From the Bookshelf of Christian Fiction Devourers…

Before We Were Yours

Lisa Wingate

Start date: January 1, 2018

Finish date: January 31, 2018

Discussion: Book of the Month Reading

Why we're reading this: January's Book of the Month…more
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Book of the Month Reading

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By Beth · 5 posts · 1236 views

last updated Feb 24, 2024 02:12PM

Book of the Month for January - Nominations Open
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What Members Thought

Dec 06, 2017 Catherine rated it it was amazing

I couldn't wait to begin reading this story, and I literally could not put it down. I've always loved Lisa's writing, but she has excelled beyond any expectations I may have had about how good this book would be. I'm truly in awe. Not only is the story itself so compelling, fascinating and heartbreaking, but the characters she has created to tell it are simply beautiful. I can see this fabulously written story on the silver screen, and my only hope is that they will do it justice. Bravo, Lisa, b ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2019 Donna rated it really liked it

This novel is based on the real-life adoption scandal surrounding the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children's Home Society and its director, Georgia Tann. From 1920 to 1950, countless children were taken from their biological parents through nefarious and illegal means and put up for adoption, often at very high fees. While awaiting adoption, children were malnourished and mistreated and quite a few died.

Using a popular structure for current historical fiction, the author alternates two narr ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 05, 2018 NancyInWI rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, library-ebook

A little slow going in the beginning, but turned out to be a good historical fiction look at the shady adoption procedures back in the 40s in Tennessee.

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Sep 24, 2017 Marcy rated it it was amazing

This was my first Lisa Wingate book and I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the book was (no swearing that I recall). That seems to be a rarity for a modern author. The book thoroughly held my interest. This historical fiction opened my eyes to a place and time I wasn’t aware of. What could have been a gloomy story, Lisa created a story of grit, determination, survival and even joy.

While most of the characters were created from a conglomerate of people’s experiences, some are real people fr ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 06, 2017 Laura rated it it was amazing

Amazing book. The characters are fantastic. Well written. Just a great read.

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 12, 2018 Alex rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

What a beautiful and heartbreaking book. I'd heard nothing but good things about this one, but I was a little skeptical that it could really be as good as everyone said. Not only that, but it took me over three months to get this from the library, as I was over 200th in line when I put it on hold. Popularity like that always makes me wary, but I shouldn't have been worried in this case because this book is definitely worth the hype.

I started off a bit impatient with Avery's chapters, but they s ...more

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Dec 21, 2017 C Janet rated it it was amazing

Shelves: good-read

This book is a good read. Lisa Wingate masterfully weaves a story on a scandal in our country's history. I will never forget this book. I couldn't put it down. Good book club read!
...more

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Jan 12, 2019 Jan rated it really liked it

Rather intense story about a true situation in Tennessee childrens home and a family that was torn apart, as the most vulnerable children were stolen and sold. Lisa Wingate does a great job, cover and title are great. Would have been a 5 bit a little too long.

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