Mourning Becomes Cassandra [Perfect Paperback]

Christina Dudley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 16, 2009

One wary young widow pairs up with one bent-on-disaster teenager... Whose brilliant idea was this?

You think you've got issues. Meet Cass Ewan.
After Plan A for her life falls to pieces, she moves in with single friends from church and reluctantly decides to mentor an at-risk adolescent. Never mind that Cass knows nothing about drugs, alcohol, or criminally-minded loser boyfriends. Once Nadina, the prickly, dog-whispering 15-year-old, enters Cass's life, everything is up for grabs. There's new employment at a video game company with a charming fellow mentor. There's the unlikely friendship with her womanizing, atheist housemate Daniel, because who else can she ask about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll? And finally there's the epiphany about her own role in the universe. Where she once considered herself a cosmic unresolved plotline, Cass finds she still has a pivotal role to play.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fun and highly recommended read that shouldn't be overlooked." --Midwest Book Review

"Heartbreaking and at times hilarious" -- July 2009 Book of the Month --LoveWebRadio.com

"We've had well over a hundred sponsoring authors at Kindle Nation these past few months, yet I can count on the fingers of one hand the authors about whom I have written to my contacts among publishing industry editors, acquisitions people, and literary agents. Christina Dudley will be the sixth, and I will be surprised, when you've downloaded Mourning Becomes Cassandra and read it, if you disagree." --Kindle Nation Daily

"Mourning Becomes Cassandra has some of the most well-developed characters of any contemporary novel." Chosen Top Four of 2010 --DailyCheapReads.com
--Kindle Nation Daily

"Mourning Becomes Cassandra has some of the most well-developed characters of any contemporary novel." Chosen Top Four of 2010 --DailyCheapReads.com

"We've had well over a hundred sponsoring authors at Kindle Nation these past few months, yet I can count on the fingers of one hand the authors about whom I have written to my contacts among publishing industry editors, acquisitions people, and literary agents. Christina Dudley will be the sixth, and I will be surprised, when you've downloaded Mourning Becomes Cassandra and read it, if you disagree." --Kindle Nation Daily

About the Author

Christina Dudley leads the harried life of a pastor's wife and mother of three. Despite dropping out of the Stanford PhD program in English Literature after two piddly years and going down in flames on Jeopardy! in 2008, she still somehow gets speaking and writing gigs. For the gory details, see her eponymous website. Christina and family live in Bellevue, Washington.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: BellaVita Press; 1st edition (June 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615289770
• ISBN-13: 978-0615289779
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #373,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christina Dudley's latest novel EVERLIVING has been called "spooky and romantic" and chosen as a Staff Favorite by the University of Washington Bookstore. Her debut novel MOURNING BECOMES CASSANDRA was a LoveWebRadio Book-of-the-Month and chosen Top Four of 2010 by DailyCheapReads.com. At the urging of her readers, she penned MOURNING's sequel THE LITTLEST DOUBTS. For the younger readers, her MIA AND THE MAGIC CUPCAKES garnered a 2010 Zola Award for Best Children's Picture Book.

When not writing, Dudley can be found crashing local books clubs, acting in Sunday school skits, and speaking for love or money to any large group that will have her. She also blogs for the Bellevue (WA) Farmers Market as the UrbanFarmJunkie. More than you ever wanted to know about her can be found at her eponymous website. She and her family live in Bellevue, Washington.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest and engaging Christian romance, June 17, 2009

By 

C. Corneille - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mourning Becomes Cassandra (Perfect Paperback)

Since I haven't traditionally been a huge fan of Christian fiction (especially Christian romance) I was a bit wary about reading this book. I was intrigued by the subject matter, however, and I'm so glad I gave it a chance! My idea of a great book is one that makes me both laugh out loud and reach for the Kleenex, and this one delivered. It was in turns romantic, heart-breaking, hilarious, and inspiring. Not a bit of sentimental cheese in sight, just the genuine emotional rollercoaster of a woman trying to re-establish her life after a devastating loss. Cass was so well developed I feel like I've known her my whole life, and her gang of friends was so much fun I wanted to claim them for my own.

Dudley doesn't shy away from Christian truths, but the book never feels forced. Rather, the characters' various walks with God are fully integrated into the plot without conforming to any literary formula. In fact, the realistic depictions of disappointment with God and the many struggles of at-risk teens are what set this book apart from most Christian fiction.

Great read- I can't wait for the sequel!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An Entertaining Story with foul language, October 5, 2010

By 

K. Baney "Karen Baney" (Gilbert, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mourning Becomes Cassandra (Kindle Edition)

This was a believable and entertaining story about what a young widow does to move on with her life. Her thoughts and inner struggles are real. As an avid fan of Christian fiction, the only thing I had a problem with was the large amount of F-bombs in the book. Yes, I understand that a troubled teen would really talk that way. I just think if the target market is Christian readers, more will be turned off by this. And because of this, I probably would not recommend it to my friends, at least not without a word of caution.

Language aside, the story was very good and very difficult to put down. I particularly liked how the author used little one sentence snippets to give you a glimpse of something to come. This was a fantastically creative way to move the story forward.

So, readers, if you can stomach some offensive language, the story is worth it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can I Give It 6 Stars??, June 17, 2009

By 

Marie D. Cummings "mdc31" (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mourning Becomes Cassandra (Perfect Paperback)

Christina Dudley has hit a home run in her first at-bat with Mourning Becomes Cassandra. Brilliantly funny and simultaneously touching, the "moral of the story" comes with none of the in-your-face preaching that I would have associated with a book labeled as "Christian fiction," but with such power and conviction that even the most jaded agnostic would have to pause and ponder its message.

From the very beginning, the characters are warm, real, and fun; people I would definitely want in my life. I truly felt invested as they all grew and discovered the truths about themselves.

This is a book I will read multiple times, and I look forward to the sequel.