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The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner Review

 Happy Tuesday Bookish Friends :)

I pray today finds you all doing well, and I'm so appreciative that you decided to start off your week by joining me  (Kirby) here on The Preppy Book Princess for another book review.

I've been reading (and reviewing) Christian fiction for a lot of years, and I always love when I stumble upon a story within this genre that's completely unlike anything I've ever read before.

I'm particularly looking forward to sharing all about this title with you all, and I hope you'll all join me down below for today's full review. 


The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner:



Source: Publisher as Part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: July 11th, 2023

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction


Synopsis:


It is 1952, and nearly all the girls 16-year-old Bertha Harding knows dream of getting married, keeping house, and raising children in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Bertha dreams of baseball. She reads every story in the sports section, she plays ball with the neighborhood boys--she even writes letters to the pitcher for the Workington Sweet Peas, part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

When Bertha's father is accused of being part of the Communist Party by the House Un-American Activities Committee, life comes crashing down on them. Disgraced and shunned, the Hardings move to a small town to start over where the only one who knows them is shy Uncle Matthew. But dreams are hard to kill, and when Bertha gets a chance to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas, she packs her bags for an adventure she'll never forget.

Join award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner for a summer of chasing down your dreams and discovering the place you truly belong.

(synopsis from goodreads)


My Review:

I've enjoyed every book I've picked up by Susie Finkbeiner so far, and I'm happy to say that The All American ended up being no exception.

Set in the early 1950's in Michigan, readers follow the alternating viewpoints of sisters Bertha and Flossie who approach life a little differently. Bertha's a teenager who dreams of nothing more than getting to play on a woman's baseball team. Flossie is a young girl who loves her books more than anything, and has an imagination that never seems to stop growing. However, neither sister is prepared for their father to be accused of being a communist sympathizer, or the drastic changes that these accusations will bring into their lives.

Unique and original, The All American is a wonderful tale of family, friendship, and finding yourself amidst all the chaos that life tends to throw your way. This author has a beautiful writing style fille with poetic prose and vivid imagery that makes the story come alive on the page. Even though quite a bit of the story goes by without much happening, I was still glued to the page as the writing was just that good. I truly think that Susie Finkbeiner gets better with each tale she writes, and this one might just be my favorite by her yet. I'm not always the biggest fan of sports stories, but this one intrigued me, and pulled me right into the story. 

I only wish that the faith element had been a little bit more predominate, and that the ending had a little bit more to it. With how much happens towards the end of the book, I didn't feel the ending gave the reader the resolution they deserved.

Still a fantastic read, I just would have loved it even more if that had been the case.

Final Rating: 4/5.


Thanks so much to Revell Publishing for allowing me to read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review. 


Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a wonderful rest of your day :)

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