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Donna lives on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, with her three grown children. Zumiez, her spoiled rotten, papillion dog is her writing assistant. Writing, reading, and crafting of all types are her hobbies. An avid concert goer, it is nothing for her to jump in the car with her daughters and follow a band up and down the East coast. Her next book will be released in July 2016. Jellies, Jams, and Bodies is the first book in her new Jellies, Jams, and Weddings Mystery Series. It will be followed by Jam Up and Jelly Fright for Halloween, and Jellies, Jams, and Christmas Cookies in November. Donna loves to walk the beaches formatting new books in her head.
Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite
The Big Mistake Club is a novel written by Donna Walo Clancy. Five teens, each with horrific backgrounds, attend the funeral of their beloved friend and comrade, Anna, who had killed herself after constantly being told she was nothing more than a disappointment to her parents. All residents of Brick House Lane, the six teenagers had formed their own special bond, away from the horrors of home, through friendship and trust, referring to their own unique group as The Big Mistake Club. Alyssa Thompson, Bernadette Hernandez, Rory Turner, Brandon Styles and Charlie DuMar have all suffered physical, psychological or sexual abuse in their everyday home lives. Their tiny neighbor, Cora Baker, knows everything that goes on inside her building. Well versed in practices of the Occult, Miss Cora is feared by those around her and is respected by all members of the club, who see her as a mother figure. While the Mistakes try to avoid the horrors of home by secretly moving into the basement (with Alyssa’s cat, George), Miss Cora vows to not only keep the children safe, but also to right the wrongs of those who try to bring them harm.
Donna Walo Clancy has produced an incredible tale of devastation, tragedy and determination. The horrors that unfold behind closed doors for each of these children are truly shocking. It bewilders and sickens me how any parent can mistreat their child in such a way, rather than giving them the love, guidance and reassurances they need in life. The Big Mistake Club is realistic and deals with rape, assault, murder-suicide, alcoholism, prostitution, hit men and death threats – a toxic combination which is mildly eased by the peaceful purring of a rescued cat and the kindness of a stranger, who teaches the kids that they are not only loved and respected, but their lives are more valuable than they could ever imagine. Although the subject matter is hard-hitting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Big Mistake Club and recommend it to mature readers, teaching them about survival when the odds are stacked against you.
