How Sweet The Sound

How Sweet the Sound

By Amy Sorells

A truly Southern novel, How Sweet the Sound is a loose retelling of the story of Tamar, Amnon, and Absalom. The story is set in 1979-1981. It’s an unusual time period for a novel, but since I was close in age to one of the characters at that time, it kept me very interested. The Alabama Pecan Farm was a fascinating setting as well.

The topics of incest, family loyalties, and parenting mistakes are painful to read about, but the two narrators are highly sympathetic as they provide interesting points of view. I enjoyed the 12 year old’s perspective on family tragedy, and the way she perceived her family both before and after she learned each family secret.

The author embeds scripture seamlessly, and gives us an alternate ending to a disturbing Bible story. That’s not to say she tried to rewrite scripture, but she began with an horrific story and took it in a different direction, shedding New Testament light into the lives of Old Testament characters, in a way. The result is a luminous novel drenched in atmosphere, personality, and ultimately, grace. 

There’s a sweetness here, reminiscent of my mom’s pecan pie. What's your favorite way to eat a Pecan? Leave us a comment to be entered to win a copy of Cinderella's Boot by Darlene Franklin. 

Review by Jennifer Fromke, an aspiring novelist who writes from NC where she pines for colder temperatures all year long. Northerners by upbringing, she and her husband of 26 years have raised three Southern-ish children, much to their amazement. Jennifer also reviews books at Shetalksbooks.com. She writes contemporary women’s fiction and email. Lots of email.

Perennials

Perennials 
by Julie Cantrell

This is the story of a girl who lost herself. It's a story about sisters. It's a story about parents. And it's a story about flowers that always come back. I love how Cantrell uses the metaphor of flowers throughout this novel. There is so much to learn from the flowers and there is so much about God's creation that is not only beautiful, but mind-blowing when you realize the object lessons He included in almost everything He made.

The father in this story is full of wisdom, and he likes to share that wisdom with his adult daughters, whether they like it or not. There is love lost, hope lost, and time lost, yet there is an wonderful undercurrent of hope.

For the experienced gardener, there is much detail to love in this novel. For those without a green thumb? You'll still love it. One detail in particular that I must share - the daughter who gets sort of lost runs from the lush land of Mississippi, to the Arizona desert, where almost nothing grows. When she returns to her childhood home, her senses are overwhelmed by everything that is growing everywhere. The scents, the sights, the blooms. I love this dichotomy, and you will love how the author uses the setting as a character.

Do you like to garden? Do you prefer to observe nature from a distance? Leave us a comment to get your name in the drawing for The Healer's Touch by Amber Schamel! Giveaway ends 2/11/18. Winner will be announced in the February 12th edition of the weekly windup.

Jennifer Fromke writes from North Carolina and can be found at jenniferfromke.com or shetalksbook.com

The Bronte Plot

Katherine Reay has done it again! Drawing on her love for classic literature, she crafts a story that is not necessarily a retelling, but a story that talks about the great literature of the past in a contemporary setting. For the reader, it almost has the effect of hanging out with a bunch of book clubbers and chatting about great books. What makes it even better, is the fact that she has created a good plot unto itself, and a character I care about who incidentally, loves books. Just like me!

In the story, Lucy works for an interior designer and sells rare books alongside the designer’s antiques. She falls in love, and then out of love, and finds herself travelling to England with a client who accidentally digs up bits from Lucy’s past that she never intended to learn.

I love the soul-searching, the classic fiction references, the family drama, and the setting. Oh! The setting is mostly England, and the moors! Lucy is as struck by the moors as I am, having read endless scenes taking place on moors. Can you believe we don’t have moors in America? It’s so unfair.

Reay writes with an easy narrative voice, fun attention to detail, and heart-deep insight. I can recommend any of her three books with confidence. You can find her books here. You can learn more about her on her website.

Have you read the Bronte classics? Which is your favorite? Leave us a comment for a chance to win this week’s giveaway!