60 books
—
56 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Home” as Want to Read:
Home
by
Melanie runs away. From conflict. From pain. From reality.
When novelist Melanie Vander faces a looming deadline, she decides it’s time for an escape to an inspiring, novel-worthy locale. She’s not running away. Really. She just needs time to focus. But as she disappears into her writing, she encounters a man whose tenderness leaves her reeling. Engaging and wise, psycholog ...more
When novelist Melanie Vander faces a looming deadline, she decides it’s time for an escape to an inspiring, novel-worthy locale. She’s not running away. Really. She just needs time to focus. But as she disappears into her writing, she encounters a man whose tenderness leaves her reeling. Engaging and wise, psycholog ...more
Get A Copy
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Home,
please sign up.
Recent Questions
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Home
Not only do I have a cold, but I have just been reduced to a pile of mushy tears when I finished this book! My poor nose!
So many emotions while reading HOME. There was sadness, fear, trepidation, exasperation, empathy, sympathy, frustration and relief. I feared for Melanie and her husband Craig's marriage. I thought for sure that I knew where the author was going with their story, but in reality I had no idea. I experienced exasperation at Melanie's behavior...before I understood what she was go ...more
So many emotions while reading HOME. There was sadness, fear, trepidation, exasperation, empathy, sympathy, frustration and relief. I feared for Melanie and her husband Craig's marriage. I thought for sure that I knew where the author was going with their story, but in reality I had no idea. I experienced exasperation at Melanie's behavior...before I understood what she was go ...more
Mar 04, 2017
Hristina
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
first-read-arcs,
reviewed,
not-what-i-thought,
from-netgalley,
chick-lit,
adult-lit,
e-books
I have recently fallen in a hole of christian-fiction and I cannot find my way out of it. Someone send a ladder cause I need to get out of here. and yeah, I reference The Path (that's what that's supposed to be), when I'm not obsessing over Hart of Dixie (we need more character development in books, movies and TV that's a-la Wade Kinsella style).
Actual rating: 3.5
Home features a very compelling story, told in a unique way. I really liked said story, but what I liked more was the style, and the w ...more
Actual rating: 3.5
Home features a very compelling story, told in a unique way. I really liked said story, but what I liked more was the style, and the w ...more
This is my first book by Ginny & it won't be my last. I adored every character. Home tells of a story of our journey to find a place in our own lives to call home. It really hit close to home for me coming out of a season of dryness. Melanie, Jill, Marcos & Craig were all such amazing examples of what struggle looks like when we don't go to God first.
I throughly enjoyed seeing Melanie go through her struggle through her character Chloe. It just felt like the Holy Spirit was taking her through h ...more
I throughly enjoyed seeing Melanie go through her struggle through her character Chloe. It just felt like the Holy Spirit was taking her through h ...more
Home is about three different main characters: Craig, Melanie and Jill. Each of them have different issues that they've chosen to ignore rather than confront. The novel is about being willing to work through a problem rather than ignore it and the value in going through the process and finding the end result.
This is my second novel by Ginny Yttrup. She tackles some tough topics and does a nice job with it. I especially liked the author quotes that began each chapter. ...more
This is my second novel by Ginny Yttrup. She tackles some tough topics and does a nice job with it. I especially liked the author quotes that began each chapter. ...more
I didn't know what I'd be in for when I met Melanie, a forty-nine-year-old, midlist author who emotionally checks out of life and her marriage, getting wrapped up in her fictional stories in Home, a novel by author Ginny L. Yttrup.
That is, I suspected I'd be in for something normal-but-fantastical like Stranger Than Fiction. So when I got into the novel and found it was pretty somber and wasn't fantastical, I didn't think I'd love it. I thought, "Oh, dear, so is this one of those melancholy stor ...more
That is, I suspected I'd be in for something normal-but-fantastical like Stranger Than Fiction. So when I got into the novel and found it was pretty somber and wasn't fantastical, I didn't think I'd love it. I thought, "Oh, dear, so is this one of those melancholy stor ...more
"Home is the imprint on our heart, the song of our soul, the memory we've yet to live . . . ."
Melanie Vander has packed her suitcase and virtually run away from home to her friend's lake house, cowering under the pretense of completing her novel under deadline, when in reality she recognizes that she and her husband have slowly drifted apart; thoughts of the future so confusing that it seems safer to escape into the alternate reality of her work in progress. But there is no solace there, either. ...more
Melanie Vander has packed her suitcase and virtually run away from home to her friend's lake house, cowering under the pretense of completing her novel under deadline, when in reality she recognizes that she and her husband have slowly drifted apart; thoughts of the future so confusing that it seems safer to escape into the alternate reality of her work in progress. But there is no solace there, either. ...more
Fans of contemporary Christian fiction focused on married couples will enjoy this touching, insightful book!
Uniquely written from the first person point of view of 4 people--2 couples--giving an upfront and personal look into their struggles. As they seek solutions to problems they are facing, revealing underlying spiritual and emotional issues, it felt quite therapeutic to see how they resolved their conflicts. The main character, Melanie, is an author and her work in progress becomes part of ...more
Uniquely written from the first person point of view of 4 people--2 couples--giving an upfront and personal look into their struggles. As they seek solutions to problems they are facing, revealing underlying spiritual and emotional issues, it felt quite therapeutic to see how they resolved their conflicts. The main character, Melanie, is an author and her work in progress becomes part of ...more
Home by Ginny Yttrup was so beauitful in an emotional blend of feel goods and grief. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the emotions that are swirling within me right now after reading this one. Ginny portrays the lives of three main characters, Jill, Melanie and Craig. Melanie and Craig are married.
The emotional roller coaster each of these characters ride resonated deep within my own soul. You felt what they felt in this novel because Ginny made them all so real. I felt that I was, too, l ...more
The emotional roller coaster each of these characters ride resonated deep within my own soul. You felt what they felt in this novel because Ginny made them all so real. I felt that I was, too, l ...more
Home, written by Ginny L. Yttrup, is the first book I've read by this author.
What a delightful read...full of emotion! Romance, sadness, grief, longing, and lots of stuff between. I found the beginning of the book hard to get into, BUT after I got going...it was a keeper! I'm sure I'll read it again. It's a book writer's life, an editor's life and the book the writer is writing. Very unique! I've never read anything like it. I have always been a fan of first-person POV's and this one has first- ...more
What a delightful read...full of emotion! Romance, sadness, grief, longing, and lots of stuff between. I found the beginning of the book hard to get into, BUT after I got going...it was a keeper! I'm sure I'll read it again. It's a book writer's life, an editor's life and the book the writer is writing. Very unique! I've never read anything like it. I have always been a fan of first-person POV's and this one has first- ...more
What happens when we just “check out” of life? Maggie has hit a brick wall in her writing and it seems to have spilled over into her marriage as well. In her mind, the daily struggles are happening more and more and Craig doesn’t seem to be able to pull her out of her funk. Craig is struggling with a sharp downturn in work and finances which are leading to some heart-wrenching decisions. With Maggie off on a self-imposed retreat to meet her writing deadline, Craig feels as if he’s battling on hi
...more
Every so often, you will read a book that will touch your heart and change your life. Home was one such book for me.
Like Melanie, I also dive into the fiction world rather than confront the uncomfortable truths around me. Needless to say, I understood her quite well. For me, it was icing on the cake that she was a writer as I love reading books about writers.
In Craig’s struggles with a failing economy, a job on the brink, and a wife not emotionally present, I could easily see my husband. The man ...more
Like Melanie, I also dive into the fiction world rather than confront the uncomfortable truths around me. Needless to say, I understood her quite well. For me, it was icing on the cake that she was a writer as I love reading books about writers.
In Craig’s struggles with a failing economy, a job on the brink, and a wife not emotionally present, I could easily see my husband. The man ...more
I was super-impressed by Words, the first Ginny Yttrup book I read. The second, Invisible, was a little harder to get into. And Home was a little harder again. I know Words was partly based on Ginny’s own story, and I suspect part of Home is as well (a novel about a novelist? Who ends up writing a novel titled Home? It’s easy to see why I might think that).
I know authors are told, ‘write what you know’. And obviously, authors know writing novels. But I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of nov ...more
I know authors are told, ‘write what you know’. And obviously, authors know writing novels. But I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of nov ...more
Wow! I really loved this book. A powerful story that explores many different emotions, some of the struggles mirrored some that I have had in my life and like Craig and Melanie it made my faith stronger.
Ginny Yttrup puts together a novel so compelling, so intriguing, it's very hard to put down. I stayed up till nearly 3:00 AM to finish the book. Her characters are honest, and they all have a voice of their own. One of the quirks of this book that makes it work is the fact that several of the characters are authors and one of the main characters is trying to meet a deadline for her book, but she's having a hard time getting words to paper.
Melanie describes herself as a pantser type author--one ...more
Melanie describes herself as a pantser type author--one ...more
This is the second book I've read by Ginny Yttrup and it's just as good if not better than the first one. Her stories carry lots of psychological drama. Home had multiple layers. The characters were ones I could deeply care about, their issues, their problems and their outcomes. I got throughly engrossed in the story and could almost feel my presence in the pages of the book. The descriptions of the surroundings in each location was easily imagined. It was emotional and heartwarming. Full of unr
...more
Home was a book that was a pretty gripping story of grief, temptation, illness, and what keeping secrets can do to a family. Mostly though this was a story about grief, all kinds, and how we need to face it, a human emotion and a necessary next step in the moving on of our lives. Whether it is a loss of a loved one, dream, career, or financial security grief must be faced head on. We as human beings need to go through the stages no matter how painful.
The author masterfully told this story throug ...more
The author masterfully told this story throug ...more
Grieving is not something any of us would choose, and yet it's something we all face at one time or another. Sometimes we'd rather pretend it doesn't exist than to face it head on.
Several of the characters in Home are grieving. They are facing difficult situations, and they handle their emotions differently, but ultimately they each must go through a learning and healing process.
I love that Home doesn't shy away from this difficult topic but presents loving and wholesome perspectives on the proc ...more
Several of the characters in Home are grieving. They are facing difficult situations, and they handle their emotions differently, but ultimately they each must go through a learning and healing process.
I love that Home doesn't shy away from this difficult topic but presents loving and wholesome perspectives on the proc ...more
Title: Home
Author: Ginny L. Yttrup
Publisher: Shiloh Run Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Home" By Ginny L. Yttrup
My Thoughts....
This story was quite a well written read where the characters struggles were definitely ones that could be faced by just anyone you may know.
For Melanie and Craig were having some real hard times in their marriage where one could at one point or another not know to whom to feel more sorry for. Less not forget those neighbors who added quite a lot to the ...more
Author: Ginny L. Yttrup
Publisher: Shiloh Run Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Home" By Ginny L. Yttrup
My Thoughts....
This story was quite a well written read where the characters struggles were definitely ones that could be faced by just anyone you may know.
For Melanie and Craig were having some real hard times in their marriage where one could at one point or another not know to whom to feel more sorry for. Less not forget those neighbors who added quite a lot to the ...more
My thoughts - I went into this read thinking it would be an ordinary Christian Contemporary following a woman that’s got a choice to make.
I honestly wasn’t sure if I would even get invested in the story line.. but I picked it up then couldn’t put it down.. it made me question somethings in my own life.
We follow 3 characters not just Melanie
1.Melanie
2.Craig
3.Jill
Each one has choices to make and honestly I fell in love with / connected with each character.
I rated it a 4 because I loved one of ...more
I honestly wasn’t sure if I would even get invested in the story line.. but I picked it up then couldn’t put it down.. it made me question somethings in my own life.
We follow 3 characters not just Melanie
1.Melanie
2.Craig
3.Jill
Each one has choices to make and honestly I fell in love with / connected with each character.
I rated it a 4 because I loved one of ...more
I have never read a book by Ginny Yttrup but I sure will again. This book was so good it was like reading 2 books into one. Once I started reading I couldn't put the book down. The characters are very developed. Watching Melanie's life come through the life of her character. By working together her and her friend Jill see their lives and what needs to change. Awesome story.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review." ...more
"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review." ...more
This is not just the story of Melanie and Craig. This is a story of their friends, mental illness, depression, OCD, the thought of an affair, children, marriage in general, and the hardships that marriage can face, especially after a great loss.
I found myself completely enthralled with this story. I couldn't stop reading. Whether it was Melanie's POV or Craig's, or her best friend's, it didn't matter. It grabbed ahold of me and wouldn't let go. Perhaps it is because I have felt what the charact ...more
I found myself completely enthralled with this story. I couldn't stop reading. Whether it was Melanie's POV or Craig's, or her best friend's, it didn't matter. It grabbed ahold of me and wouldn't let go. Perhaps it is because I have felt what the charact ...more
Not completely what I expected from the back cover. There's really two stories going on, but the characters are connected and the stories flow together. It's a very cerebral married romance. Very good but not your typical Christian fiction. Really enjoyed it, just like I have Ginny's other books.
...more
I struggled to get through this book. While the author is clearly a talented writer, and there are a few nuggets of wisdom buried inside, this was not a favorite read for me.
The story attempts to deal with real life issues (marriage, lies, withdrawing, emotional and mental confusion, etc.) which I expected from the description of the book, but I almost felt like this was two different stories.
Melanie’s best friend gets as many pages if not more than the heroin and her husband. While the friends ...more
The story attempts to deal with real life issues (marriage, lies, withdrawing, emotional and mental confusion, etc.) which I expected from the description of the book, but I almost felt like this was two different stories.
Melanie’s best friend gets as many pages if not more than the heroin and her husband. While the friends ...more
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I chose it. Oh was I wrong! This is a very well written story that is actually told in three voices along with the characters in the book that Melanie is writing. Sound complicated? It had to be complicated to write and author, Ginny Yttrup did an incredible job with it. This story truly touched me on a personal level and could touch the lives of many people with differing conflicts in their lives. It is so much more than the descriptive paragraph
...more
Home by Ginny L. Yttrup is a thought provoking and compelling book. A book that is not a light read, yet there are some light moments in it. A book about characters who have very real and troubling problems to deal with, yet find the strength and faith in family and God to work through those problems. A book about home, a place we all long for and yet not necessarily in the sense of an actual place but something more. Yttrup masterfully touches on the multifaceted issue of grief and the oft misu
...more
This novel is written from the points of view of several characters, which helps move the story along and gave me a rounded view of the main characters. The characters deal with a variety of crises that lead them to face the past and issues they have never dealt with, like grief and family secrets. Ultimately you cannot run away forever. I found myself searching my own mind and heart as I read.
The author leads in to each chapter with a literary quote that in some way summarizes the chapter to fo ...more
The author leads in to each chapter with a literary quote that in some way summarizes the chapter to fo ...more
When I read a novel by Ginny Yttrup I never know what is going to happen. She is the queen of delivering a "boom" at the end of her novels.
I loved Invisible. So I was quite excited to receive another book authored by this fantabulous author.
Again, when one reads a book by Ginny Yttrup, one never knows what the surprises will crop up at the end of the read. I just love this about her books!
In this novel, HOME, Melanie and her husband are facing some marriageable issues. Melanie goes to Dr, Hammo ...more
I loved Invisible. So I was quite excited to receive another book authored by this fantabulous author.
Again, when one reads a book by Ginny Yttrup, one never knows what the surprises will crop up at the end of the read. I just love this about her books!
In this novel, HOME, Melanie and her husband are facing some marriageable issues. Melanie goes to Dr, Hammo ...more
"One way to describe it is a longing for home, though that's not quite accurate. The Welsh have a word for it: hiraeth. It's difficult to translate in English, but I've heard it described as a homesickness for a home you can't return to. Our a place that never was. I've come to acknowledge it in myself as a longing for God. 'Eternity set in the hearts of men,' as Solomon so eloquently wrote."
I guess everyone has their own definition of what "home" really means. All I know is it is NOT confined t ...more
I guess everyone has their own definition of what "home" really means. All I know is it is NOT confined t ...more
This was my first Ginny Yttrup book and I quite enjoyed it. The story was very different from any I've read and her writing style just made everything seem so real and authentic. This was a book that was easy to read yet, at times, difficult to read. It wasn't a light, airy read but one that is relatable.
From the beginning I could see the detachment between Melanie and Craig. The two have been married for twenty-three years and it was easy to see that they were perhaps stuck in a rut. It was alm ...more
From the beginning I could see the detachment between Melanie and Craig. The two have been married for twenty-three years and it was easy to see that they were perhaps stuck in a rut. It was alm ...more
I frankly don't know anyone who writes women's fiction as well as Ginny Yttrup. Even though it's fiction, there's such a ring of truth in them that you'd swear Ginny's writing it from her own life.
When the housing market took a dive, many building and architectural contractors went out of business. Those who survived had to diversify and cut back. Craig is one whose business has suffered--or strangled, nearly. He and Melanie discuss putting their own self-designed dream home on the market and mo ...more
When the housing market took a dive, many building and architectural contractors went out of business. Those who survived had to diversify and cut back. Craig is one whose business has suffered--or strangled, nearly. He and Melanie discuss putting their own self-designed dream home on the market and mo ...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Ginny L. Yttrup is the Christy Award winning author of Words, and six other titles, the award-winning Mendocino Village Novels, Invisible and Illusion. She writes women's fiction and suspense. Ginny is also a sought after writing coach, developmental editor, and speaker. When not writing she loves to spend time with her adult children, and the circle of dear friends who enrich her life. She lives
...more
News & Interviews
The coming season is a big one for the science fiction and fantasy genres, with the release of some of 2021's most anticipated speculative...
128 likes · 78 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable.”
—
1 likes
“Much of the anxiety we experience is either related to past experiences or future concerns. Intentional breathing brings us back to the moment. Focus shifts to the act of breathing, which is taking place in the present”
—
0 likes
More quotes…
