Vivian Rising

By Daniella Brodsky

Vivian Sklar has always depended on her wise and feisty grandmother—not just because Grams raised her after Viv’s mother took off twenty years ago, but because she seemed to have life all figured out. So when Grams dies, Viv feels completely alone. Everything she once knew seems unfamiliar and unwelcoming—until she finds hope in a most unlikely place: the cluttered second-story walk-up of an alarmingly perceptive astrologer. Viv thinks horoscopes are about as reliable as fortune cookies, but when Kavia’s first reading dissuades her from taking a train that later crashes, she’s hooked.

Under Kavia’s guidance, Viv begins to process her grief and rebalance her life. She faces her mother, gets her career back on track, and even shares some meaningful moments with Len, her handsome new neighbor. Every prediction seems to speak directly to Viv’s life, and so far, the stars haven’t steered her wrong. Then the stars tell Viv that the bond she has forged with the insightful yet guarded Len isn’t meant to last. Len has become her greatest source of security and comfort, but just as she settles into his arms—and into his heart—Kavia insists that a relationship with him is dangerous. Now Viv faces a choice: should she follow the path that’s been written in the stars, or trust herself to write her own story?

Witty and honest, Daniella Brodsky’s charming new novel is a powerful tale of moving on, letting go, and keeping the faith—in any form it happens to take.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Release date: Aug 3, 2010
• ISBN: 9781439172032

Reviews for Vivian Rising

[knittingmomof3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From My Blog...Vivian Rising by Daniella Brodsky is an absolute delight to read. Filled with wit, wisdom, enjoyable characters and the never-ending quest to find out what one is meant to be when one grows up. Her Grams raised Vivian and when she passed away, Vivian was at quite a loss as to how to continue on, until Kavia enters her life and while at first, Vivian is skeptical about all the astrological predictions Kavia makes, until she begins to see them coming true. Kavia takes Vivian under her wing and helps Vivian to soar. With the exception of the astrology bits, I found this book to be a jolly good and enlightening novel. Vivian Rising covers just about all the emotional bases and does so smoothly without separating the story. The characters are so vividly described and charming that I wholeheartedly fell for Richter and Len all the while rooting for Vivian as she encountered each new step, willing her the strength needed to take the leaps of faith necessary to get from one point to another. I would recommend Vivian Rising to anyone looking for a delightful, feel-good novel to get lost in. It is my opinion that Vivian Rising would make for an excellent discussion group book.