A Song of Home by Susie Finkbeiner (Book Review!)

A Song of Home: A Novel of the Swing Era

by Susie Finkbeiner

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Christian / Historical

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 312

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4482-1

It’s late 1935 and early 1936, Pearl Spence and her family have settle into life in Bliss, Michigan without her mother.  She has the support of the rest of the family to keep her going.  She has continued her interest in reading and has a new interest, music.  She especially likes swing dance music and learns to enjoy swing dancing.  Her mother returns to the family and nobody is happy.  She treat’s Pearl’s dad terribly.  Pearl wants her to leave.  Will she leave?  Whose baby is she carrying?  Will Pearl be able to continue to enjoy swing dancing?

About the Author-

Susie Finkbeiner is currently from Michigan.  She is a blogger, stay-at-home mom, author, and speaker.  Her other books include My Mother’s Chronicle, A Cup of Dust, and A Song of Home.  Her website is www.susiefinkbeiner.com.

My thoughts-

I liked how this cover had a rainbow like A Cup of Dust and A Trail of Crumbs.  It helps ties them together.  It shows the reader that the books belong together and are part of a series.

After all the tragedies in the first two books, I hoped Pearl and her family would finally have some peace and stability.  Pearl was enjoying more time with Aunt Carrie, Ray, and Opal.  In that way she was able to have the stability that she needed after her sister died, they moved, and her mama left.  It was all turned around when her mama came back.  Pearl was very upset when she came back.  I don’t blame Pearl, because her mama wasn’t very kind to her family or others in town.  It even got worse before it got better.  The surprise is at the end, but I’m not going to spoil it for you. 

The main thing I noticed in this book was the lack of God and the church compared to the other two books.  While the mention of God wasn’t there, He was still noticeable in the way that everyone was treated.  Aunt Carrie and Pearl’s father were two people that I noticed treated all people in God’s way.

I appreciated the discussion questions at the end of the book.  Discussion questions always help tie the book together and help the reader remember the book for a longer period of time.  The “Afterword” about the Swing Era was also helpful to give me more information about the time period.

I recommend A Song of Home to all adult readers.  It would be a good idea to read the other two books first, so you’ll learn more about Pearl and her family.  If you’re unable to, you’ll still enjoy this one. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received A Song of Home, by Susie Finkbeiner, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.