Between, Georgia

Ok, you have the image of this gorgeous book, now get off your computer and go buy it. (See, Char, I'm GREAT at book reviews! lol)

My friend Charity got me hooked on Joshilyn Jackson. She didn't do it on purpose, but it happened all the same. Charity has Joss's site, Faster than Kudzu, linked on her blog. Charity also enters Joss's monthly contest, Blogging For Books (B4B). I had to check out the site after reading Char's entry last month, and I just can't seem to stay away from that place. I read it at night, when Shane and I are sitting in our office. Our desks are facing each other across the room, both in corners. I read it and start laughing and look over at him apologetically. He takes a break from code writing and raises his eyebrows. I ask "Do you have a second? I have to read you just one line from this..." He always replies with "Sure, go ahead." I start at the beginning of the blog and read it all the way through. By the time I'm done, we're both laughing hysterically. Sometimes, I've got tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard. I hadn't read either of her books, but I loved the way she wrote... Until today.

I bought "Between, Georgia" yesterday. I also bought her first book, "gods In Alabama". No, that isn't a typo, it really is a little "g" in gods. I had already started Between at the bookstore last week, and was pretty interested in the story. Last night I started reading it. I finally put it down around 2am. I woke up around 7am and reached for it right away. I just finished it.

Whew!

What a roller coaster ride that book turned out to be. I want to gush about it and tell you all of the parts that I loved, but then you may learn too much and decide not to buy it, and that would just be a true crime. Because it is beautiful. And you need to read it.

The characters were as deep as the ocean, and the conflicts were as real as the screen you see before you. These were people that you could believe in, and even come to care about. Some of them have been in your very own world. You will recognize them. You will want to call them on the phone and tell them that you love them.

The basic premise is that two families in little Between, Georgia, really don't like each other much. They are from different sides of town, in every sense of the words. The Fretts are everything, and have everything, that the Crabtrees will never be or have. Frett's are respectable and kind, proper and well off, go to church, never drink, never curse, never do anything wrong. The Crabtrees are the polar opposite, drinking, carousing, cursing, going in and out of jail. A young Crabtree girl gets pregnant and ends up on the doorstep of the Frett house. She gives birth and walks out of the house sans baby. She just leaves her daughter. One of the Frett women takes the child and makes her a Frett, setting in motion a chain of events that takes 30 years to play out.

The baby, Nonny, knows her history. She tries to reconcile her Frett upbringing with her Crabtree blood all throughout the book. She's in a marriage that is about to end, though she's not sure if that's what she wants. She's in a job that she's comfortable with, though she wanted to do more. She's basically been rolling along on the wave of her life, not daring to stick her neck out for anything. Then the Crabtrees and the Fretts come head to head in the middle of Between, and Nonny's life spirals. If you think that means 'out of control' you really need to read this book.

Just go get it so we can gab about it. And pick up gods while you're at it. I've read the blog for a while. Now I've read one of the books. I can't imagine gods not being just as awesome.

Do it and tell me about it when you're done. I can't wait to hear what you think!

Oh, and please go on over to Charity's blog and tell her thanks for turning me onto Joss. While you're over there, check out her music meme. And NO CHEATING!