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.

The Promise of Jesse Woods

The Promise of Jesse Woods

by Chris Fabry

This story was refreshing in so many ways! First off, the main character is a man who seems to want one thing, but learns over the course of the story that he truly wants something else. It’s refreshing because the setting is West Virginia. And it’s not about coal mines either. It’s refreshing because half the story is about three 12-year-old kids riding bikes all over their small town together. And helping each other. And keeping secrets too.

It’s a coming of age tale mixed up with a going home to face the demons in your past story. The father-son drama mixes well with the pastor-community drama and the 12-year-old friends that your parents wish were from the other side of the tracks drama. There's lots of drama, but it's all pumped full with lots of heart. And the ending … well, it was perfect. Not what you might think, but well done. I’ll stop at that.

As I read, I wanted to go back to the days when I rode my bike all over the neighborhood with no cell phone and only the sun to tell me how late I’d be for dinner. It made me long for those childhood friends who would do anything for each other, riding bikes in the rain, camping out under the stars, and staying up late talking on the phone. Or CB radio.

This book felt different from so many other novels in the Christian Fiction aisle. For this reason alone, give it a try. What are some of your favorite memories from the summer you were twelve years old? Leave us a comment for a chance to win this week’s giveaway!