Customer Reviews

Beyond Summer (Blue Sky Hill Series)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lisa Wingate's latest book, Beyond Summer is an inspiring, motivational and uplifting book! Aunt Lute's "the best things in life hide around blind corners" is only one of many lessons taught. Beyond Summer is an exciting journey with three individuals who meet as a result of shady real estate deals causing good families to lose their homes and meet at the Summer Kitchen.

Tam is the 18 year old daughter of a once wealth former Dallas Football star. She and her family are evicted from their country club home. Terence, Dell's biological Dad who was in prison during Dell's childhood years, gets a chance to help Seasy, the homeless person. Terence comes through magnificently! The stories of these individuals causes a range of emotions from sadness, to happiness and joy. And in the end this reader was left with a mind filled with good feelings!

I very highly recommend this book!

Ed

I love this book! As usual, Wingate gives us characters that wind their way into our hearts. I was excited to meet again some characters from the Tending Roses series and Teddy from A Month of Summer. When Shasta and family move to a run-down Dallas neighborhood she soon sees that house after house is being gobbled up by a real estate firm and suspects that their first home purchase could be in jeopardy also. Tam, whose family (sans the father) moves in across the street becomes a friend as they help each marshall the community to deal with the real estate issues, illiteracy, and a homeless women who starts out as faceless, but becomes a real person to them. Learning more about what happens to Dell and Jace and more about Dell's father is a bonus to me, a long-time Wingate fan. Now, we finally know the rest of the story... It's the best summer read out there and clean and uplifting, too! Wingate has done it again.

I love, love, love this book. I read every book by Wingate and think this is her best yet -- possibly replacing my all time favorite, Tending Roses, Wingate's first novel. Others have written about the story, so I'll just say that I am again amazed at the variety in Wingate's books. This one deals sensitively about the difficult economic times we are in, about illiteracy, and homelessness while it tells about a friendship between two young women who move to the same inner city neighborhood. Although I love Karen Kingsbury, I think Lisa Wingate has more depth with social issues and still gives us a captivating story. This is a great choice for a book club -- so much here to discuss.

LIsa, you have written a fantastic book here. A wonderful story and so much my book club could dig their teeth into and discuss. Thank you for the great discussion questions in the back. We are always so animated when we've picked one of your books. It seems everyone reads it and everyone has been touched to the core. I've written to you through your website, but wanted to let others know that they just can't pick better books than yours if their club wants timely issues, great, realistic characters and a story line that keeps readers turning the pages. We like it that your endings leave us feeling good about the world and feeling inspired to get involved in causes.

Another very good book in the Blue Sky Hill series. Takes place in Dallas TX. Follows 3 main characters: Sesay (older Haitian lady who is homeless, Tam Lambert (daughter of a well-to-do ex football star), and Shasta Reid-Williams (struggling Native American from Oklahoma with 2 children). All of these folks intermingle in the story line of struggling to stay alive and sane. This book relates back to the Summer Kitchen in some places.

This is the best book I've read in ages. Wingate's writing reminds me of Karen Kingsbury, as another reviewer commented. I agree that Wingate's books have more depth, though. And the characters... I find myself wondering what they are doing now, so I hope there will be further Blue Sky Hill books. Great questions for book club discussions included. No sense repeating what has been saidin other reviews, but I'll be reading all of Wingate's 14 other books, for sure.

Beyond Summer is the third in the series, Blue Sky Hill. I have read all three and this one is my personal favorite. The series addresses current, real life issues affecting many people today and made me appreciate what I have. Lisa Wingate can be a fun author, this series reflects a little more of her serious side, but it is still easy to relate to the characters in her book. I would recommend reading the series in order.

I absolutely LOVE this book. I couldn't put it down. Tam and Shasta's developing friendship is heartwarming. As usual, Wingate weaves a great story with wonderful characters. The mystery about the homeless woman, Sesay is an eyeopener. You should read this book!

I akways enjoy Lisa Wingate's books. I am looking forward to the two I just purchased!

I previewed this for my book club and will strongly recommend it for a club read and discussion. The book really causes a reader to think about the haves and the have-nots. What a struggle for some who are less fortunate! Having done some volunteer work in the inner city, I see that this is a very perceptive and realistic look at the issues some face, and often not of their own making. I agree with other reviewers and am amazed at how real Lisa Wingate makes her characters seem. I hope this inspires readers to help those less fortunate and I know they will love the book.