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The Ticket
Librarian Note: Alternate Cover Edition for ISBN-10: 1941103863 / ISBN-13: 9781941103869.
1975 Volkswagen introduces the Golf, John Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are found guilty of the Watergate cover-up, the Weather Underground bombs the U.S. State Department, and Bill Gates founds Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As Communist forces take Saigon and the Vietnam War winds down, Tray Dunaway, an ordinary teenager from a poor Southern family, longs to become part of the popular clique at school.
Tray's mother, Evelyn, lies in bed most days with her bipolar tendency toward extreme highs or desperate lows. Meanwhile, Tray's grandmother Ginny, still grieving over the loss of her husband, would love to move out and find a place of her own. Maybe even a bit of romance to replace the loss she feels. But given the sorry state of the family's finances that's not possible.
Then the Dunaways' luck changes. Or so it seems.
Tray's father drives a down-and-out friend of the family, Pee Wee Johnson, to Hazard, Illinois, so Johnson can buy lottery tickets. As a gesture of thanks, Johnson gives a ticket to Tray's father. And what do you know? The Dunaways' are suddenly rich.
When Johnson demands his cut of the winnings, Tray's dad refuses. As Evelyn's illness spirals toward madness, Johnson threatens the family. Out of time, Tray makes one poor decision after another until what initially seemed like a stroke of good fortune quickly becomes a dangerous game of life and death for the Dunaways.
1975 Volkswagen introduces the Golf, John Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are found guilty of the Watergate cover-up, the Weather Underground bombs the U.S. State Department, and Bill Gates founds Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As Communist forces take Saigon and the Vietnam War winds down, Tray Dunaway, an ordinary teenager from a poor Southern family, longs to become part of the popular clique at school.
Tray's mother, Evelyn, lies in bed most days with her bipolar tendency toward extreme highs or desperate lows. Meanwhile, Tray's grandmother Ginny, still grieving over the loss of her husband, would love to move out and find a place of her own. Maybe even a bit of romance to replace the loss she feels. But given the sorry state of the family's finances that's not possible.
Then the Dunaways' luck changes. Or so it seems.
Tray's father drives a down-and-out friend of the family, Pee Wee Johnson, to Hazard, Illinois, so Johnson can buy lottery tickets. As a gesture of thanks, Johnson gives a ticket to Tray's father. And what do you know? The Dunaways' are suddenly rich.
When Johnson demands his cut of the winnings, Tray's dad refuses. As Evelyn's illness spirals toward madness, Johnson threatens the family. Out of time, Tray makes one poor decision after another until what initially seemed like a stroke of good fortune quickly becomes a dangerous game of life and death for the Dunaways.
210 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2015
About the author
Debra Coleman Jeter
5 books446 followersDebra Coleman Jeter has published both fiction and nonfiction in popular magazines, including Working Woman, New Woman, Self, Home Life, Savvy, Christian Woman, and American Baby. Her first novel, The Ticket, was a finalist for a Selah Award, as well as for Jerry Jenkins’ Operation First Novel.
Song of Sugar Sands (Sugar Sands Book 2) was a 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in the category Christian Fiction. Each book in the Sugar Sands series stands alone, though some characters recur. Book 3 is scheduled to be released in June 2021.
Her story, “Recovery,” was awarded first prize in a short story competition sponsored by Christian Woman; and her nonfiction book “Pshaw, It’s Me Grandson”: Tales of a Young Actor was a finalist in the USA Book News Awards. She is a co-writer of the screenplay for Jess + Moss, a feature film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, screened at nearly forty film festivals around the world, and captured several domestic and international awards.
Song of Sugar Sands (Sugar Sands Book 2) was a 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in the category Christian Fiction. Each book in the Sugar Sands series stands alone, though some characters recur. Book 3 is scheduled to be released in June 2021.
Her story, “Recovery,” was awarded first prize in a short story competition sponsored by Christian Woman; and her nonfiction book “Pshaw, It’s Me Grandson”: Tales of a Young Actor was a finalist in the USA Book News Awards. She is a co-writer of the screenplay for Jess + Moss, a feature film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, screened at nearly forty film festivals around the world, and captured several domestic and international awards.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 8, 2015
I thought that The Ticket was very well written and I was enjoying seeing life in 1976 through the eyes of 14year old Tray.
However 60% in, an explicit event occurred that has really bothered me. As a Christian YA novel, I would caution Christians and YA from picking this up. I am not a prude but it has bothered me.
The themes covered included money. Too much is a problem and too little is a problem.
There was a wonderful relationship between Tray and her Gram, who was always there for Tray, reminding me of my own relationship with my Nanny.
There were the difficulties shown of living with someone with mental illness but it was sensitively done.
And there was the ups and downs of teenage friendships, all realistically shown.
However 60% in, an explicit event occurred that has really bothered me. As a Christian YA novel, I would caution Christians and YA from picking this up. I am not a prude but it has bothered me.
The themes covered included money. Too much is a problem and too little is a problem.
There was a wonderful relationship between Tray and her Gram, who was always there for Tray, reminding me of my own relationship with my Nanny.
There were the difficulties shown of living with someone with mental illness but it was sensitively done.
And there was the ups and downs of teenage friendships, all realistically shown.
September 12, 2020
I’ve always enjoyed a book that doesn’t always let me know where it’s going. The Ticket by Debra Coleman Jeter definitely fits this category. At one point, it’s about a family whose father wins the lottery and the complications that arise from the sudden appearance of wealth, especially when the ticket was a gift from someone else. This person naturally feels they deserve a share of the lottery money. (This spawned some interesting conversation between my wife and I and what WE would do if faced with such a situation. It also reminded me of an incident at a Christmas party in which one of the presents exchanged was a lottery ticket, which turned out to be a “winner,” and the awkwardness which ensued between the person who gave the gift and the person who received it.)
However, the novel is mostly about Tray, a fourteen-year old girl and the pain and misery she suffers from not being popular or beautiful. For someone that age, there are few things more traumatizing. The novel also involves her mentally ill mother and the hardship of coping with such an unreliable parent. For guidance, Tray instead has to depend on the love and warmth of her grandmother who lives with them. Tray has ambitions of being a fashion designer, too, which is another storyline. There is a nasty incident with a stranger which finds room here as well. Then there are Tray’s crushes.
The writing in The Ticket is great with just the right mixture of dialogue, inner-dialogue, and action. There’s terrific pacing and intrigue to the book, which allowed me to read it in only two sittings. My only complaint keeping me from giving 5 stars is the ease and frequency with which Tray cries. She cries throughout the entire book. She cries and cries and keeps crying. It’s not that she doesn’t have sufficient reason to, for the most part, but there comes a point where it gets exasperating, even approaching ridiculous. I don’t know though. I might just feel this way because I was never a fourteen-year old girl. Also, the ending feels a tad abrupt, and that could even be from not wanting the novel to end. Otherwise, this is a more than worthy read with lots of character-driven twists and turns.
However, the novel is mostly about Tray, a fourteen-year old girl and the pain and misery she suffers from not being popular or beautiful. For someone that age, there are few things more traumatizing. The novel also involves her mentally ill mother and the hardship of coping with such an unreliable parent. For guidance, Tray instead has to depend on the love and warmth of her grandmother who lives with them. Tray has ambitions of being a fashion designer, too, which is another storyline. There is a nasty incident with a stranger which finds room here as well. Then there are Tray’s crushes.
The writing in The Ticket is great with just the right mixture of dialogue, inner-dialogue, and action. There’s terrific pacing and intrigue to the book, which allowed me to read it in only two sittings. My only complaint keeping me from giving 5 stars is the ease and frequency with which Tray cries. She cries throughout the entire book. She cries and cries and keeps crying. It’s not that she doesn’t have sufficient reason to, for the most part, but there comes a point where it gets exasperating, even approaching ridiculous. I don’t know though. I might just feel this way because I was never a fourteen-year old girl. Also, the ending feels a tad abrupt, and that could even be from not wanting the novel to end. Otherwise, this is a more than worthy read with lots of character-driven twists and turns.
June 22, 2015
Some people never realize how difficult it can be growing up and dealing with all the stereotypes in school. From those social group "clicks" to just knowing how to process what teens deal with in school to making that transition from home all while dealing with the changing of hormones and brain development. Harder than it looks and one we don't give them enough credit for.
In Debra Coleman Jeter's coming of age novel, The Ticket, we get a long look at how hard that life is for Tray Dunaway who has to deal with all those peer pressures that come from going to school and being seen as less than worthy in the eyes of not only her classmates but also from her own mother. Being raised in a poor family, her grandmother painstakingly makes all of Tray's clothes which are mocked by those she faces whenever she goes to school. This pushes Tray to become the shy social outcast who prefers to stay by herself whenever possible but longs for a life that everyone seems to have who have more than she does. She desperately wants to fit in and be accepted, but finds those opportunities have been shut off from her.
She longs for the day when she might be able to buy something that would make her feel the way she dreams about and in the meantime, spends those wasted moments looking through a catalog hoping one day soon, she might be able to buy something instead of homemade clothes. Her mother struggles with a deep depression, spending her days stuck in bed and dealing with migraines that only seem to increase whenever Tray possess a question about when things might change, like simply being able to buy a new pair of socks that won't slide down when she wears them, but is met with less than worth responses you would expect from a mother. When her father is given a lottery ticket as a way of thanking him for driving a man into town to purchase his, they aren't prepared the amount of problems that they will have to face when they actually win. Is this the life she dreamed she'd have one day or is this simply a way of introducing a set of problems they never dreamed they would have when the man suddenly wants a share of the winnings!
I received The Ticket by Debra Coleman Jeter compliments of Firefly Southern Fiction and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. The one thing I truly loved about this novel is how it is written from Tray's perspective. How she views her life before the ticket and even afterwards. How she believes money will change things and doesn't realize how greed can destroy much more than poverty can. She dreams of a day when this might happen, and when it does, the reality is a lot different than what she imagines and it might be just what the family needs to learn how to appreciate the riches they never noticed before. I give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and thing this is a great young adult novel for any teen struggling to find their sense of purpose and self worth in the world, when faced with seeing things through a different perspective!
In Debra Coleman Jeter's coming of age novel, The Ticket, we get a long look at how hard that life is for Tray Dunaway who has to deal with all those peer pressures that come from going to school and being seen as less than worthy in the eyes of not only her classmates but also from her own mother. Being raised in a poor family, her grandmother painstakingly makes all of Tray's clothes which are mocked by those she faces whenever she goes to school. This pushes Tray to become the shy social outcast who prefers to stay by herself whenever possible but longs for a life that everyone seems to have who have more than she does. She desperately wants to fit in and be accepted, but finds those opportunities have been shut off from her.
She longs for the day when she might be able to buy something that would make her feel the way she dreams about and in the meantime, spends those wasted moments looking through a catalog hoping one day soon, she might be able to buy something instead of homemade clothes. Her mother struggles with a deep depression, spending her days stuck in bed and dealing with migraines that only seem to increase whenever Tray possess a question about when things might change, like simply being able to buy a new pair of socks that won't slide down when she wears them, but is met with less than worth responses you would expect from a mother. When her father is given a lottery ticket as a way of thanking him for driving a man into town to purchase his, they aren't prepared the amount of problems that they will have to face when they actually win. Is this the life she dreamed she'd have one day or is this simply a way of introducing a set of problems they never dreamed they would have when the man suddenly wants a share of the winnings!
I received The Ticket by Debra Coleman Jeter compliments of Firefly Southern Fiction and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. The one thing I truly loved about this novel is how it is written from Tray's perspective. How she views her life before the ticket and even afterwards. How she believes money will change things and doesn't realize how greed can destroy much more than poverty can. She dreams of a day when this might happen, and when it does, the reality is a lot different than what she imagines and it might be just what the family needs to learn how to appreciate the riches they never noticed before. I give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and thing this is a great young adult novel for any teen struggling to find their sense of purpose and self worth in the world, when faced with seeing things through a different perspective!
June 9, 2015
This YA book has a powerful message for teens. Things adults do to you and in your family are not your fault. Too many young people, even Christians, think they are somehow to blame for the dysfunction around them. Debra Coleman Jeter is not afraid to share the truth. A beautifully-crafted story of youthful confusion. Tray Dunaway’s tall and lanky (oh how I can relate) in a time when being a tall girl in high school is not cool. Her clothes are hand-made and not groovy. Her low self-esteem causes her to make bad choices in order to find her place among her peers.
Set in the 1970s gives a little distance for the reader yet still relate to the emotional turbulence surrounding the characters. Fire, false friendships and a creepy stalker make this an emotional page-turner.
As a Christian grandparent I would rather my grandchildren read this book full of dark emotions and sadness than the wretched stuff offered by secular publishers full of profanity and graphic scenes.
The Ticket contains one scene that is a bit graphic but very powerful. Most Christian teens have read or seen more than most parents are willing to admit. And this book may be just the catalyst to open a dialog with parents on these sensitive subjects. Discussion question are in the back of the book.
Set in the 1970s gives a little distance for the reader yet still relate to the emotional turbulence surrounding the characters. Fire, false friendships and a creepy stalker make this an emotional page-turner.
As a Christian grandparent I would rather my grandchildren read this book full of dark emotions and sadness than the wretched stuff offered by secular publishers full of profanity and graphic scenes.
The Ticket contains one scene that is a bit graphic but very powerful. Most Christian teens have read or seen more than most parents are willing to admit. And this book may be just the catalyst to open a dialog with parents on these sensitive subjects. Discussion question are in the back of the book.
June 22, 2015
My Review:
Tray Dunaway desperately want's to e popular at her school. But grandma's hand-sewn outfit's aren't going to cut it. Especially, since everyone at school make fun of her boney structure that defined greatly by those clothes. She needs the more expensive clothes, that give her a total different look. A look that complements her, that doesn't give her a washed out look.
Just when it seems nothing in her life is getting any better, her father gets an amazing surprise. Due to a generous friend giving him a lottery ticket, he finds it to be a winning ticket. Oh, what a joyful day in the Dunaway household. The most excited Dunaway of all would most definitely be Tray, because her luck has just changed. Or so she thought.
When her father's friend, Pee Wee, demands the ticket to be given back to him. But when, Tray's father refuses, the Dunaway's have a whole new set of bad luck, especially since Pee Wee plans to cause major problems for them all.
The Ticket is a wonderful book about the complication's of a teen in the seventies. The author has an amazing way with words. Each character had a compelling personality. I hope to read many more of her books.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from CFBA.
Tray Dunaway desperately want's to e popular at her school. But grandma's hand-sewn outfit's aren't going to cut it. Especially, since everyone at school make fun of her boney structure that defined greatly by those clothes. She needs the more expensive clothes, that give her a total different look. A look that complements her, that doesn't give her a washed out look.
Just when it seems nothing in her life is getting any better, her father gets an amazing surprise. Due to a generous friend giving him a lottery ticket, he finds it to be a winning ticket. Oh, what a joyful day in the Dunaway household. The most excited Dunaway of all would most definitely be Tray, because her luck has just changed. Or so she thought.
When her father's friend, Pee Wee, demands the ticket to be given back to him. But when, Tray's father refuses, the Dunaway's have a whole new set of bad luck, especially since Pee Wee plans to cause major problems for them all.
The Ticket is a wonderful book about the complication's of a teen in the seventies. The author has an amazing way with words. Each character had a compelling personality. I hope to read many more of her books.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from CFBA.
July 30, 2016
*I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for sharing my honest opinion*
I couldn’t wait to read this book, and when I did it ended quicker than I would have liked simply because I couldn’t put it down. Almost immediately, I was instantly entranced by the believable characters that the author had created and that followed throughout the story. This is the type of story that, to me, would make a fantastic movie. Tray was the perfect person to have as the protagonist and she really provided perfect insight to the happenings of the book. Like so many young girls, both of today and for as long as history has been recorded, she honestly just wants to be accepted. Unfortunately, winning the lottery isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when it puts her family in danger.
This book was so enjoyable, the perfect read that I will be personally recommending not just on this blog, but to a few friends I think this would be a perfect read for. I’m not even sure how to “label” this book genre-wise because it just has the best parts of so many genres, so I’ll make it simple. If you love the sound of this book as much as I did before going in, than you’re going to love it. Give it a read and you won’t be disappointed!
I couldn’t wait to read this book, and when I did it ended quicker than I would have liked simply because I couldn’t put it down. Almost immediately, I was instantly entranced by the believable characters that the author had created and that followed throughout the story. This is the type of story that, to me, would make a fantastic movie. Tray was the perfect person to have as the protagonist and she really provided perfect insight to the happenings of the book. Like so many young girls, both of today and for as long as history has been recorded, she honestly just wants to be accepted. Unfortunately, winning the lottery isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when it puts her family in danger.
This book was so enjoyable, the perfect read that I will be personally recommending not just on this blog, but to a few friends I think this would be a perfect read for. I’m not even sure how to “label” this book genre-wise because it just has the best parts of so many genres, so I’ll make it simple. If you love the sound of this book as much as I did before going in, than you’re going to love it. Give it a read and you won’t be disappointed!
July 1, 2015
Awkward and a book worm, I found several things I could relate to Tray in this book. She seeks though, the approval of others, sports, and clothing to find love and acceptance that she longs to find from her peers and most of all her family. It is a short, easy read, set in the 1970's. The many different characters throughout the book have many flaws, from her mentally ill mother to her best friend's mother that has a shopping habit she cannot afford.
I had been warned that there was a very violent and graphic scene in the book by another reader, but when I came upon that scene, I found it had the desired effect of showing how easy something bad such as an assault could happen to someone. However, the scene was brief and done with quickly. There was not a lot of detail. However, because of this and other topics addressed, I would only recommend this for older teens with the plan for discussion. It had a lot of good topics that parents should be discussing with their family.
Money and how it can change people, how others judge by outward appearance and what to do if someone assaults you.
I had been warned that there was a very violent and graphic scene in the book by another reader, but when I came upon that scene, I found it had the desired effect of showing how easy something bad such as an assault could happen to someone. However, the scene was brief and done with quickly. There was not a lot of detail. However, because of this and other topics addressed, I would only recommend this for older teens with the plan for discussion. It had a lot of good topics that parents should be discussing with their family.
Money and how it can change people, how others judge by outward appearance and what to do if someone assaults you.
November 11, 2018
A simple but complicated story. It starts out with a girl just being a normal teenage girl, but then gets into all sorts of morality, popularity, right and wrong, and maybe just a bit of doing the right thing after all, no matter what. It's not my normal kind of story, and although it was an ok story, I'm not a fan of suburban middle school stories, (lord knows, living through it once was plenty), so I don't feel as strongly about this story as I might otherwise. It is definitely worth a read, especially for young adults, and possibly others who enjoy the whole suburban scene in their fiction, but family fiction isn't really my thing, I read this book, because it was free in a newsletter, and although I'm not sad to have read it, it's not the kind of book I'd picked up on my own if I was looking for something to read, so there is that. It tries to be a lot of things, and it does a decent enough job of it, but honestly, if normal everyday people doing normal everyday things even after spectacular events doesn't appeal to you, then you might want to give this one a pass.
December 30, 2018
The Ticket
A strange book as it took a long time to get into The story. Many times I wanted to leave it but I had to see how it ended.
A strange book as it took a long time to get into The story. Many times I wanted to leave it but I had to see how it ended.
March 13, 2019
I loved the way Jeter makes you feel as though you are in the skin of a 14 year old trying to deal with the complications of the adults in her life.
September 15, 2021
A story that seems to be about winning the lottery but is so much more. Tray is a young girl on the brink of becoming a young woman and she faces all the conflicts of that transition. Her home life is not ideal with her mother showing only glimpses of the mother figure Tray needs, a father who is so preoccupied with work and survival that he is unable to see life from his daughter's perspective and her grandmother who provides a comforting, challenging presence. The lottery win brings people to the door looking for a share of the money to help with their own difficult life situations. Tray thinks that other families have what she wants but she gets a better look when she is forced to share their lives. The scene where Tray sees her gram in her coffin is very poignant and eye-opening to the beauty of the woman that Tray could only see as an old woman while she lived. A story with so much detail and insight into life and it's contradictions. Very well written and an outstanding first novel by Debra Coleman Jeter.
January 19, 2019
I found this book rather depressing. The story encapsulates the journey of a family: father a bit disconnected, mother mentally unstable, grandmother, and main character a teen girl. The family drama expands around the story of the father winning the lottery. How will money change the family? The story has numerous low points, including the following: being poor, depression of a parent, death, being exposed to adult nudity, and the normal teen angsts.
I was blessed with a free copy of this book, and I have chosen of my volition to share this review with you!
I was blessed with a free copy of this book, and I have chosen of my volition to share this review with you!
Read
October 20, 2020A good story
This story, sad and dysfunctional as it is, sheds a light on mental illness and how one girl works through her emotions and how those she loves are affected by the one who has a mental disorder. Written well, and I really felt empathy for the young girl.
This story, sad and dysfunctional as it is, sheds a light on mental illness and how one girl works through her emotions and how those she loves are affected by the one who has a mental disorder. Written well, and I really felt empathy for the young girl.
June 20, 2015
This novel reminds me of the film "The Sweet Hereafter." After I watched it, I was buzzing like I'd just viewed an action-adventure movie, and realized that there wasn't all that much physical action in the story. The emotions it portrayed were palpable, uncomfortable and affecting.
This book has that same impact. Debra Coleman Jeter uses conversation, a temperate amount of character POV narration and simple description to load scenes with emotional realism. You care about key people in the story even before the lottery ticket of the title points them at one another in increasingly touching but messy interactions.
This is excellent story telling. It leaves loose ends that have the reader thinking, not just about the characters or heavy questions generated by what they deal with, but about one's own choices, those already made and those awaiting a decision.
I'm in middle age and if this book is "YA," then I guess I have an inner teen because I found this to be an emotionally engaging novel.
This book has that same impact. Debra Coleman Jeter uses conversation, a temperate amount of character POV narration and simple description to load scenes with emotional realism. You care about key people in the story even before the lottery ticket of the title points them at one another in increasingly touching but messy interactions.
This is excellent story telling. It leaves loose ends that have the reader thinking, not just about the characters or heavy questions generated by what they deal with, but about one's own choices, those already made and those awaiting a decision.
I'm in middle age and if this book is "YA," then I guess I have an inner teen because I found this to be an emotionally engaging novel.
Read
February 7, 2022Powerful Story
Powerful story about imperfect people and the choices they make. Tray is such a wonderful character and her struggles kept me on the edge of my seat, reading late into the night.
Powerful story about imperfect people and the choices they make. Tray is such a wonderful character and her struggles kept me on the edge of my seat, reading late into the night.
June 10, 2015
On the recommendation of a friend, I bought this book for my young teenage daughter. Since I was told there was a scene that was controversial to some readers, I read it first. I thought the disturbing scene was tastefully addressed and was not in the least bit gratuitous. Although I have never been a 14 year old teenage girl like the protagonist Tray, I thought the book captured the angst of the character very well.
After my daughter read the book, we had a frank discussion about the disturbing scene. I now feel that if she is ever in any similar situation as Tray, she will respond better than Tray by coming forward immediately. I don't want to say any more without spoiling the book, but I hardily recommend this book. And if you have not had a discussion with you child about situations that can and do too often arise, you should do so at once. You do not have to use this book as a starting point, but it is a great one for that.
After my daughter read the book, we had a frank discussion about the disturbing scene. I now feel that if she is ever in any similar situation as Tray, she will respond better than Tray by coming forward immediately. I don't want to say any more without spoiling the book, but I hardily recommend this book. And if you have not had a discussion with you child about situations that can and do too often arise, you should do so at once. You do not have to use this book as a starting point, but it is a great one for that.
February 24, 2023
The Ticket is a coming of age story about Tray, a young girl living in Paradise, KY. The story covers chronicles the effect winning the lottery can have on a family ill prepared for such a drastic change in lifestyle. As Debra Coleman Jeter tells the story from Tray’s point of view, she does a great job of covering issues that affect a young girl’s life, including mental illness and the value of true friends. While some people might find one scene controversial, I found Tray’s naïve encounter with an older man who wanted to take advantage of her a realistic portrayal of the danger many young ladies are at risk of experiencing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Ticket and definitely recommend it.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Ticket and definitely recommend it.
April 24, 2015
I thought this book was going to be more focused on how having the winning ticket was going to affect the characters in the book, except that dad didn't cash in the lottery ticket right away. It is more about those awkward teen years and the perspective teens have. It is a story full of not fitting in, wanting to be popular, how adults are perceived and how life would be if dad just spent the ticket on making her popular. Teenagers are complex creatures, this was an interesting delve into situations from their perspective. I was given a copy of this book for my honest opinion.
March 18, 2016
"The Ticket" is a novel which, in my opinion, defies classification. Part coming of age, part suspense, it may appeal as much to those of us who remember what it's like to be a teenager in the 1970s as to those who are teenagers now looking for a portal to another time and place. The novel is a quick read, but the characters and situations will linger in your mind long after you read the final page. I don't want to give the plot away, but I found it to be unpredictable in a totally satisfying, if sometimes sad, and always believable way. Read it! You want be disappointed.
April 2, 2016
A story that makes the reader think how we may never really know what goes on in the lives of some of our neighbors. Adolescence can be a hard time and many lessons can be learned. The author describes the life of the main character with thoughtful words and emotions. This book is not just for teens. Adults can read this, too.
April 30, 2015
I really enjoyed The Ticket. From page one, I was hooked. It is mixed with drama, nostalgia and some laughter. The book isn't too long, so I had it read in a few hours. Hours well spent. I can't wait to see what else Debra Coleman Jeter writes next.
5 stars.
5 stars.
February 3, 2016
If 3.5 was a choice it would be mine. Interesting; nice clean cut story safe to recommend to anyone.
September 18, 2016
Introspective
Introspective...made me look back at my own teenage Years...the relationship of me and my father....and my mother....absolutely loved this story.
Introspective...made me look back at my own teenage Years...the relationship of me and my father....and my mother....absolutely loved this story.
March 27, 2017
9/1975, Paradise, KY. Tray Dunaway (f, narrator), lives with Jesse Dunaway (husband/dad, Jay-bird’s brother-in-law), Evelyn Dunaway (mother, Bipolar I) & Ginny (grandmother).
Jesse had taken Pee Wee Johnson (family friend) to Hazard, IL., to by a lottery ticket.
Surprise, against his morals & better judgment Pee Wee gives Jesse 1 of the lottery tickets.
Later Jesse finds out he had the winning number & won the Illinois lottery
Pee Wee later threatens Jesse & wants his cut also.
Gram had passed away & now there was a funeral to attend.
Was there foul play in Gram’s death?
Tray was taken to the police station for interrogation.
Will Pee Wee ever get his fair share?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolina’s; Firefly Southern Fiction; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Jesse had taken Pee Wee Johnson (family friend) to Hazard, IL., to by a lottery ticket.
Surprise, against his morals & better judgment Pee Wee gives Jesse 1 of the lottery tickets.
Later Jesse finds out he had the winning number & won the Illinois lottery
Pee Wee later threatens Jesse & wants his cut also.
Gram had passed away & now there was a funeral to attend.
Was there foul play in Gram’s death?
Tray was taken to the police station for interrogation.
Will Pee Wee ever get his fair share?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolina’s; Firefly Southern Fiction; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
April 26, 2017
Good Book!
It wasn't what I expected,, but was a really good read!!! The description said it was a religious/Christian read, but I didn't see that part of it. It is a very clean book and did show very good values. This was a book I truly enjoyed!! C:o)
Carolyn McElroy
It wasn't what I expected,, but was a really good read!!! The description said it was a religious/Christian read, but I didn't see that part of it. It is a very clean book and did show very good values. This was a book I truly enjoyed!! C:o)
Carolyn McElroy
November 23, 2017
The Ticket is a story that is not unfamiliar. How many of us wish our lives were different than they are - only to realize after we've lost someone or something important to us that we didn't have it so bad after all? This sad tale, told from the viewpoint of a hormone-riddled teen, is one such story. Not particularly exciting or inspiring but certainly relatable.
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