Jubilee's Journey

“We’ll name her Jubilee, because this child is a celebration of our love.”

Thus, Jubilee’s story began and you will not want to miss it.

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Jubilee’s Journey is the sequel to Spare Change. Spare Change was the first book of Bette Lee’s that I read and it is still my favorite. I have been an avid fan of hers ever since.

The southern charm and giving nature of the characters captivate me. It makes me think of Hillary Clinton’s book, It Takes A Village. This book drives home the point that a community can accomplish so much more than a single individual. We can definitely learn some lessons from the loving and giving characters in Bette Lee’s novels.

I love her covers and this one speaks to me as strongly as all the others. show more They are some of the most touching and emotional covers in their simplicity. The cover design for Jubilee’s Journey was done by Kathleen Valentine of valentinedesign.com. Bette Lee will also occasionally incorporate a friend or fan’s name into her novels.

Living in coal country is never easy, but for Paul and Jubilee it became impossible.

Their mother died and my tears began. Paul did his best to be there for Jubilee – he never returned to school, so he did all he could think of to make Jubilee’s life better and took care of the house. After his father’s death, they were evicted from the only home they had ever known. How would Paul keep his promise to his mother to take care of Jubilee and his promise to his father to never work in the mine?

He knew of an aunt in Wyattsville, Virginia. He only had a name, Anita, but off they went.

Hurt McAdams dad had abused him and raised him with fear. As a defense, he took the offensive line and became a bully, then a murderer. He ended up in Wyattsville on his search to find his father and make him pay for his miserable life.

Oh no, Paul is in the store looking for work and here comes Hurt. I am very fearful, my heart is heavy with dread. I knew it. Bette!!!! But, what’s this? Who should arrive but Ethan Allen and I breathe a sigh of relief. No way will he allow anything bad to happen to Jubilee.

“Grandma Olivia’s nice. She helps kids in trouble.”

That being said, I knew things would be okay. Somehow.

Bette Lee Crosby writes stories as if they are biographies. They are full of the cruelties and unfairness of life, but also the beauty and wonder. The worlds and dialogue are so real, I feel as if I am there and I feel frustrated because I do not know what to do to help. She packs so much life and realism into her novels, sometimes a BOX of tissues is not enough. I laugh and cry with the characters. I go through their highs and lows, their ups and downs, all the while trying to figure out how Bette is going to make this end with a happy ever after.

The ending left me begging for more. I was sitting on the edge of my seat as if my happiness was on the line.

I received this book from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review. I can hardly wait to see what she has in store for us next. show less

I loved Jubilee's Journey. I came across it on GR and was intrigued by the synopsis. I had not heard of the author before coming across the book. After listing the book "to read" I received a message from the author stating I may want to read Book 1 first, Spare Change. I took her advice and read it. I was not certain if the characters I knew from Spare Change would be a part of Jubilee's Journey, so I was delighted to find them included in a big way. It is for this reason I would recommend reading Spare Change first. It is not necessary but I found knowing Ethan Allen's story enhanced my enjoyment of this book.
In this book Jubilee and Paul are children who come to Wyattsville after losing both their parents. Something happens upon show more their arrival and suddenly they are in trouble. Ethan, a child who not long ago was alone and in a jam, is determined to help Jubilee.
I love that the author has children who are strong, resilient and kind. Though bad things have happened to them they are capable of loving, caring and trusting. They believe in each other and refuse to give up. There are a few adults who do bad things but most of the adults are kind and caring. I like how the author keeps things real with characters who make mistakes and may judge badly yet are able to change when they find the truth. It is the kind of story that takes you back in time and makes you long for days gone by. It tells us bad things can happen to good people but if you keep faith and keep going, good things are possible. Good people are out there. It is this message that makes this book uplifting. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. show less

I just finished Jubilee’s Journey. It is a suspense novel written by Bette Lee Crosby. Jubilee and her brother, Paul, lose both of their parents. On the way to find their only living family, Paul gets involved in a robbery and is wrongfully accused of doing it. Jubilee is left without anybody she ever knew or loved because of it. Will Paul be found innocent or will he be arrested for a crime he didn’t commit?

I want to start off by saying that I really loved this book. I have to be honest and say that I haven’t fully read the first book yet. It’s called Spare Change. I did read some of it though and can’t wait to finish it. Both of these books have the power to sink you in from the very first few pages. I found that I felt for show more many of the characters. I love how well she picked up on the close minded hostility many southerners seem to hold on to as well. This isn’t an insult; just a fact.

I hated getting to the last page knowing that the story was now over. I’m left with a wicked book hangover wishing I knew what happened to the characters after the story ended. I’m sure there are many stories out there like this for me. It was beautifully written nonetheless. I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book.

I fully recommend this book to everybody. I especially recommend it if you love suspense and thrillers. This is a real page turner for sure. Don’t get this book if you don’t plan on getting hooked on a book. Trust me on that. It is a book that you can really sink your teeth into. I can’t wait to read many more books by Bette Lee Crosby. show less

(Fiction, Women’s, Southern)

Wyattsville Novel Book 2

This is a continuation of the story in Spare Change (above). It has the same characters and the same charming southern writing—but without the plot twist at the end that would have been cliché a second time around.

However, I didn’t find enough unresolved tension in this story to make it quite as interesting the debut.

I received a complimentary ecopy from the author. This did not affect my review.

3½ stars

I received this from Library Thing to read and review. Jubilee’s Journey is the heartwarming story of two children who get caught up in a life I would not wish one anyone. Their father, unemployed with a young family to support, returns with his family to a small coal mining town, where they have a life filled with the poverty and hopelessness we all have come to associate with these towns. First their mother, dies and the older of the two, Paul, ends up taking over raising his little sister Jubilee. To make matters worse, their father dies in a mining accident, and they can no longer live in the company housing. Paul and his sister take off to find their mother’s sister Anita, with very little information about where she currently show more resides because of an estrangement between their mother and Anita. What follows is a series of events, where Paul is shot during a robbery gone wrong and subsequently mistakenly arrested for a murder he did not commit and Jubilee is abandoned by Paul when he is arrested. Luckily, the seven-year old Jubilee is found by a young boy Ethan, who takes her home to his grandmother Olivia, where she stays until Anita is found. The journey of this little girl is a fascinating tale, as is the story of what happens to Paul and the murder charge. I found the book heartwarming, though it did drag a bit in the middle as events kept piling on. About half way through, I had figured out what would happen to these two children and how they would eventually fall into some good fortune. Nevertheless, the book does a very good job of portraying life for the have-nots in today’s society, where having money and luck become important ingredients in a good life. I did find it a bit disconcerting for everyone to just look the other way when Ethan’s grandmother just keeps Jubilee, since she was not a relative and should have really reported things to the proper authorities. The book definitely shows the extents of love and the miracles it can achieve. It also demonstrates how important it is to hope for the best and to trust that things will work out. This book will appeal to anyone with a strong moral sense or who likes to read stories about the same. It can also provide a good change to the normal menu of mysteries, thrillers and boy-meets-girl romances of today. I have not read the other book in the series, but found that this can be read as a stand-alone book. I have only read one other of the author’s books, What Matters Most, and though I enjoyed this book a great deal and would recommend it, I enjoyed that one more because I think that story spoke to me more. show less

A tender story that delivers a nostalgic naivety, seven year old Jubilee and her teenage brother Paul, take a bus in search of their aunt after being orphaned by a West Virginia coal mining tragedy. They have little information about their aunt, who has been estranged from her sister for many years. As Jubilee waits on a bench for his return, Paul gets involved in a robbery, ending up in the hospital. As events unfold, they encounter many obstacles and also the kindness of strangers. It is a touching, if somewhat contrived story that is refreshingly entertaining.

I received my copy through librarything.com.

A tender story that delivers a nostalgic naivety, seven year old Jubilee and her teenage brother Paul, take a bus in search of their aunt after being orphaned by a West Virginia coal mining tragedy. They have little information about their aunt, who has been estranged from her sister for many years. As Jubilee waits on a bench for his return, Paul gets involved in a robbery, ending up in the hospital. As events unfold, they encounter many obstacles and also the kindness of strangers. It is a touching, if somewhat contrived story that is refreshingly entertaining.

I received my copy through librarything.com.