Don't be intimidated by the fact that this is a follow on tale to Yellow Crocus- take it for what is is and enjoy this story of two women and their families in the years immediately after the Civil War. Ibrahim has obviously done a great deal of research on the era but more importantly she has created terrific believable and sympathetic characters in Lisbeth, Mattie, and Jordan, who are the heart of this novel. Reconstruction and reconciliation was incredibly difficult and painful- some of those scars remain today- and these women deal with issues we might have forgotten. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Recommend this to fans of historical fiction. If you haven't read Yellow Crocus, I'll bet you'll go back after for it. I'm looking forward to more from Ibrahim.

I would definitely recommend reading the first book before this one as I found it quite confusing at first to work out the characters. However, it is a straight forward tale of the deep South in America and the struggle of a nation to unite after a history of privilege, slavery and cruelty. A good read that pulls no punches and portrays life in 19th Century America very well and vividly.

Mustard Seed picks up after Yellow Crocus leaves off and it was refreshing to visit once again with the characters I had become so fond of! Lisbeth, who we met in Yellow Crocus, is called back to Virginia when her father is on his deathbed. She had left long before, hating the slavery that she had grown up with. The Civil War was now over and the slaves were free, although many of them were still working for the plantation owners who had previously owned them...and treated them as if they still did. Jordan and Mattie, who are former slaves from Lisbeth's father's plantation are now free, but return to help free some of their family members. All of them will find out that the South hasn't changed much since the war...or has it? A wonderful story of what many ex-slaves faced in the aftermath of the Civil War...and how each individual person could help change happen.

As I turned the final page of this book, I know this book will long linger with me. Now this is the second book in this series, and yes I recommend that you read “Yellow Crocus”, you won’t be disappointed. While this story brings our main characters back to Virginia the first book was during the Civil War and we followed them out.
With this story the author has us returning to Virginia, and all the while I’m screaming to myself “No”, I can just feel frightened for them, and yet I had no idea how bad it could be.
Somehow all of our main characters from the first book end up back in Virginia, and we reunite with some of those that we would rather not see again. Lisbeth and her Mattie are here along with their children, and we visit the Plantation that originally brought them together. I loved Lisbeth’s six-year-old Sadie when she pointed out the green leaf with the white stripe and points out that she is sure that the flower is yellow, of course!
This trip back is an eye opener, and loved the Faith these people live, but will they all make it back? A page-turner for sure, I needed to know the ending.
I received this book through Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

Mustard Seed is the continuing story of Lizbeth and Mattie. I would highly recommend reading Yellow Crocus to really understand this epic story. This takes place after The Civil War where both Lizbeth and Mattie are facing different battles of their own. You hear from two different perspectives being Lizbeth and Mattie's daughter Jordan. The injustice these women faced and the prejudice of people was so heartbreaking to read. I love how Lizbeth stood her convictions even though her family pretty much shunned her. These women needed to have faith as mustard seed and they did.

Two women from very different worlds populate this historical novel about a white woman and a black woman facing life in the American South shortly after the Civil War. Jordan Freedman was born a slave, the property of Lisbeth Johnson’s family, but the two women have been as close as sisters for as long as they remember. Together, they left the Johnson plantation to pursue new lives in Ohio, Lisbeth marrying an abolitionist, Jordan a teacher working for equal rights for women. When Lisbeth learns her father is dying, she returns to Virginia and the family who believes she betrayed them. Jordan returns to her family as well, hoping to spur them into choosing better lives. There are a lot of stories about the Civil War, but few about its aftermath and its effect on the people of the South. Engrossing