Friday, June 15, 2012

HAND ME DOWN by Melanie Thorne


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Please send your full name, address and title of book you have won to stephanieelliot@gmail.com so I can send your book to you!





One of the problems of having so many great books to share is that unfortunately, I oftentimes don’t get to finish them before it's time to post about them, as is the case with Melanie Thorne’s Hand Me Down, but what I have read so far is amazing. Thorne writes in the perspective of teenage Liz and about her family, and what happens when her mother chooses to love an ex-con and sends her daughter away, separating Liz from her sister Jaime.

As is the case with Liz in Hand Me Down, Melanie experienced some of the same things growing up and was asked to leave home at a young age. Like Liz, she was also separated from her younger sister at a time they needed one another most. It was that experience that sparked the book idea for Melanie and helped to her find truths and heal. 

Read on!

"A tough, tender, debut novel, in the tradition of Dorothy Allison and Janet Fitch, Hand Me Down is the unforgettable story of a girl who travels between California and Utah in search of her true family, having never been loved best of all."

Fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Reid has spent her life protecting her sister, Jaime, from their parents' cruel mistakes. Their father, who'd rather work the system than a job, pours every dollar into his many vices, denying his daughters the shoes and clothing they need. Their mother, once a loving parent, is going through a post-post-adolescent rebellious streak and finds love with a dangerous ex-con. When she chooses starting a new family over raising her first-born girls, Elizabeth and Jaime are separated and forced to rely on the begrudging kindness of increasingly distant relatives.

A string of broken promises that begins with Liz's mother swearing, "I would never hurt you, Liz. You're family," propels her between guest beds in two states searching for a safe home. All the while, Liz is burdened by her stake in a bleak pact with a deceitful adult: to tell the truth about the darkest of her circumstances will cost her the ability to shelter Jaime. As Liz spirals into the abyss of fear and shame that haunts her sleepless nights, can she break free from her bonds in time to fight for her life?
Thorne writes with a command of language that is at once affecting and enticing. Her debut is the kind of voice-driven reading experience fiction lovers crave.

If you’d like to enter to win a copy of Hand Me Down, tell me if there is something in your closet that is a hand-me-down that you love that you wear today. 

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87 comments:

Ally said...

I actually do not like hand me downs so I have none. I don't even really like them for the kids. I prefer to buy all their things myself.

TaraUB said...

I don't have a lot. I have some quilts that were made by my grandmas and we use them. I also have a wonderful deep red velvet dress that was my Mom's from the 50s that when I'm the right weight I can wear. I wore it to a Christmas party once. That dress alone should be my motivation to lose weight.

Kristin from Louisville said...

I no longer have it, but my mom kept the first pair of overalls I wore at about 9 months old, and I love the pictures of me wearing them. I didn't have any kids, so when my niece was born I passed them on to her, and she was just as adorable wearing them!

Megan said...

I have a sweater that was my great grandmother's that is covered in beads. It's beautiful and I wear it in the winter when I get all dressed up.
Eloisepeaches

Juliet Farmer said...

my husband's old college sweatshirt. love it.

ncsuloges said...

My sister has gotten skinner and I have gotten curvier so we have traded a lot of clothes. I really like a pink skirt that she gave me.

jdstec said...

One of my favorite tees is a hand me up from my son.

Carie Casey said...

I have a dress my mom gave me.

Carie

Carly said...

I don't have any hand me down clothing. I am the oldest of my three siblings. However, my grandma did take us shopping at thrift stores a lot so I am used to wearing things that were previously owned.

Carly H

Mary Jo Burke said...

My mom's sweater

Emma S. said...

I am the youngest of 3 girls, so I wear hand-me downs a lot, even though I'm 26. My sisters are 9 and 6 years older than me, so sometimes their things are out of style. I don't have a favorite piece of clothing either one gave me. But I wear my grandmother's costume jewelry all the time, and I always get compliments. I especially love her string of fake pearls.

Katie said...

I honestly don't think I have any hand me downs in my closet right now which is odd considering I am a packrat.

Leah B said...

I can't think of any in my closet, but there are tons in my daughter's closet that are hand me downs from very special people in our lives.

Melissa said...

My mother-in-law has given me some pretty shirts that I still enjoy wearing.

melissa a from clc

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

My favorite hand me down is a pair of gray sweat pants that belonged to my father in law...They are so comfy and I think of him every time I put them on.

Unknown said...

I currently don't have any hand-me-downs. Sometimes they're my favorite things though. I used to have a shirt I got handed down from a friend that I LOVED & wore all the time, but it got lost in the shuffle of my last move. :(

Melissa said...

I have a pair of Roxy sweats/jacket that my friend gave me and they're so comfy!

-tmd636

accidentalgypsy said...

My favorite hand-me-down is my mother's jade earrings she got for her 18th birthday. I love them!

DaphneSFL said...

A DVF wrap dress that was my mom's, from about 1980-1982. It's still stylish and I love having it and wearing it.

Mom'sLove said...

a sweatshirt from an old boyfriend... ;)
Amanda
byacourt at gmail dot com

Kim W. said...

I don't have anything for myself (anymore) but my kids have some clothes that were given to us from our friends.

Lizett34 said...

I do not have any hand me down things. I have a younger sister so it is usually me giving stuff to her.

Sslinsky said...

I have hand me down pocket books from my grandmother.

Sarah

Bridget said...

I have a jacket that was my mom's. I actually bought it for her.

iambtinrb

Melissa said...

I currently do not have any hand me downs. I use to when I was skinny and single. I think my friends and I now hold onto to all our stuff. Mel Rem

Luvschocolate said...

I don't have any, I hae given quite a few away, but have never received any. My tastes at equity different then most people I Know.

susieqlaw said...

My Mom's clothes from Mexico

susieqlaw

Jeffie T said...

My favorite hand-me down is a quilt from my great-grandma.

Joelle said...

no hand me downs in my closet. not that I don't mind them, i just don't have any...clothes wise that is. lol

- jobella

Denise said...

I have a few skirts that my mom made when she was my age that I love and wear frequently.

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I can't think of anything in my closet right now that is a hand me down. At one time I had a long dress that was my mother-in-laws that she could no longer wear. I loved wearing it at the time but I no longer fit into it either.

Bev V said...

I don't have any, but my husband has his brother's old army jacket.

Bev (shaggy552@gmail.com)

absolutahnie said...

An old cap that belonged to my dad's which I just realized I should hand down to my balding brother!

your invisible pixie said...

I don't have any hand me downs :(

TinaB said...

My sister in law gives me her hand me downs all the time! Thank goodness, cause with 3 kids all my money goes to buying stuff for them!!
Brannanflooring@aol.com

Tami said...

I dont have any :-(

Jessica said...

I don't really have any hand me downs. I don't have any siblings so I had no one to hand down things to me. My mom tends to get rid of the things she doesn't like anymore.

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

Sara s. said...

I have a favorite tan tshirt that my MIL gave me

Christina said...

I don't think I have any hand me downs anymore, but I have a pair of sweatpants that belonged to a college roommate that I absolutely love!!

ChristinaL

EBrowning said...

I don't have any hand me downs. I'm an only child who lives a few hours away from my cousins and aunts so I never really had the opportunity to get many hand me downs.

Dani In Chicago said...

No, I dont have any hand me downs.

Krystal said...

I have some hand me down maternity clothes that I really like. However, I'm not pregnant now so they're packed away!
kndyer

slm8803 said...

I have a pair of shorts that a friend gave me probably 10 years ago and they are so comfy I refuse to get rid of them even though there is no elastic left and they practically fall off if not rolled up. LOL

Bridget O'Neill said...

I don't actually have any hand me downs in my closet, but in my daughter's closet she has an opal ring that used to belong to her great-great-grandmother (my great-grandmother)!

lucy872 said...

I don't really have hand me down clothes, but I have a hand me down blanket that was my sister's and then I took it with me to college and now it's used in my car for picnics, etc. It is actually a zip up blanket that you can wear...just like a snuggie! It is a hideous patchwork pattern and my husband says it is the ugliest thing he's ever seen, but I still can't part with it!

ludy2288 said...

The closest thing I have to a hand me down is my boyfriend's wrestling sweater he got in junior high. I also have the dress I wore as a baby at my parent's wedding.

Emily said...

I have a shirt or two that I have gotten as hand me downs from my mom - they are great additions to my "work clothes"!


Emily116

Tiffany Drew said...

I don't have any hand me down clothes :( I barely have any clothes at all, actually lol.

Anonymous said...

I have a pair of scrubs that I borrowed from an ex about 15 years ago. The guy was a creep. We didn't date long. I do love those pants though!

Colbey J

Daisy said...

My Mom's 1967 Gucci purse

Lilian said...

Many of my clothes are hand-me-downs from my sister and my cousins...though I have to say I particularly adore this rabbit fur handbag that my sister left for me...It's SUPER soft--though I often feel sorry for the rabbit.

lilianxchengATgmail.com
Lilian @ A Novel Toybox

Anonymous said...

I have a pair of shorts I was given by a friend 14 years ago. I have worn these shorts almsot every night to bed. It's sad to see they are finally wearing down and soon will become a thing of the past. I will miss those shorts! jennyb75

Marla W. said...

An Old Navy sweatshirt that I got from a friend in High School. I cannot even remember how or why I ended up with it, but I'm now in my 30's and still love wearing it!

Erin G said...

I have an old sweatshirt of my hubby's that I like to snuggle in during the winter.

Kristin said...

I don't have any hand me down clothes right now. But I have my grandmother's wedding band. I wear it every single day. And I recently found a shirt I wore as a 4 year old that I handed down to my daughter. She loves it. :)

Jen said...

I still have (and wear) one of my mom's old flannel shirts...it's basically shredded at this point, but I won't give it up! :)

-Jen
jenknee1976@hotmail.com

Books & Reviews said...

No, hand me downs here --- :(

betsy_blixt said...

An old T-shirt that my sister had in highschool. It was a softball T-shirt and the school closed down when I was in the third grade. Love that shirt, it's worn perfectly.

robynn78 said...

I dont have any clothes that are hand me downs, I lost a lot of weight and gave my clothes away as hand me downs!

equinn726 said...

The only hand me down I can think of is a plaid button down shirt that I got from my sister years ago. I love to wear it when I'm just kicking around the house.

Nanette said...

I've got shoes in my closet that my mother gave me. I just love them and I can only wear them in summer so they stay in great shape. Whenever she sees them she wants them back!! LOL!!

Nan :)

Kristi said...

I have a t-shirt that I stole from my sister years ago. I still wear it because it's one of those that just fits perfectly. I guess we can consider that a hand-me down!

aggiekristi04

Literary Chanteuse said...

I have an old sweater of my grandma's and it just is so comfy and warm to wear. I love it!

Margaret(Literary Chanteuse)

Kristen said...

No... I'm taller than the rest of my family and hand-me-downs haven't been an option since 8th grade. :)

Kristen27

Ready To Be A Momma said...

I have lots of hand me downs. This what helped me from going broke after losing 50 lbs and needing a whole new wardrobe. I have a lot of different things in my closet that I love to wear.
qweska8402

keltban said...

I had a cute black sweater that was a hand-me down from my sister. I wore it a ton until it finally ripped.

Shellybelly43066 said...

No hand me downs...

Betsy said...

I don't like hand me downs too much. I do have some of my Grandma's jewelry, and I love that.

Lindsay said...

A sweatshirt I rescued from the garbage from a college friend, it is the perfect big, broken in sweatshirt.

Anonymous said...

As the oldest in the family I don't have any hand me downs - I remember my cousins wearing things that all of my siblings and I wore!

RebeccaE

Terri said...

I have a green shirt that friend passed on to me. I love it, it looks fabulous on me and makes my eyes turn green.

Terri M.

A.C. said...

Honestly I don't know that I have any clothes right now. I do have some jewelry that was my mom's. Nothing fancy, just fun jewelry that I "borrowed" and haven't really gotten back to her yet :)

TinaPow said...

My favorite bedtime t-shirt!

buttah said...

I have tons of hand me downs that I wear on a daily basis...shorts mostly!

The Book Chick said...

I can't think of anything in my closet that is a hand-me-down but if I'm in the mood for comfort I will borrow my hubby's hoodies, which are huge on me!

Jonita

Alice said...

I have a leopard print winter swing coat that was my grandmothers, and it is one of my most favorite articles of clothing.

Crystal said...

I have no "hand-me-downs". I'm an only child so I got everything new! lol!

crystal717

BrendaL71 said...

Hmm, that is hard. Styles change and my size has too. So unfortunately I do not have anything.

Kimmi said...

I have a black velvet dress a friend outgrew that I adore.

Leslie said...

I am now able to wear my oldest son's hoodies and such as he is now taller than I am. I love them! When my younger gets bigger I may or may not give them to him. LeslieGC

Dawn in CA said...

My favortie hand me down is a pair of super comfortable, super cute, tall black boots. One of my best friends is a shoe addict, and luckily we wear the same size! I benefit whenever she cleans out her closet. :)

dawndifioreAThotmail.com

Kristi said...

My favorite pair of jeans I got at a garage sale for $2. I also have a beat up old flannel shirt I stole from an ex boyfriend.

Margie said...

I have several tops and jeans that are hand-me-downs from my daughter.
Margie T

Amy said...

I am typically the one giving the clothes away....I don't know that I have any. As for a non-clothes item, my In-Laws gave us their dining room table. I don't love it but it does get used multiple times a day.

Nancye said...

I have lots of hand-me-downs! I love them! My favorite hand-me-downs are some of the sweet clothes that my best friend passed on to my kids. It's neat remembering when her kids wore them.

nancyecdavis At bellsouth DOT net

Anonymous said...

I love to wear my father-in-law's old tie dye peace sign tshirt. I admired it everytime he wore it. Now that he passed on, I think of him everytime I wear it.

-Donna W.

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