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So the Sign Said
Seventeen-year-old Jordan Klein is a New York City girl who cracks wise to deal with the world around her. Her mother, Rachel, is a litigator—sharp, refined, and always careful not to spill her gin and tonic on the couch. Her father, Eli, is a professor of divinity, an unapologetic eccentric and, in Jordan’s eyes, a dipsy-doodling disaster. When he agrees to pastor a small Texas church for the summer, he turns Jordan’s world upside down.
It’s not long before Jordan meets Knox Colville, a local teenage heartthrob who eases Jordan’s stay even as he complicates it. Jordan also finds an unlikely friend in Bliss LeBaron, a whimsical blonde with big dreams. Through Knox and Bliss, Jordan discovers the best parts of her new summer home, including the strange church sign outside her bedroom window. The quirky sign offers advice, provides pun-laden humor, and has an uncanny ability to predict the future—including hers.
For anyone who likes bubble gum snow cones, stampeding pigs, roaring chainsaws, llamas that look like Rihanna, eyebrowless bandits—with a few sharp moments of loss and compassion sprinkled on top—SO THE SIGN SAID is an irresistible read that will leave you glad and light-hearted.
It’s not long before Jordan meets Knox Colville, a local teenage heartthrob who eases Jordan’s stay even as he complicates it. Jordan also finds an unlikely friend in Bliss LeBaron, a whimsical blonde with big dreams. Through Knox and Bliss, Jordan discovers the best parts of her new summer home, including the strange church sign outside her bedroom window. The quirky sign offers advice, provides pun-laden humor, and has an uncanny ability to predict the future—including hers.
For anyone who likes bubble gum snow cones, stampeding pigs, roaring chainsaws, llamas that look like Rihanna, eyebrowless bandits—with a few sharp moments of loss and compassion sprinkled on top—SO THE SIGN SAID is an irresistible read that will leave you glad and light-hearted.
232 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2012
5 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Natasha Osteen
1 book11 followersMy love of writing sprung from the first time I jumped on a plane without a book or a charged laptop. It was either write down the stories living in my head or watch the in-flight entertainment, Alvin and the Chipmunks 2.
I live in Texas with my husband, daughter, son, schnoodle, and horribly obnoxious cat. When I'm not writing, I'm a loud-laughing, in-the-books, know-it-all, high-strung lawyer. SO THE SIGN SAID is my first novel.
I live in Texas with my husband, daughter, son, schnoodle, and horribly obnoxious cat. When I'm not writing, I'm a loud-laughing, in-the-books, know-it-all, high-strung lawyer. SO THE SIGN SAID is my first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 18, 2012
Funny, entertaining, and a good story line. It's also a good clean read for kids (and parents) who prefer this kind of book.
June 23, 2022
Cute in spots, awkward in spots, and very much written in the voice of a teen. Definitely a book where there is room for the protagonist to grow from the beginning to end of the book (and she did, some!); .
Disclaimer: Received this book for free through Goodreads' First Reads giveaway program.
Pull quotes/notes for me:
"'What are you reading?' he asked.
'Stray Shopping Carts of North America,' I said, pointing to A Prayer for Owen Meany." (18) what a pull!
"Mom and I stood in solidarity. Even though her boss was the poster child for 'stranger danger,' I still didn't want to go to Ashworth." (19) but that's a textbook example of why stranger danger was a failure--your mom's boss is no stranger
"At a restaurant in Memphis, I put our name
on the list as 'Donner'-the pioneers that resorted to cannibalism to survive. When the hostess called, 'Donner, party of three,' I said, 'Great, we're really hungry.'" (21) *chef's kiss*
"'Maybe we should paint a lawyer's suit on the side of my door,' Mom said. 'And Eli, we can paint the body of a donkey on yours.'" (29) mean but also I feel like Eli is being a selfish jerk so
"The house had two dormers and tattered
butter-colored siding, plus a rickety full-length front porch and an odd, cupola-topped carport." (31) now I want a cupola carport
"'And this is my little brother,' Bliss announced, pushing him in front of her.
'Little' brother. Ahhh, irony." (37) you see it's funny because he's fat and the protagonist is an asshole (teenager) (it's not actually funny though, just assholic)
"I had no other choice but to hang with Bliss and her little brother Boyd (who was dressed like an airline pilot)." (57) Boyd is the MVP of this book
"'Well, Jacob's always loved China, so I'm not shocked he ender up there. In fact, Eli calls him hardboiled.'
Knox looked at me questioningly.
'You know, white on the outside and yellow on the inside?' I continued." (76) I...have feelings about this context
"Mom stormed out of the room. 'Why did we ever come to this godforsaken place?'" (81) the question I've had since they did. Why would Eli not just go by himself to play pastor
"... Buck honked as they passed the marquee. Dad and I read it together.
'Don't Give Up! Even Moses Was a Basket Case!'" (86) I snorted aloud at this. New favorite religious bumper sticker.
"Whether it was from the stress of the morning or the last two years" (86) hits different reading this in 2022
"'Yeah, but ghost stories with flying furniture, screams, and voices saying "GET OUT" never scared me as a kid.' Cesar shrugged and continued eating his pizza. 'One of the benefits of having Latino
parents.'" (89) I also have feelings about this context
"At the same time, Bliss was right. I definitely didn't need any projects. Stryder was enough.
Speaking of, how come he hasn't called me?" (90) real teen talk though
"'Where [Mom] told me that if a boy tried to French kiss me to step back and say--and I quote-'Sorry, fill-in-the-blank, French kissing is upper persuasion for lower invasion.'" (90) ok after Boyd, the mother of the protagonist might be my favorite
"I pranced toward the front door. 'We're going sailing!'" (111) fully in sympathy with the protagonist here
"'So it goes like this: when you're driving and you spot some cows grazing—which is not hard here—you roll down the window and yell as loud as you can, "Hey, Cow!" For every cow that turns its head, you get a point.'" (123) I would genuinely play this game now
"'Awesome, I'm signing you up for this one.' He grinned and placed my name by the thirty-dollar line for Miss Hackler's" 'Moroccan Surprise'—two belly-dancing lessons.
I slapped him on the arm. 'That's a veiled threat.'
Knox groaned." (143) ok warming up to the protagonist
"'Gambling. I never understood the draw,' I added." (152) I don't know if this is intended to be a pun but I hope so
Disclaimer: Received this book for free through Goodreads' First Reads giveaway program.
Pull quotes/notes for me:
"'What are you reading?' he asked.
'Stray Shopping Carts of North America,' I said, pointing to A Prayer for Owen Meany." (18) what a pull!
"Mom and I stood in solidarity. Even though her boss was the poster child for 'stranger danger,' I still didn't want to go to Ashworth." (19) but that's a textbook example of why stranger danger was a failure--your mom's boss is no stranger
"At a restaurant in Memphis, I put our name
on the list as 'Donner'-the pioneers that resorted to cannibalism to survive. When the hostess called, 'Donner, party of three,' I said, 'Great, we're really hungry.'" (21) *chef's kiss*
"'Maybe we should paint a lawyer's suit on the side of my door,' Mom said. 'And Eli, we can paint the body of a donkey on yours.'" (29) mean but also I feel like Eli is being a selfish jerk so
"The house had two dormers and tattered
butter-colored siding, plus a rickety full-length front porch and an odd, cupola-topped carport." (31) now I want a cupola carport
"'And this is my little brother,' Bliss announced, pushing him in front of her.
'Little' brother. Ahhh, irony." (37) you see it's funny because he's fat and the protagonist is an asshole (teenager) (it's not actually funny though, just assholic)
"I had no other choice but to hang with Bliss and her little brother Boyd (who was dressed like an airline pilot)." (57) Boyd is the MVP of this book
"'Well, Jacob's always loved China, so I'm not shocked he ender up there. In fact, Eli calls him hardboiled.'
Knox looked at me questioningly.
'You know, white on the outside and yellow on the inside?' I continued." (76) I...have feelings about this context
"Mom stormed out of the room. 'Why did we ever come to this godforsaken place?'" (81) the question I've had since they did. Why would Eli not just go by himself to play pastor
"... Buck honked as they passed the marquee. Dad and I read it together.
'Don't Give Up! Even Moses Was a Basket Case!'" (86) I snorted aloud at this. New favorite religious bumper sticker.
"Whether it was from the stress of the morning or the last two years" (86) hits different reading this in 2022
"'Yeah, but ghost stories with flying furniture, screams, and voices saying "GET OUT" never scared me as a kid.' Cesar shrugged and continued eating his pizza. 'One of the benefits of having Latino
parents.'" (89) I also have feelings about this context
"At the same time, Bliss was right. I definitely didn't need any projects. Stryder was enough.
Speaking of, how come he hasn't called me?" (90) real teen talk though
"'Where [Mom] told me that if a boy tried to French kiss me to step back and say--and I quote-'Sorry, fill-in-the-blank, French kissing is upper persuasion for lower invasion.'" (90) ok after Boyd, the mother of the protagonist might be my favorite
"I pranced toward the front door. 'We're going sailing!'" (111) fully in sympathy with the protagonist here
"'So it goes like this: when you're driving and you spot some cows grazing—which is not hard here—you roll down the window and yell as loud as you can, "Hey, Cow!" For every cow that turns its head, you get a point.'" (123) I would genuinely play this game now
"'Awesome, I'm signing you up for this one.' He grinned and placed my name by the thirty-dollar line for Miss Hackler's" 'Moroccan Surprise'—two belly-dancing lessons.
I slapped him on the arm. 'That's a veiled threat.'
Knox groaned." (143) ok warming up to the protagonist
"'Gambling. I never understood the draw,' I added." (152) I don't know if this is intended to be a pun but I hope so
November 25, 2013
I got this book for free through the Goodreads First Reads program. It took awhile for me to get it which was disappointing, but I am looking forward to reading it now that it is here.
This book is a Christian story, and at first that worried me. I am agnostic and so I didn't want to read a story that was preachy and tried to convert the readers. This book did not try to do that. It was a cheerful story that anyone could enjoy. Not just Christians.
I liked the characters. Jordan grew a lot during the story. I especially liked reading about her relationship with her parents. It was fun to read about the small town, too. I am not from a small town so I enjoyed reading about this one.
Overall I would give this book three our of five stars. It just didn't wow me enough to get anything more than that. However, I did enjoy it and think that other people who want a light read will also like it. I'm glad that I won this book because otherwise I doubt I would have ever read it. I just wish that I wouldn't have had to contact goodreads to have the author send me it.
This book is a Christian story, and at first that worried me. I am agnostic and so I didn't want to read a story that was preachy and tried to convert the readers. This book did not try to do that. It was a cheerful story that anyone could enjoy. Not just Christians.
I liked the characters. Jordan grew a lot during the story. I especially liked reading about her relationship with her parents. It was fun to read about the small town, too. I am not from a small town so I enjoyed reading about this one.
Overall I would give this book three our of five stars. It just didn't wow me enough to get anything more than that. However, I did enjoy it and think that other people who want a light read will also like it. I'm glad that I won this book because otherwise I doubt I would have ever read it. I just wish that I wouldn't have had to contact goodreads to have the author send me it.
March 10, 2014
I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was a very pleasant surprise. It's not something I would have sought out on my own, as a 30 something agnostic who doesn't have a Christian background. That's the nice thing about literature though, living in another world for a brief period of time.
I zipped through this book fairly quickly. Jordan made for a delightful heroine, and I loved the supporting characters. I felt like the plot allowed for a lot of conflict without making for any villains. The characters are all likable, without being inane.
It's also a nice portrait of everyday, ordinary Christians with a witty and intelligent undertone throughout the novel.
It's something I highly recommend for young teenage readers who want something entertaining, but isn't vapid and soulless.
This book was a very pleasant surprise. It's not something I would have sought out on my own, as a 30 something agnostic who doesn't have a Christian background. That's the nice thing about literature though, living in another world for a brief period of time.
I zipped through this book fairly quickly. Jordan made for a delightful heroine, and I loved the supporting characters. I felt like the plot allowed for a lot of conflict without making for any villains. The characters are all likable, without being inane.
It's also a nice portrait of everyday, ordinary Christians with a witty and intelligent undertone throughout the novel.
It's something I highly recommend for young teenage readers who want something entertaining, but isn't vapid and soulless.
January 19, 2019
Jordan Klein is a city girl whose father decides to take a temporary pastor position in a small town in Texas. Jordan is not up for small town living and isn't afraid to express her opinion. She meets a quirky girl who she grows close with. She also wonders about the mysterious boy at the cafe. As she continues to go through the motions there, she actually begins to feel more and more at home.
This was a cute and funny story about a city girl who travels to the middle of nowhere. I really enjoyed Jordan's character. She is funny and sarcastic. She also isn't afraid to express her opinion. I enjoyed the funny stories of her family and the crazy things they do. I really enjoyed this book. It was such a fun read!
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This was a cute and funny story about a city girl who travels to the middle of nowhere. I really enjoyed Jordan's character. She is funny and sarcastic. She also isn't afraid to express her opinion. I enjoyed the funny stories of her family and the crazy things they do. I really enjoyed this book. It was such a fun read!
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
December 27, 2012
Story about a girl who leaves NYC for the summer thinking she's going to have a horrible time, her life will be ruined, teen drama fit, etc. Throughout the time she's there, she actually has fun, makes new & genuine friends and learns to about love for a guy who is true and real. Not only does Jordan Klein grow to become a much better person, but she also grows in her faith for God and for others. From going shallow and worrying about how she fits in back in NYC, she learns to care, believe and trust in something bigger and how somethings aren't always what they seem. I recommend this book for teens of faith and without it, as well as adults too.
November 9, 2013
Jordan lives a comfortable, privileged life in NY City. Her father is a religion professor and her mother is a high powered attorney. When Jordan and her family must move to Ashford, Texas for the summer Jordan throws a fit. She doesn't want to spend the summer in the middle of nowhere Texas when she could be in NY City. After many missteps she learns that maybe the middle of nowhere isn't such a bad place to be.
This was a quick, fun book, although I did think there was a little too much of the "country bumpkin" description of the small town. Jordan is a (mostly) likeable character who goes through fairly serious culture shock.
This was a quick, fun book, although I did think there was a little too much of the "country bumpkin" description of the small town. Jordan is a (mostly) likeable character who goes through fairly serious culture shock.
August 10, 2012
I loved the theory behind this coming-of-age book. A kind-of preacher’s kid from a slightly dysfunctional family starts noticing that the church sign next door is prophetic. Even though it’s light and funny, at first I really didn't like the main character, Jordan. She seemed a tad selfish - but I grew to really really love her! I didn’t see the ending coming either. Overall, fun book, definitely worth the read!
June 1, 2014
I really liked this book and the characters in it. Jordan, Bliss, and Knox where really fun characters to follow because I could relate to them. I could relate Jordan and her unhappiness of moving to a different state to me, and I could relate Bliss and Knox to my best friends.
Overall this book was a delight to read and the fact that the characters can be related to people is a bonus.
Overall this book was a delight to read and the fact that the characters can be related to people is a bonus.
March 1, 2013
This was a really great book. Jordan is a fabulous, witty character, so be prepared to fall in love with her and the rest of the characters. There where some really hilarious lines in this book that had me cracking up, so get ready to laugh your butts off!
February 28, 2013
I recieved a signed copy here on goodreads, and am glad I did. Despite some jarring juxtapostion betwin some scenes, this was a fun and delightful read. This is begs for a series centered around this deligtful town and it's residents. Hopefully, we will find out who writes those messages.
December 5, 2012
A funny and heartwarming read!
Read
July 7, 2016Sweet, some humor. Nice, clean read with some romance and family drama.
January 12, 2015
There were parts that I really liked and quite a few parts that just didn't work for me. Overall, not bad but not a favorite, either.
June 6, 2015
I couldnt get into this book very much, the characters and plot were ok, but the dialogue and style weren't to my liking.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews