Category Archives: NavPress

Watching The Tree Limbs by Mary E. DeMuth

***Please note, this novel dealt with a very graphic subject matter. As usual, I’m posting an honest review, but, be prepared for the details that I’ll be discussing about this story. SPOILER ALERT – I couldn’t talk about this story without giving vivid details regarding what happened.

Nine-year-old Mara has always wondered who she was and where she came from. Raised by two aunts (Nanny Lynn and Elma), her life has been a strange pattern of unanswered questions. When her Aunt Nanny Lynn dies, she’s suddenly thrust into the southern town of Burl with her Aunt Elma.

In Burl, Mara’s life turns extremely traumatic when she’s raped by a red-headed teenaged bully named General. She’s raped for nine days – General threatens to kill her (and her aunt) if she tells a soul about the rape. When her disinterested Aunt Elma suddenly dies, Mara automatically thinks General has killed her aunt and she struggles with the guilt, remaining silent about what she’s endured. Mara makes a friend in Burl, Camilla. Camilla brings a slice of sunshine into Mara’s dreary life, making rhymes, trying to make Mara smile.

After Elma’s death, Mara is sent to live with the mysterious Mr. Winningham. Who is he? He’s the town’s richest man, but, is he her father, or her grandfather? Is he a relative? Due to Mara’s mischief, Mr. Winningham forbids Elma from seeing her friend Camilla any longer. Alone, Mara finds friendship and kindness with Zady, Mr. Winningham’s maid. Zady takes Mara under her wing, taking her to church, teaching her about faith. Mara gets to know Zady’s family as she continues to struggle with her unknown background. She asks questions – questions that initially glean few answers.

While living with Mr. Winningham, Mara has to go to an all-black school since she’s now living in a different district and through limited communication with Camilla and a secret radio announcer named Denim, she struggles to find the missing pieces of her tattered life.

This is probably one of the best books I’ve read all year. Granted, seeing Mara getting raped nine times was extremely disturbing – rape to a child is a hurt that affects the core of your soul, making you feel for the character, desperately wanting the crime to stop. The town of Burl in the seventies also brings life to this book. Most of the adults in this book seemed crazy to me – a bit touched in the head. Most appeared to have such deep issues, issues that made you wonder what else was going on in this town besides what was happening in this novel.

It was also interesting to see Mara, the only white person, as part of an all-black community when she moves in with Mr. Winningham. When she goes to church with Zada, she’s the only white person, and when she goes to school, she’s the only white person in the entire school. In spite of her color difference, she fits into the black community easily, making friends that help her get through her dark days.

This book was definitely a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. Overall, a great read, but, the subject matter was disturbing, causing this story to stay in your mind for a long time.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

In Between By Jenny B. Jones

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In Between by Jenny B. Jones

Katie Parker knows life isn’t fair. After all, when your mom’s in jail and your dad’s a no-show, you figure things just aren’t going your way. But hey, she can deal. Then she finds out she’s being sent to live with a foster family—in In Between, Texas. What kind of town has a name like In Between? And what kind of family wants a kid like her? One thing’s for certain: None of this will be good. Sure enough—thanks to some new “friends” and her non-Mom’s crazed mother, Mad Maxine—life sails right past bad to stinking. Then again, she’s just a temporary kid, they’re just temporary parents, and she definitely doesn’t have any ideas about making any of this permanent. God, on the other hand, may have other plans altogether.

This book was HILARIOUS! Seriously, you’ll find yourself, smiling, laughing and just enjoying this light, funny story about a teen-aged foster child. Katie Parker’s mom is in prison, and now she finds herself part of the foster care system. A husband and wife want Katie to live with them as their foster child in In Between Texas. When Katie gets to In Between, she’s thrown into a life that’s as foreign to her as if she were living in a different country. Her foster dad is a pastor, her foster mom is loving, caring, and cooks hearty, tasty meals for her family. Her foster grandmother is a cuckoo woman who gets on Katie’s nerves. As Katie tries to fit into her new family, it turns out to be a long, lesson-filled journey for her. She tries to find herself while trying out different elective classes in school, and she sits with a different crowd each day during lunch – trying to figure out where she belongs in her new school. She finds out the hard way that not everybody is her friend in her new environment. Katie also starts going to church and becomes friends with Frances, a beautiful, upbeat, Christian girl that helps Katie during her transition to the new town.

Katie’s foster parents harbor secrets and Katie is determined to find out what, exactly, causes the undercurrent of disharmony in her new home.

This was a light, funny read and if you like young adult fiction, then you should give this book a try.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Demon – A Memoir by Tosca Lee

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Demon – A Memoir by Tosca Lee
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: NavPress (May 18, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600061230
ISBN-13: 978-1600061233
From the backcover:
Recently divorced and mired in a meaningless existence, Clay drifts from his drab apartment to his equally lusterless job as an editor for a small Boston press–until the night Lucian finds him and everything changes with the simple words, “I’m going to tell you my story, and you’re going to write it down and publish it.”
What begins as a mystery soon spirals into chaotic obsession as Clay struggles to piece together Lucian’s dark tale of love, ambition, and grace–only to discover that the demon’s story has become his own.

And then only one thing matters: learning how the story ends.

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See the thrilling book trailer here.

Clay is muddling through life, not enjoying himself. Recently divorced, he’s depressed, daily going to work, barely existing. His life changes when he goes to a restaurant for a mysterious meeting. The Mediterranean-looking stranger knows Clay’s name, and he also knows all sorts of facts about Clay’s childhood. Stunned, Clay wonders why he’s been invited to meet this person. Who is he? Clay even asks if this stranger is some kind of Jehovah’s Witness. He soon realizes he’s received an invitation from Lucian – a demon. Lucian wants to tell his story to Clay so that Clay can publish it.

Clay’s life goes from bad to worse from this first meeting. Lucian continues to appear in different forms throughout the book. Sometimes he’s a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes he’s Black, sometimes White. He tells of how the demons came into existence and about their leader, El.

Since Clay is an editor at a publishing house, Lucian figures Clay can get his story published. Clay is not interested in doing so, but, his numerous conversations with Lucian make him stop and wonder. And he begins looking through the scriptures for himself. He’s also stunned to see that Lucian has great power – even the power to kill.

Clay does pen Lucian’s story…but the story needs an ending as Clay’s life continually spirals downward into an abysmal depression.

This book was kind of deep. Makes you stop and think about Biblical spiritual beings and good versus evil.

~Cecelia Dowdy~