Stargazey Point
by Shelley Noble
Why did you choose this book? the cover grabbed my attention and it looked like a good summer read
When did you read this book? June 2013
Who should read this book? readers of historical fiction and suspense
From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Colors, a stunning new novel of sun, sand, love, and family set against the beautiful backdrop of the South Carolina coast
Devastated by tragedy during her last project, documentarian Abbie Sinclair thinks she has nothing left to give by the time she arrives in Stargazey Point. Once a popular South Carolina family destination, the town's beaches have eroded, local businesses are closing, and skyrocketing taxes are driving residents away. Stargazey Point, like Abbie, is fighting to survive.
But Abbie is drawn slowly into the lives of the people around her: the Crispin siblings, three octogenarians sharing a looming plantation house; Cab Reynolds, who left his work as an industrial architect to refurbish his uncle's antique carousel, a childhood sanctuary; Ervina, an old Gullah wisewoman with the power to guide Abbie to a new life, if only she'd let her; and a motley crew of children whom Abbie can't ignore.
Abbie came seeking a safe haven, but what she finds is so much more. For Stargazey Point is a magical place . . . a place for dreamers . . . a place that can lead you home.
My Review
This was a really good book; much better than I expected, and I expected to like it!I When I was offered the opportunity to review this book by Trish at TLC Book Tours, the first thing that drew me to the book was the cover, but the synopsis also captured my interest.
Abbie Sinclair has had her life devasted by tragedy, and is trying to recover and figure out where she goes from here. Her best friend, Celeste, suggests she take a ‘vacation’ by visiting her elderly relatives in a run down beach town in South Carolina. And so, Abbie heads to South Carolina and the hospitality of Celeste’s relatives, three siblings in their 80s. Stargazey Point was a favorite of beach goers in earlier times, but has fallen into disrepair following several hurricanes, and doesn’t look likely to come back. But there are some who still are working to revive the town, including Cab, an architect who has given up his successful architectural career in order to restore his uncle’s carousel.
From the first page, I loved this book. It is a slow paced, relaxing read. Often in my reviews, I comment that a book moved slowly, and this is not meant as a compliment, but in this case, slow-paced is good. I felt the calm and peace of the ocean community, and loved Beau, Marnie and Millie, the three elderly siblings. They are so filled with southern hospitatlity. The writing is wonderful and filled with descriptive language, so that you feel like you are right in the story.
At times, the book is a little predictable, but not in a way that damages the story. WIth the magical feel of the book, you expect a happy ending! There is a bit of a twist near the end involving the siblings and there are a few hints of what may come. There are also some things left unsaid and I really would have liked to have been given a little more detail at the end. This is one book that really could have used an epilogue updating us on what happened to the characters down the road. I would have particularly liked to have known more of Beau’s story. But all in all, this is a fantastic summer read!
You can visit the Shelly Noble's website here, where you can access excerpts and read her bio. You can also read about the prequel to Stargazey point, Stargazey Nights, available from Amazon!
You can visit the Shelly Noble's website here, where you can access excerpts and read her bio. You can also read about the prequel to Stargazey point, Stargazey Nights, available from Amazon!
My Rating: ★★★★1/2 4-1/2 Stars
This book review is included in a tour by TLC Book Tours. I received a copy of the book in return for an honest review, which you can read above.
STARGAZEY POINT TOUR SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 9th: BookNAround
Wednesday, July 10th: Time 2 Read
Thursday, July 11th: BoundByWords
Monday, July 15th: The House of the Seven Tails
Wednesday, July 17th: 2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews
Thursday, July 18th: Broken Teepee
Wednesday, July 19th: Kritters Ramblings
Tuesday, July 23rd: A Patchwork of Books
Thursday, July 25th: A Chick Who Reads
Monday, July 29th: Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, July 31st: Becca’s Byline
Sounds like a great read for sitting on the beach! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour.