Before We Were Yours.

☆☆☆☆☆

before we were yours.
lisa wingate.

Publisher  Ballantine Books.

Publication Date:June 6,2017.

Genre: Historical Fiction.

Format|Pages: Hardcover|342.

 Source:  Goodreads|Library.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.




Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption. 

 ☂

Heart wrenching, powerful, captivating story.



Wow. How is it even possible to even try to explain how I feel about this book? I think I have no words that can explain my feelings at this moment. I have read quite few historical fiction lately, but nothing like this one. I had a feeling that it was going to be sad when I read the description, but nothing prepared me for how heartbreaking it would be. I have been hearing about BEFORE WE WERE YOURS for quite some time and saw a lot of good reviews, and finally decided to check it out. It wasn’t only that captured my attention but the fact that it was based on true story, I always enjoyed books that was based on actual events in the history. I cannot even begin to imagine going through what Rill and her siblings had go through and all of those children. My heart broke for them, and I wondered how nobody questioned the methods of Tennessee Children Home Society Orphanage. Plus the way those children were treated, that was abuse. I was praying for those children and hoped that somehow someone would discover what was going on, and put end to it. I hoped that at least Rill and her siblings would find a way to escape, find their parents. I could be wrong, but I feel as Rill was one of the people there that knew, that there wasn’t something right about the orphanage director, and the orphanage itself. I knew there was something not right from moment that they were taken from their home. You can’t help but cry at what these children had go through and imagine their families that they were taken from.




BEFORE WE WERE YOURS was so well written, and once I finished reading the book, I went to research more about the Tennessee Children’s Home because I was curious, after reading the book. I do feel as if I learned a lot, just from reading the book. I can tell that it was a well-researched book. BEFORE WE WERE YOURS was the first book that I read by LISA WINGATE and now that I have read it, I am curious about her others and cannot wait to check them out. I loved the writing style of this book, how it went back and forth between present and past. The fact that it was told from view of 12 year old and what she and her sibling had to go through, it made it so much more heartbreaking to read. BEFORE WE WERE YOURS is a book where you will cry, multiple times. I went through a lot of emotions where I was reading the book, grief, anger, confusion, fear and hope. I felt as if I was there along with all the other characters. I never imagined for Avery to find out what she did, but I am glad that she did. I had a feeling that there was some sort of connection between Avery’s grandmother and May, but never did I imagine of what it might be. I am glad that Avery did not give up and kept on looking until she discovered what was going on. I feel as if that added even more mystery to the book. Despite how heartbreaking it was, and sometimes very hard to read, it was also a book that you will not put down until you reach the end, wanting to know how it all ends. There were couple times where I read late into night, because anytime I tried putting down, something interesting would happen that get it impossible to put it down.



If you love historical fiction, I would highly recommend BEFORE WE WERE YOURS , one of the best historical fiction books.