Title: Maid to Match
Author: Deeanne Gist
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Date: 2010
ISBN: 9780764204081
Pages: 359
Source: Purchased
Showing posts with label Southern Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Southern Fiction. Show all posts
February 23, 2012
Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist
January 13, 2012
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
Title: The Peach Keeper
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publication Date: 2011
Pages:273
Source: Purchased
This is another great book by Sarah Addison Allen! It is filled with intrigue, mystery, romance, magic and southern charm. I love the way the writing has the power to wrap you up in the character's lives and make you feel like you are part of the story. I believe this is a story that almost everyone will be able to connect to their own life. It is set in a small southern town and about the love and friendhips of several people that grew up together and then grew apart as they became adults. Two old ladies that are in a nursing home helps to bring them all back together. The getting back together and discovering what they want out of life is what makes the story come alive. Like Sarah Allen's other books theis story is also full of southern lore which is always fun. Did you know that a pink sky is a sign of someone discovering love? Or that when you hear a bell ring you should hold your hands to scoop up the good fortune? Well, according to southern lore that is exactly what you should do!
October 24, 2011
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Title: The Sugar Queen
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Date Published: 2009
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 294
ISBN: 978-0553384840
Source: Purchased
I loved, loved, loved this book! It is the story of Josey Cirrini who lives alone with her wealthy mother. Josey is in her late 20's and still lives with her mother out of guilt. Over the years she has lost track of herself. Josey no longer knows who she is. She has almost turned into a recluse and the highlight of her day is a visit from the mailman. But, then a local girl named Della Lee comes into her life. She shows up in Josey's closet. She tells Josey that she will only be there for a few days because she can't go back to her abusive boyfriend. There are many reasons why Josey doesn't like this plan, but the main one is that this closet has a secret door that leads to her secret stash of candy! The last thing Josey wants is for her Mother to find out about the secret stash, becasue God knows that her Mother is already critical of her enough. During Della Lee's stay, many things change for Josey. Some good and some not so good, but everything that goes on is very interesting and brings some much needed excitement into Josey's dull existence. Josey learns a lot about herself, her mother, and her dead father. This is a great story to welcome winter because it is set in the snowy season of North Carolina. Also, every chapter in the book is named after a type of candy, and the candy name is actually tied into the chapter topic.
October 03, 2011
The Restorer by Amanda Stevens
Title: The Restoyer
Author: Amanda Stevens
Source: Bought from Amazon
Publisher: Mira Books
Date: 2011
Pages: 376
My Review:
I was drawn to this book because I love walking through old cemetaries and this book just spoke to me. After all, its subtitle is The Graveyard Queen Series. I was not disappointed with the amount of time the plot was actually in the cemetary. Most of the book takes place in a cemetary by the name of Oak Grove,in Charleston S.C. Along with a wonderful story line, I learned some new things about old cemetaries, such as the meanings of some of the symbols seen on old tombstones. Also, there are some wonderful epitaph's in this book along with their meanings. The epitaph's are the things I love most about old cemetaries. The main character is Amelia and she is an Archeologist who specializes in Cemetary restoration. But, she also has an ability to actually see the dead, whose graves she is restoring. She inherited this ability from her father. While working on the Oak Grove Cemetary, there is a series of murders that take place in the cemetary. Amelia gets herself involved with the Detective in charge of the case and together they will take you on a romantic, ghost story ride like you have never been on before. The next book in the series is due out in November, and I can't wait to read it! The name of it will be The Kindom and in May, 2012, the 3rd book will be The Prophet.
June 25, 2011
The Night Train by Clye Edgerton
From the back of the book:
In 1963 at the age of 17, Dwayne Hallston discovers James Brown and wants to perform just like him. His band, the Amazing Rumblers, studies and rehearses Brown's Live at the Apollo album in the storage room of his father's shop in their small North Carolina town. Meanwhile, Dwayne's forbidden black friend Larry, aspiring to play piano like Thelonius Monk, apprentices to a jazz musician called the Bleeder. His mother hopes music will allow him to escape the South.
A dancing chicken and a mutual passion for music help Dwayne and Larry as they try to achieve their dreams and maintain their friendship, even while their world says both are impossible. In THE NIGHT TRAIN, Edgerton's trademark humor reminds us of our divided national history and the way music has helped bring us together.
My Review
Title:The Night TrainAuthor: Clyde Edgerton
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Date: July 2011
Pages: 212
Source: Little Brown Publsihing/Anna Balasi
Genre: Fiction
I was born and raised in the South. So, I am ashamed to admit that I had never heard of clyde Edgerton until Anna from Little Brown & Company contacted me about this book. I have since learned that not only is he Southern author, he is a great Southern Author that has many book credited to him! However, it may have the first book I have read by him but it will not be the last.
This was a wonderful story set inrural North Carolina dudring the early 1960's. While the rest of the world was being turned upside down by Civil Rights issue, the folks in Starke North Carolina went on with everyday life as normal. Unknown to them they were also making progress toward equal rights for everyone.
This is a story of two teenage boys and the friendship they shared, even though society frowned upon friendships between white and black children. Dewayne was white and Larry Lime was black Their mutual love of music forged a clear path that allowed their friendship to grow.
Dewayne loves James Brown music and has a band called The Amazing Rumblers. His immediate goal is to get his band on the Bobby Reese Show that is sponsored by the local Dog Food Factory. Larry Lime is taking lessons from a guy called the Bleeder at a bar called The Frog. He wants to play Jazz music. They love to lisiten to and love James Brown's Live at the Apollo Theatre album and especially The Night Train number.
This story is leading up to the bid night of whehter the Amazing Rumblers will be on The Bobby Reese show or not. Along the way, you will laugh with the boys and sometime be a little sad. But, you will alsosee how people managed to overcome their differences by just living their lives. both Dewayne and Larry Lime were interesting characters, but by far my favorite was Larry Lime.
I truly loved this bookand if you (like me) have never read a Clyde Edgerton book, I recommend that you remedy that situation soon! You will be glad that you did. Also, this would make ab awesome summer book for a teenage boy.
Quotes from the book:
Don't you want some more butterbeans? said Donnie's mother to Crystal, Donnie's seven year old sister.
Now the child be farting all night, thought Aunt marzie. She done ate her plate clean.
I o-'ont no more, said Crystal.
Thank God, thought Aunt marzie.
We laughed our Asses off sitting there on the couch, Baby Mercy and me-I-and we came up with the dog food eating idea early on-after about a year, I think- and that's when the show took off for sure.
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