Nominated for a 2014 Lime Award for Excellence in Fiction Named a Best Book of Summer 2014 by “Publishers Weekly” Named a Pick of the Week for the week of June 30th by “Publishers Weekly” “An earnest, well-done historical novel that skillfully blends fact and fiction.”–“Publishers Weekly” “A profound story of how one unforeseen event may tear a family apart, but another can just as unexpectedly bring them back together again.”–“Publishers Weekly,” Best Book of Summer 2014 Pick “Solomon enticingly described the novel “Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night” by Barbara J. Taylor (Akashic), set in a coal-mining town in 1913, as ‘one of those sit on the couch and don’t bother me’ reads.”–“Shelf Awareness,” NCIBA Spring Rep Picks “This story is at once poignant and hopeful, spiced up by such characters as Billy Sunday, the revivalist, and Grief, the specter who haunts Grace to the very edge of sanity. A rich debut.”–Historical Novel Society “Like Dickens, the novel faces family tragedy, in this case the town blaming 8-year-old Violet Morgan for her older sister’s death. As her parents fall victim to their own vices, Violet learns how to form her own friendships to survive.”–Arts.Mic “A fantastic novel worthy of the greatest accolades. Writing a book about a historical event can be difficult, as is crafting a bestseller, but Barbara J. Taylor is successful at both.”–“Downtown Magazine” “Taylor’s careful attention to detail and her deep knowledge of the community and its people give the novel a welcome gravity.”–“The Columbus Dispatch” “One of the most compelling books I’ve ever read…a haunting story that will stay with the reader long after reading this novel.”–“Story Circle Book Reviews” “Rave reviews are pouring in for this historical novel of a family tragedy.”–The Halifax Reader, “6 New Books to Look for in July” “This well-written book is peopled with characters the reader can really care about and captures the feeling of a gritty twentieth century coal mining community.”–“Breakthrough,” newsletter of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation “This book has…prizewinner written all over it….Worth the read “–I’ve Read This “This haunting story of tragedy and hope in an early twentieth century mining town is…an expertly crafted arrow that shoots straight for the heart. Reminiscent of classics such as “How Green Was My Valley.”..this book is a must-read for fans of character-driven, authentic historical fiction.”–Amy Drown Blog “This is an incredibly well written novel that has the kind of historical accuracy and details that make reading historical novels a treasure….Not to be missed.”–She Treads Softly “The story may have a sad premise, but Taylor convinces the reader to join her in the tale, as we watch bewildered Violet try to find a space in her new world.”–A New Day “A beautiful, haunting book…heartbreaking and moving, and ultimately beautiful.”–Constantly Reading Momma Almost everyone in town blames eight-year-old Violet Morgan for the death of her nine-year-old sister, Daisy. “Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night” opens on September 4, 1913, two months after the Fourth of July tragedy. Owen, the girls’ father, “turns to drink” and abandons his family. Their mother Grace falls victim to the seductive powers of Grief, an imagined figure who has seduced her off-and-on since childhood. Violet forms an unlikely friendship with Stanley Adamski, a motherless outcast who works in the mines as a breaker boy. During an unexpected blizzard, Grace goes into premature labor at home and is forced to rely on Violet, while Owen is “off being saved” at a Billy Sunday Revival. Inspired by a haunting family story, “Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night” blends real life incidents with fiction to show how grace can be found in the midst of tragedy.
