Bound South

Bound South
Susan Rebeca White
****(4)

I was so excited to get started reading this book. I saw it in BN and months ago and ordered it off amazon.com making sure to save it for my husbands and I am beach vacation. I woke up early our first morning there and headed out to t he beach to get started.
I was interested in this book for many reasons, the first of which is that it takes place in my hometown Atlanta. I love books about Atlanta, especially with the homesickness I’ve been feeling lately.
Bound South is the story of three different woman- typical southern belle- Louise, her rebellious daughter Caroline and the family’s maid and her daughter Faye and Missy. The story is told in points of view from Caroline, Louise and Missy and alternates chapter as it takes place over a span of 4 years. The story touches on some, important subjects such as race, socioeconomic level, sexuality, religion and marital issues. It touches on many of these points in some rather subtle ways which do not fail to still get the point across. I loved the books for the richness of experiences that each character brings to the table.
I do have to mention that this book was not what I was expecting, but in the end I was pleasantly surprised and still enjoyed it. The way in which the author handles many of the sensitive issues in the book was well thought-out and executed.
The cast of supporting characters- Louise’s son, husband and mother-in-law, also add a nice element of depth to the story.

The one thing that I was a little disappointed in was that there wasn’t much attention paid to the marital issues between Louise and her Husband, although we saw bits and pieces of where it came from and how it manifested itself. At times, I felt like I was missing something from the story.

Overall, Bound South was a perfect beach read. Not all chic-lit, but the perfect balance of substance, good real life characters, plot and great writing.

Flies on the Butter

Flies on the Butter

Denise Hildreth
***** ( 5/5)

The first thing I have to say about this book is a note to the publishers. Please do not put realistic looking flies on book covers. Had they been actually on the butter- that’s would have worked, but just randomly placed… well that invites people to interrupt you to tell you that there is a fly on your book.

Denise Hildrith's latest is a break from her Savannah from Savannah series (which I review the first two here and here). Rose Fletcher is on a thirty something lobbyist from Mullins, South Carolina. As she is on her way back home, she preps herself to deal with her family, particularly her mother, whom she hasn’t seen in ten years and to mull over the mess her life is and the rift between her and her husband. Told alternating in Flashbacks between her childhood growing up in the south and her current anxiety driving car trip, complete with “perfect” strangers who give her a little guidance and lots of blessings as she goes on her way.

I knew I would enjoy this book, don’t ask me how but I did. Denise writes with such feeling that you can understand exactly where Rose is and how she got there. I could feel her loss and her frustration at being out of control. I also enjoyed the nature of the book- each chapter alternating between her childhood and the present and I loved the “strangers” at the end of each “present” chapter. Of course I loved the southern feel on this book. In fact, I even went in search of some good ole boiled peanuts for myself ( man, how I missed those when we used to live overseas). The only thing that bothered me was that I didn’t feel we got the full story on what happened, what exactly it was that made Rose run. There was a lot of leading up to, some foreshadowing but the resulting story/ discovery lacked punch, kind of like the air going out of a balloon really fast. Denise writing is very touching and she was able to deal with some heavy subjects without making it feel to preachy. Her words felt the words coming from you favorite aunt or big momma, or Mamaw- soothing, soul stirring and just right. Aside from that, it was a great, touching story about whether or not you really can go home again.

*In the reviews I read (Publishers & Booklist also on Amazon.com), there was some criticism about contradictions (a child lobbyist- not wanting to have children, driving instead of flying ECT). I felt that those contradictions are what make Rose and what makes her so lost. Everyone is a contradiction in their own way and when you are on the run from your past or your demons or yourself- you usually ARE a big contradiction. Just think back to the last time you were confused, scared and running.

Body of A Girl

Body of a Girl

Leah Stewart

**** ( 4.3/5)

When a young woman is found dead (body of a girl) in the middle of a Memphis summer, what starts out as usual for crime reporter Olivia Dale, but somewhere there is more to this girl and Olive sates out to find out what. However the investigation into Allison Avery soon becomes a self investigation into Olive’s life.

In two reviews, I’ve seen this book is listed as a thriller which in my opinion it is far from. There is a mystery and a good one at that. Stewart is very good at crafting mysteries and stories, but a thriller this is not. It’s a very good book, a short read and interesting story. I can proudly say I haven’t read this story line before. I think a lot of female heroines (not all) fall between Kinsey Millhone and Stephanie Plum and Olivia Dale was neither, which I enjoyed ( basically this isn’t chick-lit or a full blown mystery, but somewhere perfectly in between). At times, I wondered why Olivia was so into this story and I never really figured out why, and many times I wanted to shake her because she did some stupid things in search of the truth, even though that’s the only way you really ever find answers or the truth. In the end Olivia redeems her story- and the story of the young woman.

A quick read, recommended. The subject matter and the story is a little dark (i.e. this is not a beach read) but it’s a wonderful compelling story nonetheless.

Adelaide Piper

Adelaide Piper-

Beth Webb Hart

**** ( 4/5)

Adelaide Piper is a “coming of age story” that follows Adelaide Piper thought her college years at a small liberal arts community in the late 80’s The focus of the book is on a traumatic event that robs Adelaide of her innocence and forces her to not only grow up but to contemplate. During this crisis, Adelaide has one of May spiritual awakenings that the author portrays through this book.

This book is a fast read and takes placed over a period of several years where we really get to do Adelaide Piper and the rest of her family, although some characters are more so than others. The book is a categorized as Christian Fiction, and themes of Christianity play an important role in the theme, it is not one where it is beaten down the reader’s throat. In fact, many of the references are rather subtle.

Although I did not go to college in the late 80’s, I could not truly relate to Adelaide college or life experiences, aside from the intricacies of southern societies which Ms. Hart touch on well ( Co-Cola being by favorite)

Overall, Adelaide Piper is a good book. Not a beach book, but perfect for a rainy afternoon.

Gods in Alabama

Gods in Alabama

Joshlyn Jackson

I picked this book up during a business trip. I wondered into the Books- a- Million near my hotel and this was one of the book club selections. When I picked up this book the first sentence drew me in and I knew that this would be a good one.

“There are Gods in Alabama: Jack Daniels, trucks, high school quarterbacks, big tits and also Jesus”

Arlene Fleet left Possett, Alabama, and hasn’t looked back since. She has carved a somewhat comfortable life for herself teaching at a university in Chicago and she has a seemingly solid relationship with Burr. But when her past comes knocking at her door and a family gathering calls her to return to the place she left she is forced to come to turns with that fact that she has deals with all everything she thought she had run and gotten away from. Throw in southern culture complete with rednecks and the fact that Burr is African American and you get a very interesting read, one that takes you into southern society as it today.

This book was on the reading list for Christian fiction, although I wouldn’t really classify this as one, maybe more like the new “southern lit”. In any book taken place in Alabama, there are references to religion, but I didn’t’ find the book with pushing a heavily religious message or lesson. I think the lesson here stands out no matter what you do or don’t believe. But once again in the south religion Southern Baptists is the king. As a G.R.I.T.S, ( or raised elsewhere by souther parents) I enjoyed seeing parts of my culture- it felt like she was talking about the little town in Georgia where I’m from rather than Alabama. I was also real interested to see how she portrayed the interracial relationship and I felt that she did justice. She described her reaction and the what I've seen as the true reactions of his family and hers- espicially a white girl bringing home a northern black man.

I honestly loved this book. The story is fun, the characters are fun and they felt like people I knew. I felt at home reading this book. Overall, it’s a funny, poignant debut from a promising author. I am looking forward to her next book.

Savannah Comes Undone

Savannah Comes Undone

Denise Hildrith

** (2/5)

After reading and liking Savannah from Savannah, I was excited to go back to FCB and pick up the sequel.

Although the writing was the same, I just couldn’t get into this one. I found Savannah annoying and lacking growth or change from her previous experiences. The pace was also a little slow and the plot wasn't as interesting or fast paced as Savannah from Savannah

Just couldn’t get in to this one and apparently, according to the amazon.com reviews, I’m in the minority on this one.

Savannah from Savannah

Savannah from Savannah

Denise Hildrith

I was browsing through Family Christian Bookstore when I spotted this. It sounded interesting so I picked it up.

The stories about a girl named Savannah who is from Savannah, a recent UGA grad ( GO DAWGS) , who returns home to Savannah, Georgia after receiving her Masters and turning down a job offer from winning a publishing contest after she finds out her mother had a hand it. So she returns home with something to prove to “herself, her mother and her city”. Savannah takes a job as a human interest reporter for The Savannah Chronicle, she sets out to prove her self and navigate her own course in the world. Of course that’s a little harder when you are Savannah from Savannah- with deep roots in the city and a slightly overbearing mother. Savannah’s first assignment proves to be a little more than she bargained for as she “investigates” a "rigged" beauty pageant.

I picked up this book for several reasons- I loved that it was taking place in Savannah and I loved the Georgia/ southern focus. I also like Hildreth’s writing. It felt real easy and smooth, and it was funny. Also probably enjoyed this book, because I read it soon after graduating from college, just like Savannah and our experiences with life after college were similar. We were both on our first job and trying to prove ourselves.

At times things were a little over the top- including Savannah’s mother and I would have told some characters in this story off (forget southern hospitality) but overall this was an enjoyable chic-lit ESE book. I wouldn’t qualify this is Christian Fiction even though I did find it in the Christian Bookstore.

Verdict: Solid, funny book, full of southern charm. Savannah is a likable character and this is a great beach read/ chic-lit.