From the moment I opened The Moonshiner’s Daughter and read the first line, “The only memory I have of Mama, she was on fire.” I was captured right away and could not stop hearing the story of Jessie Sasser and her search to know about her mama’s short life.
If you have a mother, a mom, or a mama, this is a book for you.
If you have ever rolled through the hilly curving roads of the North Carolina mountains and wondered how the locals can drive faster and more skillfully than you can, this is a book for you.
If you have ever tasted, sniffed, or thought about moonshine or prohibition, get your copy of this book and start reading.
Sixteen-year-old Jessie Sasser and her daddy, younger brother and aunt and uncle had “moonshine running in their veins” and the story of their days is unforgettable. Told from the perspective of Jessie, the reader is drawn into her struggle to understand her role in the “family business” that she blames for her mother’s death, along with being a troubled teen-age high school student. Jessie’s loyalties and struggle bring her to unexpected revelations about her family, her strengths, and a legacy that may provide her with the answers she has been longing for.
This story has wonderful descriptions of sounds, smells, and scenery of the North Carolina woods. I recommend it to lovers of Southern historical fiction. This would make for a great group or book club read. There is also a “Reading Group Guide” with questions included in the back.
Have you ever tasted ‘shine’? Do you prefer it shaken or stirred…or straight from the jar?
NUGGET GAINED: While others may come and go in our lives, our family is always our family.
Thank you Donna Everhart, Suzy Approved Book Tours, and Kensington Books for this book in exchange for my honest review.
https://suzyapprovedbooktours.com
