Solid book with an easy to enjoy storyline. It was easy to read and follow the characters in the book.

Winter's Reckoning is a very well written southern gothic historical novel set in 1917 by Dr. Adele Holmes. Released 9th Aug 2022 by hybrid indie publisher She Writes Press, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a relevant and melancholy read; sadly all too resonant even today. Set in Appalachia during the years of the first world war, an isolated community falls prey to a con-man preacher stirring up racial strife and facilitating the resurgence of the KKK. Main protagonists, both healers, one white, one black are threatened and harassed to stop associating with one another and to stop helping the town's inhabitants. Mired in ignorance and racial hate, it's difficult and uncomfortable in places.

The overweening ignorance, and the inevitable denouement and resolution (although mostly uplifting), make for gloomy reading. Although it's not derivative at all, in a lot of ways it reminded me of the "it book" of 2019, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

Four and a half stars. Not an easy read, but very very well written. The author is erudite, intelligent, and thoughtful and those qualities indelibly imprint the work.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

WINTER’S RECKONING
Adele Holmes M.D.
Historical Fiction

The healer of a small town must deal with the ancient racist and misogynistic beliefs tolerated years ago. After a new preacher comes to town stirring up hatred and evil, she realizes she must either flee or possibly be killed herself.

I was a little hesitant to read this book simply because of the fact the author had M.D, behind her name. I was in for a pleasant surprise though. This book was rich with the history of the late 1910s. It does include some rather shocking things. Including the burning of a cross and a lot of talk quite a bit about the KKK and other backwards thoughts of the day. I definitely would give 5 stars. Especially for people, like me, who love learning about the past.

It’s sadly relevant, even though the time in this captivating debut novel set in a small town in Appalachia is 1917. “… ignorance breeds fear, and fear hate.” Don’t we know this now! The novel is a good piece of historical fiction reflecting the cruel times of Jim Crow laws and the KKK. It’s a story of the strength of women, of friendship, of carrying on family tradition and knowledge of healing .

Maddie Fairbanks, an herbalist/healer and her black assistant Ren Morgan defy the accepted separation of races, and the belief by some men that the place of women is at home, as they work together to care for people in the community. They manage in spite of the re- emergence of the KKK in town until the arrival of the evil and deceitful “Reverend” Carl Howard who sets in motion a series of events that tries the strength of these women and had me quickly turning the pages to know what their fate would be at the hands of this vile man and the KKK. Ultimately, a satisfying ending with a beautiful epilogue in the voice of Hannah, Maddie’s granddaughter who takes up the torch of caring for people. I look forward to what Holmes writes next.

I received an advanced copy of this book from She Writes Press through NetGalley.