I’ve long adored the story of women’s baseball in the movie A League of Their Own. When I saw there was a novel highlighting the very same sport, it wI’ve long adored the story of women’s baseball in the movie A League of Their Own. When I saw there was a novel highlighting the very same sport, it was easily a must-read for this sports-loving heart.
I loved that this story was told through the eyes of a pair of school-aged sisters. One had the hopes of joining the nearby women’s baseball team, while the other was a voracious reader dealing with some mean bullies.
Underscoring their personal struggles and goals was the Red Scare and communism trials. This was such a fascinating aspect of the story. I love reading about the Cold War, but this was an angle I hadn’t before seen in Christian fiction. It was written superbly and in as non-politically-focused way possible.
Other things I enjoyed about this story were… • the sweet high-school romance • the fact that the librarian was nice • the quirky uncle • the heart-wrenching emotional twist—totally should have seen it coming but didn’t—such masterful foreshadowing! • That the girls were growing up in the 1950s—my favorite decade
One disappointing thing and the reason for the docked star was that the humor was crude in certain moments. I don’t appreciate “loo humor,” as one character called it, as it’s immature and inappropriate.
If I rated the book solely on the first half, this book would have only earned three stars. The first half was very slow to me. This was due in large If I rated the book solely on the first half, this book would have only earned three stars. The first half was very slow to me. This was due in large part to my not being able to connect with the main character of Aidyn, who seemed exceptionally incompetent and naïve in the career of journalism. For a person wanting to be a great reporter, she held none of the markers of an inquisitive person. She wasn’t overly curious, she didn’t ask lots of questions, and she wanted to simply rush through the job and skip straight to the top.
However, Mrs. Clara Kip was intriguing from the outset. She’s the one who hooked me in and refused to let me stop reading through those slower chapters. I wasn’t exactly sure why I should care about the thread set in the 1970s since Aidyn wasn’t, but Clara had a way of tugging my heart in even when the leading lady couldn’t care less.
I’m glad I kept reading, because at the halfway point, things picked up quite nicely. Aidyn then found herself getting curious about Mrs. Kip’s past, and from there was built a beautiful friendship. The second half completely earned a fourth star, especially after that final cluster of chapters. What a finale! It’s always an exquisite experience to discover an intimate beauty in bittersweet sorrow infused with incredible faith. Besides, I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling over. To me, that’s always a good sign that my emotions were well involved in the story, and being an emotional reader, that’s key for me. So I finished the book much more satisfied than expected after that first half.
I like that Mrs. Kip’s personality popped so well, particularly in the present-day thread. She was a force to be reckoned with. The faith thread was, in large part due to Mrs. Kip, rich and deep—just the way I like it. I was disappointed that there was one profane word and one expletive, but the rest of the faith journey was amazing.
The presentation of the entire story felt very atmospheric. That helped me feel welcome in this book’s world long before I ever connected with Aidyn. The scenes came alive because of the word choices and author’s voice. The history involved felt well researched and was beautifully presented in a way that brought the journey to life for me. I was glad to see that the author's note confirmed the research was thorough and the story written as an homage to those who lived through this time period and the events on display in this story.
There was one situation in which I was not sure what to think. It was unclear to me for many chapters if Mai Khab and her family were coming to America legally or illegally. Since they were refugees, I think it was legal through a refugee asylum policy. I wish it were made clearer from the beginning of her arriving that that was the case, because it was easy to misunderstand and think she was coming over illegally, which would have seemed like liberal propaganda with a particular line of Mrs. Kip’s. Even if Mai was legal through asylum, it was quite a rude generalization that Mrs. Kip made when she said, “I have never seen the vast smallness of American minds until I’ve attempted to get them to wrap around the concept of hospitality toward outsiders.” This line made me so mad, because it has not been my experience in my own community or in traveling throughout all 48 contiguous states that the vast majority of Americans are as heartless as that. Most of the thousands of people I’ve met in my life have been sweet, generous-hearted souls who are eager to make people feel welcome in their community. Sure, I’ve met some folks who are brash, rude, or downright cruel and bullyish, but they are few and very far between. I definitely wouldn’t look to generalize all of America in a negative light because of them when the majority of people have been polite and nice and happy to be of help or to chat for a few moments, if not a while. That was the one beef I had with Mrs. Kip. In all other moments, I really enjoyed her.
There were many lines I truly adored in this book. Here are a few of them.
“[The Lord] was always up to something good, even if she couldn’t see it.”
“Honey, I’m only dying. I’m not an invalid.”
“The grave is not my final home.”
“We don’t stay long in each other’s lives—that’s the crux of our humanness. You have to be the friend people need while they are there with you, because it’s the only chance you’ll get.”
“Loss is hard no matter how many times you’ve been through it.”
“I was still a mother, Miss Kelley, just not by the world’s definition. I mothered people whether they liked it or not. And I was endlessly blessed by it.”
“I wish I had listened better from the beginning.”
“Seek [H]im with everything you have … Follow [H]im even if it means you have to do weird things…”
Content: replacement expletives, tobacco, alcohol, crude sexual term, one profane word, one expletive ...more
If not for the horrible language and crude talk, I would have loved this story.
The cutesy cover and blurb caught my attention and drew me to this bookIf not for the horrible language and crude talk, I would have loved this story.
The cutesy cover and blurb caught my attention and drew me to this book. (I also needed a pink cover for a reading challenge.) The core of the story was charming and right up my alley. I love a search for a lost love. In that respect, this book reminded me of the movie Letters to Juliet, which is a favorite of mine. The bittersweet ending was utterly sweet and made me weep happy, conflicted tears. It was wonderful to see the plot focused around a double-decker bus, a staple in London, England. That aspect was such fun. The romance itself was sweet and enjoyable. City adventure is another favorite genre of mine, so I had fun with that aspect as well.
I just wish this book were clean. The excessive bad language and crude talk were unnecessary to the plot and wasted precious page space.
Content: tobacco, profanity (excessive), expletives (excessive), living together prior to marriage, crude talk, unwed pregnancies, tattoos, alcohol in sweets, alcohol, pornography mentioned once ...more
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I enjoyed both premises of this book: a writer defying an eFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I enjoyed both premises of this book: a writer defying an evil dictator and a young woman searching for her identity in the country of her ancestors. While I sometimes get weary of the time-slip genre, this one was well written in that aspect. My favorite part was the atmosphere in Greece, which came alive on the pages. I’m sure this was due in part to the author’s having traveled there (as mentioned in the author’s note).
It was disappointing that two historical facts were altered significantly to push a feministic agenda as well as to suit the story’s timeline. I prefer historical fiction to stick to historical facts and adjust the story’s timeline to fit the actual historical timeline. To me, that is how we learn from history even within a fictional story while also honoring those people who lived out the tragedies and successes of the era in which the fiction is set. Instead, what this book offered was a version of “cancel culture” that pushed a man out of his role in history so that a woman could take his place, and significantly changed the course of a pivotal event for the sake of “dramatic effect.” The real-life version of the event was actually more dramatic and would have significantly ramped up the tension and stakes within the fictional story, as I’m sure it did for the people who truly lived it out in the 1940s.
Another difference in this book than in the author’s previous works is that some pretty large questions the author created in my mind were never answered. I noticed this about halfway through (which was where the “dramatic effects” were happening), and that’s when I began losing interest in the story. It’s not normal for me to close a Tolsma book with more pending questions than when I started reading it.
There were some other issues I noted, but the most important of those was that one soul-saving scene likely wouldn’t have happened because of what the Bible says about people who have died coming back to warn their loved ones about what comes after death. Luke 16:22-31 (NKJ) says, “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
The memory of reading that Bible story many times as a young child pulled me right out of the story, and the context of the parable made the finale of the novel unrealistic to me.
I really wanted to love this book. The back-cover copy was right up my alley. The cover was deliciously moody and hinted that I was in for a good Gothic tale. It was a lot less Gothic-y than I was hoping for, so it didn’t live up to the cover in that way.
It was fun learning more about Ron Howard’s childhood and growing up years—and learning about his family as well. The neat story about his mom’s auditIt was fun learning more about Ron Howard’s childhood and growing up years—and learning about his family as well. The neat story about his mom’s audition for her part in Apollo 13 was one of my favorite anecdotes. It was fantastic to see how Ron and Clint’s dad made sure they had a childhood in spite of being child actors.
I did not enjoy the sexual content in this book. Those things are unnecessary to share with the public, as they are meant to be private moments.
The audio was well read by the authors, with a fun forward by Ron’s daughter Bryce Dallas Howard. It was fun hearing a bit of her perspective on her dad and uncle—and the family legacy.
Content: expletives (excessive), profanity (excessive), pre-marital sex, tobacco, tattoos, replacement profanity, replacement expletives, various sexual content (talk and acts; excessive), sexual abuse, bars, drugs, substance abuse, teen drug use, teen drinking...more
I enjoyed this in-depth study and comparison of the careers and lives of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I found myself riveted by the fascinating detaI enjoyed this in-depth study and comparison of the careers and lives of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I found myself riveted by the fascinating details in the various stages of the men’s lives. This wasn’t an easy read, but it was one I’m grateful to have taken the time for.
My big beef with this book was that there was zero warning that it dealt with prostitution. I don’t mind reading about it in certain cases, but I loveMy big beef with this book was that there was zero warning that it dealt with prostitution. I don’t mind reading about it in certain cases, but I love having warning about it right in the back-cover blurb so that I can decide whether or not I feel like investing my mental and emotional energies into such a tale. Some days I do; some days I don’t.
For some strange reason, I seem to be drawn to those books that feature a love triangle where one of the guys is completely abhorrent. I have no idea why this is, and it drives me nuts every time, but I stumble across this trope time after time after time…
I’m getting worn out on racial-issues-fueled books. I’ve simply grown beyond them and prefer not to read books in this trope very often anymore.
The first memorable moment of faith came at the 40% mark. That felt way too late in the game. Even after that mark, the faith thread felt practically non-existent for most of the story. It was much too light for my taste.
In the audio version, the transition between time periods was abrupt at times. Context helped to sort out which era each scene was in, but I did wonder a few times if there was a smoother way of transitioning from one era to the other.
I loved Audrey’s brother! He was so charming and delightful.
Luca was amazing. He was the type of hero I could root for: chivalrous and gallant to the core. My heart broke for his sister and how his story ended.
The Tennessee Centennial Exposition setting was so enjoyable! I love settings like that when the authors are able to bring them to life, which Mrs. Shocklee was able to do here. This aspect of the book was my favorite.
The scrapbook was phenomenal! I love how this was incorporated into the story and brought the leads of the 1960s’ era together.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This book had me constantly amazed and baffled and shocked FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This book had me constantly amazed and baffled and shocked by turns. So much good information! I love learning about true crime and how criminals were caught and such, and methodology as well as psychology are fascinating to me. This book was right up my alley.
The great thing about it was that the author presented it in a way that I could easily understand it. A lot of texts like this one are way above my head to where I feel like I need to hold at least five or six PhDs to understand half of it. Not so with this book. The language was easily comprehended and written almost like a novel. It was very engaging and kept me riveted to the pages, though I had to pause many times to digest (pun intended) each new shocking thing that was revealed.
This is a great book for murder mystery writers to have on hand. I’m a writer of a different genre at the moment, but I will definitely be keeping this book in mind if I every dive into writing murder mysteries.
Content: nudity, expletives (few), mythology, alcohol, drugs, bars/pubs, brothels, marital affairs, prostitutes, abortions, unwed pregnancies, substance abuse, alchemy, teen use of drugs, teen use of alcohol, teen use of tobacco, Catholicism, premarital sex ...more
If this book weren’t so lewd and filled with detailed discussions of nudity and marital affairs, I likely would have enjoyed it much better.
I was ableIf this book weren’t so lewd and filled with detailed discussions of nudity and marital affairs, I likely would have enjoyed it much better.
I was able to enjoy some of the anecdotes, and it was interesting learning more about one of my favorite actors. I particularly liked the portions of the book that took place in the actor’s country of origin as well as the behind-the-scenes look at a few of the films I’ve enjoyed over the years. The anecdote of how Mr. Cox got his name was my favorite one, actually, and when I shared it with my whole family, we all enjoyed that little tidbit.
The author did a wonderful job narrating his book for the audio version. I loved hearing his delightful Scottish accent. That was a great consolation for having to listen to the detailed accounts of the muckiest, most sinful portions of his life. It was not a shocker that he performed beautifully; in all the films I’ve ever seen him in, the same could be said. But it was a delight to hear that wonderful accent for the hours it took to listen to this book.
Content: miscarriages, drunkenness, alcohol, profanity, expletives, sexual perversion, Catholicism, derogatory term, crude sexual terms and discussions, tobacco, violence, suicide attempts, marital affairs, drugs, nudity, lewd productions (stage plays involving nudity, etc.) ...more
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This is a really great WWII resource. I enjoyed every chaptFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This is a really great WWII resource. I enjoyed every chapter, because they taught me things I didn’t already know in a way that was easy to absorb the information. The author voice was great and easy to understand. Overall, this book was fascinating and absorbing.
Here are my personal summaries of each chapter’s heroes: Virginia Hall, amputee spy who defied the odds as well as the Nazis. William Sebold, a double-agent who took down several German spy rings. Marlene Dietrich, an actress with a knack for boosting morale. Juan Pujol, a writer and his make-believe spy ring fooled high-ranked Nazis. Carl Lutz, risked his life to save 72,000 Jews. The Ghost Army, diversion tactics made a huge difference. The Battle for Castle Itter, WWI veterans hold the fort.
The only two of these heroes I had heard about before were Virginia Hall (from the book A Woman of No Importance, which is a biography about her) and Marlene Dietrich (as an actress; I had not heard prior to reading this book that she participated in WWII). The majority of this book was news to me, and I found myself intrigued by each new chapter’s informative content.
This is the second book by this author that I have read (the other being Invisible Heroes of World War II), and I’m eager to read more. There was a note in this one that he’s also written about the Vietnam War, so I’m curious to see how he approached that one and how similar or different it might be to his presentation in the two WWII books of his that I’ve read.
What a heartbreaker! This story was complex and dug deep. The mysteries and characters and journey across the Pyrénées… My heart shattered and healed What a heartbreaker! This story was complex and dug deep. The mysteries and characters and journey across the Pyrénées… My heart shattered and healed and broke again…
My favorite aspect of this book was how deep the faith thread went. It was embedded into the storyline until it was impossible to extract it. Truly, it was the key to the entire plot. I loved this so much and wish there were more books that had such well-written faith threads.
The found-family angle was right up my alley. I wept through certain parts, and most of that was either heartbreak or incandescent joy.
Content: replacement expletive, teen smoking, drugs, mind readers mentioned, an expletive or two, marital affairs mentioned, mythology, alcohol, tobacco, suicide mentioned or inferred a few times, teen drug use, teen drinking ...more
This autobiography grew a deeper appreciation in me for actor Kirk Douglas. It was easy to get a feel for the camaraderie and romance and friendship bThis autobiography grew a deeper appreciation in me for actor Kirk Douglas. It was easy to get a feel for the camaraderie and romance and friendship between the authors through their remembrances and anecdotes shared upon the pages of this book. It was especially neat to get a glimpse at Kirk’s son Michael’s view of his Dad and stepmom in the forward. This book made me laugh and cry, and while it irritated me at times too, I am glad I read it.
Content: alcohol, bars, night clubs, profanity, gambling, promiscuity, expletives, tobacco, suicide, casinos, drug abuse, nudity, rape...more
So twisty! I hated pausing my reading to sleep last night. It was so tense throughout, and there was plenty of action at every turn. It was really funSo twisty! I hated pausing my reading to sleep last night. It was so tense throughout, and there was plenty of action at every turn. It was really fun that the leading lady lived on a houseboat; that’s unique. It was very interesting to have a thread about an adopted embryo. That isn’t something anywhere near my radar, so it was cool to have that featured so I could learn more about it. The mystery was great! I never figured it out, and that’s tough to accomplish, as I read a lot of suspense. I especially loved that the Weeki Wachee mermaids were highlighted. I saw their Little Mermaid show when I was little, only a few years after the animated movie came out. I’ve never before seen the show featured in a fictional story, so this was a special treat!
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
The atmosphere was superb in this one. That was the most meFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
The atmosphere was superb in this one. That was the most mesmerizing thing for me while I was reading this book. I also thought the author nailed the dialect of small-town Southern United States. The way these characters spoke and thought made them come alive for me.
The cover was amazing… until I realized there were only two letters mentioned in the story instead of the hefty stack shown on the lower portion of the cover. Now that car… I’ll take one of those, please! So gorgeous, those curves. And I still love the tone that’s set by the cover. That was totally spot-on.
Clarence was a completely compassionate gentleman. I couldn’t get enough of this guy and his love for “his girls” (his wife and daughters). His protective spirit and encouraging nature were amazing, and I wish he could have been in several more scenes.
Now for the stuff I struggled with…
Glory Ann recognized early that pre-marital sex and an unwed pregnancy were mistakes, BUT shortly after that, she was “not ashamed of” these things, though shame is exactly what sin should stir up in us.
She also saw and spoke to her dead fiancé as if he were really still alive. That was spooky and weird.
The name for the elderly ladies’ sewing club didn’t make sense to me and felt disrespectful to God. It was the “Poker Night Prayer and Sewing Circle.” They never once played poker. Why not call it simply the “Prayer and Sewing Circle”?
I was completely confused at where Sarah had previously lived. I thought it was Chicago, Illinois, because Chicago was mentioned several times. Then, out of nowhere, “get back to Virginia” and “her Chicago responsibilities” were both mentioned on a single page, talking about her going home to her former place of residence for a time. At that point, I lost all bearings of where Sarah’s past took place.
Having the “preacher’s wife let a cuss word fly” was not a good example of Ephesians 4:29, which says, “No foul language is to come from your mouth.” A preacher’s wife has great responsibility to lead by example because of the position of spiritual leadership her husband and she are both in, so this was definitely something that bothered me.
Whenever a character was asked if she had an affair, her immediate and only response was, “No. Never.” How, then, did she end up having a baby out of wedlock? Sounds like a pre-marital affair to me. Not all affairs are when one or both parties are already married. It’s any sexual relationship outside of the bonds of marriage. An online dictionary says an affair is “an intense amorous relationship, usually of short duration,” which was exactly what happened. Therefore, the lady did have an affair, which means she also lied about not having one.
Overall, this story was very atmospheric with a compassionate gentleman of a character who stood out as memorable. I’ve already heard from several other reader friends on Goodreads that they adored this story, so I’m sure other readers will as well.
Content: unwed pregnancy, gambling term in a prayer group name, replacement profanity, teen drinking, drugs mentioned...more
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
Outstanding. This book made me weep, laugh, and cheer. It eFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
Outstanding. This book made me weep, laugh, and cheer. It encouraged my soul. It broke me and gave me hope and helped me understand more of what difficulties fellow Christians around the globe face as they share their love for Jesus with the people around them.
One of the most disappointing books of the year for me, Becoming Mrs. Lewis began as an emotional affair through letters between Joy and Jack, and thaOne of the most disappointing books of the year for me, Becoming Mrs. Lewis began as an emotional affair through letters between Joy and Jack, and that deepened once they met in person. Emotional affairs are just as dangerous and poisonous to a marriage as sexual affairs. I cannot tolerate either sort, so this book was torture to plow through. The entire book was coated in sexual overtones that never let up.
This book was one I’d highly anticipated for two years prior to reading it. The cover was stunning and the premise intrigued me. Turns out, it wasn’t a good fit for this reader. I’ve got friends who adored it, and I’m glad it’s found some readers who love it. ...more
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
The author voice in this nonfiction book pulled me in from FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
The author voice in this nonfiction book pulled me in from page one and hardly let me pause to eat, sleep, and work. It was so inviting, engaging, and even felt interactive at times.
I’m no longer a fan of the NFL (Dallas Cowboys’ best years, to me, were the Troy Aikmen/Emmitt Smith years, and it was amazing seeing the team play through those seasons), so I had no clue who Mr. Jason Brown was prior to reading this book. While reading the book, it felt as if I were being invited in to his childhood, college years, and career years, to see it up close and personal – all these years later. Not many nonfiction books I’ve read in the last decade have accomplished this genuine and intimate tone. It was fascinating reading about a former NFL player who gave up that career in order to pursue God’s calling as a farmer. It was amazing to see someone gutsy enough in modern times to follow wherever God led him. This is a great example to young people and adults alike.
My favorite quote from this book was found at 77% of the NetGalley copy: “God hasn’t called us to be successful. God has called us to be faithful.”
That line was spoken by Mr. Brown’s wife, Tay. I must say, I enjoyed getting to know her just as much as I did following Mr. Brown’s childhood-to-NFL-to-farmer journey. She really felt like a down-to-earth woman who knew what she wanted in life yet was willing to submit to God’s plan for her. I admire that type of courage and faith, to set aside worldly wants (money, mansions, lavish lifestyle) to pursue the call of faith.
This was an interesting read. I was shocked at the complete unrealistic mindset of the book thief. It was very clear he thought the entire world owed This was an interesting read. I was shocked at the complete unrealistic mindset of the book thief. It was very clear he thought the entire world owed him any copy of any book he desired for reasons such as life’s not being fair, he didn’t want to spend his own money on them, and he didn’t make enough money to afford first editions. I couldn’t understand that mindset at all, as the world doesn’t owe us anything.
I won’t be revisiting this book, as I’m not keen on glorifying narcissists. So I stand with Lane Heldfond, one of the book thief’s victims, who told the author, “What you’re doing, is, well, it might be glorifying him.” I felt the exact same way long before I reached that quote in the book, especially since the author admitted to having gotten caught up in the “thrill” of studying the criminal’s extensive thievery.
However, I found this book to be an interesting psychological case study. It is certainly fascinating how the brain works, and this guy’s mind certainly would be a psychologist’s dream case, if they could stay grounded in the reality of right and wrong themselves.
I do appreciate being made more aware of such crimes as the criminal committed, to be able to better spot trouble before it arrives.
I was happy to learn of Sanders, the amateur detective who caught the criminal at stealing a plethora of rare, expensive books. We need more everyday heroes like Ken Sanders.
Content: suicide, expletives, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, sexual perversion mentioned, crude sexual terms, Bible “jokes,” witchcraft mentioned ...more
This book was fun and entertaining with classic, vintage Carol Burnett humor. I listened to the audio version, so it was a treat to hear her read it. This book was fun and entertaining with classic, vintage Carol Burnett humor. I listened to the audio version, so it was a treat to hear her read it. Yep, that might have even included one of her trademark Tarzan yells.
Content: expletives, profanity, some crudity ...more
Emotional and rich with heritage, this story sizzled from the beginning. Millie’s tale wrenched my heart throughout, and it was lovely to learn bits aEmotional and rich with heritage, this story sizzled from the beginning. Millie’s tale wrenched my heart throughout, and it was lovely to learn bits and pieces of it alongside Harper Rae and Peter before being able to see the fully stitched-together tapestry of Millicent’s life spanned out before me by the end of the book.
It was good to see such a well-written novel about racism and what that looked like in the Deep South over decades past. What made this book special is that it wasn’t pitting one person against another; rather, it was one woman’s story and how she battled an internal war over her very own heritage. It’s personal stories like this one—no matter which ethnic background they feature—that I adore reading.
I liked that there was an engaging mystery thread. To discover right alongside Harper Rae and Peter just how the bits and pieces of their individual histories were so intricately woven together was superb, and I hope the next two books in the series are just as exquisitely detailed.
The time-slip genre was well chosen for this particular story. The author expertly delivered a tale of complex family ties, hidden ethnicity, and a charming journey with a couple of buttons. While time-slip can be difficult to follow at times, this book did not carry that problem. Every chapter was properly labeled with location and year, and the character voices were distinct and stood apart well from each other while complimenting one another at the same time.
One area I struggled with was that a particular character seemed to be both a feminist and a traditionalist. On one hand, she was “usually the first one to advocate for women having equal opportunities,” but on the other, she told a young lady, “None of that feminist rubbish.” That contradiction showed that she was trying to have it both ways. I wish the feminism mentions hadn’t been included. They were unnecessary to the core story and only served to distract me from what was important to Millie’s and Harper Rae’s and Franklin’s journeys. This story would have earned that final star had the feminism/traditional confusion not been present.
Content: one expletive, replacement expletives, drunkenness...more
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