The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl — Review & Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“Perfection is not necessary to make a real and lasting difference

to other people’s lives.”

~ JK Rowling ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

The Editor’s Blog has some great grammar reminders HERE to help you make better sentences.

Janice Hardy at Fiction University has a VERY interesting post HERE that talks about breaking the fourth wall in writing.

One thing I am really good at is procrastination. I never thought someone would tell me that procrastination can be good for my writing, but the post HERE does just that. I love number 5!

fullsizeoutput_924 As I said a few weeks ago, it’s summer time and my posting might be a little spotty. Last week was my granddaughter’s thirteenth birthday. That was a pretty big deal, and I just wanted to spend time with family that day, so no blog post. Gracie is becoming such a wonderful young woman, and I’m really proud of her. She is a writer, artist, musician, and more. She has an Instagram account where she posts her stories and has over 1700 followers! Attending a charter school for fine and performing arts has really helped her develop her talents.

Last time I posted, I promised a signed ARC of Behind These Hands by Linda Vigen Phillips to one of you. Sharing my link (which I really appreciate) is the lucky ticket this time. Sarah Stoltzfus Allen shared my link on Facebook and is the winner this time. Sarah is a poet and a contributor to The Sacred Cow, an on-line literary magazine that publishes fiction and poetry. You can read a bit about her and see some of her work by clicking HERE. Sarah, I will get this book out to you soon. For the rest of you, I have another terrific book to give away, so please keep reading.

MLG-colorfixed I kept hearing about a book coming out this summer called The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty. Don’t you think that’s a great title? I love it. It really captured my interest. Anyway, I had a chance to claim a copy and write a review for the Manhattan Book Review, so that’s what I did. Here is my review.

Lucy Callahan, now twelve, was struck by lighting when she was eight. She doesn’t remember it happening, but it changed her profoundly. She became something of a math genius, perhaps a blessing, but she was also gifted with some pretty serious OCD, definitely a curse. Lucy has been homeschooled by her grandmother, who is raising Lucy. Even though Lucy has already passed her GED and feels she is ready for college, her grandmother insists she spend one year in middle school where she is to join one activity, make one friend, and read one book. This may seem like a simple task, but for Lucy it is monumental. This is a problem that is certainly not easy for her to solve, not nearly as easy as pi for this math savant, but it will change her in ways she could never imagine.

Author Stacy McAnulty has written a middle-grade novel that deserves a much wider readership than middle-graders. The writing is gorgeous, the characters are completely believable and vulnerable, and the story is compelling and memorable. If you are looking for a terrific book for summer reading, this one should not be missed.

I have a gently-read hardback for one of you. All you need do is be a follower or subscriber (it’s free!), have a U.S. address, and leave a comment below. If you would like extra chances, please share the link to this post on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media outlet and let me know you have done that. If you are reading this in your email, please click HERE to get to my blog, then click on the title of the post, and leave a comment. And don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.

14 thoughts on “The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl — Review & Giveaway”

Yes! I received an arc of this months ago and I loved it, but wasn’t ready to start blogging again. Lucy is a wonderful character! So real. And I loved the voice.

I’m with you on procrastination (REALLY easy to do when you’re recuperating) so that article was perfect. Thank you!

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I think this one will circulate the very first day of school! I liked how upbeat it was despite the difficulties.

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This book is high on my list as Lucy sounds unique and I’ve always been interested in gifted children, especially in the arts as well as math and science. Plus, as someone who writes middle grader fiction, I’m always seeking books with a great voice to learn what works for another author. Thanks for the chance and for sharing your copy. I shared your post on Facebook, pinterest, twitter, google+, and tumblr.

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Thanks for your review. No need for me to win this interesting book as I just finished reading my own copy. I thought the middle school scenes were very realistic. I hope to post more of my thoughts in a review later in the summer.
Congratulations to Gracie upon reaching the 13th milestone. Even with her short visit last year when you came through town, I could tell she has some special qualities that will serve her well in life.
I loved the procrastination article. I’m glad to know I’m on the right track.

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Hello, Rosi ~ Your granddaughter, Gracie, sounds like a unique and talented young woman. Please don’t enter me to win a copy of today’s book since I recently won a book from you, but I did want to let you know how much I enjoyed your book review for today. I hadn’t previously heard of this novel until today’s MMGM posts, and I’ve now added it to my TBR list.

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Congratulations to your granddaughter. I enjoyed your review, although I’ll pass on trying to win a copy of the book as I’m still behind in reading the books I have. I certainly relate to the article on procrastination as I am a big procrastinator!

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No need to enter me–for the second time in 2 weeks I’m reading and reviewing this also. Yes, a great book!

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I really loved this story — I’m featuring it today too! So well done and I agree, such realistic characters and dialogue.

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Sounds like a great read. Enjoy your time off this summer. I’m doing the same.

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Enjoyed the pictures of your granddaughter. She sounds very talented. And congratulations to Sarah!
I am a fan of Stacy McAnulty. Excellent review. I really find this story appealing. It’s nice to read two very positive reviews about the same book with a great plot and strong characters.

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