Review of The Placeholder

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Alexander C Schmoock
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Review of The Placeholder

Post by Alexander C Schmoock »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Placeholder" by Lynda Wolters.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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In The Placeholder, Lynda Wolters brings a story that is equal parts amusing and saddening. Serenade Jean Kincaid, mainly referred to as "Sera" throughout the book, is a train wreck, a continuing disaster. Her love life is a mess. The book starts with a hearing in Sera's divorce case with her husband, Clint. Clint deals her a traitor's card and uses a personal secret against her. As the book progresses, I cringe, cry, and laugh at Sera's love life. From the ugly to the good to the bad, Sera dates and hooks up with men. However, the continuing pattern of mediocrity and the feeling of being unloved leaves Sera dissatisfied with her life and at her wit's end. Carolyn, her best friend and absolute saviour, always comes to her rescue with her wisdom and loving nosiness. Carolyn is the friend of everybody's dream. She is always there, even when she is not wanted. Sera tries hard to feel loved. She considers herself the problem and tries to fix herself. To fix her expectations, her attitude, and the way she loves. Read this book to discover where Sera's life leads and what would become of her.

I love the adventurous spirit of Sera. Even though it gets her in trouble most times, Sera manages to remain unbroken by life and her negative experiences. Despite every heartbreak, she is willing to try again. I also love how this is a book about cancer, but the author didn't make it wholly about the disease. In most books about cancer, the heroine has cancer from the first page to the last, but Lynda Wolters sets a different standard by showing Sera Jean as a normal person navigating the gory landscape of love, dating, and romance. Sera enjoyed life in her own way. The novel did not have an irritating fixation on Sera's disease but shared a lot about her life with the reader. I give the author a huge thumbs up for that. The character of Carolyn is the ultimate definition of the bee's knees. She is a strong friend and abandons everything to be by Sera's side. She dotes on her in the way of a nosey grandmother that is both cute and buggy.

I did not really enjoy the free use of medical terms in the book. Although it made for a comprehensive and compelling narration of the hospital situation, I feel like the author could have either substituted the terms for more pedestrian terms or provided a glossary of the terms.

The book was exceptionally well edited and had no trace of spelling or grammatical errors. I found this to be quite impressive. Regardless of the lack of a glossary or more pedestrian terms, the greatness of this book cannot be touched. I rate it four out of four stars. Lynda Wolters is a phenomenal storyteller.

I would recommend this book to cancer patients and loved ones of cancer patients and to anyone that enjoys reading about healthy female friendships and friendships in general.

******
The Placeholder
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abstactlemon
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Post by abstactlemon »

It's a testament to the writer's skill when a book can make you feel a variety of emotions. I think I'll be picking this up. Great review.
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Luchris Curtis
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Post by Luchris Curtis »

I love the relationship between Carolyn and Sera. Sera is a unique character, but she is going through challenges that might make her insane. I'd love to read this book so as to know if she survived. Thanks for your honest review.
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