Susie Finkbeiner

Well, I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately and this book proved to be the perfect cure. It drew me in from the first paragraph and held me with a captivated interest for the entirety of the novel.
Hugo was such a sweetheart. He is scarred and scared, learning to trust after having no stability in his life. He was so likable and his personality shone on the page.
Betty was also quite the character. She was warm-hearted and welcoming and always placed other's needs above her own even though she had every reason not to.
If you are in need of a story bursting with love and healing, I absolutely recommend that you give Stories That Bind Us a try.

Rating: 5/5
Language: n/a
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: The characters all regularly attend church and pray
Violence: Discusses racism and the church bombings in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s

*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.… (lisätietoja)

Knowing how a book is going to end and reading it are two different things . . . Oh, gosh, this book!!! *is so crying right now*

Review to come.

***UPDATED WITH REVIEW***
My Review: I can't do my normal break up of a review for this one . . . It is so good, sad, heartbreaking, loving, wonderful and horrible all at the same time. Through the whole book I knew the ending . . . I often know the ending of a book a quarter of the way through but what I didn't see coming was the feelings with this emotional roller coaster of a read.

Every word was filled with a perfect blend of the time surrounding the Vietnam war and a turning point of our country.

I'm amazed at this wonderful piece of artfully woven fiction. Vietnam is something I've been interested in but haven't really looked into, I'm a history nerd I research so much history but I know little of this time and this book makes me want to know more (a plot bunny is spinning in my head as I type this...) And I hope to find more books like this one. It is indeed a need to read for anyone who likes to know more about the war with Vietnam, more recent historical events and Christian fiction. This book is good for anyone 13 up though maybe better for 13/16 since their are details about the war though they are only mentioned and not "shown on screen"...

I still have tears in my eyes from reading this book.

I think my review is done other then mentioning that I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review, all the thoughts are my own and I am happy to provide it...… (lisätietoja)

Wow! This book blew me away! I loved the story and the characters! Bertha and Flossie are each great in their own ways. Bertha has a dream of playing baseball, and she pursues it. Flossie desperately wants a friend. An unexpected loss sends them reeling, but they rise up and achieve their dreams. I'll admit I did shed some tears, but there was hope amidst the sadness. A definite must read!
I was provided a copy of this book by Revell through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (lisätietoja)