I’m 3/4 of the way through this book right now so I can’t give an accurate book review yet. I will tell you that it is not a light, fluffy book. It is thought-provoking and emotional. So far it is running true to other Lynn Austin book’s I’ve read so if you are a fan of hers you will like it.

One part I really enjoyed was when they are participating in Purim with their Jewish neighbor and using the story of Esther to help them with the hard problems they are facing. [Read more...]

I picked Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin because of how much I enjoyed  Until We Reach Home.  It wasn’t as good.  Though Waters Roar is the story of 4 generations of women in times of upheaval and change in America.  Hannah lives on a farm and is part of the underground railroad. Beatrice, Hannah’s daughter, works hard for prohibiton.  Lucy, Beatrice’s daughter, uses her high society connections to help get votes for women.  Harriet, Lucy’s daughter, wants to embrace a cause, but hasn’t found her own yet.

There is a lot of political talk, class differences, and arrests.  The underlying theme of relying on God is enforced by Beatrice.  I like her message at the very end of the book: “We can make stricter laws, Harriet, but people will just figure out a way around them if their hearts are hardened. … Only God can change people.”
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Have you ever read an author, liked her, but then forgot about her?  That’s what happened to me and Lynn Austin.  I am so glad that CFBA reminded me of her with her newest book titled Until We Reach Home.

I’ve read about first lines and I think this book has a great one. “Elin Carlson walked into the barn and everything changed.”  I was drawn into the story from page 1.

Lynn Austin did a great job portraying 3 different sisters and their journey to America.  The story is not just from one sister’s viewpoint, but rotates through each of them without making the story repetitive or confusing.

I must warn you that it’s not a get-to-America-and-everything’s-okay kind of book.  Getting to America is only their first hurdle.  It’s raw and it’s real. [Read more...]