roostlogohead2cropped-transp-blue-owlS.pngroostlogohead2roostlogohead2
  • Home
  • All Quarterly Issues
  • About
    • Vision and Mission
    • Meet the MockingOwls
    • Our Contributors 2021 – 2022
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Blog
    • Art
    • Artist Profiles
    • Best Of
      • Gaming Corner
    • Film and Theatre
      • The Acting Side
    • Inspiration for All
    • Poetry
    • Reviews
      • Book Reviews – Fiction
      • Book Reviews – Nonfiction
      • Film Reviews
      • Tea Reviews
    • Resources
      • NaNoWriMo
      • Writing Prompts
      • Books for Writers
    • Round Ups
    • Series
      • Fitness for Creatives
      • My Favorite Things
      • Positivity Corner
      • Writing Memories
      • Things I Wish I’d Said
    • Travel
      • Literary Travel
  • Contact
  • Resources for Creatives
    • Presses Taking Unsolicited Submissions – No Agent Necessary
            No results See all results
            ✕
                      No results See all results

                      A MockingOwl Roost Book Review: Bernice Runs Away

                      Published by Katie Daniels at September 2, 2022
                      Categories
                      • Blog
                      • Book Reviews - Fiction
                      • Reviews
                      Tags
                      • Bernice Runs Away
                      • Bernice Runs Away book review
                      • book review
                      • Easy Read
                      • fiction
                      • Lake Life
                      • One Mississippi Press
                      • Second Chances
                      • Small Town Life
                      • Southern Heroine
                      • Talya Tate Boerner
                      • Women’s Fiction
                      cartoon of old lady in car

                      Book cover image from Amazon.com

                      Coming October 1, 2022! 

                      We’ve all had moments of wanting to run away. At age 81, Bernice actually does it. Bernice has had her fair share of struggles in life, but overall, has been fairly content with her life in small-town Arkansas, where she was born, raised, and plans to someday die. 

                      She receives a rude-awakening when her daughter Sarah decides for Bernice that it’s time to sell everything and move into Sarah’s backyard bungalow in Atlanta. Suddenly Bernice feels trapped in her home, confident she’ll never get to make her own choices again. 

                      Bernice realizes she is not ready to give up. So, she packs her car to the brim with her cat Dolly Parton, essential books, and heads out without a word to Sarah or friends, except her faithful bestie housekeeper, Marlene. 

                      Next thing you know Dolly really runs away, Bernice begins “not-really-stalking” her first true love, throwing back a beer with the boys, creating a “capsule wardrobe,” and taking command of her life for the first time in decades. 

                      Bernice Runs Away is an easy read about a quirky woman that teaches us we’re never too old to choose our own future and explore past “what if’s”. At first, I felt sorry for Bernice and wondered if I could finish a book with a heroine I pitied, but I soon realized that’s because Bernice felt sorry for herself. 

                      She initially views herself as old, weary, taking up space. She slowly grows in confidence throughout the book. She begins to realize it’s never too late to start over and experience new things. And I begin to love her, even identify with her, throughout the book.

                      Talya Tate Boerner uses Bernice’s story as a reminder that insecurities are always present; whether or not we entertain them is entirely up to us. Our life is our own to live. She skillfully takes Bernice from living a life full of doubts and questions to a life of depth and adventure. 

                      I appreciate the excellent job the author did painting visual images of Bernice’s world so I felt as if I were a fly on the wall. I could visualize myself smack dab in the middle of the diner or feel the cool breeze while overlooking the lake. The plot may not be attention-grabbing, yet Tayla keeps the reader engagingly immersed into Bernice’s world from beginning to end.

                      Overall, Bernice Runs Away is a fun, charming read that can be enjoyed by adults of all ages. It will keep you giggling through her routine life into her growth as a confident, stylish sojourner. Age doesn’t change anything. Get a pre-order now so you can curl up with it and a glass of 7Up and gin when it publishes in October. 

                      If you enjoyed this book, check out these other titles: Murder Always Barks Twice, The Vinyl Detective-Written in Dead Wax, And Jilly Came Tumbling After

                      Katie Daniels
                      + posts

                      Katie Daniels is a speech language pathologist in Florida, where she resides with her husband and their pup-child. She has dabbled in professional and personal writing over the years, but only recently began sharing her work with others. She is a proud Florida kid who enjoys meeting new people, seeing new places, and all things related to laughter, travel, faith, Disney, reading, and F.S.U. football. She is easily bribed with donuts or mac ‘n cheese.

                      She would love to connect on Instagram.

                      • Katie Daniels
                        #molongui-disabled-link
                        My Favorite Things: Storm Season
                      • Katie Daniels
                        #molongui-disabled-link
                        Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time: Book Review
                      • Katie Daniels
                        #molongui-disabled-link
                        The Book Spy: A WW2 Novel of Librarian Spies
                      • Katie Daniels
                        #molongui-disabled-link
                        My Favorite Things: Peppermint Mocha

                      Related posts

                      floral poetry book cover

                      Book cover image from Bookshop.org

                      February 1, 2023

                      Book Review: Pastoral Suite


                      Read more
                      green tinted country path with trees over hanging

                      Image created onCanva

                      February 1, 2023

                      The Lull


                      Read more
                      black and gold award

                      Image created onCanva

                      January 31, 2023

                      Adjectives Aren’t Everything


                      Read more

                      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

                      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

                      "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

                      Toni Morrison

                      Archives

                      • February 2023
                      • January 2023
                      • December 2022
                      • November 2022
                      • October 2022
                      • September 2022
                      • August 2022
                      • July 2022
                      • June 2022
                      • May 2022
                      • April 2022
                      • March 2022
                      • February 2022
                      • January 2022
                      • December 2021
                      • November 2021
                      • October 2021
                      • September 2021
                      • August 2021
                      • July 2021
                      • June 2021
                      • May 2021
                      • April 2021
                      • March 2021
                      • February 2021
                      • January 2021

                      Newsletter Signup Form

                      Newsletter Signup Form
                      © 2021 The MockingOwl Roost.

                      All Rights Reserved