Stars in the Grass by Ann Marie Stewart is her standalone historical coming-of-age literary fiction novel set in a small town during the 1970s, exploring the aftermath of a tragedy from a 9-year old girl's point of view as she sees how it affects the various members of her family in assorted ways, free for a limited time courtesy of Christian publisher Barbour's Shiloh Run Press imprint.
Currently free @
B&N,
Amazon (available to Canadians) &
Kobo (neither available to Canadians) &
ChristianBook (DRM-free ePub theoretically available to selected countries including Canada if they ever get around to allowing downloads of the freebies again; until then, online and in-app reading only). May also be free @ Google Play in the US, where Barbour have books which don't show up for Canadians.
Description
“The summer before I turned ten was idyllic—until August 3, 1970. It perfectly describes a time when I thought the world was safe and good things lasted forever..."
Nine-year-old Abby McAndrews has just experienced her greatest loss, and in its wake, her family is unraveling with guilt, grief, and anger. Her father, Reverend McAndrews, cannot return to the pulpit because he has more questions than answers. Her older brother Matt’s actions speak louder than the words he needs to confess, as he acts out in dangerous ways. Her mother tries to hold her grieving family together, but when Abby’s dad refuses to move on, the family is at a crossroads.
Stars in the Grass, set in a small Midwestern town in 1970, is an uplifting novel that explores a family’s relationships and resiliency. Abby’s heartbreaking remembrances are balanced by humor and nostalgia as her family struggles with—and ultimately celebrates—life after loss.