Friday, November 8, 2019

Review and Giveaway: A Silver Willow by the Shore by Kelli Stuart

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Silver Willow by the Shore
By Kelli Stuart
Adult Historical, Contemporary, Time-Slip
Paperback & ebook, 380 Pages
October 15th 2019 by Fine Print Writing Press

How do you face the future if you don’t know your own past?

When an unexpected pregnancy changes her dreams, seventeen-year-old Annie tries to keep it from her mother and her grandmother. But secrets have a way of coming out. In a household of strong women, the arrival of a new life sets off a spiral of truth that reveals a past full of whispers and lies—a past that existed in another world under the heavy hand of Soviet oppression. This history has dictated the circumstances of the present, but hope, redemption, and forgiveness will grow in the rocky places of these generational differences.

A Silver Willow by the Shore is the story of the unshakeable love between mothers and daughters and of the impact that past decisions can have on present day circumstances. This novel weaves together the stories of generations of women, from the gulags of 1930’s Siberia, to the quiet oppression of 1980’s Soviet Moscow, to present day Tennessee. It is an unforgettable narrative of the treachery of secrets, and of the light that unites the heart of a family.

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My Review: 

Mothers and daughters and the secrets they keep from one another is the theme of this story, A Silver Willow by the Shore. And let me tell you they are doozy of secrets. We are given this story from three points of view- an elderly Russian grandmother Elizaveta, her daughter Nina, and Nina’s high school daughter Annie. These three women live in the same house and eat dinner together, but the secrets make them strangers. 

Annie is dealing with a big secret- she is pregnant and she is trying to hide it from her mother. We also get to see some of Nina’s past when she lived in Russia and her transition time to America. And Elizaveta’s story to me is the saddest as she is dealing with health issues and remembering the horrors of her past as her family is imprisoned in Soviet Russia. 

Author Stuart can weave a story that will pull you in and keep you there even in the uncomfortable parts. I was rooting for all three to share their deepest, darkest secrets and become closer for it. I also found it so relevant to see the difference between the American and Russian culture. What a world we live in and I am thankful I live in the good old USA. 

You will be immersed in this story as you walk along with these women on their journey to freedom from shame and guilt. This is a heart tugging bittersweet novel. 

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own. 

About the Author


Kelli is a wife, mother, novelist, and the driver of a smoking' hot minivan. When she isn't wrangling her five children, she can be found tapping away at the keyboard. Kelli is the award winning author of Like a River From Its Course, her debut novel which won the ACFW Carol Award for Best Historical and was nominated for two Christy Awards. Kelli is also the co-author of Life Creative: Inspiration for Today's Renaissance Mom with Wendy Speake. You can find more information on her life and writings at www.kellistuart.com.


Tour Schedule


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a Kindle Fire Tablet with Alexa Hands Free + $50 Amazon Gift Card
US only
Ends November 20, 2019

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