When I read the description of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, I knew I had to read it!  I love southern fiction, especially when it takes place during the critical civil rights movement.


Book Description:


Publisher: Musa Publishing (January 20, 2012)
Category: Southern fiction, Contemporary fiction, Women’s Fiction
Tour Date: July, 2013
Available in: eBook,  289 Pages


Finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards for 2012! Won the Eric Hoffer Award for Sassy Sweetwater for 2013 – Honorable Mention Best ebook Fiction!


After thirteen years on the run Violet McLaughlin returns to Carter’s Crossing, South Carolina, in 1962, with her young daughter, Sassy. The Crossing is right outside of Beaufort and the turmoil of the Civil Rights movement will forever leave its scars on the young and impressionable girl. As Sassy stands before the imposing white farmhouse for the first time, with no knowledge of her history but that the McLaughlin’s are her kin, Sassy begins a journey that will tear her apart before it heals her. Growing up among secrets that will forever damage her relationship with her mother, she attempts to make sense of her past. But will her passion for art and her love for Thomas Tierney be enough to sustain her future? Will the puzzles she must solve to discover who she is be worth the journey?


My Thoughts:


The Story of Sassy Sweetwater exceeded my expectations!  I reminded me of southern saga and I could not stop turning the pages until the end.


Sassy Sweetwater was born in the thick of a family with many problems.  Unwed, Violet gives birth to Sassy with the help of her sister, Elvira, on the bank of the Sweetwater river.  They were able to hid her pregnancy.  Violet takes Sassy away right after to start her life as an young unwed mother.  She works as a waitress among doing other things to put food on the table. 


When things finally get too tough, she returns home with Sassy, who is now 10 years old.  It is there that all hell breaks loose!  I can’t tell too much without the risk of spoilers.


The characters are all colorful and quirky and just pop off the page and come to life. Steeped in family secrets, the south, and a bit of romance, Vera Jane Cook’s poetic prose put me in a trance. While reading it, I was living among the characters and seeing everything take place, first hand.  Sassy narrated but the narration seemed to slip off into the distance.


I did not want this book to end! Cook took me on a real southern journey through the saga of one southern family with many secrets.  I highly recommend you go on this amazing journey yourself. 


5/5


I received this ebook for my honest opinion.
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About Vera Jane Cook:

Vera Jane Cook, writer of Award Winning Women’s Fiction, is the author of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, Lies a River Deep, Where the Wildflowers Grow, Dancing Backward in Paradise and Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem.

Jane, as she is known to family and friends, was born in New York City and grew up amid the eccentricity of her southern and glamorous mother on the Upper West and Upper East Side of Manhattan.


An only child, Jane turned to reading novels at an early age and was deeply influenced by an eclectic group of authors. Some of her favorite authors today are Nelson DeMille, Calib Carr, Wally Lamb, Anne Rice, Sue Monk Kidd, Anita Shreve, Jodi Picoult, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. Her favorite novels are too long to list but include The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Cheri and The Last of Cheri, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Wuthering Heights, Look at Me, Dogs of Babel, The Bluest Eye, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Body Surfing, Lolita, The Brothers Karamazov, She’s Come Undone, Tale of Two Cities, etc., etc., etc.,


The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards for 2012. Her first novel, Dancing Backward in Paradise won the Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence and the Indie Excellence Award for notable new fiction, 2007. The Story of Sassy Sweetwater and Dancing Backward in Paradise received five stars from ForeWord Clarion Reviews. The Story of Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem is her first paranormal novel.

The author works by day for an education publishing company as an account manager and lives on the Upper West side of Manhattan with her long term partner, her Pomeranian, Daisy, her Basenji/Chihuahua mix, Roxie, her Chihuahua, Peanut and her two pussy cats, Sassy and Sweetie Pie.

Vera Jane Cook’s Website:  http://www.verajanecook.com/

Vera Jane Cook on Twitter: https://twitter.com/verajanecook
Vera Jane Cook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vera.j.cook


Thanks to the author, Vera Jane Cook, I will be giving away one ebook copy of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater at the end of the tour.  The giveaway is international and ends on August 10, 2013.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

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Buy The Story of Sassy Sweetwater:

Follow the Tour:


So Many Precious Books July 8 Review & Giveaway
Library of Clean Reads July 9 Review
Library of Clean Reads July 10 Interview
From Isi July 10 Review
I Feel So Unnecessary July 11 Review
Silver’s Reviews July 12 Review
Girl Who Reads July 15 Interview
A Book & A Lattee  July 16 Review
Romance & Inspiration July 17 Review
The Eclectic Reader  July 19 Review & Giveaway
Joy Story July 22 Review
Faerie Tale Books July 23 Review
Faerie Tale Books July 23 Guest Post & Giveaway
Reading Renee July 25 Review
Book Lover’s Library July 26 Review
Book Lover’s Library July 29 Interview
VW Stitcher July 30 Review
Maniac Mama of 2 July 31 Review
M. Denise C. Aug 1 Review
Books, Books & More Books Aug 5 Review                                                                     
Books, Books & More Books Aug 6 Interview
The Self Taught Cook Aug 8 Review
Wall to Wall Books Aug 9 Review & Giveaway
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