Review: Dream House

Have you read Dream House? I had been waiting to read this book for a few weeks.  I read it in just one day, while on vacation.  Thank you Valerie for a wonderful, well written story.

I have one copy of Dream House to giveaway in a book drawing.

To Enter:
- Leave a comment with your email address to enter, it’s that simple!
- Sorry....this giveaway is open to US and Canada addresses only
- The winner will be picked at random on Thursday evening, February 18th.

This book is on book tour this month with TLC Book Tours (Feb 2010).  Be sure to visit their website to read what others are saying.

About the author: Valerie Laken was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, I majored in English and Russian at the University of Iowa, then worked and studied in Moscow, Prague, Krakow, and Madison, before moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan. There, I received an MA in Slavic Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, where I taught for several years. In 2006 I moved to Milwaukee and taught for two years as the Writer in Residence at Carthage College before joining the faculty at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, where I teach in the Creative Writing program.

Synopsis: Dream House is a riveting debut novel that tells the story of a domestic drama that will forever change the lives of two families. One terrible night. One outraged act. What price will people pay to hold their homes and dreams together?

When Kate and Stuart Kinzler buy a run-down, historic house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they're looking for a decent remodeling investment and a little space in which to rekindle their troubled marriage. Instead they discover that their home was the scene of a terrible crime many years ago—a revelation that tips the balance of their precarious union.

When a mysterious man begins lurking around her yard, Kate—now alone—is forced to confront her home's dangerous past. Hers is not the only life that has crumbled under this roof. But the stranger who has returned to this house—once his own childhood home—is in search of something Kate may never fully understand.

Featuring a diverse cast of characters and building to an unforgettable climax, Dream House embraces the volatile issues of race and class to chart the concentric effects of one fateful decision—a moment of rage that will echo forever within these four walls.

Type: Fiction, 336 pages, Trade paperback

Quick take: I really liked this novel. I was able to connect to the characters and loved how flawed everyone was in the book. Most of us know a family like Kate's.  It ends perfectly.  Chapter 25 was really difficult for me to read – I can’t tell you why or I will ruin the story.  If you have read the book, you will know what I’m referring to. Read it – it’s a very good story! 

Source: Review copy