• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • The words
  • The writer
  • The work

Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

Archives for October 8, 2014

A book that doesn't keep its promise: Review of The Mason Jar by James Russell Lingerfelt

October 8, 2014

The-Mason-Jar-cover-e1412111942122I just don’t know what to think about this book. It had a lot of potential, but I didn’t feel it lived up to it. The premise was interesting, but there were some major flaws in the writing. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my review.)

I was confused about some scenes and dialogue exchanges where the person I thought was talking wasn’t the person talking. There was a lot of backstory dumping where readers are given loads of information about what happened in the past. And in the early chapters, the lead character is informed that the book her ex-boyfriend wrote is about her except he changed her name, but we have no evidence of a name change. She is called “Eden” throughout the story. And on the back cover, she’s called Savannah, but I never saw that name in the book.

The author compares the story to a Nicholas Sparks tale. I’ve not read any Sparks; I’ve only seen The Notebook. And the only real comparison I saw was the inclusion of a scene between the two leads that takes place in a downpour. From what I know of Sparks, this is classic.

I just couldn’t get into the story. I cared just enough to see how it turned out. And the cover is gorgeous, which is really the highlight for me. I’m sorry I didn’t like it more. I think it could have been great, but for me, it fell way, way short.

Read on for the official launch celebration information.

James Russell Lingerfelt‘s debut novel, The Mason Jar, is hot-off-the-press and causing quite the buzz. It’s even been optioned for a feature film and is in pre-production.

Catch the spark by entering James’ Kindle Fire giveaway!

masonjar-400-click

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire
  • The Mason Jar by James Russell Lingerfelt

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 19th. Winner will be announced October 20th at James Russell’s blog, Love Story from the Male Perspective.

masonjar-enterbanner

Filed Under: Fiction, The Weekly Read Tagged With: james russell lingerfelt, litfuse publicity group, the mason jar

Primary Sidebar

Photo by Rachel Lynn Photography

Welcome

Hi. I’m Lisa, and I’m glad you’re here. If we were meeting in real life, I’d offer you something to eat or drink while we sat on the porch letting the conversation wander as it does. That’s a little bit what this space is like. We talk about books and family and travel and food and running, whatever I might encounter in world. I’m looking for the beauty in the midst of it all, even the tough stuff. (You’ll find a lot of that here, too.) Thanks for stopping by. Stay as long as you like.

When I wrote something

October 2014
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Sep   Nov »

Recent posts

  • Still Life
  • A final round-up for 2022: What our December was like
  • Endings and beginnings … plus soup: A November wrap-up
  • A magical month of ordinary days: October round-up
  • Stuck in a shallow creek
  • Short and sweet September: a monthly round-up
  • Wrapping the end of summer: Our monthly round-up

Join the conversation

  • A magical month of ordinary days: October round-up on Stuck in a shallow creek
  • Stuck in a shallow creek on This is 40
  • July was all about vacation (and getting back to ordinary days after)–a monthly roundup on One very long week

Footer

What I write about

Looking for something?

Disclosure

Lisa Bartelt is a participant in the Bluehost Affiliate Program.

Occasionally, I review books in exchange for a free copy. Opinions are my own and are not guaranteed positive simply due to the receipt of a free copy.

Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in