A Beautiful Story of Desperate Longing
Like a deep and dangerous river, layers of emotion sweep through Liz Tolsma’s WHAT I LEFT FOR YOU. Two stories flow side-by-side, growing ever closer.
In 1942, Helena Kostyszak, an educated woman of ethnic minority, flees Hitler’s armies to save a Jewish baby. A contemporary story branches from the historical. In 2023, McKenna Muir seeks healing by diving into the past and to solve a family mystery. Tolsma’s characters, past and present, are sympathetic and brave.
I knew nothing about the Lemko people, non-Jews who were also persecuted by Hitler. The land and the history were portrayed so vividly, I was drawn into the time and place. I loved how the Chapters began with sad and beautiful passages from “The Song of Lemkovyna,” mourning the vanished homeland.
“My beloved Lemkovyna, you are my earthly paradise. My heart is yearning for you, I dream of you. You are most dear to me because you are my mother. Oh, how it tears at my heart to write about you.”
This is such a beautiful story. If you enjoy World War II Christian historical fiction, especially when set in lesser known places such the Lemko-Rusyn region, you’ll want to pick up WHAT I LEFT FOR YOU. I especially enjoyed the Author’s notes as she described her research trip with her daughter, included interesting details and sources, and shared a poignant link to her own family. Highly recommended for those who love historical fiction.
Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah raising the widow’s son from the dead, author Dana McNeely wondered what became of the boy. She began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from his perspective. No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
In 2021 RAIN became a finalist in The Christy Award (use the registered mark) and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award® and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award.
WHIRLWIND, the second novel in the “Whispers on the Wind” series, tells the story of a king’s downfall and a love that transcends war.
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