Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: "Like a Bird Wanders"

"Like a bird wandereth from her nest. So is a man who wandereth from his home (Proverbs 27:8 KJV).

Authored with rich diversity, redolant with the aromas of small-town life in the Pacific Northwest, and illustrated with beautifully-drawn characters, Like a Bird Wanders sings a song of heartbreak and forgiveness. The timeless story of a wayward girl who leaves home in pursuit of a dream that crumbles bridges the gap between social mores on the cusp of the Twentieth Century and modern times.

Grace Rose McFarlane, while dying, leaves a cryptic note for her great-granddaughter: Julia, the lion will destroy you. Puzzled, Julia pockets the missive. When she discovers old letters and journals in a trunk in her great-grandmother's attic, however, Julia unlocks a family secret that clarifies Granny Grace's message.

The story unfolds as Julia reads the letters and journals, which tell of a younger Grace full of ambition and disparaging of her family's rural lifestyle. Grace makes a decision to leave it all behind and "come up" in the world, running off for a better life with handsome Jake Hudson. But fulfillment of her dreams eludes Grace, and she learns -  the hard way - the definition of "home."

A fine and moving work containing high-caliber writing, Like a Bird Wanders seamlessly blends the voices of its three co-authors: Sharon Bernash Smith, Rosanne Croft and Linda Reinhardt. I found it a little off-putting at first that, although the author of each journal entry was identified, the letters were only identified by their signatures, which might not come for several pages. This made for some flipping back and forth for me until I became familiar with each character and could pick up on clues as to identity. I also found certain aspects of the plot a bit contrived, but the book is so well done overall I recommend it for those who enjoy family sagas and historical fiction. I also approve this book for teenage girls since it focuses on home and family, defines a Biblical morality and gives clear consequences for sin.

*Thanks to the authors for a complimentary copy of this book provided for purposes of review.


**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when products are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.

Meet and Greet Monday: Linda Reinhardt, Sharon Bernash Smith and Rosanne Croft

Dear Reader,

Today we'll visit with the trio of writers who wrote Like a Bird Wanders, a moving story about family secrets.

Linda Reinhardt

I've lived in the beautiful Pacific Northwest since I was eight years old. I'm married to a wonderful man who is very strong in his faith in Jesus and filled with a lot of love for his girls. In my forties, we were blessed with our miracle daughter Sarrah. Love being around my family and friends. Left the work force in 2002 to follow a call to write stories to reach out to hurting people. My passion is to minister to hurting women, and to those who suffer from abortion related trauma. I lead a table at our churches weekly womens Bible study.

Besides doing my very most favorite thing - hanging with my husband and daughter - I LOVE to write, sit and chat over coffee, watch movies and sing praise songs.

Since I was a child I loved to write a poem, song, short story. I went down a dark path for about 8 years and when I was saved I prayed to be able to write stories. I would get a paper, pen and sit at the table or my desk and wait. It wasn't long until God gave me the beginning of a story to a series I'm working on now and songs, lots of songs. Stories are always in my head and I love movies and books, because I love to hear other people's stories. That is why one of my favorite things to do is to sit over coffee or at a retreat with other girlfriends, to hear their story!

I enjoyed the fellowship of working with my co-authors on Like a Bird Wanders. Truly, the time the three of us spent together is something I will cherish all the days of my life. In order to get the story on paper we had some long discussions and shared so many things. We became sisters.

Right now I'm working on another book, The Doctor, and several short stories, as well as a series called Sister Bluethreads. I maintain a blog at lindajreinhardt.blogspot.com

The first book in the Sister Bluethreads series is about abortion and hopefully written in such a way to help anyone that is up against the choice of abortion to consider choosing life and for those who have chosen abortion in their lives I hope that it will give a message of healing and help them to forgive. It also touches on how abortion affects others in the family. Through Sister Bluethreads I hope to bring comfort to hurting hearts.

Sharon Bernash Smith    

I'm married, and blessed to have raised two sons in rural Washington. During that time I owned/taught my own pre-school, assisted in a midwifery home birth practice, and volunteered as a counselor at several Pregnancy Resource Centers for two decades.

I enjoy spending time with the Lord, my family and friends, happy in the fellowship between us all. My granddaughters keep me young and on my toes.  In March we'll welcome another grand baby and look forward to that birth with utter joy. When I have time, I love to watercolor and "land sail" in the beautiful Columbia River gorge near my home.

I lead a Bible study at my church and love the weekly gathering with my "home" girls.

A country gal at heart, I'm now living in the city where life is bearable only because of close access to Starbucks. (Call me shallow!)

Besides co-authoring Like a Bird Wanders, I also wrote What Do You Say to a King (Focus on the Family) and Prayers for Troubled Times (AMG Publishers).

My future projects include Old Sins/Long Shadows, the soon-to-be released sequel to Like a Bird Wanders and Always Home for Christmas, eleven short stories reflecting the true meaning of Christmas.

Reality Fiction TM, is my commitment to direct my writing toward the human struggles we all face. Because there are no '"pat" answers in life, you won't find them in my books. However, readers will see that God is faithful and through Him, we have hope for life, and hope for living a life of victory.

Touching lives for Christ through the written word.

Rosanne Croft

I'm a lover of stories, and I think that's why I was compelled to write. 

I was raised in Wyoming, am living in Utah, and will soon be moving back to the Pacific Northwest with

my husband and daughter, where I can rejoin Oregon Christian Writers. I hold a B.A. in History.

What a project Like a Bird Wanders was - to write with two "sisters", ending the process with a book that shows God's faithfulness.

I'm currently writing a romantic/adventure novel set in Tanzania. I also have a Young Adult

fantasy on the back burner, because I was so inspired by the Narnia series by C. S. Lewis

as a girl. Imagination is freeing and opens new paths; that's why I love to create new

stories for readers.

As a Bird Wanders

 A dark secret was hidden in their upstanding family…


December 18, 1966
Grace Rose McFarlane, the middle McLeod sister, is dying. Her very
last act is to leave a cryptic handwritten warning for her great-
granddaughter, who will be arriving soon for Christmas break: Julia, the lion
will destroy you. But what does the note mean? Through a stack of yellowing
letters and journals in her grandmother’s attic, Julia pieces together a shocking
tale of rebellion and betrayal…and is determined to track down the truth. The
tangled web she finds will forever alter her perspective on her family…and
may save her from making a heartbreaking mistake of her own.

How would you describe your book?

We believe our book to be original as three authors took on a character and wrote their part through letters, prayer journals and diary entries. It starts like any other book and then Julia finds letters up in her great grandmothers attic which hold a family secret.

What message do you hope it conveys? 

Linda: Like a Bird Wanders and its upcoming sequel, Old Sins/Long Shadows give through their pages a message of hope and love to those who are hurting. To go even a step further, to reach those who believe they are unreachable - those who believe a lie so strongly they step away from people who have what they believe they can never attain. I've been there. Then I discovered the love Jesus had for me and it changed my life. But I had a secret, and although I knew the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, I believed if other Christians found out they would not love me or want me around. I felt like I was outside the circle of believers even while serving in leadership. Then I went to a Bible Study and the lie that was controlling my life and relationships washed out of my heart and mind by the truth of God's Word. Now I truly stand in God's forgiveness and love to tell others who hurt no matter where you are God loves you and created a beautiful person.

Like a Bird Wanders is available on Amazon, Target.com, christianbooks.com or email lindajreinhardt@gmail.com and purchase the book for $15.00 by check or through paypal.