Current River Redemption


Fiction - Religious Theme
203 Pages
Reviewed on 08/06/2023
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Deborah Stone for Readers' Favorite

In Current River Redemption by Carol June Stover, Amy and Effie Blackwell were raised by their grandparents after their mother died and their father abandoned them. Pastor Holloway Blackwell was a devout man and insisted that his granddaughters follow his ways. Amy had a harder time accepting his faith and believing everything she was taught, but Effie was more compliant. When Amy met Ernest Lee, they were both smitten. Once wed, they moved away and Effie was left alone to deal with her grandparents and her demons. Within months, Amy was pregnant and had a family of her own. Life was good until it wasn’t. The lives of these two young women, once devoid of hope, were changing, although Effie still longed to be with Amy or her mama. Through joy and disappointment, with new lives beginning and others ending, Amy and Effie found their way while still holding tightly to one another. Amy’s journey brought freedom as she matured and found the answers to questions she could not ask her grandparents. Life’s lessons were hard, and Amy would discover whether she was tough enough to survive. Effie resigned herself to staying with Pastor Blackwell. She finally found the answers she was looking for and had to deal with the consequences.

Current River Redemption by Carol June Stover is a somber, well-considered, and compelling story that takes you on a journey of despair, hope, love, loss, and redemption. Sweet at times, sometimes hard, but well worth the journey. The author delivers a well-written, motivating, and powerful story about two young girls finding their way through life while burdened with loss, loneliness, and plenty of questions. Well-defined characters and a consistent plot allow the story to flow organically with feeling and realism. The book has a nostalgic feel but is current and relevant. Current River Redemption will strike a chord with many raised in a strict religious setting. The notion that even the most sincere, devout, and well-intentioned people can make a mistake and cause hurt is real and refreshing. Stover’s story brings relatability to her characters, flaws and all. The road to freedom and redemption may not be an easy one, but it is achievable.

Avid Reader

An enjoyable and thoroughly engaging story.