Book Tour with Giveaways!

*UPDATE THURSDAY 10/16/08 9:00 p.m. CDT*

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Congrats to BP and Kamewh! Send me your addresses, ladies!

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Have you ever observed or been a part of what's commonly referred to today as Groupthink? Some consider that this is what happens when a group of teenagers - especially boys! - gets together. They take actions as a group that would never even cross their minds individually.

As I was reading this book, The Shape of Mercy, it was evident that, while the term groupthink wasn't coined until 1952, the practice of it dates back centuries.

This is a story within a story. Current-day college sophomore Lauren Durough takes a job with an eccentric librarian in her eighties, Abigail Boyles. Abigail has asked Lauren to transcribe and update into modern language the diary of Abigail's ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

As much as I love historical fiction, this particular time period is not one I have read much The last time I did so was probably when I was studying it in high school (The Crucible, anyone?!) As Mercy's journal writings unfolded, like Lauren I was drawn into the heartbreaking reality that those who lived - and died - during this time period experienced. As Mercy watched the hysteria spread and questioned how previously rational folks could be so easily swayed by popular opinion, her friend John Peter explained, "Because 'tis easier to believe ill of someone than good."

Already dissatisfied with her life of privilege and determined to prove she will not be defined by her station in life, her kinship with Mercy, along with Abigail's cryptic and bitter behavior stemming from her past, causes Lauren to take a sobering look at her own life and relationships. Will Mercy's life (and death) impact Lauren's choices? And will she be able to help Abigail overcome decades of regret?

This was indeed a captivating story. Or rather stories, as Lauren and Abigail's own tales were woven throughout the book.

And now YOU have a chance to read it! I have 2 copies to give away! Just leave a comment on this post by this Thursday at 8:00 p.m. (CDT) and I will draw 2 names. If you do not have a blog, be sure to leave an email address where you may be reached.

You can also buy the book here.

BOOK SUMMARY: Lauren Durough is a college student longing to break free of family expectations when she stumbles into a project for eighty-year-old Abigail Boyles—transcribing the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials. Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with the mysterious Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to discovering the candid truth, Lauren must earnestly ask if she is playing the role of helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and recognize who she really is?

In our high-pressure, success-oriented culture, readers will identify with Lauren’s struggle to forge her own identity separate from the plan her family designed for her. Offering intrigue, romance, and heartbreaking drama, this contemporary novel with a historical twist conveys the intense beauty that emerges when we see how our stories affect the lives of others.

AUTHOR BIO:

From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego, California. Find out more about her at her website.


Happy Reading!

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