The Wedding Gift Paperback – July 12, 2010

by Kathleen McKenna (Author)

4.4 20 ratings

Kathleen McKenna's explosive third novel 'The Wedding Gift' excels in so many categories it defies them all. It is a spine-electrifying supernatural tale where a huge Southern States mansion contains one of the most terrifying, violent and indeed psychopathic ghosts to haunt any town. It is also a murder mystery - why did Robina Willets apparently kill all five of her young children, and her husband, before stabbing herself to death? And, if you are in the camp of believing that 'justice .... just is not', then this will have you frothing at the mouth with righteous social fury. Add to that the vision of two exceptionally beautiful girls lying on a landing stage in the middle of a secluded lake, sleeping naked in the sun .... .... and then see if you can find any consecutive ten minutes in this book when you don't at least snicker at the heroine Leeann's sly, caustic, sometimes-knowing sometimes 'too stupid to live' commentary. "Several times in the 'The Wedding Gift' Kathleen McKenna has the narrator bursting out with phrases like 'Oh shoot, hell yeah, he was grinning like an egg suck dog' or words to that affect. Well, that was me she was describing throughout the book, grinning like an egg suck dog. I don't know what one of those might be, but I sure want to be one," Tim Roux, author of 'Missio' and 'The Dance of the Pheasodile'.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 12, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1453701974
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1453701973
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.55 x 8.5 inches

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4.4 20 ratings

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Babylonia

The Wedding Gift

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2010

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This is definitely a great story. LOL Honestly, we all have to love when life throws those little problems at our characters and they somehow manage to pick up the ball and roll with it. It's a mixture of fairy tale and ghost story. Sometimes the "prince" isn't the one we think he is from the beginning. I highly recommend this book to those who love to laugh and be horrified at the same time. Great job!!!

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sibhus

What a rollercoaster ride.

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2010

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What a rollercoaster ride The Wedding Gift is. It is filled with equal amounts of horror and humor that leave you gasping for air. Mckenna's insights into small town society are spot on side splittingly funny, yet at the same time her horror keeps you clued to the pages, unable to turn away. Once you begin to read you won't want to put it down.

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Lady Rogue (Escape Between The Pages)

The Wedding Gift - Liked the writing, hated the character

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2010

The book starts off great. The prologue is filled with small historical flashbacks of news reports of Robina Willets, the murderer of her five children, her husband, and herself. It had police reports, funeral announcements and engagement announcements that were all tied to the Willet family and the Willet House. All this back history instantly grabbed my attention and gave me a feeling of mystery and suspense. In fact, it was so well done, I went searching for Editorial Notes to see if this was based on a true story. The Wedding Gift is told in the voice of Leeann Worthier, high school senior, local pagent queen, and self proclaimed prettiest girl in town. She tells what is currently happening in her life, such as preparing for her wedding and the birth of her child.

The following chapters continue, as she begins to reflect, on how she arrived to where she was. She flashes back, to when she met and got involved with George Willet, a twenty something, heir apparent to the family petroleum business. She wasn't attracted to him, but he treated her nice and bought her things, so she went with the flow. But, when she ended up pregnant...well, living in a small town, with a God fearing mother and protective father, she was pushed into marriage. Naturally, you can imagine, how her future mother-in-law handled things. Yeah, she was a snooty bitch, a real peice of work. "White trash","whore" and "gold digger" were definately mentioned on occasion. Of course, George was a mama's boy and in his eyes, mommy did no wrong. *rolls eyes* The story begins to move forward from after the wedding. If family issues, an unwanted marriage, her pregancy, and the return of a childhood crush weren't enough, Leeann begins to hear, see, and dream the ghost Robina Willets. Oh, can you guess what the wedding gift was? Yep, the Willet's House. So you can imagine, it wasn't happily ever after for the newlyweds. With the support of her family and friends, Leeann tries to cope with tragedy after tragedy...while trying not to go crazy like Robina Willets.

Truth be told, I didn't like Leeann. Some of the things she did in the book were very off-putting. I could almost understand, how the monster-in-law held disdain for her. Yet, at the same time, I believed Leeann's character. She felt real, crediable, and familiar to girls, I knew growing up in a small town. So in this, the author did a real good job at pulling out the emotions in me. I have read many reviews claiming how they loved Leeann's character. About how she was charming and witty. I failed to see it. I could see the author's attempt, but the execution fell flat for me. If anything, Leeann came off as self-centered, sarcastic and whiny. While, I didn't approve of her relationship with George, because of the age difference, I felt sorry for him. I do believed that he cared for her. Yet,the only time she even considered giving the marriage a chance, was when he bought her an expensive gift. But, it was only a breif consideration. I want to say that she was young, that there was character growth throughout the book, but I can't. When I closed the book, all I could do was shake my head. I really wanted to like her, and was glad at the outcome. But, I really really hated how she got it.

Overall, it was a good read, but a bittersweet one. I was hoping for a good supernatural mystery. Instead, I think the plot was lost in all of Leeann's rambling-ons and self-centeredness. I couldn't even digest certain events, because, Leeann made it all about her feelings instead. Events that most people would consider tragic, horrific, and pertinent to the plot, Leeann dismissed calluosly. Rarely, does a protagonsit piss me off, to the point, I just don't like her. That being said, Kathleen McKenna has a remarkable talent in making her characters not only crediable, but believable. Growing up in a small town myself, I thought her small town enviroment was spot on in realism, and it had a tinge of familiarity about it. I guess, it comes down to preference. If you are looking for a suspenseful supernatural story, then you might find this lacking in the suspense department, but if you like a good drama with a touch of the supernatural, then I think you will like it.

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Chas

Something in there for everyone...

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2010

I have to start out saying that I was terrified to pick up this book because I read before I fall asleep and don't want bad dreams but after reading the first few pages I knew everything was going to be alright. This book is more of a comic relief then a horror story. The story is set in the south and I am from Alabama and I related to this book. It brought back my days of growing up in the south because nobody speaks like the southerns. There was even the mention of the Piggy Wiggly which was our local grocery store. The writing in the book is something like nothing I have ever read. Her comic wit will have you laughing your butt off. It is about two main people and their family. Leeanne Worthier the local beauty queen and George Witts the Heir to the family business. The two are perfect for each other and bound to end up together and get married. In George Witts family there was a tragedy where his uncle and cousins were murdered by their aunt in the family house. When the two marry George asks his father if he could buy the house and George's family just gives it to him free and clear. In almost all small towns there is always that one house that is considered the Haunted House that teens dare each other to go into and others just stay away. Leeann brother was one who was went inside and was spooked and fell out of the tree and died. This house is not the place Leanne wants to live but what choice does she have. All I have mentioned so far is not spoilers just facts of the first chapter or so. I am going to stop there with the story because I do not want to give any spoilers away but Leanne is a character that just jumps out of the book at ya and you fall in love with she is strong, witty and won't stop until she finds out what is going on in this house. I loved this book there is something in there for everyone from some paranormal to scary in places and a lot of smart witted comedy. If you from the south I think this book will be special and bring back some of your own memories..This book will not disappoint anyone and looking forward to anything Kathleen McKenna writes in the future.

Review completed by Shellierb for my blog. Thanks Shellierb.

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Shane Marquardt

What a great read

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2010

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This is horror with intellegence and sex appeal. What an absolutely fun and white-knuckled read. Her characters come right off the page. Ms. McKenna has a unique voice, and I have the feeling we will be hearing more from her. Two thumbs up

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