The Mason List
I am ABSOLUTELY LOVING THIS BOOK!!!! I found out about it while searching for the latest releases and that blurb got me big time! And from the very start I was so into it. Beautifully written, at times devastating, at times heartwarming. And quite stressful, considering how that blurb ends…
Her mother is dying, her family loses everything and she and her father are living in their car but…
A knock on the car window brought a family into my life that I only wanted to shut out. I hated charity and I hated the Masons. Well, except one. He made it impossible to hate him.
Jess Mason had the biggest blue eyes and ornery smile of any boy I had ever seen. He was a ray of sunshine in my dark world. A boy full of adventure, dragging me across the meadow of Sprayberry Ranch; a beautiful Texas paradise full of horses and tree houses that got us into more trouble than anyone ever imagined.
Jess was my everything as a kid until we grew up and the rules changed. Instead of living happily ever after with a boy full of love. . . I destroyed it.
WHOA!!! Yep. One-clicked it!
I’m halfway through and still absolutely hooked. Even more so now. I think I know… ohhhhh yesssss, I think I know what I’m in for. It’s crying time again. I *think*.
I say I *think* because anything could happen. I’ve come across a few instances that seem to foreshadow other things to come, but I dunno. I could be in for a HUGE surprise. It doesn’t feel predictable, you know? It’s quite clever and a few of the reveals have already surprised me. Delighted me, even while my heart worries about what’s to come.
But the story is so wonderful, so well detailed, flows so perfectly, from childhood (so sweet) to their teen years (Gah! They keep getting into *big* trouble!!) to adulthood (we’re often in this part of her life as she tells us her story, but it’s very much a mystery at this point as to where we’re headed). I don’t regret a single part of their lifetime with them. We are weaved seamlessly in and out of her past and present. It’s not jarring. It’s perfect, even. And!! It’s told entirely from her 1st person POV so you know I’m feeling it personally. Living through her eyes and she feels so real.
So that’s it. I’m off to discover the rest, and I bet I’ll need to snuggle (and snuffle into) Amy’s stuffed manatee. 😉
More to come. 😀
Ahhh!! I was just about to suggest this to you! I just finished reading it at 6am this morning (hardly slept a wink!) and couldn’t stop bawling! I still cry even now whenever I thumb through the pages again. It’s such a tear jerker! I absolutely loved Jess and Alex! I have never been moved so strongly by a book before!
eeeep!!!! I’ll prepare for the sobbing.
It’s been a balls-to-the-wall freak out for me so far…and I don’t think I’m to the hardest part yet! Laura has the manatee right now but she’s on notice that she’ll have to share him soon. 😉
I *think* I know something that is going on from some subtle hints being dropped. Very subtle hints. With the way the “present” story is going…oh man, this is gonna be rough. And I love it. 😀
Hmm, Maryse is preparing to sob. Amy is hiding. MichelleS is talking buckets of blood.
Seriously guys, get the tissues ready and maybe have some ice cream at hand. I can’t even start another book yet because I’m still emotionally recovering from this one!
Shed big alligator tears with this book and I never cry. Such a story….
And don’t forget the manatee, bev!!! The minute we pull out the manatee you know the tears are a comin’ 😛
I got to about 40% last night. It’s got me 100% invested. It does have that Sweetgum Tree feel. I love it when I am right there in the simple moments – jumping in a lake, or climbing up into a tree house… with a sweet boy… total sap… that’s me. LOVING IT…… please don’t break my heart…. please don’t break my heart…..
I finished The Mason List. I am going with 4.5 stars…. I absolutely loved it, and stayed up way too late to finish it, because I couldn’t put it down… only thing keeping it from 5 stars, for me, was the ssssllllllooooowwwww build up. I mean excruciatingly slow! And at some point I start thinking that no way would it happen this way. Then after the achingly long wait…. BAM…. it’s over. And short epilogue. So that’s why the 4.5 stars for me. Did you finish Maryse? Can’t wait to hear your review.
I agree about the end and epilogue being kinda quick, MichelleS. I didn’t mind the slow build-up (love that kind of “slow burn” as Maryse calls it) but once I got to about the 50% mark, holy sh!t it was a crazy intense ride for me! As if that’s not obvious from my comments on the other page, right? 😉 I absolutely loved this one.