Between, Georgia

Nonny came into the world on a night full of chaos and heartbreak.  Her whole life has been like that  though.  Genetically belonging to one of the most feared families in town, and legally belonging to the other, Nonny has walked a fine line trying to bring both sides together to live peacefully in town, which is tough when they feud like the Hatfields and McCoys.  Her connection to them is what has, in part, kept the feud simmering, but it’s also the catalyst that will forever change their small town of Between, Georgia.

Joshilyn Jackson received the Georgia Author of the Year award for her Southern Fiction novel Between Georgia when it was released in 2006.  Living in Decatur, Georgia, Jackson is familiar with the area and culture of small-town Georgia.   She delivers a poignant tale of literally being between – the unwanted yet wanted baby turning into the young woman both families are desperate to bring home to their side.  This is a beautiful tale of what love looks like, even when genetics aren’t involved, and of the lengths we go to in order to protect those we hold dearest.

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I give Between, Georgia 5 out of 5 stars.  I was impressed by Jackson’s storytelling – she builds appealing characters and scenes, even in hard moments of this book.  Jackson also doesn’t shy away from what many families in our state would consider taboo topics such as unwed and youth pregnancy, divorce, and criminal actions.  The author approaches each of these with such tenderness and yet a “matter of fact” retelling that it feels as though you’ve been let in on a secret in the lives of these characters.  I also appreciate the moments of humor woven throughout the book – I found myself literally laughing out loud so many times!  I also was astounded by the inclusion of a character that is both deaf and blind – the tools and resources used by this character throughout the book are so realistic and genuine!

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With themes of teen pregnancy, sex, violence, and crime, this book may be best directed to more mature audiences over 13.  If you are a fan of other Georgia authors like Mary Kay Andrews or Colleen Oakley, you will love Joshilyn Jackson’s writing as well!  This is just one of several southern fiction novels she’s released.  I would also recommend this for a book club selection – there is so much to unpack with the various characters and their decisions.

I chose Between, Georgia for the Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge prompt “Georgia”.  Having lived in this state for my entire life, I am partial to books set here.  I have read quite a few though and have found that I tend to be more judgmental about accuracy of setting and events.  However, Jackson’s writing was spot on.  She does take a few liberties with the town of Between (which is a real small town outside of Athens!), but they are needed for the continuity of the story, and they are done beautifully!

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What I’m Reading

• Current print book: Arsenic and Adobo, Mia P. Manansala
• Current audio book: 1916: A novel of the Irish rebellion, Morgan Llwelyn
• Book I’m most looking forward to: The Bridges of Madison County, Robert James Waller