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All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner Review

Happy Wednesday Everyone :)


I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you all for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.


I had the opportunity to read and review a recently released novel from Revell Publishing as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program, and today I'm beyond excited to share my review of this beautiful book with you all.


Sometimes you can tell from the first pages of a story that it's going to be something you'll love, and as such, I knew right from the start that this particular story was going to be a winner in my eyes.


All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner:




Source: Complimentary Copy From The Publisher

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction


Synopsis:


When Annie Jacobson's brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he hands her a piece of paper with the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know.

In Mike's absence, their father returns to face tragedy at home, adding an extra measure of complication to an already tense time. As they work toward healing and pray fervently for Mike's safety overseas, letter by letter the Jacobsons must find a way to pull together as a family, regardless of past hurts. In the tumult of this time, Annie and her family grapple with the tension of holding both hope and grief in the same hand, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds of the brokenhearted.

Author Susie Finkbeiner invites you into the Jacobson family's home and hearts during a time in which the chaos of the outside world touched their small community in ways they never imagined.


(synopsis from goodreads)


My Review: 

Most of the time when I'm completely captivated by a story, I can't read it fast enough. I devour it as quickly as possible, and will sometimes even finish a book in one sitting. Once in awhile though, a beautiful gem of a story comes along that's so mesmerizing, it needs to be read slowly, in order to truly savor every single word. All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner was the latter type of story for me. I was completely wrapped up in the story of Annie Jacobson and her family, and I never wanted this heart wrenching tale to come to an end.

I was first drawn to this story after hearing that it was set against a backdrop of 1967 during the Vietnam war. I feel like this isn't too common of a setting for fictional novels period, and for myself, this was definitely a first. I love acquainting myself with parts of history I'm less familiar with, and the reader can definitely tell with this one that the author invested much effort into representing this time period both authentically and truthfully. I felt like I was literally reading the diary of an eighteen year old girl growing up during the Vietnam war. The historical events are perfectly blended in with the fictionalized tales of Annie Jacobson and her family, and I've rarely seen a historical fiction novel presented so flawlessly.

I'm the type of reader that relies heavily on the characters to keep me invested in a story, and in this particular one, I was intensely invested in every single character and their corresponding stories. Annie had such a big heart for others and for life itself, and I loved how she's determined to give the relationship she wants a chance, even though its against the odds of societal norms for the time. Her love and affection for her family and friends is extremely important to her, and she does anything she needs to help them out. Mike is such a great brother and son, and despite being far apart from them, you can tell by his letters just how much his family continues to mean to him, and how he's willing to do what it takes to serve his country despite his widespread fear of doing so. Joel is honestly adorable, and my heart broke for him as he struggles to find his way despite his big brother departing, and his father being a minimal presence in his life.

All Manner Of Things is the type of story that will stick with you long after finishing it, and I honestly don't remember the last time a book affected me this much. I was left with my heart strings pulled, tears in my eyes, and a great respect for this new to me author, who's story completely blew me away. I honestly cannot recommend this one enough, especially to anyone who's a fan of historical fiction, and I know that it will for sure be a reread for me in the future!

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Thanks so much to Revell for the complimentary copy to read and review!


I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) as part of the Revell Reads blog program. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review. 


Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day!

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