Worth a Thousand Words (Jubilant Soul Book #2): A Novel

This book really surprised me. I was expecting one thing and then got blown away by another. The characters in this book really get to your heart. I really liked Indigo and her strong character. It was really nice to see her grown up from the previous book and wanting to follow her dreams as a photographer. Many different things happen to her in this book, challenging her strength and emotions. She acted much better than I would, had I been in her situation. Along with Indigo, I was also curious as to why Brian wanted to get married so fast and seemed to ignore Indigo's desire to go to graduate school. My first impression was that he was being chauvinist and old fashioned. I was afraid that Indigo would fall into the same rut that many females in Christian fiction seem to take when they give up their career plans to become a stay at home wife. Therefore it was a huge surprise to find out the real reason for the plans for a quickie wedding. What's funny is that I never expecting Bryan to admit what he had done in the past. I've always thought how it would be interesting if that subject matter was brought up in a Christian fiction book but figured it was too edgy. Therefore it was with great surprise that not only was it brought up, it was a major storyline AND did not involve a neat and tidy ending. Another small but interesting issue that was brought up was interracial dating. It's not as a big of a plot, but it does break barriers in Christian fiction by the fact it was even brought up at all. This series has totally just blown me away by bringing up topics most authors would avoid to fend off controversy. Stacy Adams has now captured my full attention and I've become a new fan. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. HIGHLY recommended.

it was so realistic and relateable

This is the second book in the "Jubilant Soul" series as I did not read the first one I had to start from scratch and learn the characters in this book. This book is about Indigo, at her graduation party, her long-term boyfriend, who is fixing to join the navy, asks her to marry him. She is in love with him, but she wants to go to graduate school in New York. She is in her hometown for the summer, working for the local newspaper. She has some health problems, so she lost her job on the paper, then her aunt, "who owns a beauty shop", had a stroke, and she has to spend the summer running the business end of her aunt's salon. She is trying to decide what to do about her fiancee, her schooling, and her career. Meanwhile her fiancee is dealing with his own secrets. What will she decide? Will she go on to school or will she get married? You must read the book to find all the answers. Adams did a pretty good job of telling this story but there was something about it that needed something else. This book was sent to me for review by Revell Publishing a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Ms. Adams has an amazing ability to make the reader see a variety of perspectives without straying from Biblical truths. She doesn't always wrap things up in a tidy manner. I love that. I also love that every book Ms. Adams writes gets me thinking about people I know or situations I am familiar with and may even be struggling with myself. Her stories are solid and emotionally deep without being manipulative of the reader's feelings. They confront important decisions that young people need to make and challenge the reader to look at all angles. I loved how this story dealt with the reasons why couples say yes to marriage when they should stop and evaluate where they are in life first. All angles are explored. I also love how the motivations of the heart come in to play here. Does real love give up something it wants for the betterment of the other person? What does that look like? Does healing mean that everything works out the way you want it to? Should you tell personal things that might hurt someone else when it's not your place to tell? How important is prayer in deciding when to speak and when to hold your tongue? What is most important to God in each situation? Should we allow ourselves to be defeated by doubt? What is the best way to make a decisions? What does God have to say on the subject? All of those above questions come in to play in this story. Slowly (and throughout this story) my heart really connected with the characters and the lessons they learned. The conflict is believable and the drama is there but doesn't feel forced. Best of all, I enjoyed that this story was not predictable in any way. Each new issue that emerged surprised me. That's great plotting! I loved this story and the truths tucked within its pages. I highly recommend it.

Worth a Thousand Words by Stacy Hawkins Adams is the second book in the Jubilant Soul series. This novel follows one summer in the life of Indigo Burns' (her elder sister Rachelle was featured in the first book) as gets ready for grad school to earn a Master's degree in photography and gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Brian. Her life is turned upside down by a health issue, an aunt's stroke, and pressure from her fiance to get married immediately despite her doubts. Indigo is a terrific character who readers will relate to as she tries to juggle romance with her dreams for the future. Her family is going through several crises that put her faith to the test as well. Adams bravely goes somewhere that most Christian fiction novels are afraid to go, and the way she addresses the issue may anger some readers. I think she handles it with tact and compassion which should be a model for Christians everywhere. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Being a professional photographer is Indigo Burns lifelong dream, and she is well on her way to making that dream a reality. But when she is diagnosed with a life changing medical issue, and faced with other family crises, Indigo's dreams are put on hold. To say that Indigo is frustrated is putting it mildly. Yet, all the setbacks make her realize that her plans aren't necessarily her plans. And if they were, they will only happen in His time -- His way. Worth a Thousand Words is an excellent read, and one of the best books I've read so far this year. One theme that resonates throughout the book is that there is a blessing in both the good and the bad situations that occur in our lives. I actually cried while reading this novel because I could personally relate to the pain of each character. My heart was pricked and my faith and hope in God became stronger with each page I read. Stacy Hawkins Adams has quickly become a literary force to be reckoned with in the Christian fiction genre. Each of her works are insightful, timely and deliver a powerful message. Anyone who picks up a copy of this novel is sure to be inspired, encouraged and uplifted. ~~Renee Williams, a freelance reviewer at All the Buzz, is the CEO of Literary Signature Services, an event planning business specializing in literary gifts and events for authors, as well as the promotional assistant for TheGRITS.com

Inside Worth A Thousand Words (the second offering from the Jubilant Soul series) the issues of life for Indigo Burns are candidly revealed. A woman with a plan, Indigo is pleased with how her life is turning out. Her carefully laid plans are jeopardized when the proposal she wants is publicly extended at the wrong time. The proposal not only places her in a precarious situation, it totally disrupts the pre-planned timeline she lives by. Ms. Hawkins-Adams does a great job of uncovering what many of us flirt with - the spirit of compromise. Indigo entertains compromise because she does not want to hurt Brian. Her choice is hers alone to make, but will it ultimately destroy her and others in the long-term process? Reviewed by Dr. Linda Beed On Assignment Reviews

Due to time constraints, I haven't read the book yet. However, my mother read it under my account and she said the entire series is great. Based on her recommendation I would say it's worth reading.

This is the 2nd book I've read by Ms Stacey and I can't wait to finish the series. This book was so inspiring I actually couldn't put it down......If you've never read any of Stacey's books please take the opportunity to do so. I promise you will not be disappointed. Great work.....

Wonderfully told with lots of twists and turns. The entire seires is a must read.

I'll admit that I was a little disappointed with how this book started. I'm reading the series back to back and I wanted this book to start off where Gabe and Rachelle left off in the first book. I wasn't totally into it but as I progressed in the book, I really started enjoying it more and more. This book fast forwarded 8 years and took us through the trials of Indigo as a woman. Adams developed this character with strength and dignity. I'm not so certain that I personally could have endured all she did and handled the situations quite like she did but I admire the character and grew fond of her. I can't wait to see how the next book unfolds given the surprise at the end of this one! Great job Adams!

Enjoyable!