On My Nightstand - Come to the Table by Neta Jackson

Come to the Table is the second book in Neta Jackson's new SouledOut Sisters series. She introduces new characters to the cast from her previous books.

Kathryn "Kat" Davies and her friend, Nick, are the focus of this book. Both get involved in SouledOut Community Church. Nick is doing his internship as a pastor, while Kat desires to feed the hungry.

I always enjoy Neta's characters. They're so realistic you almost want to visit their Chicago neighborhood and pop in for a cup of tea and a friendly chat. The love story adds a sweet touch to their growth as believers.

Five stars for Come to the Table. If you like character-driven novels, you'll love all her books.

Disclaimer:  Neither the author nor the publisher paid for a favorable review. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

Writers:  How do you make your characters unique and interesting?

Readers:  Do you like books with a large cast of characters or do you find it confusing? Please share.

On My Nightstand - Lucy Come Home by Dave and Neta Jackson

Throughout the House of Hope series by Neta Jackson, Lucy is a familiar character. She's a bag lady that lives partly on the streets and sometimes at Manna House, a homeless shelter.

The book, Lucy Come Home, left me with mixed emotions. The pacing was slow and much of it was a rehash of her part in the House of Hope Series. On the positive side, the authors did a good job showing how this woman ended up on the streets of Chicago. They also dealt with the plight of migrant workers during the Depression Era.

When the last House of Hope book ended, readers were left hanging with Lucy's story. I looked forward to this book, but it was just okay. I'm giving it 3 1/2 stars. I usually don't review anything under 4 stars, but I loved Neta's other books so much. At least, we found out what happened to Lucy and why she was reluctant to go home.

Writers:  How do you incorporate back story into your writing without it becoming a big yawn?

Readers:  When the promise of a good story goes bad, do you finish or walk away (or skip to the end)?

On My Nightstand - Who Do I Lean On? by Neta Jackson

If you enjoy series books, I highly recommend Neta Jackson's Yada Yada series and House of Hope series. I completed Who Do I Lean On? about a week ago. It's Book 3 in the House of Hope volumes. I'm now reading Book 4, Who Is My Shelter?

Yada Yada novels center around a group of women who start praying together on a regular basis. The characters cover a broad range of ethnicities and the Chicago setting goes from a penthouse apartment to a homeless shelter. The books were so popular that they spawned Yada Yada Prayer Groups throughout the country.

The House of Hope series has many of the same characters and adds some new ones. The main character, Gabby Fairbanks, lives in luxury but her marriage is strained at best. An encounter with Lucy, a homeless woman, impacts her in ways she couldn't imagine. I'm enjoying her story.

One thing I loved about both these series was the authenticity of the characters. It wouldn't surprise me if I met one of them in person. Gabby with her corkscrew, redheaded curls, Lucy with her shopping cart and knit hat, Jody teaching elementary school by day and a typing class on Saturdays at Manna House, and the rest of the gang all became friends I looked forwarding to catch up with in each book.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I think you'll enjoy following the lives of these folks and watching how God works in their lives.

Disclaimer:  Neither the author nor the publisher requested a favorable review or paid me. All opinions are mine as always.

Writers and Readers:  What makes a series special for you? Characters? Setting? Plot? Please share.

Series Books - Love 'Em, Hate 'Em?

From Karen Kingsbury's tales of the Baxter clan, to the Left Behind Series, to Yada Yada, I love series books. My only caveat is: I like to start at the beginning and blast my way through the entire set. Nothing frustrates me more than waiting for the next book to come out.

I've been reading Neta Jackson's House of Hope Series, which follows the Yada Yada Prayer Group books. They're all written in first person, which puts you in the character's shoes. Both my mother and I adore these books. All of them are rich in detail, have spiritual themes, and feature a multi-cultural cast of characters.

Neta is still writing the House of Hope books, but she has four of them on the market. I've picked up each one for Mom as they've been published, but my first taste of this delectable series was last week. I broke my own rule because they were calling my name the way chocolate does. :)

I'm totally hooked! I'm not going to review them in detail because I don't want to spoil the reading experience for anyone.

Writers: How do you feel about writing 5-7 books in a series? I'm writing a trilogy. I can't imagine writing more than 3 books.

Readers: Do you prefer stand-alone novels or a true series that keeps you panting for more?