Stand by Me

February 15, 2012
Avis Douglass, of Jackson's popular Christian House of Hope series (Who Is My Shelter?, 2011), serves as a bridge to the new SouledOut Sisters series. As this tale begins, Avis is happy in her second marriage for the most part but thinks her new husband could be more understanding of her daughter Rochelle's troubles. His exasperation at Avis' gullibility in the face of Rochelle's manipulative behavior leads him to discount Rochelle's desperation and eventual disappearance, and soon he is caught up in church politics, leaving Avis feeling alone and unappreciated. Poor little rich girl Kat Davies, who became a Christian on an impulsive trip to Chicago and subsequently moved there from Phoenix, finds herself drawn to Avis' maternal warmth when she visits the multicultural SouledOut Community Church and thereafter keeps popping up in Avis' life. As Jackson spotlights Avis and her complicated family situation, she introduces a new cast of college-age characters likely to have their own issues in subsequent SouledOut Sisters installments.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)