Blog Tour, Book Review, & Giveaway: Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell | Honey and Love Are the Secret Cures to Everything

Good morning everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Below, you may peruse my thoughts from reading Light and Air and an excerpt from the novel, as well as enter an exclusive giveaway via Rafflecopter! Originally, I was posting yesterday; however, like pancakes miss syrup and popcorn misses butter, cold winters miss rain which cry for frequent power outages. Thus, we move forward and fangirl about Halle and her story one more day!!

About The Book:

Title: LIGHT AND AIR

Author: Mindy Nichols Wendell

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 218

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/LIGHT-AND-AIR 

It's 1935, and tuberculosis is ravaging the nation. Everyone is afraid of this deadly respiratory illness. But what happens when you actually have it?

When Halle and her mother both come down with TB, they are shunned—and then they are sent to the J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital: far from home, far from family, far from the world.

Tucked away in the woods of upstate New York, the hospital is a closed and quiet place. But it is not, Halle learns, a prison. Free of her worried and difficult father for the first time in her life, she slowly discovers joy, family, and the healing power of honey on the children's ward, where the girls on the floor become her confidantes and sisters. But when Mama suffers a lung hemorrhage, their entire future—and recovery—is thrown into question....

Light and Air deals tenderly and insightfully with isolation, quarantine, found family, and illness. Set in the fully realized world of a 1930s hospital, it offers a tender glimpse into a historical epidemic that has become more relatable than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Halle tries to warm her father’s coldness and learns to trust the girls and women of the hospital, and as she and her mother battle a disease that once paralyzed the country, a profound message of strength, hope, and healing emerges.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Review:

                                                                             ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Some people could make you feel full of life and hope, while others flattened you right down and made you feel like nothing. [Halle] hoped she'd grow up to be one of the light-givers. 

Before August 1935, Halle's only troubles were to 1) convince her parents to get her a new lunch box and 2) maintain a simple relationship with her neglectful father; however, when her mother contracts tuberculosis and moves to Sanatorium 20 miles away in Perrysburg for treatment, Halle's life changes. Halle's already strained relationship with her father worsens as her mom is not around to neutralize their disagreements, and she is continuously shunned by her school friends and teachers due to her mother's diagnosis. One morning when Halle commits to travel to her mother on-foot, she is sent to the children's sanatorium in Perrysburg for the treatment and recovery of pneumonia. Although Halle's search for trouble never ceases, she learns the strength of family, friends, and honey whilst in her recovery.

In short, Wendell's story of family and friendship is certainly cute and includes many wisdoms from Halle's mom. With how frightful Halle was over her mother's condition, I was so shocked at how insensitive Halle's father was to her, and Wendell did an amazing job at Halle's emotional development. Her emotions were genuine, age-appropriate, and well-developed - so much so, my small hearts strings were tugged when Halle became upset at her father or was excited from her friendly interactions with the other children at the sanatorium. Moreover, her emotions and reactions were so well-developed that I quickly became upset anytime Halle decided to run away. I mean, where was this kid going to get money for rent and food?! However, I cannot blame her, particularly as I only ran from home to get more pancakes from IHOP. That's a true story, and I will forever be proud that I did not run farther than my street's stop sign after observing a cold, sickly kitten who desperately needed food. Cats always take priority, especially when pancakes can wait on the backburner!

Back to the story, I was happily surprised to learn of the history of J. N. Adam Memorial Hospital Perrysburg, one of the only non-segregated treatment centers for tuberculosis. This factor, among many, added to story's elements and the variety of cultures and lifestyles Halle interacted with during her recovery at J. N. Adams. 

Wendell masterfully writes the history of the Great Depression and the challenges of tuberculosis in this captivating and heart-wrenching tale. To readers of all ages, I highly recommend perusing your library's or bookstore's bookshelves for this young girl's story of love and friendship, as it offers a fascinating reading experience.

About Mindy Nichols Wendell:

Mindy Nichols Wendell taught writing and pedagogy at SUNY Fredonia for many years, where she served as the Director of the Composition Program. In 2019, she received the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mindy lives in Western New York with her husband, Steve, a retired teacher. She is located not far from the ruins of the J. N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, the inspiration for Light and Air.

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

One winner (US only) will receive a finished copy of Light and Air. Giveaway ends January 31st, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/15/2024	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
1/15/2024	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
1/16/2024	Kountry Girl Bookaholic	Excerpt/IG Post
1/16/2024	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
1/17/2024	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
1/17/2024	Fyrekatz Blog	Review
1/18/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
1/18/2024	@anitralovesbooksanddogs	IG Review
1/19/2024	Avainbookland	IG Review
1/19/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

1/22/2024	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
1/22/2024	NewBookCatsREADS	Review/IG Post
1/23/2024	100 Pages A Day	Review/IG Post
1/23/2024	Lisa-Queen of Random	Review/IG Post
1/24/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
1/24/2024	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post
1/25/2024	FUONLYKNEW	Excerpt
1/25/2024	two points of interest	Review
1/26/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
1/26/2024	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post

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