The Confessions of April Grace: In Front of God and Everybody, by KD McCrite

Cover art from the Thomas Nelson website

From the publisher's website:

If God wanted April Grace to be kind to her neighbors, He should have made them nicer!



Growing up in the country is never easy, but it sure is funny—especially if you happen to have a sister obsessed with being glamorous, a grandma just discovering make-up, hippie friends who never shower, and brand new neighbors from the city who test everyone’s patience. From disastrous dye jobs to forced apologies and elderly date tagalongs, you’ll laugh ‘til you cry as you read the Confessions of April Grace!


Here are just a couple of April's thoughts: On her sister, Myra Sue: "How anyone can be that dumb and still be able to eat with a fork is beyond me." On senior citizen lovebirds: "What if they started smooching right at the table in front of God and everybody?"


In spite of all the loony characters in her life, April Grace is able to learn from her parents as they share the love of God—to even the craziest of characters!

Can I just say, I love April Grace? She's no fool. She knows things aren't always as they seem. And she refuses to except nonsense--like the new neighbors who've moved into her dirt road community from glitzy California. She's the girl I would've loved to have been at her age! Resilient and a little mouthy, but with good intentions.

The story is fabulous, and full of setting/scenic detail that Ozark Mountain native KD McCrite knows well. I got lost in this story, easily connecting with April Grace and realizing that I had the same emotional responses to the other characters that she did. (I rarely connect that well with characters, since I don't often "internalize" books.) This is a rare blend of a coming of age story (for April Grace) and facing reality story (for others)--clearly the 2 story lines are intertwined, but it's not April Grace who must face reality.

This is McCrite's first book, and I can't wait to see another.
 
McCrite, KD. The Confessions of April Grace: In Front of God and Everybody. Thomas Nelson Publishers, May 2011.
 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Thomas Nelson Publishers through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”