Book Review: Televenge by Pamela King Cable

Synopsis:

Televenge       

by Pamela King Cable
     

Andie Oliver is a faithful woman--to God, to her handsome husband Joe, and to televangelist Reverend Calvin Artury, a Godfather in a Mafia of holy men.

Raised in the 1970s to be subservient and submissive in the tradition of the Bible-belt South, she becomes a prisoner of that tradition. As a reluctant member of Artury's evangelical megachurch, the House of Praise in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Andie's dream of children, home, and marriage falls apart when Joe is hired by the ministry team. Joe had been a gentle lover, a kind man, and a hard-working and faithful husband. Only lately had Andie felt him turn his attention more to church than her.

Vivid and tragic, Televenge exposes chaos in the megachurch, and embraces those who discover their destiny in unconditional love in a world fraught with fear and intimidation. With more twists and turns than the Blue Ridge Parkway, Televenge takes you from the Piedmont South to the Hawaiian Islands, to Nigeria, Africa, and back to the high country of North Carolina.

Review:

Televenge is a full course meal of a novel.  For readers who like to sink their teeth into a hearty plot and vivid characters, the plight of Andie Oliver’s personal struggle for love against a corrupt televangelist will keep you turning page after page. 

As a slower reader who fully imagines each and every scene, I tend to shy away from longer works, especially those that dwell in the darker side of humanity.  That said, I am so glad I kept with it and was able to feel the immense satisfaction of experiencing the unexpected plot twists as Andie, the main character, is finally able to come into the light. 

Pamela King Cable artfully evolves and matures the character of Andie in a true-to-life manner.  There were times in this novel when I wanted to yell, “Wake up!” to the younger version of Andie.  And then, once she gave birth to boy and girl twins (I have my own set of boy and girl twins), I worried over Andie and her children hoping our author wouldn’t allow too much of the dark forces in this novel to overtake them.  Plus, I very much enjoyed how an otherworldly spiritual aspect was weaved naturally throughout the novel guiding and supporting Andie in her journey. The conclusion brought tears to my eyes due to, no doubt, by the emotional stake I had invested through the many hours I spent reading and wondering if Andie would survive her plight. 

Televenge provides much food for discussion on several topics, the popularity of televangelism in America, the idea of unconditional love and the possibility of redemption in a person’s life no matter how bleak the current outlook.  If a book leaves me thinking about it long after I've finished reading it, then the author has done her job well.  As for Televenge, Pamela King Cable has crafted a story that I won't soon forget.

About the Author:

Pamela King Cable was born a coal miner's granddaughter and raised by a tribe of wild Pentecostals and storytellers. She is an award-winning, multi-published author who loves to write about religion and spirituality with paranormal twists she unearths from her family's history. Married to a megachurch ministry team member as a young adult, she attended years of megachurch services. Pamela studied creative writing at The University of Akron and Kent State University. She has taught at many writing conferences, and speaks to book clubs, women's groups, national and local civic organizations, and at churches across the country. Nearly a decade in the writing, Televenge is her debut novel. She lives in Ohio with her husband, Michael, and is currently working on her next novel.  

   

Connect with Pam online: 

Author's website: http://www.pamelakingcable.com/

Blog: http://www.southernfriedwoman.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2935883.Pamela_King_Cable