Miss Brenda and the Loveladies by Brenda Spahn and Irene Zutell

This was a nonfiction selection about the transformation of Brenda Spahn and the home she built to help bridge the gap between prison and the outside world. This Loveladies home transformed numerous women by loving them unconditionally and giving them a chance to chance the direction of their lives. It was interesting and sometimes too informative to learn about the early lives of these women coming out of prison. Most were abused in childhood or abandoned to fend for themselves on the streets. The raw stories of some ladies made me want to cry. Having volunteered myself in a overflow homeless shelter, I can appreciate what Miss Brenda was trying to do. With the staggering statistics of trafficked women within the boundaries of my home state, there is a need for a halfway house or as Miss Brenda calls it a "whole way house." I could hardly believe these hardened criminal had never been to Walmart and the joy they displayed with the purchase of hygiene products. These children of God had  left prison with $10 and a ticket home to the acquaintances still using drugs or the abusive boyfriends. They kept returning to the prison system because they didn't know any other life. With love and grace they were accepted into the whole way house of Brenda Spahn and given hope of another way of life. The realism of the stories will encourage other to offer a helping hand to those who have lost their way. You can see photos and read more about the selfless acts of Miss Brenda and her family at https://www.facebook.com/missbrendaandtheloveladies
This book was given to me by Blogging for Book for my honest review.

The Wood's Edge by Lori Benton

I had read the Pursuit of Tamsen LittleJohn by this author and enjoyed the historical fiction made real by Lori Benton. The Wood's Edge as the author describes it in her notes is a welcoming ceremony of the tribe when approaching a village. The characters of Two Hawks and Anna were so innocent and pure in their relationship. Learning about the capture of white children to replace the child that was killed made sense to me as the lesson was reversed for Stone Thrower. His white wife had twins, one white and one tawny. The story begins in Fort Williams when a redcoat steals the white son and replaces him with his dead baby. Full of tradition and history, my only complain was the small size of the print of the 390 page book. Still I can't wait for the sequel. This book was given to me by Blogging for Books for my honest appraisal.