A Trail of Crumbs

"He got that bread and broke it all to bits. As he and Gretel followed behind their father into the dark woods, he dropped pieces of it behind them, leaving a trail of crumbs so they could find their way back home." "They never went home," Beanie said. "Once you go, you can't never get back." (pg12).

Pearl Spence has had a tough life up to this point in her life. Having survived the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma, she wonders if there is such a place in the world that offers anything green anywhere. However when another unexpected dust storm rolls into the town of Red River, this one will devastate the Spence family in ways they couldn't see coming. This time it would claim the life of her sister Beanie whose only goal in life was to be a part of Pearl's world and she stood back and watch as the dust storm consumed her without being able to do anything to stop it.

It was at that moment that the Spence family knew they had to leave while they could. Most of the town was filled with the places people used to live in before and now there were only a handful of families that remained, most of them unable to leave because they couldn't afford it or had no where to go. Pearl's family takes her Uncle Gus and Aunt Carrie up on the offer to move to Michigan at the height of the depression, but for her family it feels like a dream come true to see greenery in a land again and to raise your own food in gardens. However it was a complete change for Pearl's mama who seemed to have physically left Oklahoma but not mentally.

Pearl struggles to fit in where society has already laid claim to who fits in and who doesn't. She watches as her friend Ray makes friends while she is almost considered an outcast. She tries to act tough despite all she has been through, but it's not enough to make friends. She even finds more in common with the boys than with those her own age and her Momma is bound and determined to ensure Pearl acts like a lady, even if she doesn't want to.

I received A Trail of Crumbs by Susie Finkbeiner compliments of Kregel Publications.In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.  This novel follows on the heels of her first novel A Cup of Dust where we first meet Pearl and her family. It picks up exactly where the other one left off and we still see the struggles Pearl has to face with dealing with a kidnapping by a crazy man who dragged her off into the cellar. Now she is trying to find a sense of normal in a world that is anything but. When her sister dies, Pearl has only her Momma to connect with, but it seems even she is disconnected from trying to find a new start for the family which again leaves Pearl to fend for herself with only her dad and Ray as crumbs that lead her home. I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion and would have liked to have seen more about the Great Depression written into this book, much like the Dust Bowl still makes an impression in not only the first novel but also in this one. For me, it was kinda misleading since the cover states it is a novel of the Great Depression, but you don't really felt like anyone was dealing with it in the novel.

For more information about A Trail of Crumbs, Susie Finkbeiner or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Trail of Crumbs by Susie Finkbeiner

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A Cup of Dust

I think as an adult I appreciate history more now that when I was in school. Perhaps it's because I realize that the things that happened in our past are not simply stories in a history book but truly impacted the lives of the people who had to endure them. Yet when we look back into our history books, very little was written about the Dust Bowl. We know how it came to be but not really how it impacted all those families who had to sit back and hope that things would change somehow and their lives would pick back up again if they got rain.

Susie Finkbeiner under the inspiration of such stories written by John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, took her research a bit further to really understand the implications of living during that time, just on the heels of the Great Depression and just before the second World War in Oklahoma in her novel A Cup of Dust. This is not for the light-hearted. It really takes the story of ten-year-old Pearl Spence and showcases how life looked from her perspective. Knowing that her family was better off than most since her father was the town's sheriff, her mother always made sure to help those out whenever she could, from baking bread to unexpectedly paying off the bills at the grocery store of those just barely making ends meet.

Living with her older sister Violet Jean, but everyone simply called her Beanie, as she was born a bit mentally challenged from being denied oxygen during her birth. Pearl's job is to keep track of Beanie who has a tendency to wander off without telling anyone. Her grandmother, Meemaw is her hope and inspiration and keeps the families faith going against the odds. The one thing they can never manage to do is keep their home free from dust. It is everywhere and at odd times of the day or night, dust storms could kick up and plunge the skies into darkness. Most people have moved on to better opportunities out west but the Spence family believes God will save them soon. It isn't until a hobo departs a train one day with the knowledge of knowing Pearl, that the family will be plunged into a darkness greater than any dust storm could create.

I received A Cup of Dust by Susie Finkbeiner compliments of Kregel Publications for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. There is parts of this novel that are a bit graphic and disturbing that might bother sensitive readers, but I would encourage you to hold out to the end to see how it all plays out. I almost put it down at that point, but pushed on to see how it might turn out in the end. Life is like that at times, sometimes wishing we could simply close our eyes and wish it was different, but I applaud the author for carrying it through so we can understand the motivation behind one character's action and how it impacted Pearl. For me I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion. A reader's discussion guide is included at the conclusion of this novel.

For more information about A Cup of Dust, Susie Finkbeiner or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Cup of Dust by Susie Finkbeiner

You can find Susie Finkbeiner on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews about A Cup of Dust, please visit Kregel Publication's Website.