Book Review - Homefires by Emily Sue Harvey

Homefires by Emily Sue Harvey

Paperback, 450 pages

Published June 7th 2011 by Story Plant, The (first published April 7th 2011)

Source: Tracee of Pump Up Your Book


Oosa Book Club 2nd Quarter Challenge book 12 of 13

About Emily Sue Harvey

Emily Sue Harvey, author and speaker, writes to make a difference. Dozens of her upbeat stories and articles appear in Chocolate for Women, Chicken Soup for the Soul, women’s magazines, websites, and other anthologies.

She is the author of the novel Song of Renewal and the novella FlavorsH. Her new novel, Homefires, will be followed by two more novellas and another novel (Unto these Hills) later in 2011.

To find out more about Emily visitwww.renewalstories.com orwww.emilysueharvey.com

About Homefires

Homefires is set in the Deep South’s Bible Belt on the eve of unprecedented moral changes. It is the story of Janeece and Kirk Crenshaw, a couple married just after their high school graduation who set out to make a life for themselves. It is a life marked by surprises, none more dramatic than when Kirk receives his “high-calling” and becomes a pastor. It is a life marked by tragedy, the most heart-rending of which is a devastating event very close to home. And it is a life marked by challenges: to their church, to their community, and most decidedly to their marriage. And as the fullness of time makes its impact on their union, Kirk and Janeece must face the question of whether they have gone as far as they can together.

Filled with the rich emotions and evocative characters that fans have come to expect from Emily Sue Harvey, and reminiscent of the work of Jan Karon and Anne Rivers Siddons, Homefires is a poignant and compelling novel that will steal readers’ hearts.

My Review:

I loved Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey, so when I saw this book up for review, I jumped at the chance to be on the tour.  I was a little disappointed in this book.  

Janeece and Kirk were young and innocent kids that were in love. They decided to "save themselves" for marriage and eventually they got married.   Some of the parts of the book I could relate to, like when they were going on a trip and one kid had to sit on "the hump" in the middle of the back seat.  I remember clearly going to Texas when I was little and we had to take turns riding on "the hump".  So,  I did feel kind of a connection with the characters, but not as much of a connection that I would have liked.  

I do like reading a variety of books, but this one just didn't hold my interest as much as I had hoped.  I have friends that I would recommend this book to (Staci).  It all depends on your taste in books I guess as to whether or not you would like this one.  The only way you will know is to just read it yourself!  I do recommend that you read Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey though!

My Rating:

2/5 Diamonds

It was just okay.

View the tour information here:

Pump Up Your Book

Disclaimer:  My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday, What Are You Reading

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Passages to the Past during the month of April

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

This was a good week!  Here is what I received!

From Black Expressions Book Club (Monthly Selections):



Received for Review from the Author:



Received from Pump Up Your Book Tour for Review:


Won these from Zane by commenting on a Facebook post!  Thanks so much ZANE!

I have also gotten several e-mails from authors wanting me to review their books.  I am working on sorting these out and getting a list made of these!

------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Book Tours/Reviews Last Week:

Sun., 4/17       The MPire Book Tour, Book 1 by T.L. James & Giveaway
Mon., 4/18      Deed So by Katharine Russell   Pump Up Your Book  
Tues., 4/19     Interview With Author Katharine Russell (author of Deed So)  Pump Up Your Book
Wed., 4/20     Stilettos & Scoundrels by Laina Turner Molaski  Stilettos & Scoundrels Book Tour
Thurs., 4/21    Unsavory Delicacies by Russell Brooks (sent to me by author for review)

Mon, 4/23       Gold Diggin' by Nikkea Smithers - Review and Interview

Reviews This Week:

Wed., April 26    In Between Lies by Shawna Hill

Thurs., April 29   Intimate Illusions by Shawna Hill

Currently Reading:

 © 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review - Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey

About Emily Sue Harvey

Emily Sue Harvey, author and speaker, writes to make a difference. Dozens of her upbeat stories and articles appear in Chocolate for Women, Chicken Soup for the Soul, women’s magazines, websites, and other anthologies.

Her first hardback novel, Song of Renewal, was released by The Story Plant in July, 2009.

An expanded paperback version of Song of Renewal, plus three novellas and two more full-length novels (Homefires and Unto These Hills) will come from The Story Plant in 2011.

About Flavors

Emily Sue Harvey’s first novel, Song of Renewal, was praised by New York Times bestselling author Jill Marie Landis as “an uplifting, heartwarming story,” by bestselling author Kay Allenbaugh as a work that will “linger in the memory long after readers put it aside,” and by Coffee Time Romance as “a must-read book for anyone doing a little soul searching.” New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry said, “It captures your attention, and whets your appetite for more,” while Peeking between the Pages called it “quite simply a beautiful book.”

Now, in Flavors, this master storyteller of the human heart sweeps us along with twelve-year-old Sadie Ann Melton as she enters a life-altering season. The summer of 1950 will change everything for her. For in that summer, she will embark on an odyssey at once heartbreakingly tender and crushingly brutal. At times, she will experience more darkness than she has ever witnessed before. At others, she will thrill to lightness and joy she never imagined. By summer’s end, the Melton women in Sadie’s journey – loving her, coaxing her, and commanding her – will help shape her into the woman she becomes. And they will expose Sadie to all of the flavors of life as she savors the world that she brings into being.

Filled with charm, wisdom, and the smorgasbord of emotions that comes with the first steps into adulthood, Flavors once again proves Emily Sue Harvey’s unique ability to touch our souls with her unforgettable stories.

Visit Pump Up Your Book! to read an Excerpt from the book.

  Three Reasons Review

1) Reasons I Chose This Book:

• Of course, the first reason I chose this book is because I got an e-mail from the Pump Up Your Book Tour looking for people to review it!
• Before I even read anything about this book, the cover really caught my eye.  Who can resist a book with beautiful flowers on the front?

 2) Reasons You Liked or Disliked This Book:

•  Reading this book was like taking a trip down memory lane.  I know it takes place in the 50's, but there were so may memories that came flooding back to me along the way in this book.
• Sadie Ann Melton was spending the summer at her grandparents and was looking at a hay baler and the sights and sounds reminded me of the barn that used to be behind my parent's home that is no longer there because it was so old and had to be torn down..
• They went to the Saturday night drive-in and got Pepsis and popcorn.  I could just remember times from my childhood when we used to go to the drive-in!  I can just taste the ice cold Pepsi and the crunchy popcorn!
• I loved this quote from the book: p.19 "To me, life is a huge pie, each slice a different flavor.  Childhood is definitely lemon."
• Sadie found out a lot about herself this summer.  She had some hard truths revealed to her, and she really grew up this summer.
• Sadie camped out with her grandparents and it reminded me of camping at my grandparent's cabin.  I could just smell the campfire and the love of my family all sitting around and having a good time.  At the cabin there was no phone or TV just the good old cabin and the wildlife.  The river ran behind the cabin and we could hear the people floating by on their canoes.
• Everything that happened in Sadie's life had a flavor and I just loved how she put the flavors with the moment.
• There is nothing in this book that I disliked-I loved everything about this book!

3) Reasons You Are Recommending This Book:

•  This is just an all around excellent book that is sure to bring memories back from times when life was a lot more simple.
• I want to thank Emily Sue Harvey for bringing back so many wonderful memories from my own life. There was a lot of flavor packed in this short book!

5/5 Diamonds

 

Book Details:
Title: Flavors
Author: Emily Sue Harvey
Publisher: The Story Plant
Pages: Paperback; 120 pages
Source: Pump Up Your Book Virtual Tour

Disclaimer: I received this book from the Pump Up Your Book Virtual Tour. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

 

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! 

Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey



P.19

To me, life is a huge pie, each slice a different flavor.  Childhood is definitely lemon.

 





If You Don't Tell by D.V. Hent


P. 31


The kiss lingered on my lips; I licked them, hoping to rekindle the sensation, but it was a little too late.  My body craved the feeling she'd left.













© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday

 

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Rose City Readers (January Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.

Bought this book:

The Snowman's Quest by Nancy Anderson Judge

 

and bought this book from Russo's Books:

Chedda Boyz by C.J. Hudson

I got this book from Shelf Awareness:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

This book I got from the Pump Up Your Book Virtual Tour for review:

Flavors by Emily Sue Harvey