The Melody of the Mulberries

Written by Tonya Jewel Blessing

Narrated by Courtney Patterson

This Appalachian Big Creek sequel is set in West Virginia, during the 1920s, where granny witches and spiritualism often show the path for wanderers to take, especially in matters of the heart. Emerald Ashby's younger sister, Coral, determines to visit the family's nemesis, Charlie, now stewing in prison.

When Mercy returns to the holler of Big Creek, she comes well-armed to re-enter Ernst's life, but he has already found a new romantic attraction. No matter, Mercy has brought along her own spiritual tools and a special friend who guides her way around this inconvenience.

Where Emerald Ashby's story leaves us in the last pages of The Whispering of the Willows, her pure and innocent sixteen-year-old sister Coral Ashby's story begins. Like the changing mulberries, the Appalachian siblings Coral and Ernest Ashby, navigate their lives and love interests through the Spanish Flu epidemic, poverty, and various as sundry prejudices.

Accompanied by friends and foes, matters of the heart complicate life for Coral and Ernest. Relationships must be journeyed carefully.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Feb 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781515941774

Reviews for The Melody of the Mulberries

[Becki Basley · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I read it cause i read the first book. It was Well written and had some interesting parts like the flu epidemic and how long held Customs rule some communities but really wasnt My type of book.

[rafram-951185 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Deeply religious Coral Ashby is determined to visit family nemesis, Charlie, in jail where he serves a long sentence for having hurt her family. Coral is adamant God wants her to help Charlie repent. It’s the first time she travels outside Big Creek, and the trip changes her life forever.The Melody of the Mulberries is the second installment in the Big Creek Series by Tonya Jewel Blessing. It is set in Appalachian Mountains 1920s and focuses on Coral Ashby as she travels to Charleston to visit murderer and rapist Charlie in jail. She has prayed a lot and is adamant God wants her to help Charlie repent. She navigates her new life while praying for guidance, but has limited experience with judging the characters of someone she meets and finds herself in a dangerous situation.Main character Carol Ashby seems a sweet but stubborn sixteen years old girl who knows little about the world outside Big Creek. I admire the way she puts her faith in God to guide her on the difficult mission.Supporting character Ernest Ashby is Coral’s brother and the teacher for children of the negro hill people near Big Creek. He seems to juggle his relationship issues by relying on his faith.. I feel he is a well developed and relatable character, which is why he is my favorite of this story.The Melody of the Mulberries consists of two distinct entertaining storylines which follow Carol and brother Ernest’s lives as they struggle with their unique hardships. This story stood out as it was set in the relatively poor mountain area of 1920s Vest Virginia. The vibe reminded me a bit of Little House on the Prairie, with descriptions of how people lived a deeply religious, frugal life close to nature. I particularly enjoyed the part describing Charlotte Ashby’s bow and arrow skills during reenactment of Bible stories. The dialogue was well written in a charming, yet easy to read, local dialect. I loved that the quotations of Appalachian Folk Beliefs at the beginning of each chapter were so surprisingly similar to Norwegian Folk Beliefs I heard when I was a kid. I read the story as a standalone which worked perfectly.My favorite and most amusing part of the story was when the children found a talking parrot in the woods. It had very foul language reminiscent of a bar-keep or a sailor and made very precise voice imitations. The least favorite part was descriptions of evil spirits. There seemed to be short distance from religious beliefs to mountain mysticism, and I was pleased to see the teachers were conscious that education was the best remedy against it.Anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction of Christian lifestyle in the 1920s would enjoy this story of two siblings who stay close to God while trying to find a way through their struggles.Similar authors to explore might be Laura Ingalls Wilder or Misty M. Beller.Thank you to author Tonya Jewel Blessing for this pdf, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.Conclusion: This is the charming and entertaining story about two siblings who navigate through hardships while making sure to stay close to God.Rating: 4 stars / 5Main reasons: charming unique plot and dialogue, relatable characters

[lawonder10 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about a group of people residing in the Appalachian Mountains. Although lacking in proper education and language skills, the adults do all they can to instill in the children's minds the importance of education. Earnest and Lottie are presently the teachers. Coral feels a call from the Lord is sending her into the city to try and forgive and "save" a rapist. Since a major complication between Ernest and Lottie arose, Lottie accompanied her and the Reverend to spend some week in Charleston. The Characters were interesting and well-defined. The scenes were easy to visualize. I did not feel a connection to the story. I felt the wording was simplistic, resembling the early school books I read in elementary. The story-line was good but the story was very predictable. It is an intriguing conversational text, similar to the text of Huckleberry Finn. It is a great book for relaxed reading. This Book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story is an intriguing look at Appalachian people and their culture. They sure do have some very interesting folk lores. I enjoyed reading them and appreciate the author including one at the top of each chapter. At first I was a bit lost in the story but was able to quickly pick up what was going on. It would be helpful to read the first book in the series, but you can still enjoy this one without reading the first. I thought the author did a good job of showing the struggle that Coral had about seeing someone in prison. She wanted to share God with this person and knew God had called her to do this. This was a great example of showing forgiveness to someone who had hurt her and her family. Coral was a great character and I admired her determination to follow God. Ernest has his hands full with being in love with one woman while another one wants him to help raise her baby. The birth of the child was written very well and you could feel a sense of love as a new life was brought into the world. The people sure did have opinions about what Ernest should do since he helped deliver the baby. There were some tense moments when Ernest was confronted by a man who demanded he marry Mercy, the mother of the child he delivered. The author gives us a look into history during the 1920's and I loved reading about the Hatfields and McCoys. Who can forget these two families and their feud that started so long ago? Now Ernest is in a similar situation and needs to figure a way out. I loved that he was a teacher and how much he enjoyed being around children watching them absorb information. The character named Granny was interesting and also a little scary at times. She sees things that others can't understand and she is a little deceitful at times. I don't think I would want to meet her at all. The story follows an outbreak of influenza that take many lives. I remember reading about this and how helpless doctors felt as they saw patients succumb to the illness. A few key characters will face this illness and I liked how realistic the author wrote about their fight to overcome something that was dangerous to many. The story is well written and I enjoyed reading about Coral and Ernest. Their journey is filled with danger, secrets, hope and forgiveness. It has a good faith element throughout the story with scriptures and characters that weren't afraid to share their love of God. I loved the ending and with the authors help was able to feel part of the story of two people searching for love and hope. I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

[stardust_fiddle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a child, one of my favorite books was Cynthia Rylant’s “When I Was Young in the Mountains.” Growing up in rural Ohio, near the border of West Virginia, my home is considered part of Appalachia. I’ve always been drawn to folk music and the backcountry. I remember watching the television adaptation of Catherine Marshall’s “Christy” when I was younger. There is just something fascinating about living off the grid, regardless of the time period: creating a unique community that is self-sustaining and learning what makes it flourish and what holds it together. Set in late 1920s in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, Tonya Jewel Blessings’ “The Melody of the Mulberries” presents a wonderful glimpse into this experience. “The mulberry tree that shaded her from the afternoon sun sang a melody of obedience. It grew, blossomed, and bore fruit in submission to God. All flora and fauna flourished in Big Creek through obedience to the Maker of All Things.”Despite not having read the previous book, I decided to take a chance and read “The Melody of the Mulberries” anyway, and I am glad that I did. If possible, I would recommend reading “The Whispering of the Willows” first to set the foundation for this sequel, but it is not a prerequisite. I was a bit confused for the first chapter or so; my main problem was keeping the characters straight and remembering who was who, but then again I’m terrible with names, so that could have just been my personal issue. As the story progresses, the main events from the first book receive mention, which helps establish the plot of this second book. My favorite element was the presentation of beliefs, the amalgamation of Christianity and folklore, and how Ernest in particular does his best to disenchant others from superstitions and lead them instead to Christ. As a teacher, “Ernest thought that education was one of the best ways to combat mountain mysticism.” His wisdom in both book knowledge and spiritual matters reveals his altruistic nature: “He had choices to make. He could choose to let others dictate his life, choose to direct his own life, or make the right choice and allow God to dominate his thoughts and actions.” Two of the other main characters include his sister Coral, 16, and his fellow teacher, Lottie. Although young, Coral is attuned to the voice of God and determined to follow where He leads her, even if it means leaving home to visit a convicted felon who harmed her family. I loved her conviction! Lottie doesn’t take center stage, but her actions prove her to be an encourager and supporter. Something that stood out to me throughout the narrative was how the characters use hymns and songs to talk to God and to minister to others. So often when I am praying or when I read a Scripture verse a Christian praise song or hymn comes to mind, and they can be such a beautiful part of worship!“The Melody of the Mulberries” does not shy away from tough subjects. It deals with wedlock, race relations, and other issues that continue to be prevalent today, but it is a clean read. Each chapter begins with an epigraph that states an Appalachian folk belief and has an image of a black raspberry branch, with a leaf image used to divide the sections of each chapter. The author’s affinity for alliteration made me smile while reading. It took a few chapters for me to become accustomed to the Appalachian dialect, more so because I was reading it instead of listening to it, but I appreciated its inclusion in the characters’ dialogue because it enhanced the story’s authenticity. As such, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in mountain life, godly living, evangelizing, and tackling challenging topics. I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are some books that are part of a series and it doesn't matter if you haven't read the previous titles but I wish that I had read Whispering of the Willows first. It is the first book in the Big Creek series and I found myself sometimes faltering with this second book, The Melody of the Mulberries. I do, however, think that 'Melody' is well-written and that author Tonya Jewel Blessing has successfully captured the culture of Appalachia in the 1920s. Her characters speak with true Appalachian dialect, there are many references to West Virginia history, and I enjoyed the Appalachian Folk Beliefs that she shares at the beginning of each chapter. I also loved how she uses familiar hymns throughout her story!The Melody of the Mulberries centers around 16 year old Coral Ashby and her family as they deal with several controversial topics. There are instances of superstition and spiritualism; inter-racial relationships and bigotry; unwed mothers; and the problems of life in general. Blessings shows their effects but she stresses that forgiveness is necessary and redemption is always possible.This book is Christian historical fiction and it will be appealing for people who enjoy reading about Appalachian culture. I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. A positive review was not required and these are my honest opinions.

[eamace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

‘Different shades ain’t always about color.’There are many different shades in the history of the Appalachian Mountains. Some of them refer to the topography but many refer to the people that spent their lives in this lovely area of 1920’s West Virginia. This is the background of the story of the Mulberry tree. They give off a beautiful smell, have delicious fruit and can be used medicinally as well. The wind through the leaves and flowers brings a melody not soon forgotten.Book 2 in the Big Creek series allows us to get to know several new characters. Even though I have not yet read book 1, I had no trouble following the fascinating story line. There were many twists and turns, with some humor and a little romance thrown in between. The feelings of grief were realistic and hopeful. I loved the different hymns and how the author brought the faith of these people into the forefront. They leaned heavily on the authority and power of God - something that was a good reminder for me.This ARC was received through NetGalley, Capture books and CelebrateLit. The impressions and opinions stated are my own and were in no way solicited.