What Momma Left Behind by Cindy K. Sproles {A Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own. 

Worie Dressar is 17 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 a number of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, 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 fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.

Storyteller and popular speaker Cindy K. Sproles pens a tender novel full of sacrifice, heartache, and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

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.

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from What Momma Left Behind... but what I got was not it.... it was much, much better. First and foremost, it is important to mention that this book takes on a few difficult topics and among those topics was suicide. That's not something you often hear about in stories from this time period so I certainly wasn't expecting that at all. If this is a topic that is triggering for you, that is certainly something to keep in mind.

After her mother's passing, Worie finds herself on her own at 17-years-old. When orphaned children start arriving at her home, she learns that her mother had been taking care of them and she likewise takes up that role. Filled with family drama, heartache and even a little bit of mystery, this unique story was truly unlike any I've read.

One of the things that truly set it apart is that it was written in the voice of Worie--- just as a mountain girl would have spoken in the 1800s. This took a bit of getting used to, of course, and I am sure there are many who might not enjoy that, but for me I felt that it gave an authenticity to the story that I truly enjoyed. Worie wasn't always the most likeable character in some ways, but I loved watching her grow as the story progressed and she came into her own.

If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a unique read that is certainly worth checking out.