Lucy Come Home by Dave and Neta Jackson

by admin | Jun 27, 2012 | Books, Contemporary Fiction

MY REVIEW:

At times poignant and other times humorous, “Lucy Come Home” is a gripping story that draws the reader right into it. It is the story of eighty year-old Lucy, a homeless street person who sometimes frequents the House of Hope shelter although she seems to be much happier on the street if the weather is good. For anyone who has ever wondered how or why the homeless have ended up that way, Lucy’s tale should be an eyeopener. As it switches back and forth between Lucy’s current life and the events of her younger year, it is easy to imagine the tragedy, pain, and hopelessness that led her to her present circumstances.

Appearances by familiar characters from earlier Jackson novels including the Yada Yada Prayer House and House of Hope series are welcome and help provide a comfortable backdrop for the story. The plot moved at a steady pace and the contrasting time periods changed with perfect timing. I found it easy to keep up with what was going on. Lucy was a memorable character with a caring heart and plenty of spunk despite her history. As in their previous novels, the Jacksons have woven a strong message of faith throughout the narrative. The heavy burden of unresolved guilt is strongly emphasized.

I hesitate to add more for fear of giving too much away. I thoroughly enjoyed “Lucy Come Home” and would recommend it to both men and women.

See what other bloggers have to say about “Lucy Come Home” HERE.

This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lucy Tucker, the feisty old bag lady we all loved from the House of Hope series, has confounded everyone. Why won’t she come off the streets of Chicago? How did she ever end up there in the first place? Why did she disappear again? We didn’t mean to leave you hanging, but now we can tell the whole story.

It all started back in the summer of 1942 when she and a dashing young man from a traveling carnival ran away together to escape a murder charge … Oh, but you’ll want to read the whole book yourself about carnivals, migrant camps, the war, and true love lost and found.

Fifteen-year-old Cindy worked long days beside her migrant worker family in Michigan’s sugar beet fields in the early 1940s — the “war years” — until she met a dashing young man from a traveling carnival, bringing some joy and fun into her hard-scrabble life. But a tragic twist of fate — and a dead field boss– sent the two young people on the run, leaving behind family and everything she’d ever known.

Lucy Tucker, the crotchety old bag lady from the popular Yada Yada House of Hope series, is a veteran of Chicago streets and not about to give up her independence, even as she approaches her 80th birthday.

Until, that is, a young displaced woman with her gentle aging mother and a dog named Dandy seem to need her — unsettling the secretive Lucy, who doesn’t let anyone get too close. But just when it seems her past is catching up with her to bring her in out of the cold… Lucy disappears again. How these two tales intersect and intertwine between past and present gradually shines light into the dark corners of Lucy’s murky past. But… why won’t Lucy come home? Pick up a copy here.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS::

Dave and Neta Jackson are award-winning authors living in the Chicago area where their parallel novels from the Yada Yada House of Hope and Harry Bentley series are set.

As a husband/wife writing team, Dave and Neta Jackson are enthusiastic about books, kids, walking with God, gospel music, and each other! Together they are the authors or coauthors of over 100 books.

Visit http://www.daveneta.com for more info.

Hope Springs by Kim Cash Tate

by admin | Jun 22, 2012 | Books, Contemporary Fiction

MY REVIEW:

“Hope Springs” is a multi-layered story whose principal characters are members of the Sanders and Dillon families, close neighbors and close friends. In a town long known for its racial prejudice, they haven’t allowed the color of their skin to get in the way of their relationships – at least  in most instances. When Pastor Jim Dillon dies suddenly and grandmother Geri Sanders is diagnosed with cancer, the younger generation finds themselves renewing old acquaintances and making new friends when they come back to town.

Granddaughters Janelle and Stephanie decide to stay in town and help their grandmother through her chemotherapy and their cousin Libby is a frequent visitor. Todd and Becca Dillon move back to his childhood home next door. Each of them bring their own unresolved issues with them but through their interactions with old and new friends, they learn to turn their troubles over to the Lord and find their lives forever changed.

“Hope Springs” has quite a few characters to keep straight as well as various sub-plots but the lives of these characters are so entwined that it is not too difficult to sort out. The plot and the situations surrounding the characters are described well and seem perfectly natural. I really liked how encouraging they were to each other and how they seemed to draw each other out. Racial prejudice is handled honestly yet tactfully and some really good ideas for promoting unity between the races were suggested within the story.

“Hope Springs” has a strong message of faith including reliance on God rather than self, forgiveness, and reconciliation. There are several good lessons to be learned in its pages. I highly recommend it.

This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In a small community where everyone is holding tight to something, the biggest challenge may be learning to let go.

Hope Springs, North Carolina, is the epitome of small town life-a place filled with quiet streets, a place where there’s not a lot of change. Until three women suddenly find themselves planted there for a season.

Janelle hasn’t gone back to Hope Springs for family reunions since losing her husband. But when she arrives for Christmas and learns that her grandmother is gravely ill, she decides to extend the stay. It isn’t long before she runs into her first love, and feelings that have been dormant for more than a decade are reawakened.

Becca is finally on the trajectory she’s longed for. Having been in the ministry trenches for years, she’s been recruited as the newest speaker of a large Christian women’s conference. But her husband feels called to become the pastor of his late father’s church in Hope Springs.

And Stephanie has the ideal life-married to a doctor in St. Louis with absolutely nothing she has to do. When her cousin Janelle volunteers to stay in Hope Springs and care for their grandmother, she feels strangely compelled to do the same. It’s a decision that will forever change her.

As these women come together, they soon recognize that healing is needed in their hearts, their families, and their churches. God’s plan for them in Hope Springs-is bigger than they ever imagined.

“Kim Cash Tate draws us into a world where the dreams, desires, missteps, and matters of the heart we discover mirror our own. She is a master at crafting characters who make you forget you’re reading fiction. By the end of Hope Springs, you’ll feel as if you’re cheering on members of your extended family.” —Stacy Hawkins Adams, bestselling author of Coming Home and The Someday List

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kim Cash Tate is the author of Cherished, Faithful, Heavenly Places and the memoir More Christian than African-American. A former practicing attorney, she is also the founder of Colored in Christ Ministries. She and her husband have two children.

Find out more about Kim, her other books and read her blog at www.kimcashtate.com.

Read what other blogger are saying about “Hope Springs” HERE.

Win a Kindle Fire at @KimCashTate’s Hope Springs Author Chat Party {7/10}!

Celebrate the release of Hope Springswith Kim Cash Tate by coming to her Author Chat Party on Facebook.Grab your copy of Hope Springs and join Kim for an Author Chat Party on July 10th at 8:00 PM EST (that’s 7:00 Central, 6:00 MST, & 5:00 PST)!During the evening Kim will be sharing the story behind her new book, posting book club questions, testing your trivia skills, and of course, there will be plenty of chatting and fun giveaways – books, gift certificates and (I’m so excited about this) – a Kindle Fire!But, wait there’s more – she’ll also be giving you a sneak peak of her next book too! RSVP today and then come back on the 10th … and bring your friends!

Waiting for Sunrise By Eva Marie Everson

by admin | Jun 16, 2012 | Books, Contemporary Fiction

MY REVIEW:

“Waiting for Sunrise” is the story of a young woman who tragically lost her father at a young age then lived with an abusive step-father until her mother sent her away for her protection. Although her life improved greatly and she met and married the love of her life, Patsy’s earlier life had left her with serious abandonment issues. Her fear that her husband Gilbert would leave if everything wasn’t perfect increased her stress levels until she experienced a mental breakdown. Told primarily through flashbacks, “Waiting for Sunrise” not only relates Patsy’s story but also the story of her half brother Billy who didn’t escape their abusive home but managed to overcome the odds against him.

While “Waiting for Sunrise” was beautifully written with wonderful descriptions of setting and characters, there was just something about it that didn’t sit well with me. I found myself growing aggravated with Patsy for allowing herself to wallow in depression when she had so many people who loved her and wanted to help her. She was so focused on herself that she couldn’t see that she had in many ways abandoned her own children even though she was in the same house. I was unable to generate much sympathy for her at all. On the other hand, I enjoyed Billy’s story and the way he refused to allow his circumstances to bring him down.

“Waiting for Sunrise” is a very emotional story that deals with several serious issues such as physical abuse, mental illness, and adultery. On the positive side, it also illustrates the power of faith to overcome extreme obstacles and is ultimately a testimony of victory through Christ.

This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
A rising voice in Southern fiction, award-winning author Eva Marie Everson writes with a large helping of Florida charm. Waiting for Sunrise is a touching story of family, young love and the need for forgiveness. Everson expertly draws out the bittersweet moments of life, weaving them into a tale that envelops the soul.

Life sometimes gets the best of us. For some it’s the daily pressures, for others it’s the shadows of the past. For Patsy Milstrap, it’s both. When she travels to beautiful Cedar Key on Florida’s Gulf Coast in search of healing, she never dreams her past will be waiting for her there.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Eva Marie Everson is a successful speaker and the award-winning author of Things Left Unspoken, This Fine Life and Chasing Sunsets. She is coauthor of the Potluck Club books and the Potluck Catering Club series. She lives in Florida.

“Available June 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,
a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Five Miles South of Peculiar by Angela Hunt

by admin | Jun 5, 2012 | Books, Contemporary Fiction

MY REVIEW:

I have been a fan of Angela Hunt’s novels for some time and know that no matter the setting or time frame, I can depend on her to provide me with an enjoyable reading experience. The title “Five Miles South of Peculiar” fueled my expectations for a fun and entertaining book. Although not as humorous as I had anticipated, the story had its share of quirky characters and comical situations. But interlaced with all  the fun and celebrations is a very serious treatise about relationships.

“Five Miles South of Peculiar” is the story of three sisters – 50-year-old twins Darlene and Carlene and their much younger sister Nolie (Magnolia). Carlene had left home during her senior year of high school to pursue her dream of singing on Broadway while Carlene stayed home, married, and raised a family. Nolie has never married and it is understood that everyone believes she is just not quite all there. At some point autism and OCD are even mentioned. Into that mix are added a pastor who has lost his church due to divorce and the mayor of Peculiar, Darlene’s love interest.

When Carlene returns home for Carlene’s fiftieth birthday celebration, the relationship between the once close twins is more than strained. Each of them has unresolved issues from their past but are unwilling to discuss them and clear the air. Through all the tension and mishaps, Nolie just keeps tending her huge dogs, sewing aprons to give away and dispensing her unique nuggets of wisdom to everyone she encounters. And finally they all discover that their faith has been renewed, hearts are healed and relationships are mended. Of course it is not quite that simple – a lot of ground was covered before they reached that point. You just need to read it for yourself because I don’t want to give away too much of the story.

As the eldest of three sisters and a southerner for life, I found myself easily identifying with the characters of “Five Miles South of Peculiar”. The author made the people and the place of Peculiar come to life and I was sorry when the story ended. I don’t know what she has in mind for future novels, but I for one would enjoy another visit to Peculiar.

This book was provided for review by Howard Books.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Darlene Caldwell has spent a lifetime tending Sycamores, an estate located five miles south of a small town called Peculiar. She raised a family in the spacious home that was her grandfather’s legacy, and she enjoys being a pillar of the community. Sycamores is the kingdom where she reigns as queen . . . until her limelight-stealing twin sister unexpectedly returns.

Carlene Caldwell, veteran of the Broadway stage, is devastated when she realizes that an unsuccessful throat surgery has spelled the end of her musical career. Searching for a new purpose in life, she retreats to Sycamores, her childhood home. She may not be able to sing, but she hopes to use her knowledge and experience to fashion a new life in Peculiar, the little town she left behind.

Haunted by a tragic romance, Magnolia Caldwell is the youngest of the Caldwell girls. Nolie has never wanted to live anywhere but Sycamores. She spends her days caring for her dogs and the magnificent gardens she’s created on the estate, but when she meets a man haunted by his own tragedy, she must find the courage to either deny her heart or cut the apron strings that tie her to a dear and familiar place.

Can these sisters discover who they are meant to be when life takes an unforeseen detour? In a season of destiny, three unique women reunite and take unexpected journeys of the heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than 100 books, including The Tale of Three Trees, Don’t Bet Against Me, The Note, and The Nativity Story. Her nonfiction book Don’t Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela and her husband make their home in Florida with their dogs.