Book Review: The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

 I rated The Sweeney Sisters with five stars: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.  

Keep reading to discover exactly why I think that you need to read The Sweeney Sisters. 

Lately, I find myself using reading to escape these trying times. Luckily, I was introduced to the novel, The Sweeney Sisters, which provided a very necessary escape. I must say that this book did not disappoint me. I was first captivated by how beautiful the book jacket was. I have been reading a lot of audiobooks and reading books on my iPad, but when I received The Sweeney Sisters,  I was really excited because the cover was just so "happy." I know. I know. You are thinking that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I mean this time, I chose a book because of its cover, and I am glad that I did. 

Sitting on the porch, eating cherries, and reading The Sweeney Sisters

The Sweeney Sisters is a unique tale that highlights how important a family bond can be for the survival of its members. As someone, who is very family-oriented and believes that family comes first, this book further reinforced my belief about the importance of family. The beginning of the text caught me off guard because it starts off with tragedy. Ironically, this tragedy is just the beginning of creating a bond like none other. It's almost as if the tragedy is a necessity for The Sweeney Sisters to experience. 

Three sisters, Maggie, Liza, and Tricia, have a unique sisterly bond that many people envy. Yet, when their father dies, they discover that they have a "half-sister," who happens to be older than the trio. The half-sister, Serena Tucker, is quickly swept into a life-changing cycle, as she discovers through a gifted DNA test, that her father is a famous writer, who happens to have been her neighbor during her childhood. 

The Sweeney Sisters provided such an entertaining escape that I was so excited to share with my readers. I especially liked how the book was unpredictable. So many fictional novels tend to be predictable, but The Sweeney Sisters forced me to speed up reading, so that I could get to the next plot twist. 

I won't give away the ending, but I will say that I was truly surprised. The Sweeney Sisters supported each other, maintained their bond despite disagreements and arguments, and kept going despite all the pain that they endured before and especially after their father's death. 

I think that my favorite character in this book is Tricia. She remains so focused and doesn't let emotion cloud her judgment. She resonated with me the most because I found similarities between me and Tricia. I always love it when I can relate to the characters in the book. I have two sisters, and I know the three of us will always look out for each other, just like The Sweeney Sisters.  

I think all my readers will enjoy this book. The versatility that it provides, while sharing a truly inspiring story makes it perfect for book clubs. If your book club needs a quick and inspiring read, The Sweeney Sisters, is the perfect book. You should definitely check out this book. You will not be disappointed. I truly wasn't. I am looking forward to reading more Lian Dolan books. 

Have you read this book? What did you think about it? Let's connect on Goodreads or Twitter and discuss The Sweeney Sisters. 

Book Review: The Future Has A Past by J. California Cooper

Purchase the book on Amazon

Book Title: The Future Has A Past
Book Author: J. California Cooper
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Public Library

My first exposure to J. California Cooper was in 2011. Life at this time for me seemed plagued with misfortune and sadness. Nothing appeared to be going right. I was going through a horrible divorce. At this time, reading was my best escape. I read about as much then as I did as a child.

I transferred to Wingfield High School for the Spring Semester. One day, my duty assigned included an extended period in the library. I decided to grab a random book off the shelf. I chose the book, A Piece of Mine, by J. California Cooper. Before getting the book off the shelf, J. California Cooper's work was unfamiliar to me. I am so glad that I was exposed to her then. I have read quite a few of her books and just can't put them down. Her storytelling skills demonstrated in. her books leave you feeling like your grandmother just gave you a wealth of knowledge that you need to store for later.

Purchase on Amazon!

Recently, things have been kind of difficult for me, and I felt that I needed a J. California Cooper book to make me feel better. So, I made a special trip to the library to find a book that I haven't read by J. California Cooper. My library did not have any of her books, and I was so disappointed. However, I requested two books from other libraries in the county system.  

When I received my notice, I raced to the library to get my book. The librarian informed me that the books were not on the shelf. I am working on being patient and not easily irritated, but I couldn't help it. I needed these books. I needed to feel better. I wanted the books. She only found one of the books in the back. Was someone trying to save my books for a friend? These books are not popular books, but still, I was surprised. So that day, I only walked away with The Future Has a Past. I had to wait for the other one to arrive. 

I often do not like reading short stories because sometimes I become so engulfed in a story that I am filled with disappointment when it stops, usually before I am ready for it to finish. Yet, J. Califonia Cooper's short stories are well worth the read. The Future Has a Past is a collection of four short stories that illuminate how true love can happen when you least expect it and no matter what you have experienced in your past.

"You got to watch life, cause it's moving all the time, every minute!"

The first story, The Shooting Star, is full of the reality that if children aren't given love as a child, they spend their adult life searching and suffering for that same love. Lorene's life and its quick demise remind you of how people can recognize your weaknesses and prey on you.

"Learn a little about what love is."

A Filet of Soul is the second short story in The Future Has a Past. Luella's gullibility to Silki is probably a familiar story to some many women. Everyone else could see Silki as the crook he was, but Luella's inexperience and desire to feel important and loved by someone blinded her from the truth. Even though she paid tremendously, there was a ram in the bush for her. Silki's departure was the best thing to happen to Luella. She would have never met Sidney.

"She just working herself to death for them useless grown kids of hers."

The story, The Eagle Flies, is about Vinnie. She is a single mother, who has spent her entire life being overworked to support her children. Even though her children are adults and living their own lives, Vinnie continues to sacrifice her needs and to overwork herself. Her blind desire to support her adult children conceals how much her children are taking advantage of her.

Purchase the book on Amazon

"We have a whole life apart from you and you didn't think enough of use to look and see it."

The final story, The Lost and Found, is about Irene. She is a single mother of two boys. The surprising ending tickled my soul. Witnessing the demise of a womanizing arrogant man at the hands of the only woman, who truly loved him, gave me great pleasure. I won't give away the details, but I would recommend that you read it to see how this story unfolds.

I must say this book gave me just what I needed. When I finished it, I could not help but be pleased. I smiled and held it closely, while silently thanking her for sharing her talents with us. I am grateful.

The wisdom etched within the lines of this text will make you want to write it down, agree with it, tweet it, and appreciate it. J. California Cooper's books appeal to every type of reader, especially one who enjoys a good story. I wished that I would have gotten to meet her or even the chance to listen to her.  Check out the YouTube video above to see who J. California Cooper was.

Book Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Book Title: Small Great Things

Author: Jodi Picoult

Format: Audiobook

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

When I decided to read Small Great Things, I knew nothing about the book.  I just noticed that many of my book hearts on Instagram and Twitter were posting about this book.  Without reading the book synopsis or the book reviews, I added it to my TBR list and downloaded it on Audible.  

I should have read the book synopsis and book reviews. However, if I had read the synopsis or the book reviews, I would not have read the book so soon.  I have been reading a lot of books about racism, and the recent presidential election was bringing the hatred out in full force. Being sick of the ever-present troll known as racism, after reading the Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (book review coming shortly) and starting on Queen Sugar (I haven't finished it yet.), I probably would not have read this book for a long time. 

Therefore, I would have missed out on devouring a book full of life that included so many spoken and silent lessons.   I may have even forgotten that the book was on my ever-growing TBR list on Goodreads.  

Nevertheless, I listened to Small Great Things and was not disappointed. Jodi Picoult writes a book about race relationships, but from three different viewpoints, which makes the book so interesting.  She writes from an African American woman's perspective, a white supremacist's view, and a white woman's perspective.  

Ruth, the African American woman, is a neo-natal nurse, who encounters Turk, the white supremacist.  Turk requests that Ruth and anyone else of color not to provide care to his son.  When Turk's son dies, Ruth is immediately thrown under the bus by Turk and the hospital for his death.  Kennedy is the public defender, assigned to Ruth's case.  Not only does Ruth and Kennedy learn from each other, but they actually "see" each other.  Jodi Picoult demonstrates the profound lesson in "seeing someone."

Many times, as I listened to the text, I understood Ruth's confliction as an African American woman. I understood being the "only one" in particular settings.  I learned a valuable lesson about trying to "prove" that you were worthy enough to be accepted or educated enough to perform.  I understood not fitting in with the African American children and not fitting in with the White children.   Both her childhood and her adulthood mimics certain incidents in my life, which I could relate. Jodi's ability to paint vividly each perspective is remarkable.  The research that Jodi performed to gain insight into each aspect is translated into an amazing story that leaves you wanting to promote some change and any action.

HI-RES PUBLICITY PHOTO 

© Deborah Feingold

I do not read the author’s note, but since I was listening to the audiobook, I was made aware of how hard Jodi Picoult worked to tell the “truth” in her fictional novel.  The story is based on a similar incident that occurred in Michigan.  An African American nurse, Tonya Battle, sued the hospital after it granted a man’s request that no African American nurses were to care for his newborn child.  A note was placed on the assignment clipboard that read “No African American nurse to care for baby.” Before reading Small Great Things, I was unaware of this event that took place in 2013. The news article can be viewed on USA TODAY. Her lawsuit was settled according to USA TODAY.

The author’s note is a must read and helps to understand how and why Small Great Things were written.  After reading the book, I decided to read the reviews.  I am glad I did not let the reviews determine if I read this book.  I am glad that I was exposed to this book and its many messages.

I would recommend Small Great Things to everyone.  All ages. All ethnicities.  If I was still teaching college-level English,  I would figure out how to use this book in my lesson plans because of the profound messages within each page. So many themes are present in this book: compassion, racism, mental illness, hatred, and much more. Check out the excerpt of Small Great Things.

Have you read Small Great Things?  What did you think of the book?  Are you going to add this book to your TBR list?

  

Let's connect on Goodreads.

Connect with me on Facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.  

my currently-reading shelf:

Check out my other blog: Transitioning to Me: Life after Divorce.
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime by J. California Cooper

Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime  leaves you evaluating friendships, relationships, and life. I love the storytelling technique J. California Cooper uses to draw you into each story.  A compilation of stories, Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime are not as short as the stories in A Piece of Mine, but the stories are somewhat similar.

J. California Cooper  is a wonderful author, who exposes you to life lessons of others, which you can apply. Thanks to this book I evaluated my own life. Striving to change some things, I can credit J. California Cooper with making it real for me!

What life lessons have you learned that had a huge impact on your life?

Now here is what you can do since you have read thus far!!! You can click on the link and order the book I have just shared with you. If you really enjoyed reading about this book, share this post on Twitter or Facebook. Don't forget to share you thoughts and comments below.