Gina Rae Mitchell

Book Review of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane

I hope you enjoy my review of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane as much as I enjoyed reading the book. It’s one of those rare books that will be on my re-read frequently list. The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane by K. Kris Loomis is an incredible book. Let’s just put that out there right now. It made me happy, sad, laugh, and cry, but most of all, it made me think.

I have to say that once I move on to the next book, I generally stop thinking about the previous one. That is certainly not the case with this book. I have read it twice so far and still can’t quit pondering different aspects of the plot. How would I react in that situation? Could I do what these characters are doing? Would this happen or that? I love a book that makes me think. That is not to say that I don’t equally love a simple, relaxing, not too deep story also. However, this one is special. The author draws you in from the very first page. I will be meandering through my daily chores, and suddenly a random thought about the book pops in my head, and I am back in Grover Springs.

 

Title: The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane

Author: K. Kris Loomis

Genres: Speculative Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Metaphysical Fiction

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are affiliate links in this post. If you click through and make a qualified purchase, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small referral fee.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book review of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane  by K. Kris Loomis

Synopsis from Amazon:

A country on the cusp of war. A town suspended in time. One girl’s desperate attempt to escape her eternal childhood.

Bethany Ann Crane is a motherless eight-year-old living in Grover Springs, SC at the beginning of the Cold War.

After her patriotic small town agrees to enter into a government experiment geared to give the Americans an edge over the Russians in space, she, along with the rest of the town, is preserved in a scientific stasis state and Bethany Ann becomes ensnared in her pre-adolescent body.

As the girl matures mentally, she experiences more grown-up emotions and aspirations, but her family and neighbors refuse to recognize her as anything but a child.

Will her only friend be able to save her? Will Bethany Ann ever be allowed to “come of age?”

The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane is the gripping story of one girl’s yearning for adulthood in a world where time stands still.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”Gina reviews The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane by @KKrisLoomis. #5Star #metaphysicalFiction #ScienceFiction #SpeculativeFiction #ColdWar #fantasy #reading #bookReview @thewritereads @ginaraemitchell” display_tweet=”Click to share this review of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane on Twitter. I bet you have a friend or three that would love this book!”]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

E-book details:

• File Size: 3660 KB
• Print Length: 243 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publication Date: May 14, 2018
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07D3D5C1G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Word Wise: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Screen Reader: Supported
• Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

The Sinking of Bethany Ann ...Shop on Amazon

 

Paperback details:

• Paperback: 241 pages
• Publisher: Independently published (May 15, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1980880794
• ISBN-13: 978-1980880790
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 

The Sinking of Bethany Ann ...Shop on Amazon

 

Audiobook Details:

• Audible Audiobook
• Listening Length: 5 hours and 51 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: K.Kris Loomis
• Audible.com Release Date: October 23, 2018
• Whispersync for Voice: Ready
• Language: English, English

The Sinking of Bethany Ann ...Shop on Amazon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My book review of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane

Let’s go back to 1955, where times were simpler yet still full of the same problems we face today. Join the small town of Grover Springs, SC as the seventeen adult residents, and one small girl make the sacrifice of their lives to help our country. They agree to enter a state of “stasis” where they will not age as long as the entire town stays in the program. Little did they know this would go on for decades. Do they truly understand all they are giving up?

The town is completely isolated from the current world. The residents enjoy a perfect climate and have access to new supplies, reading materials, art, music, etc. every six months. They can see changes in the outside world through the visits of the government officials. However, the citizens of Grover Springs continue with their same 1950’s mentality. This unique story will make you think about how far we have progressed and yet how much more work we need to do.

Young Bethany Ann didn’t have a say in the agreement, but she’s the only person who takes advantage of all the resources available. Follow along as she matures mentally but not physically, while fighting for acceptance from her fellow residents.

A 5-star book you can’t put down!

Think about how you would react to absolutely no changes in your life for decades. Would you become stagnant and locked in the same dreary rut? Could you interact with only the same 17 people year after year? Would you become jaded or rejoice in the opportunities? What would you trade to have perfect health and remain ageless? The possibilities are quite endless when considering all the aspects of this unique book.

The story begins in 1955, which is a bit before I was born. I look at all the changes, marvels, and advances made in my lifetime and can not imagine living without them. It made me look back at the prejudices, racism, and narrow views that prevailed in that time. Currently, many people have moved beyond that mentality, yet there are some who either secretly or openly harbor the same opinions found in the residents of Grover Springs. The glimpses into the future give me hope that the world will continue to evolve into a better place for my grandchildren and their grandchildren.

I sincerely hope you will read The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane. It’s an amazing book by a talented author.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Comments are greatly appreciated. Please scroll to the bottom to find the comment section!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Interview:

 

K. Kris Loomis is an eclectic author who writes both fiction and nonfiction books. She is the author of the novel, The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane, as well as the short story collection, The Monster in the Closet and Other Stories. Kris has also written several books about yoga and meditation and a humorous travelogue about the time she, her husband and their handicapped cat moved to South America called Thirty Days In Quito: Two Gringos and a Three-Legged Cat Move to Ecuador. I loved her collection of 100 Tiny Tales of exactly 100 words, The Murder of Leopold Beckenbauer and so many more of her wonderful stories. She is a masterful writer.

How long have you been writing?

I began writing seriously in March of 2016 and published my first two books (which were nonfiction) in May of that year. I was living in Ecuador at the time and was not working, so I thought it was as good a time as any to begin following my dream of becoming an author. We moved back to South Carolina later that summer, but I kept my writing a priority even after I went back to work.

Do you have a set writing schedule?

Each day looks a little different for me because I teach piano and yoga in the afternoons, and that schedule varies. I map out each week in advance and decide where my writing will fit in, sometimes in the mornings, sometimes after lunch if I don’t have early afternoon students. I’ve pretty much learned to write whenever I get an opportunity.

Do you need silence to write, or can you work in any environment?

I need silence! I was trained as a classical pianist and composer, so whenever there’s music on my brain is drawn to it, and I start analyzing it. I can do other writerly things like marketing or setting up my newsletters while other things are going on, but when it comes to the actual creative writing part, I need quiet. In fact, it’s not unusual for me to wear earplugs while writing when my husband is home!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I can NOT write sitting down! I do all of my writing at a standing desk or on an exercise bike desk.

Were you an avid reader growing up?

Absolutely. I used to get a dozen books at a time from the library, lay them out on my bedroom floor, then read a page of one then move to the next book and read a page, then a page in the next book, etc.. Now I try to only have two books going at once because I can’t keep up like I used to!

What authors have influenced you?

I have always been a voracious reader, so it’s difficult to narrow my writer influences down. But I love the work of Milan Kundera, Margaret Atwood, Alexandre Dumas, Jean Rhys, and Gabriel García Márquez, to name a few.

How do you get inspiration to write?

I find inspiration in many places. An ant carrying a small leaf or a football player celebrating in the end zone. Really it doesn’t take much!

The uniqueness of people fascinates me, and I am inspired by the many different life combinations that co-exist together (not always peacefully) on this sphere barreling through space.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is there anything you would like my readers to know about you and your book?

If I could be known for writing just one book, I would want to be known as the author of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane. It is the book I am most proud of penning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Join Kris’s other subscribers at www.kkrisloomis.com and receive a free short story!

Author’s contact info:

Website     Amazon     Goodreads     Twitter     Instagram     Facebook

 

Kris also writes sweet romance novels under the pen name of Savannah Adams. You can find “Savannah” on the following sites.

Website     Facebook     Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post was updated in September 2019

---

Book Review of The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane

If you enjoyed this review, please check out more of my reviews.

• Blooming Into Life by Kristie Booker
• The Ghosts of Culloden Moor by L.L. Muir and others
• Summer’s Dark Waters by Simon Williams
• The Essence of Shade by Deborah Jean Miller
• Kalorama Road by E. Denise Billups
• The Double D Ranch by Rochelle Bradley

---

If you decide to purchase a book from this post, please consider using my links. Every click helps support this website and keeps me reading and reviewing books for you.

No matter where you acquire the books you read, please leave a review for the book. Preferably on Amazon & Goodreads as they get the most traffic. The review does not have to be in-depth or detailed. A simple “thumbs up, I liked it” will suffice. Independent authors need your reviews!

---

Each Friday I send out my Friday Finds Newsletter sharing links to books, recipes, and various craft projects. You may find just what you need to make your weekend more enjoyable. Sign in from the website sidebar or bottom of this post. I never send spam and always respect your inbox!