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Graces #3
Family Graces
Virginia Kate's journey of understanding and forgiveness brings her back to the moment that changed her family's fate forever . . .
"Grandma Faith calls to me to her ending that she says is her beginning. I must start with her, for she is the beginning of Momma who is the beginning of me who tells the stories-the stories are made real by the telling. The others will follow. 'Round we go. The mommas, the daughters, the children. They all wait for the releasing. The women of the ages. The little girls who lost their way and then were found. The mommas who wanted and those who did not. Where one lost, another recovered. The fulled circle goes 'round and 'round."
The final novel of Kathryn Magendie's Graces trilogy completes the saga begun in her acclaimed ebook bestseller TENDER GRACES and its sequel, SECRET GRACES.
"Grandma Faith calls to me to her ending that she says is her beginning. I must start with her, for she is the beginning of Momma who is the beginning of me who tells the stories-the stories are made real by the telling. The others will follow. 'Round we go. The mommas, the daughters, the children. They all wait for the releasing. The women of the ages. The little girls who lost their way and then were found. The mommas who wanted and those who did not. Where one lost, another recovered. The fulled circle goes 'round and 'round."
The final novel of Kathryn Magendie's Graces trilogy completes the saga begun in her acclaimed ebook bestseller TENDER GRACES and its sequel, SECRET GRACES.
- GenresFiction
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2012
3 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Magendie
12 books62 followersKathryn Magendie is an Amazon Best-selling Author of five novels and a novella—TENDER GRACES, her first novel, was an Amazon Kindle Number 1 best-seller, SWEETIE and THE LIGHTNING CHARMER were Amazon best-sellers.
As well as her novelist life, she’s a freelance editor, personal trainer, and former Publishing Editor of The Rose & Thorn.
Her short stories, essays, poetry, and photography have been published in print and online publications. Her novels are available in print and ebook.
She lives in the Smoky Mountains in a little log house in the Cove at Killian Knob in Maggie Valley, Western North Carolina.
I appreciate and adore all my readers! *muwah!*
As well as her novelist life, she’s a freelance editor, personal trainer, and former Publishing Editor of The Rose & Thorn.
Her short stories, essays, poetry, and photography have been published in print and online publications. Her novels are available in print and ebook.
She lives in the Smoky Mountains in a little log house in the Cove at Killian Knob in Maggie Valley, Western North Carolina.
I appreciate and adore all my readers! *muwah!*
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 22, 2012
To read the books that comprise the "Grace's Trilogy" is to fall in love with an intriguing cast of characters, and yet finishing the final volume, "Family Graces," is a wholly bittersweet experience. To be swept away into the lives of Virginia Kate and her family is a joy, and yet, lurking just around the corner of each turned page, is the reality of The End.
Where readers have come to know and care for Virginia Kate and her family over the course of the two books previous, (Tender Graces, Secret Graces)it is in "Family Graces" that the deepest rhelms of reason and understanding are powerfully revealed. What both earlier books have introduced and carried along as curious mysteries, are now skillfully opened and laid bare, coaxing us into the deepest darkest corners.
While I have loved the character of Virginia Kate in each of the "Graces" books, it is her altogether mysterious mother, Katie Ivine, who most captivates and continues to haunt once her final hours are peeled back to reveal the seeds of her tragic core. Kathryn Magendie's graceful yet forceful writing at this pivotal crux is as thoroughly beautiful as it is unforgettable.
Kathryn Magendie's assured gift of storytelling brings the expectation of a good book and she abundantly delivers. Weaving characters and scenes that are alternately charming, humorous (Katie Ivine's deliberate muddlings of "Shakespeare" are priceless), moving, and often strikingly gorgeous, her telling of Family Graces is at all times masterful.
Where readers have come to know and care for Virginia Kate and her family over the course of the two books previous, (Tender Graces, Secret Graces)it is in "Family Graces" that the deepest rhelms of reason and understanding are powerfully revealed. What both earlier books have introduced and carried along as curious mysteries, are now skillfully opened and laid bare, coaxing us into the deepest darkest corners.
While I have loved the character of Virginia Kate in each of the "Graces" books, it is her altogether mysterious mother, Katie Ivine, who most captivates and continues to haunt once her final hours are peeled back to reveal the seeds of her tragic core. Kathryn Magendie's graceful yet forceful writing at this pivotal crux is as thoroughly beautiful as it is unforgettable.
Kathryn Magendie's assured gift of storytelling brings the expectation of a good book and she abundantly delivers. Weaving characters and scenes that are alternately charming, humorous (Katie Ivine's deliberate muddlings of "Shakespeare" are priceless), moving, and often strikingly gorgeous, her telling of Family Graces is at all times masterful.
July 30, 2012
The final book in Kathryn Magendie’s “Graces” trilogy begins with a quote from Shakespeare: “The wheel comes full circle, I am here.” “Family Graces” spins forward on the strength of the main character, Virginia Kate Carey. She brings the story full circle by demonstrating through her actions and her choices that love can overcome the hurts inflicted by dysfunctional families.
At the outset the ghost of her grandmother, Grandma Faith, asks Virginia Kate to tell the family’s stories. These stories, though heartbreaking, must be told to set free Grandma Faith and Katie Ivene, Virginia Kate’s trouble mother.
“Family Graces” delves into the unsettling stories of three characters featured in “Tender Graces” and “Secret Graces.” The reader learns the ugly details about Grandma Faith’s nightmarish life with her husband, Luke, an abusive drink who beats her. Her daughter, Katie Ivene, dreams of becoming famous in Hollywood, a form of escape from her bleak family life. She marries Frederick Carey and she eventually realizes she will never escape her home in the West Virginia mountains. She finds escape by turning to alcohol.
In sharp contrast to Katie Ivene is Rebekha, the woman who raises Virginia Kate. Though Katie Ivene will not allow her to adopt Virginia Kate and her brothers, Micah and Andy, Rebekha provides the one thing their biological mother cannot: unconditional love. We learn about Rebekha’s childhood in a wealthy household and about her distant and emotionally detached parents. Rebekha finds escape through her love of science, the microscope being her lens of choice. Her first love ends in tragedy and she is working in Texas when she meets Frederick Carey.
We also learn the story of Adin, Virginia Kate’s adopted daughter, who is left at her doorstep because her mother believes Virginia Kate’s ex-husband Dylan is the girl’s father. Virginia Kate finds a kindred spirit in Adin, who is visited by Grandma Faith. Like her adoptive mother, Adin overcomes a childhood of neglect to become a well-balanced adult.
Virginia Kate’s healthy relationships with Rebekha and Adin illustrate the redemptive power of love to break the cycle of abuse. The bond formed in those relationships is stronger than that found in some nuclear families.
Magendie elegantly weaves these dark stories, with breaks of levity, into a beautiful quilt, held together by the unique voice of Virginia Kate. I was sad to see this series end, but satisfied with the way the story came full circle.
At the outset the ghost of her grandmother, Grandma Faith, asks Virginia Kate to tell the family’s stories. These stories, though heartbreaking, must be told to set free Grandma Faith and Katie Ivene, Virginia Kate’s trouble mother.
“Family Graces” delves into the unsettling stories of three characters featured in “Tender Graces” and “Secret Graces.” The reader learns the ugly details about Grandma Faith’s nightmarish life with her husband, Luke, an abusive drink who beats her. Her daughter, Katie Ivene, dreams of becoming famous in Hollywood, a form of escape from her bleak family life. She marries Frederick Carey and she eventually realizes she will never escape her home in the West Virginia mountains. She finds escape by turning to alcohol.
In sharp contrast to Katie Ivene is Rebekha, the woman who raises Virginia Kate. Though Katie Ivene will not allow her to adopt Virginia Kate and her brothers, Micah and Andy, Rebekha provides the one thing their biological mother cannot: unconditional love. We learn about Rebekha’s childhood in a wealthy household and about her distant and emotionally detached parents. Rebekha finds escape through her love of science, the microscope being her lens of choice. Her first love ends in tragedy and she is working in Texas when she meets Frederick Carey.
We also learn the story of Adin, Virginia Kate’s adopted daughter, who is left at her doorstep because her mother believes Virginia Kate’s ex-husband Dylan is the girl’s father. Virginia Kate finds a kindred spirit in Adin, who is visited by Grandma Faith. Like her adoptive mother, Adin overcomes a childhood of neglect to become a well-balanced adult.
Virginia Kate’s healthy relationships with Rebekha and Adin illustrate the redemptive power of love to break the cycle of abuse. The bond formed in those relationships is stronger than that found in some nuclear families.
Magendie elegantly weaves these dark stories, with breaks of levity, into a beautiful quilt, held together by the unique voice of Virginia Kate. I was sad to see this series end, but satisfied with the way the story came full circle.
May 23, 2012
Hmmm... I'm struggling between three and four stars here. This was a good and fitting wind-up, I think, to the previous two books. I loved those books; this one gave final voices to the most important characters - the women - but also covered some previous events to help it all make sense. I think part of my problem, if you want to call it a problem, is that I didn't feel the surroundings as strongly as I did in the past.
While not my favorite of the three in this family saga, I would pick up a Magendie book over most other authors, any day.
While not my favorite of the three in this family saga, I would pick up a Magendie book over most other authors, any day.
June 16, 2012
Last of the series & sad it's over!
May 23, 2014
Sadly, Virginia Kate's story came full circle. I will miss her, Grandma Faith, Momma, Micah, Andy and Bobby. I might even miss Frederick - still don't know how sweet Rebekah put up with him.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews