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Something Beyond the Sky
When Anne Bradley receives her invitation to a Welcome Tea hosted by the Air Force Base Officer's Wives Club, she is a bit surprised?and hesitant. As are Rachel, Beth, and Karen, three other women who attend. When the tea is poured, these four strangers face one another and begin the journey of friendship and self?discovery. Each woman's life is revealed in engaging storylines about the struggles and joys of marriage, parenthood, and personal faith.
In this compelling story of love, forgiveness, and truth each woman discovers that with good friends and a lot of faith she can believe that beyond yesterday's heartache and today's troubles there is an expanse of hope beyond the horizon.
In this compelling story of love, forgiveness, and truth each woman discovers that with good friends and a lot of faith she can believe that beyond yesterday's heartache and today's troubles there is an expanse of hope beyond the horizon.
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Siri L. Mitchell
5 books34 followersalso published under the name Siri Mitchell & Iris Anthony
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a speaker and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a speaker and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 16, 2013
Great concept. The plot was good but some of the characters weren't believable. Like the LDS couple Karen and Kevin. Yes, I do think it's okay to have doubts about your beliefs, but some things were way off. Like LDS people can drink coke.. just not coffee or tea. (It has nothing to do with caffeine. Otherwise LDS people wouldn't be able to eat chocolate.) LDS people can wear shorts. They just have to be to the knees and not daisy dukes. ;-)
The concept was great. People who go blindly without questioning what they believe will always have the feeling that they are a little lost. Take out the tennents of the LDS beliefs and have someone struggling with why God would let them not get pregnant when all they want to be is a mom, would have been a better focus. Lots of women struggle with this whether they are LDS or not. Like Hannah, Sarah, Elisabeth...
The concept was great. People who go blindly without questioning what they believe will always have the feeling that they are a little lost. Take out the tennents of the LDS beliefs and have someone struggling with why God would let them not get pregnant when all they want to be is a mom, would have been a better focus. Lots of women struggle with this whether they are LDS or not. Like Hannah, Sarah, Elisabeth...
November 8, 2011
Erg. I am not usually a one star giver but this book was just....well....horribly done. I've read other books by this author and have enjoyed them. But this was just miserable.
My big beef with the book is not the entire reason I ranked it one star, but, it's a part of it. It seems that she really wrote this book as a framework to spout some soft core anti-Mormon literature. Her half-researched info about LDS culture and doctrine was tainted and derogatory. It also made me doubt the authenticity of every other situation, emotion and scenario in the book.
But the whole book was really just pointless. I picked it up thinking it would be one of those girl power books. I didn't even know one of the characters would be LDS. It's about 4 wives of Air Force servicemen and their different life situations, and they all get to know each other over the wives club food committee. So, you think, ah, yes, differences come out and strengthen each other, unlikely friendships, overcome some big hurdle in the end etc etc. Nope. Yes, they do get together to decide on cake and cookies for different events, but that is such a pointless part of the story. I guess it's a way to bring the 4 stories together, but their entire conversation at each meeting really is like...,'oh, last year they had cake with coconut. Why do they use coconut at Easter? I don't know. Maybe we should die it green this year. Ok. So, we've decided on a cake with green coconut and punch. Great. Meeting adjurned'. There are a few big 'events' that happen but it's a so bland and emotionless, there doesn't really seem to be a plot.
Nothing is resolved. No one really grows or changes. None of the characters are believable and especially not their friendships, the decisions they make or the conclusions they come to.
Overall, just leave this one on the shelf and read one of her cute clean romances instead.
My big beef with the book is not the entire reason I ranked it one star, but, it's a part of it. It seems that she really wrote this book as a framework to spout some soft core anti-Mormon literature. Her half-researched info about LDS culture and doctrine was tainted and derogatory. It also made me doubt the authenticity of every other situation, emotion and scenario in the book.
But the whole book was really just pointless. I picked it up thinking it would be one of those girl power books. I didn't even know one of the characters would be LDS. It's about 4 wives of Air Force servicemen and their different life situations, and they all get to know each other over the wives club food committee. So, you think, ah, yes, differences come out and strengthen each other, unlikely friendships, overcome some big hurdle in the end etc etc. Nope. Yes, they do get together to decide on cake and cookies for different events, but that is such a pointless part of the story. I guess it's a way to bring the 4 stories together, but their entire conversation at each meeting really is like...,'oh, last year they had cake with coconut. Why do they use coconut at Easter? I don't know. Maybe we should die it green this year. Ok. So, we've decided on a cake with green coconut and punch. Great. Meeting adjurned'. There are a few big 'events' that happen but it's a so bland and emotionless, there doesn't really seem to be a plot.
Nothing is resolved. No one really grows or changes. None of the characters are believable and especially not their friendships, the decisions they make or the conclusions they come to.
Overall, just leave this one on the shelf and read one of her cute clean romances instead.
February 24, 2010
I have really enjoyed this author, so I was excited about this book. It is about four very different women who are military wives and how they become friends and work through their trials with the help of one another. Sounds good right? Well, my problem with it was that one of the women is LDS and anorexic and struggling with her faith. The author brings up issues to make her question her faith that were never explained further or answered. Lots of the issues were completely incorrect and it just made me mad. I know it is fiction and all, but it really is no wonder why some people have such screwed up ideas as to what we truly believe and stand for.
October 13, 2008
After falling in love with Kissing Adrien and The Chateau of Echoes, I was very disappointed in this book. One of the characters in this book was LDS and there were enough inaccuracies portrayed about my religion (and unfortunate references to how some members behave) that I had a hard time focusing on much else. I did really like a few of the characters (especially Rachel) and I applaud the author for taking on a character with an eating disorder...although with the exception of a few well placed comments from her friends and spouse, it didn't really seem like she got any real help. I look forward to reading her new book, A Constant Heart.
February 15, 2015
I really delved into this one and finished it in a jiffy. But if you are not a military person (or related to one) it would be challenging to understand anything...
The Mormonism was harped on way too harshly. I'm not Mormon, but the other Christian denominations attacking Mormonism were really, really rude and cynical. I felt like the author's opinions were too strong on LDS persons and took away from plot development.
Well written for the most part, however.
The Mormonism was harped on way too harshly. I'm not Mormon, but the other Christian denominations attacking Mormonism were really, really rude and cynical. I felt like the author's opinions were too strong on LDS persons and took away from plot development.
Well written for the most part, however.
August 5, 2013
I don't usually rate books that I didn't finish, but I couldn't get past the inaccurate portrayal of the LDS character's beliefs. I have enjoyed other of Siri Mitchell's books, & I plan to read some others, but I won't be going back to this one.
March 20, 2008
This is a great book about women who become friends. The ending seemed to stop abruptly. I did like it though.
Read
April 8, 2008Hated it.
January 26, 2011
good story
January 17, 2023
Enjoyable read if you’re a military spouse, probably. I felt like it ended abruptly without a good resolution for some of the main characters; like there should be a sequel? Plus, I felt like the portrayal of their faith was pretty meh. I liked the dialogue between the LDS character and her other friends, it’s good to portray honest conversations about faith. But those same professing Christians didn’t seem to really rely on their faith in their own life. A book about a few very baby Christians that get to know each other, I guess. I’m sure it’s an early book for this author, because I’ve really enjoyed some of her historical ones.
November 24, 2016
I love this author, so, of course, I liked this book. I wish all the issues were resolved at the end, but then again I like that they weren't because life doesn't neatly work out all the time. I saw movement in the characters lIves which corresponds to realities. I like how the author addresses controversial topics in a way that requires empathy on the part of the reader.
September 12, 2014
A reread from 2008, I believe. Holds up fairly well.
June 21, 2016
Good story lines, but reads a bit like a novella--not ever fully revealing the characters, backgrounds or personality. Definitely not on the same level as Siri 's other work.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews