Book Review: "The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real" by Neta Jackson

Never a dull moment

The Yada Yada sisters are back again. This time around the group is facing issues such as Avis dating again after being widowed, Stu moving in above Jodi and the two clashing over their personalities and Delores' son wanting to date Jodi's daughter. The group is also trying to help out the same woman who threatened their lives some months ago. While there is dispute over how the matter should be treated, the group still finds time to bond together, helping each other out in times of sorrow, distress, and happiness. This book is as real as real life is.

I've never read a book where I feel like I'm actually living the lives of the characters. They have so much going on in their lives that I wish I could participate in. I really liked Amanda's quinceanera and what Denny did for her. I wish more father's were that loving towards their daughters, society would be so much better off if they did. I also liked the Polar Plunge opening in the beginning of the book. No way you would catch me doing that! The writing of this book immediately hooks you thus making the books very addictive. You can't stop reading because they are so much like a slice of real life. The news stories sprinkled throughout the book add to the realism. Even though the main character is Jodi, because the group is so diverse it is easy to find someone in the group you can relate to.

Once again my only complaint about the book is the way the relationship with Becky is handled. Like I said before I have no problems with forgiving someone for the wrong they did to you and it's good of them to help her out. It just seems to me that in the book, the group members who feel uncomfortable around Becky or are still being affected by what she did to them are in the wrong and not as spiritually mature as the ones that have moved on. I have been in a similar scenario with Jodi and it took me a while to get over it but it wasn't because of weak faith. It just seems very unrealistic and makes the reader feel that you're not good enough of a Christian. But that just proves the power of good writing, if it makes you rethink about what you believe in.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real by Neta Jackson is published by Thomas Nelson (2005)