Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (2)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas
- California (8)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (3)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (4)
- Canada (3)
- England (14)
- France (2)
- Greece (1)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (2)
- Vietnam (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Monday, June 03, 2013
It Made Me Laugh, It Made Me Think, It Made Me Curse, It Made Me Cry ...
1:53 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Isabelle McAllister and Dorrie Curtis aren't family, nor are they exactly bosom buddies. But, when the 89-year-old widow finds herself in need of a favor—a very big favor—Dorrie's the only person she can think of to ask. Despite their differences, the two women have grown close over the years and yet, there's plenty they don't know about each other. Isabelle's not sure she's ready to spill all her secrets; still, she knows she can't do what she needs to do without Dorrie by her side.

The women make a strange pair—Isabelle's an elderly white widow, Dorrie's a black, single mom in her 30s. But, as the pair drive across the country, they discover they have more in common than not. And, as Dorrie hears the story of Isabelle's forbidden romance with the son of her family's black housekeeper during the early 1940s in a Kentucky town African-Americans weren't even allowed to step foot in after dark, she realizes that a little of Isabelle's courage might be just the thing she needs to conquer her own fears.
One glance at the cover of Calling Me Home, a debut novel by Julie Kibler, is all it took to convince me I needed to read this book. The plot summary just intrigued me more. It was the author's bio, though, that really sealed the deal. Why? Because, it explains that Isabelle's story grew out of a bit of Kibler family lore. How irresistible is that? Very. Even better, Calling Me Home lives up to its gorgeous cover and beguiling premise. It's warm, tender, vibrant, heart-breaking—everything a great story should be. Some of the plot "surprises" weren't all that surprising but still, this novel made me laugh, made me think, made me curse, made me cry. I loved it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of The Help by Kathryn Stockett and Jericho Walls by Kristi Collier)
Grade: A-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), racial epithets, violence, and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)


Reading
Gluten for Punishment by Nancy J. Parra

Listening
The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
-
Do No Harm by Robert Pobi5 minutes ago
-
Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy4 hours ago
-
-
-
Friday Flicks: Clown in a Cornfield11 hours ago
-
Audiobook: The Library of Unruly Treasures16 hours ago
-
-
-
Book Quotes18 hours ago
-
-
-
-
The Italian Vineyard by Anita Chapman1 day ago
-
-
-
The 2025 – 2026 Reading Log1 day ago
-
-
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans2 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Books Read in July1 week ago
-
Clean teen books for Summer1 month ago
-
-
-
No Roundup this month3 months ago
-
Sunday Post #5683 months ago
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up5 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery5 months ago
-
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October8 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I11 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus1 year ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ▼ 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
