Annette Smith (1)Critiques

The topic at hand was interesting and the book itself became difficult to put down after a short amount of time. However, some of the more controversial issues of the book were very rushed and didn't leave anything to the imagination. Personally, I prefer suspense and lingering questions and this book had neither.

This book is along the lines of Smith's book "Watermelon Days and Firefly Nights." The feel good short stories are about small town life.½

If you enjoyed the Mossy Creek series then you will enjoy this book of short stories. These short fictional stories give a behind the scenes look at the small town of Ella Louise, a real town located in Texas. The inhabitants are flawed and funny, sweet and sad, and very human.½

Charlotte suffered much from the loss of her parents and her husband. She started over in the small Texas town of Ruby Prairie by buying a large house and providing a home for girls who needed a safe place to live. In the ensuing madness of taking in six girls, Charlotte discovered that until we learn the lesson God wants to teach us, He will use all our circumstances to teach us the lesson.

A Town Called Ruby Prairie is well written, with plenty of twists and turns to the plot - right from the first page. While it may never earn awards, it is a comfortable book to read.

I heartily applaud this Christian novel with a different point of view. The main character is Manny Ortega, who we meet in the prologue of the book as a 12 year old boy living a dirt poor existance with his family in Mexico. One day he is abandoned by his father at a bus stop, and from then on he works hard to provide for his mother and sisters. This leads him to America and the story centers around his experiences working for a Texas rancher whose failing health causes him to rely on Manny despite his pride and racism. Yet Manny finds himself growing genuinely fond of the old rancher, despite the way he is treated sometimes. Through Manny's eyes, the reader is able to explore how Mexican immigrants are treated in this country. Family issues are also explored, as Manny continually wonders about the father that abandoned him, but finds comfort in his faith and in his surprising new found family.
I loved the multicultural perspective that the author gives us in this book, it is a refreshing change to see in a Christian novel. My only criticism is that the romance seemed much too rushed for me. I think it has enough depth and the issues explored are big enough for it to make a good read for a book discussion group--and I don't often think that about Christian novels. Definitely pick this one up if you want a Christian fiction read that will make you think about things from a different perspective.