All the Little Hopes, a historical fiction novel by Leah Weiss, is set in rural North Carolina during the early '40s.  Weiss does a beautiful job making the characters real and interesting in a way that makes them easy to connect to.  They are so real, I felt I knew them (especially true if you are from N.C). While WWII is a part of the storyline, it is not the typical WWII book.  This book is about the families and what they endured on American soil while their loved ones were at war.  It is about hope, family, and friendships, and how they work together to survive during this time.

North Carolina, 1943 the story of two friends, :Lucy Brown and Allie Bert Tucker. For Lucy, whose idol was Nancy Drew there certainly seemed to be plenty of crimes to uncover. But those crimes weren't written in a fictional story, they were real. The setting of a small town in the South gave this novel charm, uniqueness and definitely quirkiness. This coming-of-age story was heartwarming, entertaining and quite enjoyable. Southern fiction at its best!! My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story about life on a farm in North Carolina during World War II.

Lucy is a smart 13-year-old girl who idolizes Nancy Drew. Her family's farm looks a little different without her older brother and her older sister's husband, as they are both off fighting the Nazis. But Lucy and her other siblings are busy with beekeeping, taking care of the animals, working the tobacco fields, and praying for all of those off fighting the war.

Allie Bert Tucker lives on the other side of North Carolina, but her life isn't going so well. Her mother is pregnant, and when Bert slips away for the afternoon, she comes back home to find out her mother has passed away in childbirth. Her father sends her to his sister Violet, who is expecting a baby, and lives all the way across the state. Bert gets on the train and finds herself in another world, leaving the mountains for the coastal plain.

When Lucy meets Bert on the railway bridge, they instantly become best friends. Lucy introduces Bert to Nancy Drew, and the two girls find mysteries of their own to solve, including what has happened to several men in town who have disappeared. Bert quickly ends up living with Lucy and her family because Violet has some mental health issues, and the girls become as close as sisters.

The girls also deal with becoming women and the wanted (and unwanted) attention of men, family tragedies, Nazis prisoners working in their town and on the farm, and a mysterious illness that knocks down the entire family.

There are so many interesting characters in this book, and Weiss has done a great job of making the people of the town of Riverton come alive in your mind. She also depicts the conflicting emotions of those with soldiers overseas when Nazi prisoners were placed in camps and sent out to work at farms and in businesses across the country.

I didn't want this story to end, and now want to go back and read her other book. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this wonderful piece of historical fiction.

This is the second book by this author and her writing is amazing! I loved this story with powerful characters! Highly highly recommend

This was a very endearing book. A story of family. Even though not related by blood they were family where it counted. Two young girls who became the best of friends in North Carolina in 1943 during WWII. It is part historical and part mystery with a little bit of a thriller and love story thrown in. It's one that will keep you wanting more and turning pages. You will have a few guesses as to what happened or who did it along with rooting for these girls. There is a touch of child abuse and an almost rape. Not to the point of feeling it though. It's just there.

I truly enjoyed this book so much. It was a very moving story of a family who had so much and lost a lot too. Of two families actually. When Bert is sent to her aunt's to live and possibly help her out with her pregnancy little does she know that she is about to start a journey that will take her from one side of the state to another. From a very meager and poor life to one filled with riches. Not necessarily monetary riches either. The riches of a family she never dreamed she would or could be a part of. The day she meets Lucy is the luckiest day of her life. The two of them at only thirteen years of age set off on an adventure that will make you truly laugh out loud one moment and weep the next. The things they go through and the things they do together set them up for a lifetime of great memories.

This book is told from each girls POV. Each girl has strong opinions and wants to be heard. They have fights but never swing a punch. They tend to go very quiet toward each other if mad. But it never lasts long. They are both strong even though Bert has to learn she is. She has to learn that she is worthy. With Lucy's help they are unstoppable. Lucy's parents take Bert into their home and make her a part of their family when she has nowhere else to turn. Her Aunt Violet threw her out and she went to the Brown's home where their dad found her curled up sleeping on the front porch during a bad storm. They take her in and give her more love than she ever thought possible. She soon comes to call them mom and dad. With all the children as her siblings she will never be lonely again. But what of her real family? I won't tell. Read and find out.

This book has some things that I never knew written into it. I never knew that there were POW camps in North Carolina for German soldiers to be kept. I never knew that they worked for the local farmers in the area either. I always learn something when I read.

This book is full of feels. There was times when I literally laughed out loud. Then in a few pages I would shed tears. I would see the beauty in the stars. Or the way Lucy saw the mountains for the first time. The ones that Bert hated. You feel like you are right there in this story. All the feels and all the scenery are excellently told. This book was well written for sure. The recipes in the end and the reading group guide were great. The conversation with the author and the How This Book Came To Be sections were very interesting. It's a great all around book. One I believe anyone will enjoy.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LeahWeiss, #SOURCEBOOKSlandmark for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 big stars and I look forward to more by this author. I highly recommend this one.

What a unique story line this book was. Take a girl... who is forced to live with an aunt, that has no clue she is coming, and gets kicked out... add in a best friend, whose family then takes her in... they work together to solve some mysteries, just like the famous character, nancy Drew...

You will find this to the an interesting story with some twists and turns you never expect.

This was an interesting story about two young Girls, Lucy Brown age 13 and Allie Tucker, the new girl in town. They are both fans of Nancy Drew and go about their summer days looking for mysteries to solve. Then prisoners from WW II are brought to their town and a prisoner of war camp is set up. I enjoyed this different slant on the war and was quite entertained by these two young girls.

All the Little Hopes is a compelling blend of a coming of age story and rich historical fiction. Set on a tobacco farm during the height of WWII, we are given a heartfelt look at the home front; how those at home coped during the war years, and how vital they were to the war efforts. But this is mostly the story of Lu and Bert, newfound friends who meet when they are 14, becoming close as sisters. It was fascinating to watch these girls grow and mature as they deal with the uncertainties of living during wartime. I loved the author’s authentic voice, taking us from the mountains of western North Carolina and over to the flatlands of the eastern part of the state, with dialects and personalities changing with each locale.

After reading and loving Leah Weiss’s If the Creek Don’t Rise, I was thrilled to receive early access to her latest novel, All the Little Hopes. Thank you to @netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the Advance Reader’s E-book in exchange for my honest review.

🐝in this charming, coming-of-age tale, Lucy Brown and Bert Tucker, thirteen-year-old girls, are complete opposites. Lucy is clever, well-read, loves to use ‘$10 words’ and is a self-proclaimed bibliophile. Bert, on the other hand, has no formal education and is unsure of herself or of her worth. While WWII infiltrates their quiet, little town in North Carolina with a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp, these two girls forge a strong friendship. When a man goes missing, albeit not a very well-liked man, the girls decide to dig for clues just like Lucy’s favorite fictional character, Nancy Drew. Then two more men disappear leading the girls on the hunt for answers to even more questions. One thing they do find is that the line between right and wrong can sometimes be very murky.

🐝With quirky, colorful characters, a lush setting and beautiful prose, Ms. Weiss has penned an endearing tale reminding us that there is so much more to a person than what we see on the outside. Don’t miss this story filled with love, books, bees, mystery, and even a bit of mysticism available July 27th.

This story was wonderfully written story from two perspectives. Each narrative is from the point of view of a young country girl who become fast friends. Set in wartime South Carolina it’s equal parts charming and heartbreaking. The two girls are so wise yet naive and their friendship twines their families into one and the townsfolk crowd in with so many different personalities. Felt transported into a different time while reading this and for that I thoroughly enjoyed it..

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

This historical fiction read is set in North Carolina, during the early 1940s. It showcased some new-to-me World War II elements of what life at home was like for many American families.

Part coming-0f-age, part historical fiction, part mystery, this was an interesting multi-faceted book. It was filled with colorful characters and a heartwarming family. And although it has its share of heartbreak, it is not overwhelmingly sad as some historical fiction can be.

I really felt for Lu, Bert and the entire community of Riverton as they navigated the war. It was a little bit of a slow burn for me, but some of the lessons will stick with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Special thanks to Sourcebook Landmarks Publishing and NetGalley books for the ARC in exchange for my opinion.

This book was really good. It reminded me of my youth when my friend and I thought we were sleuths like little Lucy Brown, lover of Nancy Drew, and her new friend Allie. With not much to do and the war looming and men getting drafted, these 2 young things are trying out their detective skills from the words of an eccentric woman in town. A man disappears, and then another, and soon they are putting together clues and way in over their heads. Don't underestimate these little girls. Because something is going on in their little town and they are hell bent on solving it. When you look too close in any small town, you find many strange things and strange people that add up to something much bigger!

I enjoyed this book and I'd recommend it! 4 stars!

Once again Leah Weiss has woven her magic by creating a story about Southern family. She has chosen the Browns, a farming family with lots of members, a loving devoted mother, a hardworking progressive thinking father and a gaggle of children on the cusp of becoming the next generation. The location is a tobacco farm in North Carolina. The timing encompasses WWII. The characters have their own voice and Lucy prevails with her ten dollar words and her desire to roam.

One day Allie Bert Tucker, with her atrocious table manners and strange dialect, crosses paths with Lucy. “Bert” (as she is wont to be called) is from over the mountains landing in this strange place to help with her Aunt Violet’s household. But something is way off with her Aunt and Bert and is subsequently embraced by the Brown family. She becomes the catalyst that changes and moves the story. Who wouldn’t love the dotty Aunt Fanniebelle and the “arcane” Trula Freed and her dog Biscuit, Tiny Junior, the Mayhews and The Velveteen Rabbit. We live with these people through, war and loss, sickness, fear, premonitions and “the sight”showing tremendous strength of character. Unique for the depth of kindness imbued in the characters I could only marvel at how strongly I related to everything. I loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy.

This is one of the best books I have read this year. I was invested in the outcome of Lu and Bert's stories from the beginning. All the characters came to life as did the location and timeline. This is a book to recommend to all readers.

Solid 4.5 stars for this one - what a wonderful story that allowed me to slip into another era and lifestyle for a magical moment! I have no idea what 1940's North Carolina was like, but I have every reason to believe it was exactly like this book! This was so full of wonderful imagery and lyrical writing. The characters were endearing and charming; I loved seeing Lucy and Bert's characters form and grow their friendship. Their mother had a beautiful soul, and a special way of teaching right from wrong. The other characters all had wonderful little quirks and personalities that really made this book shine! It painted such a vivid picture of small town southern life in the 40's, and I honestly could have kept reading the family's story indefinitely.

My one issue/complaint: the ending. It was an interesting way to end the book. It wrapped up a very small piece of the story, but so many other aspects were left desperately hanging for me. It was a bit of a "what the hell??" feeling when I realized THAT was the end.

Overall, I really, truly enjoyed this book! I will be looking for the author's first book to read now!

I loved this one it was very atmospheric with the NC setting and very true to the time period. I loved the coming of age stories of the girls and it was just a good book overall . She is a wonderful author.

I really liked this book. The one thing that was odd for me though was that the mystery aspect of the story seemed to be more of a filler or background plot. I found it to be more about the relationship between Bert and Lu, which I didn't mind. I also thought it ended quite abruptly. Would have liked a bit more cushion at the end.

“ On one side, Daddy speaks the war-truths that’s turned our days hard. On the other, Mother wishes on a star like a girl wanting to keep our boys safe.”
Weiss’ new historical fiction tackles North Carolina in 1943. Told from the perspectives of 13 year old Lucy Brown, who wants to solve mysteries like her favorite character Nancy Drew, and Allie Bert Tucker, who arrives in Riverton after the death of her mother and stillborn brother. Lucy is precocious, full of ten dollar words and coming from a family of bibliophiles. Bert “ has not had the same blessings in life” - she lacks schooling, is poor and staying with her crazy pregnant aunt who threatens to throw her out when her husband comes home.
Weiss paints a vivid picture of small town Southern life in the 1940s. The characters are unique, many downright eccentric. The story has a quirky factor to it, including Oma’s wolpertinger.



As the story unfolds, nasty men disappear. Nobody really looks too hard for any of them. There were times I felt the language came across as a little too folksy, to the point of being cutesy. The story meandered. Plot points came and went, often going missing for long periods of the book. But everything got wrapped up in the end. And the mystery of the missing men was resolved exactly how I expected it to be. But despite all that, I loved this. I found it endearing, warm and moving. I came to care about all the main characters. It was one of those stories I was sorry to see end.
I’m so glad the publisher thought to include reading guide questions as this is a book that begs to be a book club selection.
My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of this book.

I liked that Lucy lived in the mountains of nc with her sisters Cora and Lydia. I liked the names. I liked going back in time. I liked that oma was from Germany and had strange tales.

All the Little Hopes felt like coming of age story of two young girls; Bert and Lucy in a small North Carolina town. Bert is sent to live with her Aunt She soon finds herself at the Brown house, Lucy's parents. She and Lucy become quick friends. Bert soon moves in with the Brown's and becomes family. Bert is transformed as a result. The story takes place during World War II. All the while, Bert and Lucy are trying to solve a mystery in the small town. This all wraps up nicely in the end. This book, however, just wasn't for me! I do think many will love it and appreciate it!