Devoured this in 2 days! Probably because I was in the mood for a good book binge, but I really found it engaging!

The author does a great job of blending three unique characters and stories together. I enjoyed Georgey’s storyline the most as I knew nothing about the Sanitation Commission before reading this but Jemma’s journey was heartbreaking and inspiring too! Anne-May’s character was the weakest I thought but she also represents a sector of society at that time which would have had a very hard time growing and changing so the author portrayed that well, I think.

Also loved the afterward when the author explains her research and the connection to Caroline Ferriday and her family and the whole trilogy of novels!

What a wonderful book! The third installment by Martha Hall Kelly. It kept me reading way past bedtime. I will now read anything Kelly will write in the future.

I read the first book in this 'series', though I don't know if I would call this a continuation as it goes backward. I realize that technically they are relatives, I guess it just seems odd that Kelley started with the WWII relatives and is now taking us backwards.

Georgey Woosley volunteers to be a nurse when the war breaks out, taking her sister with her. They see things that in their New York life they had been sheltered from-- the battlefront horrors of medicine and slavery abound. Jemma, a slave in Maryland, fights day to say to try to keep her family safe from the overbearing and terrible overseer LeBaron. When her mistress Anne-May sells Jemma, she gets the opportunity to escape but has to leave her family behind. Anne-May is a wife living between two worlds. Raised in a confederate household, she is disgusted when her husband joins the Union Army. She makes a choice to spy for the Confederates and take over the plantation in a way she deigns necessary.

As with the first novel, this had a definitive voice for each character, something I feel was necessary when the book is being told from three points of view. I did like the opposition of Georgey and Anne-May. In the Civil War, I think it's good to have those opposing views. My big problem came through with Jemma. I just... I don't know. I feel there would have been a different way to do this. Show us an abolitionist working on the underground railroad who is getting to see what slaves are going through trying to get to freedom. I just have a real problem with a white author trying to write from a slave's perspective. They can't possibly truly understand.

I wish I could have liked this more, I just didn't care for Anne-May. I had a lot of trouble getting into Jemma's story because of the perspective. And Georgey could have been the only perspective and this would have been an amazing book. I understand the historical fiction narrative right now looks through multiple lenses, but that doesn't mean authors have to follow the popular trend. Break the trend. Be yourself as an author. That's all you should be doing.

Thank you for the ARC.

Just couldn't get into this one. It might be other people's cup of tea, but not mine unfortunately. I have liked her books in the past and may look into the author's books in the future though.

I did not finish this book and do not feel right submitting feedback on it. I hope to pick it up again in the future and see if I can complete it.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

The Sunflower sisters is a beautiful yet challenging book to read, as the story explores some of the horrors of slavery through the viewpoint of three different women. Georgie is an abolitionist from New York, who serves as a nurse for the Union. Georgie is courageous, but she faces obstacle after obstacle in her efforts to create a female nursing core to help the Union troops. Jemma is a young slave girl on a plantation in Maryland, and the brutality she and her family face is heart wrenching. Jemma belongs to Ann-May Wilson, a selfish spoiled woman who inherited that plantation from her deceased aunt. When Jemma is sold off, and then conscripted in the war, when she is mistaken as a young man, she gets injured in battle and meets Georgie. As these three women struggle to survive and deal with the harsh realities of war, we see their true character. I must admit when I was first reading this I found it so disturbing at times that I needed to stop and take a break, but I am so glad I stuck with it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and I urge readers to listen to the authors notes at the end of the book, as this story is connected to the authors amazing previous work, including the highly acclaimed Lilac Girls.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Sunflower Sisters

“… knowledge has no enemy but the ignorant.” ― Martha Hall Kelly, Sunflower Sisters

Martha Hall Kelly’s million-copy bestseller Lilac Girls introduced readers to Caroline Ferriday, an American philanthropist who helped young girls released from Ravensbrück concentration camp. Now, in Sunflower Sisters, Kelly tells the story of her ancestor Georgeanna “Georgey” Woolsey, a Union nurse who joins the war effort with her sister, Eliza, and crosses paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Ann-May Wilson, her cruel plantation mistress.

Inspired by true accounts, the novel provides a vivid, detailed look at the Civil War experience, from the inhumane plantations, to a war-torn New York City, to the horrors of the battlefield. Once again, she highlights the impactful role of women throughout history.

At 544 pages, Sunflower Girls is a trifle daunting, but it is well worth the time investment. If you enjoyed Lilac Girls, you are going to love the conclusion of the trilogy. (I somehow missed the middle book in the trilogy, Lost Sisters, and I’ll be going back to catch up.) I particularly loved the author’s note, in which Kelly writes about the true historical figures who filled the pages of this spectacular novel. It is an impeccably researched, sweeping saga about slavery, friendship, and family loyalty during the civil war. Oh, I almost forgot about the espionage! I loved the characters and wish I could have known them personally. It is a satisfying, vibrant and page-turning read. 4 stars.

Published Date: March 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Read-alikes: Varina by Charles Frazier, Sisters of Shiloh by Kathy Hepinstall, March by Geraldine Brooks, How I Fought the Strong by Margaret McMullan

* I received a complimentary review copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. The opinions are my own.

I am a fan of historical fiction and love to use it as a balance to other genres that I more typically gravitate towards. I especially enjoyed the setting for this novel. So many of the historical fiction books are set in WWI or WWII, so I appreciate that this one is dealing with the South during slavery. It goes into the contrasting lives of the characters who are slaves, are opposed to slavery as whites and willing to stand against it, and those who want slavery to continue as the status quo.
I would recommend this as a book club choice for the richness of the story and controversial topics that it would generate in discussions. Great read.
#SunflowerSisters #NetGalley #RandomHousePublishingGroup #Ballantine

I typically like historical fiction, but I just couldn’t get into this book. I tried picking it up on a couple occasions because I heard great reviews on Lilac Girls, but I wasn’t ever excited to read it. I gave up on the book and did not finish it.

This was a highly anticipated read for me as I absolutely love Martha Hall Kelly's writing and I'm happy to report that I absolutely loved it! This is the third book in the Lilac Girls series (though, just as with the rest, can be read just fine as a standalone) and it was perfect in every way. It was captivating and powerful and just a truly stunning read. It's based on true events and I was once again blown away by what was clearly extensive research as this story brims with rich historical detail.

Taken back to the later 1800's, Sunflower Sisters is told from three women's viewpoints, all of which were equally immersive and held their own weight. What the reader ends up getting is a vast picture and understanding of the horrific Civil War times. As with the other books in this series, this is by no means a light historical fiction read and does come with a punch. Yet underneath the eye-opening element the reader is met with the inspiring strength and fight of the women we meet. For being a lengthy read, I blew through this one because of just how readable and engrossing it was.

Highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the gifted e-copy.

woman who becomes a nurse. She takes on a variety of cases and assignments during the war, proving her stalwartness. We also have an enslaved young woman whose family dreams of freedom. She is on a plantation in Maryland, but the rules of that state are complicated and her "owner" is unsettled. Lastly, we have the slave owner, herself, who is addicted to snuff and full of tricks to keep her place and her superiority. She disrespects her husband, tolerates her sister, and grieves her brother who was lost in the War.
I enjoyed the story and thought it was clever how the author wove the three women together so that their paths would cross.

I’m a big fan of the Woolsey-Ferriday trilogy that includes Lilac Girls, Lost Roses and this final installment Sunflower Sisters. If you haven’t read any of the previous books, you can read the books out of order and the way that Kelly writes, you will be able to easily follow along. Sunflower Sisters was released last year in hardcover and just released in paperback this week with such a beautiful cover!!

Sunflower Sisters is a beautiful historical fiction novel based on a true story and set during the Civil War. Kelly writes richly developed characters and the story will suck you in from the very beginning!

The story is told in rotating narratives between three women, Georgeanna, Jemma and Anne-May which really helps give you the full picture of the time period. Georgeanna “Georgey” followed her dream and became a union nurse joining the Civil War effort. Jemma, a slave sold to Anne-May for the Peeler Plantation in Maryland, finds a way to escape her shackles. Anne-May, left behind by her husband to run the plantation herself, decides to join the secret Southern network to become a spy. Her evil ways eventually catch up with her. Reading each story from the perspective of a northern family, a southern plantation owner and a slave really brings the history alive and it is riveting! I wish they taught History classes like this in school.....I might have understood it better. Thank you, Kelly, for your sublime research and your creative way of making a book of 752 pages seem too short!! I didn’t want it to end!

I can’t recommend this book highly enough, especially for historical fiction fans. You will get a real account of the horrors of war, but also present is the human courage of those trying to escape the south.

The author provides notes at the end explaining her factual research and where the fictional story is interwoven to bring you Sunflower Sisters.

This book was excellent - a wonderful Civil War era historical novel. The characters were well developed and although was a lengthy book, the author's style of writing made it very easy to read. This book is a part of a trilogy following Carolyn Ferriday and her ancestors. This book's main character is Caroline's aunt, Georgie, a nurse during the Civil War. Two other viewpoints were used - Jemma, a slave, and her plantation owner, Anne May. The book cycles through each main character's chapters during the same time period. The book was well researched and is based on historical characters and their correspondence and other primary sources. I have read all the books in the trilogy and this was my favorite. Highly recommend. Thanks to Net Galley and Random house for allowing me to read and give an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! There are several perspectives that the story is told through, which made it a little hard for me to get sucked in immediately, but that's me as a reader, trying to keep everyone straight and shifting storylines before I have everything settled in my mind.

Once I had all the characters straight I wanted to keep reading, despite the requirements of "actual life". There is so much character development in this book alongside familiar Civil War settings. The Woolsey sisters are inspiring; they aren't perfect, certainly but they certainly are willing to serve those around them. Set against their goodness is the selfish vileness of Anne May. And Jemma's storyline resonates with perseverance, strength and hope.

I received an e-arc from the publisher via Netgalley; this is my honest review.

Loosly related to the Lilac Girls, the Sunflower Sisters tells the tale of Caorline's ancestor who worked hard to become a nurse in the Civil War. A lot of historical fiction takes place in WWII, so reading a Civil War era novel was a nice chagne. This is very much a stand alone novel. In fact, I didn't even know it was related to the Lilac Girls (or was number three in ther series) until after I finished it thanks to Goodreads! There were moments that it felt like it was going on forever, but it's also a longer book. Definatly a great read for historical fiction/wartime fans.

Sunflower Sisters is the third book to Lilac Girls, but it took us back to the Civil War times to tell the story of Caroline Ferriday's ancestor Georgeanna "Georgey" Woolsey. Georgey wanted to join the Union army as a nurse and came across Jemma, an enslaved girl, and Ann-May Wilson, a plantation mistress, through0ut her journey in unexpected places. The rich, well-developed characters and well-researched story of the Civil War will make this a fan-favorite. The terrible ways that people were being treated during the war have sadly not gone away in today's society.

People could read this story before Lilac Girls and not be lost. It is definitely worth your time and money to read all three books in this trilogy. My favorite is still Lilac Girls.

I received a ARC for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Martha Hall Kelly for allowing me to read Sunflower Sisters.

The author has moved back in time, with the third book in the trilogy that started with Lilac Sisters. Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse during the Civil War, is the ancestor of Caroline Ferriday, the subject of the first book. She crosses paths with Jemma, a slave who is owned by Anne-May Wilson, of the Peeler Plantation in Maryland. The story is based on real life Civil War experience, from the horrors of fighting, to the rudimentary medical techniques, to the inhumane treatment of slaves, and to a snapshot of cities and families divided by people on both sides.

The author spends so much time setting the stage that the eventual bringing together of the distinct plot lines comes too late. Jemma's story is more compelling and it sometimes feels that the Woolsey story gets in the way. Ultimately, I feel the same way about Sunflower Sisters that I do about the first two novels. In her zeal to tell the the historical aspects and the personal stories of her characters, the author ends up losing the reader. With too many perspectives, the plot is fragmented and loses focus. For these reasons, I am hesitant to recommend Sunflower Sisters to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Sunflower Sisters by NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early e-book, although the length of it delayed my reading of it until able to borrow the audio version from OverDrive. It's a popular book so my wait was long.

But I'm so glad to finally have listened to it and to visit the wonderful, generous Woolsey family again. This time it is set during the Civil War and the action takes place in Maryland and NYC. Jemma is a sixteen year old slave girl on the Peeler Plantation owned by Anne May, a shallow, vain, selfish woman giving away Union secrets to the Confederates. Jemma finds herself in the army posing as a boy, and then becomes a runaway who is helped by those wonderful Woolsey's I mentioned above, Georgie in particular. Anne May of course is in pursuit of her "property" and eventually meets her fate.

The others are such smart, strong women. Georgie tries to help as a nurse but the male nurses and doctors finally decide no woman is capable and sends her off, despite her being the one with the progressive ideas and courage. Georgie also has a love interest, a minor part of the story, fortunately.

The story was long in the telling but held me in its grasp for the most part. There is an author note finally, explaining that this will be the last in the series. I recommend all three books but Lilac Girls is my fav.

Sunflower Sisters, for it cheery title, brings the reader to the United States during the Civil War. The story builds on this history of the Woolsey sisters and adds the story of Jemma, a girl born in slavery in the south and Anna-May, Jemma's owner. From these three perspectives, the book studies the history and atrocities of slavery and the Civil War. It depicts the individual personal stories of these women, and through them, brings to life a tine and place in history.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/12/sunflower-sisters.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.