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The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee
In this award-winning, coming-of-age novel, ten-year-old Gracie Lee schemes to make sense out of her life as an Arkansas farm girl in the early 1970s. Wise beyond her age yet imbued with child-like innocence, Gracie focuses on the three things that keep her awake at the mystery of the man in the gray house;Surviving another school year at Savage Crossing Elementary; and,Saving her alcoholic Daddy from himself (and thereby saving the whole family and wider world). Gracie feels certain there is more to life beyond school and dull church sermons. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders what it must be like to have been born Lisa Marie Presley from Tennessee instead of Gracie Lee Abbott from Arkansas. Mostly, she wishes her Daddy wasn't so mean.Gracie's unchecked imagination leads to Nancy Drew-type adventure. Adventure leads to trouble. She confides in unexpected characters and seeks solace in a mysterious gray house beyond the cotton field. When Gracie faces a difficult family situation, she must make a life-altering decision, one that will test the very essence of her character."At best, most first novels indicate potential. It would be wrong to say that, when reading Talya Tate Boerner's The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, I was amazed. There's magic here, in a wonderfully-told story that will find a special place in any reader's heart." ~ Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author."Boerner's prose is a wonderful medium for unspooling Gracie's story, imbued with all the snark, wonder, and colorful details that characterize childhood... The author addresses real, high-stakes issues without slathering them in melodrama or saccharine sentimentality, and her book hearkens back to an older YA tradition of stories of plucky preteen girls, spooky houses, and inevitable tragedies that help mark the turning point from childhood to adolescence. A stirring novel with a distinctive young narrator." ~ Kirkus Reviews
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2016
62 people are currently reading
772 people want to read
About the author
Talya Tate Boerner
11 books179 followersTalya Tate Boerner spent twenty-five years as a Dallas banker before following her literary dreams back home to Arkansas. When she isn't writing, you can find her gardening, reading, or raising butterflies on her back porch. She lives with her husband and two miniature schnauzers in the stunning Ozark Mountains of Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Third Act of Theo Gruene is her fourth novel.
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June 28, 2018
EXCERPT: Daddy was in a bad mood. I could tell by the slow drawn out crunch of gravel on the driveway. He'd parked by the old plum tree and was taking forever to walk through the back door. He was predictable. Just like my life so far.
'One Mississippi, two Mississippi....'
The truck engine fell quiet, leaving only the sound of tree frogs. Lucky'sears perked. I rubbed the white spot on the back of his neck, and he relaxed back onto the floor beside me.
'Three Mississippi, four Mississippi. ...'
Tucking Barbie underneath the throw pillow on my lap, I traced my finger over the red blooms that covered my library book. Abby, my little sister, lay dozing on the opposite end of the couch, sprawled flat on her back. She had a way of sleeping through anything - a loud television show, or even one of Momma and Daddy's late night arguments. As I watched, her long eyelashes fluttered, just slightly. Then she giggledin her sleep, rolled over onto her belly, and continued snoozing.
'Seven Mississippi, eight Mississippi. ...'
Slipping my hands under the pillow, I twirled Barbie's silky hair and stroked the bumpy fabric of her pin-dot skirt. Momma sewed most all of Barbie's clothes from scrap material, and sometimes we even dressed alike. Barbie and me, not Momma and me.
'Nine Mississippi, ten Mississippi. ...'
I stared at the back door for a good long time.
What was Daddy doing? Resting, thinking, deciding whether or not to turn around and leave for good?
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Ten-year-old Gracie Lee knows a few things. She knows which trees are best for climbing. She knows how to walk through the hallway without making a sound on the hardwood floor. She knows if Daddy's crop gets one more drop of rain, the whole family will pay the price. There are plenty of things Gracie doesn't know. These things keep her awake at night. Gracie longs for something bigger and grander and truer, and feels certain there is more to life beyond school and dull church sermons. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders what it must be like to have been born Lisa Marie Presley from Tennessee instead of Gracie Lee Abbott from Arkansas. Mostly, she wishes her Daddy wasn't so mean. Gracie's unchecked imagination leads to adventure, and adventure leads to trouble. She confides in unexpected characters and seeks solace in a mysterious gray house beyond the cotton field. When Gracie faces a difficult family situation, she must make a life-altering decision, one that will test the very essence of her character. "At best, most first novels indicate potential. It would be wrong to say that, when reading Talya Tate Boerner's The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, I was amazed. There's magic here, in a wonderfully-told story that will find a special place in any reader's heart." --Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author
MY THOUGHTS: The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee is one of those books that slowly works it's way into your heart and leaves you feeling like one of the family. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down.
Ten year old Grace Lee Eudora (how she hates that name!) Abbott, Gracie to friends and family, hates playing the piano and is fascinated by the French language. She knows a lot of things (some of them she wishes she didn't), but the things she doesn't know keep her awake at night. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders why she couldn't have been born Lisa Marie Presley. She has long involved conversations with the father at her local Baptist church and asks him to pray for her Daddy, who surely must be one of the meanest men on earth. She prays for rain in the dry, and for it to stop raining in the wet, so that her Daddy will have a good cotton crop and maybe become nicer, not only to her but to her mother and sister.
She takes to hiding out in the lovely grey house down the road, where the unknown man shot himself, and where there is a whole lot of books, including a coveted set of encyclopaedias. She writes the man letters, telling him about her life and what is going on in the community, without knowing if he is alive or dead.
We follow Gracie through the school year, and long summer holidays. We watch her struggle with her relationship with her father, and try to understand her mother. We watch her cope with betrayal and bullying, and with death.
This is a delightful book, well written and evocative of both the era and it's setting. It is a book that I know I am going to read again.
Than you to Southern Yellow Pine Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee by Talya Tate Boerner for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
'One Mississippi, two Mississippi....'
The truck engine fell quiet, leaving only the sound of tree frogs. Lucky'sears perked. I rubbed the white spot on the back of his neck, and he relaxed back onto the floor beside me.
'Three Mississippi, four Mississippi. ...'
Tucking Barbie underneath the throw pillow on my lap, I traced my finger over the red blooms that covered my library book. Abby, my little sister, lay dozing on the opposite end of the couch, sprawled flat on her back. She had a way of sleeping through anything - a loud television show, or even one of Momma and Daddy's late night arguments. As I watched, her long eyelashes fluttered, just slightly. Then she giggledin her sleep, rolled over onto her belly, and continued snoozing.
'Seven Mississippi, eight Mississippi. ...'
Slipping my hands under the pillow, I twirled Barbie's silky hair and stroked the bumpy fabric of her pin-dot skirt. Momma sewed most all of Barbie's clothes from scrap material, and sometimes we even dressed alike. Barbie and me, not Momma and me.
'Nine Mississippi, ten Mississippi. ...'
I stared at the back door for a good long time.
What was Daddy doing? Resting, thinking, deciding whether or not to turn around and leave for good?
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Ten-year-old Gracie Lee knows a few things. She knows which trees are best for climbing. She knows how to walk through the hallway without making a sound on the hardwood floor. She knows if Daddy's crop gets one more drop of rain, the whole family will pay the price. There are plenty of things Gracie doesn't know. These things keep her awake at night. Gracie longs for something bigger and grander and truer, and feels certain there is more to life beyond school and dull church sermons. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders what it must be like to have been born Lisa Marie Presley from Tennessee instead of Gracie Lee Abbott from Arkansas. Mostly, she wishes her Daddy wasn't so mean. Gracie's unchecked imagination leads to adventure, and adventure leads to trouble. She confides in unexpected characters and seeks solace in a mysterious gray house beyond the cotton field. When Gracie faces a difficult family situation, she must make a life-altering decision, one that will test the very essence of her character. "At best, most first novels indicate potential. It would be wrong to say that, when reading Talya Tate Boerner's The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, I was amazed. There's magic here, in a wonderfully-told story that will find a special place in any reader's heart." --Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author
MY THOUGHTS: The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee is one of those books that slowly works it's way into your heart and leaves you feeling like one of the family. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down.
Ten year old Grace Lee Eudora (how she hates that name!) Abbott, Gracie to friends and family, hates playing the piano and is fascinated by the French language. She knows a lot of things (some of them she wishes she didn't), but the things she doesn't know keep her awake at night. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders why she couldn't have been born Lisa Marie Presley. She has long involved conversations with the father at her local Baptist church and asks him to pray for her Daddy, who surely must be one of the meanest men on earth. She prays for rain in the dry, and for it to stop raining in the wet, so that her Daddy will have a good cotton crop and maybe become nicer, not only to her but to her mother and sister.
She takes to hiding out in the lovely grey house down the road, where the unknown man shot himself, and where there is a whole lot of books, including a coveted set of encyclopaedias. She writes the man letters, telling him about her life and what is going on in the community, without knowing if he is alive or dead.
We follow Gracie through the school year, and long summer holidays. We watch her struggle with her relationship with her father, and try to understand her mother. We watch her cope with betrayal and bullying, and with death.
This is a delightful book, well written and evocative of both the era and it's setting. It is a book that I know I am going to read again.
Than you to Southern Yellow Pine Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee by Talya Tate Boerner for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
June 13, 2016
I met the author of this book at a book signing in Seaside, FL. I probably never would have bought it, except that she seemed very nice and signed it for me, and I thought it might be a nice beach read, but I was skeptical because it was her first novel. I was SO pleasantly surprised! It was absolutely adorable and I couldn't put it down. For a Southern Baptist raised girl whose parents were from Arkansas where the book was set, it was totally delightful and very reminiscent of my own childhood. Loved every page of it!
February 10, 2016
As a retired librarian, aspiring writer, and voracious reader, I appreciate the value of categories. They help us to locate books (in the library and bookstore) and search online for titles that match our reading tastes. Talya Tate Boerner’s debut novel does fit into “southern” “rural” and “historical fiction” and a few other categories, but leaving it at that is selling it short. It is also a “coming of age” story, despite Gracie Lee’s being younger than the typical teenaged protagonist. Gracie Lee is precocious as she moves into her teen years, which gives credibility to her insights, questions and rebelliousness.
It could also be a warning tale to parents, to remind us that our own lives don’t always find parallels in our children’s minds, that what may seem mundane to us may translate to the world’s greatest adventure or worst tragedy in our child’s universe. If we aren’t attentive, we may miss the implications of what the child is burying (literally or symbolically) when “digging in the dirt.”
We can’t be blamed entirely for missing those clues, because we are sometimes caught up in our own mundanities and tragedies, as Gracie Lee’s parents were. We can be thankful for a trusted listening ear who can lead our children in the right direction. Gracie Lee found hers, and we can be sure that these characters were as necessary to the story’s conclusion as they were to the beginning of Gracie Lee’s maturation.
The “slow movement” of the story in the middle, which has been mentioned as a criticism, was an opportunity to enjoy Gracie Lee’s observations, sense of humor and reflections on adult life. It was also an opportunity to revisit that time and place in my own life and relive the events, holidays, seasons and traditions in a region that was familiar to me.
The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee would be a wonderful selection for a book discussion. The book-pusher in me could also add another category to my Goodreads shelf: Recommend to Friends and Family.
It could also be a warning tale to parents, to remind us that our own lives don’t always find parallels in our children’s minds, that what may seem mundane to us may translate to the world’s greatest adventure or worst tragedy in our child’s universe. If we aren’t attentive, we may miss the implications of what the child is burying (literally or symbolically) when “digging in the dirt.”
We can’t be blamed entirely for missing those clues, because we are sometimes caught up in our own mundanities and tragedies, as Gracie Lee’s parents were. We can be thankful for a trusted listening ear who can lead our children in the right direction. Gracie Lee found hers, and we can be sure that these characters were as necessary to the story’s conclusion as they were to the beginning of Gracie Lee’s maturation.
The “slow movement” of the story in the middle, which has been mentioned as a criticism, was an opportunity to enjoy Gracie Lee’s observations, sense of humor and reflections on adult life. It was also an opportunity to revisit that time and place in my own life and relive the events, holidays, seasons and traditions in a region that was familiar to me.
The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee would be a wonderful selection for a book discussion. The book-pusher in me could also add another category to my Goodreads shelf: Recommend to Friends and Family.
February 17, 2016
*Disclaimer: I was given an ARC from the publisher in return for an honest review.
Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, this coming-of-age story has all the heart one could wish for. I hated for it to end! Highly recommended.
Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, this coming-of-age story has all the heart one could wish for. I hated for it to end! Highly recommended.
December 30, 2015
I love reading anything set in my home state of Arkansas, and this book was especially wonderful.
In Boerner's debut novel we get to travel to the Delta region of the state in the mid-1970s. The delta region is full of farm land and residents make their living from cotton, beans, and whatever crops they can grow. It is fascinating for me to imagine that type of life, and very exciting to imagine it in the 70s.
This book is told from the perspective of Gracie Lee, a ten year old daughter of a farmer. Gracie Lee has a wild imagination and seems to be wise beyond her years. She and her little sister live their lives carefree and mostly happy. Mom is the typical 70s homemaker, and Dad spends the daylight hours out on the farm. Mom takes the girls to church each Sunday, and early in this story Gracie Lee finds herself at the front of the church with Pastor Brown. Baptism follows although Gracie Lee claims she never intended to be saved.
One of my favorite parts of this book was each Sunday when Gracie Lee would go to the front of the church and have a conversation with Pastor Brown. It is during these conversations that Gracie Lee is fairly honest with her home life - which isn't always rainbows and ponies. Gracie Lee's daddy is a harsh man and I feel like a lot of Gracie's imagination is her escape to a happier home.
This book spans one year of Gracie Lee's life and the ordinary days that fill the life of a ten year old. The characters were so completely real and I felt that by the end of the book I could vividly picture many of them in my mind. I won't give away any spoilers, but I can say that this story has one character that I truly wanted to die. I've never felt that way about a character before, but my heart went out to the people hurt by this character and I just wanted them gone.
This book has a bittersweet ending, but I thought it was perfect for the story that was told. I felt a sense of freedom on behalf of the characters when it was over, and I felt I could close the pages knowing that everyone was going to be okay.
*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
In Boerner's debut novel we get to travel to the Delta region of the state in the mid-1970s. The delta region is full of farm land and residents make their living from cotton, beans, and whatever crops they can grow. It is fascinating for me to imagine that type of life, and very exciting to imagine it in the 70s.
This book is told from the perspective of Gracie Lee, a ten year old daughter of a farmer. Gracie Lee has a wild imagination and seems to be wise beyond her years. She and her little sister live their lives carefree and mostly happy. Mom is the typical 70s homemaker, and Dad spends the daylight hours out on the farm. Mom takes the girls to church each Sunday, and early in this story Gracie Lee finds herself at the front of the church with Pastor Brown. Baptism follows although Gracie Lee claims she never intended to be saved.
One of my favorite parts of this book was each Sunday when Gracie Lee would go to the front of the church and have a conversation with Pastor Brown. It is during these conversations that Gracie Lee is fairly honest with her home life - which isn't always rainbows and ponies. Gracie Lee's daddy is a harsh man and I feel like a lot of Gracie's imagination is her escape to a happier home.
This book spans one year of Gracie Lee's life and the ordinary days that fill the life of a ten year old. The characters were so completely real and I felt that by the end of the book I could vividly picture many of them in my mind. I won't give away any spoilers, but I can say that this story has one character that I truly wanted to die. I've never felt that way about a character before, but my heart went out to the people hurt by this character and I just wanted them gone.
This book has a bittersweet ending, but I thought it was perfect for the story that was told. I felt a sense of freedom on behalf of the characters when it was over, and I felt I could close the pages knowing that everyone was going to be okay.
*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
January 30, 2016
"My two grown children are the best people I know. I hope to be like them someday."
Those words succeeded to fire up my mind. Whatever I simply love, will instantly hook me. Talya Tate Boerner, the architect of the above words, was also the author next in line on my shelf. It’s not that I lock up people, especially authors on my shelves. :) You got it, the book I intended to read after doing some research on the author, belonged to Talya.
When my curiosity was fully satisfied, I opened up the book. What did I find inside its pages?
Well… I found Gracie Lee Eudora Abbot, a ten-year-old girl who plans to liberate people on her path. The magic of combining struggles, coming of age, solitude and salvation with good humor, is sure to totally embrace the reader.
Inside the book, a mysterious music can be heard. Music combined with nature’s call, which ears cannot detect. You have to read it to fully sense what I am speaking about.
On the surface is a southern story set near the banks of the Mississippi River. In fact, it is much more. A distinctive fragrance touches your soul while the girl saves someone unexpectedly. Vibrant details written in a very personal way by Talya Tate Boerner, give a delicious taste to one of the most important steps each human must take; leaving the childhood behind while tiptoeing into adolescence.
You will not even believe that what you have in your hands is a debut novel. If this is Talya’s first published fictional book, her heart whispers that she has already written many other novels inside her soul.
The Accidental Salvation of Grace Lee is the book you should not miss in this lifetime.
Those words succeeded to fire up my mind. Whatever I simply love, will instantly hook me. Talya Tate Boerner, the architect of the above words, was also the author next in line on my shelf. It’s not that I lock up people, especially authors on my shelves. :) You got it, the book I intended to read after doing some research on the author, belonged to Talya.
When my curiosity was fully satisfied, I opened up the book. What did I find inside its pages?
Well… I found Gracie Lee Eudora Abbot, a ten-year-old girl who plans to liberate people on her path. The magic of combining struggles, coming of age, solitude and salvation with good humor, is sure to totally embrace the reader.
Inside the book, a mysterious music can be heard. Music combined with nature’s call, which ears cannot detect. You have to read it to fully sense what I am speaking about.
On the surface is a southern story set near the banks of the Mississippi River. In fact, it is much more. A distinctive fragrance touches your soul while the girl saves someone unexpectedly. Vibrant details written in a very personal way by Talya Tate Boerner, give a delicious taste to one of the most important steps each human must take; leaving the childhood behind while tiptoeing into adolescence.
You will not even believe that what you have in your hands is a debut novel. If this is Talya’s first published fictional book, her heart whispers that she has already written many other novels inside her soul.
The Accidental Salvation of Grace Lee is the book you should not miss in this lifetime.
January 1, 2016
Gracie Lee lives on a farm with her mother, father, little sister and their dog Lucky. She is a nervous worried child, always anxious over everything from whether she will drown during her baptism to how many beers her father has consumed, to what has become of the man from the "pretty gray house." Gracie's mom plays piano at their church. Gracie decides one day during the invitational hymn to go up and speak to Brother Brown about praying for her heavy drinking father with the nasty disposition. From that point on Brother Brown becomes somewhat of a confidante for Gracie as she struggles through a difficult home life.
As a fan of historical fiction I enjoyed this story, set in the 70s, with references to Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Nixon. I did feel it started off a bit slowly but it was definitely worth sticking with to the end.
I received an advance copy for review
As a fan of historical fiction I enjoyed this story, set in the 70s, with references to Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Nixon. I did feel it started off a bit slowly but it was definitely worth sticking with to the end.
I received an advance copy for review
January 4, 2016
This book is somewhat of a slow burner, but what a gem. Set in the seventies in the Vietnam era, the book tells the tale of a year in the life of Gracie Lee. she lives on a cotton farm with her momma, dad and younger sister. I found Grace a wonderful character, and the author did a fantastic job of getting inside the head of a ten year old girl growing up with a somewhat dysfunctional family. My heart broke for her at times, yet I also felt her strength and way of looking at the world would see her through. A bittersweet ending that we know is coming, and yet which leaves the reader with a feeling of hope and optimism for Gracie Lee's future. Filled to the brim with wonderful small town characters, the author describes them and the rural setting so vividly you can picture it all. A wonderful tale, and one I highly recommend, I am now off to google a recipe for strawberry cake!
March 14, 2016
How can one be accidentally saved? That's the question that pops into your head when you see the title.
*** MILD spoilers follow ***
Gracie Lee Eudora Abbott is ten years old. The summer is almost over, and school is looming ominously on the all-too-close horizon. So every single day is important! But her mother, Anne, makes her and her sister go to church every Sunday. They can't even play all morning because they'll get dirty, so it's basically an entire day gone out of their busy schedules of being kids in the Mississippi Delta of eastern Arkansas in the early 70s.
Gracie's father never goes to church with the girls and their mother. And that is totally not fair. If she has to go, why doesn't he? Sure, he gets drunk (and mean) most nights after working all day on the farms. But that's hardly an excuse.
So it's only natural that Gracie would ask the preacher about it. Everything just . . . kind of got out of hand after that.
Boerner's debut novel is full of wonderful prose, humor, and drop-dead serious situations that this plucky, curious, precocious ten-year-old girl has to navigate: school bullies, death, baptism, church camp, and the mysterious fate of the man in the gray house just down the street from hers. Did he really shoot himself? Is he all right?
*** END mild spoilers ***
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and look forward to Boerner's future novels.
The writing reminded me a lot of A Painted House by John Grisham. It has a similar feel, and it's also from the first-person POV of a child trying to make sense of adult situations. Highly recommended.
*** MILD spoilers follow ***
Gracie Lee Eudora Abbott is ten years old. The summer is almost over, and school is looming ominously on the all-too-close horizon. So every single day is important! But her mother, Anne, makes her and her sister go to church every Sunday. They can't even play all morning because they'll get dirty, so it's basically an entire day gone out of their busy schedules of being kids in the Mississippi Delta of eastern Arkansas in the early 70s.
Gracie's father never goes to church with the girls and their mother. And that is totally not fair. If she has to go, why doesn't he? Sure, he gets drunk (and mean) most nights after working all day on the farms. But that's hardly an excuse.
So it's only natural that Gracie would ask the preacher about it. Everything just . . . kind of got out of hand after that.
Boerner's debut novel is full of wonderful prose, humor, and drop-dead serious situations that this plucky, curious, precocious ten-year-old girl has to navigate: school bullies, death, baptism, church camp, and the mysterious fate of the man in the gray house just down the street from hers. Did he really shoot himself? Is he all right?
*** END mild spoilers ***
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and look forward to Boerner's future novels.
The writing reminded me a lot of A Painted House by John Grisham. It has a similar feel, and it's also from the first-person POV of a child trying to make sense of adult situations. Highly recommended.
January 30, 2016
This story stole my heart and reminded me of so many of my own feelings as a 10-year-old trying to understand the world I was growing up in. It is set in the Mississippi Delta in northeast Arkansas in the 70s. I did not grow up in the south near farmers or farmland, but rather in the suburban midwest in the same period. However, Gracie Lee described so many of the feelings and questions I had about the world, religion, my family, and my place in the world. Thoughts and feelings I was desperately trying to understand while eavesdropping on conversations, watching adults and wondering if this growing up thing was really worth all the craziness I saw and questioned.
The rhythm of the words perfectly described Gracie Lee's thoughts and actions, and mirrored my own memories. I was mesmerized by the description of the place and people, and felt like I had been there with her. I cheered Gracie Lee when she was sassy; I nodded my head in agreement when she described the adults around her; I ached for the same answers she was asking about.
Even though I guessed the ending, the real ending still surprised me in a way I was unprepared for. I cried for Gracie Lee and understood her even more than I had anticipated. I couldn't wait to know what would happen next as I finished the last words of her story. Read this book with an open heart and expect to be taken back to a place we have all been through.
The rhythm of the words perfectly described Gracie Lee's thoughts and actions, and mirrored my own memories. I was mesmerized by the description of the place and people, and felt like I had been there with her. I cheered Gracie Lee when she was sassy; I nodded my head in agreement when she described the adults around her; I ached for the same answers she was asking about.
Even though I guessed the ending, the real ending still surprised me in a way I was unprepared for. I cried for Gracie Lee and understood her even more than I had anticipated. I couldn't wait to know what would happen next as I finished the last words of her story. Read this book with an open heart and expect to be taken back to a place we have all been through.
January 21, 2019
Somehow, the N-word never appears in this book. Which is interesting, because I grew up in rural Missouri, not so far from where this book takes place, just a few years earlier than the protagonist. And I heard it a lot.
So how about that Baptist Church, with Brother Brown counseling forgiveness for a black burglar? Uh, no. It's true that I sometimes heard Baptist preachers recommend forgiveness, but that only happened when the sinner was white, financially well off, and preferably male. Funny how that works.
By the era when this book takes place, the Southern Baptist Church was a major cultural force in the South, and it was growing. Who were all those new converts? Well, I knew some of them. My father's side of the family had been Presbyterian since the signing of the Westminster Confession. Then, during the Civil Rights movement, several suddenly decided to switch to the Southern Baptist Church because it was more conservative -- by which they meant racist. They were particularly impressed by the private, whites-only schools the Baptists were starting. They knew their kids could get a fine Christian education at a place called "Stonewall Jackson Academy."
Oh, and the abusive Lee Abbott? Were his tendencies an aberration? No, I'm afraid not. That's how southern white society works. It's a culture that grew from slavery and Jim Crow. Why should we be surprised that it produces micro-dictators?
So how about that Baptist Church, with Brother Brown counseling forgiveness for a black burglar? Uh, no. It's true that I sometimes heard Baptist preachers recommend forgiveness, but that only happened when the sinner was white, financially well off, and preferably male. Funny how that works.
By the era when this book takes place, the Southern Baptist Church was a major cultural force in the South, and it was growing. Who were all those new converts? Well, I knew some of them. My father's side of the family had been Presbyterian since the signing of the Westminster Confession. Then, during the Civil Rights movement, several suddenly decided to switch to the Southern Baptist Church because it was more conservative -- by which they meant racist. They were particularly impressed by the private, whites-only schools the Baptists were starting. They knew their kids could get a fine Christian education at a place called "Stonewall Jackson Academy."
Oh, and the abusive Lee Abbott? Were his tendencies an aberration? No, I'm afraid not. That's how southern white society works. It's a culture that grew from slavery and Jim Crow. Why should we be surprised that it produces micro-dictators?
February 3, 2016
First off, let me be honest...the author is a dear friend of mine! But, I am not giving this review based on that information. I am not a big reader, it has to be a book that will keep my attention for me to finish it. Let me say..this book did that! I did not want to put it down, and finished it in one day. I started in at 9 pm on the 1st and stayed up way to late and even read it at lunch at Panera :)
I was able to picture the setting and the characters, yes I have an advantage, but I truly believe if I didn't know her at all, I would still be able to do this. Talya's writing pulls you right in and is able to keep you there with her! I laughed, I cried, and did lots of reminiscing. What a wonderful journey Gracie Lee took me on and I can't wait for more from this amazing author!
A+++++++
I was able to picture the setting and the characters, yes I have an advantage, but I truly believe if I didn't know her at all, I would still be able to do this. Talya's writing pulls you right in and is able to keep you there with her! I laughed, I cried, and did lots of reminiscing. What a wonderful journey Gracie Lee took me on and I can't wait for more from this amazing author!
A+++++++
February 25, 2020
Of course since I wrote it, I love it! I hope you do too.
December 30, 2017
I love to read, always have. And I read a lot of books, mostly thrillers and mysteries, but also novels, biographies and history. It’s been rare that I’ve found a book that truly sucks, and I can probably count those on one hand (plus a couple of fingers from the other). But it is also rare that I find a book that speaks to me deep down and moves me to my core. “The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee” is one of those books. While I did not have the same struggles in my immediate family, I was familiar with them. Now at the ripe (not) old age of 56, I got into this book and could remember having the same thought processes as Gracie Lee—childhood memories flooded back (the good, the bad and the ugly)! I chuckled, laughed out loud and cried. Ms. Boerner has a gift for conveying how a 10-year-old girl thinks and it was magic. I look forward to reading everything she writes!
July 18, 2017
The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee is a stunning book, reminiscent of "The Secret Life of Bees" and "To Kill a Mockingbird". Gracie Lee goes swimming in her front yard when spring rains come and overrun the cotton fields, and that is just the beginning. Mesmerizing, and hard to put down, the story draws you in and makes you linger as you puzzle over the same things Gracie Lee puzzles over. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you cringe and shudder. It will bring you back to a time, as it did for me, of playing, and setting aside play for bigger things. Beautifully written. This is one to read again, because there is just so much to it.
November 14, 2017
Talya Boerner has a real knack for the child's voice and, more importantly, for telling a story. Her feel for the Southern setting gives the reader a sense of being in the Delta in the 1970s. And the struggles of her character, coming of age in difficult circumstances, will tug at your heartstrings. Great read from a talented author.
April 27, 2022
I really loved Gracie, and would love to see a sequel to find out more about her.
February 27, 2018
This was a great story! It reminded me a bit of the books by Lesley Kagen that I love! Grace is a lovable and funny character. It was wonderful sharing her views on life, religion, death, hardships, etc. Her sense of humor was especially uplifting.
February 6, 2016
I became so invested in Gracie Lee's life, that I was sad for the book to end. I'm a Licensed, Clinical Social Worker and I know first hand how domestic violence affects women and their children . Talya Tate Boerner absolutely nailed it in expressing the dynamics, and the emotions of family members experience.
Although written from a ten-year-old girl's point of view, the novel is articulate, sophisticated, and well-told. Gracie Lee is a believable person who struggles to make sense of her life: her father is a mean alcoholic; her sister is annoying; her chest stubbornly remains flat; and she's not so sure about God--is he just a fairy tale that makes people feel better?
The story contains humor and pathos. It's easy to root for Gracie Lee while she does her best to protect the people she loves. Sometimes you'll laugh, cringe, sit on the edge of your seat, be sad, or furious. I highly recommend this book.
Although written from a ten-year-old girl's point of view, the novel is articulate, sophisticated, and well-told. Gracie Lee is a believable person who struggles to make sense of her life: her father is a mean alcoholic; her sister is annoying; her chest stubbornly remains flat; and she's not so sure about God--is he just a fairy tale that makes people feel better?
The story contains humor and pathos. It's easy to root for Gracie Lee while she does her best to protect the people she loves. Sometimes you'll laugh, cringe, sit on the edge of your seat, be sad, or furious. I highly recommend this book.
May 4, 2020
The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee by Talya Tate Boerner: There’s so much to love about Gracie Lee and some of the other characters in this debut novel and there is much to hate about others. The author drew me into the pages as though I was right there with Gracie Lee. She sets the scene so well that I could visualize everything from the trees, the school house, the church pew where she sits every Sunday and the kitchen where Gracie spends so much time with her sister and her mother. I believe no matter if you grew up in the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s or raised your children during that time, or any other years for that matter, you will be able to relate to so many things in this excellent work of writing. I need to know more about Gracie Lee so I hope there will be a sequel soon.
February 21, 2016
This highly anticipated novel did not disappoint. It is rich in detail and emotion. I was hooked by the very first sentence and had a hard time putting it down! I fell in love with Gracie Lee, laughed with her and cried with her. This story will grip your heart and never let go. If you are a fan of To Kill a Mockingbird you will love this book for years to come. Looking forward to the sequel and so happy there is one!!!
May 29, 2016
I love southern fiction, and especially love it when it is written by a fellow Arkansas author! Gracie Lee is a grand read full of all the details that one might expect from southern fiction. There is angst, rebellion, plenty of "churching", slightly dysfunctional families, Elvis, and farming! Fabulous story!
February 24, 2016
Gracie Lee is the all American little southern farm girl. I was transported back to my childhood. This book gave me the sweet reminder of how lucky I was. Talya Tate Boerner didn't miss a thing! And Mae! We all need a Mae. I couldn't put it down.
May 29, 2019
This...
Could of been written about me and my childhood. Loved the story! Sad but redeeming. Keep up the good work. Will read more from you!
Could of been written about me and my childhood. Loved the story! Sad but redeeming. Keep up the good work. Will read more from you!
August 28, 2024
This was quite a bit darker and had far more depth than I thought when it was assigned for my book club.
I’m so glad it was ‘forced’ on me.
We’ll have a lot to talk about.
I’m so glad it was ‘forced’ on me.
We’ll have a lot to talk about.
April 27, 2017
Anyone who has chanced upon Talya Boerner's Grace, Grits and Gardening blog knows this lady can write. Boerner's skill in bringing rural Arkansas to life is comparable to Frank Deford's ability to make football interesting to a self-proclaimed book nerd.
If the delightful title doesn't capture you, the first page will. Readers are swiftly immersed in the tense, palpably awkward family of young Gracie Lee. Boerner allows the reader to feel the tension build as Gracie Lee counts in her head...one Mississippi.....two Mississippi...as she waits for her threatening father to walk through the door. The prose flows quickly despite a delightful sprinkling of similes and metaphors. Each page has literary nuggets: "The entire house seemed to shudder and sink a few inches into the ground..." "Brother Brown's sermon drifted over the congregation like crop defoliant, settling on the faithful Baptists like a fog." Gracie is a wise-beyond-years narrator, a bit reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird's Scout or of Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy. Gracie Lee feels so authentic, in fact, that it's difficult not to slip into believing she really does -- or did -- exist.
The novel can be an emotionally difficult read for anyone who has experienced childhood trauma, but the beautiful writing and humor make the story an excellent read. The book is also a delight for anyone who grew up in the Northeast Arkansas or Memphis area in the 1960's or 1970's. It will bring back long forgotten memories of Shakey's Pizza and shopping with green trading stamps.
Highly recommended. I met Talya once, but this review is based on my love for well written creative nonfiction...and frankly, this novel reads like a well-written memoir.
If the delightful title doesn't capture you, the first page will. Readers are swiftly immersed in the tense, palpably awkward family of young Gracie Lee. Boerner allows the reader to feel the tension build as Gracie Lee counts in her head...one Mississippi.....two Mississippi...as she waits for her threatening father to walk through the door. The prose flows quickly despite a delightful sprinkling of similes and metaphors. Each page has literary nuggets: "The entire house seemed to shudder and sink a few inches into the ground..." "Brother Brown's sermon drifted over the congregation like crop defoliant, settling on the faithful Baptists like a fog." Gracie is a wise-beyond-years narrator, a bit reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird's Scout or of Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy. Gracie Lee feels so authentic, in fact, that it's difficult not to slip into believing she really does -- or did -- exist.
The novel can be an emotionally difficult read for anyone who has experienced childhood trauma, but the beautiful writing and humor make the story an excellent read. The book is also a delight for anyone who grew up in the Northeast Arkansas or Memphis area in the 1960's or 1970's. It will bring back long forgotten memories of Shakey's Pizza and shopping with green trading stamps.
Highly recommended. I met Talya once, but this review is based on my love for well written creative nonfiction...and frankly, this novel reads like a well-written memoir.
December 28, 2021
from goodreads site:
coming-of-age novel, ten-year-old Gracie Lee struggles to make sense out of her life as an Arkansas farm girl in the early 1970s. Wise beyond her age yet imbued with child-like innocence, Gracie focuses on the three things that keep her awake at night:
1. Solving the mystery of the man in the gray house;
2. Surviving another school year at Savage Crossing Elementary; and,
3. Saving her alcoholic Daddy from himself (and thereby saving the whole family and wider world).
Gracie feels certain there is more to life beyond school and dull church sermons. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders what it must be like to have been born Lisa Marie Presley from Tennessee instead of Gracie Lee Abbott from Arkansas. Mostly, she wishes her Daddy wasn't so mean.
Gracie's unchecked imagination leads to Nancy Drew-type adventure. Adventure leads to trouble. She confides in unexpected characters and seeks solace in a mysterious gray house beyond the cotton field. When Gracie faces a difficult family situation, she must make a life-altering decision, one that will test the very essence of her character.
"At best, most first novels indicate potential. It would be wrong to say that, when reading Talya Tate Boerner's The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, I was amazed. There's magic here, in a wonderfully-told story that will find a special place in any reader's heart." ~ Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author.
"Boerner's prose is a wonderful medium for unspooling Gracie's story, imbued with all the snark, wonder, and colorful details that characterize childhood... The author addresses real, high-stakes issues without slathering them in melodrama or saccharine sentimentality, and her book hearkens back to an older YA tradition of stories of plucky preteen girls, spooky houses, and inevitable tragedies that help mark the turning point from childhood to adolescence. A stirring novel with a distinctive young narrator."
coming-of-age novel, ten-year-old Gracie Lee struggles to make sense out of her life as an Arkansas farm girl in the early 1970s. Wise beyond her age yet imbued with child-like innocence, Gracie focuses on the three things that keep her awake at night:
1. Solving the mystery of the man in the gray house;
2. Surviving another school year at Savage Crossing Elementary; and,
3. Saving her alcoholic Daddy from himself (and thereby saving the whole family and wider world).
Gracie feels certain there is more to life beyond school and dull church sermons. She worries about the soldiers in Vietnam and wonders what it must be like to have been born Lisa Marie Presley from Tennessee instead of Gracie Lee Abbott from Arkansas. Mostly, she wishes her Daddy wasn't so mean.
Gracie's unchecked imagination leads to Nancy Drew-type adventure. Adventure leads to trouble. She confides in unexpected characters and seeks solace in a mysterious gray house beyond the cotton field. When Gracie faces a difficult family situation, she must make a life-altering decision, one that will test the very essence of her character.
"At best, most first novels indicate potential. It would be wrong to say that, when reading Talya Tate Boerner's The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, I was amazed. There's magic here, in a wonderfully-told story that will find a special place in any reader's heart." ~ Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author.
"Boerner's prose is a wonderful medium for unspooling Gracie's story, imbued with all the snark, wonder, and colorful details that characterize childhood... The author addresses real, high-stakes issues without slathering them in melodrama or saccharine sentimentality, and her book hearkens back to an older YA tradition of stories of plucky preteen girls, spooky houses, and inevitable tragedies that help mark the turning point from childhood to adolescence. A stirring novel with a distinctive young narrator."
September 17, 2018
Our protagonist is a feisty, curious ten year old, Gracie. She's bright and anxious about life and her place in the world around her.
We watch her deal with school bullies, a brooding drunkard father, her worries about the soldiers in Vietnam, a mysterious neighbor, growing up.... you name it....this child's unchecked imagination compounds the situation. She does have a caring but overwhelmed mother and a sweet younger sister, grandparents, a huge church family, and a protective housekeeper.
The family cotton fields around her bring solace, but it seems every day issues bring more adventure and concerns and heartache than she should have to handle alone.
This is a first novel for Ms Boerner and it is a wonderfully told story.
We watch her deal with school bullies, a brooding drunkard father, her worries about the soldiers in Vietnam, a mysterious neighbor, growing up.... you name it....this child's unchecked imagination compounds the situation. She does have a caring but overwhelmed mother and a sweet younger sister, grandparents, a huge church family, and a protective housekeeper.
The family cotton fields around her bring solace, but it seems every day issues bring more adventure and concerns and heartache than she should have to handle alone.
This is a first novel for Ms Boerner and it is a wonderfully told story.
July 28, 2017
Although I found myself rooting for Gracie Lee, the tough-as-nails protagonist, it was the preacher in this novel who really captured my imagination. I found myself in his shoes as a little girl stepped into the aisle at altar call while the congregation begrudgingly waded through yet another verse of "Just As I Am". I wanted him to think about fried chicken, but he checked his impatience and provided a toehold for Gracie Lee as she struggled to untangle the webbing of faith, duty, expectations, and family.
I was very much impressed with the direction the author took at the climax of the story. So much so, in fact, that I actually cheered when the outcome became clear. Boerner also did an excellent job of providing a satisfying denouement. This is a well-told tale and I'm looking forward to more from Talya Tate Boerner.
I was very much impressed with the direction the author took at the climax of the story. So much so, in fact, that I actually cheered when the outcome became clear. Boerner also did an excellent job of providing a satisfying denouement. This is a well-told tale and I'm looking forward to more from Talya Tate Boerner.
September 18, 2017
This book is so engaging. Gracie is a spunky girl, who is a little like a modern female Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn. She lives in the fictional town of Savage Crossing, Arkansas, in the early 70's. She explores the really big questions of life, love, God, faith, doubt, fear, laughter, heartbreak, and everything else from a ten-year-old perspective. I won't give spoilers but this book charmed me, shook me, made me angry, made me laugh out loud and kept me wanting to hear more.
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