Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I love a Brooklyn story and this book did not disappoint. The author brought 1980s Brooklyn back to life for me. I too went downtown to go the movies and shop. And I also sneaked into game rooms I wasn't allowed to be in lol. Good times! This was a great story about friendship, forgiveness and redemption.
The characters were developed well and were very relatable. Lisa's struggle with forgiving and Dana's with regret were understandable. I really enjoyed this one and the many emotions it put me through. FYI grab the tissues!
Thank you @netgalley and publishing for an EARC copy and a chance to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dana, the daughter of an addict, runs against the law in a “wrong place, wrong time” situation. Lisa, her school friend, hails from a two-parent home where she is loved and encouraged to better herself. The book follows the twists and turns of both women over a 40-year span. They live in a NYC neighborhood of Bed-Stuy. (The author tells that she included landmarks and history from that neighborhood into her story.)
I am glad that I hung in past the first couple chapters as the story picked up steam and I really enjoyed the stories of the two women.

"The Light on Halsey Street" by Vanessa Miller is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that delves deep into the complexities of family, identity, and belonging. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant Brooklyn neighborhood, the story follows the life of Aria, a young woman grappling with her estranged relationship with her mother and the secrets that lie hidden within her family's past. Miller's evocative prose weaves a tapestry of emotions, drawing readers into Aria's journey of self-discovery and forgiveness. The novel is a beautifully written exploration of the power of love and the enduring bonds that connect us to our roots. A must-read for anyone seeking a poignant and heartfelt narrative.

A very moving and emotional story that explores friendship and forgiveness. This is beautifully written!
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson fiction and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If I had known that this was Christian Fiction I would not have requested. This is not a genre I enjoy.

I had to get myself all the way together before I could write this review. The Light on Halsey Street was such an emotional read for me. I cried, laughed, shouted and fussed. I feel like every emotion I have was invoked. There were some events that brought back a whole lot of good memories and good times. There was also an event that hit me hard like it was my story being told. I believe all of us that grew up in the 80’s can relate to this book, even those that grew up in 90’s-00 will get something out this. God showed up and showed out more than once in these characters lives. I highly recommend this book.

Loved the writing as usual— Vanessa Miller writes in a way that doesn’t overcomplicate the story. I was invested and loved the message of forgiveness and moving on in this story.

I wasn't aware that this was christian fiction before requesting it on NetGalley, at the time it didn't say anything about it on the site and I didn't check the goodreads tags. I wouldn't have read it if I knew it was.

Just to scratch the surface on what I didn't like: the conversations around shoplifting and poverty weren't made in good faith, instead milking and twisting them in a way that's pretty far from reality just to get the message across that not paying rent is "going down the wrong path" and only corrected by going to church and finding god. I found that naive, insensitive and vile. I hope no one on that situation finds this book.

Vanessa Miller did not disappoint. Although I've never been to New York, I felt like I was in the midst of these character's lives. The author painted such a vivid story. My heart bled for Dana and all she went through. I found myself wanting to rescue her while being angered at those that judged her based on her mother's life. There is too much to say about this book without making this review a total spoiler so I'll just say please purchase it. Thank you Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

I enjoyed the nostalgic look at the year 1985 and all that was going on in the world at the time. Lisa Whitaker and Dana Jones became friends at school. They were both only children. Lisa was brought up in a Christian family that ran a grocery business. She was eager to leave for college so she could return and support her neighborhood.

After graduating from high school, Dana started hanging out with the wrong crowd and started down a path Lisa refused to pursue. As Lisa left for college, Dana started looking for a job, it was hard because her mother was an addict. Both go their separate ways. Years later an event neither of them could have anticipated brings them together.

This coming-of-age story spans four decades. Despite taking various paths in life, Dana and Lisa both come to understand the importance of friendship, family, and forgiving others. Drug and alcohol addiction, alcoholism, violence, robbery, neglect, atonement, forgiveness, and taking accountability for one's acts are just a few of the subjects covered in this book. When individuals fail to understand that everyone has sinned and needs to be forgiven, resentment and a hard heart only increase.

I appreciated the author's depiction of how reacting badly to mistakes and pursuing justice at all costs results in anguish, hatred, health issues, and a negative effect on others around you. I appreciated the natural, non-preachy way in which this was done. This is a touching tale that you won't soon forget.

Disclosure Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC.

DNF @ 20%. I just couldn’t keep reading this one. I desperately wanted to like this and based on the synopsis I should have, because it SOUNDS like something right up my alley… but it just wasn’t it for me.

The writing was… not good? Not horrendous but bad enough that I couldn’t immerse myself in it. And I TRIED. I tried harder than I would have if I hadn’t gotten this as an ARC but MAN, this was a big, glaring NO for me.

Also, weird complaint, but the print on the ebook was SO SMALL it gave me a migraine more than once while I was trying to read it.

Just not for me, had to put it down. Maybe just not in the right headspace for this book but I just didn’t click with it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a sweet story about forgiveness, overcoming adversary, and life choices. I love how the beginning was set on the 90s, as there were some very nostalgic references. From the jump, this actual reminded me of Crooklyn.

I liked how Lisa and Dana overcame their differences. Forgiveness is such a powerful thing, so kuddos to them! I hold grudges if pushed too far, but the Lord is working on me and he knows my heart 🫠

Starting in the 1980s, this story follows two friends from high school until adulthood in their 50s. Lisa is the straightlaced church girl who is excited about going off to college. Her friend, Dana, is trying to find her place in the world, but as she ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people, she finds herself in jail. This story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming as Lisa and Dana navigate their lives in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn. Highly recommend this book for lovers of women's fiction.

3.0 stars, close to 3.5. Book would definitely have been a 3.5 except for the overdose of religion toward the end. That was a turn off for me. But the story was great, and I found myself really relating to the characters, Dana and Lisa. Read book in one day. Easy to read. Pretty soap-opera like in some respects and the life events of the two main characters were somewhat melodramatic and lacking in credibility to me. Nevertheless it was a fun easy read and I recommend it.

I gave this up at almost the halfway point. It’s not categorized as YA, but it might as well have been. The writing is obvious, cliched and preachy; the whole thing is like A Very Episode of an After School Special.
Thanks, anyway, to #netgalley and #thomasnelsonpublishing for this #arc of #thelightonhalseystreet in exchange for an honest review.

True confession: I picked this up because I love the cover! It’s beautiful!

I realized belatedly (when I started reading it) that I’d tried a couple other books by the same author, and neither proved my cup of tea. Still, I gave it a shot (third time’s a charm?). Alas, I struck out; the same things I struggled with in the other reads were here too: namely, writing style and over telling.

DNF at this time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars! Lisa and Dana were childhood friends with very different upbringings in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood in Brooklyn. Lisa grew up in a God-fearing, two-parent household while Dana was raised by a single mom who was a drug addict. Their friendship changed when one of them gets into trouble and they lose touch.

Years later their lives crossed paths again and their friendship is tested. We get to see how they evolve and handle negative circumstances that affect both of their lives.

This is a story of friendship, forgiveness, faith, love and family. Great read!

I absolutely loved this book! The writing was really good, the characters were real, and it's just a great story (be sure to read the author's note at the end). I really loved the characters! Lisa and Dana had struggles that I could not relate to, but they were told in such a way that I got a new perspective and appreciation for what people in their situations go through. This story really opened my eyes. I need another Vanessa Miller book ASAP! Highly highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.