Who Asked You by: Terry McMIllan

Title: Who Asked You?  Author: Terry McMillan Publisher: Thorndike Press Copyright: 2013 Pages: 546 (large print edition)

I was thrilled to find this book on the shelf at my local library. I had no idea Terry McMillan had a new novel! I have been a fan of her writing since I read Mama years ago.
Who Asked You is the story of Betty Jean Butler, a woman in her 50's struggling with her husband's Alzheimer's, one son in prison, a daughter addicted to drugs, and another son (a successful chiropractor) who is ashamed of his family. Add to this her two sisters, one overly religious, one overly judgmental (and both with problems of their own). When her daughter drops off her two young sons with Betty and never comes back, Betty is really put to the test.
Told in turns from the point of view of each of the main characters, this story is hard to put down. McMillan is an amazing writer- her characters are fully rounded and believable. You can't help but love them all. Well, all except Arlene maybe....
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to her next novel.

Read this book if...
*you love Terry McMillan
*you love women's fiction
*you love African-American fiction

Ghosthunting North Carolina by Kala Ambrose

Title: Ghost Hunting North Carolina Author: Kala Ambrose Publisher: Clerisy Press Print pages: 258 Copyright date: 2011

I chose to read this book because I enjoyed Kala Ambrose's Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead (America's Haunted Road Trip). (I think that qualifies for longest title of any book I have ever read.) I did enjoy this book and found it to be very interesting. In comparison, I liked the New Orleans book better. Ambrose's love of New Orleans really comes through in the book and , as a sensitive, she had more encounters in New Orleans.

However, Ghost Hunting North Carolina does have a personality all its own. I like Ambrose's writing because she describes the hauntings from the view of a sensitive. If she didn't pick up on anything, she makes that plain. However, she tells a wonderful story, whether she experienced anything herself or not. I look forward to reading her next collection of stories.