Great Summer Reading: “All the Pieces” by Mary E. Kingsley

I love to read, and am always working on some book or another. I don’t get as much time to read as I’d like though, so sometimes I like to read shorter stories, or novellas. They’re longer than actual “short stories”, but not quite as long as a typical novel. I recently read Mary E. Kingsley’s novella “All the Pieces” and absolutely loved it!

About the novella:

Sometimes there are stories floating around about things that happened a long time ago, which nobody can explain. When eight-year-old Anna Lee takes off running one day, fleeing a painful scene and seeking refuge from her family’s lingering grief, she unknowingly brings to the surface some questions that this small, southern Appalachian community had long ago buried.

Who was the stranger that appeared at the midwife’s door one distant winter’s night and disappeared again silently, leaving a mystery that had remained for over a generation? Who was the child that was born with eyes the color of a harvest moon, that only wanted to sing, and the boy that would grow to love her beyond himself? What was the reason for the brutal murder in the woods that left one man dead, another sentenced to life in prison and a young woman to die months later, without ever uttering another word? And who was the man that came face to face with Anna Lee in a place she was certain no one would find her, each of them in their hour of greatest need, each with their own pain and secrets to be revealed–and perhaps healed?

The desperate search for the runaway, Anna Lee, is paralled by the storyteller’s version of a mystery that most folks around have long forgotten. All the while Anna Lee struggles within a situation that holds danger beyond what she can imagine, and it is only in her innocence, even in the face of death, that she becomes the key to a revelation and the answer to a longing.

All the Pieces is not only a tale of birth, death and grief, but is also the story of profound love and a journey’s end.

I have to admit, there were a couple of times when I totally teared up reading this book, like when I realized what truly went down all those years ago &what was sacrificed in the name of love. The story is set up where it goes back & forth in time, and identities aren’t revealed right away, so there came a moment when I stopped reading & literally said out loud, “Ohhhhh!” It wasn’t that I didn’t get the book, it was meant to be a lightbulb moment, and it definitely was!

Both of the central characters of the book have suffered tremendous loss & find a mutual ground between them, even though they hold seemingly opposite roles in their current situation. Anna Lee, being a kind soul, helps a man in need even when she doesn’t know of his intentions, and without giving anything away, she is somehow rewarded for it in the long run.

I read this book very quickly because I just couldn’t put it down! If you are looking for one more quick story to read on the beach {or anytime!} be sure to check it out- it’s only $2.99 on Amazon!

Giveaway: One winner is going to win their own copy, including a personalized note from the author! Just enter using the form below. Good luck!

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Note: I was compensated for my work on this campaign. All opinions are authentic & my own.