Book Title: We Hope for Better Things
Author: Erin Bartels
Format: Paperback
Page Count/Location: 393 pages
Book Genre(s): adult, female author, fiction, historical fiction (USA/Civil War), romance, contemporary history, family drama, current and past world events, slice-of-life, realistic fiction, social issues, stand-alone, war-conflict-revolution
**Categories for Rating**
see post at my blog for rating system:
https://the-book-nest.blogspot.com/2021/01/book-review-template-2021.html
A. Characters: 8 / 9
B. Cover Art & Design: 7 / 7
C. Enjoyment: 8 / 8.5
D. Plot (Storyline): 8 / 8
E. Writing Style & Editing: 8 / 8
F. Variable: Genre, Relating (optional): 9 / 9
***Additional Aspects of Book that I am reviewing (optional)***
**Pros: Quite enjoyable and while this is a mix of contemporary and historical fiction, it is also a timely read considering the societal climate, worldwide in regards to race and other differences that are used to divide us. There was a nice flow in and out of historical events in regards to how the family related to them and were affected by them, including such topics as interracial friendship and marriage. There was definetly a diversity of characters for the book, and they worked well within the parameters of the storyline. The characters were likable, personable, and easy to connect with. By the time I completed the book, I really felt like I had gone along on the retelling of how history and social issues affected this particular family.
**Cons: Honestly, none that I can really think of.
**Honorable Mentions: The side story of a romance in the current time line was nice as it was more of a background "filler" than it was anything else which was nice because you really didn't want anything to detract from the major story of the book.
**Memorable Quotes:
“Change happens when the cost of keeping things the way they are is too high.”
**Personal Like/Dislike: I enjoyed how some of the characters looked beyond skin color to see, and appreciate the true person underneath.
**Does this book "fit in" to the genre(s) it's listed under? Yes, very much so. There was one category (Christian Fiction) that I didn't list that *could* have fit however the reason I didn't is, while it was a slight theme in the background (in regards to what faith the characters followed), the belief system was not critical to the overall telling of the story.
**Final Notes: I had received this book as part of a giveaway on Bookish First, about 2 years ago. I am glad I finally took the time to read it, and sorry that it had taken so long. The author has a wonderful ability and skill for weaving a credible tale and for having you feel like you were there, observing and experiencing it first-hand. While I am not a fast reader, I will say that, while the story overall is not fast-paced, it is steady, with very few, if any, real downtime.
In closing, I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Bookish First for allowing me the opportunity to read this book via the giveaway. I understand that a review is/was not required, and I give honest review of my own.
Final Rating: 8 / 8.25 = 4 / 4 stars
Notes on Rating: Overall, a solid book which I would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction that deals with some taboo subjects and social issues, both past and current.
This review can also be found here, on GoodReads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2626259103
and my blog:
https://the-book-nest.blogspot.com/2021/07/we-hope-for-better-things.html
Author: Erin Bartels
Format: Paperback
Page Count/Location: 393 pages
Book Genre(s): adult, female author, fiction, historical fiction (USA/Civil War), romance, contemporary history, family drama, current and past world events, slice-of-life, realistic fiction, social issues, stand-alone, war-conflict-revolution
**Categories for Rating**
see post at my blog for rating system:
https://the-book-nest.blogspot.com/2021/01/book-review-template-2021.html
A. Characters: 8 / 9
B. Cover Art & Design: 7 / 7
C. Enjoyment: 8 / 8.5
D. Plot (Storyline): 8 / 8
E. Writing Style & Editing: 8 / 8
F. Variable: Genre, Relating (optional): 9 / 9
***Additional Aspects of Book that I am reviewing (optional)***
**Pros: Quite enjoyable and while this is a mix of contemporary and historical fiction, it is also a timely read considering the societal climate, worldwide in regards to race and other differences that are used to divide us. There was a nice flow in and out of historical events in regards to how the family related to them and were affected by them, including such topics as interracial friendship and marriage. There was definetly a diversity of characters for the book, and they worked well within the parameters of the storyline. The characters were likable, personable, and easy to connect with. By the time I completed the book, I really felt like I had gone along on the retelling of how history and social issues affected this particular family.
**Cons: Honestly, none that I can really think of.
**Honorable Mentions: The side story of a romance in the current time line was nice as it was more of a background "filler" than it was anything else which was nice because you really didn't want anything to detract from the major story of the book.
**Memorable Quotes:
“Change happens when the cost of keeping things the way they are is too high.”
**Personal Like/Dislike: I enjoyed how some of the characters looked beyond skin color to see, and appreciate the true person underneath.
**Does this book "fit in" to the genre(s) it's listed under? Yes, very much so. There was one category (Christian Fiction) that I didn't list that *could* have fit however the reason I didn't is, while it was a slight theme in the background (in regards to what faith the characters followed), the belief system was not critical to the overall telling of the story.
**Final Notes: I had received this book as part of a giveaway on Bookish First, about 2 years ago. I am glad I finally took the time to read it, and sorry that it had taken so long. The author has a wonderful ability and skill for weaving a credible tale and for having you feel like you were there, observing and experiencing it first-hand. While I am not a fast reader, I will say that, while the story overall is not fast-paced, it is steady, with very few, if any, real downtime.
In closing, I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Bookish First for allowing me the opportunity to read this book via the giveaway. I understand that a review is/was not required, and I give honest review of my own.
Final Rating: 8 / 8.25 = 4 / 4 stars
Notes on Rating: Overall, a solid book which I would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction that deals with some taboo subjects and social issues, both past and current.
This review can also be found here, on GoodReads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2626259103
and my blog:
https://the-book-nest.blogspot.com/2021/07/we-hope-for-better-things.html