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Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks)

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https://reviewsfromthestacks.wordpress.com/

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Jana is Currently Reading

Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) is currently reading

Letters for Victory

by Kate Willis (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: 2025-releases, tbr-indie, currently-reading

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Jul 27, 2026 03:22PM

Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) is currently reading

The Selection (The Selection, #1)

by Kiera Cass (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: books-about-music-musicians, clean-romance, dystopia, feel-good-story, young-adult, teen-faves, currently-reading

Reading for the 3rd time

read in February 2020

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(page 80 of 336)
"I needed something light and easy to read spur-of-the-moment, so I grabbed this from my shelf for a quick re-read." — Jan 28, 2020 05:46PM

Feb 06, 2020 02:14PM

Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) is currently reading

Dust of Wrathful Years (Dust of Wrathful Years #1)

by Klara Łuczka-Hanzalová (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: books-about-music-musicians, christian-fiction, historical-fiction, read-for-review, war-stories, young-adult, set-in-poland, general-adult-fiction, gray-cover, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in March 2025

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Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) said: " Some books entertain the reader. Some books educate. This book lives in the somewhat-elusive third category of doing both.

I’ve read a decent amount of books set during the 1940s and World War 2 (a side effect of Sarah Sundin being one of my favorite Some books entertain the reader. Some books educate. This book lives in the somewhat-elusive third category of doing both.

I’ve read a decent amount of books set during the 1940s and World War 2 (a side effect of Sarah Sundin being one of my favorite authors, among other factors). Until recently, however, I had not read any that focused primarily on Poland. Because of this I am less familiar with the landscape, actors, and other minutia. This book introduced me to so much about Poland and Warsaw specifically; while I probably will not remember any of the street names mentioned and have no idea how to pronounce some of the surnames, I soaked up all the cultural references. They gave the story depth and context which I otherwise would have missed.

And while I was learning about scouting and parts of town and Underground operations, I was reading a compelling story of young friends forced to grow up suddenly and who choose to take responsibility for the fate of their country. It’s hard to say much without giving away the plot, but it is complex and engaging, fascinating and enlightening.

The main characters are remarkably well-developed given how many of them there are. We start out seeing the war crash into Aniela’s life, then learn of her friends’ experiences, some family members, and eventually the focus is widened to an entire underground unit. I didn’t mind the perspective hopping. Each person played a role (sometimes more than one) in the bigger picture, and I enjoyed getting to see things from so many angles.

This is a story about war, and some of the characters participate in acts of violence both as victim and aggressor, so it is emotionally and spiritually more difficult to read than some. While there is nothing overly gory or gratuitous and only one curse that I recall, I would recommend readers who are sensitive to violence use caution in reading this one. I’m not saying not to read it, just be aware going in that there is a lot of vague violence.

The Verdict:

Because this book is the first in a trilogy, it does end rather abruptly. Not on a terrible cliffhanger (thank goodness) but still suddenly. While some arcs have been completed, there are enough loose ends that I am compelled to read the next book despite its grim title (In Death Beloved). Until I have read that book, I don’t feel like I can give a complete review because I don’t know how the story ends. I have a few theories about where things are going…many of them things I desperately hope will not come to pass, but I am afraid will.

Regardless, Dust of Wrathful Years is a compelling read and I highly recommend it to readers of historical fiction, especially the WW2 era. I also recommend it to anyone who wants to read something a little outside the usual bubble or has a specific interest in Poland and its history. Although reading this book made me tense with anticipation, I appreciate the experience and am glad that I read it to learn about people like Aniela and her friends. Although they are fictional, they are reminders of the real participants in the Underground Polish State, and the acts of bravery and patriotism they carried out. I look forward to the rest of the series, and hope that my fears about their fate will be put to rest…four stars.

This review and more bookish content originally posted on my blog, Reviews From the Stacks. ...more "

progress:

(60%)
— Mar 25, 2025 03:59PM

Mar 28, 2025 01:15PM · see review

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Jana’s Notes & Highlights

Book cover for A Very Bookish Thanksgiving

A Very Bookish Thanksgiving by Sarah Holman

3 highlights

Go on with your work as usual, for work is a blessed solace.

Lauren Compton and 1 other person liked this

See Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks)’s 9 books with notes and highlights…

Jana’s Quotes

“The gospel is not a preference. It’s not another piece of flair we add to our vest. It’s something far more beautiful and disturbing. The gospel is the power to raise the dead, to proclaim the greatness of God in a fallen and confused world.”
― Alan Noble, Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age

2 likes

“I don’t know the right answer to anything these days.”

“Neither do I, Mum. I don’t know if anyone does. Only math problems seem to have right and wrong answers, far as I can tell lately.”
― Patti Callahan, Once Upon a Wardrobe

3 likes

“All my life I thought that the story was over when the hero and heroine were safely engaged -- after all, what's good enough for Jane Austen ought to be good enough for anyone. But it's a lie. The story is about to begin, and every day will be a new piece of the plot. ”
― Mary Ann Shaffer, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

tags: marriage

263 likes

“Become acquainted with your soul, care for it, for it will outlast all you have.”
― Anna Faversham, Hide in Time

tags: thought-provoking

29 likes

“Fate never promises to tell you everything up front. You aren't always shown the path in life you're supposed to take. But if there was one thing she'd learned in the past few weeks, it was that sometimes, when you're really lucky, you meet someone with a map.”
― Sarah Addison Allen

tags: happiness

76 likes

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