Book Notes: Casting the First Stone

Who knows what's best for 12-year-old Charli?

Is it Marita, her single mother, who was only 17 when Charli was born and who avoids the church she feels is always judging her?
Is it her grandparents, who try to control Marita's life--and Charli's too?
Is it Jim, Charli's workaholic father, who chose his frat-boy lifestyle over his baby but now wants full custody?
Is it Angel, Charli's stepmother, who fears that her inability to conceive a child of her own will ruin her marriage?

In a child-custody tug-of-war, is it possible for anyone to "win"? Lisa Lawmaster Hess explores this question in her novel Casting the First Stone. Her background as a counselor shows as she probes this complicated subject from two points of view: those of Charli's mother and her stepmother.

Dual points of view don't always work in a novel, but they definitely do in this one. Maybe that's because the points of view shown are those of a mother and stepmother. There are a lot of questions regarding various characters' motivations, but it becomes clear to the reader exactly who has the child's best interest at heart.

I've read this novel twice already and I look forward to the sequel, due out this fall!

Catholicmom.com contributor Lisa Lawmaster Hess is not only a novelist; she is a teacher, speaker and nonfiction writer as well. Learn more about Lisa's other work here.

Be sure to check out our Book Notes archive.

When you purchase this book through the affiliate link in this post, you support the work we do at CatholicMom.com at no extra cost to you!