Star of Flint

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Star of Flint because it reminded me so much of my own childhood. Like Allie, I was a real tomboy, rode my bicycle all over our town, and I grew up in Albany, Georgia where the Flint River divides the town into east and west. I have many other similarities to Allie but don't want to give away anything else in the book. Jill Entrekin captures each character's personality and develops it in depth, making the readers feel like those characters could actually be their nextdoor neighbors. I loved the novel's time period of the 60's when life was so different than it is today - when kids were free to ride their bikes safely all over town without a care in the world, when drug stores had soda fountains, when neighbors were really neighborly, and when the pace of living was much slower than what we know today. But it was also a time for change, and that was portrayed throughout the book. The author develops all the characters in a way that allows you to feel what they feel and to imagine having that same kind of life. It showed that family bonds were very strong and that a family stuck together and stepped up to the plate when times were rough. At the end of each chapter I always had some questions about how recent situations would turn out - the dangling carrot which made you want to read on. The book made me cry at times, laugh at times and always relate to the plot throughout the story. Jill captures your interest right from the start and keeps it during the whole read. It's a book you don't want to put down - a real page turner. I also think it's a story that appeals to people of all ages. As an older reader, it made me reminisce, but I think that younger readers would also enjoy reading about the era of their parents' childhoods. I only wish that we could have preserved those times to live in today! Star of Flint is entertaining, well developed, and a pleasure to read - especially if you're from the South.

What an amazing book! The characters and descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I not only knew them, but also lived there with them. I was mesmerized from the start and only put down the book to sleep, eat, and occasionally tend to my kids--thank goodness for the beach and an amazing husband, right? I often found myself reading parts aloud to anyone who would listen (aforementioned awesome husband, who actually laughed out loud at some of the parts). I didn't want the book to end. I have been a GA resident longer than I haven't (formerly from the midwest), and I thoroughly enjoyed all the Georgia references. I truly believe all will enjoy this novel, regardless of hometown. I laughed; I cried, and I even laughed through my tears. ("Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion." -- Truvy, Steel Magnolias) Star of Flint is one of the best books I've read in a long time (and I definitely have my favorites)! I cannot wait for her next novel!

I smiled and cried through the entire book, relating to each character and the well-developed relationships between them. Every REAL southerner can connect with this wonderful story; others will read it and wish they had been raised in the South! Jill did a beautiful job of using her love of language and stories, along with her God-given talents and her inherited flair for writing (from her Dad) to put together a novel that holds you by your heart strings! A must read!

...the "way it was"....good description of characters so realistic. A good "twist" to the ending.... a light, but fun read......

THIS WAS A VERY GOOD BOOK. LOOKED FOR OTHERS WRITTEN BY THIS AUTHOR BUT DIDN'T FIND THEM