3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buried Secrets Revealed, November 3, 2004
This review is from: The Delta Sisters (Hardcover)
When I sat down to read The Delta Sisters, I was mentally prepared to read a novel about the adventures of pledging a sorority and being a part of a sisterhood. But author Kayla Perrin took me in a totally different direction with this brilliantly written novel of murder, suspense and betrayal. Sylvia Grayson is the matriarch of an affluent African-American family in New Orleans. Her family heritage includes being the daughter of one of the original founders of Delta Gamma Psi sorority. The women of this family carry down the traditions of attending Dillard University and pledging Delta.
Being of an elite heritage, Sylvia marries a jazz musician, whom is considered beneath her by her family standards. From the union, a daughter named Olivia is conceived. It is expected of her to follow in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother and attend Dillard and pledge Delta.
During the summer of 1975, when a stranger moves to town and a young girl is murdered, the nature of Sylvia and Olivia's relationship is changed forever. An incident from Sylvia's past comes back to haunt her. She believes that the young man she has hired to do some work around the estate knows what she would prefer to keep hidden. She pays the young man to leave town. This totally devastates Olivia, who has developed a relationship with him.
Olivia grows up to be the author of horror stories. She is an embarrassment to her mother because of her drinking and the erotic nature of her fiction. Although a Delta member, Sylvia barely acknowledges her presence and overlooks her for committees. Olivia realizes her mother still considers her a disappointment. She fails to recognize the relationship with Rachelle is failing miserably. Rachelle develops a rebellious streak after her best friend; Alette tells her she overheard Olivia admitting she deceitfully altered the path of Rachelle's future. Rachelle goes against her upbringing, even contemplating not following the tradition of becoming a Delta.
A person from Olivia's past reenters her life around the same time Sylvia is receiving threats and accusations concerning the murder of a young girl in 1975. Through a series of events, secrets are revealed that hurt and change the way Olivia sees her mother. It all culminates with dead bodies, explosive revelations of "who done it" and eventually, restored relationships.
Kayla Perrin did an outstanding job keeping me guessing and flipping pages. I thought the drama would never end. Just when you think you have it figured out, there's another plot twist. This is a really good read.
Reviewed by Paula Henderson of Loose Leaves Book Review
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
sisterhood vs. family, April 24, 2005
This review is from: The Delta Sisters (Hardcover)
Easy and interesting book to read as I read in an evening setting as my interest had questions I wanted answered. Since I was not a part of a sorority setting I wanted to know what was so special about these groups but that was not really the storyline as much as it was about a family bonding together before they seek to go out and help the world that may seem to be less fortunate.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Secrets Never Stay Hidden, April 5, 2005
This review is from: The Delta Sisters (Hardcover)
New Orleans is considered The Delta. This is a book about murder, suspense and betrayal. Lies come back to hunt mother Sylvia Grayson. Sylvia Grayson is the matriarch of an affluent family. The tradition for the women in the family is to attend Dillard University and pledge Delta sorority. Sylvia's daughter Olivia falls in love with a stranger to the dismay of Sylvia. This stranger is suspected of murdering a girl in New Orleans, and Sylvia suspects he knows secrets about her she would rather keep hidden. She pays him to leave town, upsetting Olivia. Olivia grows up still hurt about losing a man she loved and with a daughter of her own. Olivia is doing the same thing to her own daughter Rachelle that her mother has done to her.
This family is very dysfunctional. Olivia was so set against Rochelle attending any other colleges; she threw out Rachel's acceptance letters. Rachelle so wanting her own identity she considers going against family tradition to rebel against her mother. When all is said and done, secrets are revealed in an explosive ending.
This book was slow, slow, slow. Chapter 55-56 were the most exciting parts of the book. I was about to put it down when I got to that point. I really felt the story did not need to be dragged out so much. I just did not like this book by the time I finished it. Glad I borrowed this from the library.
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