad is entirely dependent on the reader. If I feel sad, as well as incredibly moved and smarter for having felt so sad, then the author definitely got it right. But when I read something sad and all I felt the entire novel was sad - and it's that frustrated, lackluster kind of sadness - well, the author missed something pretty essential. Unfortunately, having finished The Feathered Bone, I feel as though the author falls into the latter category.
There are a lot of heavy, heavy topics included here. At the risk of spoiling, I will only mention the obvious topics inferred in the blurb: kidnapping, abuse, and a natural disaster. Deeply troubling stuff, but not even close to the extent of troubling this novel reaches. Seriously, The Feathered Bone should come with a warning label. Something along the lines of: "WARNING this shit is depressing."
My intentions here are not to write a negative review. Especially having read the note from the author at the end of the book, which I found incredibly moving. I respect Julie Cantrell and her message, but I am not the target audience for her book. I am not religious and found it hard to relate to some of the characters because of it.
I received my copy free through Goodreads Giveaways.
There are a lot of heavy, heavy topics included here. At the risk of spoiling, I will only mention the obvious topics inferred in the blurb: kidnapping, abuse, and a natural disaster. Deeply troubling stuff, but not even close to the extent of troubling this novel reaches. Seriously, The Feathered Bone should come with a warning label. Something along the lines of: "WARNING this shit is depressing."
My intentions here are not to write a negative review. Especially having read the note from the author at the end of the book, which I found incredibly moving. I respect Julie Cantrell and her message, but I am not the target audience for her book. I am not religious and found it hard to relate to some of the characters because of it.
I received my copy free through Goodreads Giveaways.
January 29, 2016
Emotional. Faith Building. Those two words best describe Julie Cantrell's latest release.
Her prior novels, Into the Free and When Mountains Move, were Historical Fiction Novels. Cantrell has a unique writing style. I enjoyed her first novels and when I learned she had a new one coming out, I knew I'd want to read it. I read only the first sentence or two of the book summary (way too many spoilers in book summaries) and got enough to know her latest release was a contemporary novel and that the main character blames herself for losing her best friend's daughter on a field trip. I knew I was in for an emotional ride.
The novel is about Amanda and how she responds to the guilt and anguish of the disappearance of her best friend's daughter on a field trip. It is so much more than that though. There are many, many gems of wisdom in the pages of The Feathered Bone.
It was an emotionally taxing read. It was worth the toll for the lessons learned and beautiful writing style.
I recommend this novel for fans of Joanne Bischof.
Her prior novels, Into the Free and When Mountains Move, were Historical Fiction Novels. Cantrell has a unique writing style. I enjoyed her first novels and when I learned she had a new one coming out, I knew I'd want to read it. I read only the first sentence or two of the book summary (way too many spoilers in book summaries) and got enough to know her latest release was a contemporary novel and that the main character blames herself for losing her best friend's daughter on a field trip. I knew I was in for an emotional ride.
The novel is about Amanda and how she responds to the guilt and anguish of the disappearance of her best friend's daughter on a field trip. It is so much more than that though. There are many, many gems of wisdom in the pages of The Feathered Bone.
It was an emotionally taxing read. It was worth the toll for the lessons learned and beautiful writing style.
I recommend this novel for fans of Joanne Bischof.
September 26, 2015
Beautiful story, language, and characters. This is a memorable read. Will come back to you long after you've read it.
January 20, 2016
Read this entire novel in two sittings - it's a beautiful tribute to love, loss, and faith. Cantrell is indeed on her best game with this new novel. The descriptions of New Orleans are lovely and spot-on, as well! Highly recommend.
January 26, 2020
I loved it. Such a powerful, captivating story of agonizing, painful truths and yet brimming with so many reminders of hope. Beckons faith and miraculous strength. Well done!
August 27, 2017
Above all else this is a novel of hope and faith. Set against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina we navigate as here is kidnapping, human trafficking, suicide and finally second chances
Heartbreaking and finally hopeful.
Heartbreaking and finally hopeful.
November 15, 2018
This was my first book by this author. It won't be my last. A parent's worst nightmare-your child has been abducted in public and there are no clues to her disappearance. As this nightmare unfolds, the family and friends of the child all suffer from guilt and fear. What follows is Hurricane Katrina and it's aftermath and desperate searching.
New Orleans is the setting. Vividly descriptive with beautiful prose, I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. The characters are well developed and believable and they captured my heart. .
Overall, this is a tale of love, hope, survival, and finding peace within yourself against all odds.
I raced through this one. I highly recommend it.
New Orleans is the setting. Vividly descriptive with beautiful prose, I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. The characters are well developed and believable and they captured my heart. .
Overall, this is a tale of love, hope, survival, and finding peace within yourself against all odds.
I raced through this one. I highly recommend it.
March 13, 2016
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. However, I was not expecting to feel like my life had changed. There are not many books I say that about.
I know this book may not touch others as it did me, but I am hoping that will speak the message of hope in dark circumstances to everyone that reads it.
This book covers some really hard topics, such was depression, domestic violence, suicide, kidnapping, trafficking, and divorce. But the key element in this book was it was not a depressing book. Every page was infused with the hope that we all have if we follow the Lord.
Julie paints a picture using words to imprint on souls for eternity. When I was reading the final pages of the book, tears filled my eyes, but not with sadness. It was joy over the characters life changing experiences. None of them had it easy! I recognized the similarities between one of the characters stories to Elizabeth Smart. I read her autobiography and felt that healing joy despite the evil inflicted upon her when I read it. It was the same with this story.
Since it does deal with some hard topics, this book would be more suited for teens that are mature and their parents to read together and discuss. I think it deals with issues that even conservative teens need to read about though, so I actually do recommend that teens read, but discuss with parents after reading it. It would be an excellent book club read.
I know this book may not touch others as it did me, but I am hoping that will speak the message of hope in dark circumstances to everyone that reads it.
This book covers some really hard topics, such was depression, domestic violence, suicide, kidnapping, trafficking, and divorce. But the key element in this book was it was not a depressing book. Every page was infused with the hope that we all have if we follow the Lord.
Julie paints a picture using words to imprint on souls for eternity. When I was reading the final pages of the book, tears filled my eyes, but not with sadness. It was joy over the characters life changing experiences. None of them had it easy! I recognized the similarities between one of the characters stories to Elizabeth Smart. I read her autobiography and felt that healing joy despite the evil inflicted upon her when I read it. It was the same with this story.
Since it does deal with some hard topics, this book would be more suited for teens that are mature and their parents to read together and discuss. I think it deals with issues that even conservative teens need to read about though, so I actually do recommend that teens read, but discuss with parents after reading it. It would be an excellent book club read.
June 6, 2019
Deeply emotional, moving and full of amazing imagery, Cantrell’s latest is a triumph. Although some of the pain on the pages is incredibly difficult to read, this novel is stunning in its ability to convey the different meanings of slavery and being trapped in untenable circumstances. The ending is healing; this is a book to be savored and pondered.
Amanda Salassi accompanies her daughter Ellie’s sixth-grade field trip to New Orleans in October of 2004. The city is alive with energy, and in the chaos, Ellie’s best friend Sarah disappears. As they spend the next few weeks searching to no avail, Amanda is sick with guilt and Ellie slips into a deep depression. Amanda’s marriage disintegrates and they all despair of ever seeing Sarah alive again. Yet Sarah is alive, and she finds solace in God and the sparrow that visits her.
Amanda Salassi accompanies her daughter Ellie’s sixth-grade field trip to New Orleans in October of 2004. The city is alive with energy, and in the chaos, Ellie’s best friend Sarah disappears. As they spend the next few weeks searching to no avail, Amanda is sick with guilt and Ellie slips into a deep depression. Amanda’s marriage disintegrates and they all despair of ever seeing Sarah alive again. Yet Sarah is alive, and she finds solace in God and the sparrow that visits her.
February 4, 2016
The Feathered Bone is a challenging must read that forces us to face our greatest fears and believe in hope despite them. Julie Cantrell is one of the most dynamic novelists on the scene today.
February 22, 2016
Originally posted over at Lekeisha The Booknerd
The thing that I love most about Christian fiction, is that it has the tendency to NOT feel like Christian fiction. This book is dark and sad. Truly dark. Everyday, I came home and picked up this book until it was finished. 4 days isn’t bad for me. I think that had it not been for the long descriptive words, I’d have finished it sooner. Still, I think that this is one of the most thought provoking stories I’ve read in the CF genre. It isn’t preachy, and the mystery surrounding these characters, made me truly think; What does it take to make someone lose their s**t?. I’m not a parent, and that’s because I’m paranoid to the point that I’d be arrested for wrapping my child in bubble wrap, and not letting them leave the house. The world is a scary place, and the people in it are cruel beyond reason.
The Feathered Bone is about the guilt that drives one woman to never give up. Amanda Salassi chaperons her daughter’s class field trip on Halloween to New Orleans. Little Sarah goes missing, and that fuels a battle within Amanda for years to come. On top of the search for Sarah, Amanda has to deal with her daughter’s depression and her husband’s verbal abuse. Amanda is a therapist. It’s not so hard to believe that she has a problem keeping her own problems at bay. I found her character to be believable in every way, even when she couldn’t fix the things going on around her. Her emotions were all over the place. Sarah’s parents, Beth and Preacher, were just as driven to find their baby. I felt their pain, but it was hard to keep up with their feelings because Amanda was in a league of her own – even when she was helping others.
The most heartbreaking thing about this story is the “Not knowing”. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what direction the author would take. How will this all end? How will these families recover from this? I both liked and hated the journal entries from Sarah that the author weaved in. As if the reader didn’t have enough to be sad about. What she goes through is just another form of the dark side of humanity. It’s scary and you wonder how people can be so cruel. Then again, this country was built on slavery. Some people just found a different form, but it’s slavery all the same. It’s wrong and inhumane, and all the things I despise.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it made me tear up and want to murder someone. It spans through the years, and the mess that was Hurricane Katrina. As I said before, it’s very descriptive, so it drags in parts. This is a very dark story – made up of mental health, abuse, and sexual exploitation. It also drives home that old adage, There is no force equal to a woman who is determined. It’s dark and hopeful, but along the way it’s very scary. I can’t recommend this one enough. There’s no deeply religious feel to the story, but there are moments where the characters call upon God to fix it. I’m quite sure, even someone who isn’t at all religious, can empathize with the situation. Definitely recommended.
The thing that I love most about Christian fiction, is that it has the tendency to NOT feel like Christian fiction. This book is dark and sad. Truly dark. Everyday, I came home and picked up this book until it was finished. 4 days isn’t bad for me. I think that had it not been for the long descriptive words, I’d have finished it sooner. Still, I think that this is one of the most thought provoking stories I’ve read in the CF genre. It isn’t preachy, and the mystery surrounding these characters, made me truly think; What does it take to make someone lose their s**t?. I’m not a parent, and that’s because I’m paranoid to the point that I’d be arrested for wrapping my child in bubble wrap, and not letting them leave the house. The world is a scary place, and the people in it are cruel beyond reason.
The Feathered Bone is about the guilt that drives one woman to never give up. Amanda Salassi chaperons her daughter’s class field trip on Halloween to New Orleans. Little Sarah goes missing, and that fuels a battle within Amanda for years to come. On top of the search for Sarah, Amanda has to deal with her daughter’s depression and her husband’s verbal abuse. Amanda is a therapist. It’s not so hard to believe that she has a problem keeping her own problems at bay. I found her character to be believable in every way, even when she couldn’t fix the things going on around her. Her emotions were all over the place. Sarah’s parents, Beth and Preacher, were just as driven to find their baby. I felt their pain, but it was hard to keep up with their feelings because Amanda was in a league of her own – even when she was helping others.
The most heartbreaking thing about this story is the “Not knowing”. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what direction the author would take. How will this all end? How will these families recover from this? I both liked and hated the journal entries from Sarah that the author weaved in. As if the reader didn’t have enough to be sad about. What she goes through is just another form of the dark side of humanity. It’s scary and you wonder how people can be so cruel. Then again, this country was built on slavery. Some people just found a different form, but it’s slavery all the same. It’s wrong and inhumane, and all the things I despise.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it made me tear up and want to murder someone. It spans through the years, and the mess that was Hurricane Katrina. As I said before, it’s very descriptive, so it drags in parts. This is a very dark story – made up of mental health, abuse, and sexual exploitation. It also drives home that old adage, There is no force equal to a woman who is determined. It’s dark and hopeful, but along the way it’s very scary. I can’t recommend this one enough. There’s no deeply religious feel to the story, but there are moments where the characters call upon God to fix it. I’m quite sure, even someone who isn’t at all religious, can empathize with the situation. Definitely recommended.
January 27, 2016
Is this a Field Trip or a Nightmare?
It’s a well-supervised sixth grade field trip to New Orleans. What can possibly go wrong? Amanda Salassi and Beth have been friends for many years. Well heck, their girls were even born on the same day twelve years ago, and acted more like identical twins than friends. Beth had to leave the field trip early knowing full well that Amanda would keep an eye out for both kids. Ellie and Sarah stayed closely together, even suggesting to Amada that she was being a helicopter mom. So as the bus was about to depart, Amanda left them in line for the bathroom and went to help the teacher get food for the kids. Then, she went to the bus where Mrs. Henderson was busy counting heads. One short. Her daughter was sitting without her buddy. What happened? Where was Sarah? The next few days, weeks, months, and even years turned into a living nightmare.
This novel is also historical fiction as it spans about two years prior to the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe and several years after. We know early on that Sarah is still alive as she writes a journal to a sparrow that tends to frequent where she is being held, but where is she and who is keeping her captive? This story takes us on an emotional roller coaster. While the reader may even feel like they want to help in the search, they can do no more than watch from the side-lines as the characters go from guilt; despair; and even marital disharmony. I rather enjoyed this story and the major twist the author employed. I also loved how faith played a big part for the characters. I did, however, feel the novel could have been tighter as some side-line issues were extensive.
Fictionzeal
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
It’s a well-supervised sixth grade field trip to New Orleans. What can possibly go wrong? Amanda Salassi and Beth have been friends for many years. Well heck, their girls were even born on the same day twelve years ago, and acted more like identical twins than friends. Beth had to leave the field trip early knowing full well that Amanda would keep an eye out for both kids. Ellie and Sarah stayed closely together, even suggesting to Amada that she was being a helicopter mom. So as the bus was about to depart, Amanda left them in line for the bathroom and went to help the teacher get food for the kids. Then, she went to the bus where Mrs. Henderson was busy counting heads. One short. Her daughter was sitting without her buddy. What happened? Where was Sarah? The next few days, weeks, months, and even years turned into a living nightmare.
This novel is also historical fiction as it spans about two years prior to the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe and several years after. We know early on that Sarah is still alive as she writes a journal to a sparrow that tends to frequent where she is being held, but where is she and who is keeping her captive? This story takes us on an emotional roller coaster. While the reader may even feel like they want to help in the search, they can do no more than watch from the side-lines as the characters go from guilt; despair; and even marital disharmony. I rather enjoyed this story and the major twist the author employed. I also loved how faith played a big part for the characters. I did, however, feel the novel could have been tighter as some side-line issues were extensive.
Fictionzeal
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
September 23, 2016
This has to be one of the hardest books to review. I say this because it's difficult to put into words the swirl of emotions that I experienced while reading this novel.
The story is well written and the characters come alive. So much so, that I was an emotional mess throughout. Such difficult topics to cover, yet more important than most people realize. As tough as it was to read about Sarah and Ellie I pray that others will be made aware of how this secret world affects so many.
It was interesting the way the author told the tale from two different points of view. Amanda, Ellie's mother and chaperone for the field trip, and Sarah, Ellie's best friend.
Julie Cantrell does an excellent job of weaving a heart wrenching story with believable characters. There is so much pain, loss, and devastation yet in with the mix is healing and forgiveness.
I highly recommend The Feathered Bone to everyone. It is not your typical feel-good story, but nonetheless, an extremely important read. Be sure to have a box of tissues handy. You will need them.
The story is well written and the characters come alive. So much so, that I was an emotional mess throughout. Such difficult topics to cover, yet more important than most people realize. As tough as it was to read about Sarah and Ellie I pray that others will be made aware of how this secret world affects so many.
It was interesting the way the author told the tale from two different points of view. Amanda, Ellie's mother and chaperone for the field trip, and Sarah, Ellie's best friend.
Julie Cantrell does an excellent job of weaving a heart wrenching story with believable characters. There is so much pain, loss, and devastation yet in with the mix is healing and forgiveness.
I highly recommend The Feathered Bone to everyone. It is not your typical feel-good story, but nonetheless, an extremely important read. Be sure to have a box of tissues handy. You will need them.
January 28, 2016
WHOA. Just, whoa.
What just hit me? It's Julie Cantrell's latest book, the Feathered Stone.
I really feel like I've been through the wringer of emotions and I've had more than one ugly cry because, y'all, this book is HARD. Cantrell's characters are real and complex, the story is layered and the themes difficult. It's a look at what happens when the "it could never happen to me" does.
Featuring themes of child abduction and trafficking, teen depression and suicide, spousal abuse and balanced with those of forgiveness, faith and hope, this book has a lot to offer. It did start out slowly, but the author is building the foundation - once it starts to gain momentum it doesn't slow down.
Can't recommend this book enough (but I do, and my full review is on the blog at http://www.mommaontherocks.com/6869/w...).
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What just hit me? It's Julie Cantrell's latest book, the Feathered Stone.
I really feel like I've been through the wringer of emotions and I've had more than one ugly cry because, y'all, this book is HARD. Cantrell's characters are real and complex, the story is layered and the themes difficult. It's a look at what happens when the "it could never happen to me" does.
Featuring themes of child abduction and trafficking, teen depression and suicide, spousal abuse and balanced with those of forgiveness, faith and hope, this book has a lot to offer. It did start out slowly, but the author is building the foundation - once it starts to gain momentum it doesn't slow down.
Can't recommend this book enough (but I do, and my full review is on the blog at http://www.mommaontherocks.com/6869/w...).
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 21, 2017
wow, so excited to read this and so happy my secret Santa got it for me, so here I read it before Christmas.
I guess in this case the blog on the back of book was a big tease.
too much religion for me but I overlooked that, then it was too much of a lot in this story.
abuction
sex trafficking
new Orleans flood, katrina
religious beliefs
suicide
a counselor that makes excuses for her own life
though I was ok with all of this the main character was annoying. as a counselor for abused clients she made a lot of excuses and minimizing her own marriage. I did not care one bit for her.
I was more interested in Sarah and like reading her letters to the sparrow, that seem to give her hope to life. I wish story was more about her.
in end it us a satisfactory story I just expected more or different!
I guess in this case the blog on the back of book was a big tease.
too much religion for me but I overlooked that, then it was too much of a lot in this story.
abuction
sex trafficking
new Orleans flood, katrina
religious beliefs
suicide
a counselor that makes excuses for her own life
though I was ok with all of this the main character was annoying. as a counselor for abused clients she made a lot of excuses and minimizing her own marriage. I did not care one bit for her.
I was more interested in Sarah and like reading her letters to the sparrow, that seem to give her hope to life. I wish story was more about her.
in end it us a satisfactory story I just expected more or different!
February 13, 2016
I had to sit awhile after finishing this novel. There are so many feelings evoked throughout that it's hard to process all at once. This is an important book, and one that should be widely read, but it's also difficult to read at times because of the subjects the author deals with. As always, Cantrell's spectacular prose, attention to detail and characters who step off the page make for a rewarding reading experience. If you're looking for depth and a story that will pull on all your emotions, this is it. I think book clubs will have some great discussion over this one. Highly recommended.
January 2, 2016
I highly recommend this book for a book club. There are so many situations and issues throughout the book that would be great for discussion. Julie Cantrell masterfully writes about important social issues of our time without coming across as preaching or trying to further an agenda.
May 26, 2017
"A feather may look weak. Vulnerable. But the truth is, it's a powerful little thing."
The unthinkable has happened, Sarah Broussard has disappeared in the blink of an eye; vanished in the middle of a busy café, gone without even a whisper. A school field trip to New Orleans has left an entire small town stunned, as days, then weeks go by.
Amanda Salassi and her daughter, Ellie, are fighting their own nightmares; feeling responsible, having been the last ones to see Sarah before they rushed through torrential rain to get back on the bus. As a result, their home life begins to disintegrate beneath a marriage that was much too fragile to handle tragedy; neither can eat, sleep or function normally; and as a young teen, Ellie mourns the loss of her best friend.
In the midst of immeasurable darkness, light appears, for "We all have a feathered bone. It's called hope. If we don't let anybody break us or make us forget who we are, then we will always be free." Julie Cantrell has captured that hope in story form, reminding her readers that we have a God, who is "with us" in any and all circumstances.
The unthinkable has happened, Sarah Broussard has disappeared in the blink of an eye; vanished in the middle of a busy café, gone without even a whisper. A school field trip to New Orleans has left an entire small town stunned, as days, then weeks go by.
Amanda Salassi and her daughter, Ellie, are fighting their own nightmares; feeling responsible, having been the last ones to see Sarah before they rushed through torrential rain to get back on the bus. As a result, their home life begins to disintegrate beneath a marriage that was much too fragile to handle tragedy; neither can eat, sleep or function normally; and as a young teen, Ellie mourns the loss of her best friend.
In the midst of immeasurable darkness, light appears, for "We all have a feathered bone. It's called hope. If we don't let anybody break us or make us forget who we are, then we will always be free." Julie Cantrell has captured that hope in story form, reminding her readers that we have a God, who is "with us" in any and all circumstances.
January 18, 2019
CW: (I'm going to censor this as a spoiler because it might give some parts of the story away. Only open if there are triggers you're concerned about.)
The characters rely heavily on their faith to get them through hard times, and while I can appreciate that religion also helps many, many people in real life, I felt like it was mentioned a little too often. However, I feel like I should stress that this is an important read, regardless of your beliefs. I identify as an atheist, but I still loved this story and was inspired with how strong the characters were. I was also touched and impressed by the overall meaning- Cantrell's writing really drives the message into your brain: You are loved. Whether that love is coming from your friends, your family, a God, your pets... people need you and care about you more than you realize.
If you're looking for a book about courage, grief, and strength, check this one out.
The characters rely heavily on their faith to get them through hard times, and while I can appreciate that religion also helps many, many people in real life, I felt like it was mentioned a little too often. However, I feel like I should stress that this is an important read, regardless of your beliefs. I identify as an atheist, but I still loved this story and was inspired with how strong the characters were. I was also touched and impressed by the overall meaning- Cantrell's writing really drives the message into your brain: You are loved. Whether that love is coming from your friends, your family, a God, your pets... people need you and care about you more than you realize.
If you're looking for a book about courage, grief, and strength, check this one out.
January 13, 2022
Although it deals with tough subjects I would highly recommend this book. First there is the horrors of human trafficking. The girl that is taken is able to endure with an extraordinary faith and the encouragement of an unusual friend. A marriage where there is spousal abuse. Also a parent must deal with the suicide by her young teen. So much packed in one book. Maybe my favorite take away quotes (there were actually many I failed to highlight) "So maybe a miracle is anything that gets us through another day when life gets too hard."
Also, throw Hurricane Katrina in the mix. Oh my!
Also, throw Hurricane Katrina in the mix. Oh my!
January 30, 2022
I have to admit that I did not really finish this book. Not because I did not like it, but it was too confronting in my personal live. Because I assumed the book was writing about a missing girl only. But when Sarah started writing letters to a sparrow about her situation, it became a little bit to overwhelming for me. All though she doesn't use the words seksual abuse it is clear that's what she means. She is also writing about her faith in God, wich I think is great but still too overwhelming. I hope I can one day finish this book, maybe when I am finished with my own therapy.
April 21, 2021
For this book, I read some reviews part way through, and I kept with it. This book covers DARK themes, but in a gentle not too graphic way. An impactful story! Glad I read it!
January 26, 2016
Wow. If you are wanting to read a book that touches on some really hard/emotional topics then The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell is for you.
However, if you want something that is nice light and fun, you may want to steer clear of this one.
The Feathered Bone starts out in New Orleans before hurricane Katrina. Our main character is with her daughter and her daughters classmates on a field trip. Everything is all fun and games until it isn't. Amanda's daughter's (Ellie) best friend Sarah has gone missing. She is no where to be found. She is gone. Just like that. And Amanda was supposed to be the one watching her when she disappeared.
As you can probably tell just from the premise of this story that it is going to be a hard one with a lot of emotions. However, you may just think that it is about a girl who has gone missing.
It is about a lot more than that.
Suicide. Human trafficking. Depression. Failed Relationships.
We get to see how someone who isn't a direct family member of the victim is effected when someone they know has gone missing. We get to witness the ups and downs caused by this one horrible action.
It is quite a ride. One that I suggest you go on.
I will say that I wasn't quite ready for how much religion was put into this book. I don't normally read books with religious undertones, but I thought it was tastefully done. It also fits with the location of the book.
It was also part of what helped this book get its message across. And I think it was a beautiful message. What is the message? I'm not telling. You need to read it to discover it for yourself.
Now, while I did enjoy reading the story and found it one that pulled me in. The one thing that I didn't really like was that I never really found myself able to connect fully with Amanda. There were points where she and I almost connected. We got so so so close, but it never really happened. If it had this book would have been rated quite a bit higher for me.
However, all this being said, I think this is a beautiful book. I also appreciate that Julie Cantrell took the time to tell us her reasons she wrote about all of these hard topics. Her reasons only made me appreciate it that much more.
My Rating
3 stars
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
However, if you want something that is nice light and fun, you may want to steer clear of this one.
The Feathered Bone starts out in New Orleans before hurricane Katrina. Our main character is with her daughter and her daughters classmates on a field trip. Everything is all fun and games until it isn't. Amanda's daughter's (Ellie) best friend Sarah has gone missing. She is no where to be found. She is gone. Just like that. And Amanda was supposed to be the one watching her when she disappeared.
As you can probably tell just from the premise of this story that it is going to be a hard one with a lot of emotions. However, you may just think that it is about a girl who has gone missing.
It is about a lot more than that.
Suicide. Human trafficking. Depression. Failed Relationships.
We get to see how someone who isn't a direct family member of the victim is effected when someone they know has gone missing. We get to witness the ups and downs caused by this one horrible action.
It is quite a ride. One that I suggest you go on.
I will say that I wasn't quite ready for how much religion was put into this book. I don't normally read books with religious undertones, but I thought it was tastefully done. It also fits with the location of the book.
It was also part of what helped this book get its message across. And I think it was a beautiful message. What is the message? I'm not telling. You need to read it to discover it for yourself.
Now, while I did enjoy reading the story and found it one that pulled me in. The one thing that I didn't really like was that I never really found myself able to connect fully with Amanda. There were points where she and I almost connected. We got so so so close, but it never really happened. If it had this book would have been rated quite a bit higher for me.
However, all this being said, I think this is a beautiful book. I also appreciate that Julie Cantrell took the time to tell us her reasons she wrote about all of these hard topics. Her reasons only made me appreciate it that much more.
My Rating
3 stars
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
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