Review – Once in a Blue Moon

The hardest thing I have to do as a reviewer is to review a book I didn’t like. Especially when the only reason is simply, I didn’t like the story. Especially when it’s a book by an author I adore.

Such is the case with Leanna Ellis’ soon to be released new novel, “Once In a Blue Moon”. It celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch. It tells the story of Bryn Seymour and her search for answers.

When Bryn was nine-years-old, her mother committed suicide. Left with no one else to raise her, she goes to live with her Nana, her maternal grandmother. Eventually her Nana develops Alzheimer’s and goes into assisted living.

Bryn lives her life as a writer of obituaries and the occasional lifestyle article. She marries and raises her daughter, Ginger…eventually divorcing Ginger’s father and becoming a single mom like her own mother.

When Bryn attends the celebration of the Apollo 11 launch, she stumbles into a mysterious old man named Howard Walters. A man who just may hold the answers to her mother’s troubled past, and the reason she left this earth so soon.

But Howard is a conspiracy theorist, seeing trouble behind every shadow. Can Bryn ever get close enough to him to learn the truth? And does Howard hold answers, or just more questions?

His son, Sam, tries to share his feeble faith with Bryn, but she has a harder time believing in Jesus’ love than she does in little green men and a palace on the Moon. Can Sam break through Bryn’s cynicism to share Christ with her, or will she be overcome with regret and pain from the past?

As I said…I simply didn’t like the story. I don’t know if it was the conspiracy angle, or that I’ve read so much lately that it has sucked the ‘fun’ out of dysfunctional. I mean, really….does anyone come from a happy childhood anymore?

This is trademark Leanna Ellis, with her sharp wit and edgy dialogue. I just couldn’t lose myself in the story this time. Which is odd, because I adore Leanna’s ability to spin a great yarn.

So, I’m giving this one four out of five bookmarks, because it IS well written even though I didn’t care for it, and attaching a blue marble as a charm. Let your fascination with the galaxies drive you into the Arms of the One who created it all!