Opal Pruitt has a bad feeling. She just knows there is a catastrophe waiting around the corner. How can that be? She is about to turn eighteen and has two lovable men in her life. Her work is fulfilling even if some of her family members see her as 'just a housekeeper.' She knows that her gifts are being used well at Miss Peggy's house. After the unthinkable happens, the black community simmers like an unwatched pot. Can there be peace with the white folks that live in Parsons, Georgia? Opal's Granny is putting it all in the Lord's hands, but Opal struggles with God's ways. Set in the mid-1930's, this new novel by Angela Jackson-Brown lays bare the sins of racism and reminds us all that the only way to true reconciliation is through the Gospel. Published edition will include discussion questions for book groups.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All ideas express in this review are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson, and the author, Angela Jackson-Brown, for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Stars Rain Down is a story of how love and faith help a young woman endure tragic events that transpire over one summer.

I probably wouldn’t have requested this book had I realized it was categorized under Christian Fiction because I'm not religious, but I was happily surprised by the story.

The author does a wonderful job introducing the reader to Opal's world. The way she describes the closeness of the community, and how Opal's family look out for each other makes you wish you were a part of her family too. I was more interested in Opal's relationship with her Granny, who raised her, than the two love interests.

The pacing was slow in the beginning, but then picked up at the last quarter of the book. I predicted the ending, and felt one part was little unrealistic. Overall, I found it quite beautiful how the characters found strength and comfort from their faith and family.

This story is set during the 1930s, but is still relevant today.

It didn't exactly meet my expectations mostly because I just couldn't connect to any of the characters and so there was almost no emotional investment on my part. I also wish the weather and the heat was more present in the story. We're being told it's the hottest year so far and that the heat is almost unbearable even though it's only April but I wasn't able to feel it. It's a personal preference though, not everyone will have a problem with that.
I'd still recommend it if you like slower, character-driven novels, coming of age family stories and black history.

It’s been awhile since a book completely gutted me but When the Stars Rain Down did completely that.

The story follows along with Opal Pruitt and her granny cleaning houses for a white family (The Ketchum’s) in 1930’s Georgia. Even though they are the hired help, Opal still thinks of the Ketchum’s as family, especially Jimmy Earl.

It is a long, hot summer and when the Klan starts to harass the colored side of town, Opal begins to see the Ketchum’s in a new light. How can the family that she loves so dearly turn such a blind eye to the racism that some of their own family is perpetuating?

All Opal Pruitt has ever known is Granny, Colored Town, family, and the tiny community of Parsons, GA. On the cusp of adulthood, Opal works hard with Granny keeping Miss Peggy’s house and tending to Miss Corrine.

Her Uncle Myron thinks she should go back to school and make something of herself, but Opal knows book learning doesn’t suit her. She takes joy in keeping house and caring for those she loves. Especially Granny, the woman who raised her when Opal’s mother disappeared shortly after giving birth to her.

As her 18th birthday nears, Opal wonders if her future will ever hold more than questions. Will Granny ever let a young man court her? Why does the dry, hot spring bring a sense of foreboding? How can two young men make her heart race in different ways? Will she ever have an opportunity to experience the same things other young people experience? Does God hate Colored people to turn a blind eye to their suffering?

When the Ku Klux Klan wreaks havoc in Colored Town one dry, sultry night, it sparks unrest that the small community may never recover from. Through it all, Granny remains a rock of faith.

Why I Loved This Book

Seventeen-year-old Opal’s lyrical narration draws the reader into a world of family, joy, suffering, loss, and helplessness. Her on-point observations about race relations convict readers with a timely message. Opal’s problems may have taken place in the 1930s, but many of the same attitudes remain 90 years later.

Angela Jackson-Brown’s tender words paint a picture readers will never forget. Keep a box of tissues handy.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When Stars Rain Down drew my attention due to it being a book by a Black author about racial issues in the notoriously white Christian fiction genre, which has often flirted with racist or white savior archetypes. This book is a historical fiction novel set in the 1930s, but also serves as a reminder of the continued legacy of systemic racism in the present, with many haunting parallels in the text. Jackson-Brown takes great care in depicting these realities, resulting in a poignant story that packs a punch.

You really feel a sense of the community divide, especially the pain and fear the Black community live with. Opal lives with foreboding about what’s to come, yet tries to have optimism about the little things, and it while it is great to have Black heroines who want to be high achievers, it’s important to see Opal with her desire for simple happiness with her family and finding love, because at times, even that is beyond her reach. I also really liked Granny and her resilient faith in the face of adversity.

This is such an emotionally rich, moving book, and a great contribution to a genre that is largely lacking in ownvoices stories by Black authors. I would encourage anyone who loves historical and/or Christian fiction to add this to their reading list.

#WhenStarsRainDown #Netgalley

When Stars Rain down is a young adult novel set in 1o60's Georgia. What was life like during the separation of white and black? This novel tells what it might have been like.
Opal Pruitt, a young adult lives with her granny in colored town. They both work for Miss Peggy Ketchems as her housekeepers.
The summer begins nicely with evenings spent on grannies porch and a stolen kiss by a young mam, who has his eye on Opal.
There is unrest in the town with a gang simply known as the Klan. The hatred by this Klan, against the people in colored town is strong. How can summer go from complete bliss to utter hopelessness in such a short time? This novel was well written and will tear at your heartstrings.

Can your whole life change during one summer?⁠
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In When Stars Rain Down, Angela Jackson-Brown takes us to a small town in Georgia in the year 1936 to meet Opal Pruitt who's life is about to change forever.⁠
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Opal and her Grandma Birdie work as housekeepers for the white widow Miss Peggy, and Opal desperately wants some time to be a teenager with her cousins and friends in the weeks before her eighteenth birthday. ⁠
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But a storm is brewing in this little Southern town. The KKK targets Opal's neighborhood and soon friends become enemies and the town splits apart.⁠
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To add to the upheaval, Opal finds herself with feelings for two young men—the son of her pastor, Cedric Perkins, and the grandson of the woman she works for, Jimmy Earl Ketchums. These interests tear at Opal's heart and mind as she tries to navigate her way to womanhood.⁠
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This story was so moving and dynamic I found myself angry, disappointed, and hopeful. I fell in love with all of the characters but especially loved Opal and her Grandma. The special bond they shared will stay with me for a long time. This is a beautifully written and must-read novel.⁠
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I don’t remember what it was about the description for Angela Jackson-Brown’s upcoming When Stars Rain Down that first caught my attention but I’m always a sucker for good historical fiction and am trying not to always go for the same eras and places. There have been a few novels set in the 1930s that I’ve read and probably even one or two set in the rural south. But most of those were personal family dramas about white people coping with the aftermath of the Great Depression, hardly touching upon race relations in any way other than simply setting the scene, creating the atmosphere of the time and place. When Stars Rain Down captures the perpetual exhaustion and toll of racism on Black people – particularly on Black women – and shows that while almost a century has passed, some things still haven’t changed.

Opal Pruitt is proud to help her Granny as a housemaid for a white family in Parsons, Georgia in the late 1930s. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, Opal finds herself confronted with a lot of change. First, there’s a boy, Cedric Perkins, who shows an interest in courting Opal – though her Granny and uncles don’t seem too keen on the idea. Secondly, when there’s a warning that the Klan plan to cause mischief in Colored Town, Opal isn’t sure whether she believes the best course of action is to lie low like Granny and many of the church elders suggest or if it would be better to fight back like Cedric and some of the other young men in the community want to. Opal must learn when and how to listen to her instincts as well as how and when to bear the burdens of others’ good intentions.

When Stars Rain Down is perfectly poised to further the discussions of race that have been happening for the last year (longer in many circles). So much of Opal’s reflections on what’s going on around how much her experience as a Black woman seems to center around taking care to comfort or not upset those around her, including the Black men of her family and community. She explains the exhaustion and burden of being the wronged person and needing to reassure the white people who want to help but don’t listen when Black people explain just how different their experiences are, how dangerous the situation is, or what white people could do that would actually help.
As events unfold, Opal and her Granny are constantly weighing how much to share with the men in their family, what the best way is to tell them something so that they won’t fly off the handle and do something stupid that could get them all killed. Opal’s frustration is palpable and echoes the frustrations of so many Black men and women I’ve heard or read in the last year talking about their day-to-day experiences. And there’s a point in the novel where Opal really gets to the heart of the matter: respect. Even those who mean well and want to help can – and do – make matters worse when they don’t respect the people they’re trying to help enough to listen, to believe them, to trust their judgment. Because of Opal’s position and narration as a Black woman, When Stars Rain Down shows that it isn’t a stumbling block only in race relations but in gender relations as well. She and Granny face as much trouble getting the men in their lives to respect their wishes as they do the white people, and in many ways, both groups’ motivations are the same.

When Stars Rain Down packs an emotional punch alongside its eloquent truths. The conclusion paints a realistic picture. It acknowledges the realities of both its setting and the current realities where questions of how much progress we’ve really made as a society are still up for discussion. But it also acknowledges that there isn’t much choice except to go forward and to try, to live, to persevere. It’s not hopeful or optimistic exactly, but it’s not resigned or too gloomy an ending either. Jackson-Brown strikes a poignant balance that I hope sparks a lot of discussion and spreads understanding for other white readers like myself.

When Stars Rain Down will be available April 13, 2021.

I received a free electronic copy of this excellent Southern historical novel from Netgalley, author Angela Jackson-Brown, and Thomas Nelson, publisher. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read When Stars Rain Down of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Ms. Jackson-Brown writes a compelling tale with empathy and grace. She is an author I am happy to recommend to friends and family.

It's small-town Parsons, Georgia in 1936 and Opal Pruitt is looking forward to her 18th birthday. Raised by her grandmother Birdie from infanthood after her mother ran away, Opal has little experience with life as we know it today, and Grannie is very protective of her. She is also cosseted by her maternal uncles and kin to most of the families in Colored Town, just down the road from Parsons. After completing a basic education Opal quit school and began to accompany her grandmother to the home of Miss Peggy, Birdie's best friend and employer. Peggy and her son Jimmy Earl were true friends to the Pruitt family, and Opal is slowly taking over her Granny's role in the upkeep and maintenance of their home as both Birdie and Peggy slow down with the aches and pains of age.

Social necessities that came down through the years in the south affected both blacks and whites. There was a way things were handled in those days between the races that must be followed, honored on both sides of the equation, but many people were able to get beyond that. Birdie and Peggy lead the way to finding friendship and equality, despite the local presence of the KKK and a family of whites who refused to see that the world had changed around them.

Opal grows up fast, encountering both the sudden attraction of boys and victimization, but she doesn't let it warp her spirit or her view of the life she wants to live. These are people you will enjoy meeting, and sharing time and memories with. This is an author I will follow.

Opal is a young "colored" woman who has been raised by her God-fearing grandmother, Birdie. Her own mother and father deserted her when she was a baby. Her Uncles, aunts, and cousins are very protective of her. She had her Granny cook and clean for a white family. They have always treated Opal and Granny like friends, but there is still very much an accepted order in the society of Parsons, Georgia. Cedrick, the preacher's son, begins to court Opal. He doesn't have the best reputation in the "colored" community, but he's trying to change for Opal. When Opal is attacked and beaten by a white man as she walked home from work one day, racial tensions run high. At the city's Founder's Day celebration, everything comes to a head with heartbreaking results.

When Stars Rain Down, by Angelia Jackson-Brown will touch your heart and bring you to tears. It will show you the power of one seemingly insignificant woman's life who wholly lives her faith. It is a timely book with racial tensions high in our country. Would that all of us have a faith like Granny's. I was allowed to read this book on #NetGalley.

I rarely believe a book should be longer than it is, but I could easily have read another 100 pages of When Stars Rain Down. It was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, carefully tying together stories of family, love, friendship, and race in America. The writing will stick with me for a long time, and I will definitely be reading more from Angela Jackson-Brown in the future.

This is a book I’ll be shoving at everyone and I won’t be surprised if it ends up on my favorite books of 2021 list. It’s a gift when a book can bring together so many powerful themes in a narrative that you can’t put down. I’d recommend this one to pretty much anyone, but especially if you enjoy coming of age stories and historical fiction.

CW: assault, death of family members, racism

This story was a heart-wrenching yet eye-opening portrayal of racism in 1930s Georgia, and though the subject matter wasn’t necessarily a happy one, I thought it was wonderfully written.

Opal is a fantastic character, and it’s clear from both her work ethic and her relationship with her family that she’s been raised to be a strong, independent young woman amidst the racial divide in the South. But she isn’t blinded by the kindness bestowed upon her by the white family she works for and has known since she was a child. Racism is alive and well in Parsons, Georgia and the Ku Klux Klan has no problem reminding the black community of their unrelenting disdain for them.

It’s not an easy time for Opal as she and her family fight to keep one another safe, and on top of everything, she finds her feelings are torn between two young men, one of whom is white. Growing up brings tough decisions along with it, and Opal is forced to search inside herself for the person she truly wants to be.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it to YA readers.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3897489371

Opal’s story began with a wonderful depiction of her family and community in the summer of 1936 in the Atlanta area. Just when you settle in for a gentle neighborhood tale, the preacher warns of an impending attack by the KKK and the rest of the book shifts to examine issues of race in a southern town in the Jim Crow south. It was a powerful and moving story that will stay with me for a long time.

Review posted: March 18, 2021
Expected Publication Date: April 13, 2021
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Angela Jackson-Brown, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley.

This book took me through so many emotions. The characters were well rounded and the writing, I cannot say a lot about. Lots of strong characters in this book. I found myself rushing to get things done so I could continue to read. I have found a new author to add to my list. Outstanding read. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

I initially picked up this book intending to skim the first few pages in order to decide where to slot it on my TBR. Instead, I put aside my other reading to focus all my attention on this story. It was that captivating.

Set in the 1936 rural town of Parsons, Georgia, where a white neighborhood and a separate black community -- most of whom are “domestic workers, field hands or sharecroppers, … making a living by the soil or dirt of other folks’ houses” -- coexist in fragile harmony. Seventeen-year-old Opal and her Granny are domestics for Miss Peggy. The pastor’s son, Cedric, has shown interest in courting Opal. Meanwhile, nighttime raids by the KKK keeps the town on edge.

Opal is assaulted on the road one afternoon. Trauma blurs her memory of the event. The white sheriff is frustrated when the community won’t identify KKK members; while the black citizens fear reprisal if they file a report.

These are memorable characters that the reader comes to love. Their experiences illustrate the complicated relationship between black domestics and white employers (e.g., “in some ways, we were just Black extensions of the white folks in Parsons”), the distrust of law enforcement, and the blessing of extended family. Give me more from this author!

When Stars Rain Down is a gripping emotional read. Opal lives with her grandmother in Georgia. There are many relatives nearby and they have a strong bond and community. The author takes readers back to a fraught filled time where racism was rampant and race relations tense. The author narrates the story in such a way it’s like the reader is there as it’s happening. I think the story was compelling. The main message was strength: in family and faith.

Emotional, heartbreaking and beautiful. Once I started reading I could not put it down. Definitely a book a would purchase.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

This is a great book. It isn't always easy to read because of the subject and the events that happen, but I think that makes it more important to read.

Opal Pruitt, a young black teenager in 1936 Parsons, Georgia, isn't looking for a grand life. She just wants to enjoy her walks, her family, and maybe fall in love with the handsome preacher's son. When the KKK raids her neighborhood, things began to crack, bringing up hard questions. One thing is for sure, by the end of that hot, brutal summer, things are bound to change.

I loved this book most of the way through. It's about a young woman, Opal, who loves cooking and cleaning, even for a white family in 1930s Georgia. She works with her grandmother, who has raised her since Opal's parents were out of the picture for reasons that are not made clear. Opal has a warm and loving extended family--through blood and church in Colored Town--their section of Parsons. She even mostly loves her white employer's family, including Jimmy Earl, a boy five hears older than her 18, who is back from pharmacy school for the summer and looking at her in a new way. Competing for Opal's affection is Cedric, the preacher's son and up-and-coming pitcher hoping for a shot in the Negro Leagues.

Speaking of the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige is a character in When Stars Rain Down. And so is the Klan, unfortunately. Despite being about a girl who is happy with her life as it is, a novel about a Black woman in the 1930s south wouldn't be realistic without bad white people doing bad things. It finally gets to be bad enough that Opal loses her patience with white folks' bullshit. She gets made at God, too, but eventually God gets girl back, which is where my love waned because I'm a monster. I had enjoyed Opal's voice and story throughout, but the end came too quickly for me and with too much acceptance and also an unexpected kindness that probably wouldn't really have amounted to much.