The Guest Book

The Guest Book

Steph Nickel reviews, The Guest Book, by Marybeth Whalen. She states “My curiosity was piqued. And then, my emotions were stirred.”

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Recently I began listening to The Guest Book by Marybeth Whalen.

I downloaded it from Chirpbooks because the write-up sounded intriguing.

This is the blurb on Amazon:

Twenty-five years after she began exchanging drawings with a mysterious boy in the guest book of a Carolina beach house, Macy Dillon is back at Sunset Beach—this time toting a hurting heart and a broken family. Questions of childhood, loss, and longing for love are explored in The Guest Book. 

When Macy Dillon was five years old her father encouraged her to draw a picture in the guestbook of a Carolina beach house. The next year, Macy returned to discover a drawing by an unidentified little boy on the facing page. Over the next eleven years the children continue to exchange drawings … until tragedy ends visits to the beach house altogether. During her final trip to Sunset, Macy asks her anonymous friend to draw her one last picture and tells him where to hide the guest book in hopes that one day she will return to find it—and him.

Twenty-five years after that first picture, Macy is back at Sunset Beach—this time toting a broken family and a hurting heart. One night, alone by the ocean, Macy asks God to help her find the boy she never forgot, the one whose beautiful pictures touched something deep inside of her. Will she ever find him? And if she does, will the guestbook unite them or merely be the relic of a lost childhood?

As I said … intriguing!

Lovely Cover

The cover is lovely but would be appropriate for many stories.

The title … Well, it’s open for interpretation.

But the idea of communicating over the years with pictures alone … Now, that definitely attracted my attention.

And this relationship between artists began when the protagonist, Macy Dillon, was only five years old. I love that.

My Curiosity Was Piqued

My curiosity was piqued. And then, my emotions were stirred—and the mystery intensified. What tragedy befell the family? Why couldn’t they return to the beach house? Would Macy ever meet her fellow artist?

As soon as I finished listening to Invisible by Ginny L. Yttrup, I started The Guest Room.

I mentioned previously why I have come to enjoy audiobooks: 1) the fact that I can listen even when I’m tired and my eyes and mind can’t focus enough to read a physical or ebook and 2) the companionship of hearing a narrator bring the story to life. (We extroverts need to feel connected to others—especially now, when we’re sheltering in place.)

I have, however, realized there is a third reason I am partial to audiobooks. I can do other things while listening. In fact, I began listening to The Guest Book while preparing lunch.

I Love the Prologue

And the prologue? Definitely intriguing! Instead of providing a bit of backstory, it foreshadows the latter part of the book. Now I want to listen to discover how the connection between these two artists unfolds.

I love the feeling of curling up with a physical book and the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that comes from moving the bookmark forward, marking my progress.

I love the convenience of carrying around dozens, if not hundreds, of books in my pocket. But I must admit, for the longest time, ebooks didn’t seem “real” to me. But that has changed over time.

Enjoying Podcasts & Audiobooks

For the most part, I’m not an auditory learner, but I have grown to enjoy listening to podcasts and audiobooks. I enjoy both fiction and nonfiction podcasts. However, I prefer to read nonfiction books rather than listen to them. Unless I’m sitting and taking notes, nonfiction has a tendency to go in one ear and out the other.

How about you? How do you prefer to read?

Is there a book you can’t wait to dive to? Not that I need any more books on my TBR pile, but I’d love to hear what you’re reading or listening to these days. Feel free to contact me through my producer’s page.

Happy Reading!