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Dogwood Alley #1
Dogwood Alley
A historical fiction novel following a large, farming family in the hills of East Tennessee, a nurse, a reporter, and a carpenter as they navigate life in an ever-changing world on the brink of World War II.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2016
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588 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 10, 2017
Dogwood Alley
Set in the 30s during the depression, the story follows two couples. Burt and Doris are middle class with more professional jobs, Fred and Margaret are a struggling less educated couple. It's a story of faith and being good to your fellow man.
This would have been an enjoyable story, but the execution of it was so elementary I couldn't appreciate it. At times it even felt as though the author was copying from a periodical or textbook from those times.
Suited for ages 14 and under.
Set in the 30s during the depression, the story follows two couples. Burt and Doris are middle class with more professional jobs, Fred and Margaret are a struggling less educated couple. It's a story of faith and being good to your fellow man.
This would have been an enjoyable story, but the execution of it was so elementary I couldn't appreciate it. At times it even felt as though the author was copying from a periodical or textbook from those times.
Suited for ages 14 and under.
August 1, 2017
Love this book!
Being born & raised in Knoxville, this book was such fun to read. I could see so many landmarks in my head as I was reading it. But, you will enjoy this book even if you have never been to Knoxville. Many historical references and you just become attached to the family. Such a well written book! Moving on to book #2!
Being born & raised in Knoxville, this book was such fun to read. I could see so many landmarks in my head as I was reading it. But, you will enjoy this book even if you have never been to Knoxville. Many historical references and you just become attached to the family. Such a well written book! Moving on to book #2!
January 14, 2018
I won a autographed copy in a GOODREADS giveaway sponsored by the author, Alyssa Helton.
June 26, 2017
Wow, what a story! Dogwood Alley is a small town in Tennessee. This story follows two sets of people. One from the rural mountains of Dogwood Alley and a Newspaper man. Two nurses going door to door to gather information for the census gives a glimpse of what life is like on the mountain prior to WWII. As the America watches from a distance and reads about all the horrible happenings in Europe, life goes on. The rich history in this book kept me reading. History buffs will love this book; back stories of the hardships and hope of the people that lived and survived.
July 22, 2018
3.5 stars--it's a "slice of life" novel set in the Great Depression/WWII times. It follows a large farming family--primarily one of the sons and his relationship with a neighbor's daughter. There is also a nurse and a reporter, who eventually marry one another, who become friends with the family through a census in the case of the nurse and a story in the case of the reporter.
The story is quite well told though a bit passive. The author also has not mastered how to make family names plural. For example, I'll use the author's last name. Her family would be the Heltons (not the Helton's. The 's denotes ownership or possession so it would be correct to say Helton's land if you were referring to her land, but if you wanted to refer to family land it would be the Heltons's (or Heltons', depending on which school you subscribe to) land.) The author routinely uses the 's when she wants to indicate more than one person from that family--something I noticed often enough to annoy me.
The ending seemed quite abrupt to me.
The story is quite well told though a bit passive. The author also has not mastered how to make family names plural. For example, I'll use the author's last name. Her family would be the Heltons (not the Helton's. The 's denotes ownership or possession so it would be correct to say Helton's land if you were referring to her land, but if you wanted to refer to family land it would be the Heltons's (or Heltons', depending on which school you subscribe to) land.) The author routinely uses the 's when she wants to indicate more than one person from that family--something I noticed often enough to annoy me.
The ending seemed quite abrupt to me.
June 19, 2017
This was a good story with lots of good messages, but the writing left a lot to be desired. There were constant errors in punctuation, extra words, and words left out. Unfortunately that sometimes distracted me from the story. A good editor or even a proofreader could do so much to make this an even better book. I am still glad I read it for the story and inspiring messages, but I just wish there were not so many errors in it.
September 13, 2017
Softwood alley
What a sweet book not only fiction but historical I remember each event, as it was recorded ! As I was raised thru those very times ! The names of the songs all brought back good memories! I remember when war was declared! I remember when the atomic boom was dropped ! When the president died !
What a sweet book not only fiction but historical I remember each event, as it was recorded ! As I was raised thru those very times ! The names of the songs all brought back good memories! I remember when war was declared! I remember when the atomic boom was dropped ! When the president died !
December 5, 2017
E-Reader. Historical Fiction Novel
This Historical fiction novel takes place in 1930's - 1940's in & at near Dog Tree Valley. In the hills of E. Tennessee.
It's the story of a nurse, newspaper reporter, a large farming family & carpenter.
It's also about how faith and hope can affect a person's life.
It's a good read I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
This Historical fiction novel takes place in 1930's - 1940's in & at near Dog Tree Valley. In the hills of E. Tennessee.
It's the story of a nurse, newspaper reporter, a large farming family & carpenter.
It's also about how faith and hope can affect a person's life.
It's a good read I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
August 18, 2018
Commitment to God, family, neighbors, community and nation
The love stories of Bert and Doris and Fred and Margaret develop through their involvement in their jobs and working for the betterment of those around them. The depression and World War II caused the life style changes of Dogwood Alley and beyond. Lived the descriptions of people and places involved.
The love stories of Bert and Doris and Fred and Margaret develop through their involvement in their jobs and working for the betterment of those around them. The depression and World War II caused the life style changes of Dogwood Alley and beyond. Lived the descriptions of people and places involved.
May 30, 2020
The book follows two couples, Doris & Bert, who live in town and
Fred & Margaret, who live in Dogwood Alley from the Great Depression through WWII. Seemingly these couples have nothing in common but once they meet & become friends, they have so much in common; in fact, it is Fred that Bert turns to in his greatest hours of need. A wonderful read with a great Christian message.
Fred & Margaret, who live in Dogwood Alley from the Great Depression through WWII. Seemingly these couples have nothing in common but once they meet & become friends, they have so much in common; in fact, it is Fred that Bert turns to in his greatest hours of need. A wonderful read with a great Christian message.
May 12, 2017
Sweet Book
If you love a sweet very simplistic book then this is is a 5 star book, but it is too simple & rather juvenile for my taste. I could see this as an excellent book for young teen readers. Sweet story, sweet characters.
If you love a sweet very simplistic book then this is is a 5 star book, but it is too simple & rather juvenile for my taste. I could see this as an excellent book for young teen readers. Sweet story, sweet characters.
August 31, 2017
The premise has great potential but the characters never came to life and the plot never developed. I was very disappointed, but I finished the book hoping it would mature, but I was left wanting something more.
March 20, 2018
The beginning of this book, set in 1930's Tennesee, was interesting if the reader could get past the grammatical errors; but then it read almost like a periodical or history book with the characters thrown in incidentally.
April 4, 2018
Enjoyable depression/world war II story
Not grammatically correct, but for the 1930/40s as a sharecropping family of the hills of Tenn. This is excellent showing of life, friendship, racial peace and history in a beautiful country setting among dogwood trees.
Not grammatically correct, but for the 1930/40s as a sharecropping family of the hills of Tenn. This is excellent showing of life, friendship, racial peace and history in a beautiful country setting among dogwood trees.
April 11, 2018
Simple truth
This was a very simplistic story that was fun to read. Kind of like watching an episode of the Walton’s.
I was grateful for the history given about Knoxville, which is what drew me to the book anyway.
This was a very simplistic story that was fun to read. Kind of like watching an episode of the Walton’s.
I was grateful for the history given about Knoxville, which is what drew me to the book anyway.
August 25, 2021
Kindness pays off more than you'll ever guess
It was hard at times to keep up with all the different characters and how they related to each other. A lot of history in this story, it helps you remember in what order things occurred, and how hard life was for many.
It was hard at times to keep up with all the different characters and how they related to each other. A lot of history in this story, it helps you remember in what order things occurred, and how hard life was for many.
August 6, 2017
Ok
Very slow start, as I kept reading it did get better! A different ending would have been great!! Many grammar errors!!
Very slow start, as I kept reading it did get better! A different ending would have been great!! Many grammar errors!!
September 18, 2017
Good
this story started about how families lived and survived during the 1930s and how large families worked hard on farms
this story started about how families lived and survived during the 1930s and how large families worked hard on farms
December 12, 2021
Great book
March 14, 2025
Such a warm loving story centered around a typical community in the south before, during and after WW2.
February 10, 2017
Very Enjoyable Book!
Being a Tennessee gal, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will definitely follow this author for more amazing reads. Loved it!
Being a Tennessee gal, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will definitely follow this author for more amazing reads. Loved it!
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September 5, 2017Having grown up in Knox County, TN. where the story took place, I enjoyed the background information very much. The book was set in the late 1930s and 1940s, which was before my day, but I was around during the 1950s and '60s and many of the places, people, and events were familiar to me. However, Ms. Helton is in desperate need of a GOOD proof-reader/editor. Both my 84 yr. old mother and I struggled through the book since the story-line was interesting and (for the most part) the historical details quite accurate. However, the mis-used words, horrible punctuation, dropped words that made sentences almost unreadable, wrong use of tense, making what should be plurals into possessives, etc. made the reading excruciating. I sincerely hope that the next two books in the series benefited from an editor. I would like to try them, but hesitate.
P.S. The airport mentioned in the book is not, and never has been, on Chapman Hwy. It is on Alcoa Hwy.
P.S. The airport mentioned in the book is not, and never has been, on Chapman Hwy. It is on Alcoa Hwy.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews