Its Publication Day for Julie Kibler's CALLING ME HOME!

CALLING ME HOME is a heart-piercing story set in present day that tells the stories of two women; one of which takes readers 

back to the early 1940's to a small town in Kentucky where

segregation is the ruler.

It's the story of forbidden love, family and desperate choices.

Congratulations to Julie Kibler on her fantastic 

debut novel that hits shelves today!  

Its Monday! What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday Everyone! This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. Wediscuss the books we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Books I Read and Talked About Last Week -

I finished reading THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky last week. The book is made up of a series of letters written by 16-year old Charlie over the course of a year. One reason I wanted to read the book is that I wanted to watch the movie version starring Paul Rudd (who I have a crush on) but I wanted to have already read the book. 

I posted a review of ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE by Jess Riley last week. It's a humorous look at one family's dysfunction that also deals with some serious topics. I encourage you to check it out. 

If you follow me on Twitter, (@SouthrnGrlReads) you'll know that last week I talked alot about Julie Kibler's debut, CALLING ME HOME, last week. It is our February selection for She Reads Book Club and it was a fantastic choice. 

I started reading Sarah Jio's BLACKBERRY WINTER and I know I'm going to really like it. 

Books I'll Be Focusing On This Week -

My main focus is going to be on THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW by Rita Leganski. I started it last evening and right away the lovely lyrical prose is blowing me away! Not to mention the mystical locale of New Orleans and all that that entails. This will definitely be a real treat for my literary senses. 

I will also continue reading BLACKBERRY WINTER this week. I'm hooked on it! Now I know what all the fuss was about when it was making a loud splash on the blogs.

Reviews I'll be posting this week are THE RIVER WITCH by Kimberly Brock and THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky. 

I'm really looking forward to this week in books and I hope your week is full of great books as well! Thanks for stopping by today!

The Sunday Salon: Bookish Priorities

Happy Sunday everyone! I haven't posted a Sunday Salon post in so long and I thought it was time. Speaking of time, I just don't know it all goes! February is already bearing down on us, even though down here in Florida its been feeling more like Spring time. The weather has been crazy - highs in the 70's and 80's, then it will drop down into the 40's at night again. I'm so glad I got my flu shot a few months ago or I'd be in trouble. One day I'm in a t-shirt and flip-flops and then it goes back to jeans and sweater weather! My azalea bushes already bloomed at the end of January, which is just nuts! So when Spring actually gets here, I won't have any blooms at all because they're already gone!

On thereading front, I've read some really great books lately. In January I became a member of the She Reads Book Club and so far the book selections have been fantastic. I'm actually reading BLACKBERRY WINTER by Sarah Jio right now that was one of they're selections last year. I'm late to the party, but I'm really enjoying it. Our February selection is CALLING ME HOME by Julie Kibler. It was an emotional and heartbreaking story that really grabbed my attention right away. If you'd like to read my review, you can find it here. Our March selection is THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW by Rita Leganski. I plan to start it today and I'm very excited about it.

I've decided that this year I'm focusing more on books that I've had in my library that I've never gotten around to reading, more than accepting review copies. I'm not saying I won't do any ARC's but I have some really great books that need to be read. For example, I've had THE BOOK THIEF starring up at me from my coffee table for so long and I feel guilty every time I pass it up. I've also wanted to read SHADOW OF THE WIND for two years, when I got the book! The other day I finally started reading ANNA KARENINA. I'll be reading that in between other books, so that will be a slow mover.  I'm planning to read a chapter or two each night before bed, the way I did with JANE EYRE. There are others too, like THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN and THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE. These are all books that I OWN! No more excuses, I have to read these books!

All that being said, Beth Hoffman just emailed me and asked if I'd be interested in reading her new book coming out in May, LOOKING FOR ME!. And of course, I said YES!!! Thanks Beth, you just made my day! Now you see why some of the books on my shelves get pushed to the side! Let's face it, its a good problem to have!

Aside from reading, there are also my television shows I like that take up my time. All I can say is: Thank God For My DVR and OnDemand! Every year I say I'm not going to get involved in anymore series, but every year I do! A few of the new shows I like are NASHVILLE and CHICAGO FIRE. Then there are my older favorites: TOP CHEF, SUITS, DOWNTON ABBEY, THE GOOD WIFE and of course SURVIVOR, which starts up again this week! One new show that just started a few weeks ago is THE FOLLOWING with Kevin Bacon. That is one crazy, twisted show! And I LOVE it!! Wow, I never realized how much of a TV watcher I was until I started naming all of my shows! So you see, it's a miracle I get any reading done at all!

I've had to cut back on my audio books for now because my iPod is so old, many of the newer releases aren't compatible with it anymore. (Thanks to the iBook format). Or so I'm told.  I'm not the most tech savvy person when it comes to my iPod so I could be wrong about that, but I simply don't want to waste anymore time messing around with it. Hopefully a new iPod will cure the problem.

Well, that is what is going on with me. What books are you looking forward to in the months to come? And, does television get in your way too or are you able to walk away from it? I hope everyone has a great Sunday and to my friends up in the New England area: I'm thinking of you and praying that you all stay safe and warm! The weather up there looks absolutely frightening! I haven't lived up north for 30 years, but looking at the news reports brings it all back in a rush!

So, I'm haaving dinner at my friend, Brenda's house, so I need to get moving and get some things done first. Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you'll come back soon! Happy Reading!

Review: Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler (She Reads February Book Club Pick)

When 89 year old Isabelle McAllister asked Dorrie,  her African-American 'beauty operator', to accompany her from their hometown in Texas to Cincinnati for a funeral, neither one of them knew how it would go. Especially Dorrie, who was given little information from the very private elderly woman. But in the ten years Dorrie has been doing Isabelle's hair, they've developed a bond that you could call a close friendship. As a single mother, Dorrie has difficulties in her own life that did cause her some reluctance in accepting Isabelle's offer, but in the end, she couldn't let her go alone, and she decided, it may be just what she needs for herself as well.

Julie Kibler's touching debut, CALLING ME HOME is the story of two women, both coming to terms with their lives. One from the past and one in the present. Through the miles, Isabelle tells her story of growing up in the late 1930's and the difficult choices that were made both by her and, most traumatically, for her. As Isabelle's story unfolds and Dorrie's problems come to a head, these women lean on each other to come through the other side. This story is a journey neither one of them will ever forget. 

My Thoughts: (No Spoilers)

I always enjoy a story that transports me back in time. CALLING ME HOME shows how differently whites and blacks were treated in one small Kentucky town in the late 1930's and the effect it had on one particular young girl who dared to try to cross those invisible but dangerous lines. When Isabelle was telling her story, her memories were so vivid, I could clearly see her family home, her parents and brothers and I could feel the tensions that drove a wedge between them. I was instantly drawn into her story.

All of the characters were genuine, including the supporting roles of her family members. They were very believable and I felt real emotion toward them. I especially felt the disappointment Isabelle had in her father, who wasn't able to stand up to his wife, but ultimately supported his daughter the only way he knew how. I was so angry that so many secrets were kept and how much Isabelle lost out on. It stung my heart.  Though Isabelle's story was the highlight for me, I appreciated how Dorrie learned from Isabelle's experiences and was eventually able to let her guard down and allow herself the possibility for something wonderful in her own life.

The story was very well paced and the transitions between present day to the past were well thought out and enabled Dorrie's story to be told simultaneously as their road trip continued.  I felt like I was riding in the car with them.  The ending, although, not at all a surprise to me, was lovely and perfect for this story. I'll admit, I shed a few tears. This was such a quick read for me. I hated when I had to stop reading for whatever reason. I was always anxious to get back to it. Because of the many discussion points this book has, it would make a terrific pick for any book club.

WIN YOUR OWN COPY!

Now is your chance to win a copy of this wonderful debut novel for yourself. St. Martin's Press is graciously giving away 10 copies! Simply stop by the She Reads Blog and leave a comment and include your email address. It's that easy! (Comments must be left on She Reads Blog. (Any comments left on this post DO NOT count as entries in the drawing).  A winner will be drawn this Friday, February 8th. Since the book hasn't even been released yet, you could be one of the first to read it!

I would like to thank She Reads for choosing such a wonderful book for our February selection. Please stop by the She Reads blog for many other reviews of this most deserving debut novel that will be released on February 13th.

CALLING ME HOME
Author: Julie Kibler (website)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: February 13, 2013
Pages: 336 pp

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. it's a place where we discuss what books we've read in the last week and what we plan to read this week.

Last week was a great week! I read and posted a review of one of the most interesting books I've read recently. I didn't know at first what to expect because the book is centered in and around the world of art and I am not well versed in it at all. But THE ART FORGER by B.A. Shapiro took off immediately and I was completely drawn in. I had difficulty putting this one down. Loved the characters, the story, the writing, the locale, but most of all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the art and having a bit of an art history lesson along with a lesson in forgery.. The book was fascinating. You can find my review of THE ART FORGER here.  This book is the January selection for She Reads Book Club that I am honored to be a part of and you can read the reviews of our other members here. You can also find a great guest post by B.A. Shapiro discussing why she chose to write this book. 

Last week I finished reading CALLING MY HOME, a terrific debut by Julie Kibler. It's the story of two unlikely friends traveling from Texas to Ohio to attend a funeral. Isabelle is in her eighties and her friend who drives her on this trip is Dorrie, a thirty-something African-American single mom of two almost-grown kids. Dorrie doesn't have a lot of details about the trip, she doesn't even know whose funeral they are attending, but along the way, Isabelle tells the story of her life while Dorrie deals with some serious issues in her own life. The journey brings the two women close together but also shows the divide this country still has between races. 

This week, I'll be reading a new book by Jess Riley, the author of DRIVING SIDINGS that I absolutely loved! Her new book, ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is the story of a family, broken by loss and deep-rooted tensions that grow within a family. It all comes to a head at Thanksgiving and the situation seems hopeless. I've just started reading, but in usual Jess Riley style, this potentially sad subject is tackled with her clever wit and entertaining writing. I am sure this book will be everything I expect it to be. I love Jess Riley's sense of humor and it certainly comes through strongly in this new book. If you act quickly, you can pick this gem up at the Kindle store for just 2.99. 

Reviews I'm working on for this week are THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRYE by Rachel Joyce and THE RIVER WITCH by Kimberly Brock. I hope you'll stop back by to check them out! 

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful reading week!!