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chanteld's review against another edition
3.0
This book read like a Lifetime drama. And I liked it. This is my first time reading Donna Hill and my read more from her. Family drama, intergenerational issues with a dash of romance.
I honestly selected this book on NetGalley because I saw a black woman with kinky curly hair on the cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dafina Books (Kensington Publishing Corp) for granting me access to this digital ARC.
I honestly selected this book on NetGalley because I saw a black woman with kinky curly hair on the cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dafina Books (Kensington Publishing Corp) for granting me access to this digital ARC.
orsayor's review against another edition
5.0
I'm still trying to gather my thoughts on this book.
Announcement: I have found a new book boyfriend - Mr. Jackson Fuller!
Announcement: I have found a new book boyfriend - Mr. Jackson Fuller!
red_steele's review
4.0
1. True Rating - 3.5 stars
2. Voice Actor: Karen Chilton provided a good four star performance.
3. Author: This is the first book I read by Donna Hill. The author has a simplistic writing style that kept my attention throughout the book.
4. Topics or Theme: This is a romance novel that discusses family secrets and lies, racial passing, and the privilege of the wealthy.
5. Character Review:
Zoie Crawford is a 31 year old up and coming journalist living in New York. She is originally from New Orleans and has a complicated family history with her mother and aunts. Zoie’s exodus from New Orleans is twofold; she fled to New York to start fresh because of a difficult relationship with her boyfriend Jackson Fuller, and to distance herself from her family. Zoie is forced to return to New Orleans after the death of her grandmother, and she is forced to make life changing decisions regarding her family and love life.
Kimberly Maitland-Graham is an important secondary character. She hails from a prominent and wealthy family from New Orleans, and lives amongst the affluent in New York with her husband and twin daughters. Kimberly is a Republican candidate for state senate, but when Zoie is given the task of following her campaign and writing an expose, her life and campaign are irrevocably changed.
Note: Kimberly has a strained relationship with her parents. She eventually learns that the Maitlands are her grandparents, and that her late brother Kyle was her father. Kimberly also learned that her childhood nanny was her maternal grandmother.
Rose Bennett Crawford (supporting character) is Zoie and Kimberly’s biological mother. Rose became pregnant at the age of 16 by Kyle Maitland (19), and was sent away to have her baby in New York. She was informed that her child had passed away, and she was not aware that Kimberly was alive until Zoie learned the family's dark secret following the passing of her grandmother.
6. Pros: Family reconciliation was a strong theme throughout the book that I enjoyed.
7. Cons:
A ridiculous storyline involving Jackson's ex-girlfriend Lena caused Zoie and Jackson's relationship to be unnecessarily disrupted.
The author could have added more depth to the characters.
8. Recommend Book: Overall I enjoyed the novel and recommend it to others.
2. Voice Actor: Karen Chilton provided a good four star performance.
3. Author: This is the first book I read by Donna Hill. The author has a simplistic writing style that kept my attention throughout the book.
4. Topics or Theme: This is a romance novel that discusses family secrets and lies, racial passing, and the privilege of the wealthy.
5. Character Review:
Zoie Crawford is a 31 year old up and coming journalist living in New York. She is originally from New Orleans and has a complicated family history with her mother and aunts. Zoie’s exodus from New Orleans is twofold; she fled to New York to start fresh because of a difficult relationship with her boyfriend Jackson Fuller, and to distance herself from her family. Zoie is forced to return to New Orleans after the death of her grandmother, and she is forced to make life changing decisions regarding her family and love life.
Kimberly Maitland-Graham is an important secondary character. She hails from a prominent and wealthy family from New Orleans, and lives amongst the affluent in New York with her husband and twin daughters. Kimberly is a Republican candidate for state senate, but when Zoie is given the task of following her campaign and writing an expose, her life and campaign are irrevocably changed.
Note: Kimberly has a strained relationship with her parents. She eventually learns that the Maitlands are her grandparents, and that her late brother Kyle was her father. Kimberly also learned that her childhood nanny was her maternal grandmother.
Rose Bennett Crawford (supporting character) is Zoie and Kimberly’s biological mother. Rose became pregnant at the age of 16 by Kyle Maitland (19), and was sent away to have her baby in New York. She was informed that her child had passed away, and she was not aware that Kimberly was alive until Zoie learned the family's dark secret following the passing of her grandmother.
6. Pros: Family reconciliation was a strong theme throughout the book that I enjoyed.
7. Cons:
A ridiculous storyline involving Jackson's ex-girlfriend Lena caused Zoie and Jackson's relationship to be unnecessarily disrupted.
The author could have added more depth to the characters.
8. Recommend Book: Overall I enjoyed the novel and recommend it to others.
shannanh's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading about Zoie and Jackson's relationship, as well as about Zoie and why she had to come back to her family's home after being away for so long. Wondering if there will be a sequel.
readermonica's review against another edition
3.0
A HOUSE DIVIDED is general fiction that nicely combines family drama and contemporary romance. Hill manages to spend a sufficient amount of time developing both aspects in order to make the story flow well. The death of Zoie's grandmother brings her back to New Orleans and the family she has a strained connection to. Zoie's mother, Rose, represents both love and distress. Rose is a strong parent who loves Zoie, but she doesn't necessarily understand what drives Zoie. Zoie wants her family to understand and support her desire to be a successful journalist in New York, and is frustrated with their lack of interest in her career. She felt the need to leave New Orleans and all of it's family obligations, that to Zoie, felt restrictive. For Rose, and many members of the family, it felt as if Zoie was rejecting where she came from and what makes her who she is.
When Zoie returns home she longs for her family to recognize and acknowledge the up and coming woman that she has become, but is disappointed that they still see the young, overzealous, and slightly ungrateful girl that left. Zoie, for her part, could have been more understanding and considerate of her family too. The death of her grandmother is what brings her back home, and it's her grandmother's will that leads Zoie to finding out more than she could have imagined about her family's true history and her grandmother's legacy. To add to all of this, Hill also weaves in the return of a past love that could prove to be a key piece to Zoie's overall happiness.
A HOUSE DIVIDED could easily have been a much longer book, but Hill kept the story tightly woven and didn't allow for too much meandering down secondary storylines. I would have enjoyed some of the more complicated parts of the story being developed more. Although, there were parts that were cut short, I enjoyed the story overall.
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find me at:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @MonlatReader
Instagram: @readermonica
Facebook: Monica Reeds
When Zoie returns home she longs for her family to recognize and acknowledge the up and coming woman that she has become, but is disappointed that they still see the young, overzealous, and slightly ungrateful girl that left. Zoie, for her part, could have been more understanding and considerate of her family too. The death of her grandmother is what brings her back home, and it's her grandmother's will that leads Zoie to finding out more than she could have imagined about her family's true history and her grandmother's legacy. To add to all of this, Hill also weaves in the return of a past love that could prove to be a key piece to Zoie's overall happiness.
A HOUSE DIVIDED could easily have been a much longer book, but Hill kept the story tightly woven and didn't allow for too much meandering down secondary storylines. I would have enjoyed some of the more complicated parts of the story being developed more. Although, there were parts that were cut short, I enjoyed the story overall.
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find me at:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @MonlatReader
Instagram: @readermonica
Facebook: Monica Reeds
pamt2u's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great book club selection. There are clear unresolved issues in a NOLA family, unearthed by a young woman who has felt outcast for most of her life. A perfect example of how family secrets and lies have far-reaching consequences.
readermonica's review
3.0
A HOUSE DIVIDED is general fiction that nicely combines family drama and contemporary romance. Hill manages to spend a sufficient amount of time developing both aspects in order to make the story flow well. The death of Zoie's grandmother brings her back to New Orleans and the family she has a strained connection to. Zoie's mother, Rose, represents both love and distress. Rose is a strong parent who loves Zoie, but she doesn't necessarily understand what drives Zoie. Zoie wants her family to understand and support her desire to be a successful journalist in New York, and is frustrated with their lack of interest in her career. She felt the need to leave New Orleans and all of it's family obligations, that to Zoie, felt restrictive. For Rose, and many members of the family, it felt as if Zoie was rejecting where she came from and what makes her who she is.
When Zoie returns home she longs for her family to recognize and acknowledge the up and coming woman that she has become, but is disappointed that they still see the young, overzealous, and slightly ungrateful girl that left. Zoie, for her part, could have been more understanding and considerate of her family too. The death of her grandmother is what brings her back home, and it's her grandmother's will that leads Zoie to finding out more than she could have imagined about her family's true history and her grandmother's legacy. To add to all of this, Hill also weaves in the return of a past love that could prove to be a key piece to Zoie's overall happiness.
A HOUSE DIVIDED could easily have been a much longer book, but Hill kept the story tightly woven and didn't allow for too much meandering down secondary storylines. I would have enjoyed some of the more complicated parts of the story being developed more. Although, there were parts that were cut short, I enjoyed the story overall.
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find me at:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @MonlatReader
Instagram: @readermonica
Facebook: Monica Reeds
When Zoie returns home she longs for her family to recognize and acknowledge the up and coming woman that she has become, but is disappointed that they still see the young, overzealous, and slightly ungrateful girl that left. Zoie, for her part, could have been more understanding and considerate of her family too. The death of her grandmother is what brings her back home, and it's her grandmother's will that leads Zoie to finding out more than she could have imagined about her family's true history and her grandmother's legacy. To add to all of this, Hill also weaves in the return of a past love that could prove to be a key piece to Zoie's overall happiness.
A HOUSE DIVIDED could easily have been a much longer book, but Hill kept the story tightly woven and didn't allow for too much meandering down secondary storylines. I would have enjoyed some of the more complicated parts of the story being developed more. Although, there were parts that were cut short, I enjoyed the story overall.
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find me at:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @MonlatReader
Instagram: @readermonica
Facebook: Monica Reeds
bigbooklife's review
3.0
A House Divided tells the story of Zoie Crawford, a freelance journalist who lives in New York. When her grandmother passes away, Zoie is forced to return home to New Orleans to the family that she ran away from. Zoie is assigned to write an article on an up and coming senatorial candidate. As she investigates into Kimberly Graham and learns more about her late grandmother, secrets are uncovered. Zoie is faced with the major question of truth or family. Donna Hill writes a somewhat entertaining and intriguing story. I wanted more development with the plot with more twists and turns. There were enough pages for more. This is good summer read for the beach or on a lazy afternoon.
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