satisfiedRebecca Wells strays from her famous YaYas in her 2009 novel The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder, and while it is often hard for authors to pick up a new set of characters, Wells does it wonderfully.
As a young child growing up in La Luna, Louisiana, Calla Lilly Ponder realizes that she has a unique gift, that she's only ever seen before in the hands of her mother. Not only can she produce beautiful hair, but she can help soothe the souls of those who come utilize her beautician services.
The book follows Calla Lily throughout the first thirty-some-odd years of her life, stopping at all of the major points such as her first love, the death of her mother, going to beauty school in New Orleans and marrying. Throughout her life, she is watched from above by the Moon Lady, a spiritual guide Calla Lily's mother taught her about as a young child.
Wells tells Calla Lily's tale beautiful, giving the readers a wonderful narrative that is often hard to put down. The only part of the novel that I struggled with was the ending, which seemed a bit too easy, especially considering what Calla Lily had experienced. But that little niggle aside, this is a wonderful story, which is why I give it a strong four out of five moonlit skies.
Total Books Read: 2 / 50 (4 percent)
Total Pages Read: 718 / 15,000 (5 percent)
