Lori Benton is a master at crafting stories. I loved the storyline of Many Sparrows. The writing is not too bad, the dialogue sounds natural to my reading ears and the characters are believable. I even found myself thinking about the protagonists when I was not reading!

Having said that, the writing is not the best that I have read of the author's. I found myself wanting to skip many portions. I do not read fiction for spiritual encouragement but the message here that we only have to trust God and all things will work out for our happiness is just not right. As
Christians, we were never promised that life would be a bed of roses. On the contrary.

Three and a half stars rounded up to four.

1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier is not a good place for a heavily pregnant woman. Whose husband is not returning to her from his short trip. Whose birth-giving might start immediately. Whose 4-year-old son is...where is Jacob???

Clare is to enter the hardest way of her life. Because her husband is dead and her son has been taken and adopted by a Shawnee woman. In the war times, even the friends are hard to reach. How can one reach the heart of the enemy? And their own heart, too?

I like how Ms Benton is able to put on the table very relatable conflicts. Because what is more relatable than a child unjustly taken? This is one of the most stressful question of any time, aiming straightly for the heart now as much as it has been in the Solomon´s times. And I do find the traces of a Biblical story of who is a mother, so aptly solved by this wise king.

"Wait on the Lord" is another strong thene of this novel, underlining all the journeys. And it is definitely a hard one to crack in our lives! And it is a testament of its deep meaning that I have found myself to internally mull it over and over. So let me bring my thoughts here - while I generally agree with Ms Benton´s take on this topic and some parts are described beautifully, I have an issue with the wishful thinking of "wait on God and He will bring you things according to your wishes" (without Ms Benton thinking that and wanting to get here, I am sure!). Because the result of this kind of thinking is that it will only bring bitterness and disappointment. To really surrender means to fully accept that your wishes (even the purest ones) might never be heard, that your suffering will not diminish (it can even be harsher!), that the human justice might not be done. And that God is still good and He has you in His hands. It is VERY hard to surrender this way.
Also, while surrendering, one should not stop to fight the good fight.

Main hero Jeremiah - on paper he sounds good, but I am afraid that his loyalties are divided too much. He is white man and Shawnee too, he loves Clare and Rain Crow too (as a sister, which is even worse in this case, because he places her in his heart at the same level as Clare). He is a fighter/warrior able to kill, yet he thinks gently as a preacher, too (being a farmer guy previously). All of that, he is fully committed to. This is very difficult to manage and in real life the guy would just be torn between his many loyalties without any clear prioritizing. Simply, not a guy to lean on in hard times.

Also, ther novel is quite prolonged.

But having said all that, Ms Benton truly can bring a well-fleshed out novel. She can have me thinking and fighting with the described environment and characters, which I consider among the best reading experiences. So, I am not an applauding fan here. But I am a very much willing debate partner - which might bring me much wisdom.

I’ve been a Lori Benton fan for a long time, ever since her 2013 novel Burning Sky. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every one since, and Many Sparrows is no exception (though how I managed to miss this one for a while, I’m not sure). This is a gut-wrenching good story that kept me on pins and needles throughout.

First, I appreciate Ms. Benton’s true portrayal of history at this period. So much of what we read now seems sanitized for political correctness. Life was rough on the frontier, and people, as sinners, have committed all manner of atrocities on one another. She doesn’t shy away from that fact.

I also loved the premise of this story. That a woman would be willing to plunge headlong into the wilderness to save her child is soul-punching, because many of us would do that. The risks and probable likelihood of our own peril wouldn’t matter, because we’d face anything to save our beloved child.

The heroine at times seems headstrong, fool-hardy, and naïve, but who wouldn’t be fool-hardy in such circumstances. I give Many Sparrows a full five-star thumbs up!

Set along the Ohio River in 1774, Many Sparrows follows the Inglesby family as they journey into new territory to claim land. Tensions are high between Native American Mingo and Shawnee tribes and the white settlers who continue to push into the tribes’ hunting land. Phillip Inglesby has chosen an unfortunate time to try to move his family, as a massacre of innocent Mingos has just taken place, and vengeance has been promised. Tragedy strikes not far into their journey, and Clare Inglesby is left to care for her son, Jacob, on her own in the wilderness just as she goes into labor. When Jacob is kidnapped in the middle of the night, Clare awakens to find her son gone and her baby ready to be delivered just as a stranger arrives. Jeremiah Ring, a frontiersman who assists in communications between whites and Indians, is passing through and finds Clare in need of help, not just to deliver her baby, but to find her son. Clare and Jeremiah journey through dangerous and hostile situations in their efforts to find and recover Jacob Inglesby, but matters become more complicated when they finally find Jacob only to learn that he has already been adopted by a Shawnee woman and given a new name, Many Sparrows. Clare battles with herself, with Jeremiah, and with God as she learns to wait on God and His perfect timing.

I decided to read Many Sparrows after I was first introduced to Lori Benton’s writing with The King’s Mercy, and I was not disappointed. I was so quickly drawn into this story. I easily identified with Clare, as a mother, and could feel her desperation to find her child and her willingness to do anything and go anywhere in order to bring him back. I think her struggle to wait, to be patient, and to let God lead is very relatable. I loved the character of Jeremiah, his patience with Clare, and his steadfastness in his faith that God would work everything out. And I loved the stories of redemption and forgiveness of other characters in the book, like Rain Crow and Logan, who have stumbled due to the suffering they have both endured. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Many Sparrows, and I am looking forward to reading another of Lori Benton’s books in the very near future.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Many Sparrows is filled with all the things I love about historical fiction. It has wonderfully written characters, a wonderful story line that moves through the pages seamlessly. I was captured from the first beginning and couldn't put this book down! I love the imagery and detail that is captured with these individual characters and their unique qualities. As a mother, I could totally relate to the terror and panic any mother would feel when faced with the same circumstances that Clare is forced to endure. Beautiful story, wonderful characters and a truly enjoyable reading experience!

“Jeremiah Ring had witnessed death as often as the next man on the Allegheny frontier, but in all his thirty years he had encountered no deaths more dismaying than those confronting him now.”

Opening line of Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
Lori Benton has, once again, written an amazing novel which takes the reader into the midst of the tensions rising in 1774 Ohio-Kentucky frontier between Native American and Colonists. The characters are so well-constructed, there are no bad guys but rather complex emotions and dilemmas, broken hearts and homes. Many Sparrows begins with massacre of a Native American’s family presumably at the hands of the Colonists and sets in motion the events of the novel.

Clare and Philip, with their four-year-old son, Jacob, are travelling across the frontier in search of a new and better life. Philip rides off to find food leaving Clare, heavily pregnant, alone with Jacob. Shortly after, Clare goes into labour and Jacob disappears. Jeremiah arrives on the second in time to help delivery Clare’s baby. The two then set off to find Jacob using Jeremiah’s knowledge of both the landscape and the Shawnee Indians working from the assumption that he has been taken.

The story takes several twists and turns as Lori winds Clare’s story through the historical facts, bringing them to life. Whilst I knew the bare bones of what happened, I throughly enjoyed going on this journey and thinking over the difficult decisions that had to be made. The relationship between Clare and Jeremiah grows over time as she adjust to life on the frontier and how her faith fits in with her circumstances. Unsurprisingly, parts of the story are brutal but the ending is beautifully done and I’m looking forward to reading more from this world created by Lori.

If historical fiction is your thing, this is one not to be missed, I highly recommend it! It’s five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale.

WOW! What a beautiful story - and so well written. I can't wait to dive in and read more of this 18th century world she has built in her books. Heart-wrenching! How can a story be so full of hope and joy amidst circumstances that seem impossible to bear - or resolve? This reader recommends you find out for yourself and thinks you won't be disappointed. I am now seeking another book by this author as soon as I finish this review.
Thank you NetGalley, waterbrook and Multnomah, and Lori Benton for the complimentary digital copy. All opinions are expressly my own. I highly recommend this book and would consider purchasing for myself or a friend.

I wept as ALL my momma heart strings were pulled. This novel about a woman’s young son being kidnapped by native Americans after her husband’s murder is a must read for historical readers! The journey of how she marries into the tribe to be near her son and to spare her own life, will keep you turning the pages until the very end. The humiliations she endured by her son’s new mother, as she learned to adapt to a different culture, and the lessons of forgiveness will break your heart as she faces having to walk away from her son leaving it completely in God’s hands. I can’t express how good this book is y’all, I give it 5 💕 !

Benton has written a very interesting Christian Historical fiction book. Set in the late 1700’s with wars raging and also war between Indians and Whites. The story centers around a woman who with her husband and young son, starts out alone to conquer new territory and start anew. Her husband is killed by a renegade Indian bent upon revenge and she is left alone, pregnant and about to give birth in this wilderness. She is helped by a half breed, who had found her husband’s body and buried him and went looking for them. Thus begins the most interesting story of fierce loyalty, breathtaking love, and the battles that are fought when faith is in crisis and survival is unlikely. Benton has portrayed such strong characters, both male and female to bring us this poignant story of love and understanding between the races. A beautiful book that I highly recommend!……I was given this copy of Many Sparrows by the publisher and Netgalley.

I thoroughly enjoy a good historical romance and this book was ALL of that wrapped up in beautiful writing, heart-wrenching days and complex characters. I loved their journey of faith, their complicated relationships, their new view of cultures and peoples and how it all wove together to create a deep story I couldn't put down. Loved it!

Imagine my surprise when the setting of this book opened in my back yard! I live about 10 minutes from Yellow Creek (which dumps into the Ohio River just North of Steubenville), so I was immediately intrigued, and the story line kept my attention!

Lori Benton did a great job of forming characters and developing an intriguing plot, plus her tale was well woven into the known history of the Ohio Valley area following the Yellow Creek Massacre (which I knew nothing about until AFTER I read the book and looked it up). While the romance aspect of the book might be considered little predictable, the rest of the book has all the twists and turns of real life and keeps it exciting.

I highly recommend this book; however, be warned that if your vocabulary is a bit limited you may want a dictionary nearby as Miss Benton use of the English Language is very wide and includes many words not typically found in modern works.

Nobody does historical fiction regarding the clashes between Native Americans and whites better than Lori Benton. Every book of hers I have read has been amazing. Her historical detail and research is incredible. It shows on every page of the book. Her understanding of the lives and culture of the Native Americans during the westward expansion and their struggle to retain their land, even before the Revolutionary War, is displayed in every event that takes place within their society. Within all of this, Benton incorporates a spiritual element that is true to both cultures and plays a beautiful role in her storyline.

Clare's development and growth in faith throughout all she encountered both in her early marriage, her loss of her son, and her adjustments and trails within the Shawnee camp was so well done. Benton brought her feelings to life as you felt Clare's betrayal, torment, disappointment, frustration and every other feeling imaginable. Jeremiah Ring was such a strong, faith filled hero who was always there to ground Clare from the birth of Pippa to their reunion at the end. The major characters from the Shawnee tribe: Rain Crow, Falling Hawk, Wildcat, Crosses-the Path, and Wolf-Alone, each added a dimension to this wonderful story.

My hope is that Benton will write a sequel to continue to story of Jeremiah, Clare, the children and Uncle Alphus. Their appears more adventures await this family.

Five star read and one of my favorites of 2018.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

This was my first book by author Lori Benton. I adored Many Sparrows. Upon finishing Many Sparrows I immediately went to my library to get ahold of another! This book is well researched and brings to life a time in American history I was previously unfamiliar with.

Five Star Review of Many Sparrows
by Lori Benton

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31 (KJV)
Come with me on a journey into the early American wilderness where the most basic need of mankind, survival, plays out moment by moment.

Book Blurb:
Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would…

In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.
When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son...especially when her second child is moments away from being born.

Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do—be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?

My Thoughts:

“Had it ever ended well when the world of red and white men collided?”
And collide they do! In the novel Many Sparrows, the reader journeys back to early America, even before the Revolutionary War, as the white man pressed forward into Native American lands. For a time peace seemed possible, but after the slaughter of a Indian named Logan’s family, he vows to murder every white man he comes across. This sets off a chain of events that will eventually lead to threats of war. Will those threats become a reality?
In the midst of this mounting tension, the young Inglesby family faces tension of their own.
“Perhaps this accident was a blessing in disguise. Philip would find no better path, or help. He’d already admitted to his misjudgment about the trail. He would return to them that evening and admit the full defeat, which wouldn’t be defeat in Claire’s estimation but triumph. She only wanted to retrace their steps before something worse befell them.”
But with morning light, hope and triumph are not to be. With her husband and son gone, Clare braces herself against her labor pains, bringing a baby girl into the world—a world suddenly as formidable and frightening as anything she could have imagined. Except for the helping hand of a stranger.
“You’ve got to keep steady now, Missus. Don’t let fear drive you beyond reason. I know it seems like nothing’s ever going to be right in your world again, but that’s a lie. I promise you, it’s a lie.”
Jeremiah Ring promises to help Clare recovering her kidnapped son, only to walk into a tangled mess of his own. But Clare is determined to find her missing son in spite of the dangers ahead.
“She would search under every stone, behind ever tree, inside every heathen hut she could force her way into. Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together or none of them would.”
But God has a lesson that Clare must learn. Can she wait on him? Trust in him? Clare tries over and over again to take matters into her own hands only to end in failure. Jeremiah encourages her to give her son to the Lord, to allow him to be in control, to work out his plan. But Clare cannot be still. Her faith wanes as God delays answering her prayer.
“She wanted to clench her fists and scream. To blame someone for this night’s failure. Only she didn’t understand what had gone wrong or who to blame? Mr. Cheramy? Rain Crow? Jeremiah? Nonhelema? Herself for daring to hope again? The Almighty—for letting any of this happen in the first place?”
Rich with heart and historic detail, Many Sparrows is an epic tale of love, faith, and courage to wait on God set against the back drop of Colonial America and Lord’s Dunmore’s War of 1774. I enjoyed reading this story. At times my heart raced in anticipation, at other times tears streamed down my cheeks at the pain these women bore. I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. It’s a journey worth taking! Be prepared to grow in Christ as we’re reminded often to let God be God. He values the life of a sparrow, are we not much better than they?
“Don’t go judging the Almighty by your own understanding. We’re rarely given eyes to see the whole of what He’s doing in our lives or through us. That’s why we’re called to walk by faith, not by sight.”

This is the first book by Lori Benton that I have read but it will not be the last. Her historical research shined thru in the clarity of descriptions of battles and landscape. She constructed fascinating pictures of the Shawnee homestead and clothing. Characters revealed just enough of their true selves along the path of struggles to reveal they were realistic and not making choices just to drag out the plot.
Lori used Scripture quotes throughout the book as characters remembered comforting or encouraging words to share with each other. She even shared when they had a crises of faith and let her characters be honest about where they fell short.
I’ve never been so appreciative of the dictionary function in an ebook. Lori Benton used many rich words that fit the story accurately and kept me learning along the journey.
I am extremely grateful to WaterBrook & Multnomah Publishers and NetGalley for sharing the ebook of Many Sparrows with me in exchange for an honest review.

Lori Benton's latest release Many Sparrows, stands out to me as her best novel yet. I quickly fell in love with her characters as she skillfully took me along a journey that brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart to the core.
Set on the brink of the Revolutionary War, Many Sparrows follows the plight of a young widow striving to rescue her young son kidnapped by Indians. In a swirl of events, brimming with the desperation of a mother fighting a seemingly futile battle for her child, this emotion packed novel brings to life an era and culture so different from our own. In reading this book, my perspectives were challenged and my heart was torn as I so deeply identified with the main character that at times I had to set the book down to process and grieve. Benton delivers a powerful punch with this book, and it hits so close to home that I felt her story with every piece of my heart.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Benton outdid herself with this one, and it deserves recognition.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my heart!! This book is so emotionally engaging! As I've come to expect from Lori Benton's books, you'll be drawn into this story, and the life lessons it teaches, with a depth of feeling that will leave you quietly pondering your own life and the ways God works for our good, even though it sometimes hurts.

I very much admired Clare's grit and determination to go after her son. Oh my word, she was determined!! And after just having a baby, too! Wow! My heart just hurt for the things she goes through in her pursuit of getting her son back. She struggles throughout the book with her faith and who can blame her? Thankfully, God sends Jeremiah her way and he patiently guides her and becomes her protector amongst the Indians. Jeremiah understands what she is going through and has learned to trust God through his own life experiences.

This book is not a light read but I have no doubt you'll be captivated once you start. Lori Benton is a very skilled writer and her awesome talent with words will keep you engaged and emotional as you read about this time in American history that our generation can probably never fully comprehend.

*Thanks to LitFuse for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid or required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.*

A sweeping tale of pain, suffering, and the faith that gives hope despite it all. Many Sparrows by Lori Benton is beautiful, lyrical, and poignant. It combines a story that envelopes us with hard truths that can bring us closer to the God who holds all in his hand.

This story is rich in history. And when I say rich, I mean RICH. Benton’s prose transports you to a time and place wholly new, yet described so well it takes little work to find yourself transfixed by the era. Details of the western expansion and the resulting conflicts with Native Americans come to life – with the beautiful result of stirring authentic compassion for both sides. Like Benton’s hero Jeremiah, readers are taken on a journey that finds them pulled between two worlds and two cultures – each understood and logical on their own but, once combined, at odds with each other.

Benton’s plot, rather than setting atop the setting, weaves itself seamlessly through its historical time period, lending authenticity to each point and turn introduced. The plot never seems forced and it moves well. I didn’t find any parts to be lagging and none felt superfluous. This is a story that finds that delicate balance between the constant action of plot-driven works and the lilting prose of sagas that rely overly on personal drama.

While there are external conflicts aplenty, there are just as many believable internal conflicts. The heroine’s grief and loss is not something easily solved by pat answers delayed only by plot twists. Instead, this is a story of the heart. It’s a story of grief pointing us all toward the only One who can heal and complete us.

I’m a lover of Christian fiction because of books like these – books that make me want to highlight and underline and otherwise mark up the truths that authors have written throughout the pages. Jesus told stories to point out truths. Story can be powerful in that way. And this story embraces that possibility. Be prepared to struggle with the heroine as she discovers what it means to (despite legitimate pain) wait on the Author of all. Faith is a struggle…and this novel wholly embraces that truth.

Find Many Sparrows at your favorite bookseller (or library). It’s completely worth getting.

Wow! What a story! This is one historical novel that is hard to put down. Many Sparrows is the first book that I've read by this author and now I'm definitely hooked on her. I love the name of the book and why Jacob was named Many Sparrows. The strength Clara had during this ordeal was amazing but was glad to see her finally come to grips with God's will not hers. Highly recommended!