"The story is full of details that make it come alive for the reader...I laughed and cried with the family involved."

The Place of Belonging

By Jayne Pearson Faulkner

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Carmichael Publishing (Jan 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935265458
• ISBN-13: 978-1935265450

 

Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong? Maybe as a child?

So many factors can make this worse as a child. Moving, entering into a step-family situation, being labeled as “different” by your peers…

These are just some of the issues that Jayne Pearson Faulkner writes about in her memoir, The Place of Belonging. Janie (Jayne)  grew up in Montana in the 1940′s. She was the daughter of an unwed mother, marking her as an outcast from the start.

The heartwarming story takes you back to life in the 1940′s and reads almost like a diary, written by Jayne (Janie) as a child growing up. From the time Janie’s mother marries and leaves Janie with her grandmother (except for on weekends), to the point where Janie goes to live on the farm, the story is full of details that make it come alive for the reader. And throughout it, I had points I laughed and cried with the family involved.

So, who would I recommend it to?

Any girl,13 and up, can relate to Janie. And since Janie is not the only one who doesn’t feel like she belongs (through the course of the book it is evident that her mother wants very much to fit in too), I’d have to say it is a good and quick read for just about any teen girl or woman.

You can find your copy at a number of locations, including Amazon for just under $11.00, and at Deep River Books.

Looking for a great mystery? Read my review of The Key to the Kingdom, by Jeff Dixon.

**I received a free copy of this book from Bring It On! Communications for review purposes.   I was not monetarily compensated in any way for this review.   All opinions are my own.

Author of The Place of Belonging has a new website with a book trailer!!

click photo to go to her website!!

"The Place of Belonging is really well written and I love it!" said this blogger.

Review done by Abby

I have been very lucky to have the chance to review quite a few books this summer.  I have another great, quick read that is perfect for anyone looking for a book to add to their summer reading list!

About the Author: Jayne Pearson Faulkner is a graduate of Central Bible College.  She is a former editor and writer for Gospel Publishing House.  She also served as a missionary for many years to the Philippines and the South Pacific.  She now lives in Oregon with her family.

About the Book: The Place of Belonging is the story of a child of a single mother in 1940′s Big Sky Montana.  She lives with her mother and grandmother.  After her mother, who works at a beauty parlor meets and man and gets married there are a lot of changes in Jayne’s life.  The Place of Belonging is written from Jayne’s point of view as a child as she looks for her very own place of belonging.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book.  At only 190 pages it is a very quick read than can easily be finished within a couple of days and since it is so engaging it is the kind of book that you don’t want to put down.

The Place of Belonging is really well written and I love that it is written from the view point of a young child.  Jayne is a sweet child who truly wants her very own place to belong.  Since she did not start life with a dad and her family is changing, belonging is at times hard for Jayne and it is what she most desires.  It is fun to think about how a child perceives the changes in her life and in the lives of those around her.

While her family is constantly changing and growing, it is nice to feel the love in Jayne’s family.  There is a lot of love between Jayne and her mother, grandmother, siblings and her new dad though everyone shows it in their own unique way.

The Place of Belonging is a story that I feel that anyone could relate to enjoy.  We all want a place to fit in and belong and to be loved.

This book is a keeper!  It is sweet and made me happy.  Adults will love it and I think teenagers would enjoy it and relate to it as well.  I will be passing this book on to some friends to read!

Buy It: The Place of Belonging is available through Amazon now for $11.44!

This was not a paid post.  I was provided with the review item free of charge through the the sponsor or representing PR agency.  The opinions expressed are mine.

I recommend this book for anyone ages 13-113!!

Review done by Chanin

The Place of Belonging
by Jayne Pearson Faulkner
ISBN#1935265458
Published by Carmichael Publishing
Available at Deep River Books for $13.99

Overview of the book from Deep River Books:

A warm and endearing, yet heart-wrenching memoir. The Place of Belonging, is about a child of a single mother in Big Sky Montana that is beautifully and simply told. It is an unforgettable step back in time, a fresh understanding of loss and belonging. Reading like prose, this elegantly written and emotionally satisfying story is told from the eyes of a child of the 1940’s.

Anyone who has ever tried to fit in and belong will understand both mother and child in this narrative. . . and will see that separation and loss can sometimes be the very encounters that will ultimately bring wholeness.

My Review:

I loved this book!  It was a very enjoyable book to just sit down and relax with.  Reading about Janie and the feelings she had while growing up was fun!  She made you want to laugh and cry. It was written very much like a diary.  The story was told from the honest mind of a child.  She feels and says things that adults don’t always say out loud, but want to. I found that very refreshing.
Parts of this book really pulls at your heart strings.  I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to Janie and her family.  The way the book was written makes you feel like you are part of the family.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone ages 13-113!  I think any age will find something to relate to in this book by Jayne Pearson Faulkner!

I received this book free from Bring It On Communications in exchange for a written review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  To read more reviews about this book and others visit Tell Us The Truth Reviews.

This book is not only great for adults, but young adults too!

REVIEW DONE BY TIFFANY

 

Title: The Place of Belonging

Author: Jayne Pearson Faulkner

Janie, her mother and grandmother all live together in a small house in Great Falls, Montana. Janie’s mother works in a beauty salon. Janie’s father left town before she was even born. Life is simple and with a strong belief in God Janie and her small family of 3 enjoy life. Janie goes to school and each week she attends church.  One day Janie’s world is turned upside down when her mother falls in love and eventually marries a farmer named Gunder.

I really enjoyed reading The Place of Belonging. This book brought me right to Montana in the 1940′s.  I was transported to another place and time and really enjoyed it. This uncomplicated and simply told story was a pure joy to read. The beautifully descriptive words made me feel like I was there staring up at the ”Ole Buttermilk Sky”. The Place of Belonging is a heart wrenching memoir told through the eyes of little Janie and her struggle to find her place of belonging in a world turned upside down.  I often felt like I was reading Janie’s personal  journal because of her continual monologue throughout. 

 Janie’s strong faith and trust in her mother would help guide her along a difficult sometimes lonely path. Janie tries desperately to find where she belongs and trusts that if she obeys and trusts in the Lord she will find her place of belonging. Janie eventually ends up moving to the farm with her mother, step-father and countless siblings, she helps her mother with her new ever expanding family and eventually finds where she belongs.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick enjoyable book to take them away to another place and time. Although it is intended for adults I really think young adults and teens would thoroughly enjoy this book as well.

I was sent a free copy of The Place of Belonging for review purposes. I was not asked or monitalry compentated to give a positive reveiew. The above thoughts are my own.

 

You will not want to put (this book) down and you will likely read (it) again!

Review done by Jessa

The Place of Belonging is a novel written through the eyes of a young girl living in 1940′s Montana.  Janie is seemingly left behind and replaced after her mothers’ marriage.  Living first with her grandmother and then finally with her mother, step-father and numerous siblings on their large farm, Janie is constantly looking to find her place with the hope that her faith will help her find her way.  Janie’s feelings of separation and loss after her mothers marriage and consequent children will easily make the reader relate to this young girl and her plight for place and acceptance in her non-traditional nuclear family.

The bulk of this novel is the monologue of young Janie.  While Janie is not an overly observant child, she is not without questioning and wonder about adult action and mannerisms.  Her thoughts and actions in this novel are very fitting for a girl her age which makes her character much more realistic.  You feel as if you are reading a diary more so then a story written by another.

The one downside I found was the lack of fully rounded characters.  I often felt that I had to make my own back story leading up to each event. As well as give each character presented a fuller personality of my own imagining.  I would have been more fully engaged in the story if more details had been presented about the characters.  There were so few verbal interactions that it was very difficult to get a good feel for the depth and dimension of those other relationships.

In my opinion, Ms. Faulkner presents a novel that is definitely worth the read.  While the novel is geared to an intended Christian audience I did not find it to be a book those not particularly interested in Christian fiction would be turned off by.  Janie is a character you will find easy to relate with.  The Place of Belonging is an enjoyable, quick read that you will not want to put down and you will likely read again.   Ms. Faulkner has presented a writing style that is enjoyable to fiction readers.  It is also a safe choice for a younger teen reader.  I would recommend The Place of Belonging to others.

I received this book free from Bring It On Communications in exchange for a written review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  To read more reviews about this book and others visit Tell Us The Truth Reviews.

 

Could NOT Put this Book Down! Come read why...

Review done by Jan

 

The Place of Belonging is a beautifully written story told through the eyes of a child growing up in the “big sky country” of Montana.  It’s the 1940’s… Janie lives with her mother and grandmother, until her mom marries and moves to a farm. Janie then lives with her grandma and visits her mom each weekend. 

Eventually Janie moves to the farm to live with her mom and new dad.  Life on a farm takes some getting used to, and Janie also has a whole new family, as her mom has more children. Life isn’t always easy, but Janie never doubts that her loving family has her best interests at heart.  

I loved this book! It is an entertaining step back in time, but also an emotional story of separation, loss and belonging. It’s so well written that I almost felt I was part of the family. I thought about giving my book to a friend to take on her vacation, but I couldn’t part with it! This is a book you’ll want to read over and over. 

 

About the Author:

   Jayne Pearson Faulkner graduated from Central Bible College and worked for Gospel Publishing House. While a missionaries to the Philippines and Tonga, she and her husband raised four children. She now lives in Oregon with her family.

This book is available at Christian Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Deep River Books.

Bring It On! Communications provided me with a copy of this book to read and review.  

The Place of Belonging - Book Review!

Review done by Rambles of a SAHM

Product Description From Amazon:

A warm and endearing, yet heart-wrenching memoir. The Place of Belonging, is about a child of a single mother in Big Sky Montana that is beautifully and simply told. It is an unforgettable step back in time, a fresh understanding of loss and belonging. Reading like prose, this elegantly written and emotionally satisfying story is told from the eyes of a child of the 1940’s.

"One of the best books we have ever published and that I have ever read."
Nancie Carmichael, DRB Publisher and bestselling author.

Anyone who has ever tried to fit in and belong will understand both mother and child in this narrative. . . and will see that separation and loss can sometimes
be the very encounters that will ultimately bring wholeness

My Take:

I loved this book. I picked it up and read it within three hours! I loved how the author pulls you into the story and you can't put it down. I wish there was a book two. The author does a great job of showing you life in the 1940's through the eyes of a young girl in Montana. One thing I loved was that the author shows you how the young girl feels but you can still see everyone’s side of the story. I loved how transparent Jayne is with her emotions. I wish everyone could have a grandma Olson in their life. Another thing I loved was at the end of the book is a photo of the family. I loved seeing what everyone looked like. This book was funny, sad, and I loved how it ended. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story. It would also be a good choice for a book club. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I recieved this book from Bring It On! Communications for my honest review. This review is my own.

To Read more reviews like this, 

go to Tell Us The Truth Reviews

The Place of Belonging Book Review

The Place of Belonging Book Review

I received The Place of Belonging from Bring it on Communications in order to review it. It is written by Jayne Pearson Faulkner and published by Carmichael Publishing in 2010. Click here to be taken to their website, if you'd like to know more about them. After reading my review, if you would like to buy the book for yourself or to give to someone you know would enjoy reading it, the ISBN 10: 1-935265-45-8 or ISBN 13: 978-1-935265-45-0. You can buy it at amazon.com for $10 - $11.

The Place of Belonging is a memoir written from the perspective of a child growing up in Montana in the 1940's. At the beginning of the story, Janie lives with her mother and grandmother. Her mother meets a man, and they eventually get married and move to his farm. The rest of the story is about everything Janie feels as she goes through living with her grandma and visiting her mom on the weekends, to moving with her mom and new dad to the farm, to gaining a whole new family as her mom has more children.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's a great insight into life in the 40's and the life of a child going through so many huge changes in her life. The author did an excellent job in capturing exactly what a child would think, feel, and see as she experienced these changes. As I read this book, I could picture everything that was going on in the story, and I couldn't wait to read it every night. I really liked that at the end, it shows a picture of the author with her family, so we can see who we read about. My 12 year old daughter loves to read, so I'm going to save this book for her to read for herself in a few years.

If you've ever read this book before, please let me know what you think about it. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it! I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

The Place of Belonging Book Review

The Place of Belonging Book Review

I don't know about you, but we are gearing up for more snow here in Michigan. It would be a perfect time to snuggle up and read a new, good book. I have a good one to share with you today - The Place of Belonging.
This book is written by Jayne Pearson Faulkner, and I think she did a wonderful job.

A warm and endearing, yet heart-wrenching memoir, The Place of Belonging, is about a child of a single mother in Big Sky Montana that is beautifully and simply told. It is an unforgettable step back in time, a fresh understanding of loss and belonging. Reading like prose, this elegantly written and emotionally satisfying story is told from the eyes of a child of the 1940’s.

I thought this book was a nice escape back into a time when life was more about the basics - getting food on the dinner table, hard work, and family.  Since it is told through the eyes of a young girl, it had some really humorous moments and some enduring moments.  When you see the world through a child's eyes, ordinary things you may normally take for granted become really special.

The author did a great job of describing things so that you could actually see them happening as you were reading.  This book also has a way of inviting you into the characters' lives and story.  I found myself hurting when they hurt and rejoicing when they rejoiced.

I also appreciated that this book was a shorter read. Sometimes when you get a book that has 479 pages in it, you give up before it is over or even before you start.The Place of Belonging was only 190 pages, and it is small and lightweight, so when I wanted to snuggle in bed with it, I could hold it easily. I know it may sound silly, but I appreciated it.

I hope you enjoy this book as I did. You can find it here or on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.
Thank you to Bring It On! Communications for this book for review.

Book Review: A Place of Belonging: A Memoir by Jayne Pearson Faulkner

Book Review: A Place of Belonging: A Memoir by Jayne Pearson Faulkner

Link for the book @ Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Place-Belonging-Jayne-Pearson-Faulkner/dp/1935265458
Paperback $11.89
Kindle $9.99

Link for the book @ Christian Book:
http://www.christianbook.com/the-place-of-belonging/jayne-faulkner/9781935265450/pd/265450
Paperback $10.99

Link for the book @ Barnes and Nobles:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Place-of-Belonging/Jayne-Pearson-Faulkner/e/9781935265450
Paperback $11.65
Not available on Nook.

Published by Carmichael Publishing January 1, 2011/208 pages
Memoir/Coming of Age Story/World War II

Thank you to Bring It On Communications! for my free copy for reading/reviewing.

Janie lives in "Ole Buttermilk Sky" country---Great Falls, Montana. World War II has begun with Japan and Germany, but.Janie lives in a secure and comfortable world with her mother and grandmother. Janie's mother works in a beauty shop. Janie and her mother and grandmother attend church, Janie goes to school, life goes on as it has; but one day a man with Nordic ice blue eyes meets Janie's mother and life begins to change.

I loved this story!
Such beautiful writing---flowing eloquently and smoothly like sweet creamy butter.
Janie is an observant child, a child that is sensitive and intuitive. Changes that come about in her life she reacts to with trust in her mother and grandmother that the right decision will be made. I loved it that the adults in her life never pushed her, but in patience and love waited for her.
The life of living on a rural farm during the war years and including years before modern conveniences is explored in the story. The emphasis is on hard work and endurance, and faith that the Lord will provide.

This story is aimed at an adult audience but I feel that it would be adequate and enjoyable to a young adult audience.

Blissful Reading!
Annette

The Place of Belonging by Jayne Pearson Faulkner

The Place of Belonging by Jayne Pearson Faulkner

The Place of Belonging is told through the eyes of young Janie.  She lives with her grandmother and her young mother, Harriet.  Harriet works in a beauty shop all day while Janie is at school.

Harriet has found the Lord and although Janie says she wants to be a hairdresser just like her mom when she grows up, Harriet has higher expectations for her.  She wants Janie to become a missionary.

Harriet meets Gunder at their local church and falls in love.  Gunder comes from a big family of Swedes and they are farmers.  They get married and go to Bible Study in another state, leaving Janie with Grandma.  Janie is thrilled to finally have a dad, but misses them desperately.

When Harriet and Gunder return, they move into a farm.  Harriet has never farmed before so she is learning all new things.  Janie wants to live on the farm desperately, she would love a dog, but she only travels with grandma on the weekends to see them.  Besides, Harriet is pregnant and Janie is excited about a new brother.

Eventually, Janie moves into the farm too, as Harriet and Gunder have several more children.  Janie loves the big open sky and the farm.  She loves her family and her school.  She learns to play the accordian and helps take care of her siblings.  But Janie is still struggling to find her place of belonging and she prays to God to help guide her.

The Place of Belonging is a small book that reads quickly but the voice of Janie shining through has you thinking she is right in the room with you talking and telling her story.  I found the characters enchanting, and I really enjoyed grandma - she sounds like a really diverse and strong woman.  How a family raised so many children back in the depression has me in awe, when we struggle today with all that we have.  I really enjoyed reading this memoir of Janie and her place of belonging; it is heartwarming and inspirational.

The Place of Belonging, A Memoir

by

Jayne Pearson Faulkner

ISBN: 9781935265450

paperback, 190 Pages

Carmichael Publishing

My Review:

This book is a story told from the eyes of a child of a single mother (taken from back of book) set in the 1940s in Big Sky Montana.  I can relate to the child as I grew up without a father as mine died when I was eight so my mama raised me by herself.  I also fit right in with the child as not having the things that other children have, but I grew up in South Carolina.

I loved the way Jayne Pearson Faulkner described her childhood and her mother and grandmother as they lived each day with joy in their hearts and what they had and not what they didn't have.  They enjoyed life and loved each other and I could relate with everything they did.  I fit right in with them and relived my childhood days alone as the story unfolds.  Jayne makes you see the Big Sky Montana as if you are really there, she paints a great picture of the country and the family.

The Author:

This is the first book I have read of Jayne Pearson Faulkner's and I really loved it.  Jayne lives in Oregon with her family and is a graduate of Central Bible College, a former editor and writer for Gospel Publishing House.  She has been a missionary for many years to the Philippines as well as the South Pacific.  I hope to get to read more of her work.

This book was sent to me by Bring It On Publishing for my review.

The Place of Belonging- a memoir

The Place of Belonging

By Jayne Pearson Faulkner

ISBN# 1935265458

Retail: $13.99

Buy It! Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, Deep River Bookstore

Description: This elegantly written story is told from the eyes of a child of a single mother, set in the 1940's in Big Sky Montana. Humorous, yet bracingly honest, The Place of Belonging stirs out basic feelings of wanting to belong somewhere and to someone. Beautifully and simply told, The Place of Belonging takes the reader on an unforgettable step back in time, a place many will recognize.

Anyone who has ever tried to fit in and belong will understand both the mother and child in this narrative and will see that separation and loss can sometimes be the very encounters that will ultimately bring wholeness.

Review: After reading the works of Jayne Pearson Faulkner, I feel like I have actually been to The Place of Belonging. It's as though I know each person she describes, and that by reading this book I have been invited to sit in the house where she grew up. When I close my eyes I can see the sky, a soft evening lavender with streaks of gold and orange, and the wheat fields running away to the edge of the green velvet hills. I imagine sitting in the living room's overstuffed chair that smelled of tractor oil and hired men, while Mom is humming cleaning the floor, as the faded linoleum seems to come to life again, its yellow and gray rectangle shapes dancing beneath her scrub rag.

The book brought peace to me as I read it, while making me laugh at the memories of being a child. The style is not just that of a narrative by a grown-up thinking back upon their life, instead it is told through the eyes of a child remembering every detail with innocence in full color. It's like Junie B. Jones for big people. Weaving descriptive words and lines, Jayne Pearson Faulkner paints a vivid picture on each page that draws you into the reality of her life on the farm. I want to sit down with brushes and paint every picture I just saw.

I laughed, I wondered, and as I read the last lines I cried, as this child, who was always on the verge of belonging, found that she did fit it, and it was right there in the middle of the farm which she now called home. This is absolutely beautiful, and is a book I will read again and again. 

By Rhonda Funk, Publicist and owner of Bring It On! Communications, Singer/Songwriter, and author of the Pookster and Bub™ children's series (Fish Pond Kids, 2010)

The thoughts expressed are simply my own.  You may or may not feel the same after reading this book, but we should would love to know! Get the book-read it-give us your best review-we can handle the truth!  

Be on the Lookout...

You know how some books beckon from the bookshelves, willing you to read them? Well, I have one book that is just dying to have a place on your nightstand...

A few of you already have this beautiful book...

As for the rest of you...be on the lookout to read what they thought!

 The Place of Belonging: A Memoir

(Deep River Books, 2010)

written by Jayne Pearson Faulkner

ISBN: 1935265458

Quick Overview

A warm and endearing, yet heart-wrenching memoir. The Place of Belonging is about a child of a single mother in Big Sky Montana that is beautifully and simply told. It is an unforgettable step back in time, a fresh understanding of loss and belonging. Reading like prose, this elegantly written and emotionally satisfying story is told from the eyes of a child of the 1940’s.


Anyone who has ever tried to fit in and belong will understand both mother and child in this narrative. . . and will see that separation and loss can sometimes be the very encounters that will ultimately bring wholeness.