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Calling Home |  | Author: Janna McMahan
Publisher: Kensington Books
Category: eBooks
This item is no longer available
Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 2759
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Pages: 352
Number Of Items: 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
ASIN: B002SRL3G8
Publication Date: November 1, 2009
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Product Description
From an extraordinary new voice in fiction comes a haunting, powerful novel about mothers and daughters, choice and regret, the mistakes we make and the ones we hope we can correct before it's too late.Nothing much ever happens in Falling Rock, Kentucky. So when Virginia Lemmons' husband takes off in his Trans Am to take up with a beautician, there's not much to do but what people in rural Kentucky have always done--get on with it. Now, overwhelmed and unsure, Virginia's got her hands full trying to keep it together, body and soul, while raising her two teenage kids--eighteen-year-old son, Will, and her spirited fourteen-year-old daughter, Shannon. But Shannon has her own ideas for breaking free of Falling Rock, and in her reckless, wild-child daughter, Virginia sees echoes of herself and her own painful past. She'll do whatever it takes to keep her daughter from making the same tragic mistakes, and saving what's left of her fragile family just may be the biggest fight of Virginia's life. In this compelling, heartbreaking first novel, Janna McMahan brings to authentic life the dreams, passions, and troubles of one southern town, where choice isn't always easy to come by, and living the hand you're dealt with is a grace all its own. "A beautifully wrought novel populated by a vivid cast of characters. . .Janna McMahan takes us completely into the lives of these people and their small town, presenting this world with authenticity and dignity. I absolutely loved this book and will carry it with me for a long time." --Silas House
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
 Ended on a High Note September 2, 2010
Dominique Rambert (Brooklyn, NY)
I was disappointed with the writing of this story. I wouldn't have finished it, except I hate leaving a story umfinished. The entire book is not unbearable and has some intriguing parts. McMahan also picks up steam toward the middle of the story. There are some holes as she moves from character to characer and even rewinds and fast forwards through time with no notice. It felt a bit disjointed.
 Loved it! August 19, 2010
Sierra Sorrell (CT)
Unsettling and uplifting all at once. This is a story about life turning into what you never expected (or wanted) but somehow making its way back to what was meant to be. Can't wait to read McMahan's second novel!
wonderful character-driven fiction August 16, 2010
Margaret Harney (Kentucky)
On the surface, this seems to be just another story about a dysfunctional family. It begins with Virgina Lemmons discovering beyond a doubt that the gossip is true about her husband Roger and the town's flamboyant new beautician. As the author deftly develops her characters, each member of the Lemmons family emerges as not so much dysfunctional as simply human, even that cad Roger.
Virginia works hard for her family, especially after Roger leaves her and their two children, Will and Shannon, but she has her own secrets. She also has a very controlling nature that fosters conflict, especially with her 14-year-old daughter Shannon. Virginia controls Shannon too tightly in an attempt to keep her daughter from making the same mistakes that keep Virginia anchored to her rural Kentucky town and a factory job. Shannon is smart, takes advanced classes and is set to graduate from high school before she's 17. She dreams of going to college and having a career and better life than her mother has, but her rebellion against Virginia's strictness threatens that dream.
At 17, Will is handsome, popular and hopes to go to college on an athletic scholarship. He has secrets too, but it's not even on Virgina's radar that Will may make mistakes.
All of the Lemmons are basically good people who make mistakes -- and have to suffer the consequences. They also suffer more than their fair share of injustices, and pay dearly for the actions of others. Their failure to communicate, and their penchant for keeping secrets, only adds to their problems.
I love character-driven fiction and this novel has a full cast of believable characters that made me care what happened to them. This is the author's debut and I feel very fortunate that I discovered it as a Kindle freebie in July. I look forward to reading more.
 Was there a plot here? August 15, 2010
Judith Dedmon (Dallas, TX, US)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I kept waiting for this book to take off. It never did. The characters never really engage. The author could trick them, torture them, kill them off--I didn't really care. I only finished this book because I bought it for my Kindle at a ridiculous price. Save your money.
Calling Home August 12, 2010
I enjoyed this book as Ms McMahan wove a story of family love, conflict, loss and bittersweet triumph. encourage others to review books to help others in informed choices.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
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