~Sweetie~ by Kathryn Magendie

Over-weight, bespectacled twelve-year-old Melissa is captivated by wild-mountain-girl Sweetie. As the two friends explore the Western North Carolina mountains where Sweetie lives, they learn about friendship and family, loss and love, loyalty and betrayal. Before the tragedy that changes their lives, and causes Melissa to lose her friend to the mountain spirits, the two become friends, blood sisters, confidants, and caretakers of secrets. At the end of that summer, Sweetie makes a sacrifice that only twelve-year-old Sweetie could make for her mother, and alternatively, Melissa makes a selfish decision, then can only stand by and watch as her friend is there, then gone.


My Thoughts:

I loved every minute of this story. A beautiful coming-of-age tale set in Appalachia in the 1970's, tells the story of Melissa and Sweetie; Shy, overweight Melissa, and brash, outspoken Sweetie, who become fast friends. It is a story of a summertime friendship, spent roaming the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina's Haywood County. Two friends who become "bound sisters" for life, each needing something from the other. Author Kathryn Magendie lives and works in the very same area where this story takes place. Her love for the mountains shines through in her story, with beautiful details of the flowers, rocks and creeks where the girls play. This book is now one of my top favorite Coming-of-Age stories (which include Roseflower Creek by J.L. Miles, Prayers and Lies by Sherri Wood Emmons, Walking Through Shadows by Bev Marshall, Where the Woodbine Twines by Sherry Austin, The Star Lite Drive In by Marjorie Reynolds, Summer of the Redeemers by Carolyn Haines...Just to name a few!) "Sweetie" is a character that I will never forget~

A West Virginia native, Kat Magendie came home to Maggie Valley via South Louisiana, where she reclusively writes and co-edits/publishes The Rose & Thorn online journal. Visit her at www.kathrynmagendie.com


**Many thanks to Deborah Smith at Bell Bridge Books for the opportunity to read and review "Sweetie"**

~Literary Locals - Supporting Our Local Authors~

This monthly meme is being hosted by Tif at Tif Talks Books.

Tif's description of the challenge is as follows:

Local Authors Defined:

Authors that you can find in either your hometown or homestate, or the equivalent if you are not in the States.
Home Defined: Your hometown or homestate can be either past or present, meaning you can use your current location or anywhere you have ever lived.
Type of Books: The books can be children's picture books to adult novels and everything in between.

I live in North Carolina and love to read North Carolina authors. I am always looking for new ones that I haven't yet heard about, and I love reading the ones that I am already familiar with.

I want to start my participation in this meme by choosing a new-to-me North Carolina author, Kathryn Magendie, author of Tender Graces. So many of us have read this wonderful novel and we are waiting with baited breath for the sequel that Kathryn has promised us. Kathryn is a wonderful author as well as a very sweet friend! I hope one day to make the trek to Asheville to meet her in person. Please visit her blog Tender Graces. My review for Tender Graces can be found here.

~Book Review~ Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie

From the back cover: The death of her troubled mother and memories of her abused grandmother lure a woman back to the Appalachian hollow where she was born. Virginia Kate Carey, the daughter of a beautiful mountain wild-child, and a slick Shakespeare-quoting salesman, relives her turbulent childhood and the pain of her mother's betrayals. Haunted by ghosts and buried family secrets, Virginia Kate struggles to reconcile three generations of her family's lost innocence.

My thoughts on this book: For me, reading this book was like curling up under a soft blanket, with a hot cup of tea, and feeling totally satisfied. Kathryn's portrayal of Virginia Kate is perfect and beautiful....everything that you would want from the main character of a story. She is the glue that tries to hold her family together. You suffer along with her when her mother is drunk and verbally abusive to her husband and her children. The children take in stride their mother's moodiness and alcoholism. Their father decides he can't take anymore and moves out. He starts a whole new life for himself. He goes to school and gets remarried, and one by one, their mother abandons them and sends them to live with their father. Virginia Kate and her siblings like Louisiana, but Virginia Kate longs for West Virginia and her mountains, and only wishes her mother would stop drinking.

Excerpt, page 269~"I miss my mountain so much when I'm in Louisiana. When I'm in Louisiana, I mourn for West Virginia. When I'm here, I miss my family so much. I'm Virginia Kate Carey and I'm a crazy girl."

Virginia Kate comes to the realization that she has been carrying a heavy burden for far too long. With the help of the spirit of her Grandma Faith, she learns to finally let go.

Kathryn takes you into Virginia Kate's world, so that she may share her life experiences with you. You will laugh and cry while reading this heartfelt story that only Kathryn can tell. This book is a keeper...it is going on my bookshelf to stay.

Five Stars
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
315 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9821756-2-0

~The Sunday Salon~

I am almost finished with Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie and I have to say, I just don't want it to end! I have enjoyed this story so much! I love it when a book grabs me from the first sentence and doesn't let go.

The first part of the story takes place in West Virginia, where I went to college and spent a great deal of time, and I have relatives that still live there, so it holds a special place in my heart. Her characters are very likeable, and her descriptions are wonderful...they come to life in your mind. In clear and concise prose, Kathryn weaves the threads of her story beautifully throughout each chapter....leaving you wanting more as each chapter comes to a close.

I will be sorry when the story ends, only because I could read writing like Kathryns' forever.