Imagine living in a time and place where one accident shapes your entire life. David Walker was out walking with his dog when a Klansman drove past him. And that moment changed his life. Fearing for his family, he leaves. Never to be called by his own name again, he moves on.

This story is heart breaking and wonderful. The characters are interesting and believable, not contrived. Life was complicated and trying to escape trouble complicated it even more. This isn’t all sadness and tragedy however, there’s love, redemption and faith that ultimately gives David a life well lived.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Stork Bites is a beautifully written book by L K. Simonds about a young black boy, David Walker, and his unfortunate meeting with a KKK clansman while hunting with his dog and the years that follow. I enjoyed this book. My only criticism would be that it took 60 chapters to find out what happened to David. Changing the main characters name was also confusing. All in all a great read and I will definitely recommend. Thanks again to Net Galley and the author, L.K. Simmonds.

Stork Bite started off very strong with events that captivated me and compelled me to read on. Suddenly, about one-quarter into the novel, the scene changed dramatically, and completely new character were introduced in "Book Two" of the novel. This second story was less compelling and dragged for me, as I found little to care about in most of the characters. I had to push myself to continue reading as I waited for the two different stories to come together somehow. That finally occurred at a little more three-quarters into the novel, with a sudden (and stunning) revelation. The remainder of the novel moved quickly, as the author attempted to insert numerous historical events and wrap up so many earlier threads. I can't say I enjoyed this novel, nor can I recommend it. It certainly would have been improved by a more straightforward concentration on David's story without the extraneous portion than clogged the middle half of the book.

Loved the story and story telling from the beginning. Lags some in the middle. Otherwise an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend.

In the beginning of Stork Bite by L.K. Simonds, a young black teenager is out hunting when he accidentally kills a white man after an alterations. As David, the young man, goes thru the white man's things he realizes he is a member of the Klan. David hides the body and leaves town to save his family.
As we move forward several years, we meet Cargie and Mae. Cargie is a young black woman who wants to better herself and not live the conventional life she has been born to. Mae is the niece of the dry cleaners Cargie is working for. Both woman, so different yet so similar in their wanting to defy society and conventional expectations for them.
This story has wonderful characters, a beautifully written story and had me enthralled from beginning to end. Pick it up and find out what a Stork Bite is if you don't already know and how all of these richly written characters make it through.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy in exchange fr a fair review.

Everything has to be reconciled eventually.

One quick split second decision/action happens. Story builds

What makes a good man a good man?

I read in 1 sitting, I was glued to this book until the final word.

This is the story of struggle both financially and personally in the South during the Depression featuring the lives of two different women, Cargie and Mae. Cargie is a young black woman who works hard keeping the books for a dry cleaner. Mae is the niece of the white dry cleaner owner.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a touching, beautifully written story. Full of wonderful, rich characters.
Takes place over decades, starting in the early 1900's to present time, covering the intertwined lives of people in a small town.
It all starts out when 17 year old David is confronted by a Klansman, while out hunting, and David accidentally kills him. Scared for himself and his family, and ashamed, David leaves his family and strikes out on his own to face adulthood. As the story evolves, we learn of young David's fate.
I loved this story and was engaged in each and every page!
5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

The title is eye-catching, causing curiosity in the reader. What is a "stork bite?" How can this novel be centered around this as a symbol? The reader finds that he or she is presented with questions--and answers--to some of life's conundrums.
Simonds' deceptively simple prose provides wisdom as well. The crisp, clear style could be compared to the underside of an elaborate tapestry, when turned, has come together to present the whole story as a beautiful canvas.
Set in the South during the early decades of the Twentieth Century, this novel develops and intertwines the lives of its characters to provide a satisfying plot--and so much more.

The story begins in the woods of the Deep South in 1913. While out hunting with his faithful dog, a young black seventeen year old named David Walker encounters a white man with evil intentions. When the man shoots David’s dog, he strikes the man over the head and accidentally kills him. In an effort to hide any evidence of the man, David must hide the car until nightfall when he can return to dispose of it. Before doing so David goes through the man’s car discovering that he is a member of the KKK. After disposing of all evidence of his crime, David leaves his home and his loving family equipped only with his grandfather’s rifle and the life skills his grandfather has taught him. David eventually comes upon a hardworking, farming family that take him in. David tells them his name is Tom. While in town, the family discovers that Tom is the boy on the missing persons poster. They ask no questions and continue to protect Tom’s identity.

Shreveport, 1927. Cargie a newlywed and Mae a young high school graduate, engaged to her high school sweetheart, are two young women of vastly different backgrounds that are trying to make their way in life to fulfill their dreams and to find their place in the world. Cargie has a clear understanding of who she is and where she’s going. Mae has a more difficult journey finding herself. The men in both of their lives strongly influence their decisions and life’s direction.

This story will captivate you and make you think about societal issues, the life decisions we all make and the consequences that we will live with because of them. Highly recommend! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

One October morning in 1913, seventeen-year-old David Walker is hunting when a Klansman confronts him. Acting in self-defense, David kills him. He hides the body and leaves town, not for his sake but to protect his family. 'Tis the deep south and the Klan wouldn't take kindly to one of their own being killed.

Fast forward to 1927 and we meet two women who couldn't be more different, yet both are chasing their dreams. It's a hard road for Cargie and Mae, especially when it comes to the men in their lives. When David Walker resurfaces, the past rears its ugly head, and everyone involved must come to terms with what happened and move on or suffer the consequences.

Stork Bite is a riveting historical fiction I enjoyed reading. Its rich detailed narration plunges the reader into the deep South. The plot moves at a nice easy pace with plenty of characters, twists, and turns. The characters were so interesting, I found myself dreaming about them. The emotional trauma present in some of the characters, while realistic, was a bit overplayed. The ending, however, was brilliant and I applaud L.K. Simonds for an engrossing story. Fans of Fannie Flagg will enjoy Stork Bite.

My Rating: 5 stars

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Caddo Parish, 1913. David Walker accidentally kills a man and hides the crime.
Shreveport, 1927. Cargie Barre and Mae Compton are two vastly different young women, but both are defying convention to reach for their dreams."

Well, such a great read to start my new year! The writing is wonderfully descriptive and the story flows comfortably along. At first, I was a bit perplexed trying to fit all of the pieces together and I needed to keep reading to find the truth.

The first part of the book tells David's story, then he disappears while other characters and storylines are introduced. But in the end, with doggedness determination, all questions are answered and the resolutions are perfectly lined up. Although, I find the book title weirdly obscure and referenced just once throughout the story.

4☆

Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy for me to read.
I enjoyed this book and it kept my interest for several of the characters who you can follow until the end.
David is one such character because it starts as a walk in the woods where his dog is shot by a KKK leader and David in defense kills him. He runs away and comes upon a family who takes him in . He changes his name to Tom. The family due to missing person flyers know who he is but doesn’t tell him.
They are all caring folks and I felt their life struggles with 3 boys.

Then enters Carrie Barre who is black and wants a job as a bookkeeper. She walks into Coles dry cleaners store and sit down and begins to bookkeep the receipts. This starts the connection of the characters. In addition to Bill Cole and his wife Vida, who are white.,They bring on Mae when Carrie gets pregnant to help in the store but she wants to go to the nearby college.

Mae goes to watch a football game and meets Miriam who goes to the college and has met 3 boys Jax, Ned, and Hollister. The story continues with relationships between these 5 individuals.

Mae, especially, has all sorts of an emotional roller coaster, for example braking an engagement, falling for someone she doesn’t love and marries, then falls for his best friend. The story is interesting and the author keeps you interested yet able to not confuse you. She finally gets a job at a law firm and helps her sister and listens to her mother’s advice.

Jax however is another character who gets himself all tangled up. When he meets Red Malone and starts running bootleg whiskey and using his name on another laundry facility to launder the money.
Mae finds out he is a gangster and so the story continues.

The ending brings all the folks together over a quick pass of time.

But, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to my friends. It is a fiction.

This story takes place in the early 1900's in Caddo Parish, Louisiana following David Walker a seventeen year old black teenager who has a confrontation with a white man when David accidentally kills the man and finds things in the mans possessions that show he is an evil man. David decides to runaway to prevent any harm that may come to his family. The story jumps forward 14 to 15 years and picks up the stories of Cargie Barre and Mae Compton two young ladies living in Shreveport Louisiana you follow both going through their life and their struggles. One with a fairly set life and one just leaving home and struggling to find her way and making the wise choices. This story has a reel good follow to it and keeps you drawn in. Don't worry the author does a good job in bringing story full circle she does not leave you hanging. It was interesting to read the definition of a stork bite.