Charlotte Whitney has quickly become a favourite author of mine and I actively sort out "A Tiny Piece of Blue" to devour.
Charlotte grew up hearing stories of depression times and coupled with her indepth research (in this case such resources as farming almanacs and county fair documents were used), a truely accurate picture is painted of deprivation, hunger and despair in the rural Calhoun County, Michigan.
The title alludes to their being a tiny patch of hope in a dark time. And Silstice "Silly" Trayson needs it! A poor rural family, tragic house fire and disfunctional parents, leave Silly looking for a new safe place. An angel by the name of Edna Goetz sees the potential in Silly, and ignoring labels such as Trashy Trayson, and her husbands harsh words, Edna finds a way to support Silly. Her husband, Vernon Goetz's journey of self discovery from an "ornery curmudgeon" is a hard one, but he proves that an example set, can be followed, with mercy and ultimately love.
In the background Silly's siblings were not doing so well. Child trafficking was rife during the Great Depression. Families weren't able to support all their children.....sometimes even sold them! Resources to solve such crime was also limited.
Narrated by Silstice, Vernon, and Edna, "A Tiny Piece of Blue" follows the day to day life of rural Michigan but is interspersed by high drama as villains target our characters in many ways, creating a suspenseful aspect that kept me coming back for more and falling in love with Silly Girl and Vernon also.
Silly's willingness for hardwork and inquisitive nature leads me to believe she will become the farmer she hopes to be, in proof that hope and redemption do play out to those with resilience.
Thanks to NetGalley, Charlotte Whitney and Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity, for She Writes Press | She Writes Press for my copy. I cannot wait for Charlotte's next book (no pressure Charlotte!)

After a house fire, Silstice is abandoned by her parents and left to fend for herself. Her younger siblings are sent to other relatives, and her older sister moves in with a friend. With no options, Solstice appeals to her FFA teacher, Edna. Vernon, Edna’s husband, is reluctant to have anyone else in the house, and harps on Silstice using the electricity, water, and eating food. Solstice strikes a deal, where she pays $1 a week to stay. Initially, Edna secretly gives her the money, but the money has run out.

I thought this was a good young adult novel. For me, an adult, the characters felt a bit stereotypical and the plot line was a bit basic. I also thought the novel needed an epilogue. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

This was a great historical read about a family during the Great Depression. Silly’s home is destroyed by a fire adding to her already tough childhood. Now without a home her parent abandon her leaving her to find shelter on her own. I kept waiting for a hero and was on the edge of my seat several times. Silly was a great character and I loved watching her evolve. My only hesitation with the book was the amount of new conflicts toward the end. I think that Silly’s story of growth, family, and finding where she belonged was enough and very fulfilling. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Told from 3 points of view, a Tiny Piece of Blue promises a story of child kidnapping rings during the Great Depression in one of America's farming communities. It follows instead one couple’s relationship with a 13 year old girl whose home has been destroyed by fire, sending family members to live away from one another. The story focuses, instead, on the girl and the childless couple. The wife welcomes her, but the husband does not. Conflicts arise, the girl thrives, the kidnapping ring is discovered, and that’s it. A disappointing read.

It is 1934 and the country is in the midst of the Great Depression. In rural Michigan a 13 year old girl named Silstice ("Silly") Trayson is left without a home and has no place to stay. Her family consisting of 6 children altogether and their parents are left homeless due to a fire that burned down their house. With everyone scattered to find places to live, it is up to Silly, as told by her mother, to fend for herself. Having taken sewing lessons with Edna Goetz as part of the 4-H club, she is offered refuge at the Goetz home. Unfortunately, it is Mr. Goetz who is protesting, not wanting her there. However, Edna promises she will only take the girl in for 4 weeks. The tension that mounts between Vernon and Edna Goetz and Silly create the hardship that is the center of this novel. Told by each person separately you can see the struggle families and people are going through at this horrific time in our country's history. It is a time when children are kidnapped and sold to factories; it is a time when young girls give themselves up for money. In many ways this is a growing of age novel, but yet it centers on the difficulties and tragedies of the Depression Era. A strong and powerful book, well written and not to be missed. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.25. Story is set in rural Michigan in 1930's. Life is dire all over the US, but particularly hard for the protagonist, Silistice, who is abandoned by her negligent parents as a youngster of 13. She survives through her wits, resilience, natural compassion, and commitment to hard work. The real theme of this story is about interdependence and how our lives our changed through our relationships with others. Heart warming and tender. Enjoyed book and recommend it.

I found the first half of this book to be more interesting. I loved the character of Edna and the complexity of her relationship with her husband. I felt like the second half spiraled a bit and got far fetched.

A solid 4.5 stars.
I was asked, by the author, to review this book before it's published. I was honored to have the opportunity to do so.
Set in the 1930s during The Great Depression, "A Tiny Piece of Blue" is a story of heartache and extreme sadness
at times but that just made the triumphs throughout the book even better and more heartfelt. The characters are well thought out and evolve so beautifully.
I will say it started slow for me, the first few chapters in, but it did progress nicely without speeding along too quickly. I am a very “vanilla" type reader so there were some parts of the book that were a little graphic and vulgar for me but of course, I know during a time like that, horrible things did happen and there are bad people in the world. Reading historical fiction, I know those things will be touched on.
I go back to how well the characters were built. It takes a special writer to be able to make a character bloom and Ms. Whitney did just that with several of the characters in this book.
A recommended read for sure for anyone loving this genre.

A tale of two families in Depression era America.

Silly, A teenager from the “wrong side of the tracks” fate becomes intertwined with a middle aged farming couple in rural Michigan.
Silly, whose name is derived from solstice (when she was born) is abandoned by her parents.
Edna is the first to assist Silly, with her husband, Vernon dead set against taking in Silly.
The charm of the story is the gradual transformation of both Vernon and Silly as they become an unlikely family.
The Depression was a hard time, and the book does not shy away from its grimmer aspects.
A heartfelt tale that is ultimately uplifting.

The story takes place in Michigan during the Great Depression. It is carefully written, but as a trigger warning, it does contain child-trafficking.

In a tiny Michigan town in 1934 a 13 year old girl is left homeless when her house burns down, her dad leaves town, and her mother takes her brothers on the train. She finds herself living with her 4H teacher, Edna. Edna's husband kicks Silly out of the house on numerous occasions but she finds her way back . Silly is resourceful and willing to work. A great look at the Great Depression, about hard work, about love and caring, and neighbors helping each other. A memorable coming of age story.

Charlotte Whitney’s A Tiny Piece of Blue is a deeply moving novel set in rural Michigan during the Great Depression. Spanning 336 pages, it follows the heart-wrenching yet inspiring journey of Silstice Trayson, a 13-year-old girl left to fend for herself after abandonment. The book masterfully captures both heartbreak and hope as it delves into complex issues such as child trafficking, poverty, and human resilience. The character development is remarkable, making this novel both gripping and heartwarming. Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, it offers a gripping blend of historical fiction and the strength of human spirit in the face of adversity.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this ARC copy.

Even though Charlotte Whitney's new novel, A Tiny Piece of Blue, is most definitely historical fiction, the reader is also treated to a mystery.

We find ourselves in rural Michigan in 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression and FDR's New Deal. Not only is the survival of family farms a prevalent topic, but child trafficking during this time is also hinted at as a plot thread.

The story follows main character, Silstice, a thirteen year old girl, who is basically orphaned after her family's housefire. Her family didn't perish in the devastation, the parents simply no longer wanted the six children afterwards and they were basically just scattered to wind. Times were tough, indeed; but, in their parents' case especially, some people were just vicious and inhumane.

We see several character transformations in the story, most notably that of Vernon after he is widowed. He ends up taking in (very begrudgingly in the beginning) Silstice at first, then some of her siblings. We are also treated to the fact that his wife, Edna, who passed unexpectantly and suddenly was probably indeed an angel on earth.

If you enjoy historical fiction and especially the trials and tribulations faced by families battling for survival during our country's Great Depression, look for Charlotte Whitney's new saga being released Feb. 18, 2025. Thank you, NetGalley and She Writes Press, for this enlightening tale of perseverance and belonging.

In her newest novel, A Tiny Piece of Blue, Charlotte Whitney returns to rural Michigan. The time is 1934, the middle of the Great Depression, and farming communities are struggling. Thirteen-year-old Silstice Trayson, “skinny” and neglected, shows up on the doorstep of Edna and Vernon Goetz when a house fire separates her family and her mother tells her to “fend for yourself.” Vernon wants nothing to do with “Silly Girl,” but, hardworking and determined to survive, Silstice manages to convince the grudging Vernon that she will earn her keep. Contrary to Vernon, Edna Goetz welcomes Silstice with open arms as if she was a long-lost daughter, taking her into her 4-H group, anxious to teach Silstice everything she knows about being “a good farm wife.” A woman of strong faith, Edna is quick to see the good in others and believes in helping her neighbors wherever she can.

The novel unfolds through the voices of Silstice, Edna and Vernon who are good story tellers; it’s as if you are sitting at a kitchen table having a long conversation with them. The book goes back and forth as Silstice, Edna and Vernon narrate their own personal versions of events, weaving together the mystery of a missing valuable stamp, a threat of blackmail, and an epidemic of kidnapping. The tension between Vernon and Silstice and Edna and Vernon are constant themes running throughout the book. While Silstice worries she will be left homeless and Vernon worries about making a living from the farm, Edna tries to keep the peace among them, even as she has her own secret.

Though A Tiny Piece of Blue takes place almost 100 years ago, the characters and their everyday challenges are convincing and easy to identify with. Twists and turns in the story keep the reader engaged and make a fast read. Charlotte Whiteney has meticulously captured a difficult era in our history, while exploring the roles of women and men, how economic hardship strains relationships, and how people persist and change through hard times.

This was such a wonderful book. Beautiful people, strong writing, and a terrific story, heartbreaking yet heartwarming.

Plot summary: Silly (yes, spelled right) is a 13-year old in the 1930's depression-era Michigan back country. Her family and home falls apart, and she is taken under the wing of a local 4H leader. She and her sister, Alberta, try to make it through this tough time while evil people work against them.

The novel is told over through the first-person voices of Silly, as well as Vernon and Edna Goetz, the 4H leaders.

The story unfolds delicately and slowly, with so much beauty interwoven throughout. Each of the main characters undergoes a gradual but big change as the story moves, finding the courage to do things that need to be done and become a better version of themselves. The character development is mostly nuanced, providing depth and complexity. There are also many suspenseful parts of the story, creating a compelling read.

An added delight was that Edna wrote poetry, and some of her entries were her very amateur poems. In the latter half of the book, that turned into some of her favorite passages from religious texts of all stripes, which were all inspiring verses that led into the next chapter.

It did have a bit of a YA feel, with some of the more complex elements feeling a drop watered down. Also, trigger warning for child abuse, although indirect. l'm going to give this a 4.5 stars rounded up, because it totally pulled me in and I cried a few times. Highly recommended if you like historical fiction and heartwarming stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlottle Whitney, and She Writes Press for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

I loved this book. From the opening scene in the bedroom with the sisters coming in, to the very end, this book captured my attention and NEVER let go.
I liked the different perspectives of the characters and how they rotated and kept the story alive.

I loved the characters and how complex, yet simple they all were. Silly wanted acceptance and a roof over her head. Alberta had big dreams, but really just wanted to be secure. Vernon, wanted things his way and his way only, yet knew right from wrong.

There was some villians in the book and that made the story even richer.

I hope that the author writes more, because she definitely has a way with words.

THis book is for everyone who loves a good story.

I couldn't put this book down! It tugged at my heartstrings from beginning to end. The author made me feel like I was in the same room as the characters as the story played out. The book was heartbreaking and yet loving at the same time. It showed the struggles of the depression that my generation thankfully has not had to experience.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher and author for the ARC of this book for my honest review. I highly recommend it to anyhow who enjoys a great historic novel. I loved this author and look forward to reading more of her books.

I liked this book, however I did epect more of a mystery/thriller focusing on the child trafficking than we got. It was still a good book and I liked the character of Silly. Vernon however, irked me so bad. He reminded me of my emotionally abusive grandpa that raised me. So his parts were hard to read. I would get angry. So this book did make me feel.
I would recommend but tell people it's not a thriller.

I was asked to review this, and I decided I would check out the first chapter and then put it in my tbr pile as I had many others to read and review. Instead, I was up most of the night reading it because I could not for the life of me put it down. The characters, the writing, is flawless. The reality of being a homeless child and during the Depression showed some hard truths. The people that went to church every Sunday but then were okay with a teenage girl living outside in the winter with no food and no shelter had me so angry. But probably because it was so truthful even now. This story was wonderful from beginning to end. Heartwarming without being sappy.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful book. What a marvelous and why isn't she on everyone's lips?

This book overflows with heartwarming relationships and pieces of wisdom woven seamlessly throughout the narrative. Each character feels vividly alive, with the protagonist, Silstice—or “Silly”—being particularly memorable. Silly’s journey is one of resilience, and the depth of her emotions and experiences truly pulls you into the story, making you feel every high and low as though you’re right there with her.

Set against the harsh backdrop of the Great Depression, the story begins with Silly’s world turned upside down after her parents abandon her following a house fire. She finds a lifeline in her 4-H teacher, Edna, who, along with her gruff husband, offers her a temporary home. Edna’s kindness shines through, but when Edna passes away, Silly faces the daunting task of finding a way to stay. Her determination and courage are inspiring