Things Worth Remembering [Paperback]

Jackina Stark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Kendy Laswell and her daughter, Maisey, used to do everything together--until one fateful summer when Maisey witnessed something she shouldn't have, and their relationship fractured. Now, Maisey is back home to get married and Kendy realizes this is her last chance to reconnect with her daughter. Will Kendy and Maisey be able to reclaim the bond they once shared?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Once again, Stark delves into the complexities of human relationships and the ramifications of hope lost. Her characters are real, flawed, and sympathetic. I hope we'll be hearing more of Stark in the future." --5MinutesforBooks.com

From the Back Cover

Maisey asked for a bride doll the Christmas she was five, mesmerized by her aunt's wedding the fall before. Since then I've been dreaming of the day, or days, we would shop for her wedding dress. A mother helping her daughter find just the right creation for that momentous walk down the aisle strikes me as one of life's happiest endeavors. The night she called to tell us she'd bought her "dream of a gown," I sat beside Luke on the couch, a striking contrast to Maisey's exuberance. My dejection seemed a tad inappropriate. "Being hurt because I wasn't included is silly, isn't it?" I asked. "Not so silly," he said. Will I ever quit longing for the Maisey who was once mine?_ Kendy Laswell and her daughter, Maisey, used to do everything together--until one fateful summer when everything changed. Now, Maisey is back home to get married, and Kendy is determined to reconnect with her daughter. But can a bond so long broken ever be restored?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764207113
• ISBN-13: 978-0764207112
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,612,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This BOOK is Worth Remembering!!, November 12, 2009

By 

S. Maupin (Lincoln, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Things Worth Remembering (Paperback)

Another great book by Jackina Stark!! This book gripped me from the first page.I wanted to stretch it out and savor the characters, but I couldn't put it down. I finished it in two days! It is unlike any other book I have ever read. I absolutely loved it!! Jackina's style is fresh and creative and honest. This book made me want to be a better wife, mom and friend.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story of the importance of forgiveness, October 14, 2009

By 

Janna R. Ryan (Nebraska) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Things Worth Remembering (Paperback)

Forgiveness. Is it really important? "Things Worth Remembering" is a beautiful example of how important forgiveness is. Kendy loves her only daughter Maisey more than life itself and until Maisey was 13 they had the perfect mother / daughter relationship. Then Kendy entered a very dark period in her life and the relationship they had was destroyed beyond repair and Kendy doesn't know what to do to fix it. The problem is that Kendy doesn't have all the information, or rather Maisey has more information than Kendy realizes she does. Too much information can be a very bad thing and Maisey has never been able to forgive her mom. Now she is getting married to a wonderful man and everything comes to a head. What will happen when the darkness finally sees the light?

Jackina Stark has an amazing way of delving deep into her characters and bringing them to life. Kendy and Maisey are incredible people in their own rights and then Luke (Kendy's husband) and Marcus (Maisey's soon to be husband) are wonderfully strong secondary characters that many times are the reason the story moves forward. The overall theme of the book, how unforgiveness will change who you are and destroy your happiness, is so well spoken in Jackina's voice that I will recommend this book strongly to any woman's fiction lovers. Excellent.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second novel proves author's amazing talent, October 12, 2009

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Things Worth Remembering (Paperback)

Things Worth Remembering by Jackina Stark is another beautifully written, poignant novel by the author. For the first thirteen years of Maisy Laswell's life, she and her mother, Kendy, were connected at the heart, with a relationship most mothers and daughters would love to have. After witnessing something the summer she turned thirteen, their bond is shattered and now nine years later as Maisy prepares for her wedding, their distance is only accentuated. Stark has a unusual talent for creating multi-layered characters were unexpected depth. Both Kendy and Maisy are equally sympathetic, and the reader can't help but ache for both of them, as well as be inspired to take a closer look at their own relationships. There's a powerful message about forgiveness and redemption; the longer we hold on to anger and hurt, the more power it gains over us, eating away at the very soul. I dare the reader to make it through the final chapter without crying! Stark is definitely a new author to watch; she only seems to get better with each book.