Book Review - The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe

Giveaway contest ended
Friday, May 13 at 3 pm CST.

If you read my last post about my Book Club of 25 years, you know that I love to read. So, when I was offered a complimentary copy of The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe to read and review, I jumped at the chance. Three copies are also being provided to 3 Yummy readers. You'll find the details for entering the Giveaway at the end of this post.

First, some background about the book.

Book summary
(provided by publisher) 

Four very different women embark on a transformational journey that follows the migrating monarchs across the United States to Mexico. The story begins when Luz Avila's grandmother, the local butterflylady, purchases an old, orange VW bug for a road trip home to Mexico. When she unexpectedly dies, Luz is inspired to take her grandmother's ashes home. In the manner of the Aztec myth of the goddess who brings light to the world, Luz attracts a collection of lost women, each seeking change in their lives. The Mexican people believe the monarchs are the spirits of the recently departed and Luz taps into ancient rituals and myths as she follows the spectacular, glittering river of orange monarchs in the sky to home. Mary Alice Monroe's new book is a novel of self discovery that parallels an awe inspiring event in nature--the migration of monarch butterflies.

About monarch butterflies

These amazing butterflies are a wonder of nature. Millions of monarchs migrate thousands of miles in the fall of each year to a mountainous area of Mexico. In the spring, they reverse their migration back north again. In the book, the journey of the monarchs is a metaphor for the transformational journey of the main character, Luz, as well as 3 women she encounters along the way.

A book with a mission
(provided by publisher)  

The release of The Butterfly’s Daughter kicks off a 5-week, 26-city tour where author Monroe will carry out a mission to distribute 10,000 milkweed seeds to readers to save the monarch butterfly, a phenomenal migratory species whose population has been decimated by both human actions and forces of nature. Milkweed is the only foodsource for monarch caterpillars. Monroe says, “It’s more than a book tour for me. It’s a personal mission to save the monarchs. I hope my readers will take away from The Butterfly’s Daughter the knowledge that anyone can save the monarchs in their ownback yard. The idea is plant a milkweed seed, make a difference.”

About the author
(provided by publisher)  

The Butterfly’s Daughter is Mary Alice Monroe’s thirteenth novel. She’s a passionate conservationist who uses her storytelling talent to explore a variety of nature issues, such as the disappearing coastal shrimping industry (Last Light over Carolina), the rivers and mountains in North Carolina (Time is a River), the endangered sea turtles (The Beach House, Swimming Lessons), and now the vanishing population of the monarch butterfly.

Click here to view a video of the author discussing monarch butterflies and her new book.

Click here to read a Q&A with the author.

Click here to visit the author's website.

My thoughts about the book

The release of this book is well timed for easy, summer reading. I especially enjoy reading books that teach me something, so I liked the parallels made between the monarch migration and the journey of the key character. I have a new interest in monarch butterflies after reading the book. How I would love to travel to Mexico in the fall to see the millions of monarchs covering the trees there. That must be quite a site.

Monroe's writing style does not offer layers of complexity for the reader to work through--it's a simple and straightforward story and writing style making the book a fast, easy read. The main character is well developed and likable, and as a reader I was engaged in her journey. I did find some of her encounters and dialog with other characters along the way to be improbable at times. Nevertheless, the book was a quick, easy, enjoyable read. This is a good one to take to the beach or along on your summer vacation, particularly if you like books with an enviromental tie-in.

Giveaway Details

3 lucky Yummy readers will win a copy of The Butterfly's Daughter. 

Want to win one of these books?
Here's how to enter the drawing.
Just leave me a comment below, and answer this question:

What is the last good book you read?
(Only answer this one time, please.)

For extra entries:

• Share the Giveaway link on Twitter and come back here and leave a separate comment saying you did. (Click "Share with a friend" below; then click "Share on Twitter")
• Share the Giveaway link on Facebook and come back here and leave a separate comment saying you did. (Click "Share with a friend" below; then click "Share on Facebook")
• Share the Giveaway link on StumbleUpon and come back here and leave a separate comment saying you did. (Click "Share with a friend" below; then click "Share on StumbleUpon")
• Leave another comment if you link to this Giveaway on your blog.

Contest ends Friday, May 13 at 3 pm CST. Winners chosen by random generator and announced in next Yummy Chatter. I will also contact the winners directly by email. Please respond within 48 hours, or another winner will be selected.

Contest open to readers who reside in the US and Canada. These will be shipped directly to you from the publisher. 

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Remember to leave a comment...what is the last good book you read?

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