Thicker Than Blood by C.J. Darlington, is an excellent debut novel with a lively plot. The recipient of the prestigious 2008 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel, Darlington began writing this tale of two sisters when she was only 15.
Christy Williams left her younger sister standing in front of their great aunt’s house 15 years ago. An unexpected funeral puts sisters Christy and May face-to-face again. Christy, a 33 year-old alcoholic with a shady past, doubts her Christian sister would approve of her lifestyle. However, through a wild set of circumstances, Christy winds up at May’s ranch, only to find that the bond between the two women is thicker than blood.
What I love about Darlington’s writing is her use of description. Whether setting up a scene or describing the process of antiquarian book selling, I was fascinated to learn more about a topic I never considered interesting before. I reveled in her lush descriptions of mountain scenery, horseback riding, calving, and life on May’s ranch. However, I did feel that some of the characters lacked true dimension and intensity, which is something I want to see more of in Darlington’s next book.
While Thicker Than Blood shares the gospel and the Christian life—it is, after all, Christian fiction—I felt like the wholesome plot with thrilling twists and turns could appeal to most fiction readers. Plus, there are some pretty good fight scenes. All in all, I definitely recommend Thicker Than Blood—for its excellent writing, masterful descriptions, and interesting plot.
Amy’s Grade: B+
For more information on Thicker Than Blood and C.J. Darlington, head on over to cjdarlington.com.
*I received this book for review from C.J. Darlington and was, of course, not compensated for my amazing and awesome opinion.*
She is Beloved 