This astronomy book is a wonderful resource.

I reviewed Five Miles South of Peculiar by Angela Hunt.

Synopsis:

“If these three sisters don’t change direction, they’ll end up where they’re going. ” 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.

Paperback, 384 pages

Published June 5, 2012, by Howard Books

About the Author:

With nearly 4 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Fine Art of Insincerity, The Tale of Three Trees (love it!), 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. She and her husband make their home in Florida with their dogs. Learn more at AngelaElwellHunt.com.

My Review:

Having three daughters and being from the South, this book called to me, y’all. The dysfunction of the three sisters in the novel was disheartening and I so yearned for them to make things right. It was almost like Faulkner in its sorrow and hopelessness. I’m still mad at some of the secrets that were and are still kept among those ladies. Nolie should have received some professional help long  before she hit age 40. I can’t believe Carlene and Darlene had never confronted some of their issues in over 30 years. It’s a lesson in communication and relationships, for sure. I guess there really are people like these characters with similar issues. All the people in the book were broken in some way and God mended them and brought them together to make a new family of sorts. Hurrah for happy endings.

I was a little disappointed in so many of the overused Southern clichés. The imagery and metaphors were almost laughable in some places. Just a little over the top. People from the South don’t really make comparisons to Scarlett in Gone With the Wind all the time. Southern people don’t all hate ethnic food. I’m sure the book is very believable and stereotypical to someone not raised in the South.

I did rather enjoy the book, but I groaned at some of the figurative language. I did not really like the characters, mostly because I was mad at them. I think I learned something about relationships and God and that’s all that can be asked. It certainly made me think about my family and the relationships that always need improvement.

I received this book from Glass Road Publications for an unbiased review.

I reviewed Legacy Road by Graham Garrison.

About the Book:

Wes Watkins’s journalism career took off when he was asked to eulogize Michael Gavin, a stranger to Wes but a hometown hero to the humble folks of Talking Creek, Georgia. While researching Gavin’s life, Wes was confronted with an estranged relationship of his own that he wasn’t prepared to address, having ignored for years the occasional letters from his imprisoned father. Wes has chosen to focus instead on his growing career and his budding relationship with Emmy. His life is looking up . . . until his marriage proposal to Emmy goes south.

Left to wonder if he can reconcile with Emmy before she is deployed to Afghanistan, Wes can no longer avoid the other reconciliation that troubles him. But when Wes uncovers a painful truth about his parents’ past, patching things up with his father may prove impossible. Wes’s life is close to spiraling out of control. Will Wes learn to forgive? Or will the best year of his life turn into the worst?

Set against the haunting backdrop of several Civil War battlefields, Legacy Road is a grace-full exploration of hidden secrets–and what happens when they are revealed. Through the ups and downs of human relationships, of family ties lost and found, southern fiction fans will ponder the age-old question: How do you forgive others–and release yourself–from a past that threatens to destroy you?

My Review:

Of course, I originally was drawn to the novel because it was set in Georgia. I really enjoyed the storyline too though! I very much liked the subplots of Wes Watkins’ relationships with his parents and his girlfriend, Emmy. It’s complicated, you know? I think we can all relate to our expectations not necessarily falling into line with what God has planned for us. I’ve been in a position similar to Wes’ where everything looks so good and then it all falls apart. I think most people can sympathize with Wes’ situation – with his dad or mom or girlfriend or his experiences at work or school. At least Wes got a happy ending, mostly. Wes is truly an Everyman character for a modern time, with Facebook even! I love how Wes’ professor, Paul, is a mentor: he goes beyond the role of teacher to force Wes and his mom to confront their choices and unforgiving attitudes. It’s the catalyst needed to bring them all together and face what bitterness had done to them. Love how everything develops and the surprising choices people made or the events that forced their hand and how that affects them now and how they deal with it.

Quite a delightful novel that makes you want to mend your ways and make relationships right before it’s too late. Well written, even with lots of high school and college football references and an ending that seems a little rushed.