Customer Reviews

Daisy Chains (Friends for a Season)

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Part of the "Friends For A Season" series, Daisy Chains by Sandra Byrd is the entertaining young adult novel of Kylie Peterson and Rachel Cohen and their quick friendship as the two of them are both invited to help out with a wedding between separate cousins of each. As the two progress as friends, their fascination with their cousin's religion, (one being Jewish and the other not), opens the gate to an interesting investigation, Daisy Chains takes the young reader through the women's most intimate struggles with their emotion, self-discoveries, and their faith. For its entertainingly creative interpretation of teenage life and concerns, Daisy Chains is very highly recommended for all young readers.

Daisy Chains is the fourth and final book in the beloved Friends for a Season Series by Sandra Boyd. I am sad. I've read all four books, reviewed three of them and enjoyed each and every one for their individual story and message. Each book is a "stand alone" but the series has a distinct flavor and message that will be missed.

I loved that each book was about two girls who became friends for a season. We learned what they care about, what their struggles were, how they learned to live with themselves, their families and with God.

Fourteen-year-olds Kylie and Rachel's commonality is that their cousins are going to be married to each other in Victoria, British Columbia. Kylie's cousin Jed is the groom and Rachel's cousin, Davina is the bride. The stumbling block for Davina's family is that she has accepted Christ as the Messiah.

With the backdrop of school ending, summer jobs beginning and a wedding to prepare for, Kylie and Rachel each begin to examine their faith. Kylie thought she was born a Christian but learns there is more to becoming a follower of Christ than a label. Rachel is confused. She doesn't understand that while Davina believes in Jesus as the Messiah, she is still Jewish. While she observes her cousin living her faith, she begins to examine her own beliefs.

Boyd carefully and thoughtfully examines and portrays the spiritual journey of a Jewish girl who is confused and confronted with the idea that Jesus just might be the Messiah. And at the same time she examines the journey to understand another young girl who thought she was a Christian--just because she was born into a home where they called themselves Christians.

Armchair Interviews says: Daisy Chains is not only a good read, but also one that will educate at the same time.

Daisy Chains (Friends for a Season Series-Book 4)
Sandra Byrd
Kindle Edition
Christian Fiction
Ages 10-14
Original Publisher-Bethany House- April 2006
5 Stars

In the 4th book in her Friends for a Season series, Daisy Chains explores the spiritual lives of two friends. Fourteen year old Kylie lives in a single parent environment watching over her little sister while her mother works. She has always been a Christian or so she thought, Just because she lived in a home where they occasionally attended a church and called themselves Christians did not make her one as she soon finds out.

Fourteen year old Rachel, raised in a Jewish home under all of the Jewish laws When her cousin Davina is about to be married, it will not be with a traditional Jewish ceremony. She has become a Christian and so disowned by her family. The man she is to marry just happens to be Kylie's cousin which now cements a friendship between Kylie and Rachel.

As the girls help plan for their part in the wedding, the idea of summer jobs they both start to wondering about the Christian life. When Rachel learned her cousin had not given up her Jewish ways when she became a Christian, Rachel started to think about her own life and to see if there was something she was missing out on as was Kylie. When Davina was teaching Kylie the rituals of Passover something struck Kylie that made her start to examine her own life and wonder now if she really was a Christian. I think she came to realize people are not born Christians.

I really enjoyed this book as there is many questions posed throughout that will help girls like Kylie and Rachel. Many children are born into homes that parents send them to Sunday School each week and Church, but never darken the doors their self. They figure that makes them a Christian. Or as in Rachel case. Was there something to this Jesus that Davina spoke about? Is he truly the Messiah? So far out of the two books I have read there has been such a powerful message portrayed. Many questions and many answers. The struggles that teenagers go through as they try to find their new found faith and live and follow Jesus. I highly recommend these books for all in this age group. I feel even adults can learn a lesson or two from reading these.

I would like the thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read her books as she plans to re-publish them in e-reader format.

After having read two of Sandra Byrd's adult novels, I decided to check out some of her books for younger readers. I was not disappointed. In each of the books in the Friends For a Season series we meet two girls from different backgrounds who are forging a new friendship with each other. Even though it has been many, many years since I was in my early teens, I very much enjoyed the four books in this series.

Kylie Peterson is thrilled to get her acceptance letter to be a camp counselor. She'll not only have a great summer job, but have fun doing it with her best friend. But before se can pack her bags, she has to sign the commitment paperwork and there are some confusing questions on there, like: How long have you been a Christian and give your testimony. What's all that about? Aren't people born Christian?

Jewish-born Rachel Cohen is sick of living in the shadow of her dead aunt. Just because she died as a teenager and they share the same name doesn't mean that will happen to her. But her father continues to make every decision for her, even about how she will wear her hair. Rachel decides to make a few decisions of her own, without telling her father.

Both girls receive a mysterious offer from Jed, Kylie's cousin, and Rachel's cousin's fiancé. He needs their help with the wedding flowers. The girls agree to help, intrigued by the romantic act Jed is planning and by the fact that Jed is a Christian and his fiancé, Davina, is Jewish.

Life becomes more confusing as Davina shares about her faith. How can someone be both Jewish and Christian? Davina's testimony brings answers to Kylie's confusion about her camp application, but raises questions in Rachel's heart. Her family was deeply hurt by Davina's conversion. But what Davina shares about Yeshua makes sense. What if he was the messiah the Jewish people have been waiting for?

Another great read from Sandra Byrd. What an intriguing story of questions and answers. I had a great time reading about Kylie and Rachel's struggles and how Davina's life testimony impacted them. Sadly, this is the fourth, and final, book in the Friends for a Season series. I wish there were more and anxiously await Sandra's next book. Highly recommended.

I've read about all of Sandra Byrd's books for young adults and I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them---Daisy Chains is no exception. Sandra Byrd's books allow me to empathize with the characters, take on their experiences, learn their lessons, and incorporate them into my own life.
If you like a book with interesting and dynamic characters, a warm message, and good insight and/or if you're simply looking for some advice, this book is for you!

As a Jewish reader who was asked to review this book for a Jewish magazine, I was appalled. The missionizing purpose of this book is so obvious, it's insulting. Jewish life and practice are marginalized and "meaning" is given to Jewish traditions only through a Christian Messianic lens. Even basic facts about Jewish customs are just plain wrong. (Charoset isn't apples & honey, Ms. Byrd. You're mixing things up with Rosh Hashana. Time to do some more research!)

All of the Jews in the book are ignorant of their own heritage and of the rich Jewish meaning behind their holidays and rituals. The Christian characters (and especially Davina, the Jew-turned-Christian) then swoop in to fill the vacuum, and the whole experience is contrived and unbelievable. For example, Rachel's parents barely blink when she says she wants to start exploring Christianity. There is a token scene in which they are "shocked" but everyone conveniently gets over that pretty fast.

I felt like screaming at the Jewish characters, "Go learn about your OWN religion, you fools!" But no, they take the missionary bait hook, line, and sinker.

I feel this is a dangerous book. It will misinform both Jews and Christians about what it means to be Jewish and give missionaries the (hopefully false) impression that ignorant Jews are easy prey.

Oh, and the writing is passable, at best, and that's being generous. I would guess that the reviewers who just love this book also happen to love its missionary message, so they were willing to overlook the self-conscious writing quality.