The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught, Yada Yada Series #5

A devastating fire wakes up the Yadas to a new reality: God is on the move. In spite of MaDears failing health. In spite of the breakup of a teenage love. In spite of the curse of HIV. In spite of prison time hanging over the head of a beloved child. In spite of a startling wedding. Out of the ashes, God is doing a new thing. As the prayer group heads into a new year fraught with change, Jodi Baxter and her Yada sisters are realizing it is either hunker down with the safe and stagnant, or get rolling with God even if it means letting go of the old and embracing the new.

For the Yada Yadas, gettin’ caught up in troubles isn’t the problem; it’s how to get free.

Only weeks ago, we Yadas toughened our prayer knees when one of our own was the victim of a vicious racial attack. Now it seems each household is being thrown into even bigger and badder circumstances. It especially worries me, Jodi Baxter, because I’m a fixer by nature, and the prayer list is getting out of control . . .

Ruth and Ben are caught up in an unplanned pregnancy--in their fifties! Chanda is deluded by the glitter of her lottery dream come true. Florida wants to move her family, hoping to leave trouble behind, but it looks like it may catch up to her anyway. And I’m finding that even good things like prayer group can consume me in no time flat.

If there is an upside, it’s that all this trouble is revealing the subtle lies we Yadas believe about God, ourselves, each other, and life. Maybe our best hope is to catch on to what God’s doing--and catch on quick!--before the enemy can take any prisoners. That’d be a freedom worth celebrating. And celebrating is what my spiritual sisters and I do best.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught is book five in Neta Jackson’s fictional series about the Yada Yada Prayer Group, a diverse group of women living in Chicago who hold a weekly prayer time. One of the group’s members, Jodi, tells the book’s story as she and her companions get “caught” up in a slew of life’s difficulties. Ruth faces an unexpected and risky pregnancy in her fifties. Avis finds herself standing in the gap between her new husband and her daughter Rochelle in the situation created when Rochelle’s husband turns abusive. Among numerous other problems the characters face, Jodi deals with the usual drama of rearing two teenagers and involving herself in all of the other problems.

In a sense, the story’s “real-life” quality is part of its problem. It lacks narrative drive. Even within a character-driven story, a solid plot is attainable; this one takes too long – more than the first third of the book – to find any kind of momentum. Pages pass without any sort of progression, while Jodi’s often insipid internal monologue rolls along.

The story’s strong point lies in its presentation of interpersonal relationships between individuals who, self-absorbed due to their respective problems, regularly fail to communicate. Jackson creates several resonant scenes as such, and she is correct in pointing out that this alienation and lack of connection is a problem in 21st century churches, families, and job environments. However, I found these scenes to be too few and too late, hardly worth wading through four hundred pages. Though this reviewer found it wearying, fans of the series will enjoy catching up with the characters . – Amanda C. Dreher, Christian Book Previews.com

Average Rating:

6 of 6 Reviews Showing:

Reviewed by Sharron Heibner (Chilliwack, Bc,), February 22, 2008

I have enjoyed the whole series - it is everyday real life happenings. Those women are REAL people. Their spiritual growth is amazing and encouraging.

Reviewed by Stephanie (North Carolina), December 11, 2007

As I mentioned, I eagerly awaited this one and was not at all disappointed. I loved the storyline of Ruth's pregnancy and how it matches up with a lot of Old Testament women's stories, and I appreciated Ben's conflicts related to this as well. And like a lot of other readers, I can't resist a baby--or a couple! :) The other story lines that the Yada Yadas get "caught" in are great (although the lemonade stand thing was a little weird on Jodi's part, for reasons Denny and others mentioned). Another lovely book, Neta.

Reviewed by Debbee Jones-Bienert (Pocatello, Idaho), May 02, 2007

WOW!! Truthfully, I wish I could give Neta Jackson a much higher rating for her "Excellent Series, Yada-Yada!!" This Prayer group of ladies have become like personal friends. I enjoy the humor, the real life situations, the faithfulness during trials of what true friends go through, but- Most of all the growth in walking with our Lord... I know we all wish we could enter into this Yada-Yada group! (Oh! My husband loves the series too, it's great that Neta included the whole families situation's in these books!) I believe each story has been as wonderful as the next, each with it's own surprises and twists. (The reviewer before me had given high praise, but left a rating of 0.5, I'm sure she really meant to leave a 5.0) I'm buying the next book tonight, I'm trilled!! It's soooo hard to wait for the next book, especially when I hope the series never ends! Kudos’ to you Neta!! You have allowed God to use you in an awesome way... My prayer life and friendships have been touched because of these books! In His Love, Debbee

Reviewed by Deborah (Portsmouth, VA), April 05, 2007

In my opinion, this was my favorite of all the Yada Yada books. By this book, all of the characters have really developed and have been given their own spotlight. These books all show how to trust God in different ways using almost every possible scenario that could exist. I'm amazed at all the adventures that the group has managed to have. Each book outdoes the one before! Jodi is still the main character and once again I found myself echoing her same thoughts about certain events like Chanda's lottery uses and Avis and her daughter. I think the characters have grown, they don't bicker as much, and they don't try to let little conflicts build up walls between them. I really like the house blessings that the group does. I want to have that done when I get my own house next time. I also envy Jodi's kids that they got to go to Cornerstone. I have always wanted to go there. Actually I'm pretty amazed that it was even mentioned, most adults don't really know or like most modern Christian rock bands, so it was really cool to read about the festival. I must also mention that I love the covers of these book. I want all these awesome socks! Once again I highly recommend this series. I am SO looking forward to reading the next book!

Reviewed by noiva (canada), March 03, 2007

This book has made a very good impact on my prayer life. I surely can relate to some of the characters in this book; can't wait to read series #6.

Reviewed by Bonita Cordray (Oklahoma City,Oklahoma), November 13, 2006

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this book as well as the other 4. Most inspiring fiction I have ever read. They have really helped me with my prayer life so much. Neta Jackson needs to write faster.

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