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Celeste Fletcher McHale is a Southern Lit author from Central Louisiana. Her debut novel, The Secret to Hummingbird Cake, is being released through HarperCollins Christian Publishing in February 2016.
Celeste attended Louisiana State University and Northwestern State University where she majored in history. She currently lives on her century-old family farm and enjoys family, writing, football, baseball, and raising a variety of animals.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Butts for Readers' Favorite
Celeste Fletcher McHale has done the near impossible. I cried while reading. I have always thought people who were brought to tears over written words were perhaps a little overly emotional. Apparently it just takes a great author, and that author is Celeste Fletcher McHale. The Secret To Hummingbird Cake started off a little slow, and I found the main character, Carrigan, a bit whiny. But a big, life shattering event happens, it rocks her to the core, and reminds her what truly matters in life. About one third into the book, it picks up traction and sucks you in like you would never imagine possible. It is about at this point that you realize you WEREN'T supposed to like Carrigan all that much in the beginning.
Celeste wrote a plot that was so real. Carrigan and her friends, Ella Rae and Laine, and the situations that they were thrust into (by their choice or not) were so real. There was laughter, there were tears, there was so much feeling wrapped up in this book. I was impressed, also, that there was a Christian theme without an evangelistic feel. The fact that this is Celeste Fletcher McHale's first novel amazed me. I want my friends to read this book. I will be recommending it to my mom (top praise right there). If you've ever had a close friendship with a bonded group of friends, you will want to read this book. My heart is still tight from reading. I felt more emotion from McHale's writing than I ever thought possible.
