"You tell yourself what you have to tell yourself to hold on to whatever it is that's outside of all this insanity that makes you feel normal. So you never tell your friends and you never let them inside and you pretend that you're as normal as they are, because you just wouldn't be able to get through the day if you didn't."

Who couldn't love a book with this kind of feeling in it? Children, nine of them, left to raise one another in a house where no adult has the resource of time available to parent. As each baby is born, an older sibling is assigned to care for him or her. Strong Catholic religion takes center stage in this book, with consistent push and pull that comes from being one of nine in a family unusually large for the time frame (1985). Our main character is gifted, neglected, ill-treated, funny, and brave.

This book will give you a chance to feel many feelings before you're through. Heartily recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

A look into the life of a young girl who is struggling to make sense of her life and her family. She slowly starts to realize that the "norm" in her family is far from normal.

This book is appropriate for upper middle grades. Snow Lane is about a family that has a lot of issues they need to work through. At times sad and stressful, Snow Lane gives the reader a good look at what it means to have a hard life as a child, with parents that really don't know what they are doing.

It won't be easy to read this story of abuse, neglect, and bullying at the hands of family members, but I hope that readers will persist in finishing it because it is so well written.

I grew up in an Irish/Italian Catholic community and I felt the setting is spot on its representation of life in a Catholic community during this time period (the 80s). The story rung true in so many ways including not really knowing what was going on behind the facade of the perfect families paraded into church. I did like the story but it was pretty rough... The main reason I have a hard time endorsing this book is the swearing... even with the Hail Marys.

* I was provided with an e-arc from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.*

I really struggled with this one. It took me a long time to get into it and I almost gave up. I had a hard time really seeing (or caring about) any of the characters other than Annie or Jordan.

I did like that the book tackles some serious issues, ones that kids are facing. But it just didn’t feeling it was fully fleshed out to me.

Annie is the youngest of 9 kids. The family is poor but there is a darker secret going on. On the outside they look like a decent family - good Catholics, mom plays the organ at church but they are falling apart. Mom tries to keep up appearances but she is overwhelmed and when she snaps it isn't pretty. Annie's sisters and brother cope in different ways - lashing out, running away, fighting. Eventually things come to a head and Annie has to decide if her family is worth fighting for.

This was a tough read and yet had some funny moments like every time Annie swore she had a bunch of Hail Marys in parenthesis.

This will resonate with many students who do know what it is like to live with a family like Annie's. Of course the numbers and make up of each student's family will be different, but the great truths will speak to them. A wonderful read I will be recommending.

This book came out yesterday (1/2/18), but I just read the ARC in one sitting. Thanks to Feiwel and Friends and Netgalley for the digital gallery of this one. All opinions are my own.
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3.5/5. It took me a second to get into this middle grades story . The first couple chapters I felt like it wasn’t going to stand out. The story captured me though, and as I stated above, I read it in about an hour and a half. Annie is the youngest of nine children in a struggling, very Catholic family in 1985 Massachusetts. As she struggles to find her place in her family she always manages to find the good in things. With a couple good friends and her siblings watching out for her, she doesn’t even realize that her family is actually abusive (well, that it isn’t normal) and that there is any other way to live her life. I would have liked to see the more to the conclusion, but this one will have a place on my school library’s shelves when I get back from break.

I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I was expecting this to be an interesting novel about a fifth grade girl growing up during the 1980s. I was pleasantly surprised by just how compelling this story was. The book takes readers through a year in the life of a very troubled and dysfunctional family. At first I kind of thought they were quirky because they were a big family. But as the story developed, I realized that this family situation is abusive and unsafe for everyone in it. While I found myself feeling tense and even kind of depressed for the circumstances in which Annie found herself, I really felt like I had to find out what was going to happen.

I’m not sure who to recommend this book to. The main character is a fifth grade girl, so it would be of interest to that age group. However, there is definitely a lot of strong, profane language and criticisms of her family’s religious (Catholic) and ethnic (Italian) background that might make educators or parents pause to consider whether it’s appropriate for particular groups of children. Definitely consider the maturity of your reader(s).

The subjects of abuse and mental illness are both very important. And I think a lot of what Annie and the rest of her siblings experience might resonate with those in similar circumstances. So, this could be a really important book to share, especially if it helps kids decide to reach out for help if they need it. It’s also a book that might help others understand what families like this are going through and bring compassion and empathy to the situation. Annie’s positive attitude - her strong desire to try to make things better rather than complain, can serve as an inspiration to all readers.

Annie is the youngest of nine children, and is convinced that she’s an idiot even though she’s been placed in a class for gifted students. Despite her severe dyslexia, abusive siblings and absent parents, she manages to find the bright side to everything and struggles to hold her family together as she begins to realize that maybe constant chaos isn't normal.

TW: use of the R-word, child neglect/abuse, domestic violence, depression, hoarding, emotional abuse

This was both an incredibly funny and incredibly difficult book to read, mostly because it brought up a lot of emotions and memories from my childhood (although it was nowhere near as bad as this). I found myself empathizing a lot with the eldest sister Miri, who raised Annie after their mother practically shut down. Which leads into a very insightful observation of birth control and Catholics in the 1980s (and earlier) and mothers who might feel trapped in a situation they never wanted that is quickly spiraling out of control.

Annie is surprisingly funny. Like, really funny. Her insights and comments show that she’s very smart, even if her bajillion older sisters think she’s stupid. Which, in her family of children who go to MIT and dance and sing professionally and have academic and athletic medals, doesn’t really mean much. Despite her dyslexia, she is incredibly smart and has quite a few friends—although a lot of stuff seems to pass over her head (which can be amusing). It is fascinating how her mind works, particularly with numbers and counting and how she deals with her physical problems.

This might not be a book for everyone, but I think it’s going to resonate with people who understand emotional and physical abuse, and particularly child neglect and denial. There is mild swearing in addition to the trigger warnings, so if you’re a parent and particular about such things then be warned (although Annie does assign herself Hail Marys afterwards so I guess it’s all good).

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Antoinette Elizabeth Bianchi is the youngest of 9 children. 8 girls and 1 boy live in the house on Snow Lane. Their father works several jobs, and also works on the family farm. The kids help out, too. It takes a lot of work to keep a family of 11 going. Antoinette (called Annie) has multiple health problems. She is dyslexic, and prone to fits of vomiting and fatigue.

Slowly as Annie tells the story of her family, the truth comes out. The older children are forced to act as parents to the younger kids. There is never enough money for clothing, food and basic necessities. The children often feel sick or faint because there isn't enough food to eat. Annie can't invite friends over because she is embarrassed about their house and family life.....and other things that they never discuss. Scary things. Through it all Annie remains cheerful, although she always wonders why she is so slow compared to everyone else. Why her thoughts race at strange things. Why she counts and manipulates numbers in her head to calm herself down. Why is she so different?

I grew up Catholic, so I found it cute that every time Annie said crap or some other "bad'' word she listed the number of Hail Marys she would have to say as penance. :) I also sympathized with her for being the youngest in a large Catholic family. I was the youngest of 5, with the others many years older than me. It was awful. I was never physically abused....but there was mental abuse. This story was a bit hard for me to read because I sympathized with the main character so much. I dealt with similar problems at home and at school. I was never physically beaten, but I had a close friend at school who was. Her mother was very involved in the church, but regularly beat her daughter and locked her in a closet for minor infrractions. Finally my friend got pregnant and married in high school just to get away from her parents. Sad....but true. And in the 80's -- the same time period as this story. I don't know what happened to my friend....I lost contact with her during my college years and have never been able to find her again. I hope she is happy wherever she is. Those similarities in my background really pulled me into this story. I was a bit disappointed with the abrupt ending....the story just stops with nothing fully resolved. But...realistically...a family issue like that wouldn't be insta-fixed. The abrupt ending with things up in the air is the proper ending for this story. Disappointing, but more true than a fairy tale fix. This story is well-written. I normally don't like stream of consciousness type stories....but the author did a fantastic job with this one. I do have to admit that I found it extremely depressing though. Maybe because I identified with the main character so much.

Snow Lane is a hard hitting, masterfully written tale about a family....a family in trouble. But even in the darkness, there are bright spots. Annie is definitely a bright spot. She chooses to find the good in all things.....and that attitude and the promise of the life ahead of her is what leaves hope at the end of this tale.

I think I will try one more time to find my friend from school. This book really has me thinking about her. Maybe this time I will get lucky and one of my old classmates might know where she is. I can only try.....

To learn more about this author and her other books, check out her website: http://www.josephineangelini.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan) via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Snow Lane
By
Josie Angelina


What it's all about...

Antoinette Elizabeth Bianchi is the youngest of 9 children in a very Catholic family. There are 8 girls and 1 boy. Antoinette’s father works three jobs to support his family. Antoinette’s mother just works round the clock but seems to ignore most of her children while nothing ever gets done. She is obsessed with church. Every time a baby is born an older sister is assigned to raise that baby. Sometimes the sister is kind...sometimes that sister is not so kind. Sometimes it seems as though certain children are favored because they are talented. That leaves Antoinette pretty much on her own...alone and uncared for. She wears her brother’s clothes because those are the only ones that will fit her long legs. Her sister uses her babysitting money to buy Antoinette school shoes because her mother doesn’t notice or care that she needs them. No one notices that this is a family of dysfunction until the day that Nora...an older sister...just can’t take it any more.

Why I wanted to read it...

This book had such a lovely cover but in reality it was sad book. But in a way it was also a beautiful book.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

Antoinette was the narrator of this book. She is incredibly smart but dyslexic. She has friends who love her but no friend comes to the Bianchi house...ever. It holds too many sad secrets.

Why you should read it, too...

This isn’t exactly a Christmas story but in a way it was. This family had days...perhaps weeks even...when the parents never saw their children. Birthdays were forgotten. Some siblings were kind while others were incredibly mean. Antoinette struggled but also protected her family. I loved this book. Readers who can appreciate a happy/sad/hopeful kind of book during these holidays...should love this book. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to hug Antoinette and give her a big cream filled donut!


I received an advance reader’s copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

In Snow Lane we get a brief look into the difficult life of Annie. We are more aware of the difficulties that Annie faces than she is. As the youngest of 9 children with an overwhelmed mother and a mostly absent father Annie has never know a different life. Annie's family life comes to a breaking point when her next oldest sister runs away and her parents are no longer able to keep the cracks (gaping holes) from showing. There are bright spots in Annie's life though, namely her friends Kristin and Jordan. I enjoyed this read but it does end rather abruptly in my opinion. It is an interesting look at an experience that is entirely different from my own and I expect, different from most of the young readers who will pick this up.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It kills me to tag this "historical" when it's set during my own childhood, in the mid-80s.
Annie is the youngest of nine siblings, mostly girls. She's not particularly talented, and while she's book-smart she often doesn't think about what she's doing. Her dad works three jobs and her mom. .. does something? but is not particularly tuned into her children. Annie's sisters vary in their treatment of her: some are wonderful and some border on abusive. Their family is poor, and Annie wears exclusively hand-me-downs--a problem when her sneakers fall apart and there's no next size waiting for her.
Still, she navigates her awkward fifth-grade year, with its fraught social dynamics, as best she can.

A solid title, though it's hard to say who the audience is. It's a very introspective story for the MG audience, who are developmentally still outwardly-focused. This is a relatively quiet story, without a lot of action, but the young MC will keep teens from picking it up. There's an audience for this, but it'll take some hand-selling to particular kids.

This was a bit of a departure from the typical tween/teen novel, however, I did enjoy the change. I liked the setting, the style. Annie was a good MC but I'm wondering if her age will limit interest for the older kids.

Snow Lane is a rather dark book for middle grade readers. It deals with poverty, abuse, neglect, mental illness, and more. At the same time, the main character of Annie is a remarkable 5th grader, resilient, hopeful, remarkably happy given the circumstances of her home life. Annie is afraid to seek help, afraid to admit that there are problems in her family, afraid to lose what little she has. But ultimately, this is a novel about hope, about seeking help, about being brave enough to let the realities of one's life experience become known to others so that they have the opportunity to lend a helping hand. A valuable story for readers who either have problems and need toe courage to seek help, or for those who need to recognize when someone else is silently drowning and needs a helping hand. I especially loved the relationship between Annie and her best boy friend Jordan, which is particularly important to them both. They have such a great dynamic together. I definitely recommend this book.

At first I thought it would be another Fish in a Tree (which was great in its own right, and should remain singular, imo) but it took a different turn and became its own original story. Could have used a bit more depth in places but overall a great book. I hope it spreads far and wide.

Annie is the youngest of nine children in a large, chaotic, Catholic family. Through her perspective we experience her life as an eleven-year-old, with the filters and justifications of all that is dysfunctional in her family. Intelligent and wise beyond her years, Annie sees the underlying reasons for the many things that are wrong and lives her life with coping mechanisms. Because of her severe dyslexia she has low self esteem and also suffers from health issues.

Thankfully, Annie has good friends who stand by her and support her during her toughest times. When the illusion of normality that her family has cultivated implodes, Annie has to make a decision that will effect the future of the whole family.

E ARC provided by Netgalley.com

In 1985, Annie is the youngest of nine kids in a Catholic family, which was an unusually big family for the time. Some of her siblings are nice; some are not. Her father works several jobs, and her mother struggles to keep up with the demands of so many children. Life has its good moments, like when Annie gets to work on her aunt and uncle's farm, and it's bad, which mainly include her sister Fay. Mainly, however, life involves the day to day struggle to make it through the day. Since Annie has some health problems (she is prone at various times to vomiting and fainting, due to poor nutrition) and isn't able to keep up with the clothing trends at her school, she's glad to have the quirky Kristin for her friend. She is also pleased when Jordan, a boy in her class, is willing to spend time with her. This makes up for her difficult family life, but when her sister Nora goes missing, family secrets bubble to the surface.
Strengths: Middle grade readers are enthralled with the idea of large families, and the details of the day-to-day existence of the youngest child in such a family will appeal to my readers who like sad stories. Annie's life is a struggle overlaid with enough of a mystery to keep the pages turning. Something is very wrong in Annie's world even though she tries to make her life seem ordinary. Her relationship with Jordan is very sweet. The cover is great-- pretty, but darkly atmospheric.
Weaknesses: The ending is a bit abrupt. It's good to have answers, but they arrive all in a giant clump.
What I really think: Found myself liking this more than I thought I would. Definitely purchasing for my 7th grade girls who want depressing books every February. I'd never heard of this author, who generally does paranormal, YA type books.