Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent

Cotton Whispers, the sequel to Fireflies in December, continues the friendship between Jessilyn Lassiter and Gemma Teague. The summer of 1936 brings with it tragedy and heartache that threatens to tear their friendship apart. Gemma works for a local wealthy family where she falls in love with their youngest son. Jessilyn tries to come between the two, telling Gemma he is no good. When Jessilyn’s young neighbor girl is hit by a car and killed, it threatens to dissolve Jessilyn and Gemma’s friendship.

Jessilyn’s world comes crashing in when a sweet elderly friend is accused of the crime. After discovering who was actually responsible for the child’s death, Jessilyn discovers that coming forward could lead to her father losing everything. Jessilyn is in the midst of discovering what it means to become a woman and questioning what kind of God allows these tragedies to happen to good people.


Discussion Questions:
1. Jessilyn and Gemma are sometimes at odds throughout the book. What factors do you think contribute to this? Have you experienced a similar situation in your own life? Age, temperament, life circumstances, differences in faith. Gemma and Jessie are so different as far as their temperament. Gemma is logical and is patient enough to let things unfold as they should, but Jessie is aggressive/assertive and does not wait for anything to unfold. I think Jessie's outward personality - larger than life and full of drama - gets under Gemma's skin. I also think Jessie's lack of faith in God challenges the relationship with Gemma. I think Gemma can be at peace because she surrenders her troubles to God.

2. What brings about Luke's change in attitude toward Jessilyn at the beginning of the story? Can you relate to Harley's reaction to Luke's birthday gift for her?

3. In Jessilyn's past she has faced violence, but finding Callie battered by the roadside impacts her very strongly. What fears do you think Jessie was forced to confront as she waited alone with her?

4. Gemma withdraws when she finds out about Callie. How does her reaction vary from Jessilyn's? How do the differing reactions exemplify their personalities and situations?

5. Gemma's normally logical outlook is challenged by Joel Hadley's flattery. Have you ever experienced a time when emotions blinded you to sensibility?

6. Gemma and Jessie can't clear Mr. Poe's name because Joel has threatened to foreclose on the family's farm and also because they are afraid they won't be believed. Would you have handled the situation any differently? How?

7. Mr. Poe's arrest leads the people of Calloway to condemn him without trial. Have you seen similar examples in our world today? In historic events?

8. Even though Jessilyn nearly died four years earlier, Mae's death seems to be her first true realization of her mortality. How can age and maturity color our experiences?

9. Mr. Poe's sacrifice has widespread impact. Who is affected and how? Do you agree with Jessilyn that some of the townspeople were hypocrites?

10. Ms Cleta encourages Jessilyn to hear the "whispers" of memories she has of Mr. Poe. Have you ever been touched by your own "whispers"?

11. Jessilyn's anger at God eases with time, but she still hasn't been able to find solid faith in Him. What do you think is holding her back?

Don't Die Dragonfly by Linda Joy Singleton

Don’t Die, Dragonfly is the first book in the Seer series by Linda Joy Singleton. Sabine Rose is a teenage psychic. When she predicts a schoolmate’s death in a car crash, her town and family turn against her, believing she caused the accident. She is sent to live with her grandmother, also a psychic, and she begins a new life at a new school. She vows to keep her gift a secret, but with another life on the line, she’s not sure she can.

Singleton establishes a rich, believable cast in Dragonfly. Though sometimes the characters fit into cliché moulds, I still love them. Penny-Love, Sabine’s popular cheerleading best friend, is relatable and funny. She adds normalcy to Sabine’s otherwise abnormal life and, in doing so, grounds Sabine. Sabine also makes friends with her school newspaper editor, Mannie, and the resident Goth-girl, Thorn. These quirky characters bring out different sides of Sabine, allowing her to become a more well-rounded character.

One of the major appeals to Singleton’s story is the love triangle. Josh is popular, kind, and sweet – everything Sabine is looking for. The only thing is, she can’t tell him her secret and his best friend, Evan, will do anything to see the two ripped apart. Then there’s Dominic, the quiet, sexy, and frustrating farmhand Sabine’s grandmother has hired. He has a way of getting underneath Sabine’s skin, yet he’s one of the only people she can truly be herself around. These relationships only grow more interesting as the series progresses.

Sisters by Kathleen Thompson Norris

Sisters was a good read, not one of my ultimate favorites, but the story kept me clicking to the next page. The writing style of the author was a little odd, but as I said, the story kept my attention. Most books will identify the character speaking, but this author/editor team allows the reader to keep up with who is speaking by knowing the story and 'supposing' who is speaking. Several times I wound up reading back over a paragraph or two and putting a bit of thought into determining who is saying what. It's not that big of a deal, but something that kept me from reading uninterupted.

This is another period piece and takes place in the late 1800s. Two sisters raised in the same home as their elder cousin (raised as sisters.) The youngest is married first, eldest marries second leaving the middle daughter to the neighbor man/friend of her father's. Trouble is the neighbor friend is in love with the youngest of the sisters.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I have tried and tried to get into this book, but can't make it beyond the first couple chapters. I'll give it another try after the book I'm reading now.

The Kindle

The last book I read, Letters of a Woman Homesteader, was read via my birthday present - the Kindle eReader. I love it! I have always adored the smell and feel of a good book and my home is filled with them, but the Kindle allows me much easier reading and is especially nice now that I'm growing older and sometimes have troubles like comfort and vision. The Kindle is easy to position while in sitting position or lying down. I read five books since the week before Thanksgiving. I'm won over!

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt

After deciding that city life as a laundress wasn't for her, Elinore Pruitt, a young widowed mother, accepted an offer to assist with a ranch in Wyoming, work that she found exceedingly more rewarding. In this delightful collection of letters, she describes these experiences to her former employer, Mrs. Coney. Pruitt's charming descriptions of work, travels, neighbors, animals, land and sky have an authentic feel. The West comes alive, and everyday life becomes captivating. Her writing is clear, witty, and entertaining. The 26 letters are brief and tell about her life on the ranch in the early 1900s. On occasion, language reflects the racial prejudice of the time. Many times, Pruitt attempts to portray the culturally diverse characters she meets by writing their various dialects as they sound.

Troublesome Creek by Jan Watson

A charming historical novel set in the late 1800s. Born and raised in the hills of Kentucky, Laura "Copper" Grace loves the wilderness of her home in Troublesome Creek. But when her stepmother threatens to send her away to boarding school to become a lady, Copper faces the possibility of losing everything that is precious to her. Copper must come to terms with her family and discover the true meaning of home. Nothing can drag her off the mountain, until the day she realizes that God has other plans for her life.

Discussion Questions:

1. Troublesome Creek is a work of historical fiction. Do you often choose this genre? If so why? I enjoy historical works (even fiction), but have never read this genre per se, until recently. This is my second read from this time era. I think I have enjoyed reading them because it feels as though I am reading of my roots. Being from the deep south I feel a particular kinship to such stories. They are easy on my heart and mind to read and that's a nice change of pace.

2. Julie’s unwed pregnancy set the stage for her estrangement from her sister Grace. How are unmarried mothers viewed differently today? Sadly, it seems almost a popular fad to be not only single and pregnant, but a teenager and pregnant.

3. Granny believed in “signs.” How do you feel about foreshadowing? Is it scriptural? I am not a Christian as defined by most Christians. I do claim to believe in signs, but think it is more my making fun and light of uncanny coincidences. The signs that Granny believed in I account to as superstition and I do not give much energy to their attention.

4. Both Will and Grace blamed themselves for JulieÂ’s death. How were they at fault, if at all? Julie's death was not anyone's fault, she was merely a victim of unfortunate circumstances. Her path may have been different if her sister, Grace, hadn't been so cold to her when she became pregnant and perhaps her death 'may have' been prevented by Will taking the buckboard instead of the buggy, but her death isn't either of their faults.

5. Why was Grace so reserved? Why was she so hard on Copper?

6. How did her stepmotherÂ’s expectations help to shape the young woman Copper was to become?

7. Have you ever known a social outcast like Remy? Did this person make you uncomfortable? Did you befriend them?

8. The snake handling service was a pivotal point in Copper BrownÂ’s life. Do you believe God would cause a serpent to bite Daniel in order to answer GraceÂ’s prayer to get Laura Grace off the mountain? No, I do not. I do believe that if God had anything at all to do with the snake bite it was Daniel's lesson to be learned, not Laura Grace's.

9. What did you think of John Pelfrey? Should Copper have married him? I'm torn. It wouldn't have made for a hot love component as the wiley Simon, but John is solid and familiar and probably would have remained loyally by her side until the end of time. I don't think Simon will stand by her. I have the impression that Dr. Corbett will use Copper up until the novelty has worn off and then he will shelf her for another.

10. How would CopperÂ’s life be different if she had married her childhood friend?

11. Was it realistic that Will would leave the mountains to please his wife? Do you think Grace would finally be happy if they moved? No, I don't think a mountain man of that time period would have ever considered leaving his own holler must less crossing the country where he will be totally outclassed.

12. In this book the eastern Kentucky mountains becomes almost a central character. Have you ever loved a place as much as Copper loved her home? How did you feel if you had to leave it? No, not really. I have no attachment to places because when the north wind blows I usually hop upon my magick carpet and let the wind decide the next stop. I have no home other than where I am now.

13. Copper was very young to be married. Why was that so easily accepted in those times? Life expectancy wasn't that long back then. Mostly because women were hitting their prime child bearing years, able to work hard with consistency. Girls were married off early because they were one less mouth to feed.

14. How would your life be different if you lived in the 1880Â’s. Would you like to? What modern convenience would you most miss? Hot shower.

15. Do you look forward to the next book in this “Romance of Life” series?Absolutely!