Days of Little Texas by R.A. Nelson

Almost sixteen years old, and it seems Ronald Earl’s life is laid out before him. For nearly as long as he can remember, he’s been the boy wonder preacher, better known as Little Texas. People drive hours to see him and shout his name in reverence; all they see is a vessel of holiness. And for the most part, that’s how Ronald Earl feels too, because the sensation of the Holy Spirit filling him is like no other. But when he heals a blonde girl in a blue dress, something happens that isn’t quite right and with that, Ronald Earl starts to doubt his abilities to communicate the word of God. He continues to travel on his revival circuit, but the spirit doesn’t seem to come as effortlessly as it used to, especially when Ronald Earl keeps catching glimpses of the blonde girl he healed wherever he goes. Ronald Earl is inexplicably drawn to this girl, but being with her and finding out who she really is will test his sanity, his beliefs, and his very faith.

I generally don’t go for books that center around religion and faith as much as Days of Little Texas does. This novel is supposed to be a meeting of die-hard faith and ghost stories, and the effect is bizarre and confusing to say the least. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the story. Ronald Earl/Little Texas was characterized rather well as a religious teen on the verge of a major change. I’ll admit it was a little disconcerting how rooted his thinking was in his faith, so I greatly appreciated his mental growth throughout the novel. The ending and the story as a whole were certainly strange, and I don’t know how well Nelson mixed ghosts with religion. As much as I loved reading about Ronald Earl, the plot didn’t always flow as smoothly as I’d like it. This may be because although the juxtaposition of two different types of supernatural is unique and interesting, they just don’t go well together in a story. Either way, Days of Little Texas is an entertaining story that will challenge the way anyone thinks and will open readers’ minds to a whole new realm of possibilities.

Days of Little Texas may be enjoyed by fans of Swoon by Nina Malkin, The Hollow by Jessica Verday, Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall, and Sea Change by Aimee Friedman.

Rating: 3.75

Review copies from publisher Random House and author R.A. Nelson