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Little Souls
Now a Denver Post bestseller
Finalist, 2023 Colorado Book Awards
Sandra Dallas's Little Souls is a gripping tale of sisterhood, loyalty, and secrets set in Denver amid America’s last deadly flu pandemic.
Colorado, 1918. World War I is raging overseas, but it’s the home front battling for survival. With the Spanish Flu rampant, Denver’s schools are converted into hospitals, churches and funeral homes are closed, and horse-drawn wagons collect corpses left in the street. Sisters Helen and Lutie have moved to Denver from Iowa after their parents’ deaths. Helen, a nurse, and Lutie, a carefree advertising designer at a fashionable women’s store share a small, neat house, and each finds a local beau―for Helen a doctor, for Lutie a young student who soon enlists. They make a modest income from a rental apartment in the basement. When their tenant dies from the flu, the sisters are thrust into caring for the woman’s small daughter, Dorothy. Soon after, Lutie comes home from work and discovers a dead man on their kitchen floor and Helen standing above the body, an icepick in hand. She has no doubt Helen killed the man―Dorothy’s father―in self-defense, but she knows that will be hard to prove. They decide to leave the body in the street, hoping to disguise it as a flu victim.
Meanwhile Lutie also worries about her fiancé “over there.” As it happens, his wealthy mother harbors a secret of her own and helps the sisters as the danger deepens, from both the murder investigation and the outbreak.
Set against the backdrop of an epidemic that feels all too familiar, Little Souls is a compelling tale of sisterhood and of the sacrifices people make to protect those they love most.
Finalist, 2023 Colorado Book Awards
Sandra Dallas's Little Souls is a gripping tale of sisterhood, loyalty, and secrets set in Denver amid America’s last deadly flu pandemic.
Colorado, 1918. World War I is raging overseas, but it’s the home front battling for survival. With the Spanish Flu rampant, Denver’s schools are converted into hospitals, churches and funeral homes are closed, and horse-drawn wagons collect corpses left in the street. Sisters Helen and Lutie have moved to Denver from Iowa after their parents’ deaths. Helen, a nurse, and Lutie, a carefree advertising designer at a fashionable women’s store share a small, neat house, and each finds a local beau―for Helen a doctor, for Lutie a young student who soon enlists. They make a modest income from a rental apartment in the basement. When their tenant dies from the flu, the sisters are thrust into caring for the woman’s small daughter, Dorothy. Soon after, Lutie comes home from work and discovers a dead man on their kitchen floor and Helen standing above the body, an icepick in hand. She has no doubt Helen killed the man―Dorothy’s father―in self-defense, but she knows that will be hard to prove. They decide to leave the body in the street, hoping to disguise it as a flu victim.
Meanwhile Lutie also worries about her fiancé “over there.” As it happens, his wealthy mother harbors a secret of her own and helps the sisters as the danger deepens, from both the murder investigation and the outbreak.
Set against the backdrop of an epidemic that feels all too familiar, Little Souls is a compelling tale of sisterhood and of the sacrifices people make to protect those they love most.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2022
About the author
Sandra Dallas
46 books1,686 followersAward-winning author SANDRA DALLAS was dubbed “a quintessential American voice” by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine. Sandra’s novels with their themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films.
A journalism graduate of the University of Denver, Sandra began her writing career as a reporter with Business Week. A staff member for twenty-five years (and the magazine’s first female bureau chief,) she covered the Rocky Mountain region, writing about everything from penny-stock scandals to hard-rock mining, western energy development to contemporary polygamy. Many of her experiences have been incorporated into her novels.
While a reporter, she began writing the first of ten nonfiction books. They include Sacred Paint, which won the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Wrangler Award, and The Quilt That Walked to Golden, recipient of the Independent Publishers Assn. Benjamin Franklin Award.
Turning to fiction in 1990, Sandra has published eight novels, including Prayers For Sale. Sandra is the recipient of the Women Writing the West Willa Award for New Mercies, and two-time winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award, for The Chili Queen and Tallgrass. In addition, she was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award, the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Assn. Award, and a four-time finalist for the Women Writing the West Willa Award.
The mother of two daughters—Dana is an attorney in New Orleans and Povy is a photographer in Golden, Colorado—Sandra lives in Denver with her husband, Bob.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/sandra...
A journalism graduate of the University of Denver, Sandra began her writing career as a reporter with Business Week. A staff member for twenty-five years (and the magazine’s first female bureau chief,) she covered the Rocky Mountain region, writing about everything from penny-stock scandals to hard-rock mining, western energy development to contemporary polygamy. Many of her experiences have been incorporated into her novels.
While a reporter, she began writing the first of ten nonfiction books. They include Sacred Paint, which won the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Wrangler Award, and The Quilt That Walked to Golden, recipient of the Independent Publishers Assn. Benjamin Franklin Award.
Turning to fiction in 1990, Sandra has published eight novels, including Prayers For Sale. Sandra is the recipient of the Women Writing the West Willa Award for New Mercies, and two-time winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award, for The Chili Queen and Tallgrass. In addition, she was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award, the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Assn. Award, and a four-time finalist for the Women Writing the West Willa Award.
The mother of two daughters—Dana is an attorney in New Orleans and Povy is a photographer in Golden, Colorado—Sandra lives in Denver with her husband, Bob.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/sandra...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 965 reviews
April 20, 2022
Little Souls captures Denver in 1918. WWI rages and the Spanish influenza is gaining steam. The government tries to downplay the risk of the flu and rumors abound of what causes it - eating Spanish food, listening in on the party line. Dallas has done her research and does an excellent job of slipping in facts to give us a sense of place and time without disrupting the story.
Lutie and Helen are sisters, an advertising illustrator for a specialized clothing story and a nurse, respectively. They’re fortunate enough to own their own home and rent out the basement to a family. The father, however, is abusive and a drunk, so no one is upset when he disappears. Then the mother falls victim to the flu. The sisters take the little girl in. The story starts with Lutie coming home to discover Helen standing over the dead body of the father, an ice pick in her hand. It then moves backward in time to give us background on the sisters before moving forward with the aftermath of the murder.
Given that plot line, the story could come off as melodramatic, but it remains rooted and at times dark. I love the various definitions about “Little Souls”, the downtrodden and forgotten, to anyone in despair; those people who don’t have much but struggle on every day, living nondescript lives.
The story focuses on moving beyond one’s grief, loyalty and dedication, about putting others’ needs ahead of your own. Dallas does a great job of fleshing out all the characters, not just the sisters, but the secondary characters as well.
Carly Robins did a great job narrating the story.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
Lutie and Helen are sisters, an advertising illustrator for a specialized clothing story and a nurse, respectively. They’re fortunate enough to own their own home and rent out the basement to a family. The father, however, is abusive and a drunk, so no one is upset when he disappears. Then the mother falls victim to the flu. The sisters take the little girl in. The story starts with Lutie coming home to discover Helen standing over the dead body of the father, an ice pick in her hand. It then moves backward in time to give us background on the sisters before moving forward with the aftermath of the murder.
Given that plot line, the story could come off as melodramatic, but it remains rooted and at times dark. I love the various definitions about “Little Souls”, the downtrodden and forgotten, to anyone in despair; those people who don’t have much but struggle on every day, living nondescript lives.
The story focuses on moving beyond one’s grief, loyalty and dedication, about putting others’ needs ahead of your own. Dallas does a great job of fleshing out all the characters, not just the sisters, but the secondary characters as well.
Carly Robins did a great job narrating the story.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
March 11, 2022
Nobody is born a warrior. You have to hone your skills each time the wave of troubles wash over you.
Sandra Dallas presents a time period in history where the trials of life were around every corner. (Sounds kinda familiar in the scheme of things lately.) People leaned in on the bare necessities and weren't privy to more sophisticated means of "dealing" with the cruelties of challenges and tragedies. You just walked full force into the storm.
Lucretia "Lutie" and her sister, Helen, are leaving Iowa behind after the deaths of their parents. Helen, a nurse, finds that Denver may be just the place to start over. Lutie has graduated from design school and finds a job at a Denver specialty store. They've bought a small house with their inheritance and are renting out the basement apartment. Both seem to be adjusting to life in Denver in 1918.
But the sharp edges of life set in eventually. The two young women notice that things have come off the rails with their young family renters. Ron Streeter seems to be involved with some shifty characters and his cruelty is apparent in the faces of his wife, Maud, and their ten year old daughter, Dorothy. Getting involved or turning your head?
Lutie and Helen aren't given a choice when the Spanish Flu Epidemic hits Denver. Maud eventually dies from the flu. Ron Streeter abandons Dorothy. Dorothy finds the waiting arms of the two women. They are determined to adopt Dorothy. Lutie is engaged to Peter who is serving in France. Helen is in a relationship with Gil, a local doctor. Little ducks in a row 'bout now? Not hardly.....
Sandra Dallas doesn't plump up the pillows here. She creates the sharp tentacles of hard-nosed trauma and its aftermath. Each of these characters, including those in a supporting role, have been visited upon by unspeakable life circumstances. Dallas shines a light on the stilted manner in which history and social norms frowned upon giving voice to the voiceless. The storyline takes on some heavy-duty topics wrapped in the reality of the day. Dallas puts it out there. Little Souls is well- written and well-presented with the question asked of just how we address the failings of humanity in the winds of the present. Bravo, Sandra Dallas.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Sandra Dallas for the opportunity.
Sandra Dallas presents a time period in history where the trials of life were around every corner. (Sounds kinda familiar in the scheme of things lately.) People leaned in on the bare necessities and weren't privy to more sophisticated means of "dealing" with the cruelties of challenges and tragedies. You just walked full force into the storm.
Lucretia "Lutie" and her sister, Helen, are leaving Iowa behind after the deaths of their parents. Helen, a nurse, finds that Denver may be just the place to start over. Lutie has graduated from design school and finds a job at a Denver specialty store. They've bought a small house with their inheritance and are renting out the basement apartment. Both seem to be adjusting to life in Denver in 1918.
But the sharp edges of life set in eventually. The two young women notice that things have come off the rails with their young family renters. Ron Streeter seems to be involved with some shifty characters and his cruelty is apparent in the faces of his wife, Maud, and their ten year old daughter, Dorothy. Getting involved or turning your head?
Lutie and Helen aren't given a choice when the Spanish Flu Epidemic hits Denver. Maud eventually dies from the flu. Ron Streeter abandons Dorothy. Dorothy finds the waiting arms of the two women. They are determined to adopt Dorothy. Lutie is engaged to Peter who is serving in France. Helen is in a relationship with Gil, a local doctor. Little ducks in a row 'bout now? Not hardly.....
Sandra Dallas doesn't plump up the pillows here. She creates the sharp tentacles of hard-nosed trauma and its aftermath. Each of these characters, including those in a supporting role, have been visited upon by unspeakable life circumstances. Dallas shines a light on the stilted manner in which history and social norms frowned upon giving voice to the voiceless. The storyline takes on some heavy-duty topics wrapped in the reality of the day. Dallas puts it out there. Little Souls is well- written and well-presented with the question asked of just how we address the failings of humanity in the winds of the present. Bravo, Sandra Dallas.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Sandra Dallas for the opportunity.
August 8, 2022
It’s 1918 in Denver, Colorado. The Spanish Flu continues it’s deadly spread throughout the world, Taking mostly young adults as it’s victims. The world is further devastated by the continued carnage of WWI.
As the novel opens we meet a young woman Lutie who owns a house in a reputable neighborhood with her sister Helen. Lutie comes home one night after work to a dark house which is unusual since Helen, a nurse usually arrives home first. Lutie heads to the kitchen calling out for her. When she arrives there Helen yells for her to leave the light off. As her eyes adjust Lutie makes out 3 figures. First there is Dorothy a 10 year old girl who had lived in the basement apartment with her parents the Streeters. Dorothy lives with the sisters now because her mother recently died of the flu and her father, known to the sisters as a brutal man, disappeared. Next is Helen standing with an ice pick in her hand. Crumpled at their feet is the missing Mr. Streeter obviously dead. What happened here and why? This mystery forms the core of the book.
Though This novel is a mystery it is also great Historical Fiction seamlessly weaving accurate details of WWI, the Flu and day to day life into the storyline. Oh and yes there are romances. Though they form an integral part of the story they never over power it. Instead they add layers and a little lightness to what otherwise could have become a very dark book.
This book is also an exploration of family. What constitutes one? Is it strictly biological or can choice play a part?
This book is so well written I was totally engaged. The main characters are vividly defined and portrayed. I felt the two sisters could very well be my own. We even get to know the secondary characters well. Some you will love others you will hate.
This work is fast paced. It never gets bogged down. It advances easily from one scene to another always moving the multiple parallel storylines forward.
This novel is a very emotional read. I must caution potential readers. There are situations where disease and death are described in detail and sexual assault is discussed. Their are other triggers, yet to share them I would need to include spoilers which I'm trying to avoid. If one does have triggering events please read the description carefully. Also feel free to private message me and I will answer any questions you have.
It’s almost impossible to read this book and not draw parallels between that time and today’s. What with Covid ramping up again with the newest variant and the war in Ukraine continuing to generate talk of WW3, one can be forgiven for confusing which millennia one is in.
i “ read”. Lost Souls using the audiobook version, which was an excellent choice! The narrator does an admirable job bringing the book to life. The characters were each well delineated with their own voice. Though there are quite a few characters I never got confused.
I can highly recommend this novel to all mystery, romance and historical fiction lovers alike. If you like complicated story lines, great believable dialogue and main characters you grow to love and respect this book is for you.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. This fact in no way influenced my review
As the novel opens we meet a young woman Lutie who owns a house in a reputable neighborhood with her sister Helen. Lutie comes home one night after work to a dark house which is unusual since Helen, a nurse usually arrives home first. Lutie heads to the kitchen calling out for her. When she arrives there Helen yells for her to leave the light off. As her eyes adjust Lutie makes out 3 figures. First there is Dorothy a 10 year old girl who had lived in the basement apartment with her parents the Streeters. Dorothy lives with the sisters now because her mother recently died of the flu and her father, known to the sisters as a brutal man, disappeared. Next is Helen standing with an ice pick in her hand. Crumpled at their feet is the missing Mr. Streeter obviously dead. What happened here and why? This mystery forms the core of the book.
Though This novel is a mystery it is also great Historical Fiction seamlessly weaving accurate details of WWI, the Flu and day to day life into the storyline. Oh and yes there are romances. Though they form an integral part of the story they never over power it. Instead they add layers and a little lightness to what otherwise could have become a very dark book.
This book is also an exploration of family. What constitutes one? Is it strictly biological or can choice play a part?
This book is so well written I was totally engaged. The main characters are vividly defined and portrayed. I felt the two sisters could very well be my own. We even get to know the secondary characters well. Some you will love others you will hate.
This work is fast paced. It never gets bogged down. It advances easily from one scene to another always moving the multiple parallel storylines forward.
This novel is a very emotional read. I must caution potential readers. There are situations where disease and death are described in detail and sexual assault is discussed. Their are other triggers, yet to share them I would need to include spoilers which I'm trying to avoid. If one does have triggering events please read the description carefully. Also feel free to private message me and I will answer any questions you have.
It’s almost impossible to read this book and not draw parallels between that time and today’s. What with Covid ramping up again with the newest variant and the war in Ukraine continuing to generate talk of WW3, one can be forgiven for confusing which millennia one is in.
i “ read”. Lost Souls using the audiobook version, which was an excellent choice! The narrator does an admirable job bringing the book to life. The characters were each well delineated with their own voice. Though there are quite a few characters I never got confused.
I can highly recommend this novel to all mystery, romance and historical fiction lovers alike. If you like complicated story lines, great believable dialogue and main characters you grow to love and respect this book is for you.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. This fact in no way influenced my review
April 15, 2022
It seems strange that I would want to read a story that deal with a pandemic. The similarities between the Spanish Flu and current Covid outbreak cannot be denied. The setting is in Denver and it deals with two sisters, Lutie an advertising designer at a local store and Helen, a nurse. Both ladies have beaus, Helen a doctor and Lutie a young man that is going off to war since World War 1 is raging. The girls share a house and have a woman living in the basement with his young daughter, Dorothy. When Dorothy's mother dies from the flu, both Lutie and Helen take over the care of Dorothy.
Tragedy comes in the form on death when Dorothy's mother is found dead and later on Lutie finds Helen with an ice pick in her hand. The body was that of Dorothy's father and the sisters devise a scheme to hide the body. Thinking of how to accomplish this, the sisters hide the body in the street, a common practice for the dead from the flu. They hope that the body will be thought of as a flu victim. Dorothy seems quite reticent at first, but starts to come into her own under the tutelage of the ladies. When the truth comes out the ladies are determined to keep Dorothy away from the cruelty she has been subjected to. The reader eventually discovers why Dorothy is so fearful and the reasons are heinous.
Meanwhile as the story progresses there are more tragedies to come to the door of Lutie and Helen, one of which is the kidnapping of Dorothy by an unscrupulous couple who claim Dorothy is their niece. The ladies are frantic and when the police become involved, more comes out about the couple who supposedly took her. They feared that Dorothy was dead because of her knowledge of the aunt and uncle. They are a nefarious couple whose involvement in crime and unscrupulous activities were known to the police.
This was a sad story. It was a sign of the times that many lived under and the joy, sadness, and happiness that can come from loving and caring for another. Definitely recommended to those who enjoy a drama with many secrets and horrific circumstances that many lived under during times of panic and uncertainty. Through determination and love, Dorothy seems destined to become a happy contented child living among people who love and care for her.
The title Little Souls has a special, poignant meaning.
Thank you to Sandra Dallas, Macmillan audio, and NetGalley for a copy of this story.
Tragedy comes in the form on death when Dorothy's mother is found dead and later on Lutie finds Helen with an ice pick in her hand. The body was that of Dorothy's father and the sisters devise a scheme to hide the body. Thinking of how to accomplish this, the sisters hide the body in the street, a common practice for the dead from the flu. They hope that the body will be thought of as a flu victim. Dorothy seems quite reticent at first, but starts to come into her own under the tutelage of the ladies. When the truth comes out the ladies are determined to keep Dorothy away from the cruelty she has been subjected to. The reader eventually discovers why Dorothy is so fearful and the reasons are heinous.
Meanwhile as the story progresses there are more tragedies to come to the door of Lutie and Helen, one of which is the kidnapping of Dorothy by an unscrupulous couple who claim Dorothy is their niece. The ladies are frantic and when the police become involved, more comes out about the couple who supposedly took her. They feared that Dorothy was dead because of her knowledge of the aunt and uncle. They are a nefarious couple whose involvement in crime and unscrupulous activities were known to the police.
This was a sad story. It was a sign of the times that many lived under and the joy, sadness, and happiness that can come from loving and caring for another. Definitely recommended to those who enjoy a drama with many secrets and horrific circumstances that many lived under during times of panic and uncertainty. Through determination and love, Dorothy seems destined to become a happy contented child living among people who love and care for her.
The title Little Souls has a special, poignant meaning.
Thank you to Sandra Dallas, Macmillan audio, and NetGalley for a copy of this story.
June 10, 2022
3.5 The year is 1918 and WWII along with the Spanish flu is causing much heartbreak. Ludie and Helen are sisters who, after the death of their parents, move to Colorado. Helen, the elder is a nurse who quickly finds herself treating or trying to treat those afflicted with the highly contagious flu. Ludie, works in advertising, and is the mainstay, keeping their household running. Renting put the basement apartment brings the sisters into the life of 10 year old Dorothy and the horrible things being done to her by her father.
There is much sadness here, both from the flu and personal matters. It does a good portraying life under these double world sorrows. So many died leaving those behind to try to move forward, pick up the pieces. A good historical of a time, too much like now, but it does show that despite sorrow life goes on and small and large happinesses can still be found.
The audio narration was very good.
There is much sadness here, both from the flu and personal matters. It does a good portraying life under these double world sorrows. So many died leaving those behind to try to move forward, pick up the pieces. A good historical of a time, too much like now, but it does show that despite sorrow life goes on and small and large happinesses can still be found.
The audio narration was very good.
November 12, 2024
3.5 stars
This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/li...
This novel is set during World War I, when the Spanish Flu pandemic devastated populations around the globe. The deadly illness infected about 500 million people worldwide and may have caused up to 50 million deaths. People were so frightened of the disease they would leave deceased victims in the streets, to be picked up by death wagons.
Millions of victims succumbed to the Spanish Flu
The story opens in 1918, when America is scurrying to produce the soldiers, food supplies, munitions and money needed to win the war. After the death of their parents, two twentysomething sisters, Helen Hite - a nurse.....
.....and Lucretia (Lutie) Hite - a fashion illustrator, move from Iowa to Denver, Colorado.
The sisters buy a house and rent out the basement to the Streeter family - Ron, Maud, and their 10-year-old daughter Dorothy.
Helen is engaged to a doctor called Gil Rushton.....
.....and Lutie dates a theology student named Peter Howell.
Even though he's a divinity student, Peter feels compelled to enlist in the army, and he proposes to Lutie before he leaves for France.
Basement tenant Ron Streeter is an unemployed rotter who constantly fights with his wife Maud and sexually abuses his daughter Dorothy.
Eventually Ron moves out of the house and deserts his family, and Maud dies shortly afterwards, from the Spanish Flu. This leaves Dorothy in the care of Helen and Lutie, who love the child and think of her as a younger sister.
One day Lutie comes home from work to find Ron dead on the kitchen floor, Helen standing over him with an ice pick, and Dorothy crouching nearby, in shock.
Helen says she stabbed Ron when he broke into the house and tried to rape Dorothy. With the help of Helen's fiancé Gil, the sisters leave Ron in a vacant lot, with a note saying he was a victim of the Spanish Flu.
The sisters hope Ron's body, supposedly riddled with flu virus, won't be closely examined. However two detectives show up at Helen and Lutie's door, saying Ron was murdered. The detectives are clearly suspicious of Helen and Lutie, but the women insist Ron moved out months ago, and they haven't seen him since.
As the police investigation proceeds, Helen and Lutie try to adopt Dorothy, but are stymied by the girl's aunt and uncle, Beulah and Gus Vincent, an unscrupulous couple who have nefarious plans for the little girl. In fact, there are suspicions that Ron Streeter 'shared' Dorothy with Gus.
Luckily, the parents of Lutie's fiancé Peter - a wealthy influential couple - make it their business to help Helen and Lutie.
As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed, tragedies occur, and the ongoing suffering of trauma victims is discussed. The bonds of family and friendship are examined, and it's clear that human connections help the characters cope with trying events.
The story provides a dire picture of the Spanish Flu pandemic, which was eerily similar to the recent Covid-19 pandemic. The Spanish Flu resulted in the closure of schools, businesses, theaters, places of worship, and other public gathering places. Mass transportation was limited and people were advised to wear masks, practice social distancing, institute appropriate disinfection procedures, and quarantine victims. As with the Covid-19 outbreak, some people/municipalities followed the rules better than others, with a resulting difference in mortality rates.
Many establishments were closed during the Spanish Flu pandemic
People were advised to wear masks during the Spanish Flu pandemic.
I listened to the audiobook version of the story, which was excellently narrated by Carly Robins.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
April 14, 2022
1918 in Colorado is hardly an easy year for anyone. The Spanish Flu, a natural biological disaster is killing young people and terrifying everyone. This is so eerily close to our current situation with Covid.
Yet, there is also a war looming. I have read several books similar with this theme. What sets this book apart is the relationship between the two sisters, Helen who is a nurse and Lutie who went to design school and now is overqualified for her job at a Specialty Shop. Yet, life will get more difficult for the sisters in the next couple of years. Both of their parents have died, so that is how they purchase a small house in Colorado. They rent out the basement to a family, where the father is abusive to his wife and the sisters suspect also his daughter, Dorothy. Maud, the mom gets the Spanish Flu and dies. The father is certainly not the type equipped to raise a young daughter properly. So, both sisters decide to let Dorothy stay with them and she becomes a third sister.
In times like these, the support of your family is probably what is going to save you or at least keep you going until better times come along. Lutie and Helen are each strong women in their own right, but it’s this relationship that makes the book special. That they love Dorothy is a wonderful relationship as well. It is certain that no matter what hardship comes to any of them, the other sister will help out always. Both will do everything to protect Dorothy from further damage and trauma. So, this is the heartwarming part of the book. It carrying them through some extremely rough times. This core relationship helps as they get older and enter new relationships.
So, that is why I liked this book so much. If you feel you have just one family member you can count on, this often changes the course of your life. So, yes a sad and upsetting story at times, but an uplifting one, too. We all need people that really love us no matter what the circumstances.
I had this as a Kindle Book and also the audio version. I listened a lot to the audio 🎧 since I was driving a long distance yesterday. The audio was clear, easy to understand, and the narration was good. However, when I got to my hotel there were passages I liked and wanted to read in the book and did. I also finished the last few chapters reading them. I liked the combination. I think you could have the book alone or the audio alone and still enjoy this story. I just liked hearing the different characters speak their emotions and also seeing some deeper passages that were written.
Thank you St. Martin, Sandra Dallas, St. Martins, and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC of both the e-book and the audio.
Yet, there is also a war looming. I have read several books similar with this theme. What sets this book apart is the relationship between the two sisters, Helen who is a nurse and Lutie who went to design school and now is overqualified for her job at a Specialty Shop. Yet, life will get more difficult for the sisters in the next couple of years. Both of their parents have died, so that is how they purchase a small house in Colorado. They rent out the basement to a family, where the father is abusive to his wife and the sisters suspect also his daughter, Dorothy. Maud, the mom gets the Spanish Flu and dies. The father is certainly not the type equipped to raise a young daughter properly. So, both sisters decide to let Dorothy stay with them and she becomes a third sister.
In times like these, the support of your family is probably what is going to save you or at least keep you going until better times come along. Lutie and Helen are each strong women in their own right, but it’s this relationship that makes the book special. That they love Dorothy is a wonderful relationship as well. It is certain that no matter what hardship comes to any of them, the other sister will help out always. Both will do everything to protect Dorothy from further damage and trauma. So, this is the heartwarming part of the book. It carrying them through some extremely rough times. This core relationship helps as they get older and enter new relationships.
So, that is why I liked this book so much. If you feel you have just one family member you can count on, this often changes the course of your life. So, yes a sad and upsetting story at times, but an uplifting one, too. We all need people that really love us no matter what the circumstances.
I had this as a Kindle Book and also the audio version. I listened a lot to the audio 🎧 since I was driving a long distance yesterday. The audio was clear, easy to understand, and the narration was good. However, when I got to my hotel there were passages I liked and wanted to read in the book and did. I also finished the last few chapters reading them. I liked the combination. I think you could have the book alone or the audio alone and still enjoy this story. I just liked hearing the different characters speak their emotions and also seeing some deeper passages that were written.
Thank you St. Martin, Sandra Dallas, St. Martins, and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC of both the e-book and the audio.
April 26, 2022
3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Straight-up honesty from this avid reader, I talk a lot in my reviews about falling fully immersed into the narrative. As much as I enjoy Sandra Dallas's novels, this historical fiction set in Colorado during World War I, Prohibition and the Spanish Influenza took me a while before I really got into the story.
Sisters Helen and Lutie along with their young charge, Dorothy held a bond of true sisterhood during a time when the world around them was very turbulent. Author Sandra Dallas does not censor the many effects of influenza on its young patients and for a while, it seemed that the characters faced one tragedy after the other. My own heart felt very turbulent! That being said, I never felt that the plot was overdramatic, it still kept a very realistic feel.
Expected Publication Date 26/04/22
Goodreads review published 30/03/22
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Straight-up honesty from this avid reader, I talk a lot in my reviews about falling fully immersed into the narrative. As much as I enjoy Sandra Dallas's novels, this historical fiction set in Colorado during World War I, Prohibition and the Spanish Influenza took me a while before I really got into the story.
Sisters Helen and Lutie along with their young charge, Dorothy held a bond of true sisterhood during a time when the world around them was very turbulent. Author Sandra Dallas does not censor the many effects of influenza on its young patients and for a while, it seemed that the characters faced one tragedy after the other. My own heart felt very turbulent! That being said, I never felt that the plot was overdramatic, it still kept a very realistic feel.
Expected Publication Date 26/04/22
Goodreads review published 30/03/22
July 12, 2022
After their parents pass away, two sisters move from rural Iowa to Denver, Colorado to start a new life in the early 1900’s. They each find jobs and both begin dating nice, “respectable” young men. Their lives settle into a comfortable routine and their futures look bright. To supplement their income, they rent out the lower level of their home. However, their lives are unalterably changed when the United States enters World War I, the Great Influenza overwhelms the nation, and a man is murdered in their home.
This is a story of family, perseverance, grief, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds between sisters that will draw you in and hold your interest. The ending was predictable, but the story was still interesting.
This is a story of family, perseverance, grief, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds between sisters that will draw you in and hold your interest. The ending was predictable, but the story was still interesting.
May 9, 2022
Little Souls by Sandra Dallas was a very compelling historical fiction novel that took place in the early 1900’s during The Spanish Flu pandemic. Simultaneously, while the people around the world battled this quizzical and dreaded flu, World War I was being fought. Women’s roles were clearly defined and opportunities were often lacking for the women that lived during that time period. The type of jobs that were available for women in those times did not promote advancement and the women who held those jobs were not compensated with the same monetary policy afforded to men with the same positions. They were dead end jobs. Women who suffered from abusive husbands were forced to just accept what was being done to them. Few believed them and even if they did the women were usually blamed for doing something that instigated the behavior in the first place. It was a hard time to be a woman.
During this time, two very close and devoted sisters had recently lost both of their parents. Helen, the oldest of the two sisters, was determined to sell their parent’s home that was located in a small rural community in Ohio and move to a big city like Denver and start a new life. Lutie, the younger of the two sisters, agreed to accompany her sister to Denver. They purchased a home together and rented out the basement apartment to a couple with a small daughter. Helen was a nurse at the local hospital. She was working tirelessly by nursing the victims that presented with symptoms of the Spanish Flu. The hospitals were overflowing with patients with the Spanish Flu so schools and other buildings were converted to accommodate the countless patients. Lutie was working as an advertiser for fashion at a well known and respected department store in downtown Denver. Although her job was a dead end job Lutie didn’t seem to mind. She was quite talented when it came to sketching fashion and even making her own clothes.
One night, as Lutie made her way home after a long and thankless day at work, she encountered a haunting sight. Lying on the street, right before her eyes, was a man. As she got closer, Lutie realized that the man was dying.. He was another victim of the Spanish Flu. Lutie almost bent down to try and see if she could do anything for the man but then she remembered Helen’s warnings about how contagious this flu was. Lutie planned on telling Helen about the man she had seen but when she entered their home, Helen was standing in the kitchen over a body of a dead man, holding a bloody ice pick in her hand. There was no question in Lutie’s mind that Helen had killed the man. Upon closer inspection, Lutie realized that the dead man was the husband of the woman who had been their renter. When the woman renter died from the Spanish Flu, Helen and Lutie were in total agreement that they would take care of Dorothy, the daughter. The father had left his wife and daughter months before but now here he was dead on their kitchen floor. Since so many of the victims of the Spanish Flu were left on the streets to be picked up by carts, Helen and Lutie devised a plan to do the same with the body of Dorothy’s father. They pinned a note on his clothes that read: victim of the Spanish Flu. Helen’s beau, Gil, a doctor at the same hospital where Helen worked, helped Lutie accomplish this. Lutie believed that the only reason Helen could have killed Dorothy’s father was in self defense. No matter what, she would protect her sister, even if it meant bending the truth when the police came to question them. Lutie was determined to keep Helen and Dorothy safe.
Lutie also had a boyfriend who was considering becoming a minister. The idea of marrying a minister and becoming a minister’s wife was not very appealing to Lutie, though. In spite of everything, Lutie fell in love with him. Then one day he told her that he had enlisted. Lutie was devastated. The two became engaged before he went off to war. Lutie had even met his parents before he went off to war. His father was a judge and Lutie took to him immediately. Both his mother and father would become important people in Lutie’s life. They would come to her rescue more than once or twice.
Little Souls was the first book that I have read by Sandra Dallas but it will not be the last. I enjoyed Sandra Dallas’s plot development in Little Souls and her writing was wonderful. The timing for this engaging book could not have been better timed as we battled and lived through the COVID 19 pandemic. The similarities between the two pandemics were too numerous and almost frightening. I love when a novel has a strong female protagonist and this one most definitely did. I cried a few times during this performance of Little Souls but I also smiled a lot, too. Little Souls explored the themes of sisterhood, love, loss, abuse, determination, strong wills, and secrets. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Little Souls and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
During this time, two very close and devoted sisters had recently lost both of their parents. Helen, the oldest of the two sisters, was determined to sell their parent’s home that was located in a small rural community in Ohio and move to a big city like Denver and start a new life. Lutie, the younger of the two sisters, agreed to accompany her sister to Denver. They purchased a home together and rented out the basement apartment to a couple with a small daughter. Helen was a nurse at the local hospital. She was working tirelessly by nursing the victims that presented with symptoms of the Spanish Flu. The hospitals were overflowing with patients with the Spanish Flu so schools and other buildings were converted to accommodate the countless patients. Lutie was working as an advertiser for fashion at a well known and respected department store in downtown Denver. Although her job was a dead end job Lutie didn’t seem to mind. She was quite talented when it came to sketching fashion and even making her own clothes.
One night, as Lutie made her way home after a long and thankless day at work, she encountered a haunting sight. Lying on the street, right before her eyes, was a man. As she got closer, Lutie realized that the man was dying.. He was another victim of the Spanish Flu. Lutie almost bent down to try and see if she could do anything for the man but then she remembered Helen’s warnings about how contagious this flu was. Lutie planned on telling Helen about the man she had seen but when she entered their home, Helen was standing in the kitchen over a body of a dead man, holding a bloody ice pick in her hand. There was no question in Lutie’s mind that Helen had killed the man. Upon closer inspection, Lutie realized that the dead man was the husband of the woman who had been their renter. When the woman renter died from the Spanish Flu, Helen and Lutie were in total agreement that they would take care of Dorothy, the daughter. The father had left his wife and daughter months before but now here he was dead on their kitchen floor. Since so many of the victims of the Spanish Flu were left on the streets to be picked up by carts, Helen and Lutie devised a plan to do the same with the body of Dorothy’s father. They pinned a note on his clothes that read: victim of the Spanish Flu. Helen’s beau, Gil, a doctor at the same hospital where Helen worked, helped Lutie accomplish this. Lutie believed that the only reason Helen could have killed Dorothy’s father was in self defense. No matter what, she would protect her sister, even if it meant bending the truth when the police came to question them. Lutie was determined to keep Helen and Dorothy safe.
Lutie also had a boyfriend who was considering becoming a minister. The idea of marrying a minister and becoming a minister’s wife was not very appealing to Lutie, though. In spite of everything, Lutie fell in love with him. Then one day he told her that he had enlisted. Lutie was devastated. The two became engaged before he went off to war. Lutie had even met his parents before he went off to war. His father was a judge and Lutie took to him immediately. Both his mother and father would become important people in Lutie’s life. They would come to her rescue more than once or twice.
Little Souls was the first book that I have read by Sandra Dallas but it will not be the last. I enjoyed Sandra Dallas’s plot development in Little Souls and her writing was wonderful. The timing for this engaging book could not have been better timed as we battled and lived through the COVID 19 pandemic. The similarities between the two pandemics were too numerous and almost frightening. I love when a novel has a strong female protagonist and this one most definitely did. I cried a few times during this performance of Little Souls but I also smiled a lot, too. Little Souls explored the themes of sisterhood, love, loss, abuse, determination, strong wills, and secrets. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Little Souls and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 1, 2022
Little Souls by Sandra Dallas is a wonderful sweet book. 2 sisters fall in law one boyfriend goes off to war. The other is a doctor. The sisters befriend a little girl. After a lot of action, death, influenza and general mean spirited people. One sister fights for the little girl. In the end that sister must make a huge decision. The only way to keep Dorothy.
August 17, 2022
It is not often that you will see me handing out 5-star reviews or recommending books. Well, this is one book that I must do both for.
This is an amazing book, but you must be prepared because it delves into many issues we are dealing with today, and they are not pretty.
Trigger Warnings include but are not limited to-Covid/Spanish flu, incest, rape, murder, war, sexism, and so much heartache that I don't know how I stood it. But I did because this book just had to have had a happy ending. It just had to-and it did.
You do need to do a little suspension of disbelief with Little Souls because it was difficult for me to grasp how much could go wrong and did. How many lives were lost. It just boggled my mind. However, the author handles this all with aplomb and has you believing every word and action the characters make/take.
This book reminds me of another author who tackled a similar look at what was happening in America during this same period and pandemic. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you are in luck if you choose to read another book similar to this one.The Orphan Collector
This book, Little Souls, is superior, though.
This was a fantastic historical fiction novel, and I will surely be visiting my library to read more written by Sandra Dallas.
*ARC supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author Sandra Dallas, and NetGalley. Many thanks.
This is an amazing book, but you must be prepared because it delves into many issues we are dealing with today, and they are not pretty.
Trigger Warnings include but are not limited to-Covid/Spanish flu, incest, rape, murder, war, sexism, and so much heartache that I don't know how I stood it. But I did because this book just had to have had a happy ending. It just had to-and it did.
You do need to do a little suspension of disbelief with Little Souls because it was difficult for me to grasp how much could go wrong and did. How many lives were lost. It just boggled my mind. However, the author handles this all with aplomb and has you believing every word and action the characters make/take.
This book reminds me of another author who tackled a similar look at what was happening in America during this same period and pandemic. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you are in luck if you choose to read another book similar to this one.The Orphan Collector
This book, Little Souls, is superior, though.
This was a fantastic historical fiction novel, and I will surely be visiting my library to read more written by Sandra Dallas.
*ARC supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author Sandra Dallas, and NetGalley. Many thanks.
April 12, 2022
1918 in Colorado is hardly an easy year for anyone. The Spanish Flu, a natural biological disaster is killing young people and terrifying everyone. This is so eerily close to our current situation with Covid.
Yet, there is also a war looming. I have read several books similar with this theme. What sets this book apart is the relationship between the two sisters, Helen who is a nurse and Laurie who went to design school and now is overqualified for her job at a Specialty Shop. Yet, life will get more difficult for the sisters in the next couple of years. Both of their parents have died, so that is how they purchase a small house in Colorado. They rent out the basement to a family, where the father is abusive to his wife and the sisters suspect also his daughter, Dorothy. Maud, the mom gets the Spanish Flu and dies. The father is certainly not the type equipped to raise a young daughter properly. So, both sisters decide to let Dorothy stay with them and she becomes a third sister.
In times like these, the support of your family is probably what is going to save you or at least keep you going until better times come along. Lutie and Helen are each strong women in their own right, but it’s this relationship that makes the book special. That they love Dorothy is a wonderful relationship as well. It is certain that no matter what hardship comes to any of them, the other sister will help out always. Both will do everything to protect Dorothy from further damage and trauma. So, this is the heartwarming part of the book. It carrying them through some extremely rough times. This core relationship helps as they get older and enter new relationships.
So, that is why I liked this book so much. If you feel you have just one family member you can count on, this often changes the course of your life. So, yes a sad and upsetting story at times, but an uplifting one, too. We all need people that really love us no matter what the circumstances.
I had this as a Kindle Book and also the audio version. I listened a lot to the audio 🎧 since I was driving a long distance yesterday. The audio was clear, easy to understand, and the narration was good. However, when I got to my hotel there were passages I liked and wanted to read in the book and did. I also finished the last few chapters reading them. I liked the combination. I think you could have the book alone or the audio alone and still enjoy this story. I just liked hearing the different characters speak their emotions and also seeing some deeper passages that were written.
Thank you St. Martin, Sandra Dallas, St. Martins, and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC of both the e-book and the audio.
Yet, there is also a war looming. I have read several books similar with this theme. What sets this book apart is the relationship between the two sisters, Helen who is a nurse and Laurie who went to design school and now is overqualified for her job at a Specialty Shop. Yet, life will get more difficult for the sisters in the next couple of years. Both of their parents have died, so that is how they purchase a small house in Colorado. They rent out the basement to a family, where the father is abusive to his wife and the sisters suspect also his daughter, Dorothy. Maud, the mom gets the Spanish Flu and dies. The father is certainly not the type equipped to raise a young daughter properly. So, both sisters decide to let Dorothy stay with them and she becomes a third sister.
In times like these, the support of your family is probably what is going to save you or at least keep you going until better times come along. Lutie and Helen are each strong women in their own right, but it’s this relationship that makes the book special. That they love Dorothy is a wonderful relationship as well. It is certain that no matter what hardship comes to any of them, the other sister will help out always. Both will do everything to protect Dorothy from further damage and trauma. So, this is the heartwarming part of the book. It carrying them through some extremely rough times. This core relationship helps as they get older and enter new relationships.
So, that is why I liked this book so much. If you feel you have just one family member you can count on, this often changes the course of your life. So, yes a sad and upsetting story at times, but an uplifting one, too. We all need people that really love us no matter what the circumstances.
I had this as a Kindle Book and also the audio version. I listened a lot to the audio 🎧 since I was driving a long distance yesterday. The audio was clear, easy to understand, and the narration was good. However, when I got to my hotel there were passages I liked and wanted to read in the book and did. I also finished the last few chapters reading them. I liked the combination. I think you could have the book alone or the audio alone and still enjoy this story. I just liked hearing the different characters speak their emotions and also seeing some deeper passages that were written.
Thank you St. Martin, Sandra Dallas, St. Martins, and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC of both the e-book and the audio.
September 7, 2022
3.5 stars
Sandra Dallas is one author that I go to when I need a palate cleanse. Her novels always work the trick.
With this particular book I had to keep in mind that the background of this story was set in 1918 - a much different time than now. I find that Dallas brings a lot of relevant content to her novels, however she just seems to skim the surface and does not delve deeply into any one thing. She hit on the Spanish flu, World War I, child abuse, socioeconomic divisions and women's rights, but kept them all on a relatively superficial level concentrating more on the individual characters in the story. Which for me is okay, I usually like her characters.
I listened to this book on audio and enjoyed it. The story line was easy to follow and a welcome relief from the mysteries I have been reading.
Sandra Dallas is one author that I go to when I need a palate cleanse. Her novels always work the trick.
With this particular book I had to keep in mind that the background of this story was set in 1918 - a much different time than now. I find that Dallas brings a lot of relevant content to her novels, however she just seems to skim the surface and does not delve deeply into any one thing. She hit on the Spanish flu, World War I, child abuse, socioeconomic divisions and women's rights, but kept them all on a relatively superficial level concentrating more on the individual characters in the story. Which for me is okay, I usually like her characters.
I listened to this book on audio and enjoyed it. The story line was easy to follow and a welcome relief from the mysteries I have been reading.
July 21, 2021
Despite a storyline that included incest, murder, dead people stacked like cordwood along the street, domestic violence, rape and prostitution, "Little Souls" seemed a little "innocent" to me.
Sandra Dallas wrote a very straightforward story focused primarily upon one young woman who endures a self-described nightmare during the waning days of The Great War and the onslaught of what was dubbed the Spanish influenza (Fun fact: Apparently, the virus perhaps started in Kansas and was spread by soldiers off to war).
What happens to Lute, her sister, a little girl orphan they've taken in and the sisters' beaus lacked the drama and urgency readers might have expected. After all, the book is filled with death; that should have packed an emotional punch. Unfortunately, Sandra Dallas did a perfectly fine job of writing this novel, but it lacked some of the heart she usually imbues into her stories.
#NetGalley #LittleSouls
Sandra Dallas wrote a very straightforward story focused primarily upon one young woman who endures a self-described nightmare during the waning days of The Great War and the onslaught of what was dubbed the Spanish influenza (Fun fact: Apparently, the virus perhaps started in Kansas and was spread by soldiers off to war).
What happens to Lute, her sister, a little girl orphan they've taken in and the sisters' beaus lacked the drama and urgency readers might have expected. After all, the book is filled with death; that should have packed an emotional punch. Unfortunately, Sandra Dallas did a perfectly fine job of writing this novel, but it lacked some of the heart she usually imbues into her stories.
#NetGalley #LittleSouls
October 15, 2022
2★
Too sentimental and predictable for me. I did quite a bit of skimming.
Too sentimental and predictable for me. I did quite a bit of skimming.
June 20, 2021
Little Souls by Sandra Dallas is a great historical fiction novel that takes place in western US during the 1918 flu epidemic and WWI and kept me entertained from beginning to end.
This is an intricately woven story of two sisters that have moved out west during a period of political, societal, and epidemiological uncertainty. So many things were changing at this time both here in the States, as well as abroad.
Two sisters, Lutie and Helen, give the reader a snapshot as to what women were up against during this time. Through a narrative that weaves history, drama, suspense, murder, mystery, love, loss, sacrifice, and forgiveness, the author tells a tale of two sisters trying to survive and come out alright upon the other side of the metaphorical mountain of obstacles.
The author shows her talent by creating a wonderfully complex, creative, and genuine cast of characters, especially with the two main female characters. She made them real, raw, honest, flawed, and fascinating. Their mistakes, their triumphs, and the eventual outcomes made this book unique and gripping. I really loved seeing this special and memorable story unfold.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
This is an intricately woven story of two sisters that have moved out west during a period of political, societal, and epidemiological uncertainty. So many things were changing at this time both here in the States, as well as abroad.
Two sisters, Lutie and Helen, give the reader a snapshot as to what women were up against during this time. Through a narrative that weaves history, drama, suspense, murder, mystery, love, loss, sacrifice, and forgiveness, the author tells a tale of two sisters trying to survive and come out alright upon the other side of the metaphorical mountain of obstacles.
The author shows her talent by creating a wonderfully complex, creative, and genuine cast of characters, especially with the two main female characters. She made them real, raw, honest, flawed, and fascinating. Their mistakes, their triumphs, and the eventual outcomes made this book unique and gripping. I really loved seeing this special and memorable story unfold.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
May 31, 2022
Another wonderful Sandra Dallas tale! Set during the influenza epidemic at the end of WWI, it felt
very relevant to today. Very memorable characters, I enjoyed every minute of it.
very relevant to today. Very memorable characters, I enjoyed every minute of it.
March 24, 2022
LITTLE SOULS
by Sandra Dallas
St. Martin's Press
Pub Date: Apr 26
I HAD to read Little Souls as soon I learned it was set in Denver during the Flu Epidemic of 1918. It has such a compelling storyline involving two sisters, Helen, a nurse, and Lutie, a woman's store ad designer. Soon, they find themselves caring for Dorothy, the daughter of their tenant who died of the flu. They're also impacted by a terrible tragedy, while secrets, the war, and the Pandemic swirl around them.
The author has written such a gripping tale that I read it in two hungry gulps, intrigued by the deftly penned narrative and the well-developed characters. A must-read for histfic fans and for those intrigued by WWI and the 1918 flu.
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#LittleSouls #SandraDallas #stmartinspress
#NetGalley #historicalfictionnovel #wwifiction #1918fluepidemicfiction #denverfluepidemicnovel #bookstagramcommunity
by Sandra Dallas
St. Martin's Press
Pub Date: Apr 26
I HAD to read Little Souls as soon I learned it was set in Denver during the Flu Epidemic of 1918. It has such a compelling storyline involving two sisters, Helen, a nurse, and Lutie, a woman's store ad designer. Soon, they find themselves caring for Dorothy, the daughter of their tenant who died of the flu. They're also impacted by a terrible tragedy, while secrets, the war, and the Pandemic swirl around them.
The author has written such a gripping tale that I read it in two hungry gulps, intrigued by the deftly penned narrative and the well-developed characters. A must-read for histfic fans and for those intrigued by WWI and the 1918 flu.
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#LittleSouls #SandraDallas #stmartinspress
#NetGalley #historicalfictionnovel #wwifiction #1918fluepidemicfiction #denverfluepidemicnovel #bookstagramcommunity
February 24, 2022
Both a difficult book to read and review, this one is about two sisters living in Denver during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. I was curious about how our current world situation compared to what these women faced 100 years ago.
Although this book mentions soldiers returning home with the flu, it mainly focuses on those on the homefront. In addition to women working to fill the jobs vacated by men, they also dealt with all too familiar public closures as we are experiencing the world over. The losses were immense and the sadness and hopelessness pervaded everything. People struggled to make ends meet as they are today. I couldn’t help think about how fortunate we were to receive a vaccine that cut down on the losses. I was shocked that mask-wearing was as controversial at the end of WW1 as it is today.
The author stayed true to the times with mindsets and era specifics, she also dealt with sexual assault, prostitution, child abuse, kidnapping and trafficking. It was, at times, a heavy read. I wonder if perhaps she attempted to cover too much in her plot. I also had difficulty with it being told from Lutie’s point of view. It came across as if she was a spectator. Yes, it was predictable. Yes, there was a lot of ‘filler’ but the focus of helping to alleviate the suffering and loss of the ‘little souls’ came across clearly.
Please don’t let my review influence your reading choices. My family is in healthcare and have personally experienced several losses of those close to me due to Covid. It was perhaps a bit too soon for me to be reading this book. Perhaps with better perspective, I’d have a different opinion. It is a slow read, similar to Hannah’s ‘Four Winds’ and gives readers an accurate, all-encompassing and informative look into the previous pandemic.
I was gifted this advance copy by Sandra Dallas, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Although this book mentions soldiers returning home with the flu, it mainly focuses on those on the homefront. In addition to women working to fill the jobs vacated by men, they also dealt with all too familiar public closures as we are experiencing the world over. The losses were immense and the sadness and hopelessness pervaded everything. People struggled to make ends meet as they are today. I couldn’t help think about how fortunate we were to receive a vaccine that cut down on the losses. I was shocked that mask-wearing was as controversial at the end of WW1 as it is today.
The author stayed true to the times with mindsets and era specifics, she also dealt with sexual assault, prostitution, child abuse, kidnapping and trafficking. It was, at times, a heavy read. I wonder if perhaps she attempted to cover too much in her plot. I also had difficulty with it being told from Lutie’s point of view. It came across as if she was a spectator. Yes, it was predictable. Yes, there was a lot of ‘filler’ but the focus of helping to alleviate the suffering and loss of the ‘little souls’ came across clearly.
Please don’t let my review influence your reading choices. My family is in healthcare and have personally experienced several losses of those close to me due to Covid. It was perhaps a bit too soon for me to be reading this book. Perhaps with better perspective, I’d have a different opinion. It is a slow read, similar to Hannah’s ‘Four Winds’ and gives readers an accurate, all-encompassing and informative look into the previous pandemic.
I was gifted this advance copy by Sandra Dallas, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
November 6, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Interest
I’ve read a couple of other books by Sandra Dallas (see the bottom of this post) and I keep hoping there will be one of her books that I really love. I’ve been “fine” with them, there were “fine,” I just want to be wowed by this author. This story seemed to have that potential. It’s a timely story beings set in the Spanish Flu epidemic that began in the last year of World War I, 1918 and lasted until 1920. It also features two independent ladies–sisters, who move to a new place all on their own. And, for once, that place wasn’t New York, but Denver, Colorado.
The Story
Sisters Lutie, an illustrator, and Helen, a nurse, move to Denver and find work. Lutie illustrates ads for a department store and Helen works at a hospital. They rent the basement of their house out for extra income. A family moves in with an unstable husband, a long-suffering wife, and a little daughter who needs protecting.
Meanwhile, both of the sisters find prospective husbands–Helen, naturally finds a young doctor, and Lutie, unexpectedly lands the son of a local judge–a powerful and wealthy man. The sisters watch as America enters the war–Lutie’s finance ships out with the other Doughboys. Meanwhile, in the basement, all is not good. The husband takes his frustrations out on his little family. When the wife dies, the daughter is left too vulnerable. Meanwhile, the flu strikes.
My Thoughts
My first thought is, why hasn’t Oprah promoted this book? Then I remembered it isn’t out until April 26th. It packs about as much depressing stuff into a story as possible. All of the normal Oprah book type stuff. Rape, murder, trafficking, incest, rats, blackmail, false accusations, disease, a hooker with a heart of gold–you name it, its in there, albeit in small doses and thankfully not graphically depicted. This has Oprah’s Book Club written all over it.
Then there were things like this: “The Rocky Mountain News said we wouldn’t need to be afraid of the influenza if we voted Republican.” Make it stop already! Trump is gone. Quit with this stuff. Stay in the time of the story, please. Wilson was President then and he was a Democrat. And then prescient statements like this: “You know…they’re saying the [flu] could kill as many people as the war…..” And then this gem” “I’d like to be a fine artist painting pictures to make people see the injustice in the world, that cause them to protest discrimination….” Right…exactly. That was happening all over the place in 1917, right? In the U.S. it was all but illegal to gather during World War I. President Wilson re-segregated the Civil Service and cracked down on anything that could stir dissent against the war or for the Germans.
I was interested enough in the sisters’ story to finish the book, but oh boy what a finish! Will the woke never end in contemporary fiction? The heart-strings were tugged as well as the corset strings. I cared about Lutie and Helen and Dorothy and admired their spirit and independence. I was impressed with the way they helped and protected Dorothy. But the author had them swear like modern day women. If Helen had been overheard swearing she’d have been fired. Probably Lutie would have, too. And women did NOT smoke in public then. None. Maybe in a Paris nightclub, but not in Conservative Denver, Colorado ice cream shop. Do not “modernize” things to appeal to today’s readers. It doesn’t work.
This story just had too many bad things going on. It was depressing more than serious. I didn’t expect all unicorns and rainbows, but I didn’t expect a Penny Dreadful either. The soliloquy by the judge’s wife made me giggle, roll my eyes AND yell “Oh, please” and it was supposed to be serious. I also thought the Epilogue was silly and shouldn’t have been there. It seemed like a sop to book clubs (or a ruse by the editor to keep the author from writing a sequel?)
My Interest
I’ve read a couple of other books by Sandra Dallas (see the bottom of this post) and I keep hoping there will be one of her books that I really love. I’ve been “fine” with them, there were “fine,” I just want to be wowed by this author. This story seemed to have that potential. It’s a timely story beings set in the Spanish Flu epidemic that began in the last year of World War I, 1918 and lasted until 1920. It also features two independent ladies–sisters, who move to a new place all on their own. And, for once, that place wasn’t New York, but Denver, Colorado.
The Story
Sisters Lutie, an illustrator, and Helen, a nurse, move to Denver and find work. Lutie illustrates ads for a department store and Helen works at a hospital. They rent the basement of their house out for extra income. A family moves in with an unstable husband, a long-suffering wife, and a little daughter who needs protecting.
Meanwhile, both of the sisters find prospective husbands–Helen, naturally finds a young doctor, and Lutie, unexpectedly lands the son of a local judge–a powerful and wealthy man. The sisters watch as America enters the war–Lutie’s finance ships out with the other Doughboys. Meanwhile, in the basement, all is not good. The husband takes his frustrations out on his little family. When the wife dies, the daughter is left too vulnerable. Meanwhile, the flu strikes.
My Thoughts
My first thought is, why hasn’t Oprah promoted this book? Then I remembered it isn’t out until April 26th. It packs about as much depressing stuff into a story as possible. All of the normal Oprah book type stuff. Rape, murder, trafficking, incest, rats, blackmail, false accusations, disease, a hooker with a heart of gold–you name it, its in there, albeit in small doses and thankfully not graphically depicted. This has Oprah’s Book Club written all over it.
Then there were things like this: “The Rocky Mountain News said we wouldn’t need to be afraid of the influenza if we voted Republican.” Make it stop already! Trump is gone. Quit with this stuff. Stay in the time of the story, please. Wilson was President then and he was a Democrat. And then prescient statements like this: “You know…they’re saying the [flu] could kill as many people as the war…..” And then this gem” “I’d like to be a fine artist painting pictures to make people see the injustice in the world, that cause them to protest discrimination….” Right…exactly. That was happening all over the place in 1917, right? In the U.S. it was all but illegal to gather during World War I. President Wilson re-segregated the Civil Service and cracked down on anything that could stir dissent against the war or for the Germans.
I was interested enough in the sisters’ story to finish the book, but oh boy what a finish! Will the woke never end in contemporary fiction? The heart-strings were tugged as well as the corset strings. I cared about Lutie and Helen and Dorothy and admired their spirit and independence. I was impressed with the way they helped and protected Dorothy. But the author had them swear like modern day women. If Helen had been overheard swearing she’d have been fired. Probably Lutie would have, too. And women did NOT smoke in public then. None. Maybe in a Paris nightclub, but not in Conservative Denver, Colorado ice cream shop. Do not “modernize” things to appeal to today’s readers. It doesn’t work.
This story just had too many bad things going on. It was depressing more than serious. I didn’t expect all unicorns and rainbows, but I didn’t expect a Penny Dreadful either. The soliloquy by the judge’s wife made me giggle, roll my eyes AND yell “Oh, please” and it was supposed to be serious. I also thought the Epilogue was silly and shouldn’t have been there. It seemed like a sop to book clubs (or a ruse by the editor to keep the author from writing a sequel?)
Read
September 21, 2023It's been ages since I have read Sandra Dallas, who has for me always been a reliably good read. Gentle sort of storytelling despite being about the Spanish Flu and abusive situations. Always strong female characters. May not be my most favorite of her books, but it makes me want to return to her extensive backlist!
December 31, 2021
A fantastic historical fiction with the Spanish Flu mixed in.
April 26, 2022
Little Souls by Sandra Dallas was a fabulous book! I gave it FIVE stars for FIVE reasons. I’ll list them for you below.
Number One ~ I loved the time period. It took place during the period of the 1918 flu and World War I. It was interesting how the epidemic was handled then compared to how it has been handled during our current Covid-19 epidemic. The same type of precautions were taken and at times precautions were thrown to the wind. The parades and the celebrations in the streets when the end of the war was declared was one instance.
Number Two ~ The characters in this book were people we could relate to. Much like we think they may have been in that time period. More gentle and caring. Hardworking people. The main character was an artist for a popular department store that drew the advertisements for the newspaper. We’ve all seen the black and white drawings but, for some reason, I never imagined someone be employed to do that all day everyday.
Number Three ~ The cost of homes in that day for a modest family home was in the neighborhood of $1000.00. I like reading how they were frugal with their money. Many folks in town did not own a care because there were trolleys running through town and it was easy enough to walk to the stop and jump on the trolley to get to near where you wanted to go.
Number Four ~ I grew to understand that although we have many more advancements in the medical field, we still fell short when it came to treating Covid-19. They fell very short when it came to treating the Spanish Flu. They absolutely didn’t have any drugs to combat the flu. When the sick started to turn blue, they knew the end was near. In fact, they called it the Spanish Flu but they think it may have started in the United States and our service men took it to other countries when they went to fight the war.
Number Five ~ I loved the slang that was used during that time. We have all heard the police called Coppers in the old films. It was fun to see how the vocabulary was sometimes used during that time. I really enjoyed that time period in the book.
Sandra Dallas did a fine job in the book. Some folks resist reading anything about a pandemic but, I don’t think it was really that prominent in the book. It might have been for someone that has lost a loved one to the pandemic but, it may be just something you can relate to. Overall, the book related to the stamina of people in hard times and the will to move forward and do what is right.
I think this book should be required reading. It was so good and there was so much to be learned.
Number One ~ I loved the time period. It took place during the period of the 1918 flu and World War I. It was interesting how the epidemic was handled then compared to how it has been handled during our current Covid-19 epidemic. The same type of precautions were taken and at times precautions were thrown to the wind. The parades and the celebrations in the streets when the end of the war was declared was one instance.
Number Two ~ The characters in this book were people we could relate to. Much like we think they may have been in that time period. More gentle and caring. Hardworking people. The main character was an artist for a popular department store that drew the advertisements for the newspaper. We’ve all seen the black and white drawings but, for some reason, I never imagined someone be employed to do that all day everyday.
Number Three ~ The cost of homes in that day for a modest family home was in the neighborhood of $1000.00. I like reading how they were frugal with their money. Many folks in town did not own a care because there were trolleys running through town and it was easy enough to walk to the stop and jump on the trolley to get to near where you wanted to go.
Number Four ~ I grew to understand that although we have many more advancements in the medical field, we still fell short when it came to treating Covid-19. They fell very short when it came to treating the Spanish Flu. They absolutely didn’t have any drugs to combat the flu. When the sick started to turn blue, they knew the end was near. In fact, they called it the Spanish Flu but they think it may have started in the United States and our service men took it to other countries when they went to fight the war.
Number Five ~ I loved the slang that was used during that time. We have all heard the police called Coppers in the old films. It was fun to see how the vocabulary was sometimes used during that time. I really enjoyed that time period in the book.
Sandra Dallas did a fine job in the book. Some folks resist reading anything about a pandemic but, I don’t think it was really that prominent in the book. It might have been for someone that has lost a loved one to the pandemic but, it may be just something you can relate to. Overall, the book related to the stamina of people in hard times and the will to move forward and do what is right.
I think this book should be required reading. It was so good and there was so much to be learned.
April 28, 2022
How many little souls are there?
There are quite a few little souls who became orphans once their parents were killed in the war or perished with the Spanish Flu.
We meet Dorothy, now an orphan, Helen a nurse, and Lutie a fashion designer living together as a family in Denver during WWI and the pandemic of 1918.
Helen and Lutie moved to Denver after the death of their parents, and they made Dorothy their sister.
All three characters were well developed and lovable.
Of course there are some unsavory characters to deal with, but the book is one historical fiction fans and women’s fiction fans will enjoy.
Some uncomfortable situations are also addressed, but the story line will draw you in and deals with the struggles of women and how folks lived through the 1918 pandemic and the war.
Along with the Spanish Flu problems, a murder and kidnapping occur.
Despite the situations of the characters, the story line is also very well written and appropriate for this time with our current pandemic.
Enjoy when you read this book. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
There are quite a few little souls who became orphans once their parents were killed in the war or perished with the Spanish Flu.
We meet Dorothy, now an orphan, Helen a nurse, and Lutie a fashion designer living together as a family in Denver during WWI and the pandemic of 1918.
Helen and Lutie moved to Denver after the death of their parents, and they made Dorothy their sister.
All three characters were well developed and lovable.
Of course there are some unsavory characters to deal with, but the book is one historical fiction fans and women’s fiction fans will enjoy.
Some uncomfortable situations are also addressed, but the story line will draw you in and deals with the struggles of women and how folks lived through the 1918 pandemic and the war.
Along with the Spanish Flu problems, a murder and kidnapping occur.
Despite the situations of the characters, the story line is also very well written and appropriate for this time with our current pandemic.
Enjoy when you read this book. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
March 29, 2023
LITTLE SOULS
Sandra Dallas
Two sisters, Lucretia "Lutie" and Helen have resettled in Denver Co after their parent's deaths in Iowa. Helen is a nurse and Lutie is a clothing designer and working in a department store. They are settled and both have boyfriends. Helen's boyfriend is a doctor and Lutie's has gone to war, the year is 1918. Helen and Lutie have boarders living with them and after both adults are out of the picture, the sisters are left with the 10-year-old child, Dorthy.
Lutie gets the Spanish Flu and Helen takes care of her, then Lutie's boyfriend is killed and she is left a fortune. Both sisters want to adopt little Dorthy, but then Daddy comes back and turns up dead on the kitchen floor. What to do, what to do..... put him out by the side of the road with the rest of the dead.
The trauma and drama is packed into this one! I really liked the characters and how they stood up to the tough times. I liked Dallas' writing style and the plot was really good. I enjoyed just about everything about it, it was a quick read and totally engaging.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
Sandra Dallas
Two sisters, Lucretia "Lutie" and Helen have resettled in Denver Co after their parent's deaths in Iowa. Helen is a nurse and Lutie is a clothing designer and working in a department store. They are settled and both have boyfriends. Helen's boyfriend is a doctor and Lutie's has gone to war, the year is 1918. Helen and Lutie have boarders living with them and after both adults are out of the picture, the sisters are left with the 10-year-old child, Dorthy.
Lutie gets the Spanish Flu and Helen takes care of her, then Lutie's boyfriend is killed and she is left a fortune. Both sisters want to adopt little Dorthy, but then Daddy comes back and turns up dead on the kitchen floor. What to do, what to do..... put him out by the side of the road with the rest of the dead.
The trauma and drama is packed into this one! I really liked the characters and how they stood up to the tough times. I liked Dallas' writing style and the plot was really good. I enjoyed just about everything about it, it was a quick read and totally engaging.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
April 11, 2022
Set in Denver during the deadly Spanish flu pandemic in 1918. The schools are converted into hospitals as people are showing up sick and churches are closed. The streets are filled with corpse in the street. Theft, rape, and many other atrocities are happening. Children are left without parents. Two ladies Lutie and Helen, a nurse share a home. Helen is seeing a doctor and Lutie a student who will join the war. They rent a small apartment in their basement. After their tenant died the sisters start caring for a small girl.
A man is found dead in their home and Helen is standing over him with an icepick. What comes out is horrible. They chose to place the dead man in the streets hoping the police will think he is a flu victim, after all people are dying in the streets. Whom do they trust with their secrets? Do they become suspects? Absolutely heartbreaking!
A man is found dead in their home and Helen is standing over him with an icepick. What comes out is horrible. They chose to place the dead man in the streets hoping the police will think he is a flu victim, after all people are dying in the streets. Whom do they trust with their secrets? Do they become suspects? Absolutely heartbreaking!
May 20, 2022
Little Souls is a story set in Colorado during the Spanish Flu Pandemic. It is 1918 and WW1 is still raging in Europe. Sisters Helen and Lutie have moved to Denver from Ohio after their parents’ death. Helen is a nurse, and Lutie, is an advertising designer at Neusteter’s department store. They purchased a small home with their inheritance and rented the downstairs apartment to the Streeter family. Maud and Ron have a tumultuous relationship and he leaves. When Maud dies from the flu, the sisters take Dorothy in. Shortly after this happens, Lutie comes home from work and discovers a dead man on their kitchen floor and Helen standing above the body holding an icepick. Knowing he had abused Dorothy in the past, she is sure it was self-defense, but proving it is another matter. With the help of Helen's beau, a doctor, they leave the body in the street as a flu victim. Meanwhile, Lutie is worried that her fiancé will be killed in the war. When a murder investigation is opened and Lutie and Helen are being investigated, it is his wealthy mother who helps the women out.
Little Souls is a difficult story, with some hard situations. The flu pandemic is killing people constantly with Helen and Gil being in danger working with the victims. Dorothy is a victim of abuse, although not graphic it is apparent that she has been sexually abused by her father. Lutie is worried about her fiancé dying in Europe. There is some criminal elements and more. This is a very well-written and devel0ped story, very realistic for the time. It is also a story of family, friendship, survival, secrets and human frailty. A story I won't say I enjoyed due to the subject matter, but I am glad I read it. Carly Robins does an excellent job with the narration of this story. Voices, expression, tone and emotion were wonderful and I will watch for more books she narrates.
Little Souls is a difficult story, with some hard situations. The flu pandemic is killing people constantly with Helen and Gil being in danger working with the victims. Dorothy is a victim of abuse, although not graphic it is apparent that she has been sexually abused by her father. Lutie is worried about her fiancé dying in Europe. There is some criminal elements and more. This is a very well-written and devel0ped story, very realistic for the time. It is also a story of family, friendship, survival, secrets and human frailty. A story I won't say I enjoyed due to the subject matter, but I am glad I read it. Carly Robins does an excellent job with the narration of this story. Voices, expression, tone and emotion were wonderful and I will watch for more books she narrates.
December 24, 2022
Helen and Lutie, sisters, live together. Helen is a nurse and Lutie draws the fashion ads for a large elite Department Stores. Taking place at time when career women were frowned upon, I liked the spunk of both of these women. Honestly, my attraction to these women was probably one of the few things that kept me reading.
Both women have solid relationships with men who respect their careers. A young orphaned girl enters the sisters lives and she adds to the story a good amount of happiness and trouble.
This book was filled with not only the horror of the terrible flu, but tragedy after tragedy. In this I felt Dallas really went overboard. There is also a good amount of abuse toward women, so be warned if that is trigger point for you.
Dallas' writing is just plain and sometimes just plain annoying. The story had such great possibility but it fell flat for me due to the mediocre writing. I read in other reviews that people keep waiting for her writing to get better, as her story ideas are so good, Obviously not happening, so I doubt I will read another book by her.
Both women have solid relationships with men who respect their careers. A young orphaned girl enters the sisters lives and she adds to the story a good amount of happiness and trouble.
This book was filled with not only the horror of the terrible flu, but tragedy after tragedy. In this I felt Dallas really went overboard. There is also a good amount of abuse toward women, so be warned if that is trigger point for you.
Dallas' writing is just plain and sometimes just plain annoying. The story had such great possibility but it fell flat for me due to the mediocre writing. I read in other reviews that people keep waiting for her writing to get better, as her story ideas are so good, Obviously not happening, so I doubt I will read another book by her.
July 23, 2021
This wonderfully written novel takes place in 1919 in Denver Colorado. Sisters Helen and Luttie moved to Denver after the death of their parents in Ohio. They are very close despite the fact that they are very different from each other - Helen is a serious nurse and Luttie is a carefree advertising designer. Soon after the move to Denver, they both find boyfriends -- Helen's beau is a doctor and Luttie's boyfriend is a student. Helen's boyfriend spends most of his time tending to the sick while Luttie's boyfriend joined the Army so he could do his part to help America win the war. The sisters also have a rental apartment in their basement and when the woman dies from the flu. they decide to take in her 10 year old daughter, Dorothy. The young girl is very traumatized from some events in her life and the sisters work hard to make her part of their family.
This novel is a look at how the pandemic affected the lives of the people. It's about sisters and family - not just family by blood but family made up of the people you care about. The two sisters are very well written - their struggle to keep their family afloat and the attitudes toward women in the workplace present a picture of life at that time. Both sisters are brave and resilient and sacrificed for the people in their lives.
If you enjoy historical fiction set in the United States, you don't want to miss this book. You won't want to put it down once you've started it but warning - you need to have tissue close at hand. This well written and well researched book will give you characters that you won't soon forget and a look at life when people had to deal with a world war and a devastating flu at home. I loved it and plan to go back and read some of this author's earlier books.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review.
This novel is a look at how the pandemic affected the lives of the people. It's about sisters and family - not just family by blood but family made up of the people you care about. The two sisters are very well written - their struggle to keep their family afloat and the attitudes toward women in the workplace present a picture of life at that time. Both sisters are brave and resilient and sacrificed for the people in their lives.
If you enjoy historical fiction set in the United States, you don't want to miss this book. You won't want to put it down once you've started it but warning - you need to have tissue close at hand. This well written and well researched book will give you characters that you won't soon forget and a look at life when people had to deal with a world war and a devastating flu at home. I loved it and plan to go back and read some of this author's earlier books.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review.
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