When the Sky Burned by Liz Tolsma

  

We have all heard of the Great Chicago Fire, a conflagration that began on October 8, 1871, but few of us are likely to be familiar with the fire that consumed the village of Peshtigo in northeastern Wisconsin on that same day. Approximately three hundred people died in the Great Chicago Fire. Between twelve hundred and twenty-five hundred were killed in the Peshtigo fire. Exact numbers were impossible to ascertain as the extremely hot fires reduced many bodies to ash.

The fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin is the focus of the latest addition to Barbour Publishing's A Day to Remember series. It is written by Liz Tolsma. While the main characters are fictional, the details of the disaster are well-researched and accurately yet sensitively described. Mariah Randolph suffers great loss during the fire, loss beyond material possessions, and even beyond loss of loved ones. The story becomes one of reconciling faith and the hope and joy found in choosing to see God's blessings even in times of hardship.

Seeds of this story were planted in the author's heart and mind years ago. Now, readers will be blessed with the fully mature product of those seeds. When the Sky Burned is a story whose encouragement will linger on for some time. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this novel from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

   

What I Left for You is a dual timeline story centered around the history of the Lemko people.

At the time of WWII, Lemkovyna may have been within the border of Poland, but its people had a history, language, and traditions all of their own. In telling the story of Helena Kostyszak, a strong, educated Lemko woman, who rescued her friend's baby from Poland's ghetto intending to raise her as her own, and Helena's descendant's quest to locate this daughter decades later, Tolsma is able to tenderly tell the story of the Lemko people. Learning about a culture of which I was totally unfamiliar both within the story and the author's notes was very engaging. Within the historical and contemporary storylines, Tolsma leads two of her main characters into an understanding of what it means to have a personal relationship with God, that while not preventing one from experiencing hard times, allows Him to walk through those times with you, supporting you as you surrender to His will and timing.

While the storylines are intertwined, and both are well-written, the characters in the WWII era story are by far my favorite. While reading, I wondered if they might also be the author's favorites. It would be most difficult to not both sympathize and empathize with Helena and her immediate family, where as her great granddaughter, McKenna, sounds self-absorbed one minute and compassionate the next. Fortunately, her best friend, Taylor, goes with the flow and pulls McKenna from the brink on a regular basis. The contemporary story lacks a bit of realism as it is doubtful that Taylor's job as a social worker would pay for a month in Poland and hiring someone to assist in the search for her grandmother's sister, but as harrowing as it was, the historical storyline felt very real.

I recommend What I Left for You and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

What I Promise You by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

  

This is Liz Tolsma's second book in her Echoes of the Past series. Each of the books works as a stand-alone read with no crossover storylines or characters, but I would highly recommend reading the first book, What I Would Tell You, because it is a wonderful read. What I Promise You is a slower-paced story. At first I was thinking the author could have omitted the middle timeline, but realized at the end of the book how that timeline actually pulled everything together. The earliest timeline, set in the early 1940s, tells the story of Noémie Treves, a secular Jewish woman, following her imprisonment at Camp de Rivesaltes in Vichy France. Noémie loses everything through the Nazi's cruelty, even her identity. Through the work of two Christian women, her life was spared, but would she be able to truly live life again? In the 2022 timeline Caitlyn Laurent struggles to cope with her best friend's death as she tries to live out the goals they had intended to achieve together. While her life was spared in the automobile accident, would she truly live her own life, or was she destined to live the life Lindsey had wanted to live?

The themes of finding and living one's calling, adapting to life's unexpected circumstances, and trusting God's plans for one's future are all explored within these two ladies' stories. While I cannot say this is my favorite Liz Tolsma story, I can say that it is well-researched and well-written, and I recommend it to fans of historical fiction. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

 

What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

  

Of the Liz Tolsma novels I have read, What I Would Tell You is my favorite. I was unfamiliar with what took place in Greece leading up to and during World War II, so I found the story of Mathilda Nissim fascinating although tragic. Pairing it with the story of Tessa Payton in 2019, and sharing pages from both ladies' journals was an excellent way to engage readers even more deeply in Mathilda's story. I was grateful for the manner in which Tolsma cleared up Tessa's confusion, helping the character to realize that the God of the Jews and the God of the Christians is One.

I highly recommend What I Would Tell You, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

  

It has been a very long time since I read a book set around the historical events at the Alamo. This split-time fiction novel uses an engraved ring to connect the 1835-1836 and current time storylines. The protagonist in both stories are brave, young women who have encountered brutality and loss, who are afraid to open up to others, but who long to do so. The current time story may open eyes and hearts to the children being sent alone to cross our southern border. Both stories are exciting, intriguing, and emotional. I give this book five stars.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Promise Engraved from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

   

While many World War II era novels focus on the plight of the Jewish people, A Picture of Hope reminds us of the fate of those who were deemed undesirable for other reasons. In this story Nellie Wilkerson, an American photojournalist, and Jean-Paul Breslau, a member of the Maquis, are brought together by circumstances foreseen only by God. Together,along with a small group of nuns, they seek to insure the safety and well-being of three young children with Down Syndrome. In an effort to maintain historical accuracy, the author uses the term for this syndrome that was in use in the 1940s. In the book's front matter she expresses that, as a mother to a child with an intellectual disability, she did not intend to offend anyone, but to inform in a historically accurate way. It is obvious by their willingness to place their own lives in mortal danger, that the central characters greatly value the lives of the children placed in their care.

Liz Tolsma has once again entranced me with a story of faith hard won, deep compassion, and moments when all I could do was hold my breath. I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Picture of Hope from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Gold Digger by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

    

I have truly enjoyed Barbour Books' True Colors series, and recommend it often. Gold Digger is the latest addition to the series and is very well researched and written. I can only imagine the nightmares the author must have had while researching the true crimes that inspired this story. It is difficult to reveal anything about this story's content without revealing too much. If you like true crime stories, mysteries that are a bit gruesome, or psychological thrillers, this book is for you. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Gold Digger from Barbour Books via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Refrain Within by Liz Tolsma

 

While The Refrain Within is the third book in Tolsma's Music of Hope series, I did not feel like I missed background information important to understanding the story. As a matter of fact, prior to looking back at the front matter, I assumed it was the first of a series. I certainly would like to know what happens next in the lives of the major players in this story. The Refrain Within is an emotional tale of the impact of World War II on Jews in Hungary and those who loved them. It is also a tale of how music feeds the soul, especially during great trials, and of course how true faith in Christ grows when tested. The story is very well written, and will linger in the readers' thoughts long after it is finished.

I am grateful to have received a copy of The Refrain Within from Gilead Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Green Dress by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

  

Barbour Publishing's True Colors series is a collection of novels, written by a variety of authors based on true historical stories of American Crime. Liz Tolsma's The Green Dress is the latest installment. It is a fiction piece based on the crimes committed against Sarah Jane Robinson's family, and which occurred in the years 1881-1886. In this story Harriet Peters becomes concerned about the illnesses and deaths of many of the family members of the family that took her in when she fled to Boston to avoid an arranged marriage. She enlists the aid of Dr. Michael Wheaton who becomes increasingly concerned for Harriet's safety. The Green Dress is a most wonderful addition to this intriguing series. It held me spellbound, and I believe most historical fiction and mystery fans will love it. I am grateful to have received a copy of The Green Dress from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to write a positive review, ad received no monetary compensation.

The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

   

Cecile Dowd is the widowed mother of an active three-year-old girl named Millie. They resided in Memphis, Tennessee in 1933, a time when cautious parents kept a close watch on their children. The reason? Children around Memphis and other nearby towns were disappearing, and it wouldn't be publicly known until years later that this was happening under the direction of Georgia Tann of the Tennessee Children's Home Society.

Percy Vance, a lawyer who came up from a life of poverty, was indebted to Georgia Tann. He believed that she was saving children from a childhood like his own, pairing them with loving parents. Only after meeting Cecile Dowd did he truly begin to doubt Tann's motives and methods.

Liz Tolsma, an adoptive mother of three, does a wonderful job of exposing the atrocities of Tann's exploitation of the adoption process, the children and the families while reminding readers of the good that can come from adoption handled by those with everyone's best interest at heart. She also expertly keeps the reader wondering about the story's great question. Where is Millie Dowd?

I am grateful to have received a copy of The Pink Bonnet from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.