By the Light of a Thousand Stars

Never before have I read a book that is broken up into 5 parts and tells a string of events from 4 different characters' points of view. This allows you to truly get to know and sympathize with your characters and feel what is going on with them. The story is so interesting, yet remains entirely believable. It starts with Dottie's grieving of her daughter's death and moves through to Catherine's mode of dealing with her dysfunctional family, to showing Barb's heart for the non-Christians in her life as well as her love for her family, then onto Della Boyd's decision to move on with her own life...and finally back to Dottie--almost a year after we first heard from her. We see the strides she has made emotionally in dealing with the loss of Bonita. This was my first Jamie Langston Turner novel--and it certainly won't be my last!

By the Light of a Thousand Stars continues the story of Derby, S.C., focusing on the Biddles, a family whose picture would be in the dictionary next to dysfunctional. In this book,the reader pieces together the story of the Biddles as different parts of it are told from the points of view of the main characters, Catherine, Dottie, Della Boyd, and Barb. Each character brings their own unique perspective to each event in the book. The Biddle family, run (but not very well) by the immaculate Catherine, is much in need of some unity, and during one eventful year, they find that as they come into contact with the main characters in the book. A family in need of change, the Biddles are finally able to do this with the help of those arond them. This is a great story of Christian witnessing, without Bible-beating and hell-fire preaching. I can't wait to visit Derby in Turner's next book!

This book and Jamie Turner's earlier book, Some Wildflower in My Heart, are perhaps the two finest pieces of contemporary Christian fiction written. The story line of Thousand Stars is compelling in a sensitive and deeply insightful way. The characters are fragile, believeable and real. Dottie, Catherine, Della Boyd and the rest are amazing in the grip they held over me as I read. The book is so real, in fact, that on days when I must drive through Berea, S.C., I expect to see a sign to Derby! The point of this book is so compelling that I have pondered it long since finishing the book. This is a must read--a new classic!

I love the town and the characters this author has created. I've read all three of her books and hope there are many more to come. This story is so gentle that it sneaks up on you and before you know it you're completely involved with these people--you're grieving for them, you're hoping the very best for them, you're even thinking about them when you're not reading the book. Thank you, Jamie Turner, for another wonderful story. I didn't think you could top Suncatchers (who could forget Eldeen) and Some Wildflower in My Heart (I will always remember Birdie and Margaret), but you did it.

Jamie Langston Turner does an excellent job of taking ordinary characters and ordinary life and turning it into a story woven together with beautiful themes and exsquisite literary devices. The story of three women and how they touch each others lives is not only a good read, but also an examination of the heart. If you like Anne Rivers Siddons or Maeve Binchy,but are looking for a story that not only asks the questions, but gives the answers, then you will enjoy this book.