Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Letters Between Us by Linda Rader Overman

Review and Giveaway

Letters Between Us by Linda Rader Overman

Fiction, paperback, 165 pgs. 2008

Plain View Press


This is a story told through letters between two women. From 1963 to 1989 they are friends, keeping diaries and writing letters, sharing everything through three decades of growth and change. The book begins with the loss of one of them, Katherine, tragically. Her friend Laura comes into possession of all their correspondence in a box that Katherine had kept, along with her diaries. Katherine had problems her friends and family could not seem to share or understand and the details of her death are baffling to everyone.

Laura, depite problems in her own marriage and a mother suffering from dementia who calls her constantly in a state of confusion, is determined to take a few days away. She's compelled to sort and read all the letters between them to find out what she may have overlooked. Did she miss Katherine's pain and turmoil or was it there between the lines? Might Laura have foreseen some things and helped her friend more? Or was she too busy living the high life to pay attention to what her friend was saying. It's natural to wonder. So through Laura we read the letters together, in the order that they were written, starting in grade school through high school and the college years. They wrote to each other even when together in school or the same town. Then on to new adventures in living, loving, and loss.

Katherine was the straighter arrow of the two. It was Lauren who took risks with drugs, sex, drinking and partying. She thought she might be the one to run into trouble but never Katharine, who wouldn't even try drugs. And while she knew K. had lived with abusive and alcoholic parents, she never saw the depth of her friends sadness. She discovers through the letters that things were happening to Katherine that she never fully realized. If Katharine ended up depressed and under treatment toward the end it seems she had reason. Passionate or tender, poignant or sometimes dark, the story of their lives unfolds for us, letter by letter. The novel is rich with details and Overman's writing sets the mood perfectly. Highly recommended.

Linda Rader Overman's web page: Letters Between Us.

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I will be giving my gently read copy of Letters Between Us to one of my readers.

To enter do as many of the following as you like. Three chances to win.

1) Tell us the best book of epistolary fiction, a story told entirely or for the most part through personal letters, that you've ever read, for one entry.

2) Sign up to subscribe or follow my blog, Fresh Ink Books, and I'll give you an entry.

3) Blog about this giveaway and put a link back to it and I'll give you an entry. If you don't have an blog, email 3 friends telling them about this giveaway and copying me at sfuhringer (at) sympatico (dot) ca.

Entry is open to everyone until midnight Sunday, January 25, 2009.

Be sure to leave an email address if you don't have a blog where I can contact you.

Winner will be announced on Monday, January 26 , 2009.

45 comments:

  1. My favorite book of epistolary fiction is A Woman of Independent Means. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Sandra!
    I read my first book in epistolary form last month and really enjoyed it - Lady Susan by Jane Austen. Would love to read this as well:) Do enter me for the giveaway.

    Btw, I already follow your blog through reader.. does that count?

    ramyasbookshelf(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. I subscribe.

    stacie_vaughan@hotmail.com

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  4. I love, love, love, epistolary novels. One of my favorites is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

    I already subscribe to your blog through Google Reader

    And, I will post this give-away on my sidebar.

    Thanks for offering, Sandra!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds great. I'm not going to enter the giveaway, because I can't think of any epistolary novels that I've read (boo me!) but it sounds great and will go on my wishlist. Thanks for the review! :-)

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  6. No need to enter me, Sandra. I'm just dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really liked The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
    akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well I don't think I've ever read a book written only as letters. I read a YA book called 13 reasons why by jay asher, which had letters written to people but it also had parts were it wasn't about that, so thats as close as i've gotten. I think this book sounds really good though. I'd love to be entered.
    unforgetable_dreamer_always AT hotmail .com

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  9. My aabsolute favorite is 84, Charing Cross Road, but e: A Novel gets an honorable mention because of its email format. I'm a follower - thanks for the giveaway!!

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  10. After reading and loving The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I have been intriqued by epistalary fiction. I follow your blog thru google reader. Does that count for a second entry?
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  11. *Ramya: Yes love, it counts as another entry. And anyone else who enters and already follows or subscribes. :)

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  12. Yikes, I really had to think about this one! My favorite is Griffin & Sabine by Nick Bantock.

    jgbeads AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I just subscribed in Google Reader.

    jgbeads AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Favorite epistolary novel: Dangerous Liasons!

    eric at grunin.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. My favorite epistolary book is Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved it!!

    I already am a follower!!

    Thanks for the great review. This book sounds really good and I really like the story being told in the form of letters exchanged between the two friends!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hm... a favorite? Probably Dangerous Liaisons.

    I am a follower and I have also blogged about your contest:
    http://morbid-romantic.net/2009/01/13/book-giveaways-01012-0118

    Valorie
    morbidromantic@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. i can not recall any that stick out in my mind but would still love to get to read this thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. I don't think I've read any epistolary novels except "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" - which I loved.

    Would love to read this one!

    I also follow you through Google Reader - have for a while now. :)

    nnjmom at yahoo dot com

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  19. This sounds like an excellent read.

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  20. for some reason i cannot think of an epistolary fiction that i've read...i know i have, but nothing is jumpimg out:( this book sounds really good though:)

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  21. Griffin & Sabine by Nick Bantock, I loved that one. It was just such a beautiful book, too. I wonder where my copy is?
    I would love to read Letters Between Us. Thanks for entering me.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I haven't heard of a person yet who didn't like The Guernsey literary &ppps. The title is too long! Another one I just loved is The Ginger Tree by Oswals Wynd. I am already a follower and will put this on my blog.
    Thanks so much for Acedia and Me. It arrived safe and sound in FL today.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have not read many books in epistolary form but this year I read Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and it was wonderful!

    vmlay@artsci.wustl.edu

    ReplyDelete
  24. The epistolary form is one of my favorites, it is a rare art form.

    My favorite epistolary BOOK is 84 Charing Cross Road...

    Favorite epistolary NOVEL is Guernsey, like many others I absolutely loved it.

    Please do enter me, I would love to read this one. Just added myself as a follower! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. The first one that comes to mind is Letters to Karen. I really enjoyed that one.
    frog123 (at) cyipcom (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  26. 1.I am a follower.
    2. I blogged about this great giveaway.
    http://lissalightnup.blogspot.com/
    3. I hope "The Wednesday Letters" counts, if not Carrie & The Plant by Stephen King. Evidently they are considered epistolary fiction according to wikipedia.
    4. I am going to add epistolary fiction to my reading list & hopefully it will start with this book!
    Thanks for the opportunity to win!

    kissmyirishlass (at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love 84 Charing Cross Road, and I just watched the movie (free download on Netflix) which I found quite enjoyable. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Mademoiselle Benoir by Christine Conrad is the only one I've read

    tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I think the only one I ever read is Potato Peel Pie Society.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Between Friends by Debbie Macomber.
    Margay

    Margay1122 (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  31. My favourite book of epistolary fiction is a YA book called ' Daddy Long Legs'. I remember reading it as a teenager and loving it. In fact I might have to add to my list to try and find it again. I have subscribed to your blog too, so please could you enter me in your competition. Thankyou.

    ReplyDelete
  32. My favourite is 84, Charing Cross Road. I already follow your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  33. This sounds good! I haven't read a whole lot of them but one of my favourite epistolary novels is Clara Callan by Richard Wright.

    I'm already subscribed to your blog in Google Reader. Thanks.

    (tanabata2000 at gmail dot com)

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have not read many books in epistolary form, I am certain I must, have, yet I cannot think of one.

    knittingmomof3 (AT) gmail (DOT) com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I am a follower.

    knittingmomof3 (AT) gmail (DOT) com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I am a subscriber.

    knittingmomof3 (AT) gmail (DOT) com

    ReplyDelete
  37. The best book of epistolary fiction that I can think of is The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

    I subscribe to you on Google Reader, if that counts and I blogged about your giveaway here:

    http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/01/this-weeks-giveaways-galore_10.html

    ReplyDelete
  38. I agree with previous mentions, Daddy Long Legs and Guernsey etc. are great. But one of my favourites is Elizabeth von Arnim's "Fraulein Schmidt and Mr. Anstruther". Wonderful book!

    ReplyDelete
  39. I just finished Guernsey on audio and loved it. I also follow.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Though not entirely in epistolary form, I quite enjoyed The Hatbox Letters by Beth Powning.

    I've posted about this giveaway: http://aseasontoread.blogspot.com/2009/01/book-giveaways_17.html

    You are already on my sidebar ... I'll follow too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. The love Letters by Madeleine L'Engle is partially made up of the letters of a 15th (?) century nun along witht he story of a twentieth century marriage in trouble. I'll probably be re-reading it and blogging about it next month for my Semicolon Book Club.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I don't think I have read any book entirely in letter format, but I have read 'Sams letter to Jennifer' which is pastially in letter form and it's lovely as well.

    Subscribed through google reader.

    ReplyDelete
  43. MaryAnne: I got your email and you are entered in the giveaway for Letters Between Us.

    ReplyDelete

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