Crooked Hallelujah

In Kelli Jo Ford's debut novel, Crooked Hallelujah, readers follow four generations of Cherokee women in Oklahoma, beginning in 1974 with 15-year-old Justine. Raised in a family led by her mother, Lula, and her Granny, Justine navigates the complexities of loyalty and faith amid personal and communal challenges. As Justine and her daughter, Reney, seek a fresh start in Texas during the turbulent 1980s oil bust, they confront the fragility of their connections against a backdrop of nature’s fury and societal instability. With evocative prose, Ford intricately weaves their struggles, highlighting the enduring bonds between mothers and daughters amid shifting cultural landscapes.