This book is about a southern town divided by a controversial statue. But so much more. This is also the story, if not for a rare ice storm and the toppling of the statue, friendships would not have been healed, families not changed and even love not found. I received an arc from Netgalley and Random House. These comments and review are my honest opinion.

I received a free ARC ebook of When the Moon Turns Blue from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is the second Terry novel I have read and, although very enjoyable, suffers a bit when compared to The Sweet Taste of Muscadines. This novel has lots of characters so it takes awhile to differentiate and appreciate them as individuals.

Set in the contemporary South, there is frequent mention of the political turmoil and general unease that is endemic in America. The South has lots of traditions and history to honor, but not all represent the best of us. A long-standing Confederate statue, privately owned, is the center of dispute with many wishing it removed and many believing it should remain to acknowledge and respect the past.

Meanwhile, life and death continue. Marietta has just lost her husband and her grief is overwhelming. An old friend resurfaces to help her and when a dangerous ice storm hits, the whole town is disrupted. But it is the discovery that the statue has been demolished that really sets up the divide.

Terry excels at providing a clear sense of place that truly impacts the characters' actions and personalities.

A well written, touching, up lifting novel. I am a fan of Pamela Terry’s other work and this book reminded me why!

This book was just ok for me. It is a book for the world we live in now. A statue of Confederate general Henry Benning is destroyed. Half the town wanted it down and the other half wanted to keep it. After the statue is destroyed, peoples real opinions are seen and heard. I felt this book was a slow read and ended up just skimming a lot of it. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

It took me a while to get through this, though I did enjoy the story. I was afraid it was going to be a little too "political" for me as I read to escape such realities (hahaha) but it turned out to be pretty good.

A story about loves and lives and growing older is totally relatable and these characters and certainly relatable.

No spoilers here.

From the author of one of my favorite books, The Sweet Taste of Muscadines, comes this new book from the author, Pamela Terry.

We are back in Wesleyan, Georgia and Harry Cline is dead. Maureen is also having the worst migraine ever. Unable to continue with the service, she slips out the side door only to be met with her former best friend coming to her rescue.

Her brother Macon is livid. He is not a man given to emotion but he has no patience for anyone but himself. His wife seems to be the long-suffering sort. And you know she is probably going to upset Macon’s world at some point.

The day after the funeral and there is a rare ice storm in Wesleyan. And when the townsfolk wake up the next day, the offensive statue of Confederate general Henry Benning is ruined. And not by storm.

It had been a point of contention with half the town wanting it gone and the other half wanting it to stay. Now they are angry and just mean.

Marietta has never liked the statue but Macon, a top defense attorney, is representing the man who owns the park. Macon is determined to find out who did this, however.

I loved the women in this book. Especially Macon’s wife. The quiet ones are often plotting. What a great look at how the times are changing and we find out what people really think, and sometimes that makes us like them less.

NetGalley/February 21st, 2023 by Ballantine Books

A wonderful story about friendship and the ups and downs of it as well as how healing can take place by events that happen in our lives.

I received this from Netgalley for an honest review. A very timely story and wonderfully written. I loved each of the characters, and everyone should read and really take this story to heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I loved The Sweet Taste of Muscadines, so I was excited about this book. Was it as good? Not quite, but it was still a very good book.

The narrative revolves around a small Georgia town that is in the middle of an identity crisis. When an infamous Confederate statue is torn down during an ice storm, different factions want different things. Some are relieved, some want it put back up. At the heart of this story, though, are the people. Marietta and her brother, Macon. Glinda, Macon's wife. Butter and Gordon, Marietta's best friends. Through their eyes, we learn about the town and its people.

I found the narrative to be a little too sweet, and a little to easily resolved. It deals with a complex issue, but I feel like it barely scrapes the surface of what tensions are caused by something like a Confederate statue. It isn't quite weighty enough. There were two big plot points that i picked up on immediately as well,, which took some of the fun out of the narrative. However, i will say that the prose is beautiful and the book is beautifully written. The characters are clear and defined. Overall, it is a book I would read again.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

The writing in this book is lyrical and descriptive without getting in the way of an important story.

After a rare ice storm hits the small, southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia, the neighbors awake to find that the statue of a Confederate hero is no longer standing. Opinions about the statue have divided the town for some time. While Wesleyan is relatively free of racial strife, some feel that the statue represents their history and should be replaced. Others feel that it is a blot on the history of the town and does not reflect its current values.

The statue's demise causes the townsfolk to examine their own lives, relationships, and beliefs more closely. Throughout it all, the beautiful prose shines through.

This is such a precious book. It’s one of those that, when you finish, it feels like the end of summer. Just sad, but for no one particular reason. This is not a politically motivated book, it’s not liberals vs. conservatives, so don’t let the fact that it involves a Confederate statue give you pause.
It’s a painfully deep, honest, and sincere look at a small community; what brings them together and what tears them apart. The steel will of Marietta Cline sets the pace, even though she’s the widow, she must be strong will those around her flounder. A perfect snapshot of a small town, any town in the USA.
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is February 21, 2023.

Pamela Terry returns to the small town of Wesleyan, Georgia, where “houses were passed down through families like Bibles”. The story starts at the funeral of Harry Cline, as his wife is forced to leave early due to a migraine. Luckily, her childhood friend notices and takes her home Told from multiple perspectives, we get a snapshot of life in the town. This isn’t a community with all opinions aligned. When the statue of a Confederate general is destroyed, the town divides.
Terry writes beautifully. She is able to capture a scene or a personality with just the right few words. And I adored her characters. Marietta is a chip off the block of her liberal, newspaper editor father. Her front lawn still bears the scars where a cross was burned. Her brother is her polar opposite - a conservative, concerned with financial success and respect above all else. His wife experiences either a moment of clarity or madness and does something that ensures they won’t stay together. There are a multitude of characters but I had no trouble keeping everyone straight. You might worry they will come across as cliches, but they don’t.
An ice storm ensures that Marietta’s house will become the home base for an unlikely group of four. The story deals with friendships, family and community, of epiphanies and awakenings. There are even a few “come to Jesus” moments.
The statue is as much a lightning rod in this town as similar statues have been across the south. Terry makes the town a microcosm of the country.
There’s an undertone of magic realism involving a raven. This part of the story didn’t work as well for me, but then, I’m not a big fan of magic realism.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC. Marietta's husband passes away and the night of a funeral, an ice storm shuts down the city of Wesleyan, Georgia. For all different reasons, her friends Butter, Gordon and Glinda all arrive at her house to wait out the storm. All the while, a statue in the park down the street has divided the town and during the storm someone destroys it. This is a good book of friendship, love and hard beliefs. #WhenTheMoonTurnsBlue #PamelaTerry #Feb2023 #RandomHouseBallatine

I love reading these southern dramedies. One of the main genres I return to that gets me out of a reading rut. This does not disappoint - legacy, history, family secrets, shame, and pride that hold you down and lift you up
In losing the war, the pursuit of power becomes stealth through blatant rude behavior coupled with the duality of forces called southern hospitality, which in itself is an art form- that breeds acceptance & culpability if not a blind eye
That tenuous thread between enlightenment and blind loyalty becomes self-serving philosophies. Yes, please !! all tied up in a couple of weeks in a lifetime. This author is becoming a true favorite

I requested to read and review this book for free from Ballantine Books. Things we know growing up can change with time. And can change our mind when more information is given. We try to protect ourselves and our family as best as we can. Marietta thinks she is open minded and she is to a point. But can you be closed minded and opened minded at the same time? Butter is stronger then she knows and can be more open minded then what she thinks. Glinda is has had to do what's she thought wasbest for her family was it the right choice? Gordon has seen ans lived through a lot is he the glue that can hold someone people together. People come and go in life when we needed or when we need to learn something. The past can help us see what we need to change and shows us the ones that we need to desperately help.

. It’s a TEN star book! The setting, the descriptions, and the real emotions of today’s environment are just some of the things that have elevated this book. In a small southern town experiencing an ice storm, which this reader can definitely relate to, friends and estranged friends must come together to get through not just the literal winter storm but storm brewing inside each of them. Pamela Terry has done it again by wrapping a mystery into self discovery and learning to live again.

A well-loved member of the Wesleyan, Georgia community has died. After his funeral, an ice storm hits the town causing power outages. The widow, Marietta, shelters two friends and her sister-in-law from the storm's aftereffects. As the people awaken to their ice-covered town, one thing is missing. The problematic statue of Confederate general Henry Benning lies shattered on the ground instead of on its pedestal. An ice storm couldn't have brought this statue down. As the local police investigate, the town is divided over the destruction. Some people are glad that the statue is gone since it serves as a reminder of an ugly time in American history. Others want a new statue commissioned and don't understand why there is so much fuss over it.

The grief that Marietta feels is set aside as she is drawn into the difficulties at hand. One of her childhood friends is back in her life and they must make peace with the events that pulled them apart. Marietta sees all of the changes in her life and knows she is moving toward a new future.

A father unexpectedly dies leaving his family to work through all the details of his death. Max, Ellie, and Nathan have to decide how to handle what their father has left them, Is the inheritance a true gift or a massive problem? The siblings don't agree on handling the inheritance. Max and Ellie have spouses. Does the spouse's opinion count?Amidst all this turmoil, they also have the funeral to plan. Did they really know their father? Why did their mother leave their father? Can their mother offer them any insight into their father? Is it even proper to ask? The frustration over the inheritance causes Max's wife, Caro, and Ellie to lambast each other's parenting style. The womens lifelong friendship is slipping away as they begin wondering how well they know each other. How will this family at odds with each other finally manage the inheritance?

Imogen Clark captures and insightfully describes emotion. Each of her books demonstrates this unique ability, this book is another wonderful example. She delves into the complexities of family relationships. Clark masterfully portrays siblings behavior showing how they subtly compete with each other. The criticisms over parenting style are realistic and amusing. Max and Ellie are terrific characters, I didn't feel that there was enough about Nathan to know him well. Does death fracture a family further or will it ultimately lead to the closeness they had as children? Imogen Clark takes us through this difficult time with circumstances we can all relate to.

Pamela Terry captures the re-examinination of their priorities that grief often causes. Her characters are relateable and the friendships between them are delightful. The relaxing dinners, together with the ebb and flow of conversation. are perfectly portrayed. While the book is about friendship and family, don't forget there is still a mystery as to who destroyed the statue. Pamela Terry shows that not only is she a Southern fiction author, she is also on her way to becoming a preeminent one.

When you read this book, you are transformed into the world where the characters live. You know them. They are real. And transformative. When the Moon Turns Blue, is so well written and the characters are uniquely defined. It’s a book about life’s relationships that are so often filled with warmth and regret. A resounding theme is to know when to move on after experiencing an epiphany. Two quotes profoundly represented throughout the novel, and written by Shakespeare: “When sorrows come they come not single spies. But in battalions.” : and “Every man can manage a grief but he that has it.” Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #NetGalley, #BallentineBooks, #WhenTheMoonTurnsBlue #PamelaTerry.

An ice storm in Georgia?

Definitely something that shuts down an entire town and keeps everyone in.

Someone was out, though. 

A controversial statue was knocked down overnight.

WHEN THE MOON TURNED BLUE has lovely, descriptive writing and heartwarming characters....well most of them.

The description of the town, the characters, and the events is wonderful, but the story line is very confusing because of so many characters and going all over the place.

I honestly had a difficult time following.


I enjoyed her book THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES more than this book. 3/5


This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

When the Moon Turns Blue was a thought provoking novel set during an ice storm in the south the day after Harry Cline's funeral, which should have taken up everyone's attention. However, a controversial confederate statue fell during the storm, which has the whole town buzzing. Did it fall by itself? Did someone go out there and knock it down, thinking they could blame the storm? A whole cast of characters slowly reveal their secrets as the town digs to the bottom of this. The novel was enjoyable, although I liked the author's first novel much better.

Thanks to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this in exchange for my honest review.