Customer Reviews

Prayers and Lies

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The story is as gripping as the sad-eyed girl on the cover -- it just grabs you and pulls you right along down the banks of the river in West Virginia, where this family saga unfolds across generations. The author pulls no punches with her fascinating cast of characters, some you will like, and some you will revile. This is not a book where you read a chapter, wait a few days, read another chapter, until you are done. Plan to spend some time with Prayers and Lies once you get started because you are not going to want to stop reading it until you are finished. It is a really terrific first novel by Sherri Wood Emmons.

Bethany, a seven year old girl from Indianapolis begins to spend her summers with her parents, sisters, and extended family at the Coal River in West Virginia. While the life here is much different from what she is used to, she quickly feels both at peace and at home here, and forms a tight, sisterly bond with her six year old cousin, Reana Mae. There is a simpleness here on the River that Bethy finds comforting. Though they may not have the "riches" that Bethy has at home, they have the "riches" of love, family, and a place to always call home.

As the years go on, things begin to change. People begin to change. And just maybe, things on the Coal River aren't nearly as perfect as Bethy thinks. The sweet innocence of their summers begin to take on a dark, impossible-to-fathom identity that will rock this town and this extended family to its core. It will bring to the surface memories that this family would rather leave buried in the past. It will shatter lives in a way that no one could ever imagine. But a larger question remains - will it bring Bethy and Reana Mae closer than they've ever been, or will it turn them into bitter enemies with no hope of ever finding that deep, close friendship they shared when they were younger?

From page one, you will become entrenched in the lives of Bethy, Reana Mae and the rest of their family. Your heart will ache for their past sufferings, and your mind will scream at them for the situations they now find themselves in. Can this current generation overcome the sins of those that came before them? Or are they destined to repeat those same mistakes? Will lies continue to be told? Will the prayers finally be answered? If you only read one book in 2011, make sure it is Prayers and Lies . The raw emotion, the angst of the teenage years, the desire to be wanted, needed, and loved, the hatred, the lies, the secrets, the pain, the joy and the yearnings of Bethany and her cousin Reana Mae will take hold of your heart from the very first page and never let go. An amazing story of love, friendship, and the test of time that will stay will you long after you turn the last page.

Sherri Emmons brings to life the trials and tribulations of growing up in West Virginia. Growing up around a multi-generational family brings into focus the many different group dynamics, lies and friendships that can develop. The girl on the cover tells some of the story before you even open the cover. This book is a great rainy day, or snowy day read. The author is able to draw the reader in with well written descriptive passages that keep you wanting to know what happens next.

This may be a book for adults however, due to the coming of age aspect high school students could easily relate and enjoy the book. I have handed off my copy to friends and family and they all have truly enjoyed it. The discussion questions at the end of the book lend itself to book discussion groups and get lively talks once read. I hope that this new author continues to write with the talent, poise and understanding that has been shown in her first novel. She is a joy to read.

I was immediately drawn in by the characters and the setting. I definitely could identify with the events in the lives of these young girls, and I couldn't wait to find out how the story was going to end. This book is difficult to put down, and you are not going to be disappointed!

This is a very appropriate, thought-provoking title for this book. Sherri Wood Emmons is a new voice in fiction, and one well-worth listening to.

Most families are held together with ties that bind, and often are prayers and lies. Such is the family of this narrator, Bethany and her cousin Reana Mae.

Every summer, Bethany's family goes home to the Coal River Valley of West Virginia. She and her cousin Reana Mae, both "misfits" develop a "sisterhood". As they grow through adolescence, the shocking realities of family secrets, lies, and "bad blood" brings them closer, yet threatens to tear the entire family apart.

Bethany's own sheltered life "up north" eventually becomes jeopardized by Reana Mae's everyday life and the devastating horror of it, down in Coal River.

The sister-cousins cling to each other through it all, as they learn about life, the different kinds of love, family, and their rightful place in the world.

This is an excellent book from an excellent new author.

I have just finished reading this book, and it was excellent. I could not put this book down. I have had it for sometime, and did not get in a hurry to read........shame on me. I loved the characters. The book continually moved from one exciting event to another. I enjoyed reading about how kinfolks cared for one another back in the 1950's. For anyone interested in books of that time and date; this is a must!

Bethany and her cousin Reana Mae are soul sisters, inseparable during the summers when Bethany and her family stay at their cottage in West Virginia's Coal River Valley. As they grow up, Bethany realizes that not everything is as perfect as it seems, and every family has dark secrets. As these secrets come to light, Bethany's world is rocked, and she must decide how to react towards those she loves most.

This was a haunting story that I couldn't put down. The secrets and events that happen within this family were a rollercoaster that never seemed to stop. From the sad to the horrific, the family seemed to endure so many tragic events.

I thought the true meaning of family was explored as the characters showed themselves to be devoted to each other, even as their world crashed down around them. The family always seemed to rally together and help support each other, even if the actions didn't always seem to be the right course to take. It's hard to explain what actions I didn't agree with without giving the story though.

At times, Bethany seemed very young and innocent for her age, the exact opposite of Reana Mae. I thought this juxaposition was very realistic based on each of their upbringings, and found it to really highlight the difference a child's environment can have on their development.

As a sidenote, the cover of the book breaks my heart. The little girl looks so sad and innocent, but something about it tells you she knows things she shouldn't at that age. It really reflects the story well, but it makes me want to tear up everytime I look at it.

As an avid reader I love to find a new author with great story to tell and a wonderful way of telling it. From page one you're drawn in to the characters Bethany, and Reana Mae and all of their relatives and family secrets in Indianapolis and West Virginia. You find yourself happy for their summer innocence and then your heart breaking for all that happens as their lives are affected by the secrets of the past. This book by Sherri Wood Emmons is one you truly can't put down. Loved it!

This is one of the best first novels I've ever come across. It kept drawing my thoughts back to Carolyn Chute's "The Beans of Egypt, Maine"... West Virginia style. Emmons' syntax is smooth and thoughtful. Her fully fleshed-out narrative arc took me along for a full day and night, until I sadly finished this page-turner. It deserves 6 stars. It's the kind of work that you find yourself thinking about two, three days later; it's a story I'll never forget.

Lois Cowan
ghost: "Deer in the Headlights" by Levi Johnston
Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin's Crosshairs

I must disagree with the "Publishers Weekly" review. I found that the "stereotypically unsavory redneck doings" to be an enhancement to rather than a detraction from this book. Those "doings" set the tone for the story and added a good deal of authenticity to the locale and time period being portrayed. In addition, those "doings" made some of the the other actions by the various characters more understandable.

I REALLY liked both this story and the author's writing style. I felt like I was right next to the characters as they experienced the enchanting moments and horrific events that unfolded as the narrative progressed.

As I read, I felt like I truly knew Bethany and Reana Mae...like they were the "kids next door" . The other characters were also superbly developed. Overall, this tale DRIPS with REALITY! ...nmr