Swallowing Stones

Rating:
Summary: Must Read Book
Review:
This is a book about two lives that are separate but tangled. Michael MacKenzie and a friend decide to shoot of a rifle on the Fourth of July, he had no idea of the effect that it could cause when they did. The bullet that they fired traveled four blocks over and hit a man named Charlie Ward in the head as he was fixing his roof. He had a wife and a daughter named Jenna (another main character). Michael finally realizes that he fired the shot that killed a man. The police are suspecting him. So he decides to bury the rifle in his back yard under a pile of wood. When the police come looking for anyone with guns his father volunteers the information that his son has a gun. When they ask for it Michael makes up a story that it was stolen from a friends car, thus making his friend an accessory. All this time Jenna is hunting for her fathers killer, she has pictured him as a faceless killer, a cold hearted man, but she finally hears from the town gossip that the shot came from the MacKenzie house during a party. Soon the police really begin to think that it was Michael who fired the shot and they search the property, and they use metal detectors to try and find the gun, but come up with only a shell casing. What will happen to Michael and his friend? What will what will happen to Jenna if she finds out if it was him? I loved it. It had multiple viewpoints that gave you more insight to the story. I really liked the idea of this battle Michael was having with himself to turn himself in or not. I really loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who was willing to read it.


Rating:
Summary: Swallowing Stones, a must read
Review: "Swallowing Stones" is one of the best books I have ever read. It was very well written. It allows the reader to experience what it is like to have your father killed right before your eyes, as in the case of Jenna Ward. On the other end of the spectrum it shows what it is like to have been the person who fired the gun that killed him, as in Michael. One of the strongest points in this book is its ability to convia the emotions that the situations bring with them and how the characters deal with them. For Jenna it is dealing with the loss of her father to a stray bullet; feeling very strangly around her boyfriend now; trying to figure out the dream that has haunted her every hight; and why Amy, the girl with the worst reputation in school, is being nice and helping her out. Michael on the other hand is having to deal with having fired the shot that murdered a man; finding himself at Amy's home almost every night trying to escape the world; having his best friend, Joe, being blamed for the murder he comitted, losing his girlfriend and having her turn Amy against him; and finding a good way to deal with what he has has done. This book doesn't contain much action but it is one of thoughs books that just pulls you in and doesn't let you go until you are done.

Rating:
Summary: Swallowing Stones, a must read
Review: "Swallowing Stones" is one of the best books I have ever read. It was very well written. It allows the reader to experience what it is like to have your father killed right before your eyes, as in the case of Jenna Ward. On the other end of the spectrum it shows what it is like to have been the person who fired the gun that killed him, as in Michael. One of the strongest points in this book is its ability to convia the emotions that the situations bring with them and how the characters deal with them. For Jenna it is dealing with the loss of her father to a stray bullet; feeling very strangly around her boyfriend now; trying to figure out the dream that has haunted her every hight; and why Amy, the girl with the worst reputation in school, is being nice and helping her out. Michael on the other hand is having to deal with having fired the shot that murdered a man; finding himself at Amy's home almost every night trying to escape the world; having his best friend, Joe, being blamed for the murder he comitted, losing his girlfriend and having her turn Amy against him; and finding a good way to deal with what he has has done. This book doesn't contain much action but it is one of thoughs books that just pulls you in and doesn't let you go until you are done.

Rating:
Summary: Swallowing Stones
Review: A 17-year-old Michael Macenzie ruins his life along with the life of a family he had never even met in this story in a freak accident. When Michael throws a 17th birthday party for himself on the forth of July he decides to fire a Winchester 45. Rifle that was given to him by his grandfather and on the forth of July it would go unnoticed. He fires it along with his friend Joe in the wood behind his house up harmlessly into the air. What Michael didn't know was it wasn't so harmless and hits a man a mile away, killing him on his roof. That man was the father of teenager Jenna Ward who now wants justice for her father's killer. Within a day news of this freak accident of Charlie Wards death has reached every one in the small town of Briarwood New Jersey including Michael. Michael then realizes he is responsible for Charlie Ward's Death. Throughout the story Michael tries dealing with his own guilt and his terrible secret. At the same time Jenna struggles with life without her father and begins to blame herself for his death. Michael continues to hide his secret but the police are starting to unravel the mystery behind Charlie's death and close in on Michael and his best friend Joe. Michael realizes all of his lies are ruining the lives of the people around him and it's best to tell the truth. The ending of this book is left open for your own imagination.

Rating:
Summary: Swallowing Stones
Review: A 17-year-old Michael Macenzie ruins his life along with the life of a family he had never even met in this story in a freak accident. When Michael throws a 17th birthday party for himself on the forth of July he decides to fire a Winchester 45. Rifle that was given to him by his grandfather and on the forth of July it would go unnoticed. He fires it along with his friend Joe in the wood behind his house up harmlessly into the air. What Michael didn't know was it wasn't so harmless and hits a man a mile away, killing him on his roof. That man was the father of teenager Jenna Ward who now wants justice for her father's killer. Within a day news of this freak accident of Charlie Wards death has reached every one in the small town of Briarwood New Jersey including Michael. Michael then realizes he is responsible for Charlie Ward's Death. Throughout the story Michael tries dealing with his own guilt and his terrible secret. At the same time Jenna struggles with life without her father and begins to blame herself for his death. Michael continues to hide his secret but the police are starting to unravel the mystery behind Charlie's death and close in on Michael and his best friend Joe. Michael realizes all of his lies are ruining the lives of the people around him and it's best to tell the truth. The ending of this book is left open for your own imagination.

Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: A story that will take your breath away. Totally engaging. Thought provoking.
Writing is masterful.

Rating:
Summary: HIT WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS!
Review: As a library media specialist in a grade 7-8 school, I read a tremendous amount of young adult fiction. I found this book remarkable for two reasons- 1)it grabs your attention from the very beginning, and 2) it appeals equally to boys and girls. It is very popular in our library.

Rating:
Summary: Good boook bad end
Review: For Michael's 16th birthday his grandfather gave him a rifle. During his huge party, he takes a friend out back to shoot the gun straight into the air. Little did he know that shot would later go on to kill Charlie Ward, father and husband.
I thought Swallowing Stones was a good book for a teen-ager to read because I could relate to it in many different ways. Although I did not like the ending, I thought this was one of the better books that I have been assigned to read in school. I enjoyed reading the book, looking forward to read about what obstacle Michael would have to overcome next.
Throughout the book Michael experiences many situations that really do apply to the life of a teen-ager. In the book Michael faces the biggest decision of his life, whether or not to turn himself in for taking the life of Charlie Ward.
I personally did not enjoy the author's style of writing. Although it is different than other styles that I have seen, I did not like reading one chapter and one person, and one chapter about the other person, switching each chapter throughout the book.
I would say that my emotions about the book were better during the book and much worse at the end. During the book I was slightly eager to read the next page or chapter. At the end of the book I was really let down by how the author decided to end the novel.

In the book I liked the fact that the author portrayed Michael's life basically the same as I would imagine it being written. I had few complaints about the content of the book, but I did dislike how the author arranged the chapters. I suppose it would be the best way to show that the story was being told from two different standpoints. My biggest complaint about the book was by far the ending, the author left me thinking about what may have happened to Michael after he did or didn't turn himself in.
The only question that was left unanswered in the book was what happened to Michael, which is what I was reading for. I was reading to figure out if mike turned himself in, and if he did, what happened to him.
I would not recommend this book to a friend of mine, because I wouldn't think that they would enjoy it as much as another book, because of the ending. I think the book would let down a teen-age reader that isn't used to reading often, because it might be hard for them to appreciate the writing style that the author uses in this particular book.
I would not read another book by this author for my own personal enjoyment. Although I wouldn't mind if we were assigned another book written by this author. I would hope that he would be writing about a different topic, and with a different style than he did in Swallowing Stones

Rating:
Summary: Swallowing Stones
Review: Forty three year old Charlie Ward shot by an unidentified bullet taking his life and scaring his daughter Jenna and wife Meredith. Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald is an exciting book with an unexpected ending. In a tiny town of Briarwood, NJ Michael McKenzie celebrates her 17th birthday with his friends and his grandfather .45-70 Winchester rifle. Michael and his friend Joe are so excited about this new gun they decide to take it in the woods and test it out. Across town Charlie Ward is trying to please his wife by patching the roof. Michael shoots the bullet into the sky and thinks nothing of it. The bullet travels several blocks and hits Charlie in the head ending his life.

I really enjoyed this book especially my favorite character Michael. He was my favorite character because although he wasn't completely honest through out the book he still had a really good heart and knew what he did was wrong. I think that the book has a good message about honesty and healing. I think that through Jenna and Amy loosing there parents it taught you about healing and not blaming yourself for something such as death. Michael taught us that you have to be honest and take what you deserve, he also taught us that you can't swallow a stone so big as killing some one. This book is a true test of friends ship for Michael and his best friend Joe Sadowski and I think that Joe showed that he is a true friend by keeping Michael's secret and taking blame for the gun being missing and the possibly murdering Charlie.

While reading this book I felt a great deal of emotions. I was in suspense throughout the whole book and really felt sad and happy when the characters felt the same way. When Jenna Ward first cried about her fathers death after reading Amy's letter I felt very sad but yet relieved that she was beginning to feel a little closure about her fathers death. I think that McDonald did an excellent job with portraying each one of the characters. I feel like each character is very similar to teenagers that many people might know making it easier for someone to relate to the book.

After reading Swallowing Stones you are left with quite a few questions. What happens when Jenna wakes up to find Michael? What punishment does Michael receive? The ending of the book is one for you imagination leaving you with the though of two young teenagers who have healed from their life changing experiences. Although I did not enjoy the ending as much as the rest of the book I think that the legend of the Ghost Tree was a great thing to show a sign of healing and that the author did a good job fitting what needed to happen at the end into this book.

I think that Joyce McDonald is an excellent writer and would like to read more of her books. I would also most definitely recommend this book to my friends if they enjoy books with a lot of suspense. Swallowing Stones is great reading for teenagers and has a good message for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Solid story
Review: I am not the target audience of this book (12 & up!), but I thought this was a very decent story nonetheless. It does put forth a serious moral dilemma, and portrays very well the common emotions that may surround such a situation. The author was able to describe the little cliques that exist in any high-school-USA in exquisite detail. Another valuable aspect was the relationship between mother and daughter, its moments of tension and deep understanding. Another one was Michael's catharsis, from an opportunistic teenager to adulthood (wish the transition has been less painful), and how he learns to appreciate (and distinguish) true friendship. My least favorite scene was the final one, which was too contrived for my taste. Other than that, this book would make a young person think. And i love the metaphorical title.