Friday, March 22, 2019

We Hope for Better Things

GIVEAWAY
BARTELS, ERIN
WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS

The past is never as past as we'd like to think

When journalist Elizabeth Balsam is asked to deliver a box of old photos to a relative she didn't know she had, the strange request seems like it isn't worth her time. But as she explores her great-aunt's farmhouse with its locked doors and hidden graves, she soon discovers just how dramatically some of the most newsworthy events of the previous two centuries shaped her own family. As she searches for answers to the riddles around her, the remarkable stories of two women who lived in this very house emerge as testaments to love, resilence, and courage in the face of war, racism, and misunderstanding.

My Review:

What a stunning debut novel! Fascinating topic with a unique approach. Not just two, but three timelines featuring three Caucasian heroines who navigate various forms of racism in very personal ways. Their view as 'outsiders' looking in provide an intriguing vantage point to the tumultuous times they live in.

 It's not always pretty and everything doesn't get wrapped up in a neat little bow by the end. Bartels exposes the secrets and prejudices that shape a family over a century. Heart-breaking and rage-inducing and, ultimately, thought-provoking. I devoured We Hope for Better Things in one sitting -- I just couldn't put it down!

Book provided by Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of We Hope for Better Things, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Satruday March 23 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

33 comments:

  1. Sounds like a must read!
    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  2. This one grabbed me and sucked me in. Amazingly deep and refreshing angles of perspective! Living in MI I have heard the stories of the riots and underground railroad before that, so I wanted to read this. This was SO good and like you, I couldn't put it down!! It is hard to describe it in words, but I sure hope everyone can read this one! A must read.

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    1. Hard to describe in a review but would make an incredible book club discussion. So much I wanted to say but couldn't because I didn't want to post spoilers and ruin the reading discovery for someone else.

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  3. Wow. Interesting. Thank you. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet

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  4. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ladysnowangelphotos(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. Another one on my to-read list, Kav. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ckbarker at gmail dot com

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    1. Hope you get to take it off your list and onto your TBR pile soon, Cheryl. Good luck!

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  6. I love when stories have multiple timelines.
    turtle6422 at gmail dot com

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    1. And balancing three is such a challenge but she did a fantastic job. Good luck, Jana!

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  7. I haven't seen this book until now (where was I?) and it sounds intriguing!

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. It's from Revell Publishers. I haven't seen tons about it on Instagram or Facebook but I'm pretty sure someone mentioned it during one the Reader's Choice days. I'm grateful to have had an opportunity to review it. And the author has another book coming out in the Fall. Good luck, Trixi!

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  8. I love that cover. Great review. This sounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance.

    Tighefan42atgmail dotcom

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    1. It's an understated cover but makes an impact just the same. Good luck, Tammy!

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  9. I've heard good things about this book. It sounds like one I'd enjoy reading. Thanks for the giveaway.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  10. I read a sample of this on Bookish First. It was interesting, and I'm so glad to see a Revell book start to be shared on mainstream channels.

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  11. I've been really interested in this story. I really love the cover and I've heard great things!

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  12. Can't say that I've heard of a book with three timelines, but it sure sounds fascinating. I love dual timelines so this would be neat to read I am sure.

    Subjects of this caliber are meant to be ties up but to make one think. If a book can accomplish that while be a great book to read, it's bound to be a hit.

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy of "WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS"! No better way to explore an author but from the ground floor up. <3
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. Yes this definitely fits in the 'get a reader thinking' category. Good luck, Kay!

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  13. Sounds like one I would love. Thank you for sharing.
    leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com

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  14. I've heard so many great things about this debut. Reading Christian fiction that tackles tough issues like racism is a draw for me. I've read some classic secular fiction dealing with racism that has enraged me more than it had given me hope. Having been touched by this issue in my own family, I'm even more intrigued by a book of this nature with a Christian worldview. You gave nothing away in that review. I'll still be going in perfectly blind. Lol. tlhcoupon(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. It was hard to write a review without giving anything away! Best to experience it all as the story unfolds. Good luck, Terrill.

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  15. I saw this book yesterday in the bookstore. I didn't pick it up but now I wish I had.
    Thanks for giving me the opportunity to win it.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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  16. Ohhh, this sounds like an interesting read, thank you for the chance to win a copy.

    wfnren at aol dot com

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