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sbreadsfantasy's review against another edition
5.0
Thoroughly Enjoyed
I’ve been in desperate need for a light read. Initially, I worried that a story involving Nazis and the electric chair would not be an easy read.
I was pleasantly surprised. The two narratives weave well together, and there were twists and turns that surprised me. I’m a sucker for difficult love stories, and this was definitely one. The type of marriage the author illuminates as having the most value was refreshing.
I do think some tweaks to the book could have improved it. Chapters alternated between WWII and the present day, and nearly every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. It felt like an immature writing tactic and I tired of the whiplash.
However, overall, I loved the book and not even the whiplash detracts from the five star rating.
I’ve been in desperate need for a light read. Initially, I worried that a story involving Nazis and the electric chair would not be an easy read.
I was pleasantly surprised. The two narratives weave well together, and there were twists and turns that surprised me. I’m a sucker for difficult love stories, and this was definitely one. The type of marriage the author illuminates as having the most value was refreshing.
I do think some tweaks to the book could have improved it. Chapters alternated between WWII and the present day, and nearly every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. It felt like an immature writing tactic and I tired of the whiplash.
However, overall, I loved the book and not even the whiplash detracts from the five star rating.
booksanddragons's review against another edition
Not a fan of reincarnation. Also didn’t like the modern mfc
dalyn84's review against another edition
2.0
Plot seemed like a real stretch... And the resolution was lacking.
nicoletoksbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
walmartyr's review against another edition
4.0
picked this up solely because the main character is a vet. turns out this book has very little to do with veterinary medicine
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Kristina McMorris' The Pieces We Keep is haunting and bittersweet story of two different women, one in the present, one in the past and the inexplicable connection that brings them together. This intriguing and engrossing novel unfolds from both women's perspectives with the chapters alternating between the two different time periods. The unpredictable and inventive storyline is riveting, but it is the incredible cast of characters that makes this story so utterly captivating.
Beginning with a highly dramatic end to their plane trip, life for grieving widow Audra Hughes and her son Jack is about to spiral out of control. Horrific and recurring night terrors, increasingly violent artwork and unexplained knowledge of wartime events by seven year Jack leave Audra desperately seeking answers for his increasingly bizarre behavior. Her quest to help Jack leads her to very a unusual possible explanation involving wounded Afghanistan solider Sean Malloy and a failed World War II romance between a young American woman and a young German man.
Two years after her husband's sudden death, Audra is still struggling to balance her work and home life. Thinking a fresh start is what she and Jack both need to move on, Audra is interviewing for jobs out of state when Jack's problems escalate out of control. Luckily she has a good friend and her former in laws to assist her, but her sleepless nights and increasing concern for Jack take their toll and Audra leaves her job to care for him full time. Jack's encounter with Sean leads Audra to a startling conclusion and after she confides her suspicions to Jack's grandparents, she is stunned by their unexpected reaction.
Just as compelling as Audra and Jack's part of the storyline is the romance that forms between American Vivian James and Isaak, the young man she meets in England in the days leading up to World War II. Separated after the war begins, Vivian's new life in New York takes an unanticipated detour just as she is on the verge of a new relationship. Vivian is forced to make a decision that has far reaching implications that reverberate for several generations.
The premise of The Pieces We Keep is quite fascinating and it is virtually impossible to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. The parallels between the two women's emotions and experiences coupled with the chapters ending on suspenseful note keep the pages of the novel briskly turning. Kristina McMorris' meticulous research and historical accuracy provide a richly detailed backdrop for the unfolding storylines. All of the various threads are tied together in a satisfying conclusion that leaves no question unanswered.
An astounding novel that I recommend to fans of both historical and contemporary fiction.
Kristina McMorris' The Pieces We Keep is haunting and bittersweet story of two different women, one in the present, one in the past and the inexplicable connection that brings them together. This intriguing and engrossing novel unfolds from both women's perspectives with the chapters alternating between the two different time periods. The unpredictable and inventive storyline is riveting, but it is the incredible cast of characters that makes this story so utterly captivating.
Beginning with a highly dramatic end to their plane trip, life for grieving widow Audra Hughes and her son Jack is about to spiral out of control. Horrific and recurring night terrors, increasingly violent artwork and unexplained knowledge of wartime events by seven year Jack leave Audra desperately seeking answers for his increasingly bizarre behavior. Her quest to help Jack leads her to very a unusual possible explanation involving wounded Afghanistan solider Sean Malloy and a failed World War II romance between a young American woman and a young German man.
Two years after her husband's sudden death, Audra is still struggling to balance her work and home life. Thinking a fresh start is what she and Jack both need to move on, Audra is interviewing for jobs out of state when Jack's problems escalate out of control. Luckily she has a good friend and her former in laws to assist her, but her sleepless nights and increasing concern for Jack take their toll and Audra leaves her job to care for him full time. Jack's encounter with Sean leads Audra to a startling conclusion and after she confides her suspicions to Jack's grandparents, she is stunned by their unexpected reaction.
Just as compelling as Audra and Jack's part of the storyline is the romance that forms between American Vivian James and Isaak, the young man she meets in England in the days leading up to World War II. Separated after the war begins, Vivian's new life in New York takes an unanticipated detour just as she is on the verge of a new relationship. Vivian is forced to make a decision that has far reaching implications that reverberate for several generations.
The premise of The Pieces We Keep is quite fascinating and it is virtually impossible to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. The parallels between the two women's emotions and experiences coupled with the chapters ending on suspenseful note keep the pages of the novel briskly turning. Kristina McMorris' meticulous research and historical accuracy provide a richly detailed backdrop for the unfolding storylines. All of the various threads are tied together in a satisfying conclusion that leaves no question unanswered.
An astounding novel that I recommend to fans of both historical and contemporary fiction.
jfbfsf's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars, but I can't bring myself to round up.
The story is interesting. The writing is... ok. The dialogue/relationship sections are terrible. There are two story lines - one in present day, and one in the 1940s. The older one was total romance novel - I know there was a story there, it wasn't just about heaving chests and starry eyes... but it was mostly about that. I couldn't stop rolling my eyes. I think I even highlighted some of the more egregious dialogue, but I've returned the book to the library, so I can't check.
The modern story seemed far fetched... but less terrible eye rolling romance.
I was pulled in by the stories, and definitely wanted to see how the two stories tied into each other, and how it would all resolve.
I read it (and actually read for like 4 straight hours on a plane) but mostly because I wanted to see how it all wrapped up and be done with it.
The story is interesting. The writing is... ok. The dialogue/relationship sections are terrible. There are two story lines - one in present day, and one in the 1940s. The older one was total romance novel - I know there was a story there, it wasn't just about heaving chests and starry eyes... but it was mostly about that. I couldn't stop rolling my eyes. I think I even highlighted some of the more egregious dialogue, but I've returned the book to the library, so I can't check.
The modern story seemed far fetched... but less terrible eye rolling romance.
I was pulled in by the stories, and definitely wanted to see how the two stories tied into each other, and how it would all resolve.
I read it (and actually read for like 4 straight hours on a plane) but mostly because I wanted to see how it all wrapped up and be done with it.
felinity's review against another edition
5.0
A beautifully written story of two women, one in the present and one in the past, whose lives seem inexplicably intertwined. As the story progresses, things from one life seep through to the other, enhancing the story until it becomes fully complete.
We share Vivian's emotional rollercoaster, and her uncertainty about Isaak, while Audra's story draws the past even closer, binding the two women together.
All the characters are drawn in loving detail, with real emotions, doubts, conflicts, fears and joy; I especially love the very realistic friendship that Audra and Tess share. Each has to deal with grief and loss, sometimes just from a parting and sometimes more permanent, and we see how each handles it in a different way; we learn that one way isn't better than the other, just different, and that isolation from the others who are grieving tends to be unhelpful. At the same time, each also grows to discover that real love is carefully, patiently, painstakingly built over time, that it cannot exist in a vacuum or without openness, honesty and acceptance, that it is an ongoing process and requires commitment.
The details of life are always uncertain, though loss seems inevitable, and what's important is holding on to those pieces which help us remember, to live, to love, and using them to build something new and better. So many teaching moments in this story, and yet it just flowed so naturally. I read this on my own, and savored every minute, but I can see it as a great bookclub read.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
We share Vivian's emotional rollercoaster, and her uncertainty about Isaak, while Audra's story draws the past even closer, binding the two women together.
All the characters are drawn in loving detail, with real emotions, doubts, conflicts, fears and joy; I especially love the very realistic friendship that Audra and Tess share. Each has to deal with grief and loss, sometimes just from a parting and sometimes more permanent, and we see how each handles it in a different way; we learn that one way isn't better than the other, just different, and that isolation from the others who are grieving tends to be unhelpful. At the same time, each also grows to discover that real love is carefully, patiently, painstakingly built over time, that it cannot exist in a vacuum or without openness, honesty and acceptance, that it is an ongoing process and requires commitment.
The details of life are always uncertain, though loss seems inevitable, and what's important is holding on to those pieces which help us remember, to live, to love, and using them to build something new and better. So many teaching moments in this story, and yet it just flowed so naturally. I read this on my own, and savored every minute, but I can see it as a great bookclub read.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
gr8reader's review against another edition
5.0
Well written........Blown away how some of the shorter chapters (maybe 5 pages long) could be so packed with storyline and information. There are 2 story lines (that are related to each other) and the odd numbered chapters are about one story and the even numbered chapters about the other story. The font of each storyline is different. One story is in the present and one in the past. There were times that I was tempted to read just one story and then go back and read the other......but I couldn't choose which one to start with. Well developed characters and plot line. There are points where you discover things about the story from the past within the present story and you want to know how those characters got to that point......A real page turner at times. It looked as though one of the stories was NOT going have a "pat, predictable ending" and without giving things away, I was just a tad disappointed that it ended the way that it did.
bravelass85's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable read though the two story lines only sort of connected. It felt to me like it could have been two separate books. I enjoyed both stories however.