What do you think?
Rate this book
Chokecherry
Forty-one year old Dana Quinn, a closet writer, career waitress and three-time psych ward patient has just lost her last family member. For Dana to go on, she must create a life meaningful enough to answer her eternal question: why did she alone survive the accident that killed her family? That's a tall order for someone who's barely managed to exist. Never married, in and out of an institution where only her writing saved her, Dana works a dismal job with a few friends she's managed to keep at a safe distance.Lost and hopeless in the weeks following her aunt's unexpected death, Dana discovers a letter and takes her advice to walk away from her life in Queens and return to her family farm to write herself well one more time. For over thirty years Dana's believed the farm was sold and did her best to forget it. But what if everything in the house is frozen in time exactly the way they left it? Nothing can stop her from walking through that door.On the road she adopts a one-eared dog and finds a new best friend in Iowan-turned-New Yorker, Stu, who's given up designing off-Broadway sets to care for his ailing mother back in his tiny hometown.Chokecherry, her father's beloved farm, is not at all what Dana expects and far more than she bargains for. By firelight, Malcolm reveals the cryptic history buried in the tunnel, and why the big barn strikes fear in the hearts of those who enter it. Despite its tragic past, the farm also possesses an undeniable capacity to heal the broken. In fact, it seems to be a magnet for broken hearts. Just as Dana and her friends form a tight bond and rise to the challenge of helping Chokecherry realize its true potential, a supernatural ability she's failed to repress for years, nearly kills her. Dana's forced to fight for a life she wants--a life that finally answers her eternal question in ways she never could've imagined.
351 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2014
26 people want to read
About the author
Sheri Meshal
7 books223 followersSheri Meshal spent most of her childhood on an old farm in Iowa. She loves dogs, neuroscience, reading and mini-triathlons. When she isn’t writing, she’s hanging out with her nieces and nephews every chance she gets. She currently lives in Chicago with her boyfriend, Gabe and her dog, Jessica.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 14, 2015
A story that will take you through loss, uncertainty, second chances, hope and the special bond of friendship.
After a tragic car accident loosing her parents and siblings the young Dana leaves the cherished family farm to live with her Aunt Imra. In time the trauma sees her treated as an inpatient more than once to get her back to herself and she also uses her own talents to 'write herself well' by continuing her siblings life's through pen and paper. When her elderly aunt dies after falling down the stairs, secrets she has kept from Dana are told and she is encouraged to return to the farm she once knew as home.
Her journey see's her build in confidence and fate brings Dana and her soon to be best friend Stu together as well as her new furry loyal friend, one eared Slim (the dog). It's a reminder of how people can just enter into your life unexpectedly for a reason or a need and this is exactly what happens here. Dana comes alive when she is reaquanted with the family farm, although now sadly derelict, the memories still hold it together for her. The reunion with her neighbour Malcolm, who had continued to look after the place, gets off to a tricky start but you see it gradually blossom. Dana gets a second chance of life, freedom from the past memories and the weight of loss and a new reason to live. The three of them strive to create something magical and uplifting with the farm but will the farms tormented secret and their lack of money halt their plans?
Sheri has a unique ability to create a magical visual read purely by the talent of her writing as she describes life on the other side or spiritual life from within oneself, for myself personally I would have absolutely loved more of this in the story. It took the first couple of chapters to pull me into the story, having to re-read certain parts as it jumped around a little, but by no means do not let this put you off, it is well worth the read and by the end I was flicking those pages almost as fast as I was reading them. Once read you will find yourself thinking back fondly to the characters and the story.
This is a story is full of hope, reinvention and how you can take control in the opportunities of life if you would only let yourself. If your looking for a really nice enjoyable read and enjoy a beautiful drop of spiritual fiction wrote beautifully by the authors hand then this is the book for you.
After a tragic car accident loosing her parents and siblings the young Dana leaves the cherished family farm to live with her Aunt Imra. In time the trauma sees her treated as an inpatient more than once to get her back to herself and she also uses her own talents to 'write herself well' by continuing her siblings life's through pen and paper. When her elderly aunt dies after falling down the stairs, secrets she has kept from Dana are told and she is encouraged to return to the farm she once knew as home.
Her journey see's her build in confidence and fate brings Dana and her soon to be best friend Stu together as well as her new furry loyal friend, one eared Slim (the dog). It's a reminder of how people can just enter into your life unexpectedly for a reason or a need and this is exactly what happens here. Dana comes alive when she is reaquanted with the family farm, although now sadly derelict, the memories still hold it together for her. The reunion with her neighbour Malcolm, who had continued to look after the place, gets off to a tricky start but you see it gradually blossom. Dana gets a second chance of life, freedom from the past memories and the weight of loss and a new reason to live. The three of them strive to create something magical and uplifting with the farm but will the farms tormented secret and their lack of money halt their plans?
Sheri has a unique ability to create a magical visual read purely by the talent of her writing as she describes life on the other side or spiritual life from within oneself, for myself personally I would have absolutely loved more of this in the story. It took the first couple of chapters to pull me into the story, having to re-read certain parts as it jumped around a little, but by no means do not let this put you off, it is well worth the read and by the end I was flicking those pages almost as fast as I was reading them. Once read you will find yourself thinking back fondly to the characters and the story.
This is a story is full of hope, reinvention and how you can take control in the opportunities of life if you would only let yourself. If your looking for a really nice enjoyable read and enjoy a beautiful drop of spiritual fiction wrote beautifully by the authors hand then this is the book for you.
June 24, 2014
Chokecherry is a unique read for any book lover. Chokecherry is the name of Dana’s deceased fathers farm, the family farm. The family farm that she had thought had been sold off, sold off so that she wouldn’t have to face the past. Dana discovers that the farm has not been sold, and in turn get to re-visit. Seems like a simple task, right? Well Dana has some skeletons that she has to deal with, skeletons that she has carried around for a very long time. Dana herself has been in and out of psych wards three times, she is the last sole survivor of her family at age 41, and she longs to know why.
Chokecherry is a wonderful example of how one attempts to recover from a traumatic life. I found the characters very well-developed and could easily see them as neighbors or friends. The journey that the book takes you through is heartbreaking, exhilarating, and even touches of laughter. Three strong characters, each seeking answers to what haunts them, each trying to bury their past, and move on to a better life.
Chokecherry is one of those books that if you have never experiences trauma, never experienced a bit of mental instability you might have a bit of difficulty understanding the characters and the plot. This is a novel that you must take “as is”. If you have lived a “Fairy Tale” existence, you won’t have a chance at understanding. But for the majority of us, this is a fabulous journey to healing and facing your skeletons.
Chokecherry is a wonderful example of how one attempts to recover from a traumatic life. I found the characters very well-developed and could easily see them as neighbors or friends. The journey that the book takes you through is heartbreaking, exhilarating, and even touches of laughter. Three strong characters, each seeking answers to what haunts them, each trying to bury their past, and move on to a better life.
Chokecherry is one of those books that if you have never experiences trauma, never experienced a bit of mental instability you might have a bit of difficulty understanding the characters and the plot. This is a novel that you must take “as is”. If you have lived a “Fairy Tale” existence, you won’t have a chance at understanding. But for the majority of us, this is a fabulous journey to healing and facing your skeletons.
June 13, 2014
When I started reading Dana's story, I knew right away that there was something more for her to find. Her Aunt was smart to have made a plan for Dana, but she was also so logical and driven to lay the plan out so that Dana would go back to Chokecherry. There had to be something important there. I was not ready for the way Sheri Meshal unfolded this story. Meshal drew me in and took me around corners I wasn't expecting but I willingly went barreling around. I was nervous, hopeful, excited, a little hesitant, even afraid for and with Dana and her cohorts - and for Chokecherry.
When I read a book that gives life to not only the main character, but the supporting actors and the venue, I'm immersed. I feel like I've become a part of that place, that moment, the lives of these people, for as long as it takes to get to a conclusion. That is what Meshal does for the reader in Chokecherry. Her writing is exquisite and skillful. This is a gem.
There's not a lot more I can tell you than what is revealed already without giving away spoilers about the actual story. Dana's Aunt dies, leaving her alone again having been the sole survivor when her family was killed in a bus accident at the age of 10. She survived that accident because she was with her Aunt on that day. She meanders around the house until she finds a letter from her Aunt directing her to return home to Chokecherry, her families farm, which has been kept up by a man named Marcus all these years. She also finds out that Aunt Irma published the books she wrote that fleshed out the lives of her siblings if they would have been alive and she has the money of the proceeds to sustain her.
In the path of her journey she makes a friend, a real and true friend, Stu. He's a decorating genius who is taking care of his mother in her elder years. He lends his own flair to the story. Stu has a lot of character. In any event, as Chokecherry, with the help of Martin, starts to reveal the real and true nature of its past, this 3 person crew are bonded together to shape its present, inevitably determining their futures.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
When I read a book that gives life to not only the main character, but the supporting actors and the venue, I'm immersed. I feel like I've become a part of that place, that moment, the lives of these people, for as long as it takes to get to a conclusion. That is what Meshal does for the reader in Chokecherry. Her writing is exquisite and skillful. This is a gem.
There's not a lot more I can tell you than what is revealed already without giving away spoilers about the actual story. Dana's Aunt dies, leaving her alone again having been the sole survivor when her family was killed in a bus accident at the age of 10. She survived that accident because she was with her Aunt on that day. She meanders around the house until she finds a letter from her Aunt directing her to return home to Chokecherry, her families farm, which has been kept up by a man named Marcus all these years. She also finds out that Aunt Irma published the books she wrote that fleshed out the lives of her siblings if they would have been alive and she has the money of the proceeds to sustain her.
In the path of her journey she makes a friend, a real and true friend, Stu. He's a decorating genius who is taking care of his mother in her elder years. He lends his own flair to the story. Stu has a lot of character. In any event, as Chokecherry, with the help of Martin, starts to reveal the real and true nature of its past, this 3 person crew are bonded together to shape its present, inevitably determining their futures.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 8, 2014
In “Chokecherry” by Sheri Meshal you get an inside view of a woman whose life has fallen apart around her, but somehow she still found the strength to put it back together, somewhat. Dana has been through more tragedy than anyone should have to deal with in one lifetime. She lost her entire family at a young age, and then her only remaining family member at 41. It would take a person of stone not to fall apart in her circumstances. She struggles with survivor’s guilt, and wonders why she was spared, when all she has seemed to do was waste her chance, when her family had no chance. Moving back to Chokecherry, her family’s farm, seems to be the only way she can truly heal.
Dana’s personality is a little off putting to me. I think it’s because she is just so unstable that it’s hard to connect with her or relate to her. I really liked Stu’s character though. He brings a lightness to the novel that it really needs, and he helps to balance Dana out. I was confused throughout a lot of the novel. Things like Malcom’s super strong connection to Dana’s dead family, her rapid BFF relationship with Stud, and her up and down emotions were a little overwhelming to read at times. Sometimes it just seemed really disjointed, like it didn’t flow smoothly for me. I felt like I was constantly missing things, and would go back to look to see if I had skipped something, but I hadn’t. The whole book is a little bizarre, and the ‘touch messages’ were really confusing, because I just didn’t get where they were coming from.
Over all, I didn’t dislike the book, it kept me interested and wanting to know more about the characters and their stories. However, it was just a little confusing for me, and I felt like the story was all over the place at times.
I give “Chokecherry” a 4 out of 5 stars.
Dana’s personality is a little off putting to me. I think it’s because she is just so unstable that it’s hard to connect with her or relate to her. I really liked Stu’s character though. He brings a lightness to the novel that it really needs, and he helps to balance Dana out. I was confused throughout a lot of the novel. Things like Malcom’s super strong connection to Dana’s dead family, her rapid BFF relationship with Stud, and her up and down emotions were a little overwhelming to read at times. Sometimes it just seemed really disjointed, like it didn’t flow smoothly for me. I felt like I was constantly missing things, and would go back to look to see if I had skipped something, but I hadn’t. The whole book is a little bizarre, and the ‘touch messages’ were really confusing, because I just didn’t get where they were coming from.
Over all, I didn’t dislike the book, it kept me interested and wanting to know more about the characters and their stories. However, it was just a little confusing for me, and I felt like the story was all over the place at times.
I give “Chokecherry” a 4 out of 5 stars.
June 17, 2014
There was so much that I loved about Chokecherry. I’m not even sure where to begin. I think it comes down to the relationships. While just about every character in the book has been broken in some way… and has spent a lot of their separate lives so utterly lost, or stuck… when they come together there is magic. Dana’s Aunt Irma has died on the first page of the book, but still the author makes you fully aware of the strong relationship between the 2 women. The fast friendship Dana creates with Stu leaves me envious. The awkwardness between Dana and Malcolm was so perfectly described that I felt it myself, and wondered if they would ever overcome their shared losses to become friends. The relationship that Dana has with her family (even 31 years after their tragic deaths) is so strong… and truly is the driving force of who she is… both broken and courageous (even if she doesn’t feel it). Even the “lesser” relationships are written in such a way that they truly pulled at my heart (between Stu and his mother; between Malcolm and Stu; between Malcolm and Dana’s family). Sheri Meshal absolutely knows how to write a character that draws you in and makes you believe. Days after finishing the book I still find myself thinking about these people.
Oh… and the visual descriptions of the locations were perfection. I have complete pictures in my head of what the Chokecherry farm would look like. The white picket fence… the lilac bushes… the ramshackle barn and farm buildings… the huge tree and tire swing… it’s all so vivid. So real.
In my mind Chokecherry could easily have been expanded into a trilogy. There just wasn’t enough. I want more! It was easily one of my favorite books this year.
Oh… and the visual descriptions of the locations were perfection. I have complete pictures in my head of what the Chokecherry farm would look like. The white picket fence… the lilac bushes… the ramshackle barn and farm buildings… the huge tree and tire swing… it’s all so vivid. So real.
In my mind Chokecherry could easily have been expanded into a trilogy. There just wasn’t enough. I want more! It was easily one of my favorite books this year.
June 17, 2014
It was difficult to know what to expect from this novel as it was a different premise altogether from the last book I had read by Sheri Meshal, Swallowtail. I signed up for the review nonetheless, and I am so glad that I did because I absolutely loved this book. I loved the characters and everything about them. I loved the way that the story was told and had flashback points along the way to explain how everything had gotten to the point it did in the beginning. It was a tad bit of a trying read to get into at first if you were not used to this writing style, but it grew on me.
Dana was a character that I adored because she had issues that would not let her move on from her family all being lost from a tragic accident that had happened before. The then stayed with her Aunt Irma, and when Irma passed things changed drastically. Dana had to grow up quickly and take on her life head on. She had to start making decisions for herself about the farm, Chokecherry, that had been left behind to her. I loved that her aunt had gotten some of her memoirs published. It left her a small amount to start a new life on and for that I know that I would have been thankful if I was in Dana’s shoes.
Dana’s character might be a little hard to get for some people but I loved getting to know her. She knew how to get herself out of a slump and she met a friend in Stu and also in Slim who is a dog that she adopts. This is a great read for anyone that is looking for something different. This was not your typical novel and was not predictable in the slightest which was a great refresher. Sheri is a fantastic author and if you have read nothing by her, then you definitely should!
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
Dana was a character that I adored because she had issues that would not let her move on from her family all being lost from a tragic accident that had happened before. The then stayed with her Aunt Irma, and when Irma passed things changed drastically. Dana had to grow up quickly and take on her life head on. She had to start making decisions for herself about the farm, Chokecherry, that had been left behind to her. I loved that her aunt had gotten some of her memoirs published. It left her a small amount to start a new life on and for that I know that I would have been thankful if I was in Dana’s shoes.
Dana’s character might be a little hard to get for some people but I loved getting to know her. She knew how to get herself out of a slump and she met a friend in Stu and also in Slim who is a dog that she adopts. This is a great read for anyone that is looking for something different. This was not your typical novel and was not predictable in the slightest which was a great refresher. Sheri is a fantastic author and if you have read nothing by her, then you definitely should!
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
June 5, 2014
Sheri became a favorite author of mine after I read Swallowtail. I loved that book and had very high expectations for everything I read for months after that. It took me quite awhile to rate any other book a 5 start after reading Swallowtail so when I heard she had a second book out – I was thrilled.
One of things that really intrigued me in Swallowtail was the topic of the book and the very similar beliefs that Sheri and I shared (which don’t always align with others). The moment I started reading Chokecherry, I knew Sheri and my beliefs aligned even more! (I even told hubby that I want to be Sheri’s best friend because I love the topics of her books and her writing is excellent!)
I know for certain this book won’t be for everyone (because everyone has different beliefs) but if you have an open mind and can remain open, you will enjoy Chokecherry.
I do have to admit that the beginning was a little chaotic for me. I am not sure if it was the lack of sleep I was running on or what was happening, but I found myself getting easily confused over everything taking place and having to reread a lot of pieces. But by the 2nd or 3rd chapter, I was set. (I didn’t have all the answers I was desperately grasping for, but I wasn’t so confused I couldn’t move forward in the book.)
Aside from Dana’s… talent… I felt that I could totally relate to Dana in a lot of ways. And Stu was a favorite from the very beginning!
There isn’t a whole lot more I can say without giving away all the good things this book holds.
Chokecherry is now up there with Swallowtail in my favorite book category!
One of things that really intrigued me in Swallowtail was the topic of the book and the very similar beliefs that Sheri and I shared (which don’t always align with others). The moment I started reading Chokecherry, I knew Sheri and my beliefs aligned even more! (I even told hubby that I want to be Sheri’s best friend because I love the topics of her books and her writing is excellent!)
I know for certain this book won’t be for everyone (because everyone has different beliefs) but if you have an open mind and can remain open, you will enjoy Chokecherry.
I do have to admit that the beginning was a little chaotic for me. I am not sure if it was the lack of sleep I was running on or what was happening, but I found myself getting easily confused over everything taking place and having to reread a lot of pieces. But by the 2nd or 3rd chapter, I was set. (I didn’t have all the answers I was desperately grasping for, but I wasn’t so confused I couldn’t move forward in the book.)
Aside from Dana’s… talent… I felt that I could totally relate to Dana in a lot of ways. And Stu was a favorite from the very beginning!
There isn’t a whole lot more I can say without giving away all the good things this book holds.
Chokecherry is now up there with Swallowtail in my favorite book category!
June 11, 2014
I was not sure what to expect from Chokecherry as I signed up to review this book as I really liked Sheri Meshal’s other book Swallowtail and think she is a great author so I went into this quite blind.
This was totally different from her previous book and was just as good. The characters were lovely people, Dana had some issues but in all fairness who wouldn’t when their whole family was wiped out in one tragic accident. When the final person of her family, her aunt Irma passes away Dana has to grow up and start making decisions about the old farm Chokecherry where she grew up.
She literally bumps into Stu and they form a fantastic friendship, and a dog named Slim who she adopts.
I seem to have ‘got’ Danas’ personality maybe because I know people with mental illnesses and have to ‘get’ them. Dana didn’t seem all that bad to me, she knew how to get herself out of that hole which was threatening to pull her in and she had a fantastic talent which she learns how she got it later in the book.
I really enjoyed reading this, it was different from anything I have read before and it kept me captured. It must have been my fastest reading ever as I didn’t want to miss anything and even though I have finished the book I still keep thinking about it which is great.
Another fantastic book from Sheri Meshal, I hope to read more from this talented author.
This was totally different from her previous book and was just as good. The characters were lovely people, Dana had some issues but in all fairness who wouldn’t when their whole family was wiped out in one tragic accident. When the final person of her family, her aunt Irma passes away Dana has to grow up and start making decisions about the old farm Chokecherry where she grew up.
She literally bumps into Stu and they form a fantastic friendship, and a dog named Slim who she adopts.
I seem to have ‘got’ Danas’ personality maybe because I know people with mental illnesses and have to ‘get’ them. Dana didn’t seem all that bad to me, she knew how to get herself out of that hole which was threatening to pull her in and she had a fantastic talent which she learns how she got it later in the book.
I really enjoyed reading this, it was different from anything I have read before and it kept me captured. It must have been my fastest reading ever as I didn’t want to miss anything and even though I have finished the book I still keep thinking about it which is great.
Another fantastic book from Sheri Meshal, I hope to read more from this talented author.
June 24, 2014
If you are looking for a book that you can lose yourself in, then this book is for you. Once I started reading Chokecherry, I could not put the book down. Dana was so real. I can't imagine the survivor's guilt she must feel after losing her whole family. Yes, she has spent time in psych wards but who wouldn't if they were in her shoes.
I'm not even sure what drew me into the book so much. However, the characters are so dynamic and real. While Dana is said to be 41, she comes across as much younger to me. I'm not sure why Sheri Meshal decided to put her at this age, but it is refreshing to have a romance with an older character. This book has a little bit of everything, a little bit of the supernatural, romance, drama, and comedic interludes.
I give this book 5 stars. It would be the perfect book to take to the beach. Just make sure you have plenty of time to read because you may end up like me and reading until 4 in the morning. The book will have you laughing and crying. Well, maybe not crying but you will feel very empathatic and just might end up teary eyed. This is a book for all ages but there are a few adult situations and the younger crowd might not appreciate reading about an older generation.
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
I'm not even sure what drew me into the book so much. However, the characters are so dynamic and real. While Dana is said to be 41, she comes across as much younger to me. I'm not sure why Sheri Meshal decided to put her at this age, but it is refreshing to have a romance with an older character. This book has a little bit of everything, a little bit of the supernatural, romance, drama, and comedic interludes.
I give this book 5 stars. It would be the perfect book to take to the beach. Just make sure you have plenty of time to read because you may end up like me and reading until 4 in the morning. The book will have you laughing and crying. Well, maybe not crying but you will feel very empathatic and just might end up teary eyed. This is a book for all ages but there are a few adult situations and the younger crowd might not appreciate reading about an older generation.
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
June 2, 2014
This is one of those books which may have you questioning your own sanity as it slowly meanders it's way through the life of three very different people who all have ghosts of one sort or another in their background. It is a story of friendship, healing and what it takes to get there.
Chokecherry is a farm which as been in Dana Quinn's family for many years. Malcolm has been watching over it since the death of Dana's parents. Stu, a decorating genius has apparently given up his life to help his Mom at the end of hers and lives in the village not far from Chokecherry. Dana had been living in Queens, NY with her Aunt Irma--then Aunt Irma suddenly dies. It is her wish that Dana return to Chokecherry and write herself well once again. Chokecherry Farm has a troubled past all it's own.
Will these three friends and the mutt that Dana picks up along the way be able to restore Chokecherry farm to a place Dana can once again call home?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well written novel. There were parts that I never saw coming and was both unhappily and happily surprised. I would rate this novel a 5.Chokecherry
Chokecherry is a farm which as been in Dana Quinn's family for many years. Malcolm has been watching over it since the death of Dana's parents. Stu, a decorating genius has apparently given up his life to help his Mom at the end of hers and lives in the village not far from Chokecherry. Dana had been living in Queens, NY with her Aunt Irma--then Aunt Irma suddenly dies. It is her wish that Dana return to Chokecherry and write herself well once again. Chokecherry Farm has a troubled past all it's own.
Will these three friends and the mutt that Dana picks up along the way be able to restore Chokecherry farm to a place Dana can once again call home?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well written novel. There were parts that I never saw coming and was both unhappily and happily surprised. I would rate this novel a 5.Chokecherry
May 22, 2014
When Dana was 10 years old, she lost her parents and siblings in a bus crash. While in an institution, she wrote stories about them as if they had lived a full life. Then years later, when she loses her Aunt Irma she again feels lost. With no more living relatives, she doesn’t feel like she can make it on her own. Then she finds a letter from Irma with instructions to return to Chokecherry, her childhood home that she thought had been sold years ago.
Unknown to her, Aunt Irma had published her stories under a pseudonym. After thinking about it, she realized that this is an opportunity to start a new life, and maybe finish writing her stories.
On her trip home, she picks up a stray dog, and right before she gets to Chokecherry, she meets Stuart, a colorful character. Even though they just met, there is a connection like they were lifelong friends.
As she arrives, she is bombarded with memories of her family, her childhood, and the mysterious aura of Chokecherry. Does it have something to do with her psychic messages? With the help of Stuart, and Malcolm, a childhood friend, will she be able to understand and finally put her past to rest and begin to live?
Unknown to her, Aunt Irma had published her stories under a pseudonym. After thinking about it, she realized that this is an opportunity to start a new life, and maybe finish writing her stories.
On her trip home, she picks up a stray dog, and right before she gets to Chokecherry, she meets Stuart, a colorful character. Even though they just met, there is a connection like they were lifelong friends.
As she arrives, she is bombarded with memories of her family, her childhood, and the mysterious aura of Chokecherry. Does it have something to do with her psychic messages? With the help of Stuart, and Malcolm, a childhood friend, will she be able to understand and finally put her past to rest and begin to live?
June 20, 2014
I was drawn into the story immediately. Its shocking introduction had me hooked! The reader finds that Dana has been surrounded by death. First, her entire family dies when she is only ten. Then her aunt dies. The book describes Dana's sad existence without anyone to call her family. Then she meets a one eared stray dog, an interior decorator who gave up his career to care for his mom, and the caretaker of her family farm that Dana believed was sold years prior. To her surprise, it still belonged in the family! Lots of surprises, healing, and new 'family' abound in Chokecherry. You are sure to like it! I know I did! Read my review on amazon at http://www.amazon.com/review/R1WSBBZY...
I received a copy of Chokecherry in exchange for an honest review. If you would like me to review a book for you, contact me at philanthropicHR@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading my review, and God Bless!
I received a copy of Chokecherry in exchange for an honest review. If you would like me to review a book for you, contact me at philanthropicHR@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading my review, and God Bless!
Read
June 8, 2014I thought this book was a little slow at the start, but honestly, I think that is because I wasn't reading a paper copy or reading on my iPad like I normally do. I was reading it on the kindle app on my computer since my iPad is currently possessed (for lack of better word!) I will say first & foremost that this review won't be extremely long because I don't want to give things away!!
I felt I could relate well to Dana. Of course, I don't have her "talent" but there were definite similarities between her and I. I kept finding myself having to reread parts of the first few chapters just to see if I missed something, but once I got a ways further into the book, I was no longer lost & I went with it!!
I finished this book in a couple of days, because once I did really get into it, I just didn't want to stop reading it!
I felt I could relate well to Dana. Of course, I don't have her "talent" but there were definite similarities between her and I. I kept finding myself having to reread parts of the first few chapters just to see if I missed something, but once I got a ways further into the book, I was no longer lost & I went with it!!
I finished this book in a couple of days, because once I did really get into it, I just didn't want to stop reading it!
June 10, 2014
This book made me cry and want to start a journal. I really like the idea of writing yourself well, and have never tried that before. I will be from now on though. I enjoyed the paranormal twist and even though it was confusing at times, it was still a nice edition to the plot. The supporting characters were a group of people that I felt could be people that I know in real life. Whenever there is a hurt animal that is loved in a story it is a keeper for me. This book had a little bit of everything and I felt a lot of different emotions throughout the book. I am giving this book a 4/5. I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own. I also liked the mention of Sister Sledge!
- See more at: http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/2...
- See more at: http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/2...
July 3, 2014
This is one heck of a great story! You will be mesmerized from the moment that you open the book to the very end! There is a lot of living and information jammed packed into this story but it all flows just like you were telling a story about your own life.
Dana has had a lot of bad luck and I know how that feels. Sometimes you just want to stay in bed and say forget it, I don't feel like getting up today, but she makes herself do what her Aunt wanted her to do and she makes the journey back to where her and her parents and siblings used to live all those years ago.
It's a bittersweet story of a woman coming to grips with her past and her history and making it out on the other side. She ends up making quite a few friends and even thinks she might like someone. Read her journey and marvel at the human spirit and what it can do!
Dana has had a lot of bad luck and I know how that feels. Sometimes you just want to stay in bed and say forget it, I don't feel like getting up today, but she makes herself do what her Aunt wanted her to do and she makes the journey back to where her and her parents and siblings used to live all those years ago.
It's a bittersweet story of a woman coming to grips with her past and her history and making it out on the other side. She ends up making quite a few friends and even thinks she might like someone. Read her journey and marvel at the human spirit and what it can do!
May 27, 2014
ChokeCherry is a very good book. I have been reading it and just finished not to long ago! This book left me feeling easy and peaceful, I know without reading the book you can understand that! Dana had to learn to survive without her family after a car crash left her the only one alive! She is stronger then what she thinks she is!
I felt this book was an eye opener for me. I mean after leaving home with my husband and daughters I have had to learn to cope without seeing my parents or siblings. While I am very thankful I have my husband and daughters, I miss my family! But after reading this I am glad they are still here only a video call or phone call away! So it did teach me to be more thankful for what I have!
I felt this book was an eye opener for me. I mean after leaving home with my husband and daughters I have had to learn to cope without seeing my parents or siblings. While I am very thankful I have my husband and daughters, I miss my family! But after reading this I am glad they are still here only a video call or phone call away! So it did teach me to be more thankful for what I have!
June 11, 2014
Dana Quinn is a wandering soul.Her life was turned upside down at such a young age when she lost everything. Her family gone, Dana has created a whole life for them in her writings. She loses her aunt, the only remaining family tie, and soon discovers her family farm is still in tact... someplace she thought gone. Without giving much away... Can Chokecherry resusitate her existance? Even with all it's tragedy and history, Chokecherry may be the key to making her whole for the first time in a long time. I just adore Stu and Dana and Malcolm prove to be interesting. The bit pf paranormal thrown in adds to the mystic of Chokecherry. I thought the author did a great job presenting the loss, search for healing, and the triumph of her character, Dana.
June 19, 2014
As soon as I started reading this book,it's as if something grabbed me and I could not put it down. Dana takes you on a journey that brings sadness and happiness and keeps you wanting more. Dana decides to return to the farm that was her father's. On the road she adopts a one-eared dog and finds a new best friend in Iowan-turned-New Yorker, Stu, who's given up designing off-Broadway sets to care for his ailing mother back in his tiny hometown. She has had to come with some many things in her life,when her aunt dies she thought all was lost. Was it? Or is there some mystery that brought her back to Chokecherry? You will have to read the book to find out as it was a page turner that I enjoyed and think you will too!
July 2, 2014
This is my second book that I have read by this author Sheri Meshal. I started reading this book and I could not put it down (just like with Shallowtail). Dana and the heartaches she endured and how she began to heal by writing herself well. Her parents and siblings had died in a tour bus accident. She survived because her auntie ask her to stay saying she was sick so she could have some girl time with Dana. Dana shutdown after they past away and she did even worse before Chokecherry after her auntie fell ... she shut down again... you really must read about the miracle of the farm her family lived on Chokecherry!
June 30, 2014
Chokecherry was a great book. I do think you have to have an open mind to be able to enjoy it. The book started slow for me but I really go into it in the 4th chapter or so. The pace picked up and I was more into what was going on with the main character Dana. I found myself relating to her in a lot of ways. She has been through a lot and just wants to find herself again. I do not want to give too much away so I will just say that.
Sheri Meshal has another book called Swallowtail and it is now on my list to read. I bet I would enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed Chokecherry.
Sheri Meshal has another book called Swallowtail and it is now on my list to read. I bet I would enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed Chokecherry.
June 27, 2014
Sheri Meshal is an amazing author, one to watch! Her writing drew me in from the very first sentence, “Shit the bed.” How can you not love a work that catches you off guard and keeps you involved every step of the way. First lines can make a book famous, and I think that this is one for the ages.
June 26, 2014
Chokecherry is unlike any other book I've read. I love all the characters and how easy it is to relate to them. I loved reading Dana's story and her return to Chokecherry, the family farm. I couldn't put this book down. I always had to know what was going to happen to her next. Very good read.
I received a copy of this book free in exchange for my review. All opinions are 100% my own.
I received a copy of this book free in exchange for my review. All opinions are 100% my own.
June 6, 2014
I really liked this book! It grew on me and the characters, it's spaced really nice to make it a quick and easy read.
Check out my full review and a giveaway (ends 7/6) http://cheshirecatlookingglass.com/ch...
Check out my full review and a giveaway (ends 7/6) http://cheshirecatlookingglass.com/ch...
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews