I really enjoyed The Sweet Taste of Muscadine by Pamela Terry so I was happy to see this one. A story of friendship, disputes and community all amplified by an ice storm. There are quite a few characters but not too difficult to keep them straight. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this author's previous book, The Taste of Muscadines, and was very excited to read more of her work. My opinion and reading experience may have suffered because I thought so much of Muscadines. This one just did not live up to my expectations.

We are introduced to SO many characters at the outset and I know to be patient because an author will ultimately weave together all those stories. This one took a very long time to do so and it did not come together seamlessly.

The story begins with the funeral of Harry Cline and we follow his widow, Marietta, he once best friend Butter, Marietta's brother Macon and wife Glinda as they navigate the aftermath and impact of Harry's death on all of them. A rare ice storm in their hometown of Wesleyan, Georgia, forces several of them to ride it out at Marietta's home.

SO many tangential characters and their storylines enter here. Among the friendship, grief and sprinkle of romance, the author wove in a storyline about a Confederate statue, racism (past & present) and how it divided their small town. This was an ok read for me and as I mentioned probably suffered by comparison to the author's previous work.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Terry’s previous book, “The Sweet Taste of Muscadines”, so I was eager to read her latest, and it didn’t disappoint. She has a lovely turn of phrase and an understanding of the Southern town and culture. The story centers around Marietta Cline, long happily married, whose husband has just died leaving her very adrift. Fortunately, her dear friend Gordon, a previously estranged former best friend Butter, and her sister in law Glinda all end up stranded at her home following the funeral due to a bad storm. They all get a great view of the turmoil created when a long-standing confederate statue suddenly ends on the ground during the storm. The mixed feelings about the statue lead to controversy and the myriad residents of the town are well-written and NOT caricatures. There is a great deal of personal drama as well, but you will have to read it to find out what happens. Terry’s insightful view of the southern town and her deft touch with dialogue make the book a delight.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of the book for an unbiased review.

Set in current day in the small town of Wesleyan, Georgia, a rare ice storm throws together two estranged friends (Butter and Marietta) and other friends and family. The plot thickens when the town awakes to find a Confederate statue had been torn down during the ice storm. My description greatly oversimplifies the premise of the story as it is the characters that are the shining force in this novel. I found myself highlighting a lot of Marietta's thoughts and observations during moments of her reflection and observations of discord in the town. I couldn't put the book down and was sad to see it end.

Marietta Cline was embarrassed to leave her husband’s funeral with a migraine, especially after she realized she was in no shape to drive home. Surprisingly, her childhood best friend, Butter, followed her into the restroom, and offered to drive her home, though the two women hadn’t been close in many years. Butter got Marietta home and safely in bed, completely missing the drama that was unfolding at the reception after the funeral. Marietta’s brother Macon, a prominent attorney in town, was discussing the statue in the park, which was of a local man who was a strong believer in segregation, and how Macon objected to a coalition that wanted to remove statues such as these. Macon’s meek and quiet wife, Glinda, had finally had enough of her husband’s bluster, and when he returned to their table, she gracefully slid her full plate of lasagna under him before he sat down.

The town of Wesleyan, Georgia, was stunned when a rare ice storm came through, causing a great deal of damage and leaving residents without power. The pipes in Butter’s home froze and burst, destroying her floor and furniture. Having nowhere else to go, she asked the maintenance man to drive her to Marietta’s. Marietta’s best friend Gordon was also without power, and he came to stay at Marietta’s as well, and finally, Glinda escapes Macon’s wrath by taking his precious Hummer and hiding out at Marietta’s. When they heard the news that the offensive statue had somehow fallen off its pedestal, the town erupted, with everyone taking sides and dividing the town.

I enjoyed this story of a small town dealing with the shift from past to present, the diehards that say The South Will Rise Again and the citizens who want a kinder, gentler, and more inclusive world. I really liked Marietta and Butter, and was glad when they resolved their differences. Every character grew and changed, though some changes were more painful than others, and I appreciated the story being told from different perspectives. This was a feel-good story, a great rainy day read, and is a book I highly recommend.

This book covers some themes regarding race and equality that are still relevant today. It reminds us that when we finally see the truth about those around us, it’s hard to under it.

This story was very good and consisted of many elements. I thought that the author did a wonderful job in weaving all of these elements together. I loved the touch of magic.
Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A funeral, ice storm and rising controversy over a Confederate statue has this town turned upside down. I love the characters in this novel and appreciate the depth- we are able to get to know the primary characters from the beginning. As the plot develops and twists, revelations bring out the tension in long standing relationships.
I liked the characters and the plot best- the pace was slow. As in gradually get to know the characters and what’s going on. The beginning scene- the funeral- really grabs the readers attention!!

I enjoyed The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry and was looking forward to another book by her. While this one is also set in the South, it is different in the themes. I really enjoyed this book about family and friendships.

More than anything, this is a character study of how characters can grow within the pages of a novel as they make discoveries about themselves and the people whom they think they already know well. The plot is centered around the destruction of a statue of a Confederate general and ends up tearing the town down the middle. Some are appalled at the destruction while others are upset about the lack of respect shown to the family of the general and the general himself. Controversial topics are dealt with in a thought-provoking way as the plot meanders from one group to another and captured my attention with some of the more outlandish philosophies. This is a story about moving forward as well as looking back, a poignant look at history and its effect on the present. I really admired Marietta and her unpopular stance as well as her courage in the face of opposition. Fans of women’s fiction with more than a tad of history and contemporary headlines made this a winner for me. The only thing that held me back from five stars was the slow start, but it did get more interesting quickly and kept my interest after about the first third of the book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Pamela Terry is fast becoming a favorite Southern author for me! This novel is everything I love about Southern fiction, and while The Sweet Taste Of Muscadines is still my favorite of Pamela's, I look forward to more fiction from her!

A heartwarming story of friendships, community and love.
The story is about the defacing of a stature of the founding father of a small Georgia town. This puts everyone on edge.
Who did it? Was it a member of the community? Was it a stranger coming through town?
A slow read but ok read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Perfect southern drama - full of family and friends - controversial issues and quirky characters. Pamela Terry is an exceptional storyteller! All of her characters are well drawn so that you feel that you can know and relate to them personally. Her prose is beautiful! Her storyline is well thought out and flows perfectly throughout. She is a new force in southern literature. I really enjoyed her first novel, The Sweet Taste of Muscadines. And this novel, When the Moon Turns Blue, didn't disappoint. I will be anxiously awaiting her next. Bravo, Ms. Terry!

read Pamela Terry’s "The Sweet Taste of Muscadines" when it first came out. The vivid, graceful way Terry evoked small-town Georgia, and the complexity of the characters grabbed me, so when I saw this novel, I nabbed it. Glad I did.

It begins with an ice storm hitting the small southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia. This happens the same day as the funeral of a well-loved member of the community; his wife shocks the attendees by walking out of the funeral and vanishing. Turns out she was getting a major migraine, probably from the plunging barometer, but her vanishing ignites speculation, especially as her once-best friend follows after. And, after an action that seems insane, so does her silent, wimpy-seeming sister in law.

Another bomb drops in this town: a controversial Confederate statue is found destroyed in the town park. And so we arrived at why the line from the Auden poem was picked.

Terry does a terrific job with an omniscient narrator. Expertly weaving in and out of the lives and minds of the large cast, we get to know them well enough to easily tell them apart, as they spark off one another, connect, argue, and (some) heal. Terry's cast, as in her first novel, is a wonderful variety of complex characters, each with a backstory that makes sense of their goals and motivations. The confrontations, and the hard-won insights were especially fine, the whole woven through by a thread of magical realism/fantasy in the form of a raven. I enjoyed that touch, which underscored the rarity of that ice storm, and how it engendered isolation for some, huddling together for comfort in others, and above all, communication.

Along the way the narrative explores political strife, family, social strife, friendship, forgiveness, hidden anger, mourning and healing.It was such a satisfying read, coming full circle with the title quotation: “Once in a while the odd thing happens, once in a while the dream comes true, and the whole pattern of life is altered, once in a while the moon turns blue.”

Lifelong friends, Butter and Marietta gather at the funeral of Harry. What could be sadder? Well, the next morning the statue of confederate soldier, Henry Benning is discovered destroyed--and not by the previous night's ice storm. Who would do such a thing and how will it affect the community? And why do the people we love often do such despicable things that prevent us from actually liking them? Such great questions from a poetic author whose insights into this town will make you question your own loyalties and want to make you hold your family closer to your heart!

I really enjoyed reading Pamela Terry's When the Moon Turns Blue. It was a delightful read and would love to have more releases by this author in the future. Five stars.

I loved the characters and I truly appreciated the multiple POVS in this novel! The ending was perfect! Pamela Terry's writing is beautiful and descriptive! I highly recommend this book and her first novel, "The Sweet Taste Of Muscadine!"

Title: When the Moon Turns Blue
Author: Pamela Terry
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

On the morning after Harry Cline’s funeral, a rare ice storm hits the town of Wesleyan, Georgia. The community wakes up to find its controversial statue of Confederate general Henry Benning destroyed—and not by the weather. Half the town had wanted to remove the statue; the other half wanted to celebrate it. Now that the matter has been taken out of their hands, the town’s long-simmering tensions are laid bare.

This conflict is especially personal to Harry’s widow, Marietta, who’s never been a fan of the statue. Her brother, Macon, the top defense attorney in the Southeast, is representing Old Man Griffin, the owner of the park where the statue stood. Despite Marietta’s pleas to let the matter rest, Macon is determined to find those responsible for the damage and protect the Griffin legacy—and he’s far from the only person Marietta stands to lose over a statue. Without Harry beside her, Marietta longs to salvage those connections, but the world is changing, and the divide can no longer be ignored.

I loved Terry’s The Sweet Taste of Muscadines, so I was eager to read this. And it did not disappoint! The characters are so….I don’t know, cool? They’re people I would love to hang out with and learn from. Their personalities and histories are so different, but so well-realized I truly feel like they (the main four characters) exist and are out there really living life to the fullest somewhere. It was very hard to put this down for sleep and work, and I loved seeing how things played out. Highly recommend!

Pamela Terry is a lifelong Southerner. When the Moon Turns Blue is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)

Pamela Terry is such a gifted storyteller and I'm excited to read anything she writes. She knows how to make you feel as if you are part of the tale, from beautiful descriptions of the scenery and atmosphere to empathy for and likeability of the characters. I really enjoyed this book but not quite as much as The Sweet Taste of Muscadines which I absolutely adored. It will be hard to top that one. I definitely recommend this book for fans of Fannie Flagg or anyone who enjoys good Southern fiction. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a galley of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

When a loved one passes, people are filled with a myriad of emotions. When Harry Cline passed away, the whole town felt the loss because Harry took the time to invest his life in the lives of others and none more so than his wife, Marietta. Marietta finds herself close to being overwhelmed with her grief. A freak snowstorm turns her home into a port in the storm for an unlikely group of people who have known each other since they were children but most of whose relationships have become estranged. Then there is the odd entanglement of Marietta’s sister-in-law who has come to escape her husband, the big, bad, overbearing lawyer who is used to
getting his way about everything. The town is at a crossroads over a Civil War era astatue that represents life as it once was but now is a major point of contention and Marietta’s brother is smack dab in the middle of it!


What I like about this book is how this group of old friends rallies around Marietta in her time of grief. They each have something unique to offer her to help her cope. During the tension-filled parts when the town is going against Marietta’s brother, they still support her yet give her room to do what she thinks is best. This is a great story dealing with friends and family-the good, the bad, and all the stuff in the middle! In this case, “the stuff in the middle” is quite entertaining!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Random House & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.