Adorableness Alert! The Next to Last Mistake seemed like such an odd name for a book, and I initially took it to mean that she made some HUGE mistakes in the novel. This novel surprised me in more way than one. Amalie Jahn is definitively on my radar now!
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Authors: Amalie Jahn
Publisher: Light Messages Publishing
Format/Source: Netgalley ARC
From GoodReads: Tess Goodwin’s life in rural Iowa is sheltered and uncomplicated. Although she chooses to spend most of her free time playing chess with her best friend Zander, the farm-boy from next door, her skills as a bovine midwife and tractor mechanic ensure that she fits in with the other kids at East Chester High. But when her veteran father reenlists in the Army, moving her family halfway across the country to North Carolina, Tess is forced out of her comfort zone into a world she knows nothing about.
Tess approaches the move as she would a new game of chess, plotting her course through the unfamiliar reality of her new life. While heeding Zander’s long-distance advice for making new friends and strategizing a means to endure her dad’s imminent deployment to the Middle East, she quickly discovers how ill-equipped she is to navigate the challenges she encounters and becomes convinced she’ll never fit in at her new school.
When Leonetta Jackson is assigned as her mentor, she becomes Tess’s unexpected guide through the winding labyrinth of disparities between them, sparking a tentative friendship and challenging Tess to confront her reluctant nature. As the pieces move across the board of her upended life, will Tess find the acceptance she so desperately desires?
HERE'S WHAT I THINK...
This was actually more than I was expecting. I am not sure WHAT I was expecting, but it wasn't what I read -- and I mean that in the BEST way possible. Many of the situations the MC found herself in, I too had dealt with. This book is definitely something that will hit home for anyone affiliated with the military, and military life. It's not easy to be the new kid, it's not easy to leave your life behind, and it's NEVER the child's choice. These are all key points that connected me to the MC.
One of the best things in the novel was the comparison to Chess. The way the author dropped the references and innuendos was a pleasant addition, adding a flare that I had not encountered previously.
The story's over all arc is side lined as the smaller arcs of each powerful relationship pushes the story forward. The MC is forced to learn how to adapt and handle all of these, be it her father, Zander, or the new group of girls she encounters. The intimacy and ferociousness of these really bring a life to the story. If not for these, I felt like this would have been a much more boring read - and more typical of the genre.
While the writing and plots were not something overly spectacular, the characters were wildly different and that made for a fun read. Watching the MC navigate life with the assistance of someone she would otherwise not be friends with was a breathe of fresh air, an acknowledgement that sometimes, life puts you in situations to expose you to a greater world, a wider world -- all for you to learn. Learn to accept yourself, others as they are, and that you cannot change what life has given you, only shape into something you love.
Over all, I ranked this novel as 4/5 stars!
TL;DR
Amalie Jahn brings us a chess referencing, friendship building, world shifting novel about a girl who must come to terms with a new life, while leaving much of her heart is in her old one. While the plot is not page turning, the real gem of this tale is the friendships that unfold between the pages. This is a book for any girl who had to leave home, leave a special friend, or say goodbye as a parent or loved one left to travel overseas. This is a book for you. With a powerful message, and a beautiful heart, Jahn gives us a glimpse into the world of starting over, but never forgetting where you came from. 4/5 stars!
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling author Amalie Jahn is the recipient of the Literary Classics Seal of Approval and the Readers' Favorite Gold Medal for her debut novel, The Clay Lion. She is a contributing blogger with the Huffington Post and Southern Writers Magazine, as well as a finalist in the 2015 Kindle Book Awards. A TED speaker, human rights advocate, and active promoter of kindness, she lives in the United States with her husband, two children, and three extremely overfed cats.
When she's not at the computer coaxing characters into submission, you can find Amalie swimming laps, cycling, or running on the treadmill, probably training for her next triathlon. She hates pairing socks and loves avocados. She is also very happy time travel does not yet exist.
Other Works:
**Thank you to Net Galley and Light Messages Publishing for granting me this eGalley in exchange for an honest review!**
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