The Story of Sassy Sweetwater - Vera Jane Cook (review & e-book giveaway!)

5 Stars!!!!!

ABOUT THE BOOK -
After thirteen years on the run Violet McLaughlin returns to Carter’s Crossing, South Carolina, in 1962, with her young daughter, Sassy. The Crossing is right outside of Beaufort and the turmoil of the Civil Rights movement will forever leave its scars on the young and impressionable girl. As Sassy stands before the imposing white farmhouse for the first time, with no knowledge of her history but that the McLaughlin's are her kin, Sassy begins a journey that will tear her apart before it heals her. Growing up among secrets that will forever damage her relationship with her mother, she attempts to make sense of her past. But will her passion for art and her love for Thomas Tierney be enough to sustain her future? Will the puzzles she must solve to discover who she is be worth the journey? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
Jane has completed ten novels. Her next novel, Marybeth, Hollister and Jane, will be published by Musa in 2013. Dancing Backward In Paradise won an Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence and an Indie Excellence Award for notable new fiction, 2007. The Story of Sassy Sweetwater and Dancing Backward in Paradise received 5 Star ForeWord Clarion Reviews and The Story of Sassy Sweetwater has been named a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards. Jane has published in ESL Magazine, Christopher Street Magazine and has written several newsletters and online blogs. Jane has also written early childhood curriculum. Her published curriculum has been for Weekly Reader and McGraw Hill. 
Visit her at her website - HERE 

MY REVIEW -
What an excellent read! This is probably what they meant when they said "un-put-downable".
Sassy's story is adventurous, sad, intriguing, heartwarming, and very real. This story is about family, true family, the blood is thicker than water kind. This family would do anything to protect each other, even keeping deep dark secrets. I love a good southern saga and this one was one of the best.

The character development is so good you feel like you have known this family for years.
All of the characters in this book were great. They all had such different, quirky personalities.
You could not help but absolutely fall in love with Sassy. She was the perfect image of a southern girl, and she was a bit sassy too. This girl had spunk even through all the terrible things she had to endure. I kept thinking - How much worse can it get? Her life has to get better right?

I loved the writing style of this author. She has a way of writing that just grips your heart and drags it down to the south so you can experience everything for yourself. The descriptions are excellent. The author painted a picture before my eyes, and I swear I could hear the southern accents while I was reading.

This book kind of reminded me of two others, the style, not the storyline - "Before Women Had Wings" by Connie May Fowler, and "In the Land of Cotton", by Martha A Taylor. Both books I also rated 5 stars.

This book really touched me. I think it will stay with me for quite a while. This is the first book I have read by this author. The first thing I did was look her up to see what else she has written. Turns out she has written a few others. I am very excited to have a new author to explore.
"Mama said I was born by a stream named Sweetwater. She called me Sassy the moment she realized I was a girl. Mama said girls should be sassy, gives them sex appeal. So I was named Sassy, after an attitude, and Sweetwater, after a stream. The year was 1949 and the place was a dirty, back-road shack in a dusty, little town in South Carolina."
Thank you "Virtual Author Book Tours" for sending me this e-book to read and review!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Giveaway -
I am giving away one e-book copy.
* To enter to win this e-book - fill out the form below.

* Please only enter once -  (I go through and delete double entries).
* Winner will be chosen on Aug. 16th
* Winner will have 48 hrs. to respond.
* Please leave a comment for an extra entry (a REAL comment, not just "I would like to win").
 

Comments

  1. I love finding new authors, so thank you for the introduction! I look forward to finding out more about Vera Jane Cook's books. Maybe I'll even win this one!! Fingers crossed!

    LOVE the word "un-put-downable"!

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  2. I have had this one on my wish list!

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

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  3. Thanks for taking part in the tour. I'm so glad you loved The Story of Sassy Sweetwater so much! I didn't want it to end.

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  4. Quite a wonderful review - thank you so much!!!
    Vera Jane Cook

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  5. Sounds like a delightful story! I'm trying to imagine why a mother would want to give her a child a name with sex appeal!? Guess I will have to read the book to find out.

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  6. Ok great book. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  7. AH! Interesting description! Will definitely read it..if I win that is.
    Thanks for the giveaway

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  8. Sounds like a sweet sassy story! Thanks for the giveaway!!

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  9. I love good authors!
    I love good books!

    melback@cebridge.net

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  10. This story sounds like it really captures the era and that takes plenty of research and understanding of the time. Thanks for a great review and giveaway!

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