Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Amy         

Lynnie   

historical fiction

Before We Were Yours tells the story of Rill Foss and her family, victims of the real-life Memphis-based Tennessee Children's Home Society run by Georgia Tann during the 1930s and 1940s.  Through Rill's fictional story, told from two alternating points of view, Lisa Wingate relates the horrors that truly befell many families.

Amy's Review

Before We Were Yours is an amazing story and I’m thrilled that my book club selected it. I can’t wait to discuss it. Told from two viewpoints, one an older woman looking back on her life and one a younger woman discovering the truth about her grandmother’s life, its structure reminded me a lot of Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (which I adored). The revealing of truths for orphans from the early part of the 20th century is also a central topic for both of the novels. Yet, the stories and situations are different.

After it got going, I was completely sucked in to Rill’s story and couldn’t wait to listen to the audio book at every opportunity I could get. I had to find out what happened to her and her siblings. Her narrative was full of ups and downs--harrowing, horrifying, and heartwarming. She was a girl who was strong in the face of adversity on many fronts and braver than anyone could have expected. In fact, there were a couple times where I felt the story might have gone a little bit too far and made the scenarios seem far-fetched. But it was all plausible and I didn’t let these unlikely successes get in the way of my enjoyment of the novel. However, with those scenes and the slow beginning, I’m withholding a star. Otherwise, the telling was terrific and I loved the way Lisa Wingate crafted the story. I enjoyed both points of view and they never felt disjointed or placed at inopportune intervals, which can sometimes happen with multiple viewpoints.  The story really got under my skin and hasn't yet let go, many days later.

The narrators were Emily Rankin and Catherine Taber. They were both pretty great at bringing these characters to life. I especially loved the voice acting by and vocal quality of Emily Rankin and give her an A+. I give Catherine Taber an A.

Lynnie's Review

Wow! What a novel.

I had heard about Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children's Home Society previously; at some point I watched a tv show about it and recall being fascinated and horrified by what she had done. Tann represents the dark underbelly of adoption; she was a child trafficker, but her ability to place children in the families of some very prominent people gave her credibility.

Before We Were Yours is the fictional story of children that could very well have fallen prey to Georgia Tann, how they came to be at the TN Children's Home, how their lives unfolded and the impact on future generations of their family. Told from two different points of view- in the present by Avery Stafford (a Senator's daughter from a prominent South Carolina family) and Rill Foss, the oldest daughter of river gypsies who becomes a victim of Tann's agency.

This is a story that is often difficult to listen to. There were times when it was crystal clear what was going to happen, but the emotional impact still hit like a ton of bricks. At its best, the book is both terrifying and full of hope. I listened to the first half on audiobook & the narrators were excellent. I enjoyed both of them and the dimension their voices added to the story.

Lisa Wingate's story will keep you glued to the edge of your seat as you piece the story together. I can't recommend this highly enough.

 

The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs

Amy   

historical fiction

I read The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs for book club and we timed it so that we could read it before Hamilton the Musical comes to town. I didn’t know much about Alexander Hamilton before reading this novel. I found parts of his story interesting (his childhood, his drive to make something of himself, his intelligence, his stupidity, his bravery, his family life with Eliza) but much of it dealt with stuff that doesn’t interest me (war and politics). The novel itself felt clunky in the telling as it jumped through important points in his life, was sometimes too textbookish, and sometimes too mundane. The best section, with the most compelling storyline and clearest writing, was when Eliza returned to her parents’ house after the Reynolds’ Pamphlet was published. Other than that section, the book never grabbed me. I didn’t know what to expect of Hamilton's story but this wasn’t really it. I’m amazed that a musical about his life has been so successful. I had just assumed that his life story was more spectacular somehow. Instead, he was misrepresented and slandered, never seemed to get the respect he deserved and craved, was always fighting an uphill battle in almost every aspect of his life, and died too soon. It doesn’t seem like material for a successful Broadway production which makes me want to see the musical all the more. I'm intrigued to discover how this story could be presented in such an impactful manner on stage.

Dreamfall by Amy Plum

Lynnie

young adult, thriller

I loved Amy Plum’s After the End duology so I was eager to read another book by her.

Dreamfall is marketed as a YA horror novel which gave me some pause because I don’t generally like horror. BUT, this book is not scary, so if that’s holding you back, don’t let that stop you. The book is exceedingly creepy but there was never a point where I was particularly freaked out.

Unfortunately, knowing that this is a duology also meant that I realized shortly after the story began that this book would provide zero closure & would end somewhere in the middle. Honestly, it felt like reading half a book. I really really really wish that writers who cannot find a natural place to pause a story would just write one book.

Anyway, some of the characters are interesting, but mostly I just felt sorry for all of them- they have all experienced some sort of trauma that gives them insomnia & therefore brings them all together for this “miracle cure.” Their lives are just so grim for the most part that rather than sympathizing with all of them, it becomes some weird, “I’m more messed up than you” competition.

I’m just not invested in any of the characters so, while I won’t rule out reading the follow-up, I don’t think I’ll be looking for it either. The best thing this book has going for it is that it’s REALLY short so you can read it in less than a day

Circe by Madeline Miller

Amy     

fantasy

In high school and college I adored my Greek Mythology classes because the myths are basically just a series of soap opera stories which I enjoyed in those days. Through the years, I’ve enjoyed books and movies that dig deeper into the details about the individual lives of Greek Gods and heros. I particularly liked the previous book by Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles so I was excited to read her next novel, Circe, about a nymph of whom I knew nothing.

Sadly, this one isn’t as good as The Song of Achilles. Circe’s story really isn’t very compelling until the end. She is largely ignored, scorned, and used throughout her life. She’s simply not all that special. And she’s not human enough to gain my sympathy, admiration, or understanding. I lost interest during much of the story. All the soap opera stuff I remembered learning about in my younger days is mentioned without enough details or depth to jar my memory sufficiently or make any impact on the novel’s storyline whatsoever. It’s just fluff that is mentioned to pad the novel, in my opinion.

The one character I enjoyed reading and learning about was Telemachus. After finishing the novel, I did some online searching regarding Circe and also Telemachus. The most interesting aspect of the novel Circe, to me, is how the author chose pieces of different stories (many of which are contradictory in various myths and compilations) and wove them all together into a coherent storyline. I just wish that more of the storyline was as compelling as the last part.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Perdita Weeks. She has a really lovely voice and I enjoyed listening to her a lot. At times she was too quick in the reading but that is my only criticism. Her voice fit this story very nicely. I give her an A.

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Lynnie 

young adult, contemporary fiction

I enjoyed John Corey Whaley's book Noggin, so when I saw this at the library I thought I'd give it a try. Highly Illogical Behavior has some wonderful moments and characters; I adored Solomon, his parents and grandmother, and Clark and every one of their interactions. Unfortunately Lisa, one of the main characters and the entire reason for the plot to move forward, was kind of a horrible human being. I loathed the way she used Solomon for her own benefit and, even more, I hated how dependent on her Solomon became.

I can't speak to whether or not Solomon's mental health issues are realistically portrayed but that didn't affect my feelings toward him or the story. If not for Lisa, I think I would have loved this book but her character infuriated me time and again, making it difficult for me to really embrace the story.

Still, the friendships that the book explores, particularly the one between Solomon and Clark, left me feeling hopeful. I think a younger reader would be more forgiving of Lisa & her behavior so I definitely recommend this for book for folks in high school and maybe even college- I think they'll see something to relate to in these pages.

Rebel of the Sands and Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #1 and #2) by Alwyn Hamilton

Amy              

fantasy, action/suspense, young adult

In Rebel of the Sands, Amani is willing to do almost anything to leave her small, impoverished town so that she does not have to be forced to marry someone not of her choosing. While attempting to win earnings from a shooting contest that went wrong, she meets a stranger who gives her an out. Adventure ensues. In Traitor to the Throne, Amani’s adventure continues. By trusting the wrong person, she finds herself in enemy custody and works to find a way to help the rebellion from within the castle walls.

I really enjoyed these novels—the story, the characters, the Mid-Eastern setting and culture, the adventure, the magic, and the relationships. Interestingly, especially in the first one, I felt that Alwyn Hamilton needed to work a little more at describing the changing scenes. There were quite a few times I could not really picture what was going on—where we were, how we got there, what *exactly* had happened. I don’t believe I’ve ever wanted an author to describe things better. Usually, I feel that authors describe things too much! This was Hamilton’s debut novel and she did improve her world-building and scene-setting in the second novel. The second one had new great characters to love (and hate) along with new adventures. There was even an unexpected twist which always makes me happy. The storyline continues to interest me and I like Amani as a lead character a lot. She’s brave, smart, and realistic. I’m happy to see that the next novel in the series is already released and I will definitely read it.

Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Lynnie

young adult, science fiction

Okay, so I'm torn about this one. I really like Amie Kaufman and enjoyed her previous collaboration with Meagan Spooner, the Starbound series, so I was looking forward to reading their new series Unearthed.

Here's the thing though- it felt a lot like reading These Broken Stars. In fact, in my review of that book I wrote, "they work together to survive on an uninhabited planet, solve the planet's mysteries & try to find a way to be rescued" which is pretty much exactly the same thing I would write about Unearthed.

The characters are interesting but, again, remind me of any of the pairs in the Starbound series. Mia & Jules would have truly fit right into that series. The villains are villainy, the heroes are adorably star-crossed... but I've read it before (and by the same authors).