The Vintage Wren is a serial novel released in several chapter episodes. Volume One contains the first four and a half episodes in one full-length novel.
Cassie Wren. Legal assistant. Convenience queen. Thrifter extraordinaire. If there was a “green police” she’d be a fugitive from eco-friendly justice.
But when a friend’s teasing feels like a challenge, Cassie accepts it. The result? One … accepts it. The result? One year. Twelve months. Fifty-two weeks. Three hundred sixty-five days–of green.
It seemed simple enough. Cut back on paper plates, plastic forks, and straws. Easy peasy. But when her competitive side wars against her desire for convenience, Cassie finds it’s not so easy to be “eco-friendly” and “Cassie-friendly.”
January Shopping for Cassie’s annual New Year’s Eve party sparks an innocent comment that Cassie can’t forget. So, during their New Year’s Day goal planning session, Cassie’s friends tease her about her lack of eco-consciousness, and Cassie determines to change one new thing in favor of the planet every week. For a year. Even if it kills her.
She’s confident it will.
Cassie’s first month includes eradicating the extraneous paper, glass, plastic, and metal from her life. However, she finds that it’s not quite as easy as she thought. Paper and plastic cover everything manufactured or packaged–even water, produce, and restaurant food! Glass is great, but you can only have so many “reusable jars,” and metal reduction means her hair may end up a nightmare of uncontrollable frizzies!
She doesn’t even want to talk about her water reduction plans.
But it’s not all been bad. She’s saved a lot of money, has prospects for a new business, her impromptu blog is gaining traffic, and she even has a new boyfriend. Add to that, a few great friends who keep her going when things get rough, and the realization that there are only eleven months to go, and Cassie just might make it.
Now only if her car would cooperate and make it, too!
The Vintage Wren. A serial novel released in fifty-two episodes (for obvious reasons). Each month will be released separately as a full-length novel.
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Cassie is a wonderful character and I laughed so much my side hurt. We all at some point said we were going to change our habits. Of course we want to save the environment and do our part. Cassie thinks about those things as she rushes off to get all these easy to throw away plastic and paper goods for a party.
Cassie is about to have a close encounter of the “eco-friendly” world in three, two, one. What’s a person to do when you are challenged to change your habits? Oh Cassie my dear you are in for a bumpy ride. Who knew there was so much unnecessary things we use everyday ? The shenanigans Cassie finds herself in is hysterical. I am no expert and I would be right there with her as my laundry came out all twisted up. Why did her laundry get messed up you ask? Well you must read the story to find out Cassie’s lessons in what is disposable and what isn’t. Her friends are a hoot and I think I am partial to Joel.
I love that this is set up in a series that you can sign up for to follow Cassie on her adventure. We are just beginning in January and already Cassie is up to her eyeballs in what to do. I learned how much I waste buying paper plates and plastic cups. Who wants to take the time to wash the dishes? I do now that I have read this story. I can’t believe the waste of money I spend on convenient products.
I love the banter between Cassie and her mother. I’m chuckling now as I remember their talks. I’ve wondered what my kids were thinking with their ideas. I always got the eye roll from one of them when my own ideas were shut down. I loved how the author had Cassie start a blog so others could follow her adventure. The book is funny, helpful and filled with nuggets of wisdom.
I can’t end my review without quoting some wonderful insights the author wrote.
1. “If you don’t have something nice to say…..” What a great reminder that we may not agree what others do, but we don’t need to insult them with our opinions
2. “I’m going to make mistakes. I just need to learn from them.” Stop beating yourself up all the time. We learn from our mistakes.
3.” We get so caught up in things that we miss the important stuff-like calling our parents and inviting them out to dinner, or bringing dinner to them. ”
4. “Go out and be You. Just lean on your greatest support group Leader when you do it. Lean on Jesus.”
I can’t wait to read the next installment of this story. Cassie has become my all time favorite character. She is sassy, goes overboard at times, is hard on herself, but she has the biggest heart ever. I loved the tips the author provided and I am thinking of putting some to use.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
This is my introduction to this author and I must admit, her style is refreshingly different. This serial story expounds on the frustration of a convience queen, Cassie, in her efforts to become more green or eco-conscious. I laughed out loud at times while reading, especially with Cassie’s ongoing one sided conversation with Think, her confidant and silent pet. Learning to do without the conveniences we have around us is hard work, something she discovers immediately. As this is only the first month of this challenge, it will be most fascinating to see how many changes she can make in a year. There certainly are examples given that were a good reminder to me of things that I can change. It’s well worth your time to consider how many of the conveniences we enjoy that potentially damage the world around us.
I received this ebook through CelebrateLit and this review gives my personal impressions and opinions.
The Vintage Wren
Right before the New Year Cassie’s friends were teasing her about being wasteful so she decided to go “green” starting January and for the whole year. The book goes through her adventure for each day. Sometimes it seemed like she was going overboard, like not wanting someone to hand her something with a piece of paper. I did enjoy some things she her making bags to carry groceries.
I did enjoy Cassie doing a blog about her adventures and how a lot of people enjoyed reading it. I have been working on my blog a lot so have been reading a lot of others and there is definitely some interesting ones to read. This book cover January and there is a book coming for February. It will be fun to see what else she comes up with.
I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit for an review. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
From convenience queen to social conscience?
My rating is 4.5 stars
My heart jumped into my throat as I watched the plastic-wrapped plastic forks drop onto the table. NO! I thought. Not those!
I was at a team lunch at a build-your-own-pizza place and my boss decided to be “”nice”” and get the forks for everyone. Normally I wouldn’t have even really thought twice about it, but you see, I had recently finished reading The Vintage Wren.
Despite thinking I do pretty well in helping preserve the environment, after reading about Cassie’s first month in her journey, I know there are so many areas in which I fall short. But my outlook was affected by it, as evidenced by my reaction to my helpful boss.
Cassie is the kind of person who once she makes up her mind to do something, she pours herself into it wholeheartedly. Which led to some amusing moments in the story. She also has trouble backing down from a challenge, which is exactly how she got herself into committing to a year of changes. It’s only 365 days, right?
I was able to relate to Cassie’s frustrations. Making changes, even for the better, can be sooo hard! Any time I’ve had to change my diet whether for a week or a month or forever, whatever it is that I can’t eat all of a sudden becomes the most important and craved food! So poor Cassie’s breakdowns – yeah. I get it!
Don’t run away from the book, though, if you aren’t into all of this. Though the story IS about Cassie’s exploration of living a more earth-friendly lifestyle, that isn’t the whole story. In the process of reducing her paper and glass usage, she discovers some very important things about herself. The way she interacts with others. The way she changes the truth to match what she says.
There is a lovely love triangle. Cassie’s second best friend, Joel, wants to be more than a friend. And frankly, I think he is quite the catch. Joel is one of the kindest men, loves Cassie enough to want what is best for her and is willing to watch as she dates other men. Oh, and did I mention that he cooks for her, rescues her when she freaks out, knows exactly what she needs. . . Oh, and his online name – joel213 – look up that verse and you’ll see a bit of his heart. If I hadn’t already swooned over him, that would have done it.
Then there is Evan. Who is handsome and talented and kind. And an amazing dancer! Sadly for Joel, Evan is the one she has started going out with. Don’t get me wrong. I like Evan and he seems to be a good fit for Cassie. Kinda. He just doesn’t know her as Joel does. This is just the first month of her experiment, so who knows who Cassie will end up with! I’m kinda hoping for Joel.
Then there is my favorite character. Well, he’s not really a character. Is he? In lieu of a pet, Cassie adopted her reproduction of Rodin’s The Thinker. And she has nicknamed him and talks to him. And just might have played chess with him. I so wanted to pull quotes from conversations with him or thoughts she had about him but they just wouldn’t have made any sense outside the context of the story!
The Vintage Wren is written in Chautona’s unique and quirky style. I honestly think I would be able to pick out her writing from a lineup of books. (There are not many authors who have a voice so unique I can identify it as hers.) Full of chuckles and interesting perspectives that point back to the Lord, it is a good book that will get you thinking.
Overall, this book was a little more about the process of going environmentally friendly than I expected. There is certainly a story, it is just heavy on the details. There were a few things discussed that probably had to be, but toilet paper was mentioned a few more times than I wanted to hear about. Will I read the rest of the books in the series? Most likely. I really do want to find out what happens with Joel…
Read with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a free copy of this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.