Reading is what I do to escape from reality. I like to dive into a good book and forget all the unhappy things that life has thrown at me. It is my "vacation" from thought and worry. Having said this, Calling Home was just too much like walking through my own past, and not a vacation at all.

Shannon Lemmons is fourteen. She is smart, pretty, and has all the earmarks of a successful future. Then real life intrudes on her with a vengeance. What can possible go wrong in her bright future world?

I'll stop there. I cannot say much else that will not spoil the story for future readers. You name it, it happens to Shannon and her family. I have to say that the writing itself is very good. Janna McMahan does an exceptional job at description and bringing the story to life. I commend her for her writing talent. I have no problem with that aspect of the story.

Personally, I found it depressing that Shannon was not given any sort of break in the four years of her life covered by the story and she is shown in a poor light for some of her choices. She should have been held more accountable for some of those choices but that is my opinion.

Calling Home is a slice of life in the truest form. If you enjoy traveling back to the awkward teen years when things can and do go wrong, you may find enjoyment in this story. I would not want to deter readers that may enjoy such drama.

Reviewed By MargeAnna Conrad
© February 2009