It’s hard to imagine our parents when they were young adults. For all the stories they tell us and pictures they show, there always seems to be some disconnect between the person they were then and the person we came to know them as. When their past contradicts what we think of them, it can cause our whole world to come crashing down. But what if you learned something about your parents’ past which not only challenges your view of them but also your view of yourself and where your future is headed? Do you ignore it and continue life as though nothing ever happened? Or do you open Pandora’s Box and let loose whatever evils may be waiting? Such is the choice facing Leigh Stone, the main character of Michelle Dim-St. Pierre’s Bloody Coffee, the second book in The Pinnacle Series.
Following her eighteenth birthday, Leigh is given the chance to read her mother’s journal from her young adult years, and it contains a devastating realization: Steve Stone, the man who raised Leigh, is not her biological father. Her probable father, Ezra Sloan, is a married OB/GYN in Israel. Confused, hurt, and determined to set straight eighteen years of lies, Leigh sets out for Tel Aviv to track down her biological father. When Sloan has a massive heart attack right before her eyes, Leigh is thrown into a chaotic world she is not prepared for. Her problems, however, have only just begun. From trouble at home and conflicts with Sloan’s family to international drama tarnishing Israel’s image, the world seems determined to keep Leigh from the truth. Will Leigh learn to leave the past where it belongs? Or will the stubborn young woman triumph in her attempts to unravel her mother’s web of secrets? What consequences will be suffered as a result of both Leigh’s and her mother’s youthful choices?
This story weaves a complex tapestry of bad decisions, regret, layered emotions, and suspense. Dim-St. Pierre has managed to create a book which has relatable characters and a plot filled with unexpected twists. More impressively, the character development and plot are so intricately intertwined that it is clear that each turn of events is caused by a character’s decisions and reactions, whether it’s a direct correlation or a domino effect. After the first few chapters, this tie between plot and character development gives readers a feel for the rhythm of the story, allowing them to know when a twist is coming up without being too predictable. Dim St.-Pierre kept me on my toes, wondering what the consequences would be for a character’s actions, and she never fails to deliver those consequences in a timely manner.
Of course, just because the characters are relatable does not mean they are entirely likeable or justified in what they do. In fact, that’s part of what makes the characters’ influence over the plot so satisfying. Too many books forego real consequences in favor of slightly-unrealistic solutions to provide the characters with some form of happily-ever-after. Bloody Coffee, though, shows that every choice has its consequences and that not everything in life is going to end well or be straightforward in its results. Dim-St. Pierre depicts characters making bad decisions—usually as a result of personality flaws—and she does not let them off easily. Even the characters I empathize with, such as Leigh and her mother, are far from perfect. There were many times in the story when I found it hard to like any of the characters, and this made seeing them face the outcome of their choices all the sweeter. Even so, I wanted to see some sort of positive ending for Leigh and her loved ones and was on the edge of my seat with anticipation as I waited to see what would happen, a sign that Dim-St. Pierre has created characters which are truly human—relatable and sometimes likeable but definitely flawed.
This book is about so much more than family drama. It is about a young woman learning to work with the cards that life has dealt her. It follows Leigh as she discovers everything that adulthood has to offer: independence, first love, drama, prejudice, legal decisions, the gray area of morality, and how legally being an adult does not mean that you know everything you need to. It is also about cultural differences, religion, the effects of the “us vs. them” mentality, the distorted view of the media, and international relations. Much like William H. Coles does in McDowell, Dim-St. Pierre incorporates as many modern issues as can organically fit with her characters and story. Also like McDowell, Bloody Coffee is all the better for it.
While it is 309 pages long and the second book in a series, I found Bloody Coffee to be a very easy read. The writing is clean, simple, and compelling, making for a quick read despite the page count. The characters and plot are also engaging enough that I didn’t even realize how many pages I had read by the time I would take a break. I did worry about starting with the second book in this series, but those worries proved unnecessary. Dim-St. Pierre does not provide the readers with a flat-out summary of the events of the previous book, for which I am glad. Nevertheless, she does slip in details throughout the narrative which allow the reader to piece together what happened before. I did find this frustrating during the first few pages, but as I got further along, I was confident enough that I understood what was going on and actually enjoyed the challenge of piecing together the information myself, much as Leigh tries to do with her mother’s past.
Overall, Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre is incredibly compelling. With three-dimensional characters and twists right up to the very end, I had a hard time putting the book down. Dim St.-Pierre pulls readers right into the middle of this situation and setting, and even if you have never experienced one or the other—or both—for yourself, you will feel simultaneously enchanted and right at home. I couldn’t find anything that I disliked in this novel, and I am glad that I read it. I’ve learned a lot about Israel, specifically Tel Aviv, that I would not have known otherwise, and to learn it in such an entertaining manner from someone who has lived there is a bonus I didn’t expect when I started reading this. I cannot wait for the third book to come out so I can see what happens next on Leigh’s journey into adulthood.
You can buy Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre as an eBook or in print form on Amazon.
Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!
Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011