Raising Riley

I wanted to share this book that I just finished because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it! I’ve actually read 2 other books since finishing this one, and I still can’t get it off my mind. The book I’m sharing with you is Winter Garden, by Kristin Hannah.

I sped through this book in about a day and a half because of how beautifully the story is told. It’s true that I’m a little more on the emotional side, but I’ve never finished a Kristin Hannah book without tears. The writing is so eloquent, and she really makes you connect with each character she writes about.

This particular story flip flops between the early 2000s in the United States and the 1920s in Leningrad, Russia. Without giving too much away, it explores family dynamics and the troubled relationship between sisters and their mother. The mother’s past is revealed, finally answering all the questions the daughters had about her for their entire lives. I don’t want to summarize the book, but rather tell you why you should read it or give this author a chance. If I was to read the summary on the back of the book, or just have someone recommend a historical fiction book to me, I can tell you that it’s very likely I would NOT read it. Historical fiction isn’t my thing and I typically try to stay away from anything historical because it’s just not my cup of tea.

With all this being said, Kristin Hannah books are DIFFERENT. She tells the (fictional) stories of people’s hardships; their pain and suffering. She allows you to imagine what it would’ve been like to live during that time and to experience the horrendous things that so many people have. Without embarrassing myself too much, I will say I’ve also learned quite a bit of general historical facts from her books since my knowledge on world history is very much lacking.

My final thoughts on Winter Garden: As a mother, this book was very moving. I imagined myself as one of the mothers in this book, having to make the decisions they did, and how heart-wrenching it would be to do so. Even though this is a fictional story, Hannah, through her extensive research, has helped us to imagine what this time period was like for those who lived through it. I would recommend this story for anyone, because it was a great reminder of how much we have to be grateful for, and how lucky we truly are.

Other Kristin Hannah books I’ve read and loved:

The Four Winds (5 stars)

The Great Alone (4 stars)

The Nightingale (4 stars)

What I’m hoping to read next: The Women by Kristin Hannah

Thanks for being here, and share your book recommendations with me! Can’t wait to hear what you think about this one.