I closed my eyes last night and couldn’t sleep.   My mind wandered back to the year of 1936 in the deep South.  The air was too hot to breath.  I couldn’t shake the feeling of great sadness that crept in.

Why was I feeling this way?  I  just finished reading –Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent.  It is an amazing, heart wrenching sequel to “Fireflies in December” (which I haven’t read).

Valent grabbed me from the get-go and drew me deep into her story.  It drew me in with that Southern setting, as well as with hard questions and determined characters.  I couldn’t help but feel like I was somehow involved in the story — I felt like I could walk out the door and touch the world the author had painted in my mind.

So what is Cottonwood Whispers about?

Jessilyn Lassiter and Gemma Teague have survived the racial issues in the first book that almost broke them apart but now as summer comes a new threat commands their attention.  A false accusation and blinding pain from a tragic accident  puts a neighbour’s life in jeopardy.  Just how much change can one girl take?  Not to mention a love that seems to grow deep and strong.

It is a coming of age story, twisted with the racial wars of the 1930′s and the searching out faith that only those of us who’ve been on that journey can fully understand.  It shows us the evil inside of us and the blind rage that misguides our judgements in situations.

Gemma Teague says at the beginning of the book that change doesn’t come when we expect it and it is never easy, but it comes all the same.  I think Valent shows this continually throughout the book.  As faith grows and changes, our mind changes.

Valent doesn’t sugar coat much in this book, which I appreciate.  It leaves you wondering about the strength of the characters and how their paths are directed towards God.  Jessilyn and Luke are not Christians in this book and they ask some really tough questions that I think we have all asked ourselves at some point in our lives.  I loved Jessilyn’s sassy personality.  It drove me to laughter one moment and tears the next — probably because I can relate to not controlling my tongue as often as I should!  I was moved to tears by the end and am left with a that silent wow.  I wasn’t expecting this book to touch me.

I will mention that the romance in this is clean and I wouldn’t call it the main story either — more of the secondary plot.   I thought it was well rounded and covered a lot of subjects that aren’t easy to tackle such as racism, God’s will, and the rage that dwells inside of us when we’ve been wounded.  I loved that she left room for the next book and I can’t wait to see what Valent comes up next in “Catching Moondrops”

I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank-you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for my honest   review.

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