The Masterpiece - Francine Rivers

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Grace Moore is trying to get her life on track for herself and her young son. Through employment, her path crosses with artist Roman Velasco. And God's grace is presented throughout.

I liked this book. Probably 3.5 stars for me. It was predictable, I felt. But I am fine with that in this book. I would have liked Roman to have more depth in the beginning of the book. However, his shallowness was probably part of the point. I liked Grace and really liked one of her friends and her aunt.

There were some side characters - like two of Grace's friends - that I don't really feel added anything to the story line. Every time they popped up in the narrative I had to think and remember who they were.

This is a book of relationships. Between people. Between people and God.

A lot of loose ends left hanging. But I think I was okay with that.

Definitely worth the read. I pretty much flew through it because it was interesting.

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Before We Were Yours - Lisa Wingate

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Memphis 1939 and South Carolina present day. A family of orphans. A family of wealth. What are each of their stories, and how do they intertwine.

This book grew on me as I was reading it. So I think the 3 star rating instead of 4 start might be a result of wrong book for the time. The first half I didn't have big chunks of time to read. So the stories were disjointed, and I had a hard time engaging with the characters or either of the plots. The second half I was more invested in because I had longer reading sessions. I could really lose myself in the tales even though I knew how they were involved. Or maybe I enjoyed it because I knew how they were involved.

Regardless...how in the world is none of this ever taught in history classes?!? I even went to 3.5 years of school in Tennessee and took Tennessee history. The truths of Georgia Tann and the families she tore apart, lives she destroyed and ended. Atrocious.

I think it's definitely worth the read, even if purely from a historical interest.

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