Category: Litfuse

Forgiveness, love and trust. Central themes in the moving novel, Dancing With Fireflies by Denise Hunter.

Jade McKinley set off to conquer the world and escape heartbreak. Instead she returns home to Chapel Springs protecting her fragile heart. Jade is creative and complicated, always feeling like a weed in a rose garden while growing up. She thought she would never return home after leaving but when she finds herself pregnant, alone and penniless she has no choice but to return home.

The mayor of Chapel Springs, Daniel Dawson, has always been an honorary member of her family since her childhood. He had an almost non-existent home life due to his parent’s political involvement. He has always loved Jade but she has always seen him as a big brother. When she returns he finds his feelings have only grown stronger over time.

As Jade attempts to settle in and prepare for her baby, nothing seems to feel right. God feels far away, she is hiding secrets from her family and she is attracted to the man who has always felt like a brother. Coming home may prove more difficult than she could have ever imagined.

Quilts tell many stories. Stories of love, loss, hope, faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love Series focuses on the women who have quilted their family history. A Sky without Stars is part of this series.

Set in 1951, A Sky without Stars, is the story of Frankie Chasing Bear – a Lakota caught between cultures. She wants to raise her son, Harold, to revere his Lakota heritage but she feels like he will need to become more like a “white man” in order to succeed. After her husband is killed in a bar brawl, they move to Arizona where she begins a Lakota Star quilt for Harold with tribal wisdom sewn and prayed into it.

She distrusts Christians as her parents were forced to convert at an Indian School. When she meets BIA agent, Nick Vandergriff, a half Lakota who is also caught between cultures she begins to understand more about her faith, tradition and her place as a Lakota in the world.

A Sky without Stars was an excellent read that touched on many topics including the Native cultures, beliefs and their treatment. There were many times through out the book that I felt angry towards the treatment of the Lakota people and how they were forced to assimilate. Frankie was treated unfairly in her new community and not trusted by the people regardless of what she did. The book painted a in depth look of the life of a single, Lakota woman during the 1950s. A Sky without Stars was a story of strength, faith and self discovery.

Rating: 5/5

The author, Linda Clare, is an award winning co-author of three books. She is also the author of the Fence My Father Built. She has taught college level creative writing classes and edits as well as mentors writers.

You can find more reviews of A Sky without Stars here.

Linda is celebrating the release with a Kindle HDX giveaway and joining her fellow Quilts of Love authors, Barbara Cameron and Joyce Magnin, for a Facebook “Spring Fling” party on April 1st.

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron
• A Sky Without Stars by Linda S. Clare
• Maybelle in Stitches by Joyce Magnin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 1st. Winner will be announced at the “Spring Fling” Facebook Party on April 1st. RSVP today and connect with the authors from the Quilts of Love series, Barbara Cameron, Linda S. Clare, and Joyce Magnin, for an evening of book chat, quilt trivia, prizes, and an exclusive look at the next Quilts of Love book!

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on April 1st!

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.