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Customer Reviews for FaithWords Chasing Lilacs
FaithWords Chasing Lilacs
Format: eBook
Life should be carefree in Graham Camp, Texas---it's anything but for Sammie Tucker. She wonders about her mother's "nerve" problems and wants answers. Who should she confide in---her best friend, a troubled boy, a gentle neighbor, or an elderly widower? She soon learns that trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth is quite another.
Average Customer Rating:
(12 Reviews) 12
Rating Snapshot (12 reviews)
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Customer Reviews for Chasing Lilacs
Review 1 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:August 18, 2010
Carla Stewart's debut novel gives us a delightful look into life in Graham Camp, Texas, in the late 1950's. The main character, Sammie Tucker, is a young teenager who is facing some serious family struggles. Sammie's search to understand what's happening and how to deal with it is a riveting story that will stay in your heart long after you finish the last page. I will look forward to reading Carla Stewart's next book.
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Review 2 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:July 30, 2010
Chanda Mercer
I read this book on a vacation to Jamaica and couldn't put it down. I was on an emotional rollercoaster, but I loved this book. I look forward to reading more books by this writer!
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Review 3 for Chasing Lilacs
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Date:July 16, 2010
Heidi Main
I found this novel very emotional. The main character, Sammie, is a twelve year-old girl who is deep and thoughtful and has adult problems. Problems no kid should have to deal with, yet I think thats why, as a reader, I connected with Sammie.The very first chapter reeled me into the story. Those first few pages made the book and enticed me with the characters and the plot. Carla set the scenes nicely I felt like I was back in my own childhood, the same scents and touches that I remember from growing up. The chapters ended with a solid hook, urging me to continue to read. An awesome debut novel!
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Review 4 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:July 9, 2010
Thirza Peevey
I hesitate to review this one, as the author has been a friend for some years. When you review a friend, it is easy to be either too hard on them or too easy on them because of the friendship. But friend or no, this book completely knocked my socks off. I knew Carla could write, but I had no idea she could write like this. She had me in tears in the first ten pages. I was completely humbled by a gift for writing that could get you that completely invested in her characters that quickly, and keep you that invested right up until the last page. The problems Sammie faces make the book relevant for teens, but Carla's immense gift for drawing you into the life of the oil camp of the fifties makes it relevant for older folks as well. I suspect this one is going to be a classic, along the lines of To Kill a Mockingbird or Cold Sassy Tree, but without dipping into the same overused well of the post-reconstruction South. It wraps you in the same warm feeling of coming of age in a small community, well drawn characters and tight plot that delves into something that you possibly don't want to think about. Don't miss it. And if you have the chance to get Carla to sign it, don't miss that either. I suspect that autograph may be worth something in the future.
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Review 5 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:June 23, 2010
Its 1958, and in the corner of the Texas panhandle is a tiny town called Graham Camp. Sammie Tucker, not quite thirteen, is about to face some fierce storms in her life, and her entire world will never, ever be the same again. Chasing Lilacs is Carla Stewarts debut novel, and the bittersweet flavor of its story will linger in my heart for quite some time.There is something important about coming-of-age stories that reveal basic truths about the human condition. Sammie Tucker experiences more in the span on one year than any child should ever experience in a lifetime. Yet her resiliency is believable and her character is filled with a hunger for truth and substance that keeps her moving forward with purpose and hope. My heart ached for this child the entire story, and even now, after Ive read the final pages, Sammies character haunts me.Stewart creates a VERY realistic pre-teen, and her struggles are those of every child on the brink of adulthood. She is forced to deal with some very hard and painful situations within her family, and her childhood friends both help and hinder her as she navigates the tumult that surrounds her. There are even some unexpected plot twists that only serve to enhance this beloved story, and the ending is completely satisfying without tying things up too neatly.Chasing Lilacs gives me every reason to hope that we will be reading much more of Carla Stewarts writing. Young adults, and old adults alike will be touched and entertained by this wonderful debut novel!
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Review 6 for Chasing Lilacs
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Date:June 11, 2010
Anne K. Riley
The simplicity of life in the 1950s really wasnt as simple as it may seem to those of us who didnt live during that time. That generation didnt have many of the distractions we deal with now, but people were the same as they are now, each with his own secret that adds to the person that he is. And despite a persons secrets, God is still in control. This is what I learned from seeing Sammies story unfold through her own eyes. Written in a voice that spoke to my heart, this novel pulled me in straight away. I so enjoyed learning about what life was like in the 1950s, and the characters instantly became alive in my mind--so much so, in fact, that I wish I could meet them. I felt their smiles, their tears, their frustrations... They became friends that I will definitely revisit. (And I want a sequel so I can find out what happens next in their lives!)Well done, Miss Carla! May God continue to bless your writing!
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Review 7 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:June 9, 2010
Sarah Sundin
Breathe in the scent of Chasing Lilacsnostalgic, yet fresh and real. Carla Stewart has a delicious way with words, and her characters and story are gripping and touching. This is a book to share with friends over coffee and dessert. But your friends will have to buy their own copies because you wont want to let go of yours.
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Review 8 for Chasing Lilacs
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Date:June 8, 2010
This gripping story is told from the point of view of a twelve-year-old, yet Carla Stewart resisted making her precocious and overly mature. Sammie's emotional journey and her reactions to the events in this story are true to life. While she faces some devastating experiences, the story remains remarkably light. The other people in Sammie's life are as complex and appealing as she is, except perhaps Aunt Vadine. I didn't like that woman one bit. Oh, don't get me wrong. She was very well written. So much so, I had a strong reaction to her. You'll lose some sleep if you read at night. This novel is a page-turner that I didn't want to end. Prepare to fall in love with Sammie and her friends. Chasing Lilacs is a thoroughly delightful and well-written debut novel. Novel Journey and I give it a very high recommendation.
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Review 9 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:May 17, 2010
Chasing Lilacs is a wonderful coming of age story about a girl learning to cope with so many things in life that she didn't understand...one being why her mother would take her own life, and the other wondering if her mother ever really loved her at all. As Sammie explores the issues her mother struggled with, she starts working through emotional challenges of her own. To make matters worse, her mother's sister moves in and tries to take over their home, which Sammie obviously resents. The endearing relationship Sammie had with Slim and with her boyfriend Cly were delightful to read about and were some of my favorite scenes. I enjoyed the setting and the many things that were classic to that time period, like the kids drinking Ovaltine. The way treatment for depression was described totally fit the time period they were in, too. Because of the details that gave the story an authentic 50s feel, I found myself totally engrossed in Sammie's world. The characters' troubles and heartache seemed real, as did their self-discovery and growth resulting from their pain. The characters were complex, making this novel a delightful read for me. I really felt bad for Sammie's father, and worried that he would make some wrong choices, too. In many ways this story reminded me of Mary DeMuth's Watching the Tree Limbs because it had similar themes and depth to it. Great debut novel!
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Review 10 for Chasing Lilacs
Overall Rating:
Date:March 23, 2010
Julie Garmon
Talk about incredible writing--I was captured by the first paragraph of Carla Stewart's Chasing Lilacs. She brought back to my own childhood as I fell in love with and rooted for Sammie Tucker. Life throws Sammie some mighty big problems and she survives with humor, a sometimes difficult bond with her best friend Tuwana, and the ability to accept the truth--a magnificent lesson for us all.
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Review 11 for Chasing Lilacs
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Date:March 19, 2010
What a treat to read an advance copy of Carla Stewart's debut novel, due for release in June 2010! Carla has beautifully captured the heart of a young girl coming of age in a close-knit 1950s Texas Panhandle community. Sammie Tucker's poignant journey begins as she realizes her mother is struggling with depression. Deprived of her mother's love and attention at such a vulnerable age leaves Sammie confused and heartbroken. Her search for answers and her ultimate return to hope and faith give testimony to her courage. Chasing Lilacs will take you back in time to the days of Edsels, penny loafers, hat boxes, and front-porch visits. Filled with evocative description, memorable characters, and depth of emotion, this is a novel not to be missed. I'll be watching for more good things to come from this outstanding author.
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Review 12 for Chasing Lilacs
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Date:February 3, 2010
Brilliant Coming-of-Age Novel by Debut Writer!Think To Kill a Mockingbird!Summers a time for Sammie Tucker to read, to skip about her small town of Graham Camp, Texas with her best friendto breathe after the school year. But breathing becomes hard when adult words like nerve problems and shock treatments afflict their household. When death and darkness descend on Sammie like the insidious summer heat, lies become truth. Good and evil wear similar faces. As a cyclone of traumatic events hits Sammie, her life spirals out of control. Will a mysterious California boy and compassionate townspeople shelter Sammie from the past, and help her lay a foundation for her future?Oh, readers, you will smile, reminisce, and cry as Carla Stewart lets you chase lilacs on innocent sunny summer days that tragedy transforms into raging storms. Somehow Carla tackles difficult sociocultural issues without tainting the tender soul of Sammie. Carlas words leap off the page to entertain, educate, and inspire! Chasing Lilacs is definitely a five-star-read!
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