What Momma Left Behind By Cindy K. Sproles

What Momma Left Behind
by Cindy K. Sproles
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 9780800737047

With today's book I'm being introduced to a new-to-me author. Thanks to Revell for the opportunity to stretch my reading wings.

Summary:

In the face of overwhelming obstacles, she'll need courage, grit, and a tender heart

Worie Dressar is seventeen years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie's mother has been secretly feeding several of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when tragedy strikes, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.

Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers--one greedy and the other a drunkard--Worie must fight to save her home and the children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she discovers the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.

My Review:

Let me start off by saying What Momma Left Behind is very different than really any book I've read before. It is written with the talk of the Appalachian people in the 1800s. It's a very uneducated talk by the world's standards, even back then, but there are phrases of wisdom throughout the story that catch you and make you want to figure out a way to use them in your daily life (which would be an impossibility lol).

Worie is an incredible character. She's seventeen years old, but 2 things... 1) I think back in the 1800s kids grew up quicker and 2) I think living in the mountains like she did back then they took on a lot more responsibility at a younger age.

The legacy that's left behind for her is a hard, but beautiful one, and she picks up the mantle with a fierce determination. I saw a bit of myself in Worie. A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do and we'll fight for it with as much gusto as we can muster.

Of course caring for the orphans isn't the even the hardest part of the story. Her brother, Calvin, is such a villainous character. He's definitely in the top 10 of characters I want to throat punch for treating his family the way he did. HA!

I appreciated how all of the supporting characters were written. They made the entire story feel cohesive and gave depth to life on the Mountain. I especially appreciated Ely and Bess who shared comfort, wisdom, and their home when needed. It seemed everyone who lived on Sourwood Mountain was willing to take care of each other.

About the Author:

Cindy K. Sproles is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. An author, storyteller, and popular speaker, Cindy teaches at writers conferences across the country and directs the Asheville Christian Writers Conference in North Carolina. Editor of ChristianDevotions.us and managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, Cindy has a BA in business and journalism and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her family.