Rating: 
Summary: Slow Start; Excellent Finish
Review: I bought this book almost two years ago and just recently finished it. When I began reading it on vacation in May of 2001, I found it very difficult to get into because I felt the characters lacked depth. I tried for several weeks after my vacation to finish this book since I remembered having a similar feeling about this pair's debut novel, Trying to Sleep in the Bed You Made (which ended splendidly). I finally decided while I was on break for Christmas 2002 that I would finish this book and donate it to my local library when I was done. I am very happy that I picked the book up again. I guess because of the two authors very different/distinct writing styles, the initial writing sets the foundation of the story and the second writing adds embellishment and clarity. By the time I passed midpoint of the book, I was drawn in and couldn't read the pages quick enough. Della's secrets of her former life emerge in a painfully slow manner, but I had to ask myself how long would it take me to not only grow enough to accept the things that she endured as a child, but then to share those secrets with my children. I decided that it would be a painfully slow process and thus could appreciate this novel on a whole. Be patient in your reading (I know that can be difficult; I usually finish books this size within a few days), it will pay off in the end! It took me my whole Christmas vacation (10 days) but I finished it and was pleasantly surprised at the ending.
Rating:
Summary: More of A Mystery
Review: I would say that this book sort of had you guessing, "What is Della trying to hide from her daughters?" It was very slow to start and I had to force myself to read it, but as I read on it got a little more interesting as they would go back and forth between the past and present.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacks emotion
Review: This story failed to draw me in. I was bored, really waiting for some deep emotion that would make me care about the characters. I started skimming parts; it was just too slow to read.
Rating: 
Summary: just as delicious as try sleeping in the bed. . . .
Review: I think this book started off good and ended even better. I loved these characters. I loved how the daughters Ronnie and Celeste discovered the real side of their mother Della. I'll say the book was written well and the image that popped into your head of Prosper,North Carolina really proved that these two writers are truly gifted. As soon as I finished the book I couldn't wait to pass it on to another avid book reader like myself. This book actually made me put down the remote control for a day.
Rating: 
Summary: THE APPLE DON'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE
Review: I REALLY ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK.IT MADE ME REFLECT ON SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN MY FAMILY THAT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO. MAYBE SOMETHINGS ARE BETTER NOT KNOWN.THIS BOOK WAS SO WELL WRITTEN, I ALMOST THOUGHT IT WAS A TRUE STORY.THE MOTHER REMINDED ME A LITTLE OF MY OWN AND SOME OF THE OTHER CHARACTERS COULD HAVE BEEN FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL. THE TOWN AND IT'S PEOPLE REMINDED ME OF THE TOWN MY MOTHER LIVED IN.
Rating:
Summary: Another great book by these two authors
Review: One again, Virginia Deberry and Donna Grant have wrote an excellent book. Very detailed...you must pay attention to each sentence or you may miss something that is pertinent to the book's ending. This book shows, that by a twist of fate, how secrets from the past come to light in the present. Definitely worth reading!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book! Read it in less than 24 hours
Review: I found this book by accident while walking through Barnes and Nobles. I was looking on the bargain table for potential Christmas gifts. I saw this book and remembered the authors name from their previous book. I found this one absolutely wonderful. I couldn't put it down. The characters were easy going but well developed. I thought I had the story down but then there were a couple of twists and surprises. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I had high expectations from this book because I loved "Sleeping in the Bed You Made" so very much! This book was so slow and predictable.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: "Far from the Tree" is a lesson to all that keeping secrets and not dealing with the past can not only hurt you, but those that are closest to you. Odella (Della) refused to deal with the issues that she left behind in Prosper, North Carolina by not sharing any part of her past with her daughters, Celeste and Veronica (Ronnie). Since Della refused to deal with the hurt, fears and betrayals of her past, she was a stranger to her own daughters. Celeste and Ronnie were very close to their father and when he passed, their lives would change forever. This is a compelling story of mother/daughter relationships and that the past will catch up with you sooner or later.
Rating:
Summary: Simpple read
Review: This is the story of Della, and her two daughters Ronnie and Celeste. Celeste is a school counslor, and Ronnie is a struggling actress. Celeste is having troubles in her marriage that she tries to keep from her mom and sister who thinks she has the perfect world. The two ends up going to north Carolina, after their father dies and leaves them a house there. Della never planned on setting a foot back their again. Far from the tree is just a simple read of a mother and daughters learning to be there for one another.
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