Member Reviews
I'm fairly new to Diane Chamberlain, but Dream Daughter was a 5 star read for me so I was thrilled to receive a galley of her latest book.
The novel is a dual-timeline, as many seem to be these days. The 1965 timeline follows Ellie, a young college student in North Carolina, who is drawn to work with the group SCOPE (Summer Community Organization and Political Education project), to help convince black residents to register to vote, prior to LBJ signing the Voting Rights Act..
The other half of the book is set in 2010, when Kayla Palmer moves into the neighborhood to a home that she & her husband designed & where he has died in a tragic accident. Strange things begin to happen at the house that possibly tie back to the neighborhood's past.
Without giving away any spoilers, this book really brings up a lot of emotions & the civil rights section of the book brings up a lot of social justice issues that are relevant to this day. We tend to think of people as either bigots & Klansmen or non-racist, but there is a lot of in-between. This book made me somewhat understand the actions of Southerners who were not outright racists, but who also didn't see why things needed to change.
The book was a quick read with a climactic ending.. 4.5 stars for me. I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own, and not influenced by receiving this book.
In The Last House on the Street, Diane Chamberlain takes us to 1960’s North Carolina; a place and time nor ready to embrace the growing civil rights unrest. In an alternating timeline, we are in the same location 50 years later seeing how the neighborhood has changed along with our central characters.
As the story weaves back and forth, the tone and attitudes of 1960’s is captured perfectly. It was a time when what you did could spell ruin for you and your family in their community— quite a difference from today’s attitudes. Whether it was right or wrong, its reality is depicted with pitch-perfect precision.
Loved this book!
Diane Chamberlain has done it again. I was sucked into this one from the beginning and finished it in less than a day. Chamberlain is an extremely talented storyteller, weaving the past and present day storylines together seamlessly. The connection between the two timelines was established fairly early on in the book, which is a little unusual for these types of stories. Ellie was a very strong and well developed character and I found her story to be very intriguing. I feel like there was more Chamberlain could have done with Kayla; she felt a little flat and off to me. While I guessed one of the major twists, the other one threw me for a loop and left me wanting much more. I can’t wait to see what Diane Chamberlain has in store for us in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Diane Chamberlain does it again! She is flawless at weaving together the past and present in a way that hooks readers and keeps them engaged! I will read anything by her!
Something eerie and spooky is happening around a new house designed and built by a married couple of architects (one deceased). The story will keep you wondering until the very end. Such a great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is a hard one to review. It deals with some tough issues about racism and the KKK.
The book goes back and for in time which is not my favorite.
The story itself was well written and kept my interest.
I was glad there was closure at the end.
Thank you, Net Galley, for an advance copy for an honest review.
I loved this book. Read it in one sitting. Hard topic to touch on but was so beautifully written. The characters pull you right in to their lives.
Was grateful to receive an arc of this book. Love this author she never seems to disappoint.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
I was beyond happy to be sent an ARC of Diane Chamberlains new historical fiction novel, The Last House on the Street. Releases next year on January 20th, 2022. Thank you so much @diane.chamberlain.author @stmartinspress ❤️ Here’s a couple of my favorite quotes.
“I knew . . . I knew in a way I couldn’t explain even to myself . . . that I was going to be one of those white students working to register Negro voters. I knew it the way I knew my own name.”
“It’s much easier to put our heads in the sand and let someone else do the hard work, isn’t it,” he said. “But somebody has to do it. It’s the only way to bring about change. I like the way your generation has picked up the torch and run with it.”
“Do you love him?” I hesitated a moment too long. “There’s my answer,” he said, getting to his feet. When he looked down at me, his cheeks were blotched with red. “I still love you, Ellie. You know we had something good. We had the real thing for four years. The real thing isn’t always sunshine and roses and it’s not always . . . exciting or thrilling, but it’s solid. That’s the kind of thing that lasts. That’s what we had, you and me.”
Diane Chamberlain is truly a master storyteller. Her stories are always extremely well crafted and mind-consuming. Her newest novel focuses on The Civil War and the Martin Luther King Jr. movement. It was an extremely emotional story and there’s obviously a trigger warning due to violence and racism. Once I started it, I couldn’t stop and then I ugly cried in many places. Put this one on your calendars because it’ll be a must read.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review. Unfortunately, I only read 3% of the book. I have zero interest in reading about racial issues. If I had known this was going to be part of this book I wouldn't have bothered with it. It is not that I don't care about racial issues but it has become too political. I am tired of all of it. If I want to hear about this I can turn on any news station. I read books to escape from political subjects. I have always like books written by Diane Chamberlain and I won't hesitate to read other books she has written, in fact I encourage you to read her books as she is an excellent writer.
I think I'm going to be the odd one here in saying this book was not my cup of tea but please read the rest of my review so I can explain why.. ... I am not a fan of historical fiction in general, so that is literally the only reason that I didn't love this book.
The book itself was great it had a few different timelines and focused on racism And the KKK in the past but also bought it to the Future and how it was relevant to our current times. This book did a great job of relating the past to our current times and the storytelling was excellent.
Overall I would give this book five stars because there was absolutely nothing wrong with it other than it wasn't a genre I prefer.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love this creepy book. It’s definitely a thriller but they were certain aspects of the books that were unsettling. The author created the perfect characters and setting.
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET by Diane Chamberlain in exchange for my honest review.***
In 1965 Ellie leaves her family to register voters in North Carolina. She returns in 2010 to help care for her dying mother and brother. Also in 2010, young widow Kayla moves to the street amid ominous messages to leave.
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET is my least favorite of Diana Chamberlain’s books, mostly because of flat characters.
First the positive. Chamberlain is a beautiful writer. Her plot crosses all the Ts and dots all the Is. Her word building gets better in every book with a compelling storyline. The last part of the story is nonstop excitement.
In the year 2021, it’s a lot easier to tell ourselves we would have hidden Anne Frank and her family in our attic than making that decision when the Nazis occupied Holland. We’d all like to think we would have been on the right side of history marching with MLK.
Ellie is the Perfect White Ally and every other white person ranges from mildly cowardly to KKK racist, most leaning toward racist with few decent white people. Ellie simply has no depth, even the juvenile mistake she made at age eleven was so mild that most kids would have made has no teeth. I would have rather seen a narrator with more depth, missteps and imperfections. Ellie also had too much insight for a twenty year old in 1965. An example of that is when she mused about an unhealthy attachment to a Black child who reminded her of a Black friend who died.
I’ve done a fair amount of activism with Black Lives Matter rallies and some of the white activists seem more competitive about being the best allies that the purpose of being an ally gets lost. I do think Ellie’s motives were pure, not narcissistic, but her lack of missteps, even in thought didn’t feel authentic.
I didn’t like the other point of view, Kayla from the moment she called the cops after a creepy client. The police have better things to do than help people clean trash from their yards.
I think a lot of people will love THE LAST HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET. Chamberlain is one of my favorite writers and I hate writing a three star review for one of her books.
I read this book on one day. What a masterpiece of storytelling. There is a dual timeline about a neighborhood and the changes and tragedies that occurred there in the turbulent time of getting all people registered to vote. Love, family secrets, Martin Luther King, Jr. And the segregation of the South are all apart of this wonderful novel. It is a must read.
This author is a good storyteller and I, as have millions of others, have enjoyed her prior books. I believe many will also love this story although for me this one felt a bit too familiar and a bit too simplistic. As the story developed I become more interested and absorbed and by the end I was curious to know the facts yet even the surprises just weren’t that exciting for me. I do still recommend it as its a fast read that kept me engaged from the first to the last page.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I really liked this book, “The House On The Street.” It is a suspenseful book with a flare of historical fiction. I kept wanting to get back to the book when I wasn’t reading it. It definitely keeps the reader’s interest throughout the book.
Bad things keep housing at the house on Hockley Street. Right at the start of the book, I was glued. In addition to the suspense, the historical fiction around SCOPE and the KKK was very insightful. It is obvious to me the author did extensive research. It is a book about civil rights and interracial relationships in a small town in the South during the 1960s. It is also set in current day with the protagonist and her child leading the reader through an intertwined story from the past and current times. The house itself is a character in its own right. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspenseful books and are not offended by civil rights issues. I gave it five stars which I seldom give a book. It will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Ideal for fans who like historical fiction with two points of view. This book has two timelines with two different protagonists. As is the case with multiple storylines and POV’s I found myself liking one more than the other due to personal preference. I particularly enjoyed the one set in the past as I learnt a lot about race.
This was a really great book and I pleasantly surprised! I would love to purchase it and add it to my collection. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending this over to me to read.
Oh, the twists and turns leading us through the turbulence of the ‘60s and its consequences to today.
Diane is so good at moving between time periods. She makes it so easy for the reader to know where we are.
Great characters who keep their stories close to the vest. This is one of my favorites from Diane — so far!
WOW!! DIane Chamberlain has given us another very compelling, unputdownable book!! I absolutely loved "The Last House on the Street".
This dual timeline book is extremely eye opening and important as it makes one realize that things have changed but not enough in regards to race, prejudice and hatred in our nation. I was totally amazed at how beautifully Diane Chamberlain, a white author handled this topic.
I HIGHLY recommend "The Last House on the Street" to everyone.
Thank you St, Martin's Press, Netgalley and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to read this ARC.
I read The Last House on the Street, by Diane Chamberlain, at the request of St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review. Of course, as soon as I saw the author’s name, I knew I would love the book, and I did. I am delighted to assign it 5 stars.
This book is so very timely, considering the efforts at voter suppression that are currently going on all over our country. It’s set for publication in January of 2022. I really wish it could be published now.
Set in 1965, in the weeks leading up to the signing of the Voting Rights Act, the book exposes the bigotry and violence that was not just in the south, but more prevalent here. It tells the tale of a white teenage girl in the south who decides to work with a project designed to help black and poor people register vote. She sees poverty in her county she has never seen. She sees violence and bigotry among her own family and friends, and is devastated.
This is an important book that all Americans should read. My review is on HubPages. They will not allow anything published on that platform to be shared anywhere else, so here is the link to my review. I hope you like it, and that it encourages you to look into your heart, and see all people as deserving of an equal voice. https://hubpages.com/literature/The-Last-House-on-the-Street
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