Days of Little Texas

by R.A. Nelson

A ghostly love story from the author of Teach Me.

Welcome, all ye faithful—and otherwise—to a ghost story, a romance, and a reckoning unlike anything you’ve read before. Acclaimed YA author R. A. Nelson delivers a tantalizing tale set in the environs of the evangelical revival circuit and centered around Ronald Earl, who at ten became the electrifying “boy wonder” preacher known as Little Texas. Now sixteen, though the faithful still come and roar with praise and devotion, Ronald Earl is beginning to have doubts that he is worthy of and can continue his calling. Doubts that only intensify when his faith and life are tested by a mysterious girl who he was supposed to have healed, but who is now showing up at the fringe of every stop on the circuit. Is she merely devoted, or is she haunting him? Fascinating and original, this is an unusual story whose reverb will be deeply felt and which will inspire lively book discussion.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Religion, Fantasy, Horror, Teen

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

R.A. Nelson's work was selected as a finalist for National Public Radio's list of the "Best Young Adult Fiction Ever Written." He was chosen a Horn Book Newcomer and his books have been nominated to the YALSA Best Books for Young Adults list and recognized by the Parents' Choice Awards, the New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list, Booksense Kid Picks, the Miami Herald Best Books of the Year, teenreads.com Best Books of the year, and others. Nelson is a recipient of NASA's prestigious Silver Snoopy Award for "outstanding support provided to the Space Shuttle program." Teach Me has been optioned by Protagonist Films for a feature film. His website is http://www.ranelsonbooks.com/

Reviews

[Christianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited about the premise, but disappointed with the book. The middle section of the book really dragged. The main character seemed like he was growing up and questioning his path, but I never got a sense of resolution or what his next moves would be. He confronted evil in a dramatic fashion but never seemed to process it afterward. The book seemed torn between being about slavery and about a boy's coming of age and spiritual growth but didn't do justice to either.

[Melodye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brothers and Sisters, please put your hands together for Ronald Earl Pettway, aka Little Texas--the faith-healing child evangelist who takes the spotlight in R.A. Nelson’s latest novel, DAYS OF LITTLE TEXAS (Knopf, 2009).

Ronald Earl's youth is scarred by tragedy. His father is sent to prison for growing marijuana in the crawl space under their trailer home. Soon afterward, his mother’s corpse is discovered among the wreckage of a meth lab explosion. Miss Wanda Joy King—his great aunt, a sturdy Pentecostal woman—provides the newly orphaned boy with food and shelter, but not much else.

Ronald Earl’s watching old-time evangelist Sugar Tom Walker preach up a storm in San Angelo, Texas, when Fate comes knockin' at his front door. Thunder clouds roll in, and a bolt of lightening strikes his friend, Certain Certain. When Ronald Earl lays a comforting hand on his motionless chest, the old man’s body shudders back to life. “You resurrected him!” a bystander cries, and when someone hands him a microphone, he gives an electrifying speech to an enthusiastic audience. “Ten years old, and the Holy Ghost comes up inside me for the very first time,” he marvels.

And thus begins Little Texas’s faith-healing ministry. Throngs of believers flock to his services, chanting his name and expecting miracles. Sugar Tom and Certain Certain serve as stage hands, while Miss Wanda Joy acts as Chief Operating Officer in his evangelical enterprise.

By the time he’s sixteen, the mantle of responsibility is resting heavy on Little Texas’s shoulders. Plagued by sexual thoughts he can’t seem to control, he’s awash in feelings of guilt and unworthiness. Shackled to the straight and narrow, he yearns to break free of others’ expectations.

It is at this juncture that two distraught parents plead with him to save Lucy, their sick daughter, from certain death. His eyes drift over her lifeless body, barely covered by a thin blue dress. Though his spiritual energy falters in the face of this temptation, the little girl seems to gather strength as he prays.

In each new town, Miss Wanda Joy seizes the opportunity for another revival meeting. And in every doorway, Little Texas sees the blond-haired girl in the blue dress. Is she another of his ardent followers, he wonders, or is he falling in love with a ghost?

The story reaches its dramatic conclusion at the Vanderloo Plantation, where legend has it that the Devil himself once wrestled an evangelist—and won. Here, Little Texas and Lucy come face-to-face with their personal demons. And in this haunted place, a final plot twist helps weave together twin themes: light and darkness, belief and doubt, love and loss.

While this book is intended for young adult audiences, I believe it has crossover appeal for older readers who enjoy stretching the boundaries of their imagination. The author does a fantastic job of creating atmosphere, using colorful, region-specific descriptions and dialect. And as the daughter of a faith-healing evangelist who's spent many an hour in Pentecostal revival meetings, I especially appreciated the authentic-sounding cadence of Little Texas’s sermons. With a deft hand and a light touch, Nelson expertly portrays the unique stylings of an itinerant preacher. Even so, I found myself wishing he had written more sensory details into the tent revival scenes, to help them come alive for those who aren’t familiar with this slice of Americana. And I wondered if readers without a Bible background might struggle with some of the scriptural references. Still, I admired the skill with which Nelson threaded paranormal and spiritual elements into the fabric of this unusual love story—and that he pulled them together in an entertaining, provocative way.

[Bronwyn Parhad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ronald Earl Pettway, AKA Little Texas, has been the wonder boy preacher since he was 10 years old. Now at 16, Little Texas doesn't have quite the same brightness, but still draws huge crowds of the faithful on the tent revival circuit. He is beginning to get doubts, to wonder about the real world of teenagers, and feel things physically and emotionally that he's never felt before. But at a revival, he heals a young girl, and a powerful jolt goes through him like never before. This healing is different somehow and it haunts him. And then she begins to haunt him, in his mind, but more and often in reality. When his handlers book him into an old plantation where slaves had been auctioned, AND his elderly relative had been struck by an evil force at a revival years before, then the eternal battle begins. This is not a mockery of the tent revival circuit, nor is it a mockery of those who are faithful; it hits good and evil squarely where it needs to be, and at the end, when the battle is over, Ronald Earl makes a life changing decision.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.A. Nelson has officially been established as one of my favorite authors. I loved his other book Breathe My Name and I loved Days of Little Texas as well. It was such a unique topic and one I’ve never read about before. Ronald Earl was a fantastic main character and his first person narrative was great, it really kept the story moving. I’m not a religious person so a book about a prodigal minister made me a little unsure. I actually learned a lot about the Bible and religion in general that I probably would never have known. It was especially interesting to read it from the point of view of the minister. I loved all the characters and each one was developed and interesting. Sugar Tom, Certain Certain, Wanda Joy… they all had a great place in the book.

The plot was great, too. There was a lot of cool historical facts, and the ghost angle made me enjoy the book that much more. There were many times when I was holding my breathe, nervously wondering what was going to happen. Each chapter left me eager to read more. By the end I couldn’t stop reading, it was so exciting. Days of Little Texas was a mix of mystery, excitement, love, and religion. It was well written and I would highly recommend it.

The narrator was a male, and as a girl, I seem to always drift towards books with female main characters. Ronald Earl or “Little Texas” was an amazing character and I loved him from the beginning. I’m so glad I read this novel and want to get a copy of Nelson’s first book, Teach Me soon.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those times I wish GoodReads would allow us to award half stars, because this is better than a ***.

R.A. Nelson got my attention a couple years ago with Breathe My Name, so I was anxious to start this one when the ARC made it to the store.

Little Texas is a preaching phenom who travels from revival to revival with an unlikely group of handlers. At one of these stops he heals a young woman who continues to "haunt" him throughout the remainder of the story.

My radar for anti-religious plotlines went up, but I needn't have worried. Nelson respects Little Texas and his genuine faith and abilities while being unafraid to introduce healthy cynicism when the adults handling his career come into play.

The central question with which Little Texas has to wrestle is this: What if everything we believed was only a littleright? Does that mean we are wrong, or does it simply mean we are meant to open our minds and hearts wider?

The only thing that kept this from being a **** was a weak denouement, but I can well imagine that the readers for whom the book is intended will not find it as unsatisfying as did I.

[Teresa Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good versus evil story with a built in history lesson. A young man, Little Texas, finds himself living with some rather distant and eccentric relatives that travel across the country as evangelicals. They pause in smaller towns to hold tent revivals. Little Texas has garnered a following as a spiritual healer. After one very odd healing he feels he is being haunted by the girl he healed and strange things begin happening. Having lead a sheltered life Little Texas is confused by what is happening around him until it is almost too late.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was beautifully written, immersive, and it scared the hell out of me. Who knew that a combination of evangelical Christianity, slavery, the mystery of death, and the supernatural would make for such a great story? Unfortunately, I couldn't give it five stars because it ended too abruptly. The book is over a few pages after the absolutely insane climax, with very little explanation of what happened. I also had a huge problem with Faye's sexual assault of Little Texas??? It was so random and absolutely unnecessary to the plot. Little is made of Little Texas' attempt at processing the event, and nothing happens to Faye as a result. It was upsetting to read, and was totally unneeded. Other than that, I highly recommend this book. It dealt with its major themes (religion, slavery, and the afterlife) in a respectful and fascinating way.

[ChelseaRenee Lovell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riddled me confused.

Okay…so an evangelistic, hand laying, preaching prodigy falls in love with the ghost of a girl he fails to really save, while he tries to come to terms with puberty and the devil being real.

That’s basically the premise of the book and it came from left field, and I genuinely don’t know what to think or say about it. It was well written, I’ll give it that. But I put this book down many times saying ‘wtf’ in a confused manner.

[Courtney Bach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have no words and frankly still am not sure what even happened. Maybe I needed to read it all in one sitting, maybe it just wasn't good. I don't know, but all I know is nothing about it made sense. I didn't really like any of the character and couldn't grasp if there was even a moral at all.

[Darren Lipomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts out great. Entertaining, then preposterous.

[Sofia Currin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, very well written. Not as scary as I thought it would be but also sort of confusing. I'm not sure I understood how the magic worked in the end but it's still good

[Tahleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Texas is not a place, but a person—16-year-old revivalist preacher Ronald Earl, hailed as a boy wonder and a faith healer. Since the age of 10, he has been preaching as part of the Hand of God ministry, headed by his great-aunt Miss Wanda Joy and in the company of Sugar Tom, an old evangelist preacher, and Certain Certain, descendant of slaves and Ronald Earl's confidante and best friend.

During one healing, he is struck by a girl in a blue dress he heals. She looks like a girl from dreams he's been having and can't shake the thought of her after they leave that small town. But then he sees her at the next meeting, and again, and again. Is she following him? Who is this mysterious girl in blue? And the question that plagues Ronald Earl most of all: is she even human?

The plot is what drives the story of Ronald Earl (aka Little Texas) and Lucy (the girl in the blue dress). The descriptions of the scary bits are great and definitely get your heart pumping. There were parts where I couldn't put the book down. But then again, once I did put it down I didn't feel too compelled to pick it up right away. I don't know if it was just my mood or the fact that I didn't necessarily have large chunks of time in which to read it. I broke it up too much and disturbed the flow of the story, making it less of a compelling read for me.

I am happy to say there are deeper issues and themes present within the story. Mainly a horror story, we follow Ronald Earl through his realizations of his own beliefs and his doubts of his faith. He is certainly a devout Christian who believes everything very strongly, yet he is growing into a man and, as it happens, begins to get urges that he sees as sinful and unholy.

I wasn't sure how Nelson would handle the Christian aspect of this book, especially once it's clear that it has a number of supernatural elements, one of which is the presence of ghosts. Yet Nelson never demeans Christianity, which I was afraid he would do; on the contrary, he seems to hold Ronald Earl up as a hero of the light. He certainly takes liberties within the story, as is the case with supernatural novels, but he is never condescending. Ronald Earl's faith is quite inspiring, though I wouldn't go so far as to say this book is a good example of Christian fiction (it's not at all). I think there is some doubt at the very end in Ronald Earl's mind about his faith, which just confused me; it is so out of place in the context of Ronald Earl's previous actions and thoughts.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

Nelson also delves into issues like racism, as slavery plays a huge role in the plot. It almost bordered on saccharine toward the end, but there were some good messages about owning some of the responsibility for what happened in the past. As Certain Certain says, "It's what we all owe, Lightning [his name for Ronald Earl:]. You know what I'm sayin'? Ain't enough just to say, 'Wasn't me, wasn't you'" (69). Lucy agrees later on: "I know, we didn't do it, we weren't alive back then...but we've benefited, right? From what our ancestors did? Even all these years later?" (371). It's at least an acknowledgement of white privilege, even if it gets a little schmaltzy. That, I think, is a start.

As for the characters, I felt they could have been more rounded out. Ronald Earl is kind of boring, to be honest, despite all the praise he gets from EVERYONE, including the ghosties. He's full of light, but he's still kind of dull. And the romance between him and Lucy was just so unbelievable to me. I still don't understand why Lucy loves him—where did she even get the information about him? Is it just because she's a ghost and knows stuff she wouldn't otherwise? And does Ronald Earl's love for Lucy just stem from his lust for her? I just don't buy it, and that's after I've suspended my disbelief to a large extent in the first place.

Miss Wanda Joy is pretty transparent. She claims to be a firm and devout believer, but it's clear she doesn't have the conviction Ronald Earl has. She's out to get enough money for them to live comfortably, especially toward the end. She is not a very good example of a Christian, in my opinion.

Also, what the heck was up with Faye? She was ALL OVER Ronald Earl and, after her role was played in the plot, she was barely mentioned again. I felt like she was just a plot device and had no value to the book other than as a source of information.

ANYWAY. I think that sums it all up. It was enjoyable, though I had trouble getting through it for whatever reason; I just wasn't feeling it at the time. But if you're looking for a ghost story with a different flavor, check this one out.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Little Texas is a sixteen-year-old evangelist preacher. Early on, readers learn his back story. Born Ronald Earl, he started life living in a trailer. His father raised pot underneath their home, but when his secret crop was discovered, he was carted off to prison. That left Ronald Earl with his mother, who "entertained" gentlemen callers until one night when she had the misfortune of visiting the local meth lab on the night it exploded and burned to the ground.

Ronald Earl then found himself traveling with Miss Wanda Joy, an elderly preacher known as Sugar Tom, and an odd fellow named Certain Certain. Together they made an unusual, but devoted family.

Ronald Earl became known as Little Texas when it was discovered that he had healing powers and the ability to preach to and captivate an audience. The group traveled from town to town for years providing revival-type church meetings and taking in enough of a "collection" each time to sustain their operation. But as time passed, Little Texas was becoming less comfortable with his role as child preacher and, at sixteen, he was struggling with his desire to change course.

Things changed in a big way after one revival meeting when Little Texas was asked to heal a pretty young girl. Her parents stated that she suddenly became ill while they were traveling, and they put all their hope for her recovery in the powerful hands of Little Texas. He handled the situation just like his other miraculous healings and left behind what he thought was a grateful family.

It wasn't long after his contact with the young girl that Little Texas began experiencing some unsettling visions. A young girl calling herself Lucy, dressed in the same blue dress, began appearing before Little Texas. His religious training and beliefs kept him from acknowledging her at first, but the appearances increased in frequency and contact with her seemed so real.

Then Miss Wanda Joy gets the idea to hold a revival at a historical plantation known for the mysterious disappearance of another revival preacher. Lucy's visitations take on a different tone. When she appears to Little Texas, she warns him of danger and suggests that with her help, the two of them can battle the evil that haunts the old plantation site.

DAYS OF LITTLE TEXAS is a different mix of plot twists and turns. Ronald Earl is a teen struggling with the traditional coming-of-age dilemma, but the religious angle adds an interesting element. Grateful for the support he has been given from his three family friends, he desperately wants to make them proud of him, yet he holds the nagging belief that what he is doing may not be representing the truth. He also clings to his religious upbringing as he battles the conflicting notion of ghosts/spirits/demons or whatever this Lucy represents.

Author R. A. Nelson will surprise readers expecting a revival, holy-roller experience as he deftly incorporates an intriguing mystery with the history of the plantation, slavery, and the Underground Railroad. DAYS OF LITTLE TEXAS would be an interesting addition to a high school collection.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a complex mix of tent revivals, spirit-filled fervor, ghosts, pubescence, love, temptation, slave stories, haunted plantations, and demonic activity. I've never read anything quite like it.

Little Texas is a 16 year-old kid from Alabama who meets with fame by bringing a man back from the dead and has been healing people at tent revivals across the South ever since. He begins to feel like a fraud when a sick girl he lays hands on dies rather than recovers. The ghost girl, Lucy, begins to haunt his meetings and eventually leave him love notes. But ghosts are contrary to the Bible, aren't they? She follows him to the Vanderloo Plantation on Devil Hill, a haunted plantation which the author of 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey supposedly visited for possible inclusion in her book. There, Little Texas must battle with demons of the past and learn the meaning of life and love.

There are many nice touches of authenticity in the novel. I enjoyed the authentic Southern parlance: "tote" instead of "carry", "liable" instead of "likely", "tump" instead of "turn over and dump", "chimbley" instead of "chimney", etc. It brings a nice Southern flavor to the story. The confused feelings of a religious pubescent boy about his new feelings toward members of the opposite sex is also a nice touch since it's a very real part of being in the ministry but not understanding why you're still feeling these feelings. I also like that the author makes the Vanderloo Plantation out to be a real place by having Kathryn Tucker investigate it for her book. However, upon further research, there doesn't seem to be any such plantation in Alabama.

While I enjoyed this book quite a lot because there are so many parts of it I could relate to, I think its themes aren't going to be universally appealing. I probably AM this book's niche market: I grew up in Alabama going to tent revivals, watching my dad doing street ministry (in Andalusia, AL, where a character of the book does street ministry), reading 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey (despite the Christians who chided it as not being compatible with Christianity), going to school in the same town as one of the haunted sites in the book (in Kinston, AL, where Grancer Harrison's mansion once stood), and going through the confusing process of being a youth minister at age 16. But how many people with my specific upbringing and background are actually out there? I could see this novel as possibly being offensive to tent-revival-goers and too religious for non-religious ghost-lovers. It certainly could cause a nice stir of discussion though.

Note: While I critique both purchased and free books in the same way, I'm legally obligated to tell you I received this book free through the Amazon Vine program in return for my review. Blah blah blah.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost sixteen years old, and it seems Ronald Earl’s life is laid out before him. For nearly as long as he can remember, he’s been the boy wonder preacher, better known as Little Texas. People drive hours to see him and shout his name in reverence; all they see is a vessel of holiness. And for the most part, that’s how Ronald Earl feels too, because the sensation of the Holy Spirit filling him is like no other. But when he heals a blonde girl in a blue dress, something happens that isn’t quite right and with that, Ronald Earl starts to doubt his abilities to communicate the word of God. He continues to travel on his revival circuit, but the spirit doesn’t seem to come as effortlessly as it used to, especially when Ronald Earl keeps catching glimpses of the blonde girl he healed wherever he goes. Ronald Earl is inexplicably drawn to this girl, but being with her and finding out who she really is will test his sanity, his beliefs, and his very faith.

I generally don’t go for books that center around religion and faith as much as Days of Little Texas does. This novel is supposed to be a meeting of die-hard faith and ghost stories, and the effect is bizarre and confusing to say the least. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the story. Ronald Earl/Little Texas was characterized rather well as a religious teen on the verge of a major change. I’ll admit it was a little disconcerting how rooted his thinking was in his faith, so I greatly appreciated his mental growth throughout the novel. The ending and the story as a whole were certainly strange, and I don’t know how well Nelson mixed ghosts with religion. As much as I loved reading about Ronald Earl, the plot didn’t always flow as smoothly as I’d like it. This may be because although the juxtaposition of two different types of supernatural is unique and interesting, they just don’t go well together in a story. Either way, Days of Little Texas is an entertaining story that will challenge the way anyone thinks and will open readers’ minds to a whole new realm of possibilities.

Days of Little Texas may be enjoyed by fans of Swoon by Nina Malkin, The Hollow by Jessica Verday, Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall, and Sea Change by Aimee Friedman.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I don’t really know how to categorize this book a little horror, a little humor, a little "realistic" fiction but you know what? It doesn’t really matter because the book is great regardless even though it is very, very odd.

Set now, it follows a travelling preaching family called Church of the Hand. The main attraction is Little Texas, a wonder boy preacher (about 15 or so) who actually appears to maybe have some sort of magical powers or at least thinks he does. He travels with 3 old folks, 2 sweet older men and his aunt who is kind of a terror but none-the-less seems to love him. Anyway, he is cooped up with them in an RV travelling around and staring to notice girls a LOT! So one day a pretty girl gets brought into his tent, she is really sick and maybe even dying and he thinks the whole thing is crazy and they should take her to the hospital but it is too late and he tries to save her and does... sort of. It seems like he saves her but then she comes back as a ghost.

Alright stay with me here, it is actually worth it... Yes, she dies and then she becomes a ghost and then they fight evil together. The evil they fight is created from the suffering of the slaves who were once on the plantation where Little Texas is preaching. It is a little bit crazy but totally interesting, creepy, sweet, with a bit of romance thrown in. It does not make fun of faith BUT it does challenge some of the most commonly held ideas about an afterlife. My main complaint is that it ends kind of abruptly like once the action is over eh did not know what to do. I was very curious about what Little Texas would do next but we don’t find out :(

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary from publisher: Welcome, all ye faithful—and otherwise—to a ghost story, a romance, and a reckoning unlike anything you’ve read before. Acclaimed YA author R. A. Nelson delivers a tantalizing tale set in the environs of the evangelical revival circuit and centered around Ronald Earl, who at ten became the electrifying “boy wonder” preacher known as Little Texas. Now sixteen, though the faithful still come and roar with praise and devotion, Ronald Earl is beginning to have doubts that he is worthy of and can continue his calling. Doubts that only intensify when his faith and life are tested by a mysterious girl who he was supposed to have healed, but who is now showing up at the fringe of every stop on the circuit. Is she merely devoted, or is she haunting him?

Beautifully written and seriously creepy, this was one ghost story that I had a hard time putting down. I'm not a huge fan of ghost stories, but the beginning was so atmospheric that it really drew me in. The characters didn't feel fully developed to me, but the unique setting and plot almost made up for that. Recommended to fans of horror and ghost stories (like, maybe, Bliss by Lauren Myracle).

Full review on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/200...

[Kkraemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time.

Ronald Earl ("Little Texas") is a 16 year old prophet on the tent revival circuit, a kid who's interest is in how life and the universe fit together. When he's up front, on stage, wisdom seems to channel through him and his listeners find solace and healing. He is an innocent, and they're drawn to his words of hope. When he's not up front, when he's actually mingling with the world, however, things are not so clear cut, and he spends much of his time trying to sort out the pure from the confusing.

Just as the pilgrims gather solace from him, he gathers wisdom from reflection, from two older men who have taken the Lord into their hearts in very different ways and from Lucy, a being that shows him the blending of good and evil, life and death, and power and acceptance.

If this all sounds kinda strange, well….it is, but it's absolutely riveting. It is a gothic spiritual coming of age piece that explores how the evils of slavery affect us all. These labels, however, don't begin to describe this book. As Lucy would say, it's bigger than that.

Just read it.

[Shylock Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a few trepidations about Days of Little Texas. It didn't get a lot of publicity when it was first published in October of 2010, and the theme of a “paranormal romance” was already a worn out subject.

Days of Little Texas surprised me in the best way.

First, Ronald Earl, a.k.a Little Texas, had such a unique and powerful voice that I hadn't seen in YA fiction in quite a while. He was honest, innocent, and had the purest of intentions on what he did with his ministry. He was a truly heartfelt individual and took on quite a bit of a responsibility by using his gift for spreading the Gospel.

Second, the paranormal aspect wasn't the usual “weepy heroine falls head-over-heels in love with a ghost/zombie/vampire” etc., and the love story between Little Texas and Lucy was genuine and strong. I only wished more was said about Lucy's past and why she was chosen to free the souls in the end.

It was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise to read Days of Little Texas and I congratulate the author on such a unique YA novel that has been overlooked for far too long.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book about a teenage preacher, "Little Texas". Since he was very young, Ronald Earl has travelled with a tent revival company, preaching, testifying, and healing the sick. As he approaches his 16th birthday, he begins to question his "call" and wonder about the strange dreams and feelings he is having. Into this confusion comes an ill girl that he is unable to heal. When she begins to appear to him in ghostly form, things take a turn for the worse.

This is part coming of age story, part faith story, part ghost story, part horror story, and none of it comes to full reality. Although I read the book in only a few days, it left me very unsatisfied. Was she a "real" ghost? What happened to Ronald after his confrontation with the demon? Since I read it with the thought in mind of whether teen readers will enjoy the story, I'm even more confused. I just don't know who will like it. It's OK, but could be so much more. AND I really hate the cover.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book about Ronald Earl, a young evangelist with a traveling ministry, was better than I thought it would be. He is a gifted preacher who has the ability to heal those in the congregation by laying his hands on them. Then at one event he lays his hands on Lucy; a girl about his age that caught his eye. Then as he travels on from town to town he sees her at every location. This bothers him because he likes her and shouldn't be having those types of thoughts. Then he realizes that she is not exactly who he thought she was, and to save her and himself he is going to have to give the sermon of a lifetime on Devil's Hill. There was excitement, sadness, anger and happiness all spread nicely throughout the book. I liked the characters and the depth that each of them had, and the way the story was so close to reality that it seemed like a true story.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Texas is a teen preacher traveling the US in tent revivals with The Church of the Hand. His days are rarely suprising until two frightened parents bring their ailing child to him for healing. Little Texas does what he can for the girl that he finds strangely aluring. This act is the catalyst for an amazing coming of age adventure in love, redemption, and pure faith.

This book is billed accurately as a romantic ghost story, but turned out to be a much different book than I thought it was going to be. I really enjoyed reading it. That being said, I wouldn't feel comfortable with my sixth graders reading it. The content is much more late middle or early high school because of the sexual urges Little Texas struggles with and the themes of faith, God, and Satan

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Texas is an evangelist and healer with the Church of the Hand. He is only 16 when he heals the girl in the blue dress and he can tell right away that something was different this time. Soon after he sees her at service, around corners and in his window at night. Who is this girl that chases his dreams?

Well written and thoughtful. It does not make fun of a way of life that still lives and breaths in parts of the United States, and adds back story as necessary and leads to the chilling ending hanging onto the edge of our chair. Could be historical fiction if it weren't modern day.

[Erin Sterling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This strange ghost story follows Ronald Earl, otherwise known as Little Texas, a 16-year-old tent revival boy preacher and healer who has been doubting his faith and powers lately. When he starts seeing a beautiful teenage girl ghost at night when he's all alone, he doesn't know what to make of her until he arrives at Vanderloo Plantation, a place of evil history where she speaks to him, urging him to free the souls. I didn't realize the book was set in present-day at first just because I don't hear of tent revival evangelists. I also thought the book was going to take another direction, but it was an intriguing, thoughtful, and exciting ghost story.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ronald Earl is taken in by a relative following his mother's death in a meth lab explosion and his father's prison stint for drug sales. With this relative, he finds his calling as the child evangelist and faith healer, Little Texas. As time passes, now sixteen year old Little Texas still draws crowds but is haunted (literally) by one young girl that he was not able to save with his faith healing. The story is part romance, part Southern gothic supernatural tale, and is very compelling. I listened to the Brilliance Audio book on CD, it is remarkably done and is highly recommended for readers from mid teen age to adult.

[Cathy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUCH a surprising read! I'm not sure what I expected, but I think that's what I really liked about DAYS OF LITTLE TEXAS--it's so unexpected. And so good.

It's the story of Little Texas, a teen evangelical preacher, and the religion is incredibly overt-- and yet not preachy. It's drenched in Southern life, Southern speak--and yet it's pitch perfect. The characters who fill out the story are so over-the-top--and yet never caricatures.

And there's a ghostly love story, intertwined with a deeply-rooted story of good vs. evil. And somehow, R.A. Nelson takes all of this hot mess and makes it work beautifully. And engrossing read from an author I'll seek out.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I expected, in a bad way. I guess I should have paid attention to the whole YOUNG ADULT part. The description appealed to my love of the southern gothic and grotesque, especially when involving religion. Think Flannery O'Connor, for example. I was expecting something with more substance, not just a lot of religious traveling with a boring ghostly romance thrown in. So yeah, I think teens will like this, maybe some adults. But for me, it was an immature take on a serious theme.

Also, the timing. It read like it should have been in the 30s, but it was 2001. It would have been much more effective and haunting if it HAD been the 1930s.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird book. Good, though at times distressing and possibly confusing. The author says it was a mixture of a ghost story and southern revivalist preaching - a good description, for the most part. Its also about a young man with a limited view of the world who begins to see beyond the narrow boundaries he has lived within, and about the danger of abuse when God becomes a commercial enterprise, how churches walk that narrow line. It was often hard to tell what was real, what was not, but that seemed to work.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gah! This book irrtated me so much- it started out so great! I loved the traveling revival portion of the book and I was so sucked in to the story at that point and then...BAM! We completely switch gears when they go to the plantation and the story takes one weird turn after another. I don't mind a ghost story, but couldn't that have been built up more during the tent revival portion? And the slave part of the narrative seemingly came out of nowhere. All that being said, I did enjoy many parts of the book. I just wish Nelson had finished writing the book he started with the first 80 pages.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Thoughtful and funny, and the creep-factor of the ghost story is well-executed. This made me want to hunt down copies of his previous two novels (should be here in a week or so) and watch what he does next. Did I mention the cover art is just lovely?

I don't normally seek out books with a religious theme, but this one's an entertaining exception.

My full review: http://bit.ly/rnsllittletx