Member Reviews
I was given an advanced reader copy of this book. I love the author but I absolutely could not get into this book. I think it was due to it not being my typical kind of read, but the writing and storytelling were still good.
Prior to reading this book, I had no idea what the Mountain Meadows Massacre was. One of the things I enjoy most about historical fiction is educating myself so I enjoyed this novel and plan to do more research on the incidents. The story goes back and forth between the timeline of the massacre and three years after when Nancy, who was a young child and was saved at the time of the massacre, begins to put events together. I felt the characters were well developed and the story kept my attention from the very beginning. When I requested this title, it was categorized as horror, but I would identify this novel as a historical thriller of just historical fiction. 4/5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for this arc in exchange for my unbiased review.
I love this author and I know this is not the subject of most of her books but this one wont disappoint. This is a part of American history that I didn't know about before reading this, I have always wanted to learn more about Mormons and how they take many wives is something this is interesting to me. This was heart breaking and strength . You meet 3 women from different groups and the things that they struggled with through this time period. I cant wait to see what Noelle Ihli has in store for us and makes me want to read some more historical fiction.
As mentioned on several reviews, this is not like Ihli’s other books. I was a bit bummed to find out it’s more of a historical thriller but I actually ended up enjoying this book. I’ve always enjoyed her writing and will continue to read every book she’s written/writes!
Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an Advance Reader's Copy.
A horrifying, incredibly sad but wonderfully crafted piece of historical fiction about the Mountain Meadow Massacre of 1857, a brutally ugly event in US history. The author’s clear research & delicate crafting of a narrative from the point of view of three women from the communities involved - persecuted Mormons who had fled to Utah, the Paiute Native American tribe and a wagon train of white settlers from Arkansas en route to California - was absolutely gripping. It is not an easy read, it’s a brutal one. But one I will not forget anytime soon.
Completely different genre from Noelle Ihli. This story was beautiful written, and very informative.
Based on true events, None Left to Tell is the story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. It's told from the viewpoint and heartache of three different women who are connected by one of the most brutal mass slayings in US history. Gentiles vs Mormans vs Native Americans.
When I requested the book from NetGalley I didn't realize how VERY gruesome None Left to Tell was. It was being billed as a thriller but that was an inaccurate description. I see it's been changed to "historical thriller" which I feel is still inaccurate. The triggers are laid out now on NetGalley, although not yet on Goodreads:
**This book contains some graphic descriptions of violence, including violence against children; the death of a child; and a non-graphic scene involving the death of an animal. It also includes outdated and racially insensitive phrases and words about Native people, endemic to the time period.**
If I had seen that sooner, I wouldn't have requested the book. I made it as far as the gruesome description of a child being killed and then I skimmed the rest of the book. I'm not trying to say that hideous things didn't happen during the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I'm just not someone who wants to know all of the gory details.
It's clear the author poured her heart and soul into this important, yet rarely mentioned, Mountain Meadows Massacre. All I can say is I'm grateful not to have witnessed the battle in real life!
My thanks to both #DynamiteBooks and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of None Left to Tell.
A heart-wrenching and historically inspired thriller. Like many others, when I see the name Noelle W. Ihli, my mind goes right to psychological thriller. While this is not one of her typical psychological thrillers, it does keep you on the edge of your seat and pulls at your heart strings (at least mine). I enjoy multiple POVs and this story definitely needed that aspect.
This story not only gave me deeper insight into the Meadow Mountain Massacres, it made me think about the effects that rumors and the game of “telephone” has on individuals as well as large groups of people. Prejudice and discrimination can run deep - and sometimes it’s important to stop and think about the facts before spreading the information. Thank you Noelle for writing this story!
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
As someone who loves history (I’m the president of our local historic society), I’m a little appalled that I have never heard of the Mountain Meadow Massacre. But now that I have, I am shook.
I did not pick up this book expecting it to hurt my heart, but it did. While I typically don’t enjoy books that switch from one perspective to another, it was absolutely necessary in this case. Without perspective, it would be easy to vilify several characters, but perspective is everything. I wish we had more of Sally’s story, but it wasn’t important to the plot beyond what we got.
This book is heavy, but so worthwhile. After reading the afterword, I understand why I’ve never heard about this tragedy before. Because that’s what it was for almost everyone involved. A tragedy.
I would not classify this book as anything other than historical fiction. It has elements of other genres, but at its heart, it’s a retelling of history.
Thanks, Net Gally and the publisher for the Arc!
I really enjoyed this one! It is thriller but more of a historical fiction, even though it is based on a true story. Noelle W Ihli is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors that I will definitely recommend.
I was amazed that this book was based on true history - very hard to read at times especially during the massacre!! That being said, I really did enjoy it - she is one of my favorite authors.
ARC Review💫
None Left To Tell by @noelleihliauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨Three women, connected by one of the most brutal mass slayings in US history, face impossible choices.
⏩Lucy(Mormons), once driven from Illinois by an anti-Mormon mob, refuses to flee again as rumors swirl that those same men are heading to California.
⏩Katrina(Gentiles), a mother of four, knew the journey west would be tough, but she didn’t expect the horror awaiting her and must fight for her family’s survival.
⏩Sally(Paiute Indians), “gifted” as a fourth wife to a stranger, struggles to adapt but is forced to choose between loyalty and her life when her husband joins religious zealots bent on revenge. Based on true events, None Left to Tell is the story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
💬 “If they had the energy and tears to cry, it meant they were still alive”
💬”In other words, we were trapped in every sense of the word”
✨This is a true story, and I love how the author has done extensive research to present such a sensitive topic so thoughtfully. The way the author connects us to each character is remarkable, and this book will always be one of my favorites. I especially appreciated how the story was told from a female perspective; every emotion resonated deeply with me as I read. Don’t miss the afterword, where the author shares her journey in writing this powerful story.
I'd never heard of this historical event and was absolutely blown away by this book. It was so incredibly heart wrenching but also so incredibly good. I really think everyone should read it.
Whew, what an emotional read. This book was not was I expected having reading previous books by the author. I felt so many things reading this and had my heart absolutely broken. This is definitely more historical fiction in my opinion than thriller, but it definitely kept great pace and the story sucked you it. The only time I wanted to put it down was after part 1- I needed a moment! I had never heard of this massacre and learned a lot during the read. I can’t imagine how hard it was for her to write this, however I find it very respectful that she kept so much of the story true and included the list of victims at the end. Again, not what I expected but a read i definitely will not forget! Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and the publishers for the ARC.
I was expecting a thriller and this is definitely more historical fiction. This was too slow and boring for me.
The topic felt a little too dark and (obviously) real for my taste so I did end up DNFing. Glad to see Noelle stepping outside of her comfort zone, though!
happy release day to this book! thank you to netgalley and the author for an ARC of “none left to tell” in exchange for my honest review. i have read all of noelle w. ihli’s books, and this one was definitely more historical than thriller. the book was based on noelle’s research, so it was slow-paced and thorough in comparison to some of her other works. i appreciate the detail that was included in the writing, and i admire the effort and care that noelle took to tell the story of the mountain meadows massacre. this is a heavy read that alternates between four points of view.
2.75 - wasn’t the right time for me to read this. It was more of a historical thriller than her previous books. Would have easily been a 3.75 if I read it some other time.
Huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to this book! I was thrilled to receive it in exchange for an honest, non-spoiler review.
Have you ever heard of the Mountain Meadows Massacre? Yeah...me neither.
NONE LOVE TO TELL is a fictional retelling of this very gruesome, very true event. The best part--which I think was absolutely GENIUS--is that this story is told from THREE POVs: THREE WOMEN from THREE WALKS OF LIFE:
- Katrina makes me think of Caroline Ingalls. Well, sorta. Fell in love, married, and has 4 children. They are traveling from Arkansas to California via the Old Spanish Trail (or I think, what would become the OST), and the journey is awful, trying to keep everyone--and their cattle--healthy, fed, and watered. As if the terrain isn't bad enough, they have crossed into territory where it's clear they aren't wanted.
- Lucy is a Mormon wife and mother, nervous about the US government getting involved again and forcing them to leave their home. They did it once before which made them leave their home in Illinois, but when the threat becomes more real, she's resigned to not leaving. She's going to fight.
- "Sally" is a young native American woman who was captured, tortured, then spared by the Mormons, being gifted to a prominent leader as his fourth wife. Staying silent, she observes various war crimes, and she must decipher where her loyalties lie.
I love Noelle W. Ihli! I love her work. She is a fantastic wordsmith, and she has become one of those authors that I know if she writes it, I'm going to read it. Need proof?
Exhibit A: THIS BOOK.
This is why you should never say never. I am not a history person. I don't enjoy historical fiction. It's not my thing--it just isn't. BUT HERE I AM...and I LOVE IT! And honestly, I think it's because of the writing. Ihli does a wonderful job at setting up the scenes, at revealing twists, at keeping the plot rolling... She kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Excellent read! If you love reading Ihli, but you're nervous about the whole "historical thriller" business? I get it...trust me, I do. Give it a shot. It was absolutely fascinating and very haunting... it's going to make you feel a lot of different things.
⭐-4.5
This thriller is more of a historical story which was based on true events. You follow the POVs of three women and their journey across the states. There are some heavy topics but go in with an open mind.